ohgraciepie blog posts

Before This is Thirty Something, came Ohgraciepie. Here you can find all my past content and search for posts that you just can't stop thinking about.

Leavenworth, come on vacation, leave on probation

October 24, 2013

Okay, maybe not probation….but maybe a $700.00 ticket.

More on that later if you’re lucky.

I spent last weekend at Oktoberfest in the little drunk town of Leavenworth.

Nestled cozily in the hills just as you get to Eastern Washington, Leavenworth steals your soul and spits you out.
Much like eBay or Tijuana.

If you haven’t been there, it’s cute.

I have been going there since I was a sophomore in Highschool on German class field trips.

In retrospect I am questioning how friends managed to smuggle a beer bong and all that Budweiser (I’m not even mad, I’m impressed.)

Anyway, now that I am well over the legal drinking age of 16…..errr, I mean, 21, it is still just as fun to be drunk and disorderly in public.

As my bff put it, “I can’t wait to be ashamed of what I do this weekend! “

This weekend was not all just about beer and dress up though.

It was about celebrating a friend’s Birthday.

We rented a house, made dinner, ate pie and drank delicious Sangria.

Saturday we spent a leisurely time getting all dolled up and ready to go.

Since it’s the end of Oktober and we were in the mountains, it was a tad chilly.

We didn’t let this deter us from being scantily clad.

That’s what beer blankets are for.

Although in comparison to all the other girls in town who were under 40, I was dressed a bit matronly.

This series of photos pretty much forshadows the night:

We start out put together

Things start to get weird

No one remembers anything beyond this point

The night has gone to hell in a hand basket

After heading into town, we ate dinner at South.

Then joined the party.

I was feeling great until overexerting myself on the dance floor ( thanks Steve) and getting a head ache which killed my buzz.

Everyone else continued to party though and I remained the more sober-ish one of the group.

( Which sadly happens more often than not, my body just doesn’t like alcohol)

But, oh don’t you worry. I still had a good time and kept myself occupied.
I slow danced with some old men who invited me out on the floor.
I’ll consider that my community service for the year.

Then I sat alone while the shit show started and clearly everyone was going balls to the wall.

This is when I was approached by a young Russian exchange student.

We talked about his school and he was confused how I stayed home with a child and didn’t go out and work or go to school.

I tried to explain that I was pushing 30 and graduated years ago.

He continued to ask me the same questions though.

I don’t think he actually understood much English, but pretended too.

Finally, I was scooped up and whisked away to head home.

I hate it when I get trapped talking to a guy who clearly isn’t interested in anything I am saying and no matter how many times I mention my husband or baby, they don’t let off.

So I end up humoring myself and continuing to chat with them knowing full well the conversation isn’t going to get them anywhere.
It becomes a bit of a game.

Then I leave.

Boys are dumb.

We made it back to the house, which we had originally thought we could walk to.
Turned out it was 5.5 miles away on an unlit back road though.
Thank you shuttle driver Scotty from Ballard!
I went to bed.

Ryan walked into the spiral staircase and surprisingly didn’t get a concussion.

In the morning we got wieners and coffee, then headed home.

It was good time.

Happy Birthday Danica!!

Yep, that’s me

October 21, 2013

A family who costumes together, stays together

October 1, 2013

I have been researching for the perfect costume this year.
Clark is old enough to walk and participate so I decided to not be lazy and take him out in style.
I have figured out what we are going to be and sorry, it’s a secret for now!
But, here are some great ideas I dug up!

Beetle Juice

Walking Dead

Labyrinth

A slug and his slime

101 Dalmatians

Old school circus

Star Wars

Alice in Wonderland

Batman & Robin

Adams Family

Up (remixed)

Labyrinth (remixed)

Well, that was disappointing

September 24, 2013

West Elm let down.

November 2011 I blogged about West Elm and how I was elated that a store was opening in Seattle.

I had obsessed over their lush home goods for months online and finally there was a brick and mortar store opening here!

I couldn’t wait to go.

Flash forward to September 2013.

It has been almost TWO years and I finally went.

That’s depressing.

(I guess that’s what happens when you get pregnant, stop working and have to …uggghhh…”budget” **shudders**)

It literally took me that long to go check it out.

How incredibly lame?!

Not as incredibly lame as I found the store!

Yep, that’s right.

All that build up and I didn’t buy a thing.

I didn’t even see any ridiculously expensive items that I wanted to add to my Christmas list.

Well, aside from a vintage reproduction fridge that comes in yummy pastels for a meer $1999.00 and is only 3/4 the size of a real fridge.

I found two items in the whole place that I considered buying.

These hefty gold handled retro scissors.

They just feel good in your hands.

($24.00)

And this metal studded velvet throw pillow.

($55.00)

I left with this void deep in my core.

I call it “I need more shopping”

Steve says it’s “debt removal”

I arrived home and Steve asked me what I bought.

I replied with ” Please don’t be mad. ”

Followed by “I need you to help me unload it out of the car.”

After being satisfied with my marital duties of torturing my husband, I informed him that I actually didn’t spend a penny. Aside from my $1.50 parking spot.

He still didn’t believe me.

Let’s make like a tree and get outta here

September 23, 2013

Or…. leave?

Welcome fall!

I finally updated the kitchen chalkboard from Clark’s 1st Birthday stats to a seasonal greeting like I had always dreamed of doing when I originally bought the chalkboard for a whole dollar.

As I later found out, it was only in my dreams that I would have time to do anything fun like this when I have a toddler destroying my house.

My wonderful 1920’s time capsule…. with it’s refinished original hardwoods that now need re-refinishing.

A house that had freshly painted trim and molding that somehow needs touch ups and putty.

The house that has aged 10 years in 1 year, like the “tan mom.”

I feel bad for it.

I feel less bad about my chalk art though, I think I did a pretty good job for free-handing it.

(That’s what said)

Seriously, think about Heaven and then think about Whole Foods; they’re basically the same.

September 21, 2013

I almost forgot how to work this thing!

Almost.

So, while I am working on a few wonderful updated posts for you all to feast your eyes upon I thought I would share this hilarious article.

It is a must read and I have to say I am completely jealous of Kelly MacLean’s comedic writing ability.

Surviving Whole Foods

If you didn’t click that link and follow my instructions to read this amazing post, Namaste.

crapbooking your life

July 22, 2013

One of the items my mom brought home from Nona’s house was an old cassette tape my grandpa had recorded random conversations on.

I am sure this was high tech at the time! (1984)

On the tape you hear my grandparents talking to some family that was in town visiting from Chicago.

They talked about riding the train into town and how they hadn’t been to Seattle since 1969.

Part way into the audio, you can hear my Mom talking, as well as my sister, who at that time was only 4 years old and then you hear a baby crying, me!

There is nothing specific on the tape, no campfire stories.

Just regular sitting around in the living room chatting, all caught on tape.

When my Mom first told me about the cassettes she found, I thought they were kind of silly.

I mean, it’s not even a video!

It’s just audio.

The more I heard about it though, the cooler it seemed.

Since there isn’t a visual to go along with the sound, it’s almost like reading a book.

It allows you to construct the scene in your head.

In my head, I remember the living room this would have taken place in, but that’s about it.

The rest is up to my imagination.

For my Mom, I am sure it jogged a lot of memories that she hadn’t thought about for a long time. Even though using your imagination is more work that sitting and watching a home video, it’s a little more fun.

It also allows you to remember just the “good stuff.”

Which brings me to what my post was really going to be about!

Time Capsules

When I think about them, I think about an old metal box burred in the backyard rotting away.

( Which I couldn’t wait even 3 days to dig back up, just to discover all the goodies I placed inside were mildewing. Darn it 8 year old self!)

Or the letter my Business Law teacher made me write in high school that was suppose to be sent to my future self in five years that never came.

I am still waiting Mr. Woods.

Well, now there’s an app for that!

To Me, By Me

With this app kids can send an email to their future selves and receive it months or several years later.

They can decide what to include, add photos and even a voice recording.

( See how i connected the two stories there?!)

I don’t know how cool I would have thought this idea was when I was a kid because half the fun of a time capsule was gathering items and digging a hole.

My adult self thinks it’s pretty cool though and I would love to get an email today from my kid self with “important” items and a talking message!

I also came across this cute idea.

It’s a happy medium I think.

It’s also pretty ( pinterest worthy)

and doesn’t involve any digging.

Like the author says

” All of the joy of a time capsule, with none of the pesky commitment”

It’s so hot, I saw the Devil on the corner selling ice cream

July 19, 2013

For the 4th of July Holiday I went down to Arizona to meet up with some old friends.
We all decided Amy’s house was a good central location, since we were all flying in from different places.

It was also Clark’s first birthday
AND
Clark’s first flight!

I got a pair of wings for him from the captain at the end of our flight to AZ.

He was nice enough to take a photo with Clark in the cockpit too!

On the way over the flight was only half full so we were able to bring the car seat on and Clark rode in that.

Coming home he sat on our laps.

If you want to call it that, it was more like he rolled and twisted and squirmed back and forth between us.

I don’t know how anyone does that alone with a baby. It really takes at least two people to manage!

Riding the shuttle to our car

Once we got to Amy’s house all we wanted was to jump in the pool.

It was so hot!

Night Rider

We took advantage of the 95 degree night and went for a ride up to Sonic!

We did some shopping….

(Of course I couldn’t pass up trying on this creation at the mall)

And some relaxin’…..

And Pool Time

It was 112 during the day!

My 4th of July solo bicycle parade down the street

Amy & Me

US THEN

2006

AND NOW

2013

Through the Eye of Time

Miss you girls!!!

Grieving the death of someone you never actually knew.

July 18, 2013

I remember the day Kurt Cobain died.

My sister holding back tears as we read the headline on the newspaper.
We were in Portland visiting my Aunt and I was in the 4th grade.

It was raining and we were out shopping downtown when we passed by a paper stand and caught a gimps of the news.

I was shocked but I think even more shocked, by my sister’s reaction to it.

She didn’t know him.

Yes, she wore the band T shirts and played the music incessantly, but did it warrant tears?

Actual sadness like a friend or relative had passed?

I came across an article that got my wheels turning.

I think we have all been affected at some point in time by the loss of a celebrity.

It’s a weird feeling because you somehow feel like you know them personally.

It’s a one sided relationship with someone you have never met and yet you feel deep down inside like you have.

Maybe because you watched their show every week or listened to their music until the tape stretched out or stalked them on Twitter and happen to know that, just last Friday they were out at Nobu eating Sushi.

It’s like you were there with them.

Throwing Benjamins ( Do they call it that anymore?) and bottles of Cristal.

Social media gave us this secret VIP pass to accompany them and it’s almost, almost as good as having actually been there.

Which brings me to this question asked in HelloGiggles Article:

“Should we feel guilty dedicating headlines, Tweets and status updates to an Actor?

Is it superficial?

Trivial?

Or are most of the heartfelt condolences coming from an insincere, bandwagon-like mentality anyway?”

Read Michelle’s Article Here:

Grieving Cory Monteith and why celebrity Deaths are so devastating

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Food for thought.