Never enough hours in the day

Tuesday this week I got to experience the joys of walking a mile to and from work in the snow, uphill both ways. I exaggerate not. I had an interview at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute to become an unpaid intern. The lab is located in downtown Seattle, and has a pretty view of the Space Needle. They are a nonprofit focusing on infectious diseases, specifically HIV, TB, Malaria, and AfricanTriptosomes (probably misspelled this, but think Sleeping Sickness). It is a really cool place. I'd love to be working there right now (for pay, hah).

I got the position, and while unpaid, it will look good on a resume, and the woman I'm working under at least understands that 120 hrs of unpaid servitude from a graduate student is a good deal. She's really nice, and is trying to get me the most out of the project as possible. She asked why I'm getting a degree in Public Health when it doesn't seem to match any of my career goals or interests. Good question. Since this is only about the 30th time I've been asked that I don't even feel embarrassed anymore explaining that I really had no idea what I wanted when I graduated from college, and if I could redo things I would have taken a year to earn money, get healthy, and apply to programs that actually interest me.

It's something I've been thinking about a lot. UW was one of the worst decisions of my life in terms of personal health and growth, but if a year of grad school is the worst thing I've done I guess I'm not doing badly. I just have no interest in most of my classes (though to be fair, that is probably because they are taught horribly). I spend a fair amount of time daydreaming, fantasizing about the life I'd rather being living, and scheming on how much school I can skip and still get good grades. I'm not proud to be the queen of apathy, I'm just tired and miserable if I actually stop and think about why I'm getting a degree I don't want. I guess I'm far enough in that I should keep going, at least til they run out of money. I tell every single person I know in college that when all your professors and counselors say they should put a mandatory year off between undergrad and grad they really know what they are talking about. The average age in my program is probably 26-28, for a reason.

I just try never to think about it. I wish I had gone to school for completely different things, but I'm so worn out I don't see myself going back to school to get the degree I actually want. I could leave this program, but I'm half done at this point. Once I have the degree there is no rule saying I have to work in the field in which I got my masters. I keep telling myself it will be very worth it to be 24 and have my masters, but boy, do I wish I'd gone to one of the one-year programs!

It's not that I hate learning, I just want to learn things I'm interested in! This summer if I can afford it (I am hoping to be able to work about 50 hrs a week, I'm so poor) I want to take some classes for fun at the community college. That will be really cool. I can't wait until I graduate and can have a little money and time to take all the classes I've wanted to take the last 5 years but haven't been able to since I was on such an aggressive "pre-health" tract.

Anyways, Wednesday I just did school and lab from 7am until 11pm. I did get to talk to Leo for an hour, so that was a lovely break. We talked about the crazy politics going on right now in DC. Thursday with the snow I drove out to Starla to make sure she had water and everything, but I had a midterm Friday, so I couldn't ride her. She stood at the gate calling for me and looking confused about why I wasn't taking her out to play when I left. It was really upsetting, but hopefully school will get less shitty sooner or later and I can actually spend time with my baby. Luckily, Leo texted not long after I left her and told me he bought tickets to come out here for a week during my birthday. Perfect timing and perfect birthday present!

Friday I took my midterm, worked in the lab, and did my normal school work thing from 7am-7pm with breaks for classes. I got to meet up with my friend Lacey from college at 8pm downtown, and grabbed Gabby too. It ended up being myself, Lacey, Hilary (another friend from college who will be here for grad school starting next month), and Gabby. It was really nice to see Lacey, who has been living the dream since graduation. She's been working on a ranch in Colorado (more like a summer camp for kids than a working ranch), as a horse wrangler and outdoors guide. It sounds like so much fun. It was nice to see her so happy (lol, everyone spent 10 minutes talking about how great life without school is, and how it's so nice to to do work until late hours in the evening and to only work 40-50 hrs a week and be able to do your own thing- I was pretty jealous. Gabby and Lacey are thinking of applying to grad school next year, Hilary just took the first two quarters off, which still seems like a great break).

Saturday I got up, went to the gym, rode my horse for a short while (it was 27 degrees outside- I couldn't feel my feet), then I did homework from afternoon on. There was huge drama over potential snow, so I had to go stay on a friend's house in Snohomish so I could be there in the morning for the big annual 4H tack sale. It was really nice of her to pick me up, and let me stay at her house. The only bummer was I didn't get to ride Starla today because I was dependent on someone else for getting around. Steph was sweet enough to let me check on her and give all her supplements, but I couldn't ask her to hang out while I rode, especially since it was 36 F outside! I won't get to ride Tuesday because of my new internship. I'm going to see if I can't skip school this week so I can go see her.

Now, for the awesome- the 4H tack sale. It is truly epic. Anyone can consign anything to it, and they get approximately 300,000 items. It was in the 58,000 sq ft arena, and it was huge. I got so many great deals on things I needed (except winter blankets-people are delusional about how much a used blanket is worth), but mainly the social aspect was the very best. I got to see my trainer from high school, friends from high school riding, people from my current barn, people I vaguely remembered from showing years ago. I love the social aspect of riding. I got some bridles I'm going to take before and after pics later when I clean them up. Adding to the satisfaction of a huge haul is the knowledge I didn't really spend any money. I sold a saddle and halter at the sale (at $50 more than I paid for them), and even with commission I made back what I bought. Boo-yah!

My loot!

On the food front, my beans are mutants. I started them way too early. I'm going to be overrun in about a month. It won't be too terrible- I should be getting beans in May, then I can sow more for later in the summer. Who knew those things were so fast acting! My tomatoes have all popped up, and I'm trying to give them enough light until they need to be transplanted. My swiss chard has also popped, and the little leaves are the bright colors they will be when full grown.

Tiny tomato babies.

Giant week old bush bean starts!

For eating the eating front, this week I've been eating tons of steamed veggies with fantastic black rice I found at Whole Foods (best place in the world, and two blocks from my new internship at SBRI). It makes a pretty meal, and I just don't get tired of it very quickly.

Forbidden rice with steamed lemon pepper veggies. Yum!

I should wrap this up, so I can get back to work. I've got the next couple weeks planned to the hour. It's going to be worth it though, because two weeks from now, Leo gets here for a full week! And two and a half weeks from now, I'll be completely done with this quarter, able to visit with my boy in peace, and have a break to focus on horse, garden, and internship hours. I can't wait!

Cheep, Cheap

This isn't directly related to my normal blog, but I wanted to share a excerpt of Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma about chickens. He states politely the horrors of the cage kept chicken industry, something I think few people understand. I love that people are starting to pay more attention, and that inner city chickens are becoming popular. I believe chickens face some of the worst conditions of any domestic livestock, and I can't stress how much it's worth that extra dollar to buy cage-free, vegetarian fed eggs.

"...the American laying hen, who spends her brief span of days piled together with a half-dozen other hens in a wire cage the floor of which four pages of this book could carpet wall to wall. Every natural instinct of this hen is thwarted, leading to a range of behavioral "vices" that can include cannibalizing her cage mates and rubbing her breast against the wire mesh until it is completely bald and bleeding. (This is the chief reason broilers get a pass on caged life; to scar so much high-value breast meat would be bad business.) Pain? Suffering? Madness? The operative suspension of disbelief depends on the acceptance of more neutral descriptors, such as "vices" and "stereotypes" and "stress." But whatever you want to call what goes on in those cages, the 10 percent or so of hens that can't endure it and simply die is built into the cost of production. And when the output of the survivors begins to ebb, the hens will be "force-molted"-- starved of food and water and light for several days in order to stimulate a final bout of egg laying before their life's work is done.

I know, simply reciting these facts, most of which are drawn from poultry trade magazines, makes me sound like one of the animal people, doesn't it? I don't mean to (remember, I got into this vegetarian deal assuming I could go on eating eggs), but this is what can happen to you when... you look. And what you see when you look is the cruelty--and the blindness to cruelty--required to produce eggs that can be sold for seventy-nine cents a dozen."

I'm back again. That book is pretty intense, and there are parts that I applaud, and those I disagree with, but Pollan fully investigates the morals of the American food system. It has been a year since I've bought eggs in the store, but if I needed to, I would make certain they were from a cruelty free situation. There is just no way to justify the way we treat animals in industry to satisfy America's gluttonous need for cheap food.

Sunshine on my shoulders

It feels so much like spring right now! Sunshine and blue skies, my horse is starting to shed her winter coat, and I've got plant starts on my windowsill. Day two of the long weekend, and I feel like being lazy and luxurious, rather than doing the huge amounts of schoolwork I have for this week.

Yesterday I got to ride in the sunshine, and made my first attempt at correcting Starla's gingivitis. I bought mouthwash, put it on a washcloth, and held it to her gums, hoping for some antimicrobial action. I was also a little afraid of losing my fingers. Luckily, though she objected to having a hand in her mouth, she liked the minty-fresh Crest. She kept licking the washcloth.

I drove up to my folks place after, for a lazy night with the family. Leo and I caught up that evening. I've really been missing him- it's been a month and a half since the last time I saw him. Maybe it's the pretty weather. I want someone to share it with besides Miss Starla!

My parent's backyard in the sunshine.

Mr. B doesn't like the camera.


Miss Nellie is unconcerned by flash.

I utilized my parent's well stocked kitchen to make kale chips. I just heated the oven to 350 F, seasoned kale leaves with salt and olive oil, and baked for 10 min. I liked them, but I think I'd want to season with something with a stronger flavor next time. Maybe sea salt and lemon juice? I also got the idea for tea-infused vodka, to make an alcoholic Arnold Palmer. It seems really easy (just steep loose-leaf tea in vodka for a few hours), and I think that would be a great summer cocktail. I'll try it when it's warm enough to sit outside!

Kale chips!

My beans have started sprouting :) Success! Now I just need to see if any of the other veggies follows along. I'll post pictures when I get a little more impressive growth. I also went ahead and planted some marigold seeds. I learned at Nunhems that they help keep the pests away (though there is debate over the mechanism of how they do this), and so I thought I'd grow some to plant around the tomatoes.

Baby bush bean.

My friend Shonda came over on Sunday evening and we had a movie night, which was some of the most fun I've had this quarter. We ate pizza, junk food, and watched the BBC's Emma. We will hopefully be able to squeeze something like that in once a month.

Monday I had the day off, but besides riding Starla I put in about 10hrs of homework. The rest of my week was a mess of running around and ups and downs, but I'll talk about that in my next entry. I'm finishing this entry almost a week after starting it! I've been pretty busy. Hopefully just three more weeks of burning the candle at both ends...then I can go on to my even more difficult and time consuming Spring quarter.

Planting in hopes of spring

I can't wait for the weather to warm up. As we are expecting snow this weekend, I might have to be patient a little longer, but I got to start my garden inside yesterday, so now at least I have reminders that one day it will get above the 40's outside.

I'm hoping to make a deck garden on my apartment porch, as well as taking my friend Angela up on a generous offer to share her backyard garden. She only lives a couple blocks from me, so we'll be able to share her backyard plot. I'm excited for when we start prepping it in March. Her soil is heavily sand, so we'll mix topsoil and pony poo in to make a more rich environment. Luckily, I have the connections needed for free horse manure, so we won't lack for fertilizer!

We are also starting different plants right now, in hopes that we'll both get hardy starts, and we can mix and match, share our bounty. I'm really hopeful that we'll get a good enough harvest to feel like our efforts were worthwhile. No more repeats of last summer please- I still feel damp remembering the constant rain storms and wearing sweaters through June.

So, now what I'm growing:


Heirloom tomatoes: The most delicious of all tomatoes, I bought a variety pack and started a bunch inside yesterday. The hopes is that I'll get lots of starts that I can save for myself, Angela, my dad, and my grandma, then we can share our varieties this summer. This is my first time growing tomatoes from seed, so I'm hoping it works. I have always bought starts at the farmer's markets later in the spring, but I figure I'll still have time if this experiment fails.


Rainbow carrots: These are also heirloom varieties, including red, orange, yellow, white, and purple carrots. When I worked at Nunhems I learned that orange carrots were developed from other varieties in honor of the king of Denmark (royal color is orange) and they became so popular that they became the main variety. At Nunhems they would do food competitions with the different colored carrots- I heard about a multi-layered carrot cake with each layer using a different variety of carrot. I wish I had seen it! My carrots will be sown directly outside in about a month.


Rainbow chard: At this point you can probably tell I like color. Swiss Chard is pretty easy to grow, and it is so good for you. You can use young leaves in salad, and saute up the adult plant for deliciousness. I went ahead and started these inside for fun, even though I could sow them directly when I plant the carrots. I got a little carried away yesterday.


Tricolor beans: I planted yellow wax bush beans, blue lake bush beans, and burgundy bush beans. As well as sharing my plants with others, I feel these will do well on a deck garden, since they grow up on trellises.



Hot pepper varieties: I was going for a lot of color, and feeling nostalgic for Nunhems. I don't know that peppers will do very well here, but I'll try to do tricks like black tarps on the tops of soil to trap heat. These delicate fellows can't go outside until May.

Green onions: These are easy, and I'm just going to plant them around the borders of pots that will have other plants in them. Or give them their own herb pots. I went ahead and started them inside, because I have no self control.

Cucumbers: I got a long trellis climbing variety. These will get planted when it warms up much more, but hopefully will do well for my deck garden.

I was given a little corn seed leftover from last year, so I might see if those can grow at Angela's place. She's growing onions, garlic, broccoli, a couple different lettuces, chives (which I plan on stealing when I have my set up going), and several other things. I'll also be growing herbs. From last year I have a thriving rosemary plant and parsley, but I think I'll buy the others as starts from Molbak's or the farmer's market when it warms up a bit.

I'm brainstorming cheap containers for my deck garden. I have room trash cans I have used in the past for tomatoes, and many small pots for the herbs I grow. I think I'll cut the tops of milk jugs for little herb pots, and see if I can't find cheap plastic bins at the thrift store. Using these sorts of containers is just so much cheaper than growing in actual pots. It's also nice because they weigh less typically than pots, so easier for me to move around.

I have my little greenhouse starter system in front of my kitchen window. I'm hoping to see some little green tendrils poking up in a week or two. Then over spring break we can start prepping Angela's set up, and I can prep my deck containers for transplanting later in the spring. I'm just so excited, I can't wait for summer!

A return to the kitchen!

Oh kitchen, I've missed you so. You've been sorely neglected while I do other things, like school and lab work and study group. Basically, school has killed my culinary genius. I didn't do anything too impressive this week, but it felt good to eat fresh and healthy, and not need to microwave any part of my dinner. I made my own bastardized version of Egyptian Red Lentil soup, and apple wheat bread. YUM.

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1-2 carrots, diced
1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups water or veggie stock
1 tbsp tumeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
Lemon to taste (I add a lot- 1 tbsp lemon juice)
Salt and pepper to taste
This recipe is not authentic (made up by me, based upon authentic food), and many ingredients can be switched out and changed. If you don't have wine, replace with water and saute onions and garlic in a little oil.

Put wine, onions, and garlic on medium heat. Let simmer for five minutes, add lentils, veggie stock, carrots. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, before adding herbs and tomatoes. At this point I lose track of how long I leave it on, but I feel like the whole thing is ready as soon as the carrots are soft, and it is a very fast soup to make. Add the lemon juice when you turn off the heat, right before you serve. It should add a little tang, but not make the food taste lemon-y.

Yum. I've been eating it all week, and I'm still not sick of it. Maybe I'll make more tomorrow.

Vegan Apple Wheat Bread
1 packet dry yeast

1 2/3 c warm water

1/2 c shredded apple
1/5 c molasses
1/5 c brown sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 c wheat flour
1/4 c rolled oats
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, cloves, allspice- basically anything that goes with apple)
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix water and yeast, set aside. Mix dry ingredients, add yeast/water, stirr, add molasses and apple. Stir, pour into greased loaf pan, cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth, and allow to sit in a warm area for an hour, or until it doubles in size. Bake for 40 minutes, checking as oven temps vary. I ate mine with margarine and a sprinkle of brown sugar. I thought it was not at all bad for a made up vegan recipe, which are notoriously tricky.

A Timely Post

Since I wrote last on Saturday, I've been a busy little bee. Monday was Valentine's Day, most of which I spent in school. My holiday started in the evening when Leo and I got to skype for hours and have a "date" online. It was wonderful, but skype is a dual edged sword- it's so hard to be able to look but not touch. Still, it's just so nice to get to see faces, and after a couple hours of talking we switched the screen so we could solve crosswords together and watch a show. Considering he was 1000 miles away, I still didn't think it was a bad way to spend Vday.


After we finished our date, I drove back to my folks place for the night, since I had a dentist appointment in the morning. My mom and dad surprised me with flowers and presents (and food) for Valentine's, which was completely awesome. I didn't get to spend much time with my folks though, since I didn't get in until 11pm or so.

The dentist was as fun as the dentist always is, but at least I don't have any new cavities. I went straight from my app0intment to Starla's spring vet check up, which included chiropractic adjustment, teeth floating, and vaccinations. I was particularly impressed with the chiropractic procedure, as I didn't know what to expect, but the vet found all of the "trouble" areas without being told where to find them. I'm excited to ride and see if I feel a difference. After I hung out in the barn and worked on homework while Starla was still tranquilized, so I could keep an eye on her. I sat in an old barn and listened to the rainstorm. I'm so lucky that I have the opportunity to experience so many peaceful simple things because of horses.

Today I planted my indoor starts to what should be a truly epic garden. I'm going to give that it's own post, because I'm just so excited. I got to talk to Leo again tonight, which was really nice. I like having the set schedule of days to talk- really gives me something to look forward to during the week. After we finished up, I headed over to Angela's to plant a few more starts and watch some Supernatural.

I realize as I post this that it sounds like I never do anything school related, when in actuality that is the majority of what I do. I guess I just don't feel like posting about it. Though sooner or later I will write about my continued adventures with the dancer maintenance man in the hallways. And I have some thoughts about some of the lectures I've been to in the past months, I just feel they deserve their own posts and it's a struggle just to keep updating. But it will happen, I promise.

A wonderful end to a nasty week of midterms

This week was grueling. The thing about the quarter system is you have a whole extra set of midterms and finals in a normal school year. I don't know why they haven't caught on to that and made changes. Hah, all I can say is I miss the semester system.

Rather than dwelling on a week that should be forgotten, I'll just tell you how awesome my Friday turned out, and forget about nasty tests (at least until I get the grades back).

Let's see, after classes I was headed to the lab, and I saw a friend who is an undergrad in the lab eating a cookie in the elevator. I told her that she was lucky, and "there are no cookies in grad school." After that, another girl in the elevator pulled out a napkin full of cookies, and gave me one, "now you have a cookie!" I didn't know her, but I'm thankful to my mysterious cookie benefactor.

When I got to lab, the lead tech asked if I wanted to start my weekend early, since he didn't have anything for me to do. Two hours less work for me! After that, I headed to meet with Dr. Morgan, my Analytical Sampling professor, whose midterm I bombed pretty badly. I really respect him, and I hate doing poorly in his class. I just don't have the chem, physics, and math background. Basically, he told me he's going to set aside time to work with me each week, that he really doesn't think I'm doing that badly, and that he's glad I'm taking the class just out of interest, not necessity. I think he has a separate degree in making people feel awesome.

I left that meeting, and got to go home for a little bit before meeting school friends for sushi at Chiso in Fremont. It was completely delicious, and they have the best vegetarian/vegan sushi menu I've ever seen. It was really nice to spend time with the girls outside of our study group.

After I got ridiculously lost in the neighbors of Seattle, trying to get back to UW for archery. It took me 40 minutes to go 3 miles. Joys of Mapquest. Luckily, my friend Gabby wasn't mad at me for being late, and we got to do an hour of archery practice (see my last post to find out about my Robin Hood-like skills). After we hung out, had a drink, and just got to visit and catch up. It was so nice to have a fun, active, low stress evening.

Today I caught up with Leo this morning, and rode Starla a little. The weather was pretty nasty, so I didn't get to do as much as I wanted with her. On Tuesday she's getting all her vet stuff done, so I'm hoping tomorrow I get to have a better ride before she has to have al her shots and her dental. Most of this weekend is dedicated to writing a paper on MRSA, which actually feels nice and relaxing after this week!

Once again, I have no photos relevant to this post, but I do finally have shots of my apartment in Seattle. I think it ended up looking pretty classy.

Couch I'm borrowing from a school friend.

My bed with the home-made country equestrian themed pillows.

I got to put up my own paintings around the apartment.

My cute kitchen.

I always end up on here when I should be researching...

Winter quarter is well underway, just one more month until finals. I've grown more adjusted to my life here, and the cold Seattle weather. Time is passing so quickly, and so much has happened. I'm starting work on my thesis, a project relating MRSA carriage in health care workers working with children with cystic fibrosis to the strains carried by the children and in the general facility. Next week I will have an interview for an unpaid internship with a prestigious nonprofit infectious disease research institute for my practicum. I'm hoping it goes well and they end up liking me so much that they offer me a paid job for this summer.

Not knowing my job prospects is a little stressful. I realized I've been so spoiled- I had three summers at Zales with no question that I would be hired on each time, and two summers at Nunhems as a research person. Honestly, I could probably work again at Nunhems, but I'm hoping to keep my lovely apartment in Seattle. Besides, a summer in Seattle sounds like a pretty grand adventure. I feel like a large number of people my age would be very happy for the opportunity. I'm certain I'll find some job, as I have the unique trait of practicality. Worst comes to worst, I'll go back to retail.

This quarter my main classes are Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Control of Environmentally Transmitted Microbial Hazards, and Environmental Analysis, Sampling, and Monitoring Methods. I think UW prides itself on making the longest class titles possible. I'm also taking a seminar and working in the lab.

Leo came and stayed with me in January. I loved seeing him and doing traditional Seattle tourist-y things, like Pike Place, SAM, the EMP, and University Ave. I ended up getting a terrible cold the last few days he was here, but I was just happy to have him here. It was hard when he left though- you get used to doing the distance thing, but as soon as you see them again you realize how much you miss them and want them to be near always.

I'm hoping to see him again in March. We have some grand plans that may or may not come through, but regardless, I will do my best to ensure we get to see each other, regardless of whether we get to complete our road trip or not.

I have been much more busy lately than I feel I was last quarter. Every moment seems to be budgeted, and I'm not getting to do as much as I'd like. I'd like to take some trips to Oregon, and spend more time with friends, but I feel like that may not be an option until the summer. Each week I still ride Starla at least three times, and that is a priority. Time passes so quickly, and I want to enjoy every moment I have with her before she needs to be retired. She's 19 and healthy though, so I hope to have many years of adventures left with her. Still, it influences my decisions and how I like to spend my time. And, of course, Leo is a priority. This quarter we have set days we talk, which sounds weird to everyone, but actually makes our talks better and longer. It's hard to find something that works for long distance. Monday we are having a non-scheduled skype for Valentine's Day. I can't believe I've been lucky enough that this is my third Valentine's day with Leo.

I've started swimming as a means of getting in shape, and I feel it is really helping my body. My goal is to swim twice a week. On top of that, I've started doing archery on Fridays. It is insanely fun. Last night was my second chance (it is free at the IMA), and I've already improved so much! They had a contest where the person who can shoot the small balloon in the center of the target gets a treat. My first shot, I nailed the balloon! As my friend Gabby points out, this is extremely impressive, because normally I can't even hit the target! What was hilarious to me, is that as soon as they put the next balloon up, I hit it first thing too. I guess I'm very motivated by prizes :) I think I might join the archery club. I want to join the equestrian club, I just haven't asked the questions I should to find out if I could even compete. I guess I don't see a need to pay $40 in dues to join a club where I'd just be visiting with other equestrians every month or so. It would be fun, but I already have a barn I spend 10 hours a week at, filled with equestrian type folk. It would be so nice to be able to compete in a community though.

Other than that, I'm still just trying to gain a sense of community with my fellow classmates, hanging out with Willamette friends, and trying to find opportunities to take advantage of Seattle. I can't wait for the farmer's markets to open up next month, and for the sun to start shining. There should be fun music festivals to look forward to, and I'm hoping to maybe be more a part of the sustainable and vegetarian communities in Seattle. Lol, I just wish I had more time and money to enjoy all these things!

I think this post has been so much catching up that I will make another, shorter post after of more specific incidences. I think I'll post some random pics from the last couple months, and see if I can't be a more regular blogger from now on!

Mom and I at the Lights of Christmas.

More lights- so pretty!


Visiting friends in Salem. I hope I can go back soon.


I really miss Salem. And Pete's.


Tree hunting, my brother and his girlfriend. Very cute :)