getting all the sleep I need for next semester.

I just woke up like 12 hours ago. I'll be up earlier tomorrow as we are doing the Pulali and Grandma Pedersen thing.

Oh and Tuna Clause visited with his Chex Mix helpers. Hurrah!

Didn't get up to much today. Watched tv, watched Nathan play his games, played Blokus and won. I wonder what it is that makes me successful at games like Blokus and Khet but fail elsewhere. Hmm.

I'm glad none of my presents were dependant on UPS because just today did things start getting delivered. What Nate got me is in Tacoma and Mom's purchases have rolled over to being Birthday Presents. Hurray hurray. 25 days till I turn 21.

Merry Wintersmas

Yay! A lovely delightful Christmas was had! I was the last up and downstairs. Nathan was hopping to get to unwrapping. Cinnamon rolls and bacon and Billy Tea were passed out and we tore into that pile. I received some jammie bottoms and a longjohn set (a most awesome gift), the new Neil Gaiman novel from mom (what a great gift and I didn't even ask for it, she got it just be being aware of what I like and what was out), lots of candy and sweets, a fireman Playmobil complete with two hoses AND two different gas masks, some really awesome layered neon Converse AllStars (I'll have to tote them to work to make sure they stay clean enough to be worked in), a foot massager, a handcrafted, custom built, pop up wooden brush holder made by dad, and, also by dad, a wooden bowl of a unique design limited to a series of four in existence. Rock on! Pretty awesome haul, now I just have to find some sort of room for it on the journey to Portland.

My trip back has been taken care of. I am leaving for Portland bright and early Tuesday morning. I'll be back by noon. Monday will be spent with Nathan and Rubie in Tacoma. Most likely playing Wii.

After the unwrapping and assembling of the traditional Christmas Lego, we slowly got our things together and tested the snow and slush once again. On Rubie's driveway two cars were clueless about ice navigation but we got through it all with not a ding. All five of us were crammed into the truck with gifts double wrapped in trash bags for protection against the elements.

In place of the traditional Christmas Meal, there was cheese and meat as far as the eye could see. All kinds for all types of people were present. Mmm! Rubie unwrapped her gifties. We received cash which will be put towards things like, oh I don't know, bike tires probably. Through the day I painted portraits of people. I think the ones I did of Mom and Grandpa turned out the best in terms of likeness but Nate and Rubie look cool in terms of style. Working on my speed. Can't have the season pass me by without any effort to show for it.

Rubie bested us as karaoke (I'm not sure if she was aware that we are dominantly tone deaf). Mom was quiet by on key. I was all over the place and just terrible.

It was a slow, dark crawl back to Seabeck. Dropped Rubie off at her house. Mom and I walked together to the house while Nate and Dad put chains on the truck. My eyes adjusted and everything was a creepy, snowy black and white with only the light of the house calling us on.

I made my highly notable popcorn and watched Mamma Mia! with mamma and poppa. It has a few...delightful moments but it really isn't my type of thing. Just a little too girly and silly.

Now to sleep in. A day of rest and then it is the Pulali Shindig!

escape from seabeck

Ohh, I should not have just watched The Cell. I'll probably have nightmares or at the very least, have a tough time falling asleep. Beautiful movie, just very scary. Tarsem directed it, he also did The Fall.

We got a few more inches of snow but we also had some warmth and so we were able to drive out and get Rubie to her parents. It was slow going in the truck. Dad had chains. Seabeck roads were mostly slush. Not so bad but probably only really navigable by seasoned drivers. Rubie invited us to Karaoke at her place and I got halfway through Aqua's Cartoon Heroes. Her mum prepared us a massive to go box of assorted meats. We hugged and we were off to do some last minute shopping. Groceries, gifties, stocking stuffers, etc. I was wearing wellies so the slush was no problem. Nathan hopped around in his trainers.

Nathan won at Monopoly. He got the largest property earliest on in the game. I was too nice on him and should have asked for more. Very fun.

I called into work and my Sunday shift was cancelled but I am for sure working markdowns on Wednesday so yeah, I'll be going back to Portland on Tuesday.

stars and shells

Nathan and I played Mario Kart with sleds and snowballs. We went down the hill in sleds at the same time and raced each other and ran into one another and all that. Often we rolled over when we tried to hurl snowballs at each other. Lots of fun. Lots of falling into the ditch. We rolled up some massive snowballs. Nathan got trapped under one and I rushed to take pictures of it. He got out. We made a snow Nessie. My head was not to scale to Nathan's body and tail. We are scheduled to get more snow tomorrow. I think Rubie is going to try and escape from us.

We watched Big Trouble tonight. I made popcorn, another speciality of mine. It took slower on this stove due to the inconsistent heat.

Nate, Dad, Rubie, and Mom played Skip-Bo. I watched. Dad won.

I got my Brain Age down to 24. It is very fun. I wish there were more games to play, just have to unlock more I guess. I'm slowly getting better at it all. I brought Moms Brain Age up by accident. Mmm.

Right now, Nathan, Rubie and I are watching The Fall. We have it synced up on both our laptops. Great great movie.

The word is out and seems like people are being able to escape Portland. I still need to call work and sort it out.

I think we did more today but I can't remember.

teateateateateateateateateatea

Nathan is so farty. And he can totally control it! Gross!

More frolicking in the snow. We made a killer sledding run on both sides of the drive way. When ever mom went down, Holly ran after her. I wiped out and continued to roll down the ground. After all the spinning, it took about a minute to get my bearings back. We moved to try the main hill out for sledding. Someone had driven down it so there were tracks already in place for us. There was a lot of speed and wiping out. One ride down the hill cracked the sled I was on. We really need new sleds, it HAS been about a decade with these ones.

Mom made waffles. MMmm.

Once the sun set, we started playing board games. I had some tea and got really really hyper. We played Chinese Checkers (I won!), Pictionary (mom and I won!), a few rounds of Spoons (dad didn't win), and the game of Life (Rubie and Mom were really close but Mom won!).

It is so nice to just...relax and frolic.

My work schedule came in. They want me to work for three hours on the 28th. Yeah, I'm going to call them and try and sort that out. I don't want to come down just for a shift to earn a measly 25 bucks. They don't have me working at all for the rest of the week either. Sure I want to make a good impression so that they'll keep me around but considering how little work I'm being given for the time they ask of me...argh yeah.

three computers later

Listening to the Kaiser Chiefs. Awesome group, yeah yeah.

Well, we are officially snowed in. 10 inches in the morning and about 13-15 now. The forecast says snow snow snow.

Nathan, Rubie, and I played in the snow. We sledded and threw snowballs. We tried to start a snowman but it was just too fluffy and Mom called us in for breakfast anyway so we dropped that project. Nathan made a Nutella, JetPuff, Banana, and Jelly sandwich. Uhhg. I had bacon with no maple bar attached.

Mom, Rubie, and I played shrinky dinks. I made a little necklace and another piece for my final for Science Friction. Mom made some nice renditions of covers from magazines. Rubie drew some lovely flowers and whatnot. I drew a portrait of Rubie and Nathan. The one of Rubie was much nicer.

Then I scanned my shrinky dink final.
Then I emailed it to my account to try and make a .pdf of it.
Then I went on moms computer to make a .pdf.
Then I went on dads computer to make a .pdf.
Then I made a .pdf.
Then I emailed it to myself and uploaded it to Homeroom on my computer.
Turned in with 20 minutes to spare!

We frolicked in the snow some more. All of us went to see if someone dared to deliver the newspaper. Holly tagged along, stumbling through the very deep snow. I played Snow Zombies and attacked Nathan and he threw me into a drift. I charged him again and tackled him into the snow. All the while I was going, "GGRRRAARRRHHH!!!". Lots of fun and I very much enjoyed getting into dry jeans after that.

We watched Waterhorse. A charming, if stereotypical, kid's movie about Nessie. Nice effects and some lovely shots of the Loch.

I don't think I have enough shrinky dinks to last this snow pile.

Shrinky Dink Future

In the panic of finals, I had a dream. I was transported into the future via a crashed Max. I may have been on the way to work when my commute became time travel. As I emerged I saw Portland in a new state. The Iron Bridge was up to its metaphorical knees in water and plants consumed it. All land was gone save for bountiful rice fields. Buildings pierced these fields and were connected by a complicated system of suspended light rail trains. The rest of it all was water which met the sky in a gray, indiscernible oblivion. The buildings were filled with large lofts and wide staircases and everyone was quite mellow













Pen on Shrinky Dinks. All smaller than 3 1/2"x2". Very tiny.