Portland Adventure

       Who doesn't love impromptu vacations?! Anyone?! This past week I had the opportunity (thanks to Mom's airline miles and family hospitality) to take a quick two day trip over to Portland, OR!! It was such an unexpected treat and I loved it!  Anywhere I can find Voodoo Doughnuts, Winter Hawks hockey, amazing restaurants, tons of bakeries and coffee shops, some of the most environmentally contious people in the planet, Chinatown, and lots and lots of rain all in the same place is okay by me! 

      Well, I flew into PDX on Tuesday where my friend Weston collected me and we got our mini adventure underway!  You may remember Weston from a previous post (The Oregon Coast), but what I did not mention in that post is that he is somewhat of a hockey fanatic.  He had gotten his hands on a pair of tickets to see the Portland Winter Hawks game on Wednesday and invited me to join. As a slightly less fanatic fan I agreed and before we knew it, there we were in the biggest city in Oregon.  

       My Aunt Jenny and Uncle Carter were kind enough to let us stay at their house which was perfect seeing as their house has a fantastic view of the city and a #17 buss stop a block away ready to take us everywhere we needed to go. Thanks again!! You guys are amazing!!.  

       After dropping our stuff off and busting out the umbrellas, we had a late lunch at Rogue Brewery and followed it up by wandering all over downtown until the weather got too rainy and we called it a day. The next morning we headed over to Lan Su Gardens in Chinatown and OMG that place is really something else I gotta tell ya...It is an entire city block built up into a Chinese style garden with multiple courtyards, walls, bridges, ponds (complete with giant goldfish), waterfalls, stone carvings, and tons of traditional vegetation. It may sound silly being in the heart of the city like it is, but it is truely and oasis. If I lived in Portland I would definately invest in a membership just so I could go there all the time!! There is an amazing teahouse on the left side of the garden where we stopped in to warm up and have some Jasmine tea. I was really shocked at how authentic the whole place was. Every aspect right down to the tea cups reminded me of China and made me remenisce about how much fun I had in teahouses just like that one when I lived in Chengdu. So wonderful.

       Next we were hoping to take a tour of the Shanghai Tunnels but because Feburary is considered "off season" for tourists the next tour wasn't scheduled until Thursday evening. Boo Hoo!! Oh well, I guess that just mean I will have to go back another time.... ;) 

       We met my cousin Jack for lunch at a super cute little soda shop/diner were they serve the best grilled cheese with tomatoe soup probably in the whole world, and milkshakes fit for a king. Thanks Jack for meeting us and for all your directional help!! We never would have made it without you!! After lunch we trotted up the street to Voodooo Doughnuts to see what all the fuss was about. It was nearly impossible to choose just one, so we got an assortment to take home for dessert later that night (I now understand why they are famous for their Maple Bacon Doughnut...YUMMO!!).  

        Wednesday night was the hockey game against the Calgary Hitmen.  It was a fabulous game even though the Hawks lost (just barely!) and I even got a cute tank-top with the team mascot on the back. Upon leaving the game we got lost for about an hour in the pouring rain and finally made it back to the house soaked to the bone and freezing cold!! Tea was made and doughnuts were eaten and the day was ended as pleasantly as it began.

        Weston dropped me off at the airport the next day on his way out of town and I made it to Boise with time to spare. It was quite a whirlwind trip but we packed as much fun into it as we possibly could. What a blast! Good luck in Virginia Weston!!

         In other news, I got a job!! It looks like it's for real this time too (oh boy!).  I will be working for an organization called LanguageCorps (http://www.languagecorps.com if you want to read more about it) as an English teacher.  They operate in countries all over the world but for now I will be working in their TeachChina program. I am still choosing where in China I would like to teach (and where I am needed), but my visa process is officially underway and I leave April 8th!!! Yes!!!! A real date, I can hardly believe it! However before starting work, all new teachers (that's me!) are required to go through a four week teacher training course together in Phnem Pehn, Cambodia which I have to pay for myself.  It is fairly expensive but in the long run I think it would be very beneficial to have some real classroom training before the real thing. Plus, I'm sure you could have guessed I am so pumped to go to Cambodia! 

        To help with the cost I set up a profile on GoFundMe.com, which is an online fundraising organization for people and their personal educational endevours.  No pressure to donate! I just thought I would post the link on my blog to help get the word out, and if anyone has any other good fundraising ideas I would love to hear them!! Every little bit helps! I have a reward system and there is a description to the right of the page. Wish me luck and I will keep you all posted on any new developments!!

http://www.gofundme.com/1zbhyo 

       Well, I think that is all to report for now. Following tradition, here is yet another picture of my little guy. I love and miss you all and hope everything is well!!! Please e-mail me and fill me in all about what you are doing! I want to be in the loop! xoxox

Winter Carnival

       Well, as usual this time of year McCall is transformed into a true Winter Wonderland not to mention tourist trap.  Once a year for two weeks all the local business compete in a snow sculpture building competition and the streets  of my tiny town become nearly un-navigable due to so many flat-landers up for the festivities.  Hey, I am not complaining!! For the first time since I can remember (Middle School maybe) I have actually gotten to enjoy the carnival.  Being unemployed has it's downsides, but being free like everyone else on the weekends, is definitely not one of them.  My friend Dusty and I started off the weekend by taking his little girl (the adorable child hidden inside the pink marsh mellow snow suit) for her first sledding experience at a local park.  What a hoot! We followed it up by watching the big kick-off parade on Main Street where I nearly smeared a small child to get a Tootsie Roll thrown from one if the fire trucks....The fireman totally threw it at ME and the little snot got in my way...NEVER come between a girl and her sweet-tooth, right??!! Yeah, I'm going to H-E-double hockey sticks for that one, no doubt about it...go me...

       Anywho, even Mr. Charlie got to take part in the festive atmosphere!! Each year the local animal shelter McPAWS, hosts The Monster Dog Pull.  Basically to raise money for the shelter, dog owners pay a $10 entry fee to watch their pups pull weighted sleds one at a time down a 10 yard racetrack.  The rules are simple: bring bacon to entice your furry friend to the finish line and may the fasted mutt win!!  Well, Charlie was the the smallest competitor by 8lbs weighing in at just under 5lbs (he put on some winter layers) so the officials allowed him to pull an empty sled thank goodness!! Turns out we should have done a few practice runs because the little guy had never pulled a thing in his life and when the sled moved he thought it was chasing him. He went sideways and backward until he figured out that if he didn't move at all, neither would the sled. And so we stood at an impasse.  Me calling from the finish line and Charlie sitting in the middle of the track refusing to move.  Eventually I just scooped him into the sled which I pushed across the finish line. It took him nearly a full minute to move 10 yards beating only a Pomeranian who never moved at all.  But the whole crowd cheered and he received many congratulatory pets afterward. Thanks Chris and Larry for the great photos!!! Better luck next year Charlie Brown!!!
       In other non-carnival related news, I have started recycling and composting. I know this may not seem exciting at all, but it's another New Years Resolution and ever since I visited Hailey in Portland, ME it has really stuck me how behind Idaho is on the reuse/recycle front.  Well that is changing!! In this household at least.  It is tough to get the parental units on board but they too are making and effort...when I am watching....after constant reminding....and scolding. Baby steps. It's important.
       I was also able to go for a snowshoe with a good friend earlier this week out on Little Lake. She brought her pup Bentley and we all cruised around in the sunshine for a while.  It was beautiful.  But not to worry concerned family members!! I am not becoming a complete snow-bum/jobless weirdo!! Between the skiing, snowshoeing, Nexflixing, baking, fire starting, snow ball fighting, Charlie walking, sledding, and snowman building I have squeezed some time into my clearly overbooked schedule for a few job interviews!!! Mostly more overseas teaching positions and as soon as I have a definite plan you all will be the first to know.  I don't want to jinx another one by talking it up too much on the innternet!! Haha?
       Well, I hope all is well with everyone and you are all enjoying your winter!! In traditional Madi fashion I will end with a charming pic of Mr. Brown (just in case you haven't gotten enough Charlie yet).  I found this photo from when he was a baby with my Stepdad John locked in my computer somewhere...precioso...I forget he used to be so tiny!!                                                               Love and miss you all so very much!!! xoxo