Goodluck to my beau!

Everyone needs to wish my lovey Collin good luck this weekend and the following weekends in December because he is taking some big steps in his life!!! He is attending combines (professional tryouts) for soccer.. BIG DEAL! He is an amazing man and soccer player and deserves the world! GOOD LUCK COLLY! Kick butt duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

So, I realize that Thanksgiving pictures have not even been posted yet, but Christmas excites me, and I just cannot wait. Thus, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the Charlie Brown tree with a girly twist!

Yes, I know it is kind of pathetic right now, but it will look a lot better in my new adorable apartment, come early December! More pictures to come...

Christi = Official Project Coordinator at the Institute for Systems Medicine!

Well, it looks like I am staying in Spokane for the time being! I never thought I would say this, but I am actually very excited that I got offered a full-time, salary paying job with a great non-profit organization! 


I am the official, Project Coordinator, for ISM and could not be more happier. I love the staff I work with. Such great people to be around! 


Further, I have just put my holding fee on a new apartment, right off the infamous Centennial Trail and Spokane River. Yay!!! I am excited because it is not run-down like the place I have been living in for about 6 months now. I move in mid-December and could not be more excited! It has a fitness room with weights and treadmills, indoor racquetball courts, and more! A couple specifics that I for sure took for granted that the Beau Rivage has are: a washer/dryer in the unit, air conditioning, a dishwasher, and security cameras all over the premises!!! Yes, this may sound pathetic, but having to save quarters to wash my clothes and hand wash dishes is a chore! 


As far as the down side goes, I will be living by myself, semi-away from campus, but Coll may base out of Spokane while he tries to pursue his life-long dream of going pro in soccer. Wish, I might add, he has a really good shot at doing! Another thing, I will miss the location of Cali for now, specifically Sacramento, next to all of my family and friends, but I am hoping that my family will come up and stay with me! Come on, what is better than a snowy day in Spokane! 


That's all for now... peace & love.

Colly's Senior Day

It is official! Coll and I are officially done with collegiate soccer. Hopefully my bitterness dies down! HAHA. Collin will now begin his journey of professional soccer, giving it a try in both the United States and Europe! How fun! Below is a picture of Coll and I on his senior day.. boy was it freeeeeezing!

The plan now is for him to hopefully get picked up on a team, and then, I can pursue a trip to go see him! And potentially, live with him. Yay! Cannot wait to see what the future brings him!

Halloweenie!

This is mine.. a ghost! 

This is Collin's punky.

This post is long overdue! Collin and I spend our 1st Halloween together this year for the reason being that playing collegiate soccer sometimes ruins lives.. aka.. our weekends were filled with travel and we were never home on Halloween weekend together. Below are some pictures of our Halloween pumpkin carving experience. 

All in all, it was a great Halloween. As mentioned in a previous blog, I traveled back to beautiful California for the weekend! I watched Collin's games. Ate at the Cheesecake Factory in Union Square. Shopped a bit! Had a visit with my mom and grams! Had a blast with my little sister and dad! And even had time for a visit with my campaigning gramps and sick-of-the-campaigning grandma who made delish enchiladas!!! 


Sad I will not be able to come home for Thanksgiving, but Collin and I have put in an order to Safeway for a full-blown Turkey Extravaganza which includes dinner for 6-8 people consisting of: 10 lb. Turkey, Gravy, Mashed Taters, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Dinner Rolls, and even an 8'' Pumpkin Pie! Yum! Can't wait! Leftovers for days!!! Wish I could be at my uncle's however, with his 3 Turkey Dinner, all cooked different ways! I will miss my family, but glad I will be able to spend my day of thanks with my amazing boyfriend, Colly.

life decisions...

Lately I have been faced with some challenges that will really set the course for the rest of my, hopefully long life to come...


1) Collin and I will be parting ways soon, for how long? No one knows, but all I do know is it is going to test my strength.


2) I have been offered a full-time job as the Project Coordinator for the Institute for Systems Medicine in Spokane, WA. Nice to know that I am actually making an employer and the staff happy enough to want to extend my contract.


3) I want to travel, but do not have sufficient funds to get me to Europe. People (to be specific, certain soccer alumni that came and visited last weekend) keep telling me to just GO now while I still can because I will regret it later in my life if I wait. Should I take out a loan? Should I just use the little money I have and see where life takes me, living day to day? Should I try to get a job teaching English abroad? Tough decisions.


4) Finding a job back home as been tough. Within these next couple of months, I will start sending my resume (and cover letter if I ever get to writing one) to employers. Hopefully something catches their eye now that I have great experience FINALLY. I fear not being able to get a job back in Sacramento. What my ideal scenario would be is to be able to find an amazing job in Southern California or something. I would even take Santa Cruz area, or San Francisco. All I know is I want to live on the water, and be able to live the REAL city life. 


Who knows where life will take me... I guess that is the fun of it though... Not knowing.

Homebound for Halloween...

So I am flying back to good ole' Elk Grove on Halloween weekend! Super pumped and can't wait to see my family and do a little retail therapy with my lil' seeeees! We are planning on doing a little shopping in amazing San Fran!!! And to add to the excitement, we are going down to the bay area, specifically Santa Clara University and San Francisco University, to watch Colly play! My sister and dad have never seen Coll play soccer before so I am stoked on that.. can't wait to come home!!! Hopefully the weather holds up and it is nice and sunny for me... :)

GreenBluff!

This past weekend, Collin and I went on our very first visit to Spokane's GreenBluff Orchard! There are around 30 farms, but we just visited the apple orchard/pumpkin patch! We picked out the perfect pumpkin.. nice and round, to carve! This week, Coll and I will set some time aside to carve our pumpkin. We got one, I am not sure why, and we will each carve a side of the pumpkin. Of course, being the perfectionist I am, I will use a stencil and the proper tools to carve my side. On the other hand, Coll feels like he wants to carve my face on his side... this should be interesting. Haha! Along with the pumpkins, Coll and I invested in possibly the best pie I have ever had. Being that it was Apple Festival, we HAD to buy something with apples in it. We purchased a pie entitled "Carmel Apple Craze" and boy was that thing delish! Below are some pictures of the patch and the pumpkin we came to a mutual agreement on....

my handmade obsessions...

I am pretty much obsessed with these 2 websites right now:


http://www.etsy.com/  *great for random gifts.


http://stilldottie.blogspot.com/search/label/craft   *great for tutorials. 

colly + crissy = l.o.v.e.

I am sooooo excited because this week, Friday, September 17th, marks Collin and I's 1 and a half year anniversary! Although we have officially been dating since December 2008, Collin and I became a couple on March 17, 2009. Long story short.. Collin and I kept our "dating" a secret for a really long time. 

Sadly, Collin will not be here on the 17th due to soccer travels, so we decided, lets celebrate our love earlier rather than later. So, tonight and tomorrow are our celebration nights (being that we are both so busy until about 5 o'clock everyday, the night is the only time slot that really works). Collin is cooking my favorite meal for me tonight, Mandarin & Brown Sugar Pork Chops with garlic, creamy mashed potatoes. Yum!!! So tonight is his night. Then, tomorrow, I have decided to do something really fun and random, but something I know Collin will LOVE... I am taking Collin to "Color Me Mine": the paint your own pottery studio (http://www.colormemine.com/). They have hundreds of pottery to choose from: bowls, plates, sculptures, etc. You paint it either free-hand or they have art staff nearby with stencils to help you create your perfect piece. Then, they glaze it so its able for use and it looks shiny and amazing. 


Next week, when Collin gets back, we will do a gift exchange. We usually never do gifts because it is so materialistic and both of us would rather just be in each other's company than spend money on a gift, but this time, we felt, we both deserved a little something extra special for all of the hard work we have been doing this past year. We have come so far both as a couple and as individuals so we figured it is well-earned.  


I love Collin John Harrison with all my heart. He is my best friend. My rock. My soccer star. And the greatest boyfriend EVER. He loves me for me. Through thick and thin. And I would not trade him for the world. I really feel that we will be together, yes I am going to say it, f.o.r.e.v.e.r. He has the greatest and biggest heart anyone could possibly have and I am glad he is mine.

what has my life become... without soccer?

So it is official... I am officially a "non-student-athlete" and I do not like it one bit. Now that my weekends are completely free, I am able to watch every Gonzaga women's soccer game (and the men, when they are home). The girls had 2 games this past weekend. And for some reason, it seemed to really have hit me... I no longer am able to play competitive soccer anymore. 

I am not sure what it was about this past weekend that made me so envious of the girls who are still able to play, but I was definitely, dare I say it, JEALOUS. It is true what they say... college goes by so fast. It seemed like my 4 years of playing collegiate soccer was really like 4 months. I loved every second of playing. It was always the best part of my day... to get out on our beautiful practice field and just play. No school. No job to worry about. Just me and the green. And now, it has all been taken away from me...

So what is the next step? An indoor league or a measly adult league... but nothing is the same as playing in college, competitively. I miss soccer so much. And to make it worse, I have been talking with a doctor and a neuro-psychologist about my concussion issues. My brain has been virtually destroyed from all the "heading" I have done in my 18 years of playing soccer. Yes, I said it, 18 years. I have been playing since I was 4 years old. And now, my passion for the game could really be done due to brain injuries. And that.. well, sucks.

I cannot thank my Gonzaga family enough for all of the good times I had playing. I will miss ALL of my team mates because they meant the world to me. I loved those girls. And I have never regretted my decision to attend GU.. seriously, the best experience of my life.. thus far.   

Cat Tales & Manito Park.. Spokane's finest.

So now that I am completely free on the weekends, I have actually had the time to get out and explore what Spokane has to offer. This weeks endeavors, Cat Tales and Manito Park.

Cat Tales was not just your average zoo. It was only, you guessed it, CATS! It was super sad to see them locked up behind a cage, held in captivity, but this zoo was more like a refuge. They were saving the animals. At least that is what the guides say...

Colly and I called this the "Rasta Lion".. it had dreads!

Up next, Manito Park! First stop... the Japanese Garden. This place was beautiful! There were Coy fish all in the pond.. like 5, and the trees were beginning to look like Fall. I love the Fall season in Spokane.. possibly my favorite season here. 

Following the Japanese Garden, Collin and I walked the trail to the Rose/Floral Garden. I could not believe stuff like this actually existed in Spokane. Even further, I could not believe that this was my 5th year here and this was my first time seeing the garden! Here are a few pictures (which do not do the flowers any justice) of some flowers that I absolutely adored.

light-ice kicker or milky-way freeze?

Mmm!!! Dutch Brothers. Pure deliciousness. California really needs to catch on! Yes Starbucks is amazing as well, but nothing beats the brewing of D. Bros. Plus, it's less of a franchise than Starbucks. I despise supporting powerful corporations.


Although indulging is not the same because my coffee drinking partner Laynie is not here.. I still enjoy it nonetheless. 


Pros: Delish. Friendly staff. Speedy service for the girl on the go.
Cons: Bad tummy aches thereafter. 
Website: http://www.dutchbros.com/Home  (cute apparel too!)


All in all, if you have not tried it... for those of you in Cali.. get your self to Woodland (I am pretty sure that is the closest one, perhaps Auburn is closer, depending on where you are coming from). You will not regret it. Well. Perhaps you will a couple hours later when the sweetness kicks into your belly.


For now: Light-ice Kicker.

Delish-lish.

so this is life as a college graduate

So, I basically moved back to Spokane for my boyfriend, as you all may know, in hopes of finding a job and learning some true independence. I say "true" because my parents will not be paying for my food, rent, gas, utility bills, cable, internet, etc. Luckily, with a little help and networking, I wound up with 2 jobs. Random jobs at that. 


The first job is working as the administrative assistant at the Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM). This not-for-profit organization is pretty interesting and is doing great things for the Inland Northwest, specifically, Spokane community. ISM's mission is to develop, grow, and support biomedical research activities in the greater Spokane area by examining and improving health outcomes of patients treated within the biomedical market. First, I had to take a class learning how to research and work with clinical data. ROUGH. I have never felt so intimidated. The medical world is so much different than that of Sociology or Criminal Justice. I am slowly learning and hope to be a great addition to the organization. Who would have thought that my OCD and perfectionist ways would actually come in handy...


My second job, well, I should not really call it a job because I have so much fun with it, is working with the athletic department as a humanities tutor/life-skills assistant. Basically, I work with the freshmen class making sure they are keeping up on their academics, their sport, and their social life--my specialty. Athletes do not realize, you can study hard and get good grades and still have fun. It is possible to do both. It is all a matter of time management! I also have the opportunity to help work and supervise volunteer activities with non-profits such as: Boys & Girls Club and Spokane's homeless shelter--the Union Gospel Mission (UGM). There is nothing I love more than to light up a person's day with a little extra help!


So this is where I am at. 2 part-time jobs. Trying to make a living in Spokane. All on my own. It is scary, stressful, and frustrating at times, but something about independence feels amazing. Let alone, I have the most amazing boyfriend in the world who stands by my side, every step of the way. 

"you may not see it now, but you girls will be best friends when you are older..." -mom.

Ah. The words of my mom every time my sister and I got in a fight when we were little (and let me tell you, fights happened often). I have to hand it to my mom, she was absolutely right...

my sister. my best friend. my world.

Moving away from home and attending college in a different state really helped me grow up. My sister is my bestest friend in the entire world and I am so lucky to be able to say that about a family member. Jenna is THE greatest sister and I would not trade her for the world. She means everything to me and I would do anything for her. I miss her terribly and cannot wait to move back home this December and spend every waking hour with her!! All of my hard-earned money that I have been trying to save for traveling might need to be put in a savings account... that I can't access.

my life as a spokie

so i told myself i would never give in and create a blog, but here i am.. a blogger. thanks to the convincing of my friend layne, i decided that i would create a blog as she has. only, she is in montenegro (serbia) playing professional volleyball and i am here, stuck in spokane, washington. 

laynie and i at our infamous vagina monologue protest.

it's weird. i told myself repeatedly, that after i graduated, i would be out of here, never to return back to the logan neighborhood again. but here i am.. living with my boyfriend collin and holding 2 part-time jobs (one in the medical research industry and the other with the athletic department at gonzaga), both in which have nothing to do with my majors. perfect. 

this is my pride & joy.. colly.

anywho, my life is in no way interesting at the moment, but i figured why not, why not create a blog. someone will want to read about my life. so here it is. this if the life of christi.. the has-been athlete, gonzaga graduate who is living in spokane, trying to make a living... in the meantime that is.