Allow Me To Brag...

In order for you to appreciate my achievement, I need to give you a little background. Last September, Jordan (being the thoughtful person that he is) bought me a plant to put in my office as a gift for starting my new job. Jordan was under the impression that he was buying me a Gardenia plant. However, he accidentally got me a Gardenia BONSAI. For those of you who are not familiar with plants, bonsai plants are mini trees that could quite possibly be the most high maintenance plants available. I was not aware that I had a bonsai, so I just set the plant in our kitchen window and didn't think much about it. The next day when I looked at it, half of the leaves on the plant had turned yellow and fallen off. I couldn't believe that I had managed to semi-kill a plant in one day. I was horrified! So, I took it down to the nearest garden center to see if they could save my poor plant. The lady at the garden center laughed when she saw my miserable plant and gave me a book on bonsais, and told me "No offense, but considering this is your first plant I wouldn't be surprised if your bonsai was dead within two weeks." Game on. I went home and read the entire book on bonsais. I learned that my plant would require a humidity tray, a very specific amount of sunshine, special fertilizer, daily waterings (with a certain kind of watering can), to be rotated 2 inches every week, misting, to be trimmed a very specific way, etc. After reading the book I was seriously tempted to throw the plant off our back deck. However, I began babying that plant like it was my firstborn. After all my hard work--here was my reward.

My Gardenia Bonsai bloomed!!!


Take that garden center doubter!

A Conglomeration of Things..

I am officially rounding the third base of pregnancy. That's right, I'm in my third trimester! WAHOO! The old sciatica is back with a vengeance, but I'm otherwise healthy and happy. Once again, I'm behind on posting. The following is what should have been several posts.

Annie returned from Jerusalem/Grandma and Grandpa Ursaki came from Vancouver:

After studying abroad for 4 1/2 months in Jerusalem, Annie finally came home. Yay! We had a big dinner to celebrate her coming home, and my Hale grandparents came as well. I feel so fortunate to be 24 years old and still have all four of my grandparents alive.



Thanksgiving Point--Tulip Festival:

Last Monday while my grandparents were still in town from Vancouver, we headed to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. The tulips were still beautiful and we had a great time roaming the gardens.

However, the grounds are HUGE, and I knew that my grandma and I wouldn't be up to walking so much. Solution: Motorized wheelchair for grandma, and a Segway for me.



You should have seen me cruising on the Segway. I felt like Gob from Arrested Development. Even my 83 year old grandpa took a turn on the Segway (however, moments after this picture was taken he ended up taking a big fall on the Segway. In the process he took out three potted plants and scraped his knee). Don't worry, he was a little shaken up but no worse for the wear.


Our three-year anniversary:

Yesterday Jordan and I celebrated our three-year anniversary. I can't believe that we've been married for three years. Jordan took me to lunch, and when I got back to work this beautiful bouquet of flowers was waiting for me.

He also got me the David Archuletta CD (yes, I am a fan), an I-Tunes gift certificate, a Tai Pan gift certicate and some chocolates. He did well. I gave Jordan a brand new pair of Sanuk shoes (which cost as much as everything he gave me--in case you were wondering--I know you were). That evening we went to dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen and then went to see the movie, "Earth". The movie was fantastic despite the seven obnoxious kids running around the theater and talking the ENTIRE time while their parents snuggled in the top row. Such great parenting skills. Maybe I'm not ready to have kids. It was a great day, and I feel so blessed to married to someone who is so perfect for me. Love you Jord.