When Are You Coming For a Visit?

CNN and Travel & Leisure Magazine received over 600,000 votes on their "America's Favorites" poll. On this day of bright sun and 78 degrees, it's not hard to see that here is what they found:

Quality of Life & Visitor Experience (Overall)

1 Portland, Oregon
2 Charleston
3 Austin
4 Honolulu
5 Minneapolis/St. Paul
6 San Diego
7 Santa Fe
8 Denver
9 Seattle
10 San Francisco
11 San Antonio
12 Nashville
13 Chicago
14 Phoenix/Scottsdale
15 Boston
16 Washington, D.C.
17 Miami
18 Orlando
19 New Orleans
20 New York
21 Philadelphia
22 Las Vegas
23 Dallas/Fort Worth
24 Atlanta
25 Los Angeles

Based on: Noteworthy neighborhoods, Skyline/views, Public parks and access to the outdoors, Cleanliness, Public transportation and pedestrian friendliness, Traffic, Safety, Weather, Peace and quiet, Affordability, People-watching, Environmental awareness

Random Thoughts From My Thursday

Every year I say that I'm going to get my taxes done "early", but then I have to spend an exorbitant amount of time organizing before I can print out my nice spreadsheets for my lovely accountant. Once again, I find myself surrounded by bank statements and receipts at the end of March.

I just realized that my phone has not rung since Monday. I'm glad, because I really don't like talking on the phone.

When I was confirming the above statement, I saw that I had received a text from my seven-year-old. She's so cool.

My oldest two have been in central Oregon with my parents since Monday. I feel a bit guilty that today is the first day that I have really missed them.

My baby's tonsils are so big that it may be keeping her from regularly eating solid foods. That could explain her resistance to finish nursing. Surgery is likely in our future (for the tonsils, not the nursing).

I made up a recipe last night for Life Group that worked! Layer inch-cubes of potatoes, frozen Costco corn (the only non-fresh corn to eat), bite-sized hot dog slices, and a healthy heaping of Tillamook cheese (of course, the only cheese). Same layers again. Pour 2/3 cup of milk over. Cover with foil; bake for 90 minutes at 375. It would be great with sausage, ham, chicken, or hamburger, too, I'm sure. Yum!

I'm not going to make dinner tonight. I'm not in the mood and I don't think we have any dinner-worthy food in the house anyway. Fiona & I already ate the leftovers from the above recipe for lunch.

Easter candy should be more about quality chocolate and less about marshmallows and cheap jellybeans.

If you are my friend, you should be twittering. I'm kristicw in that land. For some reason, I find twitter oddly enjoyable and addicting.

Enough of a break - Back to the tax slog.

Question #3

First of all, I am not cheating on my one post per day, if you noticed that some dates have changed (and really, who would have noticed that - but I feel the need to come clean). I put a bunch of post drafts up the other day but forgot to change the dates as I finished & posted them. Whew - I feel better now.

What's boring you?

Things are too comfortable. Comfortable is boring with good p.r. Stir things up!

This is a tough one. I really wish I could feel bored more often, but that is so hard when there are so many diapers to change and children to direct and miles to drive and meals to cook. Boredom sounds kind of nice right now.

The only times I can think of being bored is when Allan has control of the remote. He has some compulsion, some odd attraction to shows that have 1. guns, 2. war planes, or 3. martial arts. Say it with me now, "Booorrring." It kills me, really.

Otherwise, I don't feel stuck in a rut. Between PUMP and family, things are pretty much always on the move and always in transition. I think that's a good thing. It helps keep me thinking and dreaming about the possibilities ahead. Or, if not that, at least it keeps me focused on keeping my head above water.