on my nightstand.

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...

“Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes.” - Irish saying

I like the saying above because it reminds me of Archer. He is pretty lighthearted and carefree. He is friends with most people he comes across and the few he doesn't get along with he doesn't fret over. Lots of joys and few foes. That is Archer.

I thought I would do a little this and that post about Archer today (as I had the cute picture taken when we went to Gig Harbor over the weekend.

Archer's {this and that}:
*watches That '70s Show every morning before school and sometimes after school
*has gotten really "into" music lately from today's Top 40 to our 80s faves to country to alternative to 60s & 70s...He has eclectic taste just like his mom and dad...Current faves - Word Up (yep, by Cameo) and You Spin Me Right Round (you really can't hear that one enough - believe me.)
*requests Shephard's Pie at least two nights a week for dinner. He loves meat, gravy and potatoes
*makes coffee at home and drinks his fair share
*loves animals
*sleepwalks still (kinda thought he might outgrow this)
*is learning to play cribbage from his Grandpa David
*likes playing all sorts of games. Of course he loves video and computer games (he is a WOW kid and Call of Duty? LOVES it). However, he also likes Monopoly (I hate it, but play it because I am working on that mom-of-the-year award), Clue, Blink (he always wins), and Jenga. However, he does not like Boggle at all!
*likes school - never complains about going. He actually thinks year round school sounds like a good idea.
*enjoys going to the eye doctor and dentist (so not my child)
*loves his family. He thinks all of his grandparents are cool - loves to spend time with them. He adores his aunt DeAnne and thinks uncle Alex is the best.
*likes to build things - wood shop is one of his favorite classes and is looking for wood to build his mom shelves over spring break or summer...first I have to decide what I want.
*he's a great kid that is growing up just way to fast. I drove by the high school yesterday after school and saw the flocks and it really dawned on me that that is where he will be next year. Makes me excited, sad, anxious, hopeful...all those and more.

Happy Wednesday friends!

"Look at this photograph. Every time I do it makes me laugh." - Nickelback

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." - Eudora Wetly

I am very lucky. My grandmother was a fantastic keeper of memories. Photographs with names, dates (most of the time), clippings, and other fantastic memorabilia. Love it.

Note above (there are pictures of): me as a child (lower middle in blue dress), my father and his siblings, my son, my husband, my great-grandparents in various stages of life (including their engagement photos and anniversary - bet you can find that one), my brother, my wonderful cousin with her Raggedy Ann birthday cake. I can go through these over and over and never tire of them.

I am so thankful that I come from a long line of photograph lovers. I now have many photos of my great-grandmother as a baby and young mother. My great-grandmother died when grandma was just a girl. My grandma lost her mother, brother and father all before she was 25. I can't imagine, however I can look back at them and remember the many stories my grandma told me through out the years.

Now it is my job to organize the photos I have been entrusted with. I'm thinking a heritage album is in order. (and of course I will be scanning some to share...)

"A photograph is memory in the raw." - Carrie Latet

what we keep

So far this year has been very contemplative for me. Soul searching. A reminder of what is important. Who is important. The new year, mixed with high emotions from the end of last year and the hospitalization and death of my grandma have put me in an almost peaceful content mood (most of the time at least).After my grandma died her house needed to be gone through, of course. What a job. Emotional, exhaustive. How does one decide what to keep, what to toss, what to donate? Because it was only my aunt, uncle, and one cousin (the lovely Lorinda) we had to make decisions for the rest of the family. I believe we made good ones.

Of course most of the things in my grandparent's home are sentimental to us. But, what to keep? Obviously the person isn't their objects, objects not the person who owned them. However, there are certain items that can help bring us that feeling of a person. Remind us of them.
So, what did I keep? More than I expected to. A few things that are just things - a great, old Tupperware caddy and a vase that I don't ever remember seeing. A little metal figurine of a man in a barrel that I assume was my grandpa's. A necklace of my grandma's. However, those things aren't the things that stirred up my emotions.

So, what made my heart sing? What did I feel like I HAD to have?

Well...for starters Mark Twain up there. He always sat on a coffee table next to the shot glass stage coach. My grandpa had a collection of items from the McCormick Distilling Company. What is great is that Mark Twain's head comes off...he originally came full of bourbon.

And the toaster salt and pepper shakers (picture above). My grandma had a vast collection of salt and pepper shakers. Some were quite remarkable. When I was about 7 or 8 I bought her the toaster ones at an antique shop. If you lift the handle the toast pops up. I love them. Always have. Now they sit above my stove, not to be used, but to be loved. I also grabbed the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox shakers that I bought her on a trip to Minnesota with my other grandpa.

She also wanted me to have her knitting needles. In the hospital I told her I was learning to knit. Even though she said I "have a long way to go" she was excited and insisted I take them. I will never have to buy knitting needles. I guess this means I need to continue with this hobby - at least long enough to knit purple scarves for me and my cousin! :)

There are a few other items I picked up, however the one I will treasure, that both Lorinda and I cradled in fear it may be damaged is the cookie jar. It would figure I would have a love of the cookie jar. When we walked in the house it wasn't sitting on it's spot on the counter. I was confused and I could see concern in Lorinda's eyes. I turned around to talk to my aunt and in seconds Lorinda comes to me cradling the bird and handed it over to me...makes me tear up thinking about it even now. I love the birdie cookie jar - I need to fill it with some oatmeal cookies soon, but most of all I love my grandma, I love my cousin. I love that I have a family so rich in blessings.

Have a great love week all! Enjoy!

My few words for today:

God is good. Life is good.
Celebrate everyday!

I will be back soon...just need to get my brain working again! :)

Thanks friends for all your kind word...they mean so much!

happy autumnal equinox

Happy Autumn!

I've loved seeing autumn posts all over the blog-o-sphere. So inspiring! Autumn is my new year. New beginnings - I like to organize and rearrange and regroup at this time. My family loves that I start to cook and bake more - big pots of soup and chili, homemade applesauce, cookies and breads. I think I need to run out this morning and pick up some mums to make my porch look like the picture above (last year's golden glory!). At 8:44 a.m.(PST) take a moment to cheer the official beginning of autumn!

Enjoy!

growing so fast.

After dropping Archer off at a friend's house to spend the night (no school for him tomorrow!) I went into his room. On his bed was his blankie and his lamby - just like when he was little. He loves these objects - he always has and I suppose he always will. He is a very sentimental boy. The blankie was made by some older ladies living at the Swiss Village in Berne, Indiana were Troy's grandma Neola lived. This blanket was from her - it is well worn - tattered and worn through in areas. I have told Archer maybe he should stop using it - put it away so it doesn't fall apart anymore - but he will have none of it - still has it on his bed every night when he is home. Lamby (original name huh?) was given to Archer by Grandma Annette when he was born - she brought it to the hospital! I love going into his room and seeing Archer's Lamby and blankie - just there waiting for him. Looking at these objects makes me realize how old Archer is getting. He's no longer my little boy cuddled up with me and Lamby and blankie - now he is an almost teenager off with friends doing his own thing. Sometimes I miss the little boy that he once was, but I am honestly enjoying (most of the time) the young man he is becoming. He will always be my sweet boy!