I couldn't get over how hilarious these squirrels looked! They look like they were painted black, or like they are the fallen legion of squirrels. They are even much more aggressive than our typical Northwest squirrel.

Stanley ParkVancouver, BC




Tukking with some Canadian spirit

A really fabulous and swanky dinner.


Never before seen in the natural world! Snake engulfs a sea turtle right before my very eyes! No, I was not aiding in this unsual and cruel crime.


No, it's not Tarzan. It's our very own Gabe.


Main Street Leavenworth, WA.





At least they really reminded me of the Alps.

Leavenworth

Mother's Day Weekend: Blue Lake, CA

Awww...my parents are so cute. Wish I could have been there with you both!

Nails on the chalkboard

{ISAAC'S VICHY SOISSE NIGHT} a glamour-only occasion




Isaac, Ryan, and Ashley sporting their vichy soisse French-Canadian finesse--sans the French.



Ryan and Ashley schooling us in the Canadian lingo of dec-als (not de-cals) and tuks.

It was one of those days where I seemed to be annoyed even at the littlest things and so on edge about life. I drive myself crazy when I'm like this and its usually due to just not taking care of myself and letting myself get way overstressed. So while I was in this state of extreme annoyance at all things previously considered, just about 30 consecutive love songs played on the radio, and I was ready to do something irrational (like beat my head against the library's wall or chuck a couple of encyclopedias out of my office window) to display my extreme dislike and annoyance for this music. But then I realized something. I realized that I was so irritated by all the love songs, because I wasn't in a romantic love relationship and the songs meant nothing to me. But then it goes deeper than that too...it made me think how similar that reaction must be to someone's who reads the Bible or goes to church or does service out of duty or obligation rather than a choice motivated by love, when they don't have a love relationship with Christ. Like nails on the chalkboard--it scratches against the grain of the soul when the love isn't there. And that made me sad to think that's how some people feel. Hmmm...I'm ditching this rather lame attitude that I've been donning all day and getting on with life. But first I'm going to bed...a very lovely part involved in the getting on with life.


I'm appreciating the beauty of bouquets of fresh lilacs on my desk this week.

*in a broken Russian accent* "Come into my laboratorrry! Ze doctor will take ze mercury reading of your zblood! Come, come! Be my fitness rat!" Isaac, Lauralen, Ian, Ashley, Andrea....all such brave, brave subjects of my Dance, Dance Revolution. Ha! Gotta love the lab coat.

One of the Most Meaningful Compliments I've Ever Received

"Jessica, your voice sounds like it's smiling when your face isn't."

Mahatma Gandhi
~Whenever you are in doubt...apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore to him a control over his own life and destiny?~

Wow, we look extremely scary in this picture...but I really like taking in-the-car-going-somewhere pictures. Road trips...you have some of the best, meaningful conversations on them. You usually start with the topics of the deeper variety such as outsourcing and intelligent reads you've been pondering, the state of the world, Dubai ports, etc. and so on...then around Hour 4 you are laughing uncontrollably with no explanation to be found for the outbursts, and by Hour 6 you've officially begun to rap about the Rhine, vines, wine, and twine on swine. You're seeing the downward trend aren't you? This is what I call the anatomy of a road trip.




I believe a woman can have a rich inner life and still like clothes.

cinco de mayo!

Before jumping into my car to head to work this morning, I had to snap this picture.

















It was time for a REI pilgrimage.


The IceBurg is a Walla Walla Legend.


As well as our iconic windmills...