it's raining! it's pouring!

WHO LOVES RAIN?! This girl right here.
At church yesterday, the rain just POURED down after a meeting with the youth and the bishop! People would come in from their cars looking like they just jumped in a pool with their clothes on! ...Well almost. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE the rain! I woke up on Sunday morning at 4:47am to my dog, Longfellow, doing the potty dance, so I took him outside saw the rain, and just ran around in my tank top and shorts in the dark loving it! Then I realized it wasn't even 5am yet and i should probably go back to bed... I digress for a moment... At church I got my personal progress recognition and got this baby!! (In silver)  My Bishop is so cool! He even gave my like this personal "shout-out" you could call it, and basically bragged about how cool I am! It was almost like he was saying the words my daddy would have said if he were here! ALSO I got home and made chocolate rice krispie treats and ate half of the 9x13 pan.  Sunday's always have something awesome in store for me!

   

Now to return, today it has been pouring since I woke up at 5:30am for seminary! And my two online classes for the day got canceled cause of technical difficulties! Later my friend will be coming over and we are just going to get SOAKED! Bare feet. Wet.  More wet. Maybe play with an umbrella but not seriously use it. Catch another cold or two. Maybe some Pneumonia.... But hey! It's Autumn! What's life without a little bit of living?? So yes. Rain is my favorite. OH, something I hate, all those silly quotes people put up about the rain... and how depressing it is.... or even this one just annoys me "yadda yadda yadda something about learning to dance in the rain" dude. who needs a quote? just go outside! experience it for yourself! I'd like to meet that person who looks up rain quotes to decide whether or not they want to go play in the rain. Pathetic. But actually it's an okay quote. I used to like it. Soo....

Not to be mr. Johnny Rain Cloud (bahaha!! pun intended) But I'm gonna go play in the rain! Peace.

Max

That is me with Max when we first had him... Back in his hay day, and back when I was scared to death that he'd jump on top of me!

Max, my golden retriever, is getting up there in age. I hate to say the word, but after my walk with him today... He's old. My Mom has been saying he's 10+ years old for a couple years now, so your guess on his age is about as good as mine.

• While on this walk with my dog, I noted that it took us twice as long as it used to take us to walk down the street and back --only, today was different cause we walked barely half the street. 
• Every yard or so he'd strain to lift his leg about 2'' to attempt a whiz, but I think about half of those times he forgot why he even "lifted" his leg though cause nothin' came out!
• His eyes are kinda foggy looking... And whenever I bring him food, I walk about 15 feet away from him and slowly walk toward him so I don't freak him out, but every time he gets startled and jumps out of his skin a little bit!
• His bark (: Oh his raspy little old man bark! I love it.
• He smells. Bad actually. He's never smelled particularly great since he's an outdoor dog, but I used to associate his smell with burnt macaroni and cheese.... now it's just reek!
• He sleeps 24.7. He doesn't even make it to his BIG dog house we built him a few years back cause it's all the way across the yard! So he sleeps under my window. But I don't mind, he doesn't bark nearly as much at night anymore, and it makes me feel some what protected! Definitely a comfort hearing Max roll over and hitting the house every now and then... Let's me know he's still there. 

• He hasn't had the BEST life in the world, we just never wanted to give him up to another family even though they had a large pasture, or a bigger yard to run around in... Couldn't give up Max. He's lived on a line that ran through the yard, he's been fenced in, and for the past couple of years has had a forrest to run through with an invisible fence. We've played with him, bought him toys, but a lot of his life he has just looked bored. But somehow, when you feel like the crappiest owner, you go out there just to talk to him for a few minutes, and he gets this big grin on his face, and he just loves you like you're the best owner in the world! I don't know why, but he's always here for me, even if I'm not always there for him. 
• He still follows me as I mow the yard. And rubs against my leg when i've come to a break point.
• Even now, if you're taking a picture of ...say a flower, he will just bark at you until you notice him, and the moment you point a camera at him, he sits down, lets his tongue hang out, and you can see a smile there! He's pretty photogenic!

See? So happy!

Okay, fine... this might be the only picture where he looks sad.

• He always listens to you, and keeps every secret!

But I just love my dog Max. He's the best dog in the world. I still think he's the prettiest golden retriever I see EVEN WITH his big tummy and white hair! And quite often, I feel like he's the best friend you could have. I will be so sad the day he dies... But until then, seeing him old, makes me happy! Cause he's lived long, and he's not in physical pain!

Spencer with Max

A couple years ago when I was scared he would soon leave.. Like my ensemble? ;)

Last year... He's lightened up a bit in color... But I'll always love him!!

people are cool!

Yesterday:
1.) All of the outdoors were covered in  residue from yesterdays rain making the air smell of that sweet Washington I love!
2.) Amid all of this wet, the sun came down rather warm today, making it perfect for a run!
     -A friend I saw while running, drove past me and kinda waved
     -Some anonymous person honked at me - I was flooded with confusion
     -A new friend I saw, but I think they had to do a double take to realize it was me
     -A COMPLETE stranger sped by me while I was taking a quick breather and yelled "RUN!"
     -3 friends saw me and I had no idea they were even there and let me know later!
One of the above told me that I looked like a "mad woman" while another person said I looked "Sexy" ...Maybe I should stop running when school gets out!  All in all, I felt pretty good afterwards.
3.) I learned how to marbleize my nails-sorta... Kinda made me happy.

4.) A package in the mail came...

This made me smile immensely! 

  

...Basically I sounded like a little girl giggling with laughter....

Inside was a CD made by a friend that well - I've never actually met, but know through another friend! We both have this crazy obsession for Damian McGinty, and she has more music than I do, and sent this to me as a birthday present!

...Which is actually pretty funny considering I didn't get birthday mail from extended OR immediate family! 

Just goes to show you that people out there, can be pretty darn cool. (:

A Wall That Plays Music When It Rains

Have you seen this, my friends? It's a Rube Goldberg inspired wall in Germany that creates music when it rains, due to the mousetrap drain and gutter system with various sized metal cones. It's called the Funnel Wall at the Kunsthofpassage in Neustadt.

Oh, I wish I could hear it play! It would definitely liven up our Seattle winters  :)

Every thing's Amazing and Nobody's Happy

I like the attitude of this man.

1st {Mariners} Baseball Game

The night before my birthday, my neighbors took me to a Mariners game for my present! They knew I have an interest in mens baseball, and they also knew I had never been to a baseball game --other than little league. Let's just say, I was overwhelmed with excitement! I was picked up in a red convertible mustang, and was sporting my Mariners shirt and wind blown hair. We picked up our tickets which -uh- we got for FREE. It's good to know people who have connections! As we arrived in Seattle, and pulled up to the Safeco Field, I was just bouncing with energy! I had the same excitement come over me as I usually get on Christmas morning! My neighbor was on crutches, so we had a handicapped parking spot, and an elevator that took us practically to our seats! No, I did not get to enjoy the crowded halls down a couple stories, or the lines of a bathroom... No. I got to enjoy the view from my seat up in the terrace club. Order food from your seats and everything! When Tammy told our "waiter" it was my first game, he came back with a printed certificate just for the occasion! Jim, turned to his wife ...and me ....and my brother and said "Congratulations. You have ordered the whole menu in the first 40 minutes." ...I think he was exaggerating with that comment, for we had only ordered 2 Mariners hot dogs, Soda, An Elephant Ear, Garlic Fries, Nachos, Carmel Corn, something smothered in Sauerkraut, and we had the 3 best smoothies on their way. We definitely put their money to good use. In the first pitch against the Kansas City Royals, Ichiro was up! To that point, he had been up to bat  597 times and had only hit 2 home runs thus far this season. The first pitch, Ichiro hit his 3rd home run! Something rare, and I got to see! By this point I convinced my neighbors I was the good luck charm to the game, and that I didn't have a doubt home team wouldn't win... Which is saying something, cause the Mariners haven't been doing so well. Rare plays were being made left and right, and Jim was starting to believe me! This game was awesome! I walked around Safeco field around the top of the 6th inning. The sun had already set, Seattle was filled with night sky and city lights, and I couldn't have been more pleased! (...Even though that might have been a really awesome date...)  Favorite team member: Dustin Ackley.  Mariners won 4-1 and we were out of there in no time. A victory drive was in order and we kept the top down the whole ride back! Besides the fact I never got my foam finger, or caught a flying baseball, this was beyond what I imagined, and one of the most awesome presents ever!

i'm better at a journal than a blog

• The day before last, I finished a goal I set at the beginning of the Summer to finish my Personal Progress before my birthday... And I did it! 
• School has started
• Seminary starts tomorrow ...I'm slightly excited, but this being my 3rd of 5 years, I know it will wear off fast.
• MY BIRTHDAY IS IN 4 DAYS! And I've been waiting for this birthday for forever and a day! I remember when I was little, I would look it up to see what day it would be on, and I was so happy it was on a Friday so I could do stuff with my friends, and have this awesome party.... Yeah, the time has come, and how many plans do I have? Zip. Zero. Nadda. If I knew that I wouldn't have any plans on this birthday 5 years ago, I would have been the most upset child.