Leap Year!

Happy Leap Year!

So let's analyze this. Who thought it would be a good idea to have an extra day in the year, once every four years? Does it really, truly help with the gravitional pull of the Earth or whatever story they tell us?

What about all those poor babies who are going to be born today? These children aren't going to officially have another birthday until they turn 4!!! Imagine, they have to celebrate either a day early or a day late....ok, let me get off my soap box...it's not like I'm having a child today or anything! :0

Do you think anybody scheduled their wedding for today? No way, no how would I do that!

Anywho....enjoy a game of leap frog today in celebration of Leap Year!



NOTE: This is my 900th post...only 100 more till 1000!!! Whoo---hooo!

Naked Naturals

Oh, I hear it now..."Rachel Ann, you are blogging about being naturally naked or naked in nature?"

No, no, no!!!

LOL!!!

Well, kind of....since you get naked to experience this product! (Collective gasp heard 'round the world!!)

Ok, back this train up...I'll explain! naked naturals is a great new natural shampoo on the market. I was given a sample of all natural Awapuhi & Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner. I am always up for experiencing new shampoo...I seem to have problems with dandruff, keeping color stay in my hair, and just plain thin blah hair. Now, I know that there are no miracle remedies out there, but there are definitely products that help enhance what you do have to make it look nicer, stronger, smoother and shinier! I used the shampoo last night and this morning and it really is pretty good! It didn't take me into shampoo ecstasy, but it was a nice feeling (yes, shampoo does make your hair "feel") when using it!

This all natural shampoo not only makes your hair seven times stronger but it is made without chemicals and sulfates. Instead it is made with a product called Keravis...a plant protein that Naked Naturals has exclusive to its line! So, go on out and try something that will not only help you but it also helps the environment by staying away from those nasty chemicals. Us Washingtonians can buy it at Walgreens or you can find it at their website.

This picture is of my sample before using it. I thought it might not be appropriate of me to take a picture of my USING it in the SHOWER (plus my camera would get wet....DUH!!!) LOL!!

Have fun getting naked naturally in your shower!

Restaurants

There is no Wendy's, no Applebees and no Red Robin in Moses Lake; however, there is a Japanese restaurant that makes fantastic sushi (a bit expensive though!). Just an observation.

Even though I live in Moses Lake, I get national TV (and channels from Seattle and Spokane)...which means commercials about restaurants that aren't even close to me. Heck in California, I was willing to drive a half hour to get a burger and fries from Red Robin, here I don't even have that option!

So next time I'm in Puyallu (March 15/16 for PBR BABY!!) I'm going to eat at Red Robin...I'm craving their fries and honey mustard sauce!!

Virtual Scream!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Doesn't work as good virtually as it does physically!

78%

Whoo-hoo!!

I got a 78% on my test!! Hallelujah!!!

That is higher than the 75% I kept getting on my pre-assessments!

OMG.....This is worth celebrating...break open the champagne baby!

Weird?

So do you think it is weird to drive down the main drag of your city and see a guy standing outside a hotel with a telescope pointed straight down the street? No, not looking up into the sky. No, not one of those utility type workers who seem to look through lense types when doing survey work. Just an ordinary person looking through a telescope in the middle of the day! I wonder why, how, what, and just plain WHY!!!

Just wanted to know if this was weird or not!

Nervous Nelly!

This is what I don't want to see!!!

For all you who read this blog, you know that I had to take a big test on Friday. Yeah, it was a lot harder and a lot longer than I initially thought it was going to be. Needless to say I was kind of wreck taking the test. All I could keep saying was, "You can do it! Just need a 70% to pass!" Now for someone who is usually pretty good and taking tests and getting good grades, I have never felt this insecure about a test before. Maybe because it was my first official test within my Masters Program...I don't know.

When I got home and checked my email, I kind of jumped the gun a bit, because there was an email from my mentor saying I has passed. I thought, WOW That was quick and instantly felt relief.

BUT...BUT...BUT!!!!

What a dork I am, I went back into the email and re-read it just to make sure...OH NO!! It was an email response saying I had passed the last pre-assessment that I took on Thursday. Kind of a bit late telling me that I passed the pre test, but oh well.

So now I have to wait until Monday or even Tuesday to find out if I passed or not. I'm not quite sure what I'll do or how I'll respond if I don't pass. My nerves can't handle this kind of stress!!!

This is what I aspire to! However, like I said, I would be happy with a 70% passing grade!!

Fayetteville Here I Come!

Oh how super exciting...I'm headed off to Fayetteville, North Carolina is just a few short months. I bought my ticket today for only $240...I have to say that is quite a steal! Granted I have to drive to the Seattle area on a Friday night and have my wonderful friend Holly take me to the airport on a Saturday morning...but it was so much cheaper than flying out of Spokane.

Originally, I was going to go during the kids' Spring Break and possibly take my Mexican Maddy; however, I re-read Jeff Dunham's tour schedule and he is going to be in Fayetteville on May 18th! I know that it might seem kind of selfish to go visit my best friend based on when a ventriloquist comedian is going to be in her neck of the woods...but hey! He's playing and the tickets were cheaper than!! He is the guy I had tickets to earlier this month but couldn't go because the pass was closed due to snow, snow, and more snow!

Seriously though, I am super excited to visit NC. I haven't seen Susana in over a year and a half, I get to enjoy the "east coast/south" during the warm season (possibly go to the beach one day), I get to enjoy coffee and Spanish goodies at Cafe Espana and I get a week off of work! Lovely, just lovely!

So when am I going? May 17--May 22nd...did I mention this was also the week right before Susana's birthday? Yep, her b-day is May 24th, and I'll be there to help her ease into her 3..um, 29th year of life!!!

March of the Penguins DVD!

I've entered into another contest over at whogets.com! This time I am in the running for The March of the Penguins DVD...please vote for me! This looks like a cute movie! Thank you so much!

I'm UP!

Goodness, I hate being sick! Luckily I think I am one of the few that didn't catch the nasty flu bug that is going round! I just have a vicious cough, that is in my chest and was (still is actually) affecting my sinuses and what not. I haven't done much the last four days other than lay around and sleep. I've been trying to do some homework, and studying for my test (THIS FRIDAY...UGH!), but haven't been too successful until TODAY!

I'm starting to feel normal again. I still have this cough that won't go away, but I've dealt with this type of stuff all my life (yes, I probably have a touch of bronchitis...ick!). But at least I don't feel the need to sleep all day long. Yesterday I got up feeling fairly good at 8am....by 11:30, I was back in bed for a nap (if you can call 4 hours a nap)....my body obviously was screaming for some serious sleep the last few days!

Today I got up went to church and went to Hastings Bookstore (aka..free internet) and researched more of my study questions for Friday, bought a study book for my HUGE content exam in July, and now I'm heading off to lunch. I may not be 100% but I feel a whole lot better! Again, I really HATE being sick! Sheesh....

I hope that all of you are feeling well!

Climbing Stairs for Cancer!

The following is an email from my good friend Dan Alexander. Dan (and his family) strive hard every year at different events to raise money for various causes. Dan and his brother Jay climb the Columbia Center Tower stairs in Seattle to raise money for cancer. I received the following email from Dan asking for all that can to help support this great cause! I know all of you in blogger land have your own personal causes and charities but hey, what is another $10 or $20 to a great cause?

PS...I "borrowed" this picture from their contribution site!


Hey Everybody,

Well here we go again...it turns out that there are still kids out there with leukemia and lymphoma and more needs to be done to help improve treatments and find a cure. Amazing progress has been made but we need to keep fighting. I am not a scientist and can't do much on that side, but, I can try to help raise some money to fund the research.

This is my third year climbing the steps of the Columbia Center Tower in Seattle (1,311 steps, one of the tallest buildings west of the Mississippi River). The last two years you have really helped me raise some good bucks for this cause and again I ask you to give.

I am climbing this year with about 10 firefighters from my department and our combined goal is $25,000. Big Huh! It shouldn't be too difficult if everyone is willing to give 10 or 15 bucks. It is really easy to give, click on the link below and you will go to my special website, there you can donate with a credit card and get your tax deductible receipt in like 2 minutes. I know you are asked for money all the time but I ask you to please consider it.

Dan's Contribution Link

You can click on this link to get more info on the Leukemia and Lymphoma society and on the 17 year history of this event. Last year we helped raise like $350,000.

Anyway, I know I don't keep in contact like I should but I appreciate the help. On a personal note, Holly, Josie, Ben and I are doing well. Just trying to get enough sleep and enjoy every moment with our happy and healthy family. Let me know how you are doing.

Thank you,

Dan Alexander

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you! I hope you have a wonderful day with your sweetheart.

My sweetheart Mason and I have been laying on the couch all day....SLEEPING! Some rampant flu bug has been going around our work and the kids have been sick as well. I've been sick all week, but more with a head cold/sinus/cough than the flu. I went home early yesterday and Mason and I slept for four hours. I went to be last night at 10:30 and got up at 8 am....then fell back to sleep on Shannon's couch about 10 o'clock this morning and didn't get up until my phone was ringing at 1:15!!! I didn't realize just how much sleep my body was saying I needed...I really must have be sick!

Well, I hope none of you have the icky flu! And enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Your diamond could earn you a refund!

Your diamond could earn you a refund KOMO 1000 News Radio - News, Weather and Sports - Seattle, WA Seattle, Washington Herb Weisbaum

Check this out! I know lots of you have gotten married in the last few years and have bought rings, as well as other jewelry!

Cousin's Wedding Reception

On Saturday I headed into Spokane for my cousin Sean's, and his new wife Andrea, wedding reception. They were married late last year, and had a huge wedding celebration in Brazil where she is from. So my aunt and uncle decided to have a family/friends wedding reception stateside.

For me, it was a lot of fun to go, because I saw my family; however, I saw lots of my old friends from MC days and my Maple Valley Days. I got to visit with April and Toby for a few minutes...WOW their girls are adorable, and getting so big! April andI went to High School together (for one year), lived by each other and went to church together. I love having friends that you've known for years!


This is my Aunt Helen, she is a hysterically funny woman who's not afraid to speak her mind! She and I both love movies, so we have a date to go to the movies once my big test is over at the end of the month!











This is my Great-Uncle Chuck (Grandpa Shorty's younger brother) and Great-Aunt Lyndell.
These are my favorite grandparents, of course! Grandpa Shorty and Grandma Pat. He is out of the hospital; however, they aren't letting him go home to LaCrosse quite yet. He has to stay in Spokane close to the doctors and hospital, just in case. He was short on blood again on Saturday, so they'll have to evaluate and decide whether or not to re-admit him for another blood transfusion. He did pretty well Saturday night, until he got tired...then he starts hurting more.


This is my cousin Shane and his wife Michelle. I found out that Michelle's favorite holiday is halloween...I told her that her and I needed to get together for a big Halloween party!

All-in-all, it was a fun night!

Townhouse Pics

Here are just a few pics (until I take some more...sorry, I've been bad at taking pics) of my new townhouse.

This is my new kitchen table...there is actually another chair; however, it has been commandeered to act as a TV stand right now!

I found the cute candles on clearance...and they match so well!
This is a view of half the living room and kitchen...the hallway to the right leads to the front door and stairs to the second floor.

there are two bedrooms upstairs, the master bath and the washer/dryer (which came with the place...who-hoo!).

Jenni's February Giveaway

My friend Jenni Burns has a great homemaking blog, where she posts recipes, tips and so much more. I am not one of those people who feels at all creative in the kitchen; however, Jenni makes it look so easy...she's a great inspiration!

She has been doing monthly giveaways, and the give away for this month is a totally cute waterproof apron for a little girl! You can enter the drawing by clicking: Jenni's February Giveaway! If you don't win, but want an apron anyway she mentioned that she would be makign them to sell!

No Pop!!!

One of my goals this year was to get healthy (healthier than now)....and one way for me to do that was to cut out pop. I've tried this before and haven't been as successful as I'd like (notice, I didn't say failed!).

Well, my last day drinking pop was New Year's Eve! That's right! No pop since the beginning of the year....it has actually been fairly easy. I would have thought that the first couple of weeks would be the hardest; however, it wasn't until about a month in that I was craving it the most. More than likely it was because it was that time of the month for me, and cravings come out like a MONSTER!!! LOL!

This is just a start for me. I definitely know that there are more ways to be healthier with me eating; however, I feel comfortable taking it one step at a time. Maybe once the snow melts I'll start walking...it is kind of hard to tromp through snow and ice right now...plus it is FREEZING cold!

My Life in 100 words!!

OMG…where to start?

Housing: Decided not to buy anything at this point! Wasn’t feeling as secure as I’d like …so I found a townhouse to rent. 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath—moved in this weekend. Bought living room and kitchen table set on Friday; still need: entertainment center, bookcases, twin bed, TV and odds & ends! Anyone who wants to visit, COME ON OVER!!!

Grandpa: Still not the best…he’s been in the hospital since my last post! Please keep praying for him.

School: HUGE test on 22nd…UGH!!! Homework? So-So!

Pictures: No internet at my house, will post as soon as possible.