A Little Rant (I can't help myself)

I have a dirty little secret to confess to all of my blog readers.

My neighbor hates me.

Well, I shouldn't say me.

He hates Buoy. So by association he hates me.

I don't know how we got so unlucky, but we live next door to the Grinch and it isn't getting any better.

This morning my alarm went off at 6:15, I climbed out of bed and let my angelic baby Buoy out to go potty.

Every morning he walks down the stairs, tinkles in the dirt, and then comes back upstairs.

Every morning I stand in the doorway keeping an eye on him...ten feet away.

Well this morning at approximately 6:18 the Grinch came outside and walked by Buoy.

As he walked by Buoy, not realizing I was watching, he says in his Grinchiest voice,

"What are you doing out here?!"

Which I responded to with the following, "He's just going to the bathroom!"

Well, I think Buoy could feel the hate and animosity radiating from the Grinch, because he barked.

One lonely but loud bark.

And then I kid you not...

que the 5 second delay...

1,

2,

3,

4,

and 5.

"Ouch! Your dog bit me!"

You've got to be kidding me. I'm standing right here, I saw the whole thing.

So I said to the Grinch, "Are you serious? Did he actually touch your skin?"

To which the Grinch replied, "Well no."

And then proceeded to lecture me on how "this has got to stop, your dog peeing off the leash."

Then the Grinch stormed off.

So, I've been fuming all day. Replaying the incident in my head over and over.

And let me tell you, the Grinch is a drama queen. I try pretty dang hard to be friendly with just about everyone. I don't hate people, but this guy is getting pretty darn close to changing that.

How would you handle this situation? Kill the Grinch with kindness? Maybe it would turn out just like Dr. Seuss planned...

"And what happened, then?

Well, in Whoville they say - that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day."

All I know is you would have to be crazy to think this little bundle of love would cause anyone harm. I mean come on! He's lived next door to Buoy for 2.5 years...he's hardly the neighborhood terrorist.

Alright, I feel better after telling the story. If anyone has advice for dealing with my Grinchy neighbor I'd love to hear it!

This is where I'm at

It's funny how much life can change in the span of one year. This time last year, Jeremy was just getting home from a two month deployment in Mobile, AL. Something to do with an oil spill...you might have heard of it. We had barely lived together two weeks before he was boarding a plane. Airport hellos and goodbyes had been the theme of our relationship for the past 6 years and I can't tell you how hard it hit me when we found out that it was already time for another goodbye. I thought we were done with airports, done with long separations, and finally starting a life together. Physically together, same place, same time.

But life went on. Our Portland friends, who at that time were still "Jeremy's friends", completely opened their arms to me. I remember how much I relied on my "girls' nights" with Dani and Lauren. Looking back I feel so much gratitude for the way they supported me through that time. Two months is nothing in the scheme of things. Jeremy and I had spent much longer apart (try 9 months on a cargo ship in Asia circa 2006). But after building up in my head how perfect life would be after moving in together, I was pretty devastated.

But let me get back on track. I was trying to make a point. We've come a very long way. Now we're engaged. Planning a wedding for next summer. Enjoying our second Oregon fall together. And wait for it...we've become savers. Jeremy and I are saving every penny. It's like suddenly we realized "oh wait, weddings, houses, babies, take a lot of planning!" I guess we always knew that, but we were kind of hoping we could avoid having to do something about it. Let me tell you this is hard for me. I like to shop. We like to eat out. We like to go adventuring. But now that we have these big life goals, that are worth planning and saving for, suddenly life has changed. Yesterday we talked all day about going out for dinner, but when it came time to pick a spot, we unanimously decided to eat in. Look at that! We just saved $40!

Choices like that one have slowly started to catch on. A few months ago I wrote an entry about my wardrobe staples. I heard from a lot of my friends how much they liked reading that entry. So I figure it's time to add a few more "must haves" to the list. But this year splurges are probably not going to look the same. Rather than splurging on a pair of shoes, I'd like to be able to invite a couple more guests to our big day. You get the idea.

So here you go. A few items and pieces of fashion/shopping advice that won't totally break the bank.

1. Here is the most important lesson I can share with you. If you work in an office or you just love shopping at Banana Republic...sign up for Banana Republic emails. I know you probably already receive 8,000,000 emails from online retailers you shopped at once, but BR is worth it. See 'butters, they have something called power lunches. A 3-hour window of opportunity when everything is 40% off. Did you hear me? Everything. Yes, that includes $200 wool suit jackets, $100 wrap dresses, and $70 pencil skirts. Suddenly, items that were once on your dream shopping list are affordable. BR has these sales at least once or twice a month, so bottom line...don't ever buy anything at BR full price. Wait for a power lunch. The offer is good online or in stores.
   You're welcome.
   
2. Zara. Maybe I'm crazy, but I swear Zara used to be an "in stores only" opportunity...meaning no online shopping. But just the other day I went on their website and (hallelujah!) you can shop Zara online now. Zara isn't quite H&M affordable, but they are pretty inexpensive and their clothes a) fit well and b) last forever. Sign me up. I ordered this dress a couple of days ago ($79!).

I'm also considering this dress (below), because it screams Kate Middleton to me.
Screams Kate, but costs only $59.90. Perfect.

3. Last but not least, I would like to share this other amazing sale. I don't know how long it will last, so take advantage of this ASAP. Ann Taylor The Loft is having a $35 sale. Dresses, shirts, pants...a lot of their new line is on sale for only $35 (some shirts are even $25!). I found this sweater dress that I'm hoping will be as cute in real life (with black tights and suede boots) as it is online. Original price: $89.50. Sale price: $35.

Check it out.

That's all I have to share for now, but I will continue to fill you in when I find something worth sharing!

I'd love to hear from you guys if you have a minute to comment. Where were your lives one year ago? And how have you changed?

xoxo. Happy Friday.

Engagementmoon

Jeremy and I are definitely blessed. The day after our engagement we boarded a plane to Maui, well Maui by way of a 4 hour layover in San Fransisco. It was my first trip to Hawaii and we had been counting down the days for weeks! 8 days of sunshine, ocean, and engagement excitement.

Maui was everything I had hoped it would be, but I learned a very important lesson while I was there. You could say it was my first lesson in being a fiancé. I'd like to share it with all of you.

 After we landed and had picked up the rental car, Jeremy turned to me and said...

"We should take a picture." To which I responded, "Did you bring your camera?". Which was followed by, "No. Bringing the camera is the girl's job."

News to me. Did you all know the camera is the responsibility of the girl? What's mine is yours sounds great, but if that means the camera is now my responsibility...we aren't going to have many pictures. We spent 8 days in Maui and have exactly 4 pictures to show for it. Fantastic.

Proof we were really there. This was before we set out on the Road to Hana.

Proof I was in the Maui airport and there are tikis in Hawaii. How's my impression?

So there you have it. That's 50% of our trip's photographic evidence. Maybe someday you'll get lucky and I'll share the other two outstanding photos with you.

Maybe.

Aloha.

Life Changing Events

Dear Scuttlebutters,

Most of you who read this have probably already heard the news, but Jeremy and I are engaged! Jeremy proposed on September 16th, so this post is long overdue. But I think it's just now starting to sink in! I can't tell you how overjoyed we are and how blessed we feel by all the warm wishes we've receieved from our friends and family. Thank you all for making us feel so loved!

The proposal was perfect. Spontaneous and in our home. Buoy was there and played a very important part in the whole thing.

 Here we are right after! Luckily, Dani and Jared were there to capture the moment right after it happened. A little blurry and we look a little splotchy, but you get the idea!

Now, without getting to cheesy, I just have to say how totally happy I feel. Jeremy and I met 8 years ago in our high school physics class. There have been plenty of ups and downs along the way, but with a lot of love and blind hope we have managed to grow up and stay together. He's my best friend and I can't wait to make our little family official. You better believe Buoy will be a part of the wedding too :)

So there's the important update! I am very excited fall has returned. October is going to be a wonderful month, I can feel it! There are so many exciting things to do.

1. Return to the Corn Maize on Sauvie Island.

2. Get a very special visit from Jeremy's brother John.

3. Attend a Bridal Expo with Lauren this weekend.

4. Confirm our date and venue! (We're thinking July, ahhhh!)

5. Make a tour of the Fruit Loop out in Hood River with my parents.

6. Dive head first into all sorts of fall cooking...which you all will hopefully benefit from too!

Side note...last night I decided to make homemade chicken soup, stock from scratch, the whole bit. After two hours carefully preparing the soup, right before I was about to laddle the deliciousness into bowls, I dumped practically the whole jar of pepper into the broth. There went the soup and out came the toast for dinner.

Learn from my mistakes people. Double check which side of the pepper (or any other spice for that matter) you open!

Love,

Allison {almost} Maginot

The Return of Fall

Darling 'Butters,

I've decided that's what I'll call anyone who reads the 'Butt. Appropriately endearing, no?

It's been way too long since I last blogged, but without ever really making a conscious decision, I took the summer off. Before this summer, I didn't know it was possible to be busier than I was in college or grad school, but I definitely learned how wrong I was over the past 3 months. That being said, even though September looks like it will be just as crazy, I felt a shift when I woke up this morning. My body could feel the first changes of autumn...the cold air (50 degrees!) outside, the darkness out the window even at 6:15, and the return of Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. That last one is a particular favorite of mine! :)

As many of you know, in Oregon we have to make the absolute most of the few precious weeks of sunshine we are gifted. And let me tell you, we did. I don't think I could possibly recap all of the adventures I've experienced since the start of June, but I will do my best to fill you in.

June

June was still filled with plenty of rain and gray days, but it was also filled with excitement. One of my best friends, Dani, married our other good friend Jared. What an exciting month! Beginning with a bridal shower in Seaside, then a bachelorette party in Catalina, and finally a beautiful wedding in Portland...June was filled with celebrating.

I also had the chance to see my parents a couple of times, celebrate my mom's birthday with a Randy Travis concert, and play lots of softball. Playing is not to be confused with winning, unfortunately.

July

July kicked off with my darling Vassar friend Maya coming out for a visit. Read all about it here. We had an amazing time and I can't tell you how hard it is to believe we've been friends now for 6 years!

In July I also discovered the beauty of Forest Park, a Portland gem filled with miles and miles of trails. Buoy and I spent many hours exploring the trails. Dani and I also shared an adventure when we went to the Highland Games, find out all about that trip here. The adventuring continued with a trip to Bellingham, a weekend in Kennewick, Washington for the Columbia Cup Races, and the discovery of a new favorite blog cupcakesandcashmere.com.

August

Here's where things got crazy. The first weekend of August was spent at Salishan for my work's summer convention. Jeremy and Buoy joined me, and as a thank you/birthday present for Jeremy I put together a little surprise on the way home. We drove up to Netarts Bay, OR where I had reserved a boat so Jeremy and I could go crabbing. It was one of the most fun things we've ever done together.

As you can see Jeremy and I did fairly well for beginners! We came home with 20 Dungeness crabs...

...which we shared immediately with our friends Matt and Carrie. (P.S. They got engaged the day before so it was a great occasion for celebrating!)

The following week we celebrated Jeremy's birthday at the new Trader Vic's restaurant in town. I recommend going there for drinks, the cocktail menu is insane!

August continued with the highly anticipated arrival of my college roommate Katie. Darling Katie lives all the way in Buffalo, NY, the Northwest was a new experience for her and I couldn't wait to share with her all that the NW has to offer.

In true Allison/Katie style we jam-packed every second of her visit. From the minute she landed, when we headed to Secret Society Lounge for drinks, to the second she left when we had Podnah's Pit for dinner, we had a blast. There was a hike at Multnomah Falls, a brewery tour, a 3 day camping trip on the Olympic Peninsula, a visit to Seattle, and dinner high atop a skyscraper downtown at Portland City Grill.

Here are a few highlights:

We successful pitched our tent two nights in a row. This is Katie showing us who's boss at a campground in Lake Quinault, WA.

We hiked to beaches along the Washington coast.

Visited the Hoh Rainforest.

Stopped at Lake Crescent and hiked to Marymere Falls.

And climbed high above the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.

What a trip right? I think Katie definitely experienced so much of the Pacific Northwest.

August was an incredible month. It ended with a trip up to Bellingham last weekend. Bellingham is always a lot of fun, but this time Dani and Jared decided to join us. We had the best time.

We hiked, we swam, we kayaked.

We also drank a few too many margaritas! But hey, that's what life is all about.

The best part...our new family nickname...

meet the Schaabinots.

That is all. I hope you enjoyed the summer recap. Now that it's wrapping up I promise to be back in full blogging fashion. And you better be excited, because something tells me September will be just as adventurous!

Pretending to be Scottish

Anyone who knows me and/or anyone who frequents "The Butt" (aka The Scuttlebutt)...

has probably figured out by now I like to go really random places.

I'm a nerd at heart, I love exploring, and I have a strange appreciation for people who like to "go all out".

What does that mean?

Well, you know the types...

these are the people who spend their weekends taking part in Civil War reenactments,

or go to the Renaissance Faire in full costume,

or recreate Colonial Williamsburg.

I'm not sure what I love about these things. Maybe it's just I appreciate the attention to detail.

And since I love reading historical fiction, some of the time it gives me a chance to pseudo-experience the books/time periods I've read all about.

Take for example this weekend.

Dani (a former Civil War reenactor) and I decided to head out to Gresham, OR for the annual Highland Games.

A giant, all-day Scottish Festival...featuring men in kilts, lots of plaid, bagpipes, and bangers and mash.

We had an absolute amazing time, and for anyone who has read the Outlander series (if you haven't you should)...clans Frasier and MacKenzie were out in full force.

I spent the festival scoping out the crowd for potential Jamie Frasiers.

I highly recommend visiting the Highland Games in your area.

Look it up. I promise you have one.

The dancing, music, food and atmosphere makes for an awesome day.

The man in the kilt who made our necklaces.(Don't mind my crazy hair!)

And if you happen to be lucky enough to have a friend who appreciates this kind of thing as much as Dani did, consider yourself lucky and get out there!

That's right...bff necklaces...we're that cool.

Where will your next adventure be?

Dear Summer,

I'm obsessed.

Please don't ever leave.

I don't care that we only get a few days of sunshine at a time, I'll take what I can get.

I savor every second of your warmth and endless days.

The long winter is a distant memory.

Everyday is filled with hikes, meals on the balcony overlooking the river, late nights, and barbecues.

Not to mention the s'mores

It's funny, summer.

As a child I never appreciated you. California sunshine overflowed year-round.

Honestly, I didn't really notice you.

But now everything has changed.

One 9 month winter in Portland and I finally have learned to appreciate you.

I feel like I need to get in all of my summer loving that I never did as a child.

So please don't leave.

At least not for a few more weeks.

I promise not to take you for granted.

Love,

Allison

Dear blog readers,

I'm sorry I've been gone so long.

I haven't found time for anything lately besides work and enjoying summer.

There has been precious time with an old friend.

Hikes.

Gorgeous views.

A beautiful wedding.

Wine tasting in the Oregon countryside.

A rodeo.

Enjoying Portland's many microbrews.

And plain old summertime.

I promise I will be back, but for now it may not be as soon as we all would like.

I'm just too busy enjoying my new found love of summer!