february 22

Got a Sunday paper after church today to check for available rentals. I made up my list for Phil to scope out tomorrow on his day off. The verdict: all the ones I circled were holes in the wall. The lightbulb moment: You can get homes in a wide variety of conditions for $995 a month. (Even so, we're hoping for something really nice for a lot less.)

february 21

My scrapbooking date with Angie was cancelled, so we ended up driving back out to Hood River to pick up our freshly fired mugs and my serving tray. Now we can drink our mochas in style.

february 20

How does this happen? Every single year??? I spend my good hard-earned money on cards. Cards that I spend a good chunk of time picking out. Then I say I'm going to mail out my especially chosen for you Valentines early enough so they arrive on time. Yet every year they're still sitting here a week or two later. Family, I love you. I'm just so not on top of my game at the moment.

february 19

Trying to stay up on things around here because I know the weekend's gonna be busy. Cleaned the bathroom and did a couple loads of laundry tonight. Yeah for Clorox!

february 18

An replica of an authentic northwest Indian cedar plank house taken at the field trip to the End of the Oregon Trail. From here we went to McDonald's. Me, 21 kids, and 10 parents hanging out together in the nasty Play Place. I was so glad when I declared it was time to pack it up and head on out.

february 17

Orchards on the brain today. . .reading a biography of Johnny Appleseed at school, reserving the book Apples to Oregon at the library to read to my class, living in the Orchards neighborhood of Vancouver, driving by a small apple orchard on my way to work. I like how they get the trees planted so straight.

february 16

We spent President's Day mostly at home, but I also squeezed in a hair cut and a trip to Walmart for some groceries.