Hooray For Exciting New Beginnings!

Greetings, friends! And apologies for a very long absence. Back in February, I started a law firm with my friend and former colleague, Amanda Anderson. Amanda and I started at the same larger firm when we were both fresh out of law school, and it didn't take long for us to figure out that we enjoyed collaborating and had similar perspectives on the practice of law. Amanda is a terrific lawyer and I couldn't ask for a better business partner. 

One of the reasons I decided to go to law school was because I dreamed of practicing in the area of adoption law. I am so proud to tell you that our firm, Anderson Ballard LLC, represents prospective adoptive parents as well as birth parents involved in the adoption process. We also serve as general counsel to local community associations. Oh, and we blog on topics related to those areas of law right here. It feels so good to be building our dream business, and I am thankful and happy every day that we decided to take this leap. 

Of course, starting a business takes more work than you can ever anticipate! 2016 has kept me very busy. I've managed to sneak in some sewing here and there, but struggled during these last few months to find time to share those projects on Hooray for Rain. While there's never a shortage of things to do, I'm happy to say that life is beginning to normalize and I anticipate that I will be able to start posting my recent quilting projects here again.  Hooray! I'll see you back here soon.

Dog Days of November

When it's 60 degrees and sunny on a November day in Oregon, you put your responsibilities on hold and you take your dog to the beach. 

Maui

Back in May, Patrick and I went to Maui for one glorious week.  The trip was extra special because we honeymooned on Maui five years ago, and this was our first trip back.

The pictures say it better than I could, so I'll keep this pretty short. The best thing we saw was a huge sea turtle that swam next to use while we snorkeled. The funniest thing we saw  was a guy snorkeling along with a selfie stick in hand. You can't make this stuff up! I hope the turtle photo bombed him...except that would reward him for using his selfie stick while snorkeling. I'm conflicted. 

The ocean was so many shades of blue. 

I am highly susceptible to motion sickness, but with the help of a hearty breakfast, Sea Bands, ginger ale, and control of the steering wheel, I survived the journey along the Road to Hana. The Road to Hana is only 52 miles long, but there are 620 curves and over 40 one-lane bridges that make the trip a true adventure. Luckily, there are many rewards along the way, much like the game Candyland!

Many of the most popular stops on the Road to Hana are waterfalls. The Pacific Northwest has so many beautiful waterfalls that we opted to save up our stops for other sights. I had two favorites. First, the rainbow eucalyptus trees. 

Second was the amazing black sand beach at Wai'anapanapa State Park. 

Patrick drove us back to South Maui from Hana, and I got horribly motion sick. I'm not sure I'll ever want to drive to Hana again, but I'm glad I did it once! 

We had an excellent meal at Mama's Fish House on the North Shore. There is something magical about Mama's! 

Maui, we miss you and can't wait to come back! 

Puppies, Puppies, PUPPIES!!!

A pair of adorable furry sisters joined our family this weekend! 

Aren't they the sweetest? 

We can't stop snuzzling them. 

Our parents' three year-old golden, Lizzy, seems to approve of her new buddies. They already love her like a big sister.  

This darling girl will be living with me, and I couldn't be happier. Her roly-poly sister will be living with Lizzy and our parents. 

We will be back next week with more adorable puppy pictures! 

New York Part Two

I'm back today with more photos of our trip to New York! You can see Part 1 here. 

One of the places I was most excited to visit was Purl Soho. We are lucky to have several beautiful and well-stocked fabric stores in Portland, but Purl Soho was still a treat! I bought a few souvenirs including a sashiko kit and some embroidery needles.  

Just across the street from Purl Soho was Ochre.  Ochre is my favorite high-end (dream home) lighting and furnishing company. It was really fun to look around the store. 

Patrick and I had a crazy delicious dinner at The Spotted Pig in the West Village. We put our name in beforehand and wandered down the street to a great bar called the Orient Express. I hear that it's much easier to get in at The Spotted Pig at lunchtime, so we will probably have lunch there next time we visit New York. But Orient Express was a very pleasant place to wait, with well-balanced drinks and classic furnishings.

We had some other memorable dinners during our trip, including the ultra-fancy Beauty & Essex (there's a champagne bar in the ladies' restroom!), a cozy and charming meal at Amelie Wine Bar, and most delicious of all, a fantastic meal at modern and low-key Foragers. 

We walked the High Line in Chelsea on the sunniest and warmest day of the trip. 

We felt so lucky to be visiting a few short weeks after winter ended, right as the trees were bursting into bloom.

We got lunch that day at Chelsea Market, which was looking lovely with endless lanterns and twinkle lights. 

We took as many walks in Central Park as possible. It always amazes me how quickly the surroundings change from a bustling city to a serene garden once you step inside the park. 

We ate lunch at Tavern on the Green one day, which had the best ambiance. So much natural light! 

We saw so many amazing things, and we ate so many delicious things, and yet we barely scratched the surface of this city.  I'd go back tomorrow if I could! Hopefully soon.