5 Things

The View atop Diamond Head

1. It's incredible how a slight change in climate can affect so many things. My hair, for example, though hard to control in this humidity, has never been happier.  And, one thing that I've learned in the two weeks that we've been here thus far is that, given this humidity, food turns stale far more quickly.  Tortilla chips were chewy in a matter of hours; and the Oreos went soft overnight.  I guess that means we have to eat them faster.  Darn.  

2. I've learned that if you do not speak any English whatsoever and cannot understand the sign that says, "Cash Only," and all you have is your credit card and the attendant is irritated with you, my husband will step in without a second thought and pay for your entire family's admission.

3. Given the limited time that we are here and the *extremely limited* size of my kitchen, keeping dinner healthy, fresh, and creative has become a challenge.  Not wanting to load the shelves of our temporary home with seasonings and spices that will not be used up during our three month stint (and not wanting to take any home or have too much go to waste), we have learned to appreciate the beauty in the simplicity of a little salt, pepper, and garlic.

4. If you ever need motivation to workout, spend a day at the beach.  

5. It has been so refreshing to have our evenings back, now that Cole is done with the "schooling" part of school.  Perhaps life on the island is getting to me, but it has been so nice to slow down a bit. Easily, the highlight of my day is our nightly dinner that we linger over on our back porch overlooking the harbor.  I really like this guy.

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Bucket List

If you've spent much time around this blog, you know that, being in grad school, our current living situation is temporary. In other words, we have an expiration date. In just over a year, we'll be packing up and moving.  Most days, it is hard to believe that we're nearly 2/3 of the way through our time here.  And 'here' is actually a pretty great place to be.

Before we moved down, (knowing that our time would be limited) we made a list of things that we wanted to make sure we did/saw/experienced before we left, making the most of our time here.  So, as promised, here is our "Things To Do Before We Leave Forest Grove," or The Portland Bucket List.

1. Visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory - done 1/7-1/8/12
2. Go to Tree-to-Tree Adventure Park - done 8/4/12
3. Do an Oregon Wine Tour/Tasting - done 1/8/12
4. Go to Roloff Farms - done 10/15/11
5. Visit Oregon Zoo ChristmasLights - done 12/9/11
6. Visit the Newport Aquarium
7. Visit The Grotto at Christmastime
8. Graduate OD School
9. Run the Portland Marathon
10. Attend a Blazer’s Game - done 3/3/12
11. Attend a Timber’s Game - done 8/5/12
12. Voodoo Donuts - done 8/5/12
13. Visit the Rose Gardens - done 8/4/12

Any thing you locals would add to our must see / must do list?

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Things that make me cry...

A few months ago, I happened to be in a conversation with a coworker about the silly things that make us cry.  Surprisingly, it was not hard for me to think of quite the handful.  The crazy thing?  These are things that will make me cry EVERY. TIME.  Now, there are things about which I will cry occasionally: funerals, goodbyes, etc.  But, even then, those are normal things and it's inconsistent.  So, I've made a list of the odd things that will, like clockwork, bring on the waterworks, the ugly cry:  (Because I just know you care so much)

            1. Presidential inaugurations
      2. Veteran’s Day
      3. High school graduations
      4. Father-daughter dances
      5. Military homecomings
      6.  Nights away from the Mr.
      7. “Day by Day”
      8. The end of "The Parent Trap."  The new one.
      9. The "Friends" Finale
     10. "You've Got Mail" -  "I wanted it to be you.  I wanted it to be you so badly."
     11. When the underdog wins - thank you, March Madness.
     12. Superbowl/World Series Winners' Speeches.
     13. Any movie where the sister or husband dies.


So there you have it.  Judge away. Or, just roll your eyes over the fact that I made this list in the first place.  It's my blog, and I'll cry if I want to.

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Our Top 10 Moments of 2011

Dear 2012,
Well, here you are. Already.  We are pretty darn excited to see what you have in store for us.  We anticipate that this year we will become a third year optometry student and admissions counselor, one year older, and hopefully a better husband and wife. 

We will celebrate our second anniversary, find out our placements for rotations, add 365 gifts to the list, and ask each others’ forgiveness a lot.  We look forward to opening our home for more dinner parties and "Friends" marathons. We have some pretty high expectations of you because, well, you see, 2011 was pretty good to us.  It set the bar really high. Just so you know what you have to live up to, here is a “Top 10” sampling of the great hand that 2011 dealt us:

1. Our January weekend at the beach

2. Surprise trip to Seattle

3. Going to Chuck E. Cheese (!!!)

4. Memorial Day weekend in Spokane - "Wicked"

5. Meeting our niece

6. Our trip to Colorado and Reno

7. Celebrating our 1st Anniversary back home

8. An August visit from my family

9. Our December weekend at the beach

10. Christmas with our families

So there you have it... 2011 brought some pretty sweet moments.  But it also had its tough moments, its hurt-feelings moments, its cry-for-no-reason moments, its homesick moments, its stupid-argument moments, its worrisome moments, and its growth-sucks moments.

Through it all, we praise the One who holds our past, present, and future in His omnipotent and just hand.  And, we recognize that ALL is Grace.

For His Glory and our ultimate good,


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Our Top 10 Moments of 2010

Dear 2011,

We are very excited to see what you have in store for us.  We anticipate that this year we will become an uncle and aunt (courtesy of E&C), a second year optometry student and admissions counselor, and hopefully a better husband and wife. 

We will celebrate our first anniversary, mourn the moving-away of our brother-, sister-in-law, and niece, and ask each others’ forgiveness a lot.  We look forward to opening our home for more dinner parties and “HIMYM” marathons. We have some pretty high expectations of you because, well, you see, 2010 was really, really good to us.  It set the bar really high. Just so you know what you have to live up to, here is a “Top 10” sampling of the great hand that 2010 dealt us:

1. Cole pulled off the most epic proposal ever. Hollywood’s got nothin’ on him.

2. He was also able to spend some time in Mexico helping people see better.

3. I graduated from college.

4. Um, well, I kind of married my bestie. Highlight of my life.

5. Ten days in Maui?  Yes, please.

6. We moved into our new home. We LOVE it here!

7. I got my first “big kid” job. Insurance and vacation, holla!

8. Cole aced his first semester of grad school. What a stud!

9. We got to spend nearly 2 weeks at home with family over the holidays.

10. God has proven time and again how good and gracious He is. He is epically faithful and eternally patient.  

He still loves us even though we mess up. A lot.

So, 2011, there you have it.  The bar is set pretty high.  I sincerely hope you can rise to the occasion; and I have high hopes that you will.

-Laura

Christmas 2010 Highlights

Musing with extreme thankfulness and awe at God’s faithfulness, we are coming to the end of our relaxing 12 day vacation. I am overwhelmed at God’s faithfulness in providing a job that allows this time off. I am amazed at God’s grace in allowing Cole to attend school. I am blessed beyond belief at the love of our families. Best. Christmas. Ever.

Since our break (and my sabbatical from the blog) has been quite extended – and because I just adore lists – I decided to compile a “Top 20” list of the highlights of our break to keep this blog from becoming too long-winded. Or something like that.

1. The 7-hour car ride with my husband. Rapping contests, Odyssey, and singing at the tops of our lungs – all with my best friend of all. It was pretty rad.

2. Singing “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with the Brennans after an early Christmas – then begging Grandma to keep playing so we could sing with her. Can you say “happy place”?

3. Cooking in the kitchen with my mom and sisters. (Note the plural there. Love it!!)

4. Listening to game after game of Ping-Pong between my husband, brother, dad, and sister. Love family bonding.

5. Christmas Eve Advent time with family. Luke 2 and Linus. Falling asleep to “Elf.”

6. Christmas morning with my amazing family. Egg Dish, Cinnamon Rolls, Crosswords, Euchre, and my hubby – it does NOT get better that that!

7. Christmas dinner with ALL 22 Schlects around the table!

8. Talking with my cousins and realizing what incredible people they’re growing up to be.

9. Talking with my aunt for nearly 2 hours about… well, everything. Her wisdom and humble advice encourage and challenge me. I could have done that all day.

10. Staying with my brother and his wife. Watching Cole and Brian play with their helicopters in the kitchen with the focus and determination of elated 10 year-olds!

11. Watching Cole play with the cousins. He’s going to be a great daddy. Seriously, though.

12. Listening to my dad and his brothers play cards. The Schlects are just a little competitive and a lot sarcastic.

13.  Working on a puzzle for nearly 8 hours straight.  Don’t judge me.

14. A double date with my hubby, parents, pizza, and card games until midnight. Possibly THE highlight of the break!

15. Crashing Winter Conference to see old college friends. So. Much. Fun. I loved hearing from those of you who read the blog. :) 

16. Bathroom sink chats with my sister.

17. Talking with my sister-in-law for nearly 6 hours. Straight.

18. “Christmas Dinner” at Wine O’clock in Prosser. And the Boboth Christmas celebration that followed.

19. Realizing that Sunnyside, or rather the people there, really are my family too. One of the greatest blessings of marriage has been inheriting another incredible family.

20. Our “Girls Day.” Hair, nails, lunch, and a movie with my mother- and sister-in-law. Side note: Tangled is a movie worth seeing.

21. New Year’s Eve with some old college friends. Life-threatening fireworks came at no extra charge.

22. Relaxing with the Boboth family around the newest Shrek movie. J

23. Being reminded -day after day- what an incredible family I have been given and what an incredible family I have married into.  Thank you, Jesus.

It has, indeed, been a great break.  It is with great reluctance that I set my alarm clock tonight for work tomorrow. This time with family and friends, however, has been exactly what we needed. It was so much fun – full of great conversations, a heck of a lot of laughter, encouragement, and card games.  While it is harder than ever to say goodbye, I can take solace in the knowledge that we will get to do it again next year.  So I will sniff back those tears burning in my eyes and look forward to the next time we’re home again.  God has been so incredibly gracious and faithful to us.

-Laura

Making a List... Checkin' it Twice!

Greetings to all you wonderful readers out in blog-land!

I have a favor to ask of you.  Well, once upon a time, I heard that, once a couple gets married, they are now their own family entity unto themselves. I'm good with that. In fact, I agree joyfully and wholeheartedly. The only drawback: Mom won't write my Christmas letter this year.

So, the first annual Boboth Christmas Letter is in the works!  I can guarantee that it is just about as exciting and sarcastic as this blog.

And now where YOU come in... we have some addresses, but we also do not have a lot that we'd love to have. (If that didn't confuse you, congratulations.)

SOOOOoooooo, if you have moved and changed your address, if you are a newer-ish friend and do not think that we already have your address, or if you are just a regular reader and would like to receive a copy of our - wait for it - First Annual Boboth Christmas Letter, then send your mailing address to lboboth@gmail.com. (That is my email and I promise not to sell your information.)

Ok, that's all...

-Laura

20 Signs of Fall at the Boboth House

1. I get to break out my wool coats. Yes.

2. And sweatshirts, sweats, and cozy blankets.

3.  Molasses cookies are baking in the oven.

4.  We turned the heat on.

5. The tree across the street looks like it is on fire.  Not really, it’s just turning red and it looks awesome.

6.  There is frost on my windshield in the morning before work.

7. Candy. Corns.

8. I’ve started Christmas shopping. (This is a friendly reminder to my family to update your Amazon wishlists!)

9. Our table is now decorated with a fall-ish centerpiece… complete with mini pumpkins and gourds (that Carrie is convinced have cancer).

10. Cole thinks I’m crazy for even thinking about Christmas already.

11. I’m resisting the urge to make an apple pie.

12. When Cole and I go for a walk, we actually spend more time jumping erratically in attempts to step on the crunchiest leaves than walking normally.

13. It smells like fall.

14. The football announcer is the soundtrack to our Monday nights.

15. I kinda just want to stay inside, curled up on the couch and read.

16. Girls are now wearing boots with their mini-skirts. (as if that makes a difference?!)

17. Gnats. Does this happen where you live? Cloud upon clouds of gnats descend around 3pm, and it’s impossible to walk anywhere without getting a mouthful, hairful, or whatever-ful of them. Yuck.

18. I’m craving a trip to Greenbluff back home to pick out pumpkins and apples.

19. We have started eating a lot of food to prepare for hibernation.

20. Monopoly has come to McDonald’s and Breast Cancer Awareness has taken over the NFL. (Two pieces of information that I probably would never have been aware of if I had not married my wonderful hubby. J)

On a side note, I have a confession.  It may be this fall air, but I think football might just be growing on me.  Don’t tell anyone though.

And, as my mom said in one of her seasonally-appropriate phone message machine recordings (that actually DID follow the seasons/holidays), “Happy Fall, Y’all!”

-Laura

Lessons Learned

If you’ve hung around this blog much, I’m sure it’s quite evident that business trips are not my favorite thing in the world.  When I was younger, my dad travelled from time to time, and I used to think it must be the most FUN adventure ever!  I mean, he got to fly in airplanes and stay in hotels! If that was not thrilling, then I didn’t know what was!  Now that I am travelling for business, I understand how wrong I was!

 It is easy to look at the negative side of travelling: being away from my wonderful husband, sleeping in strange places, not getting much sleep… etc.  But I decided that, in order to pass some time while I travel, I’d come up with a list of fun, quirky, positive things that happen on these trips:

1.   I get to meet some fun people. At college fairs, we are usually arranged in similar patterns, so you get to know your alphabetically arranged table partner quite well.  Sometimes it’s a gamble and you never know who you’ll get stuck with!

2.  I get to see pretty places. I know many people fail to see the beauty in Central Montana or Eastern Oregon, but it’s there.  You just have to look. I’ll post some pictures  to prove it. J 

3. #1 Challenge of Travelling: Trying to remember what my hotel room number is from night to night.  It is harder than you would think! 

4. I have now mastered the art of the airport security line.

5.  #2 Challenge of Travelling: Now, which car did I rent this week? There have been times that I have reverted to pushing the unlock button while wandering around the parking lot… I think the car was silver…. 

6. I am making significant process in actually being able to fall asleep on the airplane.

7. I am also figuring out how to make the most of my business travel to try to “run in” to family… Today I got to have lunch with my mother-in-law!

8. Distance does make the heart grow fonder.  Reuniting with Cole is the sweetest thing in the world.  God has blessed me so richly with a wonderful man, (He leaves me love notes in my suitcase to make me smile while I’m on the road…) and I cannot wait to be home with him!

9. Travelling gives me time to blog. Yay.

10. Oh, and to read.  I read through a whole book last week!  It has been awhile since I have had that luxury.

11.   I am thankful to have a job.

That’s it for today… I’m off to another college fair, and then I am headed back home! I will keep thinking of the good parts of travel and I’ll let you know!  Happy Wednesday!

-Laura