Hello family and friends!
Mike and I have decided to be honest with ourselves and admit that we are TERRIBLE at keeping in contact with everyone.  Our cups overflowith with apologies. Being consistent with a telephone isn't our strongest feature, SO here is a website regularly updated and stuffed with all your questions and curiosities about our daily lives!

Throughout the website, if you want a better look at any picture, just click on it to enlarge!



August 2009

At the end of the summer this year, I quit my job at Lakemont Academy. It was a really hard decision for me and I miss the kids I left there, but it was the right thing to do. It wasn't the same type of place I started working at 3 years ago and it got to be a little too much for me. At this point I am a nanny and tutor for two little girls I have been watching for almost three years now. I love the family and it's a nice break from the stress of my previous job. I will be going back to school soon and after the holiday's, I will be on the search for a new job that I can hopefully work around my hours with the Fotoohi family. Until then.. I'll enojy my freedom to get things done around the house!

Nora: age 5
Yasmine: age 7

1.17.09

Part aunt and uncle, Part GODPARENTS! Kelsey and Odus (Kelsey is Mike's sister) asked Mike and I this weekend if they could will their children, Natalie(3) and Elijah(1), to us. They made a book filled with pictures, said it was a surprise extra Christmas gift with a note in the back that they wanted us to read out loud. We were caught completely off guard (in a good way) and of course it was a no brainier answer.

1.11.09

FLOOD!!!!!!! Moved in the house at the end of November. Got stuck in the house due to snow in December. Got stuck in town due to flooding in January!
This past Wednesday lots of rain mixed with melting snow caused a lot of water in our area.
The video clip below is from our local news station maybe around 8 on Wednesday. When Mike left for work at 4:30ish this road had not been closed yet, but flooded enough where he wasn't going to try to go through. Actually, he was driving down this road when a guy in a truck going in the opposite direction started blaring on his horn so Mike stopped turned on his brights and saw a mini ocean. He said he wouldn't have seen it at all so that person saved us from a lot of trouble! When I left for work at 5:30 this road did have a big 'road closed' sign. The bridge you see when they do a 360 view is the bridge we go on everyday to work and not far from Carnation.
We couldn't go home Wednesday night. The next day only had more rain so we still couldn't go home by Thursday night either. By Friday if they didn't open the roads we were going to buy a raft and paddle our way across to save our doggies. They were outside and have a nice set up in a good sized shed we turned into a large dog house equipped with hay and dog beds, so we knew they were dry and warm with plenty of water (rain continuously filling up their water bowls), but we only feed them inside so we don't attract raccoons. They didn't eat for two days and were extremely happy to see us on Friday night when we finally were able to go home. 
It's been an interesting few months!



http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=319312

1.11.09

When I went into the doctor on the 6th he gave me better details about my situation. The cells within and around my mole were a dangerous type and if left alone would have turned cancerous. During the procedure they took a big chunk out of my back and it looks like I'm going to be left with a scar half the size of the average index finger...or half of Mike's index finger. I have stitches underneath the skin that will dissolve in two weeks and stitches on top that will be removed when I go back on the 20th. I'm also scheduled for an all over check to make sure nothing else it potentially dangerous.  My small little surgery took about 30 minutes and nothing hurt past the numbing shots. Although, it did feel absolutely disgusting when I felt my skin being tugged on to stitch me up. I couldn't think of one thing to distract me from the feeling either. The most creative thing I thought of was rainbows ... ???. I can't lift over 10 lbs, take anything that will thin my blood out, and couldn't take a shower for 2 days (mike washed my hair in the sink). It isn't uncomfortable or painful at all. Sometimes I don't even notice it. The best part is it only took 3 days for the doctor to call me back and tell me I'm completely in the clear.  All that is left is for it to heal!

 1.23.09   On this past Tuesday I went back to the doctor and had my stitches removed. I was nervous for some reason, but it only felt like a bandage was being taken off. I got an all over check to be safe and it turns out I had another that needed to be removed. It's the same process as the last one... they shaved it off, sent it in and I should be hearing from them soon to know if more needs to be taken out. If all is well with this second mole then the only thing left will be to go back in 6 months because he wants to check and be sure nothing is growing back. So again, I will let everyone know when I know! 

1.26.09   Got a call from the doctor. My second mole contains A typical cells. Today, I learned that meant it was roughly stage one of working towards cancer. It is not cancer, but it wasn't just a mole. I'm very lucky it was caught because if it reached stage 3 maybe even 2, I would be in a rough situation. Stage four is my equivalent of the beginning of cancer. This should be no big deal and I will return in 6 months to see if anything needs to be done further with this mole and also to check the one on my back. All in all... fairly good news! Could have been much worse AND what's really good is that this is my last one. Got the all over check up and nothing else was seen, but yearly check ups are something I will still be doing for the rest of my life:)

Until July!!

Oh, and my back is healing very nicely!
Picture 1 taken on 1.10.09
Picture 2 taken 1.26.09

7.16.09

After going back for my check up on my two moles the doc tells me I am 100% in the clear! Whoo! HOO!! I healed very nicely and nothing was growing back. Thanks for everyone's calls and concerns during this whole thing. Love you all.



 

12.19.08

I've had a certain mole on my back for as long as I can remember and over the last year or so I've notice it getting darker. I finally went and had it looked at last Thursday. Seconds after looking at it he said he was going to shave it off, send it in for a biopsy and would hear results in a week. They called today and said I need to come back in basically because it was more than a dark mole. I had two appointments rescheduled because of the snowy weather so I can finally get it taken care of on January 6th. It will take another week after that for the results. I let everyone know when I do! 





Our hairy, black child

Cager is now five years old (as of April 5th, 2009). He is still unnaturally spoiled, which I take the blame for. Although, once Winne came along we are realizing that he is a dog and not our biological child. His list of tricks seems to be growing due to Mike and I's curiosity as to what he will do for a treat. Sit, lay, speak, shake, roll over, play dead (when you point a finger gun at him and say "bang"), high five and the newest. . . sneeze. Children are still years away so for all those itching to see mine and Mike's offspring.. updates on our dogs will have to do.   


Welcome Winnie!

We adopted a new family member in November 08'! He is a 9 year old beagle named Winston Watson Pinson Potson or Winnie for short. We adopted him straight from Mike's parents where he lived for years so he's very familiar with Mike, Cager and I. Ron and Tami went back and forth for a while if they wanted to give him up, but finally gave in to us asking so often if he could come live with us.  He comes up to Cager's knees, but has taken full control of the yard. He wasted no time becoming the elder top dog and if Cager steps out of line, Winne is all over it. Both doggies play outside all day and at night Winnie goes straight to the biggest dog bed where he does some serious log sawing.  Gotta' love that little potato!   


Boot camp/Circuit class!






 11.04.08 Mike is starting a boot camp class on Sunday's! It is held at Elite, but as far as the class itself . . . that is all up to Mike to bring in people, run the exercises and to keep it going. He is VERY excited for the opportunity to show what he is capable of and it will be a nice addition financially.  And yes, I will be at every class. It's the only way he can get me to do whatever he says so he's excited about that too:)
11.16.08 Mike is doing AWESOME at his boot camp. He loves it, the people love it and I have to admit . . I even love it. We're up at 6 a.m. every Sunday, at the gym by 7:30, he runs work outs for two hours (2 one hour classes), I handle all the money and sign in process before joining in on the class myself. And this is only week two!
1.18.09   Over the holiday's boot camp was a little more quiet than Mike wanted, but now the new year is here, his classes are filling up again and he's lovin' it. He never knows what he's going to do until the night before or the morning of mainly because he likes to be spontaneous which he is really good at. He makes it interesting to watch because I never know what he's going to do. He always does something nobody has done before. I've sat out on the last two weeks because I can't strain these stitches in my back, but I'm in again next week and watching the past boot camps, I think I'm going to be on the floor 10 minutes in.

5.28.09
  New times! Whew! Mike's first class was still a little early for most which meant the 8am class was always pretty small and the 9:15 am class was packed. Hopefully to even things out the class hours are now 9-10 and 10:15-11:15. We'll see how it goes! Makes a HUGE difference for Mike and I. We get to have a Saturday night again! I'm also still an active member every Sunday. Depending on Mike's torture level, I will even do both classes now :)

7.12.09  In order to try and bring in more boot camp goers, he canceled his classes for two weeks then put up signs saying "New circuit classes starting Sunday, July, 12th". Tons of people were interested and asking him all kinds of questions. He's basically holding the same class, but with a less intimidating name. It's worked so far! 

November 09'-   On Wednesday's, Elite had an hour in the middle of the day that was pretty slow so Mike asked if he could run another circuit class to fill up the gym during a time when it's normally dead. His bosses gave him the go ahead and he's been bringing in a good group every Wednesday afternoon! WHOO HOO!


12.6.09  HUGE difference from one year ago. 20 plus people in almost every class and the other Sunday he maxed out his class with 30 people! He's still having tons of fun with running his class and is very proud of himself. If only I could figure out how to put a video of it up on this website just so everyone can hear how loud he gets....in front of people.




 


Workin' hard for the money

May 2009: Both jobs are going great. Mike is doing very well at the personal trainer thing... turns out he's a natural. He's meeting new people everyday ranging from Seattle Seahawk players to the everyday millionaire. Just another day in Bellevue! He's made some good friends and is moving up quickly so we'll see where it all goes over the next few years.
I'm still whippin those 2 year olds into shape.  A few swats with a rolled up newspaper is all it takes.
I actually asked for the opening shift which means I'm at work by 6:45 a.m. and out the door at 2:30. After work, I nanny for a family I met through my job and also tutor both girls (ages 7 & 5) in math. Needless to say, come 9 o'clock, both Mike and I are ready for bed.  

pic 1: Mike and his buddy JP at a charity event for Elite Fitness
pic 2: Life is hard when another child has your toy
pic 3: A few of my kids
pic 4: Mike and a few of his co-workers

Goodbye ol' green, helloooo four doors!

In July of 08', my (Britt) poor little car got hit on the driver side door. T-bone style. I was the only one in the car and it wasn't at high speeds so most of the overall damage was to my car. I should have known. That thing was asking to be put to sleep years ago. I think I even laughed after the initial shock of being hit. Needles to say, ol’ green had seen it’s share of years and young adults..it was time to rest. Thankfully, we live close enough to my work that I (thanks to my father) was able to ride my birthday bike to my point A’s and point B’s.
In early August, we invested in a new ride. 2006 Ford Escape. We have no idea why we waited so long. Drives like a car and has room for Cager to get up and WALK from his bed to the window (when the back seats are down of course). The only problem is now we argue over who gets to drive.