What Not To Wear, starring Tajee Pugh

I think I can safely say that over the years Tajee's wardrobe has gotten a little "dated." She hasn't been very happy with it either but just didnt know where to start. So, for her Christmas gifts this year I decided to put together our own version of "What not to Wear." I reached out to Bellevue's version of Stacy, our good friend Julie Westra, and turned them loose on Bellevue Square with the goal to bring Tajee's look up to date. After 7 hours at Nordstrom, Sephora, and who knows how many other stores, Tajee came home with a ton of cute outfits and pile of new make up. You can see from the before and after pictures that they did a great job!!! Tajee looks great and feels great about here new looks. However, I do think she is regretting the skinny jeans because I've been chasing her around the house since she put them on. Looking good babe!!

Before #1

Before #2

Before #3

After #1

After #2


After #3

The Frozen Tundra of Redmond

Well it looks like President Obama has allready made good on his campaign pledge to elimate global warming because as you know its been really cold and snowy up here. We have had over 2 feet of snow in the past week which has led to serious case of cabin fever for the Northwest Pugh's. At one point we didn't leave the house for 5 days. We love each other but seriously 5 days with no outsiders gets a little boring. It's a good thing we had lots of food or we may have had to eaten Trevor. He was starting to look pretty tasty. Short of being trapped in the house we did have a lot of fun. We build a snow fort in the front yard, went sleding, played alot of X-box, and just generally goofed off alot. I also learned a few things about my self during our snow in. #1. I need the structure of an office. The concept of working from home is nice but just doesn't work for me. Too many distractions. Maybe if Tajee wasn't so cute Iwould have gotten more work done. #2. I'm 36 and still can't grow a decent beard. I'd fit in great in Mom and Dad's neck of the woods because all I can get is the amish look, no mustache. How in the world can a guy have grey beard hairs but still not grow a mustache. #3. And finally I learned that watching BYU lose a bowl game is a great way to spending an evening. Fortunately it started to rain today and our snow is melting. We can't wait until its gone and we can get back to normal.

Enjoy our sledding videos and please save your "it looks like a polar bear with a penguin on his back" comments. Merry Christmas and we love you all.

Happy Halloween

We had a lot of Halloween parties this year but one of the funnest was at Mrs. Nielsons pre-school. Tajee is teaching there this year a couple of days week to help support here shopping addiction. Really though she loves to play with the little kids and loves helping out. (No this doesn't mean we want any more kids). On the day of the Halloween party the boys didn't have school so they got to come "help" Mom out. They are really great with the little kids and had a lot of fun going back to their old school. I just hope Trevors costume did scare too many of the little guys. Very spooky.

Soccer Season Comes to an End

Soccer season just ended and we couldn't be any prouder of Curtis. He started out the season really timid and wasn't liking it very much. However as the season progressed Curtis found his true love, playing tenacious D. By the last few games he was a dominate defender. At the end of our last game I overheard the other coach say, " jeez... we just can't get past that kid!!" That's my boy!!! We are very proud of Curtis and can't wait to see him tear up the basketball court this winter.

It's not soccer without halftime oranges.

I am Michael Scott

As you are all aware yesterday was a day of great celebration, my 36th Birthday. As I arrived a work I found a great suprise wating for me. My office admin Dawn pulled the greatest prank of all time and put my "Worlds Best Boss" cup inside Jell-o!!! (She gave the cup for my B-day last year). I don't think I've laughed this hard in a long time. If your not a fan of the The Office and you don't get the joke check out this link.

http://www.tbs.com/video/0,,124280346624,00.html?eref=sharethisUrl

My day kept getting better, my service manager Bob gave me the new DVD copy of Lonesome Dove, the greatest western of all time. And then my Parts Manager Jeff took me to lunch at my favorite restaurant in the world, Grazie's Italian. It was awesome.

One of the benifits of the down economy is it appears this is causing my employees to really kiss up big time. I think I have finally accomplished my mangerial goal with the staff, "they are truly afraid of how much they love me." It really isn't that hard to do. That's what she said.

Take a look a the following link for more of my favorite Michael Scott moments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-wf2pP7T0Y

Best Sister Ever (Sorry Liz)

I know that I'm going to get in trouble with Lizzy for posting this blog but I just have to shout the praises of my little sister Anna. Last week when I was down in Salt Lake and ended up getting sick. It started on golf course where to the joy of Jim and Todd I started having serious stomach cramps. They thought it was very funny to see their big brother doubled over in pain and they nearly convinvced me to take a BM in a garbadge can on the course (no bathroom in sight). I would have done it but Todd had his camera phone with him and thats a picture I don't want on anyone's blog. I finally threw up on the 9th tee box but I still hit a great a drive. I knocked my 2nd shot on the green and then on the drive to the green I puked for the 2nd and 3rd time. I was able to 2 putt and finish the hole with a 3 puke par. Let's see tiger do that!!! That was the end of my golf game and I went back Anna and Todd's house to recouperate.

If you are ever sick in SLC go to Noozers house for unbelievable service. Above is the tray of comfort items that Noozer brought me. This is what was on the tray.

Pepto Bismal

Tumms

Advil

Gatorade

Water

Sprite

Cup of Ice

Saltines

Gold Fish Crackers

Noozer made sure I had comfy pillows, a warm blanket, and the remote for the TV. What more could a sick brother want. Thanks Noozer for taking care of me.

Other than the sickness I had a great time visting the family in SLC. It was fun to see all my cute nieces and nephews. It was nice to see Grandma Pugh. I also got to eat at my two favorite SLC resteraunts Training Table and the Sconecutter. Ummmmm Scones... I also got to eat of ton of Anna's fantastic sticky popcorn. Sorry Spencer. I can't wait to see the family again. Love you all espcecially my sweet sister Anna. (I love you too Lizzy)

Baseball Season

Baseball is in full swing, pardon the pun, around the Pugh house. Between both boys we'll have 9 games in two weeks, and that doesn' t include the 2 games that we'll miss this Sunday. With all this baseball I thought it would be fun to share some pictures in video of the boys with are far away friends and family.

Here is some video of the 3 at bat's from curtis last game. Sorry for the bad camera work after he hits the ball, Dad gets a little excited sometimes and the camera tends to bounce around.

Curtis hits the ball solid but unfortunately it goes right to the first baseman for and out.

Curtis drives the ball to the left side of the infield and gets a nice single.

A nice at bat for Curtis. A runner scores on a pass ball. Curtis works the count full and drives a hard shot to the short stop who makes a nice stop and throw. Fortunately the 1st baseman drops the ball and Curtis is safe and is able advance to 2nd.

Memorial Day Roundup

Friday Night

Date night with the Westra's. We saw Indiania Jones, had a great meal, and laughed alot.

Saturday Morning

Curtis had a 8:30 baseball game that they lost 17-7. Curtis got to pitch for the first time ever and really struggled on the mound. He threw 32 balls and 4 strikes. He handled it very well and now he really wants to work on his arm. Dad was alot more nervous than he was. Curtis did get a couple of hits and knocked in one of the teams runs as well. He has really improved this year and has become one of the better hitters on his team. This is due in large part to the excellent assistance of Coach Pugh. As the saying goes, "those who cant' do it teach it."

Saturday Afternoon

The family went for a hike up near North Bend. When another hiker saw a snake in the brush Dad didn't freak out, he took the boys over to see it. This was an amazing piece of self control on Dad's part. The boy's had fun looking for Sasquatch, or the brown Yeti, as Trevor calls him. We also have an amateur bird watcher in Curtis who took up a pair of binoculars to help him look for eagles and hawks.

Sunday

Church and a big nap for Mom. Dad completed 8 songs on the hard level of Guitar Hero III.

I'm on my way to being a true rock and roll superstar.

Monday Morning

Dad played golf with Dave Westra, Jeff Brown, and Roger Cottle at Snoqualamie Falls golf course. After todays up and down round I will no longer call the game golf. The official name is now Swing and Swear. I've sliced the ball for 10+ years and today I hooked the ball all day long. Sometimes I hate that game.

Monday Afternoon

We took the boys to Indianna Jones and they loved it!! Tough Trevor got scared a few times and wanted to leave but in the end he hasn't stopped talking about it. After the movie we went to Fred Meyer and bought them Indianna Jones lego sets and they love them.

Mom and Dad BBQ'd burgers and cleaned out the fridge, freezer, and cupboards. We have realized that Tajee isn't the best at food maintenance. I won't tell you how old some of the meat in the freezer was but it's safe to say it had had a few birthdays.

Trevor and Dad snuggled up on the couch and watched John Wayne in The Searchers. What a great old movie. Trevor loved it. I finally have my western buddy.

We have had a great weekend and hope you have too.

Tajee's Quilt

So far I have only used my blog to tease Tajee. However, this time I'll use it to shout her praises. Attached below is an article that appeared on the front page of our local paper, The Redmond Reporter. Trevor has a girl in his class that was diagnosed with Leukemia this year. She was one of the few girls trevor really liked beacause according to Trevor, " Sarah loves Star Wars too." Ever since they found out Sarah was sick she has had to be kept home and away from school beacause here treatments wear down her immune system. Trevor and Tajee felt really bad for Sarah and wanted to do something nice for her and her family. In typical Tajee fashion, when faced with sadness make a quilt. Tajee and another Mom in the class took pictures of all the kids and had the images transfered to fabric. Tajee then made the beautiful quilt pictured below. Tajee had Mrs. Martin, Sarah and Trevors teacher, deliver it with a note that told here when she feels sick and lonely to snuggle up in her quilt and to think of all the kids at Audobon Elementary that lover her. This quilt has meant a lot to Sarah and her family and as you can see it caught the attention of our local paper.

Let me go on record and say that Tajee is an amazing person. She always looks out for the needs of others and does what ever she can to make sure they feel loved and included. How she ended up with a schmuck like me is a miracle. There must be truth to that whole Ying and Yang thing.

Here is the article that appeared in the paper. Please be sure to keep Sarah and her family in you prayers.

Sarah Robeck misses her first-grade friends at Audubon Elementary School.
Last month, the six-year-old Redmond girl was diagnosed with a blood cancer called ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia). She’s undergoing chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital in Seattle and can’t attend school due to her weakened immune system.
Usually happy and playful, Sarah’s now moody because of her medication and doesn’t want her mother to leave her side.
Meanwhile, her eight-year-old brother Jacob, a second grader, has been anxious while Tannia, a single parent, struggles to give attention to both children and continues working as a billing specialist for Secor International Inc.
It hasn’t been easy, but the family is braving the storm with love and support from near and far.
Tannia’s mom, Margarita Powell, came out from California when she learned of Sarah’s illness. Audubon principal Karen Dickens, Sarah’s teacher Karen Martin and Jacob’s teacher Erin Zacharda “have been right on top of it, educating the other students about what is going on with our family and looking after Jacob,” Tannia noted.
“The YMCA (on Bel-Red Road) has been a stable foundation,” Tannia continued. And Kathy Watson, the mom of Sarah’s best friend Tyler, has pitched in by taking Jacob to and from school. Watson’s also rallied friends at Westminster Chapel “for prayers, moral support and getting people to donate gift certificates from restaurants.”
The family’s landlord has been very kind, too, lowering their rent for the next six months so that Tannia can use the extra money for Sarah’s needs.
It’s still hard for Tannia to grasp that Sarah has leukemia. She had no symptoms such as fever or weakness. The only odd thing was that Sarah had woken up at night several times, complaining of pain in her foot or ankle. Tannia thought it was “growing pains.” And after Jacob had a check-up and a doctor said he might be low on vitamin D, Tannia reasoned, “Maybe Sarah has a vitamin D deficiency, too.”
A battery of blood tests and bone scans ensued, and although doctors looked concerned, Tannia didn’t expect the news they gave her.
“I couldn’t accept it, didn’t want to know,” she said. “You think that when your child is sick, you can give them Tylenol and they’ll feel better.”
Sarah is nearing the end of phase one of her chemotherapy. At that point, a bone marrow extract will determine what phase two of treatment will entail. Her doctors are hopeful she’ll be back in school within six months and cancer-free within two years.
“She’s tough — she knows that if she wants to get well, she has to do this,” said Tannia. “Her biggest fear is losing her hair. She doesn’t want anyone to see her that way. I told her when she loses her hair, I’ll shave mine off. What we look like on the outside is not important, it’s who we are inside.”
As for Tannia, “My work is my outlet. I have to keep busy,” she said. She added that her boss Lori Seward and co-workers have been wonderful: “They know I love my job and they’ve allowed me to work at home.”
Because she has insurance coverage, Tannia believes that most of Sarah’s medical bills will be covered, but she has set up a bank account in case of unforseen circumstances. Donations to the Account for Benefit of Sarah Robeck can be made to account number 340-325059-5, at any Washington Mutual branch.
Tannia’s also encouraging Redmond neighbors to make donations to Candle Lighters (www.candlelighters.org), an organization which provides books and hope to parents of children with cancer. She’s seen kids from six months old to teens in the cancer ward at Children’s Hospital and wishes all of the families could have the same support that she’s received.
“God has blessed us with a whole bunch of great people and that gives me more faith that Sarah, in the end, will be just fine,” she concluded.