Passport Weekend Reunion

A year ago this week, I graduated from pharmacy school. I probably could not have made it to graduation without these people:

Our friendship was formed when we had way to much to do in addition to our classes. These were the people I studied with into the wee hours of the night with, the ones I drank waaaayy too much caffeine with, the ones who introduced me to really good wine, the ones I celebrated with when somehow we all managed to pass our classes, and the ones who shared the good times along with the bad. Even though we've gone our separate ways, we've decided to reunite once a year to do what we do best: drink good wine, eat good food, and catch up on our lives. 

Tulip festival!

Skagit county tulips are magical. Seeing fields and fields of brightly colored tulips against a stormy sky is absolutely breathtaking.

These Monte Carlos are my favorite and will (hopefully) be making an appearance in my front yard next year!

In addition to fields of tulips as far as the eye can see, this tulip farm boasts stunning gardens featuring the fruit of their labor.

Family trip

A couple of weeks ago, our little family took a big trip. We left early one Saturday morning, in a Sportsmobile stocked with plenty of coffee, dog chews, and tennis balls, and headed for a little island in Washington. Dave and I were a little anxious about taking our pups on a road trip consisting of over 1,000 miles and ferryboat ride, but in the end, it was totally worth it. The boys were on their best behavior the entire time - from hikes to Shark Reef, to fetch off the dock, we loved every minute of our family trip.

Remington exploring the meadow

Nanaimo waiting to play fetch in the forest

We totally plan on taking them the next time we go - we were so impressed with these two!

it's a boy!

Meet Remington, the newest member of our family!

He's a silver lab who was born on Christmas. Amazingly, he's even cuter in real life. We couldn't be happier with our newest little boy - welcome Remi!

Bye Bye Burtie

Tonight, my heart hurts. I am crushed and feeling devastated. My Burtie. My Burtie Girl, passed on today. During one of her much-loved escape-artists walks, she ventured too close to the road on Lerdo Hwy (Lerdo Hwy has historically caused some major sorrow in my life). To say that I lost a friend doesn't do it justice. Burtie was more than a great friend to me. She was the only one with me when I got the call that my mom had passed. She was there for me as I mourned. She would just lay her head on my lap and let me cry for hours. She was there for me when I got up the courage to go back to school. She patiently waited next to me as I studied throughout pharmacy school. After graduation, she supported me by laying beside me as I studied for the boards. She was a napper, much like myself, but she loved a good walk. Trips to the beach were probably her favorite thing ever, along with car rides, sleeping in, and earning treats (she was a pro at shaking, rolling over, sitting, and laying down...on command). She was a friend, partner in crime, and a great sister to her brother, Nanaimo. I would not do Burtie justice without commenting on her magical escape-artist capabilities. I think she prided herself on escaping through electric and 6ft fences just to go on walks and explore. In Stockton, she once tried to run away with the FedEx man...I mean she just jumped in the truck, thinking she'd get to go for a ride. Then there was the time she ran through someone's house at the beach to take a shortcut to the sand...that was slightly embarrassing. All in all, I really feel as though Burtie was my soul mate - I mean, she was always able to read my mood because she always knew just how to make me feel better. She has been a part of our family for 5 years. I'm not quite sure where to go from here, without her.

My Burtie helping me study in pharmacy school.

Our family. We will all miss her. We already miss her.

Burtie and her Dad.

Burtie soaking up the sun on the boat during a camping trip. Yes, that's a cammo life vest.