City sledding

A baking sheet and an oven. These are two items that go together, right? This is not the case for our smaller-than-normal oven. Alas, our baking sheet does not fit inside (our cookies are destined to bake inside loaf pans or baking dishes for now). We have found a more suitable use for our baking sheet: sledding.


Check out the wonder that is sailing down a street on a baking sheet. There was quite a sledding crowd on the street next to ours and I saw another baking sheet in use. We also saw cardboard boxes, real sleds, a snowboard, and a laundry basket.

We thought about walking over to Gas Works to sled, but that would've been a long hike and our hill seemed a good alternative. The downside to sledding down city streets are the cars, and I already got an e-mail from a co-worker informing us that his daughter and her friend were hit by a car while sledding down a nearby street (his daughter escaped unharmed but her friend was less fortunate and will need surgery). So be careful people and watch for headlights. This isn't Frogger, this is real life.

Holidays in Seattle

We've done some decorating at the place to get it ready for Christmas! It looks pretty festive thanks to our old school big-bulb lights.

Good job Mark!

All done...

The biggest snowstorm to hit Seattle in 12 years has been fun to play in! Sometimes we wish we had a dog to romp with us through the snow. I don't think Frederick would make it. Also, a note to Seattle businesses: if you are going to put de-icer down in front of your establishment, could you please have the courtesy to at least shovel it off? It's much harder to trudge through slushy snow than it is to slide on top of packed snow. Geez.

Also, a note to our neighbor: why in the world are you shoveling off your roof? Don't you want the added insulation? Also, what would compel you to shovel off not just your walking area on the roof, but the whole rest of your roof as well? What the heck.

The chinchilla with nine lives

We were shocked Frederick was still alive after we discovered my chewed-up computer cord... bad chinchilla!

Mark and Heather's Chore List

1. Make a chore list
2. Clean something

Family matters

There are times when transplants wish they never left home in the first place. My heart is with my family and if I could be near them, I would.

EXPRESSions

I finally fulfilled one of my goals. I am now the proud owner of a pair of Editor pants from Express. I know I’m not an editor anymore, but that couldn’t stop me. Call me a child of marketing, but I’ve wanted a pair of these pants ever since I’d wanted to be an editor. Come on, what’s an editor without a pair of Editor pants? In an effort to extend their life, I’m refraining from hemming the pants myself (with an iron-on hem) and taking them to a professional instead. Next goal: learn how to sew a real hem…

Honeymooners

We went to Belize for our honeymoon, and stayed in Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. A tropical depression was moving through the day we arrived, so we were treated to the bumpiest boat ride EVER on our way from the mainland to the island...

Here's the view from our room on Ambergris Caye:


We could check out free bikes at our resort and ride through the city. Mark liked taking pictures over his shoulder:

Paradise, paradise:

Don't procrastinate

The only thing that went wrong on the day of the wedding was our own fault. The problem was also solved by the time the wedding rolled around, so I can't complain too much. We waited until the day of the wedding to burn the reception music onto CDs for Owen, our DJ. Of course, Mark's disc burner broke halfway through. My already-broken burner was no help. Luckily, Owen brought his own music (lifesaver) and I think Mark's computer ended up getting plugged into the system or something... I was never quite clear on what actually ended up happening, probably because no one wanted to worry me... but anyways, we were blessed with a BEAUTIFUL day, which was incredible for the middle of October in Seattle. Incredible.

Some pictures from my camera

I didn't end up with many pictures on my own camera from the wedding day, but here are a couple of us getting ready.

Wedding day eve

The day before the wedding was far more stressful than the wedding day itself. The rehearsal would have been utter chaos if not for a certain Sarah who did a GREAT job of directing people down the aisle and marking their standing positions, among other things. I probably would have gone crazy if not for her! We had the rehearsal dinner at BJ’s Brewhouse in Southcenter, a good 15-20 minutes away from the church. Several people got lost on the way, but the mishaps don’t end there. When I left the church with my mom and aunt, I grabbed Mark’s jacket because I thought he had already left. Unbeknownst to me, he had NOT left, and his parents’ keys were in the jacket. I was already on the freeway before we figured out that we had stranded Mark, his parents, and the best man (also Mark) at the church. About 15 minutes later, we left the church AGAIN, now very much late to the dinner. En route, Mark calls and lets me know that his car is pulling over because Megan, George and Sarah are on the side of the road with a flat tire! My car arrived at BJ’s about 45 minutes late, and Mark’s car was about an hour late. Late for our own rehearsal dinner! I was grateful that everyone eventually got there, even though a few cars had some difficulties (some got lost). I think everyone was glad to finally get the beer flowing.

Have you ever gotten really stressed but held your composure, only to have the littlest thing set you off into tears? That happened at the rehearsal. I had done a relatively good job through the day (except when I turned the wrong way to the church and then burst into tears) until we got to the rehearsal and I realized we had forgotten my ribbon bouquet. A lot of love and work went into this bouquet: it bore the ribbons from three bridal showers in three states, and Beryl and Jessica had done a great job putting it together. I was really looking forward to toting it down the aisle at the rehearsal and was disappointed that we had accidentally left it behind. I don’t think that justifies my tearful outburst… but of course it wasn’t really about the bouquet. The bouquet was just the final straw, I guess. Props to Jessica, who whipped out my bachelorette tiara and veil in an attempt to cheer me up, and to my Aunt Connie, who fashioned a last-minute bouquet out of Kleenexes! I didn’t want to be high-maintenance, but I guess that’s how it turned out… thank you everyone for your support! I promise that next time I forget something completely unnecessary, I won’t fall to pieces.

Two days before the wedding

I was supposed to work the Thursday before the wedding, but an emergency dental appointment blew that out of the water. The problem (I think) was an unwelcome return of my TMJ caused by stress-related grinding of my teeth during the night. I woke up around 2 a.m. because my head felt like it was going to explode. And what does everyone do when they’re at the end of their rope? Call Mom of course! (Mom, you sounded awfully awake considering it was 3 a.m. your time…) By the time morning came, my roommate had come to the rescue with a bottle of Tylenol (which I later lost… sorry Melanie!)

So, a little example of how some details just get lost in the craziness of the week. But first, some history: My dad requested a different hotel than the reception location (the Coast), so I found him one down the street. We wanted to go to dinner together when he got in on Thursday, so he called when he got settled in his hotel. He was in room 126, he said. Mark, Breanna and I arrived at the Extended Stay down the street from the Coast, and knocked on the door of room 126. No one answered, so I called Dad. Our conversation is below:

Heather: “I’m standing outside your door, where are you?”
Dad: “Oh I went to get some coffee and I just got back… you’re here? No you aren’t.”
Heather: “Yes I am, room 126, right? I’m standing outside your door.”
Dad: “So am I…”
Heather: “Dad… what hotel are you at?”
Dad: “The Coast.”
Heather: “What?? Dad, you made a reservation at the Extended Stay!”
Dad: “Oh yes… I changed it and I forgot to tell you.”

Mark and Breanna thought it was funny, and I can’t say I wasn’t amused. Mark had not yet met my dad, and I was relieved that some random man didn’t come to the door of room 126 because Mark would’ve probably stuck out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Terry!” Which would’ve undoubtedly been funny but awkward.

Back on the air!

I took a break from blogging and have emerged as Mrs. Heather Seymour! Mark and I are back from Belize with plenty of stories to share, so please check back for pictures and more! Do you want to hear about lost keys, snorkeling with sharks, and an articulate fellow named Prince Charles Paris? If so, I'll talk to you soon...

To the bobby pins on my floor

Dear bobby pins,
You hide under my journal and books. I can only see a fraction of you when you hide like that. It's not my fault that your spindly ends look like spider legs. And you expect me to react calmly? My heart skips a beat until my brain can realize that you are inanimate. Please don't take it personally but this hiding game has got to stop. I can't handle any more stress. It's not you, it's me. Please stop congregating on the floor. The rest of your friends live in the silver box in the bathroom. Please direct yourselves accordingly.

Love,
Heather

The animals

Here they are... drum roll please. The pictures of Frederick are the only acceptable ones out of a batch of about 50... he's so fast.

A month left

The past three weeks have been such a whirlwind I haven’t been able to catch my breath! After three bridal showers in three weeks in three different states, I think I need a break. The wedding preparations have slowed for the time being, but my checklist is always sitting at the back of my mind and begging for attention. It’s like that quarter-long project that you know you should be working on because if you leave it until the last minute, you’ll be at the library looking up random resources until closing time and typing until the sun comes up. Both Mark and I tend to be eleventh-hour organizers, although I think I’ve been pretty on the ball with wedding stuff so far. I’m shaking off my procrastinating tendencies, and it has paid off. Unfortunately, when one area of life gets the attention, another just falls to shambles. My room is a disaster (littered with gift wrap and clean laundry that needs to be folded), and Howard (my rabbit) and Frederick (my chinchilla) are probably suffering from a lack of personal attention. Sorry boys! I’ll make it up to you…

Hometown blues

Ok, I admit it. I miss Greeley. I just returned from a lovely weekend home, and I already want to go back. I miss King Soopers and its uncanny ability to somehow bring about a reunion with someone I haven't seen in forever (this time it was Mrs. Beattie, for those of you Dayspringers who were around when she was there). I miss the countryside and all its fresh smells (I think I still may be used to the fertilizer and cows, I didn't smell a thing when I was there. Except for the skunks). I miss my friends who have made Greeley their home, which means I see them once or twice a year at best. I miss my friends who moved away from Greeley, which makes holidays a frantic time filled with coffee dates. I miss my family and our out-of-control schnauzer. I miss always knowing which direction is west. I miss JB's. I miss Wildflour, although I'll never be able to go back since they closed (best bagel shop ever). I miss the availability of cream cheese pizza. Now I have to make my own if I have a craving. Here's to you Greeley and all the memories you bring. All the outsiders may hate you and your unique smells, but you'll always hold a special place in my heart.

Work quirks

1. Self-made mochas are popular, so every time I go to the box to pull out a packet of hot chocolate, I inevitably find five to six half-empty packets swimming around.
2. Our rolls of toilet paper do not match our toilet paper holders. The rolls are about half an inch too short, causing the roll to get stuck in mid-turn. This has resulted in many frustrated removals of too-small toilet paper rolls, and rants around the water cooler. This misfit is a recent development, and we know the economy must be going down the hole if even the toilet-paper makers are downsizing.
3. The table in our lunchroom is an octagon! We should paint STOP on it.
4. We call the five cubicles in the center of the office "the bullpen." I'm still not quite sure why.

Why I love Costco

Costco is my weakness. Well, not quite. But close. There's just something about bulk shopping. All the savings! And where else could I go during lunchtime to receive enough free samples to feed a small army? With this in mind, I marched up to the plastic wall that divides the cake decorators in the bakery from the shoppers. I said I was considering ordering a cake (fact) but needed some samples before I could make any decisions. I walked away with full samples of three kinds of frosting and three different fillings (may I recommend the strawberry mousse for fruit lovers). I felt a little silly as I had no utensils, and the samples were generous dollops of sugary goodness on a torn sheet of waxed paper. I had no recourse but to use my fingers (I'm sure all those looks I was getting were looks of jealousy, looks of why-didn't-I-think-of-that-myself). And come on, who doesn't love Costco cakes? Don't you deny it.

The 'hood

Here is a picture of the view from Mark's apartment, which is where I'll move after we get married on October 18. For those of you familiar with Seattle, you can see Gas Works Park just across the water (for those unfamiliar with Seattle, Gas Works Park was the location of the paintball scene in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You". I was very disappointed when I discovered there wasn't really a paintball place there in real life...) It's a great little spot on Lake Union and I'm looking forward to living there! Mark's parents just brought over his inflatable raft and we can't wait for a nice day so we can take it out for a spin on Lake Union.

Lines on the Road

I sat down with my journal and a pen to write this inaugural blog entry, but found myself staring at the page, unwilling to commit in ink words that I might want to change. I guess I've grown accustomed to my Delete key and the freedom it offers. So I opened TextEdit and here I am...

Dear friends. As many of you know, I have settled in Seattle and call this rainy city my home. This blog is a way of sharing a part of my life with you, and I think it'd be swell if you'd join me. The title of the blog, lines on the road, comes from an older Caedmon's Call song called Faith My Eyes. I won't bog you down with a soliloquy about how we're all on a journey, following the lines on the road wherever they may take us... let's just say this is my way of sharing where the lines on the road are taking me. And how I feel about that. So stay tuned and don't switch that channel...