Day 83 Of Project 365

Tuesday 3/29

Do you ever just have one of those weeks....nothing goes right, you say the wrong thing, you feel used and just spent, you are not sure why you are where you are, not sure if you are doing the right thing EVER.....

After spending the night in the ER with my very sick husband this is how I remember Tuesday:

3 hours of sleep (not enough these days for me)  got myself up went to Target first thing, did a side trip (its hard because its a ONE STOP SHOPPING) got some shoes while I filled his prescriptions, asked for a triple shot in my coffee (Did nothing for me), did not even taste my scone because I ate it so fast, I had forgot to eat dinner seeing as I was in the ER, took him his medications (he is on 5) ,  turned right around and went to work. The next few hours were just a blur, between making copies and helping everyone I am actually not sure what I said or did. I then set up for our Line Dancing (super awesome) hung out with my wonderful friend Sarah, got ready,  then went and hosted our TCC "Country Meets Classy" Line Dancing and danced the night away, in my new REAL Texas boots (thank you GL and Carolyn)  I do not remember even driving home....at that point I should not be allowed to drive, which makes me say this "I can not WAIT till I live 5 min from everything rather then 35-40 min."

Here is our dancing recap:

Sarah , Carol our amazing instructor and myself *my new boots!!!

Our Theme: Country Meets Classy....way to represent Vanessa!

My wonderful, amazing Friend Sarah

  We kicked up our heels and had a blast with the woman of TCC. 

So now I am here , and I feel like I need an extended get a way vacation. Somewhere warm, somewhere far far away, maybe for like 3 months. My perfectionist personality (I put on myself) is getting the best of me. I am frustrated and defeated. Then something happens just like a little reminder,just a little "something"
 
"it's the little things that change my perspective."

As I am finishing this I get this: helps to remind me, why I work here and not really far away, and it brings tears to my eyes. Because she doesn't even know how much this cut out heart means to me.

Thank you Madison. You have hugged me everyday on your way to Recess and then made this for me, I am truly blessed by my 2nd grader : Madison.

Nic & Cole

Day 82 Project 365

Monday 3/28

Holy guacamole BAT MAN!!!! As I drove past my house, I looked down the ally way and SAW THIS... and we pulled a Nascar move to go and see it!!

 I was not expecting to see walls!!! Made my heart sing and dance and I just might have did a little happy dance!!! 

Thats MY SIGN!!!!!!!

Brittingham Project!!

And as my little Kennedy told me yesterday "It better have walls, it will be done in 52 days!" She has a count down on her Ipod :) (melts my heart)

Nic & Cole

Day 81 of Project 365

Saturday 3/26/2011

"Capture the Cruze" (Amazing Race style) 

500 teams (this is over 1000 competitors!) racing in this "Little" competition. We raced around downtown Portland and answered clues and questions ranging from Math, to building construction,historic questions. I learned one thing that we were not prepared AT ALL!! We did not even have a map or pen to help us, and I call myself a competitive person.....Fail. BUT all in all we had a blast , we work very well in a high/fast pace team situation. 

Picture of the Day:

 So they were giving away for 2nd place- a Cruise to the Bahamas, and 1st place got a 2011 Chevy Cruze

 The rain did hold off until after we raced. One of our clues was to the DragonFish Asian. So after the race we went and ate there, I am not going to lie....it was AMAZING!

And for the record I am going to try to be on the Amazing Race!!!

Nic & Cole (Next Amazing Race Star!)  

Day 80 of Project 365

A few things Friday-

I am 100% competitive and I compete with myself ALWAYS. But I am 100% not a thrill, adrenaline seeker. I would completely be content never doing anything dangerous. you know, Keeping both my feet on the ground, no harnesses, no safety packs , no emergency training...and yet I keep doing these things that I would never imagine myself doing. And my one question is "Why in the world do I KEEP doing these things?"  Sadly I have no answer for you ....

2008 My second trip to New Zealand

This is sadly not my first time buggy jumping....but in fact my 3rd!!!! I may look cool, calm and collected...but please do not be fooled. Now Amanda on the other hand was openly terrified I believe that these words came out when they were strapping her harness on ..."I think I might pee my pants if you continue to strap this to me" and the good ole kiwi's just laughed :)

This is my first time Sky diving. We were supposed to do it in Queenstown (in the South Island) but the wind was to strong and they said we may break our ankles when we land. So we ended up being super disappointed and flew back up to the North Island and when we landed we saw a sign for the same company to sky dive with and 10 min later here we are. 

Again I was all laughs and BIG TALK and joking around. Then as they walked us to this little plane that should fit 3 people and some how we crammed in 8 people my anxiety kicked in FINALLY...where was that voice saying Nicole do not do this...you will not like it, before I got suited up and paid? And as we flew high and higher I think I might have forgot to breath a couple times. my instructor a big 7 foot tall French Canadian man in a heavy accent reminded me that he has never lost a client (now when I say lost a client I mean you are held on by these little metal clips at your shoulders and then one at the waist! And he is carrying the parachute. so if you come separated you are truly in all the sense Free Falling!!!) 

As he crawled to the edge of the plane and stood on the leg with me dangling out of the plane not touching anything , exposed to the open sky and VERY hard ground below, I am pretty sure I said something like this "I actually do not want to do this anymore. Can we please go back inside the plane and talk about it" But all my effort of asking nicely was lost to the wind and noise of an airplane. HE JUMPED. And after my initial shock, fear, and utter terror went away it was the COOLEST thing I have ever done. 

Then there was Boon Netting! That is where the have a big net on the side of the boat and you jump in and the boat goes as fast as it can and you HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE! you are bouncing and skimming off the ocean and you are holding on to the net BUT also to your swimming suit seeing as they come right off (and yes I am speaking from experience, however praise the lord it was not me but an old man that lost his pants...still not a great thing) The FIRST time I did it, we were in wet suits because the nice Warm South Pacific was like Ice and I got sucked to the back of the net where people began to pile on top of me and I could not breath. SECOND attempt a year later i was smart and was at the front of the net! 

Jump ahead a few years:

Cabo 2010

I have also been parasailing 2 times, and that is not so terrifying after you do everything else.

Then there was our snorkeling adventure that I thought i was seriously going to die. First in my past experience you walk into the ocean and its calm and peaceful and you can stand on the floor of the ocean (and best yet you can see if the sharks are going to come eat you)

 Here they make you jump out of the boat, who knows how deep the ocean is, I can not stand up, and worse yet i can not see if there are sharks swarming me. Waves crashing over my head and my snorkel mask...salt water in my mouth and eyes.....all around very scary stuff for me, I think we maybe looked at 5 fish and one touched me I screamed and almost yelled shark...then my swimming partner (Tom) who would have loved to stay in longer got out with me and we sat and warmed up in fact in 103 degree weather you dry in just a couple minutes. 
And I know you might be thinking...wimp but they did make everyone get out because the ocean was angry. 


Pre Boat Trip....

 Nice and tan! 

After Boat 6 hour boat trip....

 

Yes I am red and look like a lobster...

we had something we call heat exhaustion and decided we needed to cool down we went to amazingly cold and overly air conditioned movie theater to relax.  IT was perfect. 

I am sure I will do plenty of more scary, terrifying things, again I am not sure why I will but I know me....and I will. Thinking about these things I feel the blood starting to pump a little faster and my heart beat begin to race and my hands turn sweaty...ohhhh the adrenaline rush. I think I am addicted !!! 

Tomorrow Tom and I are competing in something called "Capture the CruzeCruze!. It is a spin off the Hit Reality TV Show "The Amazing Race" *side note.I have wanted to race in the The Amazing Race my entire life...and I will one day. So this is a dream come true for me to practice. and i am not sure that there will be anything crazy we will have to do but just the thought gets me excited and pumped. I am not sure if Tom knows what he is getting himself into with competing with me.  I may have said this last night...."Sugar, I play to win. I play big then i go home , and I will be going home with a new car, if you don't think we can win , then tell me now or get a better attitude. " 

Oh boy...did I really say that?!

Babe,

I am sorry in advance for whatever I say on Saturday please know that what I say it only out of love and competition for winning, never directed towards you personal. I would never ever want to race or compete with anyone but you. Thank you for loving me even when i am crazy competitive I know I have a problem.

I love you and we can talk about it later! After we win.I drive home in a new car.

Love ,

Your wife.

Nic & Cole

 

Day 79 of Project 365

Project House: This weeks update~

So the started to dig out on Thursday of last week !!!!

NOT FOR SALE ANY MORE!!!!!

Add caption

Then came the foundation frame on Monday ! 

Not sure what this is but its pretty big and cool!

Good sign: Our Cement truck has flames on it!!! 

Also a good sign(from my mom) : she ONLY lives 2 min and 14seconds walking time from her house to mine. 

Nic & Cole

Day 78 of Project 365

Day 78~

Weekend Cap 

Friday, we went to our wonderful friend Dave and Kelly's to celebrate Dave's Birthday. We played sword fighting on the wii with little Hayden, and let me tell you I STILL hurt. my arm is sore my back is sore. But let me tell you I may have beat Hayden 1 time. AND IT WAS WORTH THE VICTORY, YA baby!!!
Then we had dinner courtesy of kiwigirlcooking the most Amazing fish tacos! Then we ended up staying until 1:15am (we rocked in Dave's official 29th birthday) I guess the saying "Time flies when you are having a great time!!!" But seriously I am not as young as I used to be! It literally hurts to stay up that late and then with a nice long drive home (please be reminded that it just may be my will shoulder injury talking)


Saturday, We got a much needed sleep-in day....Skipped played the "newlywed card" for our leadership breakfast .Then Got dressed up like we were going to prom and headed to our friend Marcy Jo's 40 Birthday Murder Mystery Dinner. We almost all had a part to play, I was the Ex Wife of the millionaire that died, and my husband was the son in law of the dead millionaire. Lets just say my character was a little scandalous ...and some may even say "home wrecker" (thanks Laura Bush for continually reminding me of that through out the night, seeing as she was the current wife of our dead millionar) WE had such a great time with friends, dancing and the mystery dinner! Thanks Marcy Jo for turning 40 and celebrating BIG.

Jodi,showing off her Super excited dancing skills and she is not only beauty but brains as she figured out who the killer was!!!

my love

I have no dancing skills I just LAUGH and A LOT

Again I am laughing not dancing .......

My Baby gots moves, and again I am laughing........SEE A PATTERN ??

The original Gangstas

We had a blast....lots of laughing ,apparently my lack of dancing makes me just laugh and then the feeling of "out of place" ( I can officially rule out acting as a carer choice!) I will just stick with being a  Nashville country star ! 

I picked out some patterns that will begin my sowing career I am pretty pumped about it. I also will be re-upholstering my chair my in laws got for us. pictures to come!! 
I need some good names for my company....I need help getting the creative juices flowing!!! 

Nic & Cole

Day 77 of project 365

March 18th- My Sister

SIDE NOTE FOR THE DAY: Why is it when I go down the toilet paper isle at the store I get this confused and overwhelming feeling ? I mean for goodness sake it is just rolls of toilet paper. But I think it is just the stark whiteness and bags and bags of them lined up like an army staring at me!! I need to make sure I get enough and I don't over pay (which will not happen) not to hard not to soft. Its just, as you can tell a very difficult thing for me. 

Today is a very proud day for me as a sister!!! My baby sister is finishing up her college degree! She will have taken her last class and will be graduating in June with her bachelors degree. She has work her little tail off for this. Put her self through college, while working almost full time, multiple jobs at times, got married, newlywed and going to class, commuted hours out of her day to get there!! And she did it! ! She is a determined woman and has a drive and passion and the skills to do ANYTHING! I am so proud of her! (Tears...yes I am crying- I have already posted..i wear my heart on my sleeves) And rumor has it you finished with almost a 4.0???!!!!!!

The coolest part is , she is the 1st person on both sides of our family to Graduate with a Bachelors degree. Way to leave a legacy for your children and grandchildren.  I am so excited to see the Lord bless her with an amazing job. And watch her prosper and become the business woman she dreams of being! Good Job Noels!!!  

Noelle and her Best friend Ashley

Noelle and Isaac -the Start of Forever.

My Bestest friend in the entire world

I love our new family members!!! Makes us complete.

 Dear Noels:

You are so beautiful on the inside and out you are an amazing woman and I am proud to be your sister and friend. You are amazing, and such a fun person to be around. you make me laugh and smile, and I look back and love every memory we have ever made. I am so proud of you and the accomplishments you did!! you rock my socks off Noels.Thank you for being so precious and giving everyday to EVERYONE! You truly have an amazing heart.

Love,  Sister

Your Perfect Day!

I don't think I could be prouder then I am of her ! Happy early Graduation...happy DONE WITH SCHOOL FOREVER TO YOU!!!

Nic & Cole

Day 76 of Project 365

March 17~

 Happy St. Patty Day....honestly I know it as happy wear green day! My little nephew is terrified of leprechauns and puts a towel under his door so no Mini Leprechauns can get in today! (that is a smart kid...because if you really stop and think about it they are creep old men with beards. ) 

Random things Thursday: Brought to you by me and a handful of people.

1. Students "borrowing" a stack of napkins from the Lunch Room every day through out the year and stock piling them in his locker, so that when he has to volunteer to bring something to a class party or event he asks to bring napkins. He got busted and had to return them to the lunch room.

2.  A second grader who had got in trouble and sent to the office in the sweetest way and most sincere voice said "Teacher i know how to stop me from talk in class, I am going to ask my mom to put Duct Tape on my mouth so that I can stop talking, it WILL work." 

3. I got car sick for the first time in my entire life, while simply driving home the other day I had to hang my head out the window for fresh air like a dog. 

4. had a group of teens come up to my house on Sunday to help me bake some goodies for school the next day....the ate 2 entire pizza's , 2 bags of chips , 3 bottles of soda and an entire plate of rice crispy treats....Later that evening Tom asked for some sierra mist (extra side note- that is his favorite thing in the world to drink) and I informed him it was all gone. he was in shock that all the food we bought was gone. WELCOME TO HAVING KIDS! 

5. A little preschooler (and their entire class ) asked me how old i was.... I informed them that I just turned 26. Their eyes got really big and said "wowww, thats old" "I am only 4!" then the entire class started to tell me their age....At that moment I realized that i could be their mom....that in fact I could have a second grader at this point. Scary~

6. I think I used the words..." I will wash your mouth out with soap if you continue to speak to me like that!!!"  I am turning in to my mother! 

7. I am taking my wonderful husband to Disneyland in October and I wish it was TODAY! he has never been there before and I love love love Disney land and can not wait to take him there!!! makes me smile just thinking about it. And I will ride EVERY ride and take pictures by the thousands...

Digging out my house

They have officially started my house!! They are laying the corner stones today!!

Roller Skating pro!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Little Ollie at his first Basketball game! He loved it. He sat there and watched almost all of it just like that.

 *We went rollerskating with my dearest friend Kelly for her birthday- My roots came back to me from my prior ice skating day!!

** We got the privileged of going to the last home blazer game with Some of Toms bosses. We were in a suite and it was AWESOME!!!

Nic & Cole

Project 365.......

So I started off the year with a great Idea (I saw from my friend) about doing a picture a day and  calling it Project 365....hence one a day for a year~ Well its like a news years resolution...Here I am 3 months into it and I have not posted a picture everyday in fact I am missing quite a few. I can not even tell you what day out of 365 I am on...I could simply count how many days we have had and  lie...which I might still do, but I thought I should at least confess first.

We ended up having a road trip last weekend to Ontario Oregon, the home town of my THomas. We left Thursday night at 4pm...after hitting rush hour on I5 then 205 then I84 we finally got on the open road. We stopped for a romantic dinner at Taco bell in the Dalles, then gas station fill up and desert in Penelton at the Shell station! We hit the pass around 11pm and had just missed a semi hitting ice getting flipped around to face on coming traffic then flip upside down in the small ditch....needless to say it was an icy trip and we went about 15 miles an hour for over an hour. THEN the fog set in, along with a time change just outside of Lime Oregon to go from Pacific Time to Mountain Time , to make it 1:30am to finally arrive in Ontario.

We had such a great and relaxing time with his parents and got to see the Grandmas. Its always nice to get away and just do NOTHING.

This is Grandpa Richard Nelson 

I never got the privileged to meet either of Tom's grandpas they both passed away when Tom was 9 and 10 years old. But I think that he looks a lot like his grandpa Nelson. And I hear he has a lot of the same personality traits and the drive to get things done, like him! 

Nic & Cole

Project 365 - House Building

March 10th-

There are days I feel super creative and wordy (in a good way) and I write a blog almost everyday, and then there are days like today that I have to force myself to at least put up something on my blog, since i have wonderful freinds that follow my blog. (thanks Noelle for reminding me that I am slow) And then there are weeks that happen like the last two that I write nothing and I apologize profusely for that. ~

Brittingham House on the Prairie  ~ So long story short, WE have moved location from Canby to Molalla (AKA the Prairie) It is on Trinity ST.it is a little over a quarter acre AND we are getting everything we wanted! 

Our Spacious lot! And we even own the private Drive!!!

Front Door

My beautiful Kitchen

Our Master Bath!

Entry Way (our stairs will be here)

Our living room, it will have hardwood not carpet

My beautiful BIG NEW closet

Ohhh happy day to me!!! We are scheduled to move in May 25th! Praise Jesus

** side note did you see how big my closet is??? its amazing and my boots and and bags and cloths are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE me. and also me and my husband can share a closet for the first time in our marriage !! 

Nic & Cole

Project 365

Hello Blogger world, My name is Nicole and I am failing at being a "blogger" I have realized that not just 1 week has passed but now 2......And to top it off I do not have pictures for all of my 30 Remix. If this was a high school class my grade would be F+ (the Plus is for my outstanding personality and talkative class input I put in)
Then I noticed that on my last two post I have had to begin with a confession, too much yellow and not enough blogging! ......ohhh boy!

Quick Recap-

Lost the house (again), Had a big vision conference at the church (that took up 3 days, and I have no pictures to show....Ohh did I mention that i am terrible at taking pictures), Our varsity boys played for state and won, then played first round at state and lost(sad, sad day), looked at 6 more houses now instead of Canby we are looking in Molalla, babysat my adorable nephew Oliver, had a great birthday brunch with my Brittingham family, and a big birthday bash that made my heart soar, date day with my Tom, looking for washer and dryers!!! ALL IN ALL A GREAT 2 WEEKS.

Oh the Joy of Living in the Willamette Valley, one day sunny one day windy and raining.

Its about time!!! My hair was weeks overdue. Thank goodness for a Holiday=no work

Benefits of Working at a school= Snow day, no work! !  ! ! !  

Ohh Silly Willamette valley, we get not even an inch of snow and everything gets canceled. This is our snow and we are very proud of it!!!

I am guilty of being an outfit repeater...but like kendi says "if it works just go with it." 

Happy Birthday Day to me, It was my Golden Birthday, Started out with my sister and brother in laws and Kids in tow for a brunch then shopping and followed up with a coffee shop trip. Then off to a wonderful birthday party with our friends!

Sheena, Jenn her youngest Cason, me and Ollie

 

My wonderful Birthday Cake Party ohh how I loved it!!! :)

*Another confession, this shirt may look new, that is because it is!!! it is not part of my Remix, but I felt it was necessary and totally 100% okay to wear it, since my sweet, loving and amazing husband picked it out all by himself and then wrapped it and delivered it in bed to me on my birthday!!!    

More Confessions: Everything I am wearing I got for my birthday.....the only thing that was part of my remix was the white shirt I have under. . . But then again the people that got me these gifts want to make sure they fit...so I needed to wear them!!!! :) As you can now tell I make the rules fit me as I go! And why yes...these are real NEW boots straight from TEXAS!!!! I slept in them until tom pulled the blanket up to far and the boots peeked out from the bottom of the sheet....then I was told that they were safe in our room and that no one would take them if I took them off!!!

He let me pick out what ever ones I wanted!!! (smart man, since he knew that he would not be doing to many load since I came into the picture) 

Nic & Cole