Sisters Night Out

Escape From Reality: Sisters Retreat!

Because all eight of us were in the same city, we decided to make a night of it and stay at a hotel. We stayed at the Marriott. This picture is actually at the end of the night. We stayed up WAY too late playing games. We played BS, where Michele's infamous line is now often quoted when she announced rather matter of factly that she had two elevens! HAHA, clearly she didn't have any jacks!

We also went to dinner at Stanfords. We ate sooo good that night. We ordered a myriad of appetizers, including: macaroni and cheese, wood-fire grilled portabello mushrooms, and beer battered onion rings. Most of us had salads for our main course and me and Mindy shared an amazing berry cobbler! Such a good time!

All of us together. Wish we would've got a picture of all of us eight together!

And after four or five Diet Cherry Cokes (not spiked, I swear) our true colors came out. Lindsey, looking very beautiful tonight.

Mindy didn't know what to do with all the sugar and caffeine running through her veins when the camera clicked.

And Michele may or may not have thought that I was Rich while taking her picture!

Proof that they are cute little danty girls!

This was a night to remember! Yes, it may have took us twenty minutes to decided that the bar was NOT too loud for us Vrtiska girls but one thing we learned is that we have fun no matter where we dine! Love you sisters!

Two Months!

8 WEEKS PREGNANT

I know, I know, I'm not showing... but I promised I'd track the progress of the bump. So far I've gained 5 pounds, which I'm upset about because I wasn't even eating because of that darn nausea! My cure was "Mommy Bliss" which is a supplement that has ginger, B6, red raspberry leaf, or something like that in it. It has really helped with my nausea a lot. I can eat almost anything, though it never sounds appealing. Cravings as of late: cereal! Can't get enough of it! And I am NOT a cereal person, just ask my husband.

Catch-Up Blog

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY DANIEL!

On April 7th, Daniel turned 30 years old! I threw him a birthday party with all of our family and some friends. We had a Bunco themed birthday party. Because half of the attendants where part of the Vrtiska clan, the party was L-O-U-D! It was soooo much fun. Everyone but Mike and Emily came from Daniel's side (Mike got sick) and everyone who lives in the area from my side came, including Stephanie and Daniel who drove up from Corvallis! Some of our friends came too. It was a lot of people and exactly what Dan wanted!
Unfortunately the game involved all of my attention and I wasn't able to take pictures until the end when everyone was leaving. I resolve to be better about taking pictures in the future! I didn't take pictures of the food or the socializing before the game, darn! I had two different chocolate fondues. For the dipping: pineapple, banana, strawberries, brownies, angel food cake, and pound cake. Yummy! I also had an antipasto platter. I thought it turned out delicious.

The biggest loser, Erica! Erica got out with $20 for losing the most! Craig won $50 for most buncos. It was a roll off between Craig, Harvey, and Alexis. Alexis was very unhappy about losing, as a true Timmerman always is! But her husband is a doctor (and I work with him! Weird working with family!) so I'm not feeling too sorry for her! Kayleen won $40 for most wins and Harvey won $10 for last Bunco which he stole from me in the last few seconds of the game!

Our friends Branden and Kehaulani, who got engaged a week ago! We're happy for them!

And our Paleo friends Kayleen and Bob! :) The big winners of the night! See Kayleen, this is one side shot with your mouth closed! :)

Michele and Dan, they're too cute.

I had so much fun that night and didn't feel stressed at all. Sometimes it's hard to through such a large party, but it ended up being just fine. The most important thing is Daniel had a blast, and that's all that matters to me!

Bundle of Joy

It's official: I'm pregnant!

STATISTICS:

Due date: January 10, 2011

Weeks along: Six weeks, three days.

Dan and I found out we are to be parents in a few short months on May 4th. I was only 4 weeks pregnant at the time and I knew from, literally, the very beginning that I was pregnant. We decided we were going to keep a secret until our ENTIRE families were together on June 5th, buuuuut, cats out the bag, word leaked. We know it wasn't Daniel who leaked it, but I seriously didn't think so many people would find out! Oh well. We're excited anyway. It's fun to share it with so many people and we'll have to make the discovery of the sex of the baby a fun way of sharing since our original plans were busted. I know I'm only six, almost seven weeks along, but I'm going to take monthly pictures of the 'baby bump' along the way. I'm not showing now so don't make any comments about me showing! I've seen some real creative, artistic ways to photograph babies progress, but that's not me, so you get a picture of me before a Saturday afternoon run with no make-up! Hey, it's me!

Rare Insomnia Blogging

{ADVENTURES IN ICE SKATING}

For a friends birthday, we went ice skating for the first time. Daniel has his own skates so I was expecting a ton. I did alright. Later that night as we lay in bed Dan told me he was surprised at how well I did. I asked what he meant. He said that I've always surprised him at my ability to do things well like snowboarding and now ice skating. Who does this guy think I am? Some kind of pansy? I can admit it, I am pretty high mantenience at times (and no I'll never admit that to Dan!)

Posing on the ice. Man, can't we get one candid picture! They're all posed and I'm not a huge fan of posed photos! But it's pretty cute. I love us!

Sundays after church are a ravenous time in our house. We both are so hungry and are just dying to eat. This Sunday my sweet, thoughtful husband decided to make his "special" soup and sandwiches. Now I use special here loosely. Whenever I work and ask him to make dinner, I arrive home to soup and sandwiches, to wich I am very grateful. When he wants to, he can create so great dishes!

Our Wild New Years Eve!

I had to work New Years Day, unfortunately, so I wasn't able to stay out late. I did however, go home at 10PM, where I layed in bed until about 3am. That was a rough day at work. Anyway, Daniel and I went to my parents house for New Years Eve. My sister threw a get together there. We had appetizers, played games, and played band hero. Daniel and I never played before, and we really liked it. I only liked singing and the drums. I am definitely no good at the guitar. It was fun to be with my family and my husband on New Years Eve.

We really love to get pictures together.
My oldest niece Ashley really tears it up on the guitar. She does expert and nails almost every note. I can't even see the colors as quickly as they come, yet she gets them. It's amazing.


Daniel plays the drums in real life. He says this whole band hero is nothing like the real deal. Nonetheless, I feel kind of cool being able to play for fake.

My sisters Michele and Stephanie.

I was pretending to be the little drummer boy. It was so funny to watch me and my sisters play the drums. We were all holding the sticks with a vice grip and were so choppy in our movements. SO FUNNY!

And then there's Nana. Oh Nana. She's so funny. From the very beginning she's liked Daniel. It was so funny to watch her do the air drums. Later she kept taping Dan on the back to ever other beat. She really got into it and it was good to see her enjoying herself.

All and all it was a great New Years Eve. I love my family and my husband. I feel so blessed in my life. I'm so excited to see how 2010 will play out.

2010 Top 10

I welcome this New Year! Good bye 2009, I'm sorry things didn't work out between us. Yes, you gave me my eternal companion, but I don't think I'll miss you too much. But Hello 2010, I'm eager to get to know you and all the surprises you'll bring our way. But let me tell you what is planned for us in 2010:

1. Discovering where Dan will be accepted to nursing school and deciding which state we'll live in and what job I'll be taking to reduce my income substantially. (Gotta love Oregon, and being well compensated!)

2. Possibly going on a "real honeymoon" for our first anniversary to somplace tropical. Maybe Mexico. Maybe Hawaii. Maybe Costa Rica. And if worse comes to worst, maybe San Diego.

3. Making our marriage official in Heaven! :)

4. Discovering the endless possibilities of the summer. Hopefully visiting here again with the Deweys. Maybe backpacking for our first time together. Definitely hitting up Vernonia again with the fam. Maybe trying this with Dan for my first time. But whatever the summer brings, I know it will bring plenty of this!

5. The Vrtiska Family Reunion 2010 in the wonderful Wyoming!

6. Possibly working on getting ourselves one of these! And praying that it won't turn into this.

7. Passing the CCRN exam, making me a certified critical care nurse. Increased wages. Notoriety. Professional growth. What else could you ask for?

8. Getting out of debt! Except those pesky student loans that feel like an unwelcome house guest!

9. Maybe going back to school. Then I'll be making big girl bucks!

10. Trying new things. Learning new things. Perfecting old talents. General self improvement.

As often goes, plans don't always work out. But 2010, you see what we desire, and please make our dreams come true!