catching lunch

So ever sense we moved to Washington, Jim has talked about how we can buy a permit, and go catch all the seafood we could possibly want. So last week, we got permits for about $17 each, which lasts a year. Very cool. So last Wednesday, we went out to a beach on the Hood's Canal, just east of the bridge, and went crabbing. Jim snorkled and I walked around about waist-high in the water. He found 6 keepers, and I found 0. Thats ok though. I couldn't get out deep enough to see them without swimming. Anyway, so this morning, we decided we would get up early and go clam digging. So we went to a public beach near Belfair that was supposed to be a great place for clamming. And we had some GREAT success. First, we found at least 100 clams, but we could only keep 80, so we kept the biggest ones. We found that the best place to find them is in sandy, slightly rocky dirt. Amazingly enough, we also found some rare Olympic oysters. We got about 12 of those. I was just so impressed today that we could just go out, and catch food, come home and eat it. So today, we came home, cleaned the clams, and made soup with them. Here is a picture of it:

Basically, you get liquid, butter, garlic, and parsley, and boil the clams in it until they open. If they don't open, then they are bad, so that makes it easy to not eat a bad one. Then the oysters, we just broiled them in the toaster oven with a little garlic and parsley. Yummy! So I am excited to go out and try a little more catching. Perhaps tomorrow.. Oh yeah, luckily, the clams and crabs both freeze fairly easily, so we can go get some, and freeze it for another day.

Happiness

Right now, happiness is being a home owner. A week and a half ago, on August 13th, 2009 we became home owners. A year ago, when I lost my job, I would never have believed that only a year later, we would be moving into our own home. But here we are. The economic downturn has been a blessing and a curse for our family. I lost my job, but the downturn also made the housing bubble burst, dropping home prices, and interest rates. We have also learned to live on one income. So because of the home prices dropping, we can afford to own. Here are some pics of our house:


This is a view of the front of the house.


One side of the kitchen.




Living room view of bay window.




Here is the master bedroom.


laundry room.


Garage with the boxes I swear multiplied while they were in storage. But at least all our stuff is now at the house!





closet in the master bedroom



Totally awesome shower head in the master bedroom.




spare bedroom




bathroom sink in master bath with the water pick from Costco.

Bittersweet

Well, it's official. We have moved out of our tiny apartment in Seattle, into an even smaller temporary place in Bremerton. This temporary place happens to be the basement in one of our friends house. So we have a bedroom and a living room. It's enough for our needs for now. Meanwhile, we are looking for a house. We have one that is looking very promising. Anyway, I digress. So tonight, we finished cleaning our old apartment and as we were leaving, Jim reminded me that we have lived in that apartment for more than half our marriage. We just had our 4th anniversary, and we have been in that apartment for about 2 3/4 years. Bittersweet moment. But on to better, more exciting things.

Packing

Well, finally, at long last, it has happened. Jim FINALLY got his job transfer we have been waiting for for 2 years. So at the end of June, we are moving over to Bremerton. And we have begun the process of buying our first home. Talk about exciting! We found one that we wrote an offer with our realitor for earlier today. We will continue to look around though, because there may be something better out there for us. With the amount of time it takes to be approved by the bank, we should have plenty of time to look more. Anyway, so yesterday, I was packing some stuff up. I came across some Christmas lights in bags, and I thought how cool it is to think that by Christmas this year, we may be in our first house. And we'll get to decorate it how we want, and make it our own. How cool is that! Anyway, I'm just so excited about all this, as I'm sure you can tell.

International Week

This week, as far as our dinner menu goes, we are having an international journey. Last night, which was Monday, we had, I guess you could say it was Chinese. We had a fried fish, and shrimp salad. Man, it was awesome! Then tonight, not on purpose, we had enchiladas. It was pretty good. I say not on purpose, because today is Cinco De Mayo, and I didn't realize this when I planned the menu for the week. Anyway, then tomorrow, I am making pho, from Vietnam. If you don't know what pho is, it is a noodle soup. It is totally the best soup ever! And it just makes you feel better if you have an upset stomach or just aren't feeling particularly well. I would love to try some from an older Vietnamese woman who has been making it all her life. I bet it's awesome. And Thursday, I am making a marinara sauce. I will double the recipe so we can eat on it for several meals. So there you go. A week of healthy meals. The healthy eating continues. I have been doing better with my eating habits than with my excercise program. But it will get better over time, right? Bye for now!

I'm Baaaaack!!

Ok, so sorry it's been forever sense I posted last. A few good things have happened the last month or two. This last weekend, Jim and I went to Sakura Con at the Washington State Convention Center. It was pretty fun. It's an anime convention, if you were wondering. Anyway, it was a bit boring this year. There wasn't that many panels or interesting things going on this year. Most of the stuff the venders had this year weren't that great either. But we did both get a few cool things there. Like I got a littl Care Bears figurine to attach to my cell phone. Then I got a little beginners mecha to build. Mechas are so cool. They are kind of like Transformers, only they don't usually transform into anything. There is one anime I like that is about a ballet dancer who joins this club in her high school or college that races these mecha bikes. They are really cool, because you can give them verbal commands that make them change forms. Like some of their forms are really aerodynamic and others aren't quite so. So they change forms throughout the race, from a less aerodynamic form to the sleek bike that is very aerodynamic.
Anyway, that's about the most exciting thing I can think of right now. I will hopefully have lots to talk about tomorrow. Bye for now!!!

Couple of Updates

First of all, I am SO HAPPY!!! In order to be concidered for a job at the Navy Base, you have to pass a test called the Accuplacer test. So yesterday, I took the test and I passed with flying colors!!! I am so happy!

Anyway, next thing is my healthy program. I haven't been doing my video workouts as well as I would like to, but my eating habits have improved. I try to make sure there are plenty of veges in every meal. And we've been doing really good with that. Anyway, I did my kickboxing video this morning. It was really fun. And I've been walking alot to make up for not doing the videos. So today, I'm making pho. I'm very excited for it too, because it is really tasty. And really healthy.

Well, I guess that's about it. I'll write more later.