Will and Amy

I think I may want to get a Nintendo DS. Mainly because I want to play this game. Logic puzzles and word games are my favorite, and I love board games like Clue and Scrabble...But would I really use a DS? I am a grown up. I think it would especially be nice for travelling, and it's nice and portable. But, it's a lot more expensive than a Dell Crossword Puzzle book from Hudson News!

Anyone know anything about the DS? Is it really as appealing to adults the way they market it to be?

Just some stuff...

-After reading my s-i-l's blog on new running shoes, and hearing my husband tell me I had cheap shoes, I decided to drop by a running shoe store today. I bought some Nikes last summer and was fitted for them - the guy evaluated my feet as being neutral (which is actually pretty rare)...Well, after 7 months in those shoes and lots of hip pain after jogging, I knew there was a problem. I read a little about it on the internet, and had a strong feeling that I, in fact, do not have neutral feet, but pronate heavily - and that was confirmed by the gal at the store today. She watched me run in my shoes (um, embarassing) and then found several shoes for me to try on. After lots of jogs back and forth across the store, I ended up with a pair of super light, very supportive Brooks running shoes...in a narrow (I have never even tried on narrow shoes before, but it was amazing how much less movement I felt). Between jogging on the treadmill (which nearly killed me for some reason...maybe because Sundays are meant for rest) and walking the dogs, I've logged 4.5 miles on my new shoes! The true test will be how my hips/right knee feel in the morning!

-I am VERY partial to my iBook and I have detested using Will's computer the last few weeks as mine has been out of commission. My new battery came in Saturday's mail, and I am almost giddy to get to use my computer again. However, I have to ration the battery power because Will's dog, Dixie, chewed the end of my power cord. It has been plugged into the same outlet, staying in the same exact place, for her whole life...Why she chose to destroy it last night, I just don't know. I think she's acting out because her dad is out of town AGAIN. I can totally see how kids have a hard time with parents in the military!

-We have a wide variety of friends, and I am thankful for every single one of them. Last night one of my sweet friends from work (the one who had us over for Thanksgiving) threw her husband a 50th birthday bash. It was a blast! They had a keg of a delicious wheat microbrew (I'm a big wheat beer fan) - and neither one of them even drink. I made PW's Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies and they were fabulous. Next time I will wear gloves, though, because my hands were burning for hours afterwards! I was worried they would be too spicy for these Pac-NW Yankees, but they ate them up!

-I can't wait for our Spring Break trip, if only for the fact that I know I will have Will with me for at least a week! Seriously, I. Can't. Wait.

So, no more sun. We've been inundated with rain, snow, wind and cold. No running outside this weekend - although I'm apparently the only one who feels this way as our neighborhood was full of it's usual joggers and dog walkers this weekend...in rain gear. I don't have rain gear. I also don't have appropriate footwear for the pac-NW, but I just keep holding out for spring. And a move somewhere southern.

Hopefully this week will be a little slower than the last few. I think I've got less on my plate. Maybe my house will get clean and we can have a relaxing weekend. We've been wanting to go to Canada, and I'd like to start planning that trip. I'd hate for us to not take advantage of the fact that we can drive to another country in a very reasonable amount of time. We also want to ski Whistler, but we might not get that in this year. I feel like our time here is winding down, but really we have at least 18 months left...but with a timeline now, it seems like there are so many more things we'd like to do up here before we leave.

So, today I'm praying for nicer weather so that we can get working on our "Things to See/Places to Go" list. Looks like it might be a while...

Sun, glorious sun!

We had a b-e-a-utiful day here in western WA! Finally! We have had a bout of sun recently, but it has been so, so cold. Not today! It was so hard to stay inside today, but we had learning to do that required desks and overheads, but if it's nice tomorow we might head outside! I sponsor an after school club, K-Kids (part of Kiwanis International, a service organization), and we were able to do our campus clean-up outside and most of us didn't even wear coats. It's really hard to explain just how much this does for my mood. It's divine.

Dixie and I were so inspired we did our longest leg of jogging ever - 20 minutes! Might not sound like much to you, but to us it was tough! We've finished week 5 of our program and It. Was. Rough. Whew! I am not a runner. Neither is Dixie. But I figure we covered 2 miles total today (including our warm-up and cool-down brisk walking) - being outside is harder for me because the ground is uneven, and I am a wimp on the treadmill and hardly ever do more than a level 1 incline! There was one stretch of a very slight, but very long uphill climb at about minute 12 and I seriously considered walking it - but we pushed through and focused on the cruise. In April. Where bathing suits are required. We have a long way to go, but we're definitely on our way! (I like to use "we" because while I am working on my body, Dixie is working on her behavior. The exercise does wonders for her destructive/annoying tendencies. She's getting better.)

Now I'm going to head to soak and read Very Valentine and sip some Red Diamond Shiraz. And to top it off, tomorrow's Friday...how about that?

I am tired of the snow and the cold. It's about time for some sun! Spring break is a month away, and I am so thankful we've decided to head south!We had snow over the weekend, but nothing much, and then I woke up to a snow covered Monday. No school delay, though, so I've got to get moving. Have a great start to the week!