Laundry Day

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Because we have coin operated washers and dryers I tend to leave the laundry until we have a full load. Sometimes I get a little bit too optimistic about how much can be shoved into a machine. Rocky gets a free ride to and from the laundry room as long as she is willing to make sure that nothing falls out. It's a little heavier but a lot more fun when she is there.

Having a Blast with Becky

I don't know if many people are as lucky as I am when it comes to the sister-in-law department. Some of my very best friends are my sisters through marriage. We were lucky this weekend to have Becky fly out to Oregon and spend a couple of days. I was sad that Caleb couldn't come with her but it was nice because the two of us had some quality bonding time. It reminded me once again that the only drawback of living in Oregon is that I'm so far away from so many of the people that I love to see.

We spent a beautiful day enjoying the coast.

I didn't take very many pictures, but Becky's phone was busy. If it wasn't taking pictures or videos it was receiving texts and calls. She was in such good contact with everyone that I started to seriously consider abandoning my long held policy of neglecting my phone.

Becky's custom tour of Marci and Brandon's included a guided tour of downtown Eugene as well as the University of Oregon campus and a lunch at the best restaurant in town, El Pato Verde. We went to an awesome yoga class and spent a calm day exploring the coast making special stops at Yachats, the Devil's Churn and the Haceta Head Lighthouse. There was lots of good food and an evening spent with our two beautiful Indian friends, Hema and Anu who tutored us in Hindu wedding ceremonies. And, of course, Becky was given full access to Rocky which, I think, is probably the main reason that she wanted to come.

We loved having her here and hope that she will come back again soon.

Book your trip to visit the lovely Eugene today and I will start working on your custom tour ASAP.

The Man of the Year

Rocky and I were so excited about the inauguration that we stood outside in the cold for a whole minute so that we could pretend that we were in Washington D.C. It wasn't quite the same but since I wasn't able to get a ticket to the big gig I enjoyed watching it all on TV from the warmth of our apartment. It was a big day for both of us because it was our first time watching a president take the oath. I know, I know, it is pretty ridiculous that I have made it 27 years without participating in such an important national event. I guess that eight years ago I was too caught up in the little trappings of my own life to be concerned about the rest of the world. I'm making up for it now by forcing my baby girl, who would much rather be chewing on a spatula, watch our newest president swear to protect the constitution. She'll probably thank me for it one day by refusing to vote.

I was impressed with President Obama's speech and I felt encouraged to do my best to be a better American. I think he is just what we need right now.

As beautiful as Barack Obama's words always are, there was something else that he did that really caught my attention. I was cleaning around the house and had the TV on later in the day during the parade. The first family was in a special booth outside the White House to view the parade which mostly consisted of high school bands from around the country. At the beginning I noticed both he and Michelle smiled and waved at each group. They clapped and gave a thumbs up or greeted each one in a very sincere way. After about 20 minutes I got bored and left to work on the dishes for a while. When I looked again an hour later they were still smiling. I thought about all those poor high school kids in the freezing cold who had waited all day to play for the president, and what a thrill it would be for them to be the recipients of one of those enthusiastic smiles. After about 3 hours and 350 marching bands and floats they were as respectful to the last group as they were to the first.

I'm sure that after such a busy and cold day the Obamas were tired and probably bored of seeing 350 entries in the parade. They could have easily sat down or chatted with some of the VIPs that were in the booth with them, but they went out of their way to make sure that those kids knew that they were appreciated.

I know that I'll never be the person of the year or have crowds of people cheering at the sight of me, but, I do hope that I can follow the example of the president and his wife and treat other

people with the dignity and respect that they deserve.

I am grateful for the example of the Man of the Year.

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

It only takes a couple of days of being sick to make you feel imprisoned. When a chest cold mixes with a stagnant air warning in Eugene my lungs decide that they no longer want to participate with the rest of my body. I'm sure my hacking has annoyed my neighbors. It's okay though because I can hear them running laps in their apartment at 3 AM while I sit on the couch at night (lying down is only an option if I am willing to do without any oxygen). It is actually pretty comforting in those early hours to know that you aren't the only one awake.
Rocky has been a champ as she has basically been confined to her bouncer which, incidentally, keeps us both entertained.
Today I am feeling a lot better thanks to an inhaler and the humidifier that takes our already nippy apartment about ten degrees lower. Who cares about how cold it is when you can breathe?

Getting Big

Shaking Baby Syndrome

Rocky has a serious groove going on. It started at the top of her head and moved down to her toes. She's young still but I think that she's already proven that she can boogie with the best of them.

Happy New Year

Lucky Girl

Binge and Purge

After spending the entire holiday season away from the computer I had a lot of pictures that I really wanted to include in the blog. I've binged on fun and this is my purge. Then it will be back to good, consistent, day-to-day entries.

Rocky doesn't seem to understand the stranger anxiety that her age generally demonstrates. Either that or because of her dad she thinks that guys with beards are cool.






Haden is the youngest of Rocky's uncles and is the one who finds quiet moments to spend time with her when everyone else is busy.

Over the holidays Eric returned from Romania and the whole Rigby clan was able to spend some time in Hurricane at a condo. It was fun to see everyone. It was also the perfect opportunity for a photo shoot.

The E, B and C.

Derek, Eric, Brandon, Caleb and Adam. These weren't the best pictures, but they certainly were the most entertaining.

It takes a brave man to go out in that outfit.

This pretty much sums up the attention that was given to Rocky for three weeks. No wonder she turned ornery when we got home. When she realized that all her friends were left in Utah this is what happened.

She only started to feel better when she realized that they all promised to come visit her in Eugene.

I think she looks pretty awesome in this adorable dress that was sent by my dear friend Carlene.

Photos from Mom

These are the pictures that I stole from my mom's camera.
These beautiful dresses were made by Jill for Rocky and Ginny.






I remember being a teenager and lamenting how Christmas just wasn't as fun as it had been when I was little. It is amazing how kids are able to bring the magic back. Ethan and Joanna found all kinds of toys Christmas morning.





After discovering all of his toys Ethan asked why Santa hadn't brought anything to Rocky. We said it was because she was naughty this year and I think it scared him enough that he should be on his best behavior from now on. She was lucky that Ginny was so willing to share.


We had time for board games, puzzles, and the traditional pinata (which was the scariest one I've ever seen.)