Self-Improvement

Yes, we're back. All I can say is that the key to self-improvement is never giving up. I'm only a failure if I never do another blog post right? So, wow, June. It's really okay that I don't update this too much because if I did you might then see how mundane the lives of Adam and Jen really are. I know we give off the impression of glamour and high adventure - do not be fooled. So let's see....we survived a rather tempestuous spring and are now officially into summer. Oh, summer, I love you so much! I would say I wish it could be summer all year round, but being a homeowner has made me appreciate when my yard is covered in a blanket of snow and I don't have to worry about yard work. But right now, loving the sunshine, warm weather, flip flops, shorts, etc.

Adam is done with the video game programming world. There were a lot of perks to that job such as silver passes, discounts on resorts, cruises, vacations, movie sales every six months w

here you could purchase any Disney or affiliated company movie for $7.50, but his hours were so crazy that he couldn't enjoy it. Miraculously, he didn't even have to look for a new job. His old manager contacted him and offered him a permanent position with their company. He was a contractor before which is why he left in the first place. He's much happier now and gets to geek out using all sorts of obscure programming languages. No silver passes and apparently the air-conditioning makes for arctic conditions, but his vending machines take debit cards, they have a pop corn machine and a pizza-cooking vending machine and he gets every other Friday off if he chooses to do nine hour days. Nice. Plus, he doesn't have to wear nylons. Lucky!

Next - right before Adam quit, we went to the Oregon coast with his family. It was so nice to have a long weekend away! Adam's parents rented a beach house near haystack rock in Cannon Beach. It's so pretty there! We went on runs every morning, read a lot, watched movies. went to Astoria and on a nice hike, and ate lots of Tillamook cheese curds and chocolate covered pomegranates. I really wish I had some now. I already posted a bunch of pics from last year's trip and since we were at the same house, they're pretty much the same, but here are a few good ones:

I took this one on our hike. It's so much more impressive in person, but still pretty cool.

The Ard clan with the exception of Adam's dad who is taking the picture. I have great in-laws!

Adam and I on top of the Astoria Column which you'll see below. I love Adam's face - he always gets caught mid-expression in pictures. That usually happens to me, too, but I look more cartoonish when it happens, which is why those pictures never show up here.

This is the Astoria Column (?). To be honest I can't remember if that's the actual name or something I made up, but it is a column and it is also in Astoria so.....You can take stairs to the top, which reminded me of being in Italy a little. I miss Italy!

I really need to keep a travel journal! I think this is the mouth of the Columbia River with the bridge going over to Washington. At least I finally know how to pronounce Wilamette.

So, I also want to mention that Adam and I attempted a little tomato and basil container garden. Things were going great until a nice wind storm and some really cool temps almost decimated them. I'm not sure they'll make it. I'm hoping for the best. They're starting to feel like children to me, which I guess fills the void until my own finally decide to make an appearance, but kind of weirds me out. If I blog about having a nice Caprese salad later this summer, you'll know that we got at least something out of it. I just don't know!

Now I'm just looking forward to our visit to see my parents in July and when Collin and Tianna come and stay with us at the end of the month! Does anyone else want to come and stay with us? You're always welcome at Casa Ard. We'll introduce you to Friday Night Lights. We are addicted.