a little bit of {this and that}

2011-02-28T06:39:00.000-08:00

“Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying.

Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day.

Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now.

There are only so many tomorrows.”

~Michael Landon

While I've been taking the last month off from blogging (evidently, it didn't seeeeem like that long to me) I have been:
~spending quality time with family and friends
~including short walk/hikes in the woods
~celebrating 16 years with my amazing husband
~watching lots of British T.V. on Netflix (love you Netflix)
~hanging with the girls at a girls night...good times
~teaching myself to crochet (so far so good)
~working
~reading
~just being
....Life is good.

on my nightstand.

2011-01-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

When things go topsy-turvy, upside down, when things hurt and I'm trying to heal I turn toward books. I try to look up and in and hold on tight to beliefs that have gotten me through so many tough times. This is not always easy which is why books can be so helpful. At least to me.

So, on the nightstand right now are The Me I Want To Be by (one of my favorite Christian authors) John Ortberg. I just finished a powerful chapter on Surrender. I love his humor, his honesty and his straightforward ideas on living our best life. I picked this book up a few months ago and right now is the perfect time for me to be reading it.

Next is The Gift of Imperfection by Dr. Brene Brown. Her blog Ordinary Courage has been in my reader for several years and her words are truth and thought provoking. Courage, Compassion and Connection. Setting boundaries, loving and belonging - so many great topics woven together.

Both of these are easy to read, tender to digest. I find myself stopping, thinking and exploring...it's all good. I just wrote my cousin and in our exchange I think I said it best as, "I'm raw right now so right now is the perfect time to tend my heart and grow."

The last book in the pile is The Awe-manac. This one is fun filled with daily doses of inspiration for creativity. While I haven't been fully engaged with the book I have been following along daily, reading, reminding myself that writing/creating is important to me and my well being. The website for the book is a fun stopping point for me in my blog reading.

And of course at the bottom of the pile is my journal. Never far from me I use it for prompts, spontaneous writing, lists to keep my mind from forgetting what it is I'm suppose to be doing...

2011-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

“The greatest and most important problems in life are all in a certain sense insoluble. They can never be solved, but only outgrown. ” - Carl Gustav Jung

Things have gone a bit topsy-turvy here. Well, not here exactly but around me. Some extended family issues, some friend issues that need time and attention.

It's always eye opening to work through the hard stuff and sometimes I think it is even more of a learning experience to work through the hard stuff that isn't one's own. When it's not my own I can step back and evaluate with fresh eyes. Even when my heart is breaking. Even when I am crying. I can put the emotions aside for a moment or two and really evaluate.

A few things I've learned in the past few weeks:
- help when I can. listen when I can. be open.
- don't judge
- it isn't about me. I'm a tool to be used for the project, not the project itself.
- when praying for change be specific.
- sometimes the best way to help is to step back
- love

So, I am going to continue to help and learn. To heal and grow. To love.

In other news:
- I have my word picked out for the year. There is lots in my journal about it and it's proven to be powerful to me so far.
- I'm reading a great book by one of my favorite authors.
- I'm feeling a creative burst coming on. I wonder where that will lead me.

Happy day my friends. Happy day!

2011-01-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Loving right now:

OhLife. Every evening this site sends me an email that says, "How did your day go?" Then I respond with a sentence or two, a list, or a paragraph that says something about my day. I always want to write a daily journal, just a line or two about my days, however while I do write a lot it isn't daily happenings more introspection, etc...So, this site is perfect. Loving it so far.
the Project 365 app for my iPhone. I've started 365 projects in the past only to quit at some point. I'm thinking if it's on my phone maybe I'll actually do it everyday. We'll see. I love the calendar view of photos. My plan is to not have a plan - no theme, no stretching my skills - just me taking a photo a day that reflects something in my life.
Angry Birds. I'm addicted that's all I have to say about that.

Happy Day Happy Day!

2011-01-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

Here it is. Another "year according to facebook" post. Kinda cliche but I love it! Some of my statuses make me chuckle, all make me realize how much has happened over the past year...I'm definitely adding this to my Journal Your Christmas book (which is coming along albeit slowly).

Last day of winter break. I'm so not ready. I'd love another week at home with my guys...yet, here we go!

2011-01-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

“Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow. I have a place in the pattern, and so do you.” - T.A. Barron

Happy New Year from our house to yours! We celebrated with Archer's annual New Years Eve party with all the usual suspects in attendance. (here's a look at last year...)
We are savoring the last few days of winter break...moving slow and enjoying doing a bit of nothing.
Getting ready for the new year...I'm choosing a word, getting organized and ready. Here we go...

Happy New Year!

twas the night before Christmas...

2010-12-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

...in wordle form!

Merry Christmas Eve friends!

2010-12-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

I've been having a good December journaling and making stuff. Loving the Journal Your Christmas class...so much fun and so much inspiration all over the world.

I was hoping to share more as I went along but let's just go with what I've already photographed. Deal?

Title page:
It's actually two pages, simple. love, LoVe, LOVE the Starbucks bags...I have several just saving 'em up!

And somehow I missed the 2nd page for Dec. 1. Oh well.
Here is December 2. Journaling is under the photo of our snow covered home. Love it. Took the photo on Thanksgiving and now I'm just sitting here in the Pacific Northwest wishing for more cold, white goodness. Please.

The weather outside is weather. Name that movie! (*I thought the title was apt for the PNW...we take what we get and we never really know it's going to be...some years it's rain, wind and floods; other years it is snow, cold, and ice...)

Happy December friends!

Sunday Citar

2010-11-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ” - Melodie Beattie

So thankful for these boys. For time spent with family. For laughs and love. For goofy grins and having fun. So thankful.

2010-11-24T06:50:00.000-08:00

I think I'm ready. Or as ready as I'm going to be. I adore Christmas. I love everything about it...well, almost everything...I'm not going to get into the things I don't love right now.

This year I decided to participate in Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas (JYC) class. I just finished the True Stories class and I fell in love. In love with the class. In love with my journal again. In love with the other bloggers (and non-bloggers)...LOVE.

In the past I've made a few holiday scrapbook pages but this year I decided I really wanted to take the time to savor the season. Archer is getting older (*sigh*) and I want to document more of our everyday and look back as well.

Every year I keep a little notebook with all my Christmas *stuff* in it - mostly shopping lists and to-dos. This year I went bigger and being on a journaling kick I knew I really wanted to focus on the journaling aspect of the JYC class. This is the cover to my holiday journal.

The front of the journal will be for lists and to-dos and random notes and the back will be to respond to JYC prompts.

I got a little more organized than years past and printed out calendars from Thanksgiving to January 6. So far I've added birthdays that I don't want to forget in the midst of holiday planning and celebration.

Of course I still want to scrapbook but I'm not going to stress myself over it. With all the journaling in the book ^^^ then I can make pages through December and finish up after the New Year if I want. No stress. :) I chose the little Noel album from Making Memories. I then bought a few pieces of coordinating paper, came home and went through my supplies and pulled out anything I thought I may use in the album...I've cut sheets for the inside, ordered some lined cardstock for writing and I'm set. I've even started collecting ephemera (like The Woods coffee sleeve) that I may want to add into the book.

I kinda like the family in the front...maybe I'll keep them. Or maybe I'll pay Archer $20 to let me take a great picture of him over the season and put that there. Or maybe a picture of a cat. Probably a cat. We'll see...

So, here we go. Thanksgiving, Troy's birthday....

Happy Day friends!

HaPpY mAiL!

2010-11-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

“Do all the good you can, and make as little fuss about it as possible.” - Charles Dickens

I got home today after working at the museum, running errands, celebrating a friend's birthday with some delicious pumpkin dessert only to open my mailbox to this:

HaPpY mAiL!

what fun!

Awhile back I won a little gift pack from Leslie at the Words of Me Project and it came today. Today, this cold, cold day...I was able to check the mailbox and be warmly surprised with her generosity.

Over the summer I participated in her 31 Days Creativity Challenge. It was so much fun and a little note inside my fun-filled envelope said she's hosting it again in January! What a great way to start off the new year. I will be there!

I chose today's quote for Leslie. Her blog is full of creativity, of inspiration, of positiveness yet also very real. She lets people know it's not all rainbows and butterflies (she loves a good butterfly) but keeps her head up when things are going south and she does it with very little fuss (I am not a big fan of fuss!).

Thanks Leslie for the gift pack! LOVIN' the butterflies and the new notebook is going straight in my purse! And thanks for giving of yourself so generously via your blog! Looking forward to January (but hoping for a slow December to savor the moments).

2010-11-19T08:03:00.000-08:00

Just a little wordle using one of my favorite poems.
Happy Friday friends!

You Learn

After a while you learn the subtle difference

Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning

And company doesn't mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts

And presents aren't promises,

And you begin to accept your defeats

With your head up and your eyes open

with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,

And you learn to build all your roads on today

Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans

And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn...

That even sunshine burns if you get too much.

so you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,

Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure...

That you really are strong

And you really do have worth...

And you learn and learn...

With every good-bye you learn.

by Jorge Luis Borges

translation by Veronica A. Shoffstall

2010-11-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

“We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.”

Louisa May Alcott

Thankful for morning coffee, afternoon madness and evening tea. Thankful for a sweet boy and a loving husband. Thankful for warmth inside on cold, rainy days. Thankful for a best friend who is family and with whom I'll be celebrating her 29th birthday (again) tomorrow. Thankful for a fun job where I get to work with amazing ladies and cultivate my love of footwear. Thankful for today.

Sunday Citar

2010-11-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

“None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Went on a trip to the auto parts store with the husband. Filled with vintage treasures just ripe for photographs. I actually enjoy the auto parts store...

“If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it.”—Lucy Larcom

“Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.” —Napoleon Bonaparte

2010-11-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” - W. Clement Stone

(I noticed I take LOTS of feet pictures...oops...Where are the feet?)

Thankful for

good friends

truth in love

honesty and humility

walks in the leaves

a camera at the ready

“The best things in life are never rationed. Friendship, loyalty, love, do not require coupons.” - George T. Hewitt

2010-11-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

“Learn to limit yourself;

to content yourself with some definite work;

dare to be what you are

and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not;

and to believe in your own individuality.”

Henri-Frederic Amiel

Loving fall leaves, days filled with sunshine and rain, crisp days, apple cider, pots of chili, and the call of the indoors as the days grow shorter...

Love that I was able to go on an autumn walk with my little cousin Dawson and that he pointed out perfect leaves, skittering creatures and summed up our walk with, "Isn't this magnificent?"

Yes sweet boy this is definitely magnificent.

2010-11-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Best investment ever? SpongeBob costume. 'Nuf said.

Tired little SpongeBob. 2003.

2010-10-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Mel over at I Speak Melsh I decided to do a wordle from my posts over the last week. I'm so glad I rediscovered this site as I had done a few of these a couple years back for Archer's scrapbook.

Thanks Mel (glad I found you via True Stories - so much good coming from that class!).

Happy Friday friends!

Today I will...

2010-10-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

“A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside. ”

Dennis Waitley

Today I will make my coffee at home. Maybe. This isn't set in stone. :)
Today I will sit in the quiet and write in my journal. Loving True Stories!
Today I will put chicken in the crock pot so I don't have to worry about dinner after being gone all day.
Today I will spend the day at Stampadoodle with my best friend/cousin creating whatever we decide.

Today I will share a tuna melt (ala Avenue Bread) with said cousin. Tuna melt which will be brought to us by a dear friend who joins us for a "Stampadoodle lunch" every Thursday.
Today I will listen and laugh with my people.

Today I will head to the doctor for a little consult.
Today I will accompany my sister to Halloween City to make a final decision on her costume. I'm voting for Little Red Riding Hood..."Little Red Riding Hood. You sure are looking good. You're everything a big bad wolf could want..."

Today I will share "Li'l Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharohs with my sister. I'm sure this will convince her on her costume choice.
Today I will smile at a stranger. Yup I will. People need more smiles.
Today I will watch t.v. with the boy. We tend to only do this on Big Bang Theory nights.
Today I will go to book club and hopefully eat some bread pudding.
Today I will be thankful for my life, my family, my friends, my sandwich...

I am very much enjoying True Stories (as I've stated above). So many great ladies. Loving their blogs. So many great ideas...such as starting every sentence the same (I did that did you notice...haha).

Have a great day my friends!

True Stories: FAQ

2010-10-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

After one day of the True Stories class I am absolutely loving it. :)

Yesterday one of the prompts was

"What questions do others ask you?"

After thinking on this I came up with quite a few questions. I've decided to share a few that I get often.

Q: Is Jerrie short for something?

A: Nope. My mother is a very practical person. She always says that she named her kids what she was going to call them. Therefore, Jerrie is Jerrie, John is just John, Alex is Alex (DeAnne doesn't seem to fit in this pattern). Mom wasn't big into nicknames (no Johnny) however we've all had a few given by cousins, friends...

Q: What do you do (as in a job)?

A: Huh. I do plenty. Cemetery secretary (say that ten times fast), I work at a shoe store a day or so a week, substitute teacher occasionally, publicity/publications at the museum, mom...

Q: Where did you come up with Archer's name?

A: Long story short from my mother-in-law. She was watching BBC and someone with the name Archer was a character. She told me the story about trying to switch Troy's name to Archer in high school and him having nothing to do with it. The name stuck and when we found out a baby was on the way the only boy name we had was Archer.

Q: Where does Archer get his curls?

A: Me. Although Troy has some wave in his hair (when he has hair) the curly curls are all me.

Q: How many kids do you have?

A: one

Q: Are you going to have more?

A: no

Q: Why?

A: Why did you have more than one?

Q: Don't you think Archer needs a sibling?

A: no. Ask him - he'll tell you NO!

*As you may have guessed this line of questioning drives me batty! Seems kinda personal doesn't it?

Sometimes I go into a whole spiel about how he has several families that consider him not only a friend but a brother, that he seamlessly blends into other families, that he comes home from friend's houses thanking us for not having more kids but that he truly loves his brothers and sisters he claims not by blood but by choice...sometimes I'll be short and think people are rude...

and finally...

Q: Do you own stock in Starbucks?

A: I wish. I should.

The question and answer prompt was huge for me. More posts may be coming from this one.

Finally, do you have a question you'd like to ask me? Leave it in the comments section...

True Stories

2010-10-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

After a quiet weekend alone at home I'm ready to tackle the week.
Awoke to rain, to dark, to chill. It is truly autumn and I am so thankful.

For the past several years I've thought about taking a class from Shimelle. I love her work and have seen many people's projects who've taken her classes.

So, with the rain, the dark, the desire to do something and to celebrate (my little word of the year) I decided to take the plunge and participate in Shimelle's True Stories class. Today was the first day (nothing like making an advanced decision - haha), I signed up this morning and started by reading the first prompt.

This is a journaling, telling your own stories class and I'm so excited. This is right up my alley. I love to journal and I love the idea of school so assignments are fun for me.

And if I wasn't positive that this would be a good experience before I watched the video and fell in love. Watch...it's short and inspiring!

I'm off to read the rest of the class materials. Maybe I'll share a bit later...

Have a wonderful Monday. May the rain shower you with love!

Wordless Wednesday. Sweet dreams.

2010-10-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

2010-10-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

“Go for long walks, indulge in hot baths, question your assumptions, be kind to yourself, live for the moment, loosen up, scream, curse the world, count your blessings, just let go, just be.” – Carol Shields

Have a great Monday!

Sunday Citar

2010-10-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

“The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship.” —Amelia Earhart

“There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.” -Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

“When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home” - Thornton Wilder

"There is no place like home..."

Home after a short (yet long enough) trip to Las Vegas. Had a blast with my sister and brother and parents but oh-so ready to be home. It's amazing how much I can appreciate the quiet and slowness of our little town after only a few days. Happy Day my friends!

2010-10-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Oh ya. Headed here today with my family (and when I say my family I mean this is like a true family vacation - my mom, dad, brother, sister).

"Las Vegas looks the way you'd imagine heaven must look at night. " - Chuck Palahniuk

“Vegas is everything that’s right with America. You can do whatever you want, 24 hours a day. They’ve effectively legalized everything there.” - Drew Carey

...and I'm off!

2010-10-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

“Be yourself. There is something that you can do better than any other. Listen to the inward voice and bravely obey that.” —Unknown Author

So very thankful for Thursdays with my sweet cousin. A day for us to catch up, reflect on our weeks, laugh, share and CreAtE! I know that I will not regret saying no to work, no to laundry, no to others when I show up at Stampadoodle with my basket full of *stuff* and our sandwiches from Avenue Bread. As our lives stay busy and full it is good practice to take the time to stop for a day, slow down and just be...

And LOOK we made some cuuuuuuttttteeeeee things! Can't ask for much more than that.

“At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” —Barbara Bush

I love walking into Stampadoodle and being greeted by Wendi (the owner) who is just as excited to see us as we are to be there - we start a tab for supplies and off we roll...

Happy Friday friends. Take time for you!

Sunday Citar

2010-10-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

“I doubt that we can ever successfully impose values or attitudes or behaviors on our children; certainly not by threat, guilt, or punishment. But I do believe they can be induced through relationships where parents and children are growing together. Such relationships are, I believe, build on trust, example, talk, and caring.” —Fred Rogers

"Adolescence is a period of rapid changes. Between the ages of 12 and 17, for example, a parent ages as much as 20 years." - Author Unknown

“Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So... get on your way.”

- Dr. Seuss

The boy started driving. He's cautious and serious about the task, he's attending a driver's education class, he practices...He is my baby, my boy, my heart. As he embraces this milestone in his life his mama watches, sits next to him, offers words of encouragement (and a few words of panic) and prays. As he drives himself into this next chapter mom learns the true message of let go and let God. Here we go...

"Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest." Luke 12:25-26

Fall is in the air.

2010-09-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Even though temperatures are hitting the 70s (what the heck Washington?) autumn still reigns. Foggy mornings, beautiful autumn colors, chili on the stove...Yesterday I picked up a big pot filled with beautiful mums. I love opening my door and being greeted by a smile of flowers "Welcome to fall" they seem to shout!

“Don't be afraid to be amazing.”

—Andy Offutt Irwin

This school year my lovely cousin and I have started a tradition of going to Stampadoodle on Thursdays for a few hours to visit and create. It gives us a chance to catch up, decompress and is our true "day off" in the week. Moms don't always get days off so it is wonderful to spend a few hours, mid-week, to just stop and spend time on ourselves.

“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”

—Bertrand Russell

2010-09-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” - Edmund Burke

As I sit here thinking about facing this Monday I am ready. Ready to tackle my week. Ready to check things off my to do list. Ready to encourage. I'm ready. One of my roles this fall/winter/spring is as a sponsor for someone in a small (support) group. I've done this before and I take this role very seriously. I've been thinking about encouraging things I can do and I'm ready! So, if you feel so inclined, please feel free to pray for me and my friend as we set out on this journey together.

Have a great Monday. Are you ready?

wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

“Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

2010-09-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

“When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself. ” - Jacques Cousteau

I try to pick Archer up from school most days. Yes, I know school is only a half-mile(ish) away. Yes, I know that he is 15 years old. Yes, I know I do not need to pick him up. But I like to. I do it because I want to. I want to see him in those few moments after being released from learning and friends. I want to hear about his day immediately (because otherwise it may not happen). I want to tell him if I bought his favorite iced tea or that I signed him up for driver's ed. I want him to know that those few moments, because sometimes all it is is a few moments alone, is important to me.

Yesterday he gave me this ^^^ paper. His health teacher gave them each one to wear and some to give out. He methodically looked through saying, "not this one" "nope" "maybe this one" until he got to the one he wanted me to have. Evidently I'm doing a great job. After losing my cool a few too many times these past few days I'm glad to know that he still thinks I'm doing a great job. When he gave it to me he told me it fit me best because it meant all the other things (positive statements) put together and that he thinks I do a great job at being a mom. That is all I want. Love my boy.

“The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention. ”—Richard Moss

2010-09-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. ”- Henry Ward Beecher

Monday Monday! I'm trying this thing where I start Monday with a smile. I'm trying to be positive and uplifting (well...if you're one of the few that talk to me before seven a.m. you may be lifting your eyebrows in surprise). I figure it's a good way to start the week. Positive. Uplifting. It's gotta help bring the rest of the week on with a little more happy. Right?

So how did I do? I'd say I had a good start (after eight this morning at least). Greeted my people and situations with a positive nod. Had a nice conversation with a friend. Went to the shoe store and brought Kelly a coffee and subsequently worked for her for the remainder of the day. (That is what happens when you take her coffee so if you don't want to work you better not be nice to her...). Signed my boy up for driver's ed. What? Yep you read that right. Had a little bad parenting moment right around dinner time. But for the most part starting the day with a smile worked.

back to normal?

2010-09-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

So I'm home. Today I woke up in my own bed, got the boy off to school, napped out of sheer exhaustion, played catch-up with cemetery work, ran errands, had lunch with my husband, ran more errands, cleaned and did laundry...you know all the regular everyday stuff of life.

I had *fun* with Miss Kelly from Sole Obsession as her borrowed feet for a weekend of shoes, shoes and more shoes. And while the shoe show was fun it was also exhausting. So much work. Kelly has her work cut out for her. We made sure to keep some fun alive...

Kelly made a new friend.

I have issues? How rude.

(I loved this sign for some reason)

Simple sneakers for Spring. I love love love Simple sneakers!

hmmmm....

After a long hard day of shoes shoes and more shoes we went to Anthropologie. I think I could live there and wear their clothes. And I kinda want to make this nook in the back yard and take up painting just because...

2010-09-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

"You cannot put the same shoe on every foot." -Publilius Syrus

Today I am going here (well kinda...it's close to here)

with her (ok...that's not really her but that's how she says she's going to look so I'm going with it)

to see a LOT of these.

And I'll leave you with a few shoe quotes to get you thinking...

"Funny that a pair of really nice shoes make us feel good in our heads - at the extreme opposite end of our bodies." ~Levende Waters

“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.” -Anonymous

"I’m having a wicked shoe craving." -Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"He noticed my shoes! I think that was the highlight of my whole day! He liked my shoes." -Serena Williams

"I can’t be funny if my feet don’t feel right." -Billy Crystal

"I’m going shoe shopping. I need a wagon." -Hilary Banks (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

one spider web. two ways.

2010-09-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come,

but small ones come daily.”

Ivy Baker Priest

2010-09-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

“Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

Hans Christian Anderson

We didn't have any sun this Labor Day but we did have a LOT of fun! This year was the museum sponsored the 8th annual Lynde 500 and it rained. For the first time in eight years it rained and rained hard.

My brother, Alex, ran in the first Lynde and this year as he was helping set up the track he was recruited again...He was not happy about it. But he is a ~~good~~ great sport and joined a team with all the enthusiasm he could muster. :)

Our sister was working an administration booth, I was watching the races, Troy was announcing and Archer was in the pits with a team of his friends and this happens. Alex is the guy on the bottom...

Ok. If you've read this blog at all you may realize that when ^^^ this ^^^ happens our first thoughts jump to an emergency room (me) and living with an injured brother (other sister).

Our minds immediately think - OH CRAP (or a word close to crap).

Luckily it was just a nasty scrape and his little sister was able to grab a first aid kit and fix him up (she's got lots of practice). Archer of course had to come over and make sure that his broken uncle wasn't really broken this time. Thank goodness!

Oh and after all that...this happened to his team car. He was actually the first pusher who caused this mess...

Oh. And did I mention his team took 2nd place? 2nd! That's right! A little car malfunction and crash didn't stop the team!

WooHoo!!!

2010-08-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise. ” —F. Scott Fitzgerald

I wish I could say I've used the past week to just rest and get rejuvenated...oh I wish. I woke up Sunday after the fair with a sore throat (blah) and this week has been non-stop and emotional. So, the whole family decided to take today to ourselves. Naps, working on Mabel, journal writing, playing WOW, watching t.v., just doing a little bit of this and that and a whole lot of nothing (just what we needed!).

I think we're ready to start the new week. Minds fresh. Thinking positive thoughts.

“Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious.”

—Bill Meyer

2010-08-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.” —Louis L'Amour

Fair. Day 6. I kinda feel like this pig. I want to just lay down and fall asleep where ever I may be. We still have today to go and tomorrow for clean up...It's been long, exhausting, loud, fun, filled with fabulous food and I am so glad it's over...Six days is plenty (according to me and this pig)!

These kiddos (and their parents) traveled hours to their favorite fair and camped out in our yard last night. We're always glad to see them and sad to see them go...Soon school will start for the biggest little and spur of the moment impromptu visits north will be harder for them. We may have to actually travel ourselves (gasp - this is not our forte - might have to fix that).

The Ferris Wheel means fair to me. If there isn't a Ferris Wheel it isn't a fair. One trip through the carnival is plenty for me...The lights and action are necessary for me to take in for just a few moments.

So, last day. I'm always excited for the fair to begin and more than ready for it to end. I will grab one last scone and possibly a corn dog and bid farewell until next year.

“The happy heart runs with the river, floats on the air, lifts to the music, soars with the eagle, hopes with the prayer.” —Maya Angelou

2010-08-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

“If we do not lay ourselves at the service of mankind, whom should we serve?”—John Adams

Today I want to express my gratitude to the farmers who work tirelessly 365 days a year to bring us food and drink. They serve us daily and we don't even see it. Thanks to the farmers! Yesterday I visited the Farm Friends booth at the Northwest Washington Fair and talked to some farmers - there is some exciting stuff happening in the local farming world!

Fair week means not a lot of free time to sit and think, sit and read, sit and blog, sit and anything...relaxing is for after. For now I will battle crowds, eat greasy food, monitor our building, contact security as people try to sneak in, sell centennial books, eat more food, decorate milk bottles, sell milk bottles, drink lemonade, browse at exhibits...all the good stuff that comes with getting to work for a week at the fair.

Today I will see cows and have a treat (elephant ear? possibly)...

2010-08-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

“Changing the world is good for those who want their names in books. But being happy, that is for those who write their names in the lives of others, and hold the hearts of others as the treasure most dear.” —Orson Scott Card

my cousin/best friend/partner in crime. LOVE her.

“Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief.”—Swedish Proverb

(some of) my book club ladies. I am so thankful for this group of "ladies" (I use the term "ladies" lightly here).

I am eternally grateful we've found each other and continue to grow our friendship. love to my ladies.

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. - Amy Li

my baby sister. 'nuf said. love.

“Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.”-Abraham Lincoln

pete. PETE! first I was friends with Tracey (see above book club pic - red sweatshirt) then I met her wonderful husband. through chats (in real life and the fb world) we have connected. thankful for this new friend.

“Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words.”—George Eliot

ah my raphie. we are destined to be best friends forever (if he likes it or not - hehe).

“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.”

me and my best friend (way back in the way back). my life was complete the day Troy decided to be my best friend for life. Words cannot describe.

I am eternally grateful for my lovely friends. I know that I am richly blessed.

One of the things on my list (of 36 things to do before I'm 37) is to nourish my friendships. It's probably one of my favorite things on my list (obviously because I have great friends).

If you're my friend and you weren't pictured here you can either:

a) count yourself lucky this time because my photos are so unorganized now that I couldn't find you (Tami - I have a great photo of us at a gift shop sale...darned it where'd it go?)
or
b) know that your time is coming so watch out
AND
c) know that you were NOT forgotten and that I treasure you.

Happy Day my friends!

2010-08-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

“We plant seeds that will flower as results in our lives, so best to remove the weeds of anger, avarice, envy and doubt, that peace and abundance may manifest for all.” —Dorothy Day

“For every day that there is sunshine, there will be days of rain, it's how we dance within them both that shows our love and pain. ” —Joey Tolbert

It has been too long since my last post. Life has been full and busy and full of fun and blessings. Life has been changing and full of trials. We're taking it one step at a time.

I've loved playing along with the 31 day creativity challenge...a lot of journaling, photographing and enjoying life.

The photos below are from a praise gathering held in Fairhaven. Loved it. Especially loved seeing our youth group kids praising (two of the college-aged leaders in the foreground below and my boy in the red) and enjoying themselves.

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus

Or in awe of you be still

Will I stand in your presence

Or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing Hallelujah

Will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

Today I am off on another adventure...helping my friend Kelly move her store to a bigger, better location across town. Hopefully I'll be more of a help than a hindrance....yesterday when I was "helping" I had boxes of shoes off the shelves and my feet clad in all the new beauties that I NEED!

Have a great day my friends!

2010-08-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

“There are souls in this world which have the gift of finding joy everywhere and of leaving it behind them when they go.”—Frederick Faber

Dear Boy,

How about we just pause right now?

How can it be that you are 15 and getting ready to start your second year of high school? I'm not sure I'm ready for this...

Although I know you are ready. You walk forward with confidence. You approach everyday as a new beginning. For that I am thankful.

You are an amazing person. Full of life. A great friend. The best son. I am honored to be your mom.

However, I think a pause would be wonderful. Just a short one.

Love you forever,

Mom

“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.”

—Louis L'Amour

Sunday Citar

2010-08-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

“Playing safe is probably the most unsafe thing in the world.

You cannot stand still. You must go forward.”

- Robert Collier

***I was standing across the street waiting for Troy to drive down the street in Mabel when I looked over in my across-the-street neighbor's yard and saw this...I have never actually met this neighbor (after MANY years...) and I'm thinking that maybe it's time to introduce myself.

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” —Sophia Loren

“Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.”—Arthur Rubinstein

2010-07-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

“For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ” —Alfred D. Souza

Yesterday's WOMP challenge was to list 50 things you love. While I've done this in the past I decided to tackle it again. One change I decided upon is not to keep track of my list. I didn't feel right putting a number on my loves...well it makes sense in my mind.

While I'm not going to share my complete list I will share some of it here with you...

my guys, my family (of course)
getting lost in a good book
napping
color - bright, subtle, pastel, primary...color makes the world go round
kitty cuddles
discovering and uncovering family history
new school supplies
cupcakes
water - the expanse of the ocean, rushing rivers, crawling creeks, water falls
writing it down
driving my brother's Jeep with the top down singing in the wind
having fun with my camera
quotes that speak to me
cheese
old family photos
old friends I trust and am oh-so comfortable with and nurturing our continuing friendships
new friends - discovering commonness and differences
hot coffee
cold lemonade and sweet tea
martini nights
laughing
learning
exploring
rain storms
being snowed in
trees - looking up through the branches to the sky above - never the same view twice
scarves, mittens and sweaters
inspiration - words, images...

That's it for now...a few things I love.

Happy Day my friends!

2010-07-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

After a family dinner with my parents, siblings and aunt I decided to take a solo walk down at the falls before heading home. Even though the park was crowded it was still quiet except for the rushing of the falls and a few punctuations of children squealing. It was perfect.

Of course I whipped out my camera (aka iPhone) and used the toy camera feature to snap a few shots.

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

2010-07-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

“The creative person is willing to live with ambiguity. He doesn't need problems solved immediately and can afford to wait for the right ideas.” —Abe Tannenbaum

I love this quote but sometimes I don't want to wait for the right ideas I want to take action and see if the ideas just escape.

I decided to join Leslie at {Words of Me Project} on her 31 days creative adventure. Like most people I slide my creativity to the back burner while taking care of life and then try to cram creativity into a space that may not serve it so well (such as an afternoon planned to scrapbook where my well is so dry that one page may not get completed).

I have several projects started and I have compiled them into a basket with their materials, I have my list at the forefront and I'm ready. Part of the challenge, for me, will be checking in here and creating some blog posts to help me jump start the blogging again.

Here we go!

Sunday Citar

2010-07-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. ” —J.R.R. Tolkien

“Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier. ” —Albert Schweitzer

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in. ”—Alan Alda

2010-07-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

I'm an Old Settler. Yup I am. Me and my super cousin went to Pioneer Park to the 115th annual Old Settler's Picnic. First thing we did is register. If you don't register then you don't get a ribbon and then you don't get your name in the yearbook next year. So, if you go you must register. Very important.

We got blue ribbons which means we are Tillicum ("a good friend"). It also means we have been residents of Whatcom County between 31 and 40 years. I pointed out that in three years my super cousin gets a green ribbon. She wasn't thrilled with the reminder.

Our family has been in Whatcom County since the 1870s. You don't get a ribbon for that but people really want to know so you should tell them if you know when your family first arrived. It gives you lots to talk about.

Once upon a time I worked at Pioneer Park as a tour guide. That was a fun summer. There is something magical about wandering through the buildings (15 at this time plus an outhouse) and being transported in time.

This is one of my favorite houses. It is filled with home artifacts...the kitchen is one of my favorite places. That said I'm glad I didn't have to prepare meals there.

I also love to eat at Old Settler's. It is a picnic! We ate our way through...Starting with the Bison Burger place. Coffee. Pie from the Rainbow Girls. It was all so very good.

I have always loved this gum machine....

Good times. Good friends. Spending time with family. It doesn't get much better than that.

Next up? Custer Daze!

Sunday in Fairhaven

2010-07-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” —Howard Thurman

Yesterday I spent the day with Troy in Fairhaven. When we met we both lived in Fairhaven and early in our marriage we called it home as well. My grandparents lived there all my life and my aunts still do. I love Fairhaven. LOVE it!

We spent the day walking, shopping, talking, laughing...and I took pictures with my iPhone. I had my regular camera but ended up shooting all the pics with my phone using various apps.

Here is (some of) our day in pictures....

“Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other - it doesn't matter who it is - and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other" —Mother Teresa

2010-07-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

“I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful." - Bob Hope

Summer seemed to take quite awhile to get to the Pacific Northwest, but it's here now and we need to embrace it (it seems like it's deciding to come and go on a whim!). So, my lovely cousin and I decided it was time to update the toes for summer. So fun!

And in the spirit of laughter and to play with my new iPhone app I thought I would share a little photo I snapped while at Victoria's Secret yesterday. I don't usually share pictures of "unmentionables" (haha) on my blog, but these were adorable...and funny...seriously, they are bedazzled....

Okay, Okay...just one more pair. These cracked me up...I really wanted a pair just for fun, but alas they only had an extra small left...

Oh the beauty of stealthy cell phone cameras...Ok maybe I wasn't too stealthy. Lorinda and I were cracking up the entire time!

Happy Day!

2010-07-13T17:06:00.002-07:00

When I read I keep a journal or at least a piece of paper next to me....today I came across a line that I felt like I needed to write down.

"She handled life with grace instead of fighting it."

Sometimes a line or two just speak to me. Handling life with grace is my goal - not often reached but always there to strive for.

Happy day my friends.

My broken brother: an update

2010-07-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Remember my broken brother? If you need a little refresher....here ya go! Well, he did it again. I tried to take him for a very belated birthday dinner only to get a text that says he's on his way to the ER with our Aunt Susan. WHAT? You have to know that this doesn't really surprise anyone in our family...It has been over a year since his last ER visit AND he just bought a new mountain bike so it was bound to happen, right?

A little crash and burn on the mountain and he walks away with a broken collar bone (OUCH) and a nasty case of road rash that covers his back. Poor brother...this is not how he wanted to spend the rest of his summer...(and yes, he was wearing his helmet and the bike is fine!)

2010-07-11T09:58:00.001-07:00

I knew it...

2010-07-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

“Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.”—Storm Jameson

CAUGHT!!!

Oh ya I caught them. I caught them not hating. These two are total stinkers. Tik and Spazz...grrrrr!!! Daily we hear hissing from Spazz - you know if Tik walks by or comes in the same room. Tik chases Spazz, Spazz runs. It's never ending and loud and sometimes happens at four in the morning ON my bed.

Spazz doesn't like Tik. He took her place as baby. He decided she was his playmate when maybe she didn't want a playmate. Turn-about is fair play though as she did the same thing to Ellie May when she was the newbie.

And just so everyone who may be thinking she doesn't know he's there here is proof. She's looking AT him. She knows. And as I was standing there taking these pictures she didn't hiss AT ALL! Then I made noise and she swatted at him and ran away. Pure show...darn cats.

And just because you may need something to make you smile....

2010-06-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” —Sir Winston Churchill

I decided I really need (want) to get back into writing this blog. I took a break, much needed, but felt something is missing. I like to write. I write all day long (or think about it...). So, I'm not sure what will end up here...probably a little bit of this and that (so aptly named, no?)...Of course I decide this on the morning that starts one of the busiest weeks of our year - I mean really, why not?

For today I'm going to leave you with this. Sounds perfect - Art & Dessert Therapy! After the fireworks booth I think I may have a HUGE therapy session! YES!

This poster is one of the reasons I miss being on a University campus. Not that I participated in anything, ever, but because of how wonderfully unique the culture(s) is when so many people are thrown together for some higher(?) education.

AND when you find these fliers ^^^^^^^^^^ taped to a wall you think, "Yes. Go for it people." (Of course I won't go for it, but I will look up the website and send links to many people!)

In conclusion....

Have a great day friends.

And buy some fireworks! Set the sky ablaze with color!

I gotta get this off of my chest

2010-06-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Just as the title says I have to "b" about something that has been bothering me for the last couple of years.

S-U-S-T-A-I-N-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y

Sustainability. Sustainability this. Sustainability that. Sustainable energy. Sustainable economy. Sustainable culture. Sustainable crap in my pants.

There is no such thing.

So let me put on my mortar board and fancy colorful cord, and robes (yes I wear no pants under them.)

Dr. Troy PHdink is in the office.

Sustainability-according to merriam -webster dictionary

Main Entry: sus·tain·able

Pronunciation: \sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl\

Function: adjective

Date: circa 1727

1 : capable of being sustained
2 a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods

— sus·tain·abil·i·ty \-ˌstā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— sus·tain·ably \-ˈstā-nə-blē\ adverb

As you can see the very definition has to do with human concepts and human creations. We have derived a word that has no natural context, yet insists on basing its philosophy in the world around us-the natural world.

Lets break it down a little. Sustainability comes from the combination of 2 words. "Sustain" and "ability"

Sustain is to "prolong: lengthen or extend in duration or space" from web definitions. (not a cialis ad)

Ability is "the quality of being able to perform" also from web definitions. (also not a cialis ad)

Sustainability is, thus, the lengthening of performance. Dare we say... it is to continue the status quo.

Of course the stated status quo is often thought to be a time of "good".

Now what is the problem with this?

NOW FOR ONE OF MY PATENTED LEARNING LISTS (this is a copywrited term!)

1. The assumption that we are in a time of good to sustain. Of course people's definition of what should be sustained varies greatly, so who gets to say what should be sustainable. I would also like to add that as of yet we have not reached any point that would/should be deemed worthy of sustaining.

2. It assumes no change for the negative. But to be truly sustainable there must be no change for the good either. This is very Aristotlean in its view but if you change what is being "sustained" then by its very nature it cannot be sustainable. So the question is "when do we get to sustainable?" It can only be a perfect system.

3. It assumes that nature (the very world, resources, ecology, etc. that we seek to sustain), has in it a perfect system that suits our concepts of goodness. Now the more religious among you may cite heaven as a perfect system. That may be so, but it is not part of this world-at least not yet.

4. Nature does not have the ability to lengthen the performance of any system!!!! The first and second laws of thermo dynamics state that the universe is always seeking a stable point of no energy. This means that the universe is also seeking a sustainable system-a point in which nothing takes place. Last I checked this is a pretty lazy endeavor. But then again perhaps the sustainable crowd is also part of this.

Part B.

1. Sustainabilists (my term) are those that seek a system in which no change occurs. This is an entropic system. It requires no perceived work on their part to continue once it is achieved, yet seems to allow them to reap the benefits for an indefinite period of time. The ulitmate communism.

2. While this is all fine and dandy, the remaining laws of thermodynamics indicate that such a system is impossible. If you are to reap the benefits of a system you must be part of it. By the very nature of trying to reap the benefits you are negating the entropy. It is like looking at the cat in the box.

In Conclusion-

Sustainability is effectively impossible. Both scientifically and socially. It requires a closed entropic system, it cannot be therefor applied as a model to anything people have created or wish to define as by the very action of trying to achieve a sustainable system you stop the sustainability.

Plus it is the lazy way out. The world changes around us. Constantly and continuously because it is not a sustainable world. The energy in the world shifts. It moves and creates high and low parts. It is not our job to change this by slowing it down but instead to learn to cope and even perhaps gather enough wisdom to provide some direction to the change. We need to quickly abandon this philosophy as it is detrimental to us, preaches an ideological laziness and is inherently impossible.

There-that feels better.

My government is watching out for me!

2010-06-17T19:23:00.001-07:00

The other day while I was at the IRS office, watching a horribly bored sercurity officer try to charge his cell phone under a sign that said "all cell phones must be turned off" I happened to glance over at the intergalactically vast bookshelf of brochures, booklets and forms and see this little bit peaking over the top."Well.....finally" I thought to myself. "My government is being proactive and assisting with victims or real problems."

"Every paraplegic robotic personality disorder victim should have someone helping out." smugly said to myself, while crossing my arms and nodding in a knowingly satisfied fashion.

Many of you may not know about paraplegic robotic personality disorder victims. You see periodically a 20-40ish white guy, usually with a post baccalaureate degree in engineering, math, science, computer programming or sci-fi literature, will develop a "robotic personality". This is okay in and amongst itself, often quickly passing within a few days as the work stress clears up. However some times it lasts longer and may result in injury as the affected geek...er.....a patient attempts to actually do something a robot could do that normal human flesh could not. (kiss a hot iron, recharge from a wall outlet, stop a moving car by standing in front of it, take a bullet, drink oil, breathe in a vacuum/underwater, be a 'love machine' etc. you know standard robot stuff.) If the result is not brain damage or death the result is paraplegism.

This paraplegism causes a huge schism in the personality of the 'robot' as it attempts to come to grips with why it was damaged. Often the end result will be the verbal assault of "lesser" life forms as it tries to dominate the local ecology through 'logical discourse'. This usually occurs to ethnic groups as the babble of another language is seen as an 'error in translation unit-probably hardware-running a level 3 diagnostic'. The resulting diagnostic can be very trauma inducing as it often involves the removal of 'cultural camoflauge' and the immediate application of a 'digital test through rear access port'.

Needless to say if you are hispanic and suddenly see a babbling skinny, pale white limbless dude take his clothes off and insert a finger in his ass while looking at you with a longing gaze you would want a tax break too.

Thank you IRS for recognizing the true victims here.

2010-06-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” —Marcus Aurelius

Yesterday we had the good fortune of going to two Memorial Day celebrations. The first in the morning held at the Lynden Cemetery and the second, The Festival of Flags, held at Moles Greenacres Memorial Park.

Troy participates in The Festival of Flags with his reenactment gear (hopefully next year Mabel will make an appearance). He has a stream of people stopping and checking out his stuff and talking about memories or asking questions. It is great fun for him.

The festival included many speakers, including Jerry Stewart (from the radio programs One Moment in America) and a Homeland Security Blackhawk that delivered the American flag. I spent some time watching children create message for the troops overseas.

The park was full of families and community members celebrating the fallen and active soldiers as well as visiting loved ones who may not have served. There was such beautiful energy in the cemetery. It was wonderful. A cemetery should be a place of celebration and yesterday it certainly was...

And, of course, I visited grandpa and grandma. I miss them daily. I didn't get to the other cemetery to visit my other grandparents - this week for sure.

I just couldn't stop taking pictures of the flags. There are over 1400 flags lining the pathways - it truly is a spectacular sight.

It was an amazing day. Much thanks to the soldiers that have laid down their lives for our freedom, our way of life. Thanks to those who are currently serving - be it at a base stationed in the U.S., on a tour of duty in another nation or deployed to a hostile environment. Thanks to everyone who has served a short enlistment to those who have retired from our military. Thanks to the families left at home while their loved ones are serving. Thanks to the civilians who support our military daily...It takes everyone!

2010-05-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

This was in my in box this morning.

“Do more than belong: participate.

Do more than care: help.

Do more than believe: practice.

Do more than be fair: be kind.

Do more than forgive: forget.

Do more than dream: work.”

—William Arthur Ward

***photo from way back. love my boy.***

These words speak to me. This reminds me to put action in life, not just words. It is so easy to sit back and not put in the work...Good quote - food for thought.

Have a great weekend friends.

2010-05-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

"You know I’ll always be there to love you, support you, no matter what kind of pickle you’re in."

- Juno

Did you know that tomorrow starts the beginning of International Pickle week 2010? Really, I wouldn't joke about a thing like that.

See that bottle in the picture below? That my friends is a pickle. A very, very, very old pickle. The beauty of having a husband as a museum director/curator is that we have treasures (yes, I'm calling this pickle a treasure) like this just down the road. Fascinating, no?

If you are interested in just what that label says and just how old that pickle is check out the new Lynden Pioneer Museum blog, Museum Musings.

"Pickles are cucumbers that sold out." - Mitch Hedberg

2010-05-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

“You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” —Winnie-the-Pooh (A. A. Milne)

Where oh where have I been? I wish I could say I've been off doing something fantastic, but really I've been here just doing the usual. Troy was sick for a week. I've been working, volunteering, spending time with family and friends. Life has been busy at times and quiet at times. Just doing a little bit of this and that.

I did have a FANTASTIC girls night out with two amazing women. We went to The Fireside. Amazing drinks, amazing food and amazing friends. What more could I ask for? If you are local or passing through the area you should really, really check it out!

I so want a cheese platter. I would like one nightly. My idea of bliss.

I obviously need to plan a little trip with my martini girls again soon.

I've been trying to decide where I want this blog to go. With Archer getting older there is less of an emphasis on him (his choice - I'm respecting that, but don't worry he isn't gone forever!), so I need to decide what I really want to do here. Maybe I'm over thinking it. Most likely. I have a tendency to over think sometimes...There will be a Mabel post in the near future. She's begging for it...Yay!

...and in closing I want to share this quote. I love it. It's one of those life lessons that I try to remind Archer of daily. Happy Day friends!

“The art of being yourself at your best is the art of unfolding your personality into the person you want to be...Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others.” —Wilferd A. Peterson

I cannot believe it!

2010-05-09T00:40:00.001-07:00

I just want to inform you about them. I am so tired of everything they are always trying to do to ruin the lives of good law abiding citizens. I don't normally get too politically ranty but this time they have simply gone to far. With all of the new laws at state and national (even international) levels I watch my personal freedom disappear bit by bit, step by step until I am left with only the yoke of servitude around my neck. I am now told who I have to deal with, how I have to deal with them, what to eat, think, own, worship and what words I can and cannot say. I am told when I try to speak that I am out of line, ignorant and mis-informed and that if I would just listen to what is said I would be a better, happier person. I apparently don't need to worry because it has all been figured out for me.

They control the economy, science and medicine, re-write my history and determine what will be taught to my child and write my ballot for me. Unless I do something about this it will continue. They will continue to conspire to reduce me to slavery and remove from me the rights and voice I hold as a person.

So to fix this sooner than later, before they can buy and sell me like an animal, I have to remove their evil, their taint from this world. I must find a way to strike now, before I cannot strike. I exhort and encourage all of you who also suffer under their impending tyranny to join me and destroy them, before they destroy us! Because they will not stop, their greed will not let them stop until we give our hearts to them.

We do this not for us but for those that cannot defend themselves! Our children, our homes, our history, our nation, our rights!

Now I would like to point out some things you probably did while you read through the above. You probably substituted some specific devil into the pronouns. "They" may be muslims, progressives, conservatives, immigrants, christians, politicians, your neighbors , masons, aliens, the illuminati or even the devil (but not limited to just that list.)

Now I would like to point out that you probably feel that there are some actual groups listed above (and even some I missed), that could certainly be substituted even if you didn't necessarily do that at the time.

I would finally like to point out that "they" are saying the same thing about "you".

Today many people wonder why we are polarizing within our country, politically, ideologically, religiously, etc. Many are scared that this is happening because of our technology, modernism, population size, etc. Many truly believe that we need to "get them before they get us" and as such need to get the getters first.

But, sad to say this is not a modern phenomenon. This pattern is one we continue to go through historically.

The above diatribe has been heard before. In regards to communism during 1950s America. In regards to jews in 1930s Germany. It has echoed the streets of Moscow about the czars and Bolsheviks. It was heard in China at the change of every dynasty. Its cry rang through the christian world just prior to the crusades, and against the universal church during the reformation. It was heard in Rome and the city states of Greece before the birth of Jesus and Buddha. It was written about the encroaching Accadians by the Sumerians. We have said nothing new in history with our modern words. And it is certainly not limited to the above.

Why? Because we ask "who makes us suffer?" so that we can ask "how do we make them suffer." We say "you cannot know my suffering unless you suffer as I do." We validate the suffering by mistaking anger for knowledge. We then blame our gods, our devils and neighbors, our parents and our children, etc.

The moral? Don't know, I will leave that up to you guys.

The answer? The above information does not change that many of those around you feel "they" are still trying to get "us" is an acting fact, not an idle musing. And I may be one of them.

2010-04-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

“Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” —Scott Adams

HAPPY MAIL! I love opening the mailbox and getting a super fantastic treat (as opposed to bills and junk!). Our lovely friend from the south, Katrina and her family, sent us cookies! Snickerdoodles. They are so good. So. Good. Really.

And to my great surprise and delight there was kid art in the box from sweet little M & E. I love kid art and as we don't have a little one anymore the art is far more rare! Our fridge and cupboards and Archer's door are all decorated with art from these two amazing kids!

So, a HUGE thanks to Katrina and the fam for the happy mail. We are blessed to call you friend!

the avid ramblings of a suspected mad muffin maker

2010-04-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Just some thoughts to tickle the id and reflect that philosophy across the ages is simply fodder for comedians who in turn are just tragedies waiting to happen. This is perhaps why the greeks were so good at plays.

Don't believe a solipsist-he doesn't believe you.

Nihilism-a great end to a bad day.

Anarchy-brought to you by the kids who flunked philosophy and then got beat up by the math nerds cause of the clothes they wear.

Platonic relationship-created by plato, misunderstood by freud, used to humerous effect in Threes Company.

Socratic Method-still practiced today on most campus'...."dude don't bogart the weed!" "Shut up you aren't really real."

St. Thomas Aquinas-mixing philosophy and religion requires a lot more than the bartenders bible.

Pragmatism-the philosophy for those who think "close enough" and "in the ball park" are actual empirical measurements.

Heresy-not so much a philosophy as simply a good time at the brothel with brother rasputin.

Confucianism-not just a written guide to how to live your life ethically, it is also the source of lots of great quotes "Confucius say man who stand on toilet high on pot!"

Taoism-apparently justification for winnie the pooh's massive and misunderstood intellect. Of course I always just thought Christopher Robin sat on him too many times. Stupid me.

Nationalism-the belief that everyones penis in your country is bigger than everyone's penis in their country until you conquer that country then their penis is suddenly, magically as big as yours.

Why are their less spanish philosophers than any one else? Because they hit upon the only philosophy that really works. Go nap on it and see how you feel about it afterward. If it still seems a bit daunting have a shot of tequila.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect." ~Chief Seattle, 1855

I love Earth Day. Renewal. Reminder. Education. It's all good.

As my family well knows I get excited about recycling and garbage reduction. Our recycle bins are well used. My compost bin is well stocked. Our garbage pick up is down to about once every three weeks. By the way, Mabel restoration isn't the greenest activity in the world...

I love to figure out a more natural (and usually less expensive) way to make things. Recently I have begun to make my own laundry detergent, dishwashing machine detergent and flavored creamer (still perfecting this, but it is pretty darn good!). It's been fun.

I am not a gardener. I've tried, but it isn't really "my thing" so what I can do is shop local and support my local economy including businesses, farms, etc. One of my favorite places is The Green Barn. Love it there.

Finally, today (and tomorrow) if you live locally you should go to Sole Obsession and pick up some Simple shoes (if you don't live locally give Kelly a call - she ships! yay!). These are mine. I love them. A lot.

So. To recap:
*Recycle.
*Reuse.
*Reduce waste.
*Make stuff.
*Buy local.
*Earth Day everyday.
*and a link to past Earth Day posts that aren't quite so random and disjointed! :)

Happy Day friends!

"Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognize his values.... God made life simple. It is man who complicates it." ~Charles A. Lindbergh

2010-04-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." ~Rita Rudner

My husband is the best. Really. He's funny and quirky and I might just be the only person who could ever live with him. Well, me and Archer. Oh and his parents - but they got rid of him fast! :)

Sometimes he leaves stuff laying around.
You know like this:

and this:

But that is all good because he is kind and funny and smart and kids LOVE him.

And...he's really helpful. Like he lets me know when sloppy joes for dinner would be a good idea.

And...he's good with colors and clothes. I know, I know some of you who KNOW him think clothes? fashion? Troy? NO. But really, he is. He chooses to wear those clothes from the 1940s. I swear he can match stuff and make great outfits if he wants too!

Case 1: I come home from shopping with a new skirt, shirt, whatever.

Troy: It's nice. But you're never going to wear that.

Me: YES I am! (slightly indignant)

Fast forward a year (or so). I pull said garment out of the closet.

Me: I never wore this.

Troy: I know. I told you you wouldn't.

In these cases I think he is undermining my freewill. Just saying.

Case 2: Recently I came home with two new tops in color (i.e. not black) - turquoise-ish and purple-ish/pink (I could ask Troy what colors they are but he isn't here). He takes one look and says that they are nice...and then he says what I'm really looking for...

Troy: The purple-ish/pink one will go with anything. Jeans, the green shorts, the brown shorts. The blue one with jeans and the brown shorts but NOT the green shorts.

Me: Ya. I knew that about the blue one. Not with the green shorts. (Note to self: Do NOT wear the blue shirt with the green shorts!)

See? He's helpful. Although there are times that he will tell me something matches and is just wrong. He does not believe in pale pink and brown. According to him that shouldn't happen. Just in case you were wondering.

And...If anyone is wondering what Mabel looks like RIGHT NOW...

Poor girl lost her insides. She's getting 'em all redone. I'll have Troy update on that later.

Happy Monday friends!

Fact Check vent

2010-04-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

Okay,

I gotta vent here. This will undoubtedly mark me as a raving lunatic but here goes.....

Ready......

Wait for it.....

No really.....

Here we go.....

I have just learned that.....

The world will not end in 2012. In fact there is a good chance it will continue well on into the next few milleniums....

How do I know?

Cause I am from the future and every day is history for me!

No.....wait, that doesn't sound quite right......errr......

Oh!

I am from the past and have travelled to the future to read about the past!!!!!

I...ah.....no....no.....hrmmm....let me check my notes......

Oh yeah. Cause I have simple facts.

1. Earthquakes are not getting more common: we have 1.3 million 2.x scale quakes a year?! Yikes! I don't even poop that much every year. Although I might if I was in 1.3 million earthquakes. hmmm.... I feel a diabolical scheme coming on....oh wait that is just last nights pizza.

2. Asteroid strikes are not getting closer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_object

Dear god! A few thousand objects are near us!!!!! Oh wait, they occupy an immediate space of 1.25x10 to the 14 square kilometers around earth. Blogspot can't handle a number that big.

3. The galactic center alignment of 2012 happened in 1998! Damn, I thought I felt something funny in my shorts....

4. The Sumerian calendar does predicts the end of the world in 2085! But if you carry the 2 and divide by asshole.......oh! then it does ends in 2012.

5. The names from Sumeria that mean things like "shiny lords that come from heaven" was given to the Sumer by the surrounding distinctly less cool tribes. (akkadian means-people of the high water pants and suspenders.) The sumerians called themselves "the black headed people." This means they either had cool shiny black space suits with slick red racing stripes, or they were prone to acne. Given they had not yet invented soap I am guessing the latter.

6. The only person in central america who thought cortez was queztecoatl returned to bless the world was cortez. He also wrote in his journal that he would be king and get lucky with queen isabella. Boy was he wrong. Instead he was sent to the ass end of the colonies after his delusions got the best of him. The indians are right-he was a jerk.

7. John Cusack was only ACTING! Which is more than I can say for Amanda Peet. At least she has her boo......charming smile and winning personality to fall back on.

8. The mayans didn't invent the calendar, the Olmecs did, we just can't read Olmec....hell I can barely say it.

9. The mayan calendar also says this is the 13th time the world has ended. Well....if you can't get it right the first time try, try again. I wonder if stone tablets about the end of the world sold as well as bad books of little scholarly value.

10. The Mayans of today-yes there are still mayans around, cortez didn't grease 'em all-don't seem overly concerned. In fact most of them are planning for a great big garage sale where they sell all the junk you dumped cheap cause you thought the world was going to end, back to you for twice what you sold it for.

11. The only thing that revelations says that has come true is Israel. Revelations did not say how many times israel would rise again....and I am betting at the rate they are pissing people off there will be second time.

12. planet x, aka nibiru, the sumerian lost planet where the divine wisdom of the anniniku (I think I spelled it right-god knows I didn't say it right.) dwells will not be coming back to hit us. Why? If the Sumerians were so good at predicting its orbit over the last 4500 years, and assuming that the ass-nincompoop (did I get it spelled right?-damn spell check-I'll tell you who will end this world....friggin microsoft windows....thats who...) in their all knowing wisdom didn't get their asses froze off way out beyond pluto's orbit (remember the sun is like a guy with gas, a lighter and a high girlish squeal, on pluto) and assuming that planet nubbin didn't run into any of those thousand plus near earth orbity bits then we should be able to see it given that we can look at a star over a billion miles away and detect planets in other solar systems. But oh wait, that's right the elite progressive, corporatist, evangelical, nazi, communistic, masonullati don't want us to know that they found planet x so they can go live with the annikans and practice their force tricks on each other (snicker....hey Joe....you ARE wearing pants....giggle, giggle) for the few days before the planet hits earth and kills everyone! Except of course the all wise anunciators 'cause they are so wise and technologically advanced they have developed "galacti-clean" laundry soap for getting even the most stubborn planet collision skid marks out your interdimensional underwear.

Why do we want the end of the world to come? Because it absolves us of all responsibility for ourselves. We have permission to judge and find fault those around us so that we can say "I told you so."

On December 22, 2012 I will stand on my rooftop and shout "I told you so!" Then I will slip off and break my neck most likely, not realizing that the mayans had developed that calendar solely for me.

"Hobbs, I just realize all the events of history have worked to result in me!" -Calvin

"It is when we find ourselves alone that we find ourselves without values and thus without value."-don't know who said it but it sure is true.

Barefoot Day wrap-up

2010-04-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there.” —Zig Ziglar

As I mentioned earlier I participated with Miss Kelly from Sole Obsession in One Day Without Shoes (I am almost positive that we were the only people plus a nice pedicurist at Mane Styles who were doing this!). What an experience it was.

So what did I learn? How did it go?

*Shoe are good. I like shoes. A lot.
*Wet pavement is very cold and slimy and just plain icky!
*Floors in public places are questionable.

(with Kelly at Starbucks where they totally didn't even notice, or didn't care - one or the other, that we were shoeless)

*My feet got very cold. Even in my house.
*I love my slippers.
*Wrapping ones feet in a blanket is NOT the same thing as wearing socks or slippers!

(going into the grocery store. these feet were cold. it was wet. YUCK!)

*Having the put my feet outside was the hugest first step. One I dreaded.
*Driving a clutch requires shoes. REQUIRES!
*I do NOT have tough feet!
*Walking a mile(ish) barefoot is painful (pavement is hard - how is that for an observation?) and one has to be very careful to watch for broken glass, dog poop (ick people clean it up! I did not step in this but dang I would have been MAD), rocks...

One of the best things I did today was go on my walk. I was going to put on shoes because, well, duh I was going on a WALK, but my family said something about "talking the talk and walking the walk" so I headed out sans shoes. First of all, it made me slow down, way down, and I got to actually SEE a more than if I'd walked by fast. Second, people actually stopped and asked me why I didn't have shoes on. I got to talk to 5 different people (3 different stops) about what I was doing and why. It was good. I'm glad all of those people at first looked at me like I was crazy (I might be) and that they chose to ask me why the heck I'd leave my shoes at home. It's what I was after.

(finally some sun for my feet. It was still cold though!)

*Shoes are essential. We need them. Everyone needs them. So if you have old shoes donate them. You won't be sorry.

And a big thanks to Kelly for bringing this to my attention. While the long walk was a bit painful and I spent the day with cold toes I am glad I did (and I'd do it again!).

Now it's time to get ready for the day and I shall be wearing shoes and LOVING it!

Happy shoes people!

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-04-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

1. In 1992, I was 18 and graduating from high school. The possibilities were endless.
2. My guys fill me with laughter and smiles.
3. Do what you can, with what you have been given, where you are right now at this time - don't wait!
4. Celebrating life is where I'd like to be (lucky for me that is where I am!).
5. The trees and flowers are telling me that Spring has definitely sprung! Bring it on!
6. The daily this and that is the everyday *stuff* that just keeps going on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing, tomorrow my plans include working and possibly shopping with a friend and Sunday, I want to get my work done for Monday morning's meeting - nothing like being prepared!

2010-04-08T05:50:00.000-07:00

Our local shoe store, the very cool Sole Obsession, is helping raise awareness about how a simple pair of shoes can change a child's life. One Day Without Shoes is sponsored by TOMS Shoes...all they ask is for you to spend one day without shoes. Can't do a day? A few hours? A few minutes? There are also "virtual" ways you can go shoeless to show your support. I had never heard of this before, so thanks to Kelly at Sole Obsession for raising my awareness.

from the One Day Without Shoes site:

It’s Hard Without Shoes

Through everyday encounters with domestic poverty, we are reminded to appreciate having food and shelter, but most of us all but forget about our feet. Food, shelter, AND shoes facilitate life’s fundamentals. Imagine a life without shoes; constantly aware of the ground in front of you, suffering regular cuts and scrapes, tending to infection after each walk, and enduring not only terrain, but heat and cold.

The problem is large, but the solution is simple. Wearing shoes and practicing basic hygiene can prevent both infection and disease due to unsafe roads and contaminated soil. By imagining a life barefoot, we can all contribute to the awareness of these conditions. On April 8th, communities, campuses, organizations, and individuals are banding together to walk barefoot for One Day Without Shoes.

Here are a few facts about the need for shoes in developing countries:

In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

So, here we go. I am going to do my best to go most of the day without shoes. And I will for sure show my support "virtually." How about you?

Rebels without a clue......or our federal government in action.

2010-04-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Net Neutrality....a neutral network....
Glenn Beck thinks it is a marxist plot, the progressives claim corporate theocratic takeover, most people just don't care or don't know, yet either way it could drastically affect how you get to use your internet.

Here are the dueling bills-
(the anti net neutrality bill) -claimed by republicans
(the pro net neutrality bill) -claimed by democrats

Not long bills and not difficult to understand so please read them if you get a chance-you should always read the original legislation.

History-Up until 2005 the internet had a stipulation that no one who provided access to the internet (such as verizon, aol, microsoft, etc.) could tell you which browser to use, which program to search with, what content you could look up, or post to the internet (providing it did not violate copyright, privacy, or minors sexual laws.) This meant that if you had AOL, you could still use google to search for stuff, or access You tube, or look at Microsoft news network. Or any variation thereof. It also got very complicated on the technical bits such as types of data, data rates, transmission sources, network protocols, etc had to be allowed. What it did, in short, was allow anybody that felt they had a better way of doing things on the internet to try to convince everyone else their way was better and make a million. This is basically the story of Netscape.

Now-Wether you like it or not, or even notice it, communications companies are trying to tell you how, when, where and what you can access on the internet. If Verizon (example they do not support Safari, but do support Firefox and Explorer because these are who they have business relationships with-personal experience cited) is your service provider they want you to use their subsidiaries or business partners, not their competition. So far the FCC has said no to this and was prepared to set up formal regulations making all companies on the internet play nice with each other. But the Republicans, egged on by talk show radio host Glenn Beck, decided to introduce Senate bill 1836 which restricted the FCC from making any rules about the internet. The response was the House Resolution 3458 which put the FCC rules into law. HR 3458 no where restricts content, in fact it specifically has prohibitions in numerous places forbidding the restriction of content.

My take. This shouldn't be a political issue. This just makes the republicans look like they are in the big business pocket as so many democrats claim. The fact that we cannot just let the FCC (not my favorite government agency so it pains me to say this) do their job is just another example of what our government has become. This issue has become just another talking point for pundits and opinionaters to use for personal gain through ratings and general confusion.

Net neutrality is not an effort by either marxists or theocrats to use the internet to shove their ideologies down our throat. It is an effort to remind corporations that they thrive when small entrepenures come up with new ideas for them to market to their customers.

birthday fun, cool cousins, and Easter shoes...OH MY!

2010-04-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.” —Audrey Hepburn

“You will discover that you have two hands. One is for helping yourself and the other is for helping others.” -Audrey Hepburn

April is off to a roaring start.

Birthday fun. I would expand on the fun but it is probably better that I don't. Haha.

Easter with family. The ten-year gap cousins. Love these boys. (By the way Nick totally kicked at the egg hunt!)

New shoes for some sisters. I call them our Easter shoes, but really they're not. My flip flops were from Troy for my birthday and De just buys shoes whenever she possibly can.

So, April is off to a good start. It is Spring break and I'm taking a few days to slow down before picking back up again.

In other (birthday) news: I follow a blog, hula seventy, have you heard of it? Do you read? I love it. Every year she makes a list of things to do before her next birthday. Last year I contemplated this, however never made a list. Right around the end of February I decided that I was going to do it. So, early March I started my list. It took me a few weeks. But now I have a list of 36 things to do before I turn 37. I haven't decided yet if I'll publish the whole list or not. I might. I might not. We'll see. I will, most likely, share as I complete or work on items. Some things are silly, some abstract, some concrete, however all are meaningful, to me.

So, hears to another year. I'm ready. So far 36 has been pretty nice to me.

2010-04-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” —Fredrick Koeing

Welcome April. Buds on the lilac tree. Sun streaming through the bushes. Blue sky and puffy white clouds. The promise of rain soon. Chilly mornings...Spring is definitely here.

I love April. Yes, it is my birth month, however I also look at it as the beginning. The beginning of Spring. The beginning of "new" weather.

I wish I was into Spring cleaning the way other people are. I read about people organizing drawers and purging closets. I however, decide to deep clean. Every year. So far this year I have cleaned out the washing machine (it looks almost new!), cleaned the dishwasher, pulled out the stove and cleaned under/behind it....I may still have piles but you can eat off my floors!

Here we go.

Welcome April!

Four.

2010-03-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

“Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart.” —Sarah Ban Breathnach

I just realized that as of today I have been doing this blog thing for four years. Wow. That's a long time doing one thing. For me at least.

I'm not sure why I started this blog. I'd read a few others and signed up to see what it was all about. I've written about Archer, Troy, our family, our life, our kitties, some hardships, lots of fun stuff, quotes, poems...I suppose just a little bit of this and that. It's been fun. There are times I've been prolific and times I've seemed to have forgotten to write at all. However, all in all it's been fun.

Thanks to my readers for following a long on this journey...let's see where we end up.

Celebrate everyday!

Mondays with Mabel

2010-03-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

that engine is amazingly small when you take all the bits off......

I guess every truck restoration has to have a point at which all the parts are in the bed.

1 little, 2 little, 6 little cylinders....

well here it is, all the bits of mabel laid out on the operating table. We have had to go to the heart of her, a partial engine rebuild. This is frankly a bit much for me. I had planned to do a simple restoration, and ease into the whole concept of rebuilding her engine. Was looking toward next winter. But this is, obviously, not part of mabels plan.

Which leads me to some zen and art of military restoration. Instead of a tutorial on how to rebuild a chrysler designed, dodge built flathead in line 6 cylinder engine I would rather like to explore some of the things I have learned so far.

Troys rules of restoration:

1. You are never to old or young to learn. You are simply too stubborn or to egotistical. Put aside your pride and you will find a big open area in which to plant an assload of insight (that is technically a farming term-an assload is how much you can carry on a donkey.)

2. When you are wandering around in the fields of self doubt, guilt and feeling a bit overwhelmed ask a friend for help. That is what friends are for.

2a. The flip side of 2. When you see someone that looks lost and bit stuck in sometimes just helping, no matter how mundane the project, can give them the path back to solid pastures.

3. Words of encouragement are nice, but actions of encouragement are better.

4. Just start. The first step to the other side of the mountain is actually just putting a foot forward.

5. Anger is best saved for something that can actually talk back. Other people do things to you, not wrenches. Most often it is your fault, so go easy on yourself, remember you have to live with that jerk for the rest of your life.

6. The length of the road is always the same. Your perception of how long it is is what changes, so when it suddenly seems way too damn long just close your eyes and try not to run off into the ditch. (this is metaphorical-please keep your eyes open while actually driving.)

7.When in doubt about the outcome do something simple. The great thing about success is that the little ones will add up and next thing you know you are closer than you thought.

8. Many hands do make the load alot lighter.

9. Nekkid girl calendars, although distracting, really make a garage a home.

10. Cats love car restorations. Probably cause they don't have to do the work, but they do get the benefits. Jerks. But you gotta admire their Chutzpaw (get it?-paw?huh?...Funnneeeey!)

I will be the first person to admit at this point I am totally out of my depth. I cannot see the plan, I am just following the writing on the wall (but not the bathroom wall-never follow the bathroom wall advice).

Mabel has become a task of faith, I know she will one day be done. But right now I cannot actually tell you how that will happen. I am angry, tired and just plain grumpy about the fact that I cannot play with my new toy. But I am also beginning to realize there is perhaps a little more to this than just a toy to play with. I am both scared and excited at the same time. Sort of silly when it is about a hunk of metal.

Thank you Mom, Dad and Jerrie for letting me learn this lesson. Thank you to Pete, Gordon, Fred, Travis, Christian, Jayson, Dirk, Jake and Sam for your helping hands. The load is certainly lighter.

2010-03-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

“Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today.
Inhabit your moments. Don't rent them out to tomorrow.” —Jerry Spinelli

One of my favorite ways to unwind and have fun is to spend a day with my cousin Lorinda. We finish each other's sentences, we know when the other needs to eat or have more coffee, if we're shopping we know exactly what the other will love. There is no better thing than a best friend/cousin (frousin!).

Our new shoes. Lovely, lovely. Last week I went to Sole Obsession and went a little nuts. I got the cute little black Merrells and I picked up the green and gold J-41s (now Jambu) because she has been wanting them for a long time. (I also picked up a couple pair of flip-flops...necessary you know).

No day would be complete without a trip to Starbucks. We had too much fun with the self-portraits...there are a few that we have promised never to show another living soul (of course).

And finally. The important stuff. Cake. Lemon-blueberry chiffon. It was heavenly...We ate that piece in less than 8 minutes (how we know this is not important, what is important is that we do know how fast we ate it...).

So very thankful for this girl, my cousin, my best friend.

I love spending time with Lorinda. Celebrating our family, our friendship. She loves me for who I am - my faults, my fears, my idiosyncrasies - and she knows them all...

Life is good.

oh ya!

2010-03-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

ok. Quick note. It is very important. Are you reading? Ok. Ready?

This week is American Chocolate Week. Yes it is.

So. Eat chocolate without guilt. Please.

And...ENJOY!

2010-03-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.” - Dr. Karl Augustus Menninger

The coffee is ready.
The cousin is here.
We are ready to create. Talk. Laugh. Make a mess.
Loving it.

2010-03-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

“Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.” ~ Zig Ziglar

Last night I was lucky enough to be involved in the Lynden Pioneer Museum's Celebration of Volunteers evening. It is a very special night where the staff gets the opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the volunteers who make it possible to have such an incredible museum open to the public six days a week all year long!

While I am not on staff, my dear husband is the dedicated director/curator and he is endlessly dedicated to this museum, the community, and the idea of protecting and preserving history. I am honored to help out when I can at the museum and most especially at this particular event. Tami (who is terribly gifted in all areas of entertaining) and I spend days/weeks/all year brainstorming/shopping/decorating in order to make this event special for all the wonderful volunteers.

I would like to say a big thank you not only to the volunteers but also to the wonderful staff at the museum.

mondays with mabel on tuesday

2010-03-02T20:31:00.001-08:00

Here it is, more mabelly goodness!

Today I got a rare item indeed. (Found thanks to my eagle eyed father-eagle eyed cause no hair gets in his way!) A WC-55 ration box! (bottom 2 pcitures) These are rare items indeed and this is a replica. But even replicas are rare! The gun truck version of mabel had ration boxes by the driver because the driver of such a cool truck needed to have a place to put his candy bars and soder pop. This was often kept cool by a special big box of military flavored ice cream!!!!!! (mmmm OD green flavor), then they would eat it with big wooden spoo........

WAIT!

Sorry-some pesky slavs took over the post while I was going to get a bag of peanut m&ms.

Any way. The ration box was placed on the driver side simply because they had a bunch of gas and water on the passenger side. It was intended to store a weeks worth of food (rations) for the crew as they would often be deployed for an extended period.

Tomorrow I will drill the holes and mount that bad boy then I will begin looking for some of the best c-ration to ever be made to put in it. Fruit Cake! Now you are probably thinking that some more pesky slavs have grabbed hold and are writing but no I assure you I am in full control of my faculties and keyboard. Fruit cake was a highly prized meal for our boys overseas in WW2. I had some once when my cousin scott visited when I was a kid and it actually tasted pretty good. Looked like a festive christmas turd though. So just as you cannot judge a book by its cover so you cannot judge the taste of c-rats by their looks.

Here is the other corner (please see top of the above three images). This one is an exercise in taking out dents and welding bits. Which I am actually enjoying. I have learned a few things as well. DONT weld with fleece on. It lights up like you are covered in lighter fluid. Luckily it goes out quick too and doesn't burn with a flame.

2010-03-01T08:18:00.000-08:00

"Sweet childish days that were as long as twenty days are now." - William Wordsworth

While Spring cleaning with Troy last weekend I found Archer's first pair of cowboy boots under the couch. I dusted them off and they are on a table in the living room now. And as I was dusting them off I thought of this picture, taken about ten years ago (he is wearing said boots and his Power Ranger jammies).

I love this picture. I love this quote. Last night on the way home from youth group two of the boys were talking about how time passes so much quicker now that they are "older" (ya, older at fourteen! Yikes!).

I know we can't slow down time or go back to visit this sweet little boy in his boots and jammies. Oh, how I'd like another day with my four year old boy. However, we can be present in the moment; cherish and be present in the days with the fourteen year old boy. Celebrate everyday we're given.

Happy Day!

Celebrate: Marrying my Best Friend

2010-02-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

“You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” - Dr. Seuss

Fifteen years ago, on Friday, Troy and I were married. I am very lucky to have married my best friend that day. We have spent 15 years laughing, crying, raising a child, enjoying our family, working, exploring, having fun...It's been quite a ride and I am looking forward to the future!

We decided to head south yesterday to visit the EMP/Sci-fi Museum in Seattle. The music memorabilia was quite interesting and I could see how a musician would LOVE it there.
I particularly liked the Sci-Fi Museum. Troy calls it a fan-boy museum, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. One must remember that Troy looks at museums differently than most other people - always wishing they had done this or that.
I really enjoyed the Gelatine Lux temporary exhibit. It is described as 20 illuminated glass sculptures in bold colors, suspended within a universe that includes sound and video components. It was very cool. I love glass sculpture, so it was right up my alley.
I hadn't been to Seattle Center in quite sometime. We drive by it on I-5 frequently and the EMP building is hard to miss and I always thought it quite odd...and it is! However, I think it's lines are awesomely unique and the building is quite impressive.
I like that the monorail goes right through two parts of the building.
After visiting the EMP/SFM we had lunch at Seattle Center, walked around a bit, hopped on the freeway for a quick trip to University Village...oh how I love U Village! We picked up some Trophy Cupcakes (which I shall eat for breakfast this morning), a cool art book for Troy, a sweater for me from Anthropologie (as well as a fun fabric letter).
We ended the evening with dinner at the Harbor Side Bistro for dinner. Sole stuffed with crab...delicious. The picture above is of our "his and hers" blue drinks. I think I need some pear vodka now.

On our wedding invitation it said, "A glance, a smile became friendship grew into Love." Everyday I am thankful that I married my friend Troy. He's awesome. Really.

Happy Sunday friends! I am off to eat a Stroop Waffle cupcake for breakfast...it DOES have waffle in the title right?

Happy Birthday!

2010-02-22T20:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday George!
An awesome dad, a wonderful grandpa, the BEST father-in-law!
We are very lucky!

Mondays with Mabel

2010-02-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

I know, I know you have all been wondering about Mabel. Is she still around? Is she okay? Did she just decide one day she'd had enough of this cracker jack operation and head for a better garage?

No, no. She is still lovingly housed in "her" room. She still receives much tender loving care from her Troy (and a few others who help out frequently, namely Pete...he's an awesome guy - an actual mechanic from WW2 - lucky Mabel).

Putting in the foot pedal dust sleeves. Wouldn't wanna get too dusty she is a girl for crying out loud!

Lookey. She's got some new gauges. Yay for Mabel. Now she knows how fast she's going and if she's hot or cold. Good for her.

And what's that?
Do you notice anything different between the picture above and the one below? Huh?
HEADLIGHTS! Now she can see. At night. Poor thing hasn't even been able to read a book in the dark of night - she's been stranded in the garage - bored I'm sure!

But really, headlights are a huge step forward in the electrical department. Things should, hopefully, go smoothly from here.

Happy Day Miss Mabel!

Beware Superman! Mr. Silly Pants is here!

2010-02-18T17:14:00.000-08:00

Its time for me to come clean. I have a secret life as an evil genius of dramatically enlarged proportions. Yes I am embiggened by the sheer creative potential of my cruel intelligence. I am Mr. Silly Pants the most machivellian criminal out there. My hidden agendas have at least 2 more hidden agendas in them and usually some sort of side agenda-sort of like when the waitress asks for salad or fries with your hamburger. In fact my schemes are so complex and horribly genius in their sheer evilosity that I have a couple of secretaries that keep minutes on the meetings I have with myself to insure that all the details are covered. These meetings are so top secret that the minutes are destroyed before they are made.

So for some reason I will appraise you all of my next horribly evil and cruelly callouse plans, so that perhaps you will be better prepared for the upcoming chaotic destruction of everything serious.

Evil plan #1

The rebranding of strawberries as "Hey! Berries!!" This horrible scheme will maintain the basic meaning of the name straw-berry while adding a new dimension of excitement to finding and eating the berry. It will be like discovering a new species every time you go to buy or pick a Heyberry.

Evil plan #2

Create a series of medical reports that find out that drinking cold water is bad for your health as it constricts the gastrointestinal track and reduces digestion because of low blood flow. Then when the ice industry has collapsed I will buy up all the ice concerns cheap and then publish a report on how putting large ice sculptures around the world will both help cool the climate and increase art appreciation among all nations.

Evil plan #3

Create a series of internet pages, forums, etc that proves the existence of a small eastern European country called lithatvanislovania. This in-depth creation will convince the world that such a country exists and then I will apply for aid from the UN to help with educating a country with the worst literacy rates in the world by announcing we will be using the english language as our primary language. Did I say that all the websites will be whorrebly mizpeld andd riphe wif arrors? Oh and lots of hand drawn pictures.

Evil plan #4

Create a series of medical reports that encourage people to urinate 20 or more times a day. Then as part of a subliminal advertising campaign I would market a folk tea specifically designed to increase "outflow" called "European Tea".

Evil plan #5

A concentrated religious campaign to rename raspberries "Razzle delicious berries". I will create the cult of deliciosity and by worshipping the angel of flavor called Mmmmmmm..... one can achieve the paradisical state of "tasty" where everything is good.

Finally

Evil plan #6

Establish a great new board game called "fling it!" the game of evolutionary regression. Each box will be supplied with proprietarily named laxitives called "move it!". After a great session you can play the follow up game of "smell it!" and finally the funnest game of all "hire an illegal immigrant to clean your home".

Now I will leave all of you to ferret out the many hidden agendas of mr. Silly Pants evil plans....good luck.

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

(stops and rubs hands together...)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

2010-02-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” - Victor Borge

When I hear that distinctive sound of duct tape I never know what creation I might find later.

Sometimes I'm still not quite so sure.

This boy never ceases to make me laugh. I love him.

2010-02-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

“It always seems impossible until its done.”—Nelson Mandel

I'm having a TGIF type of Friday. Just happy to see the week come to a close.

Sick car. Sick computer. Sick kid. Bookend (long) meetings.

Meetings over. Healthy kid. New computer on the way (waiting right now for delivery). Fixed car.

All is well. Life is good.

*Prayers for a family who has a baby who is having seizures (in hospital as far as I know now and no known cause of seizures - scary) and has a toddler who broke her elbow last night would be much appreciated.

Celebrate: Teenage Life

2010-02-06T19:47:00.000-08:00

“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” —Kahlil Gibran

“I believe that friends are quiet angels who sit on our shoulders and lift our wings when we forget how to fly.”—Unknown

Tonight is Tolo. Archer was invited by his friend, Jayna (who he went to homecoming with) to her Tolo. Fun times for sure. What is fun about going to this *other* school's dances is that his best friend Kelby goes to that school as well which means that they get to experience some of high school together. I am so thankful for that. These two have been friends since first grade...remember this post?
It was fun to have the boys at our house to get ready. I love these boys. Kelby is probably the closest thing that Archer has to having a brother (well, Kelby and his brother/twin Trevin)...

The white board says, "we look hot." Fun times for sure. Love these boys so much!

Archer and his date, Jayna. I love that he has a friend like Jayna. I think it is so great that he has a girl who he can hang out with, talk to, and experience these teenage "things" without the pressure of having a girl friend. She is seriously adorable - in both looks and personality. I love getting texts from her...she is thoughtful, yet never ceases to entertain.

and YUP, they are wearing matching shirts...how cute is that?
Seriously, how fun is she?

Kelby and his date, Salli Jo. Salli is fun and hilarious. I adore her and I love our Kelbs!

So, with the boy at Tolo I'm taking this night to organize some scrappin' stuff and to enjoy the martini(s) that my husband so thoughtfully created. Life is good.

a question of intent

2010-02-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Similar to a much earlier post I am using this blog to make a statement so that people can come here and read all about it. That way I do not have the same conversation a thousand times.

Recently the museum sold some native american artifacts for a significant sum of money. You can read about it here.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/1200/v-lite/story/1056431.html

Of course I have been lambasted based upon the percieved ethical obligations to native americans that many have. In short I am a dastardly, devious, greedy SOB who refuses to acknowledge the plight of the American Indian.

In reply-
I am sorry that American history holds the tale of the American Indian the way it does. It is truly a dark stain upon our past.
However I will not personally take any responsibility for it as:
1. On my fathers side were swiss settlers in Indiana around 1900. There were no indians left there for them to oppress when they arrived.
2. On my mothers side there are no famous indian war heroes/villans, just some mid west and west coast farmers and a few Washington utopiasts-I doubt they ever oppressed or cheated the Natives Americans.
3. So please just because I do not carry this burden of guilt does not mean I am a bad person. I have enough of my own guilt to deal with.
BTW-no one in my family owned slaves either. Although I find derogatory jokes sort of funny. I am partly sorry about that.

From an Ethical standpoint-
1. The items sold were trade items. They were intended to be sold to stupid white guys. No one at the time of the transaction knew the object would reach the monetary or cultural values it did. I bet that each guy probably walked away from the deal saying "suuuucccckeeer".
2. None of the items were grave or shamanistic goods. Period. We made sure of that in 1995 and again in 2009. But this concept does bring up a question about todays native artwork. In many Native art galleries you see sold objects that 100 plus years ago would have been ceremonial, shamanistic items. Things that were significant not just to the family, but to the tribe. These are objects that today would be buried with the owner or user as part of the religious and cultural significance. What will become of these items in 100 years? Will they be protected pieces requiring repatriation by law? Or because they were made as trade goods, even though they are culturally representative, would they be pieces that were immune to repatriation?
3. Returning culture to a people whose culture was taken away is simply a little insulting-at least for me. It says to me we beat the native americans. Beat them literally to death as a people. That now they are rebuilding a lost culture. I look at it as they are not rebuilding a lost culture but adapting a thriving culture to their current needs and circumstances. Something we do everyday. There was a point in time when their culture changed drastically, unfortunately not through their own doing. That change did not kill them though, it caused them to find their core and their center and move on to something more successful. To say that their traditions died I find disingenious. I also find it simply insensitive to say that all tribes are the same and thus find this contempt of guilt applies to all of them. One of the worst forms of discrimination is guilt. When you have to say to anyone I need to treat you differently because of anything other than a direct immediate need you are discriminating.

The guilt-
1. Finally the crux of the matter. If you think this was the wrong thing for the museum to do, chances are you feel guilty about your perception of Native Americans. Please ask yourself why. If you answer is "because as an American I am responsible for what was done to them." you are way off base. (authors opinion-but a very considered one.) I can't imagine that a korean, cuban, or yugoslavian who has just taken an oath of citizenship feels this way-but are they any less American than you. Hey they chose to be an American most of us didn't so they count.
2. Be guilty for what is currently being done to Native Americans. Find the actual discrimination now going on. Fix that. Don't tell a Native American that they should be proud because you feel guilty. Tell them they should be proud of their accomplishments, especially their accomplishments as a person who exists as a moral example, not as a representative of a country or culture.
3. So get over it. The past is the past. It is a lesson for us so that we do not repeat, it has very little to do with repent.

Professional-
1. My job is to fulfill the mission as set forth by the community which the museum serves. That mission says nothing about Canadian Indians. We kept the pieces that fulfill our view of the local County tribes importance in the history of this area. We got rid of what did not meet our mission. We did it with the priority of making the museum mission better if possible. If these objects were of little or no value we would have either given them to someone who could use them or barring that thrown them away as they were taking up space better used by something that was relevant.
2. Please also understand that this is not a professional standard as set out throught the AAM. We will never receive accreditation because of this. The AAM standpoint is that public collections need to remain public. I simply disagree with them on this. It is short sighted not to recognize private collectors as valid methods of preserving history and culture. In fact-heres a dirty little secret; Most private collectors have better storage and display facilities than most museums. But then the AAM is all about professional control and stuffy old shirts telling the rest of their peers what to think so they can justify the money they spent getting some letters behing their names. (oops let slip some of my bias')

So in conclusion. Be fair now. Be equitable now. Dont make your kids guilty for your mistakes and don't hold the children guilty for the sins of the parents.

And of course support the Lynden Pioneer Museum. This money doesn't make us rich it helps us meet budget. If we remove the other parts of the budget then we are back at square one.

Celebrate: Coffee. Starbucks.

2010-02-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

"A cup of coffee is a miracle. It's what can be. Tell me something that can simultaneously be warm and comforting and invigorating." - Dave Olsen (Starbucks)

I don't know if you know this about me...but I really do love coffee. You know on facebook where you can see the top words you use in your status? Mine is coffee (sorry to my family, friends...). And I truly do love Starbucks. A lot. I like their mission, their trade practices, how they give back locally and globally. I also like their coffee. Yes I do.

So, one of my favorite places to sit and read a book or write in my journal is Starbucks. It is also one of my favorite places to sit and chat with friends.

Last summer I started this Starbucks album. Since I spend so much time there I have quite a few pictures. It isn't complete - probably never will be.

*the cover*
painted black with a sleeve on the front.

*first page*
oh. I love sleeves or bras as my friends and I call them. Isn't it more fun to say "I want a bra for my coffee" than a sleeve?
Come on. You know it is.

*inside*
photos, "bras" and fun

*another little inside glimpse*

This album is fun because it is filled with my friends, my family, my coffee. It uses scraps - no need to be matchy-matchy.

I like that Archer enjoys Starbucks like I do. He's turned into kind of a coffee snob (ooops!) and definitely prefers Starbucks to other places. When we go places we try to take a picture at Starbucks (send it via phone to Lorinda! she loves it) and print one for the book. We have pictures from Washington D.C., Indiana, Gig Harbor (all exotic locales)...sometimes we forget...the picture you can see above is from our local store. Fun times.

So friends, if we are out and about and a Starbucks comes within my sight you know I'll want to stop (please let me) and get coffee (I'll be a better person for it) and I might take your picture and add you to my book...

Celebrate what you love! Coffee! Starbucks!

Sunday Citar

2010-01-31T09:45:00.000-08:00

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” —Jawaharlal Nehru

This is it the last day of January. I was telling a friend this week that January had been a topsy-turvy month and I wasn't quite sure where it went or what I have done with it. Looking forward to starting February well (almost a month of sick is enough) and with a renewed sense of order.

January is the beginning and indeed I did start somethings...
1. planning our anniversary day trip
2. planning a trip to Seattle to see a dear friend
3. running (again) and will hopefully run in a 5k soon
4. a birthday list (36 things to do before I'm 37 - really excited about this)
5......

On to February! Enjoy friends.

2010-01-26T07:34:00.000-08:00

“After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It's better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.” - Sophia Loren

So, I finally filled up the hutch. I was (a bit more) inspired after I got out my regular kitchen valance which matches the napkins and place mats (above). I needed bright and cheery just like you all said (you all are SO smart! Thank you for your input.).

I fooled around while taking pictures, different settings, flash/no flash...Then when I looked at the photos I realized that none of them were very good, but really didn't want to go back and take more so you get to experience my experimentation.

One of my favorite things to do is put photos in little places through out the house. I find a photos and tuck them in places. I move them around...so many photos so little time. That's my Papa Bud up there in the gravy boat (that just sounds silly).

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. I bought these for my Grandma about 25 years ago. When I went to Minnesota as a child there was this Paul Bunyan park with a HUGE Paul that could talk and when I walked in he said, "Welcome Jerrie from Bellingham, Washington." It freaked me out. A lot. It took my grandpa quite some time to calm me down.

Well there it is. It's finished. Well almost. I like to move things around all the time so it's constantly evolving. And I'm thinking of making a little banner for along the top that might be fun.

It's a chilly day. I'm bundling up and heading out to run some errands.

Happy Day!

2010-01-21T07:29:00.000-08:00

"Holy Mackerel! Call headquarters. Get the lieutenant."

I think I've found my new favorite donut place. Rocket Donuts in downtown Bellingham is just a lot of fun. My bismark was delicious, my latte was yummy, my company was great and the decor was original.

Who would have thought donuts and 50s sci-fi? Not me. And why donuts and 50s sci-fi? Their answer "Why not?" Well...that's good enough for me.

Mr. Harley: "Your impatience is quite understandable."

Klaatu: "I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it."
Mr. Harley: "I'm afraid my people haven't. I'm very sorry... I wish it were otherwise."

Klaatu: "I'm worried about Gort. I'm afraid of what he might do if anything should happen to me."
Helen: "Gort? But he's a robot. Without you, what could he do?"
Klaatu: "There's no limit to what he could do. He could destroy the Earth."
OR...he could steal your donut (I added that myself...)

Reporter: "I suppose you are just as scared as the rest of us."
Klaatu: "In a different way, perhaps. I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason."

Army physician: "I don't know whether to get drunk or quit the practice of medicine."

Klaatu: "We have come to visit you in peace and with goodwill."

All quotes are from The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). Now doesn't reading those make you want to go watch it? My thought is to watch the original...I mean really...50s sci-fi? You just can't recreate that! Or maybe watch both - Keanu Reeves does make a good cheesy movie.

Happy Thursday friends!

2010-01-20T07:57:00.001-08:00

“Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” - Vaclav Havel

This is my hutch. This is what it has looked like since I took down Christmas decorations. It's just a big piece of furniture taking up space.

The problem is I have no vision. At least not for the hutch. For other things yes, but for decorating - not so much lately. Just hasn't felt important.

I did put those little do-dads on the top and move that mirror from my bedroom. That was it. Maybe I'll take off the upper doors and make it more open. Maybe. I don't really want to do a seasonal thing...maybe just fill it with my fiesta ware. Maybe kick it to the curb...

Ideas? Anyone?

(and no, I'm not painting it...it was $25 made of press board and that paper-y stuff on top...gah).

Happy Wednesday!

2010-01-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." - MLK, Jr.

(illustration by Matt Dorfman)

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - MLK, Jr.

2010-01-16T20:20:00.001-08:00

"There are no ordinary cats." - Colette

This "little" girl brings me joy everyday.

Really, how can you not smile when you walk by and see this?

I'm sure she was saying,
"Please don't tell the kitten where to find me..."
I love my Spazzy Jazzy!

Celebrate: Connections

2010-01-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

“A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” - Lois Wyse

This week I've really been celebrating connections. Friends. Family. Since I've been sick for the first part of this year and really stuck at home I've spent quite a bit of time on facebook. I don't know about you but I love facebook. I love the updates from friends, reading people's statuses is so much fun. I love the quick look into people's lives - people I see daily and people I haven't seen for over 20 years. I like being able to quickly comment, let people know that I'm thinking of them.

And I love, LOVE reconnecting with old friends. Especially old friends I thought I may never hear from again.

Be it over a cup of coffee or over the internet I love the connection to other people. I celebrate them and who they are and what they are to me at this point and what they were to me in the past. It's an awesome thing.

This week I've made plans to see a friend who lives in the next town over, but who I haven't seen in over five years. We've kept up via facebook, but face-to-face? Not so much. We plan on changing that.

This week I reconnected with an old Beau (yes, Troy knows...I tell him I'm collecting boyfriends). We hadn't talked in 16 years. It was good to catch up and hear about his life in North Carolina and remind him why the Pacific Northwest is so wonderful!

This week I had some great conversations with my sister over coffee and a few lunches.

This week I've run into friends at the grocery store.

This week I've had coffee with one of my best friends and my cousin.

This week I've laughed with my guys. Troy and I went out for an impromptu dinner - just us. I watched a movie with Archer, we made grilled cheese side-by-side, I danced as he rolled his eyes.

I celebrate each one of these connections! I am so blessed.

2010-01-05T20:19:00.001-08:00

"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!" - Amanda Bradley

"There's a lot happening in many of us. I think you have to celebrate every part. It's what you are. You have to try to find all of those secret names." - Cassandra Wilson

I have been so out of commission the past week or so, still not at 100% but making steady progress.

It seems like a lot of people pick a guiding word for themselves now. Ali has popularized this in the scrapbook world, yet I know it isn't a "new" thing. It is fun to read other people's words and their reasoning behind the words.

Last January I talked about my reasoning and how I started the process of choosing a word here. I also like to find a few quotes to keep around to encourage and remind me. I am a quote girl - I love 'em.

This year, as you may have guessed, I chose the word celebrate to focus on. I like the idea of celebrating the everyday, the good, the bad, the little things, the big things. There is something everyday that is worth celebrating even if it is just that God gave you one more day. Last year was difficult in some ways - emotional, trying and I am ready to focus on good, focus on celebrating the details of everyday.

I'm excited for this year - this journey of celebration. While I know this word won't make me have a perfect year I hope that it will remind me to focus on what I can celebrate everyday.

So, while I was sick I made the canvas above - decoupage (got a little messy - it was great) and a quote and some of my favorite letter stickers. Thanks to my husband for his creative input.

Hope your 2010 is in full swing and going well so far.

Let's celebrate!

2010-01-01T18:53:00.001-08:00

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” - Dr. Seuss

I had every intention of writing a really meaningful New Year's post, but this stupid cold that invaded me had other plans.

So, I shall simply say from this gang to you -

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
May 2010 be filled with peace, love, happiness, and a whole lot of fun with friends!

Best of 2009

2009-12-31T08:41:00.000-08:00

I was cruising blogs yesterday and came across Gwen Bell's blog and her Best of 2009 challenge. I would like to say had I found the challenge earlier I would have participated, however given my blogging history this year it probably wouldn't have happened. So, I am going to do a modified version right now. While this year wasn't just filled with "bests" I like the idea of focusing on the bests...

Best Trip - Anniversary in Seattle with Troy. Hands down.Best Book - If I could only recommend one book that I read in 2009 is would most definitely be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. If you haven't read it yet. Go. Now.

Best Night Out - I've had several wonderful nights out - very fortunate with that this year. I'd have to narrow it down to a) going to see my friend, Raphael, play his last gig with his latest band back in March. It was so good to see him play again. OR b) girl's night with my book club ladies - saying goodbye to Tracey. Fun times, sad circumstances.

Best Song - I am one of those hear it on the radio/from a friend/etc...and then decide I love a song people. I tend not to buy albums and such.
Wild at Heart, by Gloriana and Smile, Uncle Kracker. These songs make my heart happy.

Best Place(s) - I am tempted to say home because I LOVE home. However, I am going to say Starbucks, Katie's Cupcakes, and the now closed (insert sad face) Treasury of Memories because these are all places I go with my best friend and just feel good. Small treasures.

Best New Food - I am going to go with a restaurant undiscovered by us until this fall. Espinoza in Sehome Village. Fun decor, nice people, a salsa bar and the BEST mole sauce I've ever had. Tea of the Year - My tea of choice has been Earl Grey with milk and sugar. Nothing beats it.

Word or Phrase - 2009 was....can this be summed up with one word? interesting, complicated, just the way it was suppose to be...

Best New Person/Start up - Well technically this "start up" started up in 2008, but I didn't go until 2009 and since then I've loved both the store, Sole Obsession, and it's founder/owner, Kelly. Best shoe store and shoe store owner EVER! Best Coffee - for at home I've fallen in love with the Starbucks Red blend. Otherwise it is a 2-pump cinnamon dolche non-fat, light whip latte from Starbucks when I go out (and possibly gingerbread or pumpkin spice a few times during the season).Learning Experience/Rush - So many, so many. My most memorable learning experience/rush is more of a general lesson. It is the lesson of being a mom of a teenager, it is quite a bit different than other ages. Archer still needs his mom and dad, yet needs his independence and needs to make decisions. Growing up, making new friends, making new friends that are girls (gasp), new social situations. I think we've adjusted well. He's a good kid, it is just filled with learning experiences for mom!

Best Laugh of 2009 - 2009 was filled with laughs. Our house is full of laughter, my best friends always make me laugh and my sister! oh she is hilarious! I am blessed with laughter.

There are so many more things that I could share, but this seems like plenty. 2009 was a good year, 2009 was a bad year...actually 2009 was just a year - filled with ups and downs and all arounds! Looking forward to 2010!

Happy New Years my friends!