ahhh...

My soul feels so refreshed. Here's a look at my trip so far in pictures.

beautiful day

Today was so great! The cookout was fantastic and I got to see lots of my favorite people. Lili said to me, "You are the only one I love who is not in my family." What a little sweet pea! Pictures to come. Stay tuned...

ugh

For a girl who rarely drinks, I definitely feel like I can put a few away. I am still drunk and feel horrible. And I woke up too late for a Hardee's butter biscuit. Ugghh.

jumping for joy is good for exercise

Music is good. I love Devotchka so much. Their Pandora station is so great! I feel like I have a little piece of Portland right here with me in my mom's living room. I didn't really discover this band until I lived in Portland. I'd obviously heard their music on the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack, but I didn't truly start listening to them until Portland. Me likey good music.

Tonight the whole family is going to dinner at Hondo's. I'm looking forward to drinking too much wine and getting ridiculous. My time in Virginia has been lovely so far. Yesterday my mom and I went to Williamsburg for a little shopping (although neither of us bought anything) and then we had dinner with Chuck, Cora and Leigh. It was so nice to see them again. They are such quality people. I just love them! And last night I spent the night with my precious boys. I think the image of River and Mason sitting at the table eating their peaches will forever be etched in my mind. They looked so sweet. I just wanted to watch them through the window for a little bit longer, but I was too excited so I just knocked on the door and pressed my face up against it! They got really excited and their facial expressions were perfect.

Today my mom and I picked Carley up and we had lunch with some SyCom girls. It was great to see them as well. I'm a lucky girl to have all these folks in my life who are interested in seeing me!

Tomorrow I am looking forward to my mom and dad's cookout, and then Sunday is Jenn's baby shower and then dinner with the Tillerys.

What a beautiful life it is.

xoxo,
T

questions

I just checked in for my flight. I feel nervous! What will it be like to see my family for the first time in 6 months? What will it feel like to sleep in my old bed? What will it feel like to go into my old office and eat at my old favorite restaurant? What if it doesn't feel like home anymore? What if it does? I don't know.

tidbit

Simon is fat. So Keith and I have decided to put him on a diet. He refuses to stop meowing. Poor little baby. He's cute but he can be so (in the words of my mom) BLASTED annoying!

I am leaving tomorrow morning after I teach my yoga class for Virginia. I can't wait! I wish I was going to have time to go to Busch Gardens! Maybe next summer?

lots to do and all over the place

I am going to Virginia in just a couple of days. I feel like I have so much to get done first! Since working three jobs doesn't allow me the luxury of a day off ever, I have to fit all these things in between shifts. I would like to get all of our laundry done and clean the apartment so I can come home to a clean apartment, although I realize by the time I come home Keith will have lived in the apartment for a whole week and there is likely to be laundry and film stuff everywhere. Ugh! Stresses me out. What to do, what to do? I also want to get my hair highlighted at the Aveda Institute and get my eyebrows waxed as well. And I have no idea what to pack. Working at the Gap has turned me into a fashion whore. I only want to take dresses and skirts home with me. It is hot in Virginia and I might have forgotten what that is like. I feel like dresses will be a nice option. I have a cute dress that I got the other day, but now I am thinking it would like much cuter if I belted it with a skinny belt. And then comes the shoes... which shoes do I take home? I used to only wear flip flops, but now I have a plethora of adorable sandals and mary janes and I am torn between what I should take with me and what I should leave behind. I don't have to take any personal items with me, including makeup because I can just wear my mom's, and so that makes me feel like I can pack more outfit choices. What I need to do is carefully plan my outfits by the day according to what I plan to do that day. So basically this blog is just me talking out loud. Or some variation of that. Oh! And let me just insert right here that I also have to go to the post office to pick up some unknown package I have received and I have to go to the DMV to register my car in the state of Oregon because my Virginia registration expires at the end of this month. So back to the clothes, because that is what really is important, right? Thursday my mom and I are going to Williamsburg to do a little shopping and then we are going down to Newport News to see the beloved Chuck and Cora. Cakora, if you will. I'm thinking something cute and casual. A dress and some shoes that slip off easily incase we try things on. (In case? Who am I kidding?!) So let's see... I have the eggplant dress, yellow dress, two-toned dress, denim skirt and I think that's all the dresses and skirts I have planned to bring with me so far. The yellow dress is reserved for dinner at Hondo's (I think). What a mess this blog is. I am writing exactly as my mind is thinking right now. Oh and I also have to think about what I am going to wear on the airplane as well. Do I want to be cozy and comfy, or do I want to be stylish and cute? Or do I want to shoot for somewhere in between? Do I want to paint my toenails or just be natural? Questions, questions, questions! So Thursday I do not know what I want to wear. Friday I am going to lunch with my mom, Carley, Whitney, Kim and Marie and then going to visit SyCom folks. I definitely think I want to wear a dress. I have a two-toned black and brown dress (more of an olive-y sandy brown) and that's the one I think would look better if I skinny-belted it. But last night I got to thinking, gold belt or silver belt? There's another dress I want that is just like it and it is white on top with the olive-y sandy color on the bottom. And that dress would go with the silver belt, no question. And then the eggplant strappy sundress would be good for either the baby shower or the cookout. And come to think of it, that might look nice belted as well. Gold or silver? My gut tells me gold, but I'd have to see it first. And should I bring my boyfriend jeans with me for a super casual day? I know I don't need to bring any yoga clothes because I left some behind for my mom. And of course I have to remember that I get a hefty discount at the Gap Outlet and maybe I could find some new things there as well. The only thing I am sure about at this point is that I am definitely over thinking this. So here is my itinerary as it stands (and I assume that you care only because you are reading my blog):

Wednesday: arrive in Richmond at 11:30 pm. I am teaching at 5:45 that morning in Portland and I am going to try to avoid napping on the plane (shouldn't be too hard) so I can throw myself into the east coast time zone. I am not going to do anything that night.

Thursday: coffee and yelling at the news with Daddy if I wake up early enough? Not sure what time he wakes up, that's worth looking into. Breakfast with mom at home. Shopping in Williamsburg and then a grabbing a bite with the Hites. Thursday night I think I will have mom drop me off at Tony and Jenn's so I can spend the night with them.

Friday: Tony will drop me off at mom's pretty early on his way to work. I will have coffee. Lunch with Carley, Kim, Whitney, Marie and mom at El Caporal, then a SyCom visit. After that we will visit Cindy and Stormy. From there we will go home and get ready for a big family dinner at Hondo's Steakhouse where I will get up and go to the bathroom when everyone's mutilated cow comes to the table and gets cut open and inspected by the server. Wine, salad, a baked potato and more wine for me, please. From there I will go downtown meet up with friends. Then I have to find a sober being to take me to Mechanicsville to meet up with Kelly for her birthday at Nacho Mama's, and another sober being to take me from there back to my mom's house. I am going to try not to drink too much so I can avoid vomiting in my mom's bathroom and also avoid feeling like crap the next day.

Saturday: I will have coffee. And then I am hoping to practice some yoga! Iffet mentioned that she was teaching, but I am kind of hoping Dana will be free so we can practice on our own in her yoga room. Then I will go back to my mom's for the cookout, which I assume will last for a good while. From there I will go spend the night at Tony and Jenn's with Hunter, River, Mason, Tonya and Matt. Family sleepover! It will be so much fun.

Sunday: COFFEE?!?! I don't know. They don't have coffee shops in New Kent and I doubt there is a coffee maker in the Jennings household. What will I do? Jenn's baby shower is this day. It will be a lovely day to honor the wonderful Jenn and the new little Ellie-baby. Dress, for sure. Something feminine and perhaps even frilly. Then dinner at Strawberry Street Cafe with the Tillerys! I don't know where I will sleep that night. Probably at my mom's so I can sleep in a little.

Monday: I will have coffee. And I hope to spend the day with my nephews. We will see. I also would like to squeeze in some QT with Cristena. I am going to leave this day kind of open so that whatever happens can happen.

Tuesday: I will have coffee. My flight leaves for PDX at 4:51 pm. I guess I will get to the airport around 4? I don't have a clue what I will do this day. Something tells me I will see Cindy and Stormy.

So that is that. I know I didn't specifically mention any time with my friends, but that would be Friday night, and my close friends are all invited to my mom's house for the cookout on Saturday. So that is when I will see them!

Last night I was at work (Gap) and this guy came in and I asked him if I could help him find anything and he turned to look at me, gave me this creepy blank stare with his red eyes and said very coldly, "NO." "Well, okay then" I replied, before letting out a laugh. Another customer who heard the transaction and who was about 6'4", wearing jorts and pushing a stroller with what appeared to be a 5 year old child in it turned to me and gave me this hilarious look and I laughed even more. Something about this guy reminded me of my brother for some reason. He said, "Whoa! That guy was probably a serial killer or something." Creepy man, I tell you. I got on my walkie (we wear headsets that I call 'Britney mics') and I said, "Watch out for that weirdo in the red shirt and don't anybody ask him if he wants any help because he clearly does not." Also, I got a Gap Card on the sales floor! That is super rare, I will have you know. My sales skills are on point, y'all! I am striving to be the next Gap Card video girl.

So I posted my playlist from class the other night. It was such an amazing class! The energy was great! I had a student come up to me after class and say, "Wow! I am so glad I came tonight! I haven't done yoga in three years due to a back injury and this was just great. You are an amazing teacher." Well, I thank you kindly ma'am. Then she said, "But is there any other teacher here you can recommend to me that is maybe a little more gentle?" Gentle, I was not! We did lots of vinyasa, constant movement, lots of planks, chatturanga, side planks, standing splits, lots of warriors. One breath, one movement. Simply amazing. I told her that sometimes I was a little more on the gentle side, but that for the most part I just based my class on my mood since the gym doesn't differentiate between power yoga and gentle or beginner yoga. But I encouraged her to try other teachers and stick with her practice and NEVER to leave a class if she found it to challenging. I told her I appreciated her effort and hard work and that if she found herself in that position again it would be beneficial for her to come to balasana and stay connected to her breath. I hope she will take my advice and find it useful. I love my job.

So I'm back on my big smoothie kick. It all started last Monday when I took Dana to the airport and we stopped at Jamba Juice where I got an acai berry topper. It was basically a smoothie topped with granola and banana slices and you eat it with a spoon. So I was like, I can totally make this at home and it will be much healthier than my usual poptart or cold refried bean breakfast. So this morning I had a mostly blueberry smoothie topped with the fresh granola and banana slices. It was mostly blueberry because I accidentally dropped too many bluebs in there. Whatever, it tasted fine. Other days I have used fruits such as pineapple, mango, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry. And I always add some apple sauce to help blend it together. I get all my ingredients from Whole Foods and I buy them in their purest most simple form so that it is actually healthy. When you get into adding things like yogurt and sugar and sweetened apple sauce and all that garbage it turns into more of a dessert than a healthy breakfast.

I have to work today from 11-6 and Shannon and I are carpooling. She is picking me up at 10:15, so I better go start getting ready!

xoxo,

T

urdva mukha svanasana

yoga playlist

I taught the 5:30 class in Tualatin tonight. Here is my playlist:

Deva Premal: Om Namo Bhagavate
Mantra Girl: Truth
Vitamin String Quartet: Bittersweet Symphony
Vitamin String Quartet: Dream On (tribute to Aerosmith)
Vitamin String Quartet: The Warmth (tribute to Incubus)
Vitamin String Quartet: Numb (tribute to Linkin Park)
Vitamin String Quartet: Hells Bells (tribute to AC/DC)
Vitamin String Quartet: Use Somebody (tribute to Kings of Leon)
Vitamin String Quartet: Pocketful of Sunshine (tribute to Natasha Bedingfield)
Vitamin String Quartet: Hallelujah
Vitamin String Quartet: Flightless Bird (tribute to Iron and Wine)
Jai Uttal: Gopala
Vitamin String Quartet: My Heart Will Go On (tribute to Celine Dion)

a special message...

FOR MY SPECIAL NEPHEW! Sorry it's not a video message, Hunter Lee, but I love you very much! I promise I will not call you my little sweet pea ever again. From now on, you will be known as my BIG sweet pea! I miss you to pieces and can't wait to wrap my arms around you next week. You better give me a really good hug! And start practicing for our Guitar Hero match! I can't wait to see you, you sweet thing you!

XOXO,

Aunt Tami

:)

more from hood river

greetings from hood river, oregon

boys!

I love my nephews! What a pleasure it was to hear their sweet voices this morning! River said, "When are you coming to see me? Can you???" Then he told me I could sleep in his pirate bed! And Hunter is excited to play Guitar Hero with me! What a lucky lady I am, to have three such wonderful beings in my life!

I had six cups of coffee this morning.

i miss you

my saturday night

I'm going to write a song for my mother and play it for her when she comes to visit Portland! Which means I know I have plenty of time to write it :)

bad little blogger

I am busy! I am working a lot and spending time with new friends. It is a nice little life I lead. Looking forward to going back to Virginia in two and a half weeks! Can't wait to see family and friends. I bought Simon a skull and crossbones collar today at the Saturday Market. It has a little jingle bell on it and it confuses him. He is sweet. Sorry I haven't been blogging much recently. I just haven't really had the time. I've been quite mentally exhausted. But all is well!

xoxo,

T

stuff

How did I not know about this?! I love Marilyn Manson, and I love everything related to Halloween, especially The Nightmare Before Christmas! This is amazing. I downloaded the ringtone off of crackberry.com today and it is now my new alarm. I will probably hate it now within a week! Also, I am strongly considering a new tattoo. I will attach a picture of it. I will not get it on the palm of my hand, however! And I will redesign it myself so it is more personal. I can't wait!

lovely day

Happy August! Can you believe it's the eighth month of the year already?! I have lots of birthdays this month... Cindy, Aunt Carolyn, Jarod, Lisa, Kelly. Also, Dana will be here in a little over a week, and I am going home on the 26th. Lots to look forward to this month!

Today was very enjoyable. I slept in. Keith and I had brunch at Biscuits where I had 6 cups of black coffee (that's becoming the norm), then we relaxed at home for a little bit, then we picked up Julia and John and went to the Clogs n More employee party at Ahmed's house. He is the owner. It was so fun and the food was amazing. And they had lots of vegetarian options! Although they did have burgers and some people were asking for theirs bloody and I lost my appetite for a moment and didn't have a veggie burger. I am so picky about meat touching my food, and I was worried that they would grill the veggie burger on the same spot as the beef burger, so I just opted out. I hate to be that picky without knowing someone! If it were my dad doing the cooking I wouldn't have minded pointing out that I was grossed out by my food touching where the meat was cooked. But oh well. I ate enough appetizers and desserts to more than make up for it! Ahmed and his wife Wendy were wonderful hosts, and all the people I met were incredibly nice.

I saw an old man in Biscuits this morning. My heart had a soft spot for him. He was eating alone and he was very cute. I looked at Keith and said, "I can't believe my grandparents are dead." Out of nowhere, my eyes filled with tears and I ran to the bathroom to pull myself together. I had a similar moment when I was practicing yoga at Lululemon last Thursday night. I wonder what's going on with me? I never talk about these things, so I guess holding them in has done a number on me. I miss them.

I fixed my hair really cute today. I pinned it back with a gazillion bobby pins. I like to call it the 'controlled chaos' look. I have posted pictures. I also wore my strappy eggplant dress today and my white wedges. I felt cute. I still do, because I haven't undone my hair or changed yet! I plan to wear my hair like this more often. It's a great way to get it off my neck without putting it in a basic ponytail.

I can't stand how cute Simon is. I also can't stand how he wakes me up in the middle of the night almost every night. I yelled at him this morning. He knows how to piss me off!

Today is Keith's friend Eric's birthday so I just dropped him off at his house. Ben and Stacey and some others were there. I played 'Say it ain't so' by Weezer on Rock Band (I was on guitar) and scored 89% and then came home. I love Rock Band and Guitar Hero!

I have a really long day tomorrow. I am working at Gap, Clogs n More and teaching two classes. Busy little bee, I am!

I am listening to Incubus right now. Blast from the past! I love it.

I'd better get myself to bed. I know my mom reads this, so let me just say, 'I LOVE YOU PATTY!'

xoxo,

r