Musings of an Unfinished Woman

Creativity and my first attempts

I woke up with sore throat, fever, etc. so I’m staying in my jammies today. We had a great weekend at home – spent lots of time in the craft room. It’s no secret that I’m a scrapbooker but other than that, I don’t feel like I’m a “creative” person. The definition of creative according to Dictionary.com is: cre·a·tive: (1) having the quality or power of creating. (2) resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing. (3) originative; productive (usually followed by of). One of my fondest memories is sitting down and coloring with my Mom...even as adults, when we would go to my Aunt Donna’s cabin, we would take markers and coloring books with us. I’m a very linear, organized person as evidenced by my scrapbook pages, which are more often than not, in a grid format. I want to be more than a “stay in the lines” kind of woman.

Each of us has God-given creative talents, but oftentimes we don’t use those talents or don’t believe we are good enough. There are all kinds of creativity: glass-blowing, photography, sculpting, painting, drawing, flower-arranging, etc. I think anyone who can cook a beautiful meal and make it look like gorgeous on a plate is artistic. I’ve been so incredibly inspired by BonnieRose (A Life Unrehearsed) and after reading her blog for months, decided to try my hand. In January, I wrote a personal journal entry that said in part: “I’ve had this wild artistic urge coming at me for awhile and finally, after ignoring it, I looked, researched and finally gave into the urge. Bought a cheap set of acrylic paints at Walmart, a couple of artist tablets, paint brushes, etc. from Michaels and then...some water crayons and markers from Dick Blick.”

It’s been over three weeks since I got my new artist supplies and they’ve been quietly residing in my craft room drawers and cabinets...waiting. So Friday night, I decided to give this artistic thing a try...so after covering my craft table with freezer paper (my research told me freezer paper was better than newspaper and would withstand water, etc.), and donning my apron (the one I use when I do messy cooking), I referenced several of the acrylic paint books that I checked out from the library (you know...to find out how to do this)! Below is what I created. I made section divider pages for a lined journal and this is how they look.

I did two “free form” paintings too and then added crayon and marker accents. The first one is still quite “linear” (no overlapping) but the second one, is more creative and free-flowing. I’m thrilled with my first attempts at being “artistic” and loved the process.

Once I got past the idea that there’s no right or wrong, no rules, I had fun. Can’t wait to get out my stuff and create again. A big thank you to BonnieRose for all the fabulous inspiration. I hope to take your “Color Your World” class someday...in the meantime, I am coloring my world and having a good time. I used acrylic stamps for the designs...anyone know where to find some affordable stamps in a variety of patterns and designs? My preference is clear acrylic stamps...

Just a quick note...thanks for your prayers on behalf of Shanna. Her tattoo removal surgery went well last week. Now she just has to recover and hopefully, not lose her job at UPS. The surgery was about 90 minutes and she has three layers of stitches...two of the inside layers will be permanent and the top layer will be removed in a week. I’ll post pictures when it’s a little less gory looking.

  

 

 
"Joy is a light that fills you with hope and faith and love."

Printer Problems and Pages

I’m having a printer problem which is making me crazy and crabby. Somehow, while printing something from Photoshop Elements yesterday, my new printer communicated to my computer that “normal paper size” is 10x11 and nothing (I mean NOTHING) I’ve done will change it. Was so out of sorts after messing with it last night until almost midnight, so when it became apparent that (a) I wasn’t going to get the issue fixed last night and (b) I was so worked up I wasn’t tired, I decided to clean house. Second night in a row with just four hours of sleep. Thank God for Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper.

Shanna took me to IHop for breakfast this morning. We both love their French Toast. It’s a wonderful thing when your child invites you out to eat AND pays! She had a doctor appointment this morning and then we did a bit of shopping...we are starting to get to that place that I’ve dreamed about for so long...where we’re having a good time together and we’re having real conversations. If you’ve never been to Great Harvest Bakery (the one at Clackamas Promenade is the best) you’re missing out on great sandwiches, bread and cookies. Bought a sandwich and we met Russell for lunch (plus I bought a loaf of honey wheat bread to share with my life group tonight) along with the soup one of the ladies is bringing.

Shanna is having her tattoo surgically removed tomorrow so we’re praying hard that the physician can do this with a minimum of scarring and pain and that she’ll be able to keep her job at UPS until she’s ready to join the Marines and head to boot camp.

My printer went bonkers yesterday while I was working on a digital page for my Yesterday and Today class. I like the idea of digital scrapping but right now, it seems like a lot more work and it takes me forever to figure everything out...usually I'm really good with software programs, but somehow, Photoshop (any version) really flummoxes me. So, back to paper scrapping I go. Have all the lessons printed out in a notebook. Part of the homework was to take an inventory of the pages I've already completed and determine if I like the type and style of my scrapbook pages and what subjects, events, etc. have I not yet scrapped that I want to. It's been an interesting discovery. I've done several hundred layouts of Shanna through the years, quite a few of our Disney trips, have done some "about me" pages, but despite being very happily married for 28 years, haven't really scrapped the story of Russell and I, so that's what I'm choosing to do for this class. One of the other exercises for the class is to come up with a list of pages that I want to do. I've been in a scrapping drought for almost a year and just felt like I had lost my scrapping and creative mojo, but now, I've got a huge list of pages I want to do so I'm back to scrapping again, which makes me very happy!!

Hoping to get my printer issue figured out soon so I can finish my page.

 

 

 

Comfort and Self-Acceptance

It is a gorgeous sunny day here in my corner of the world (which means it’s windy and cold). I’m snuggled up in my craft room ready to dive into some of my homework for “Yesterday and Today” class, plus some prep work for my life group which officially starts tomorrow night. We’re studying “Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl” by Lysa Terkeurst. The first chapter is about trying to be good enough and learning to accept ourselves just as we are, just as God created us. I think this is particularly difficult for women. We seem to have this compulsive need to compare ourselves to others. Why is that? Self-acceptance and love is absolutely critical in being content and happy in our lives...why is it that we can love and accept others for who they are...love their imperfect lives and bodies but can’t give ourselves the same gift of love and grace? Something to ponder. Isn't my Shanna girl cute with her pointy little hair-do and plaid shirt? I love how comfortable she is in her own skin...she embodies the confidence I want to have.

A few of my favorite things...on days like today when I’m cold and achy, I am comforted and warmed by certain things. There’s nothing like home-made Mac and cheese, or a scented candle. I am loving these Candle Warmers which look like a little lamp but actually melt the candle and release the scent without the smoke. My favorite candle scent is Cinnamon or Apple Spice.

When I took my walk yesterday, I took my camera and got a couple photos...one a sign of spring (see below) and another I’m calling the Mystery of the Mitten...some Mom somewhere is wondering where the heck the other mitten is!

 
I interviewed for a job recently and the interview took place at a restaurant. Not sure if I got the job but one thing really bothered me. The person interviewing me ordered a beverage but didn’t offer me anything...rude much?

Happy Tuesday.

 

New Year and New Blessings

It’s been nine weeks since I last posted and in nine more weeks it will be April...where does the time go? I’ve been thinking about that a lot. Am I living my life to the fullest? What have I accomplished in that time? Have I made any changes in my life or made a difference in someone else’s life?

2010 was an incredibly difficult year for me personally. I was unemployed for the entire year. Between Shanna and me, we had 72 medical appointments (chiropractor and doctor) as we both struggled with health issues. I wanted so much to be a different me and make some changes, but didn’t have the courage and strength (physical and mental) to make them. I struggled with some relationship issues and finding boundaries for friendships that were too one-sided and unhealthy. For the first time in years, I only scrapbooked 24 pages, which is so not like me. Getting Shanna graduated and employed was a challenge but she’s on a good path now and I’m finally feeling like I’m coming back into the light. If I’m honest, I would say I was depressed for most of the year. The one relationship that really thrived was with my husband as we discovered the joy of photography through Karen Russell’s class and started dating again. We celebrated 28 years together in November and if not for Russell, I’m not sure I would have made it through the year. So what did I learn and what am I doing different?

I need to be creative. I’ve been scrapping for almost 19 years and I totally lost all my creativity, last year. I stopped scrapping and writing. Russell and I share a craft room (he model railroads and I scrapbook, make cards, etc.) and we both realized how much we need to get back into our hobbies. I am taking Ali Edwards “Yesterday and Today” class through BPC and I my creative juices are flowing again. Russell and I spent this past weekend in the craft room and I did my first digital page and have tons of page ideas to start working on.

I stopped moving and kept eating and now am starting over with my “Move More, Eat Less” (in the words of Cathy Zielske). Unfortunately, I let the fibromyalgia take over my life so it’s a battle to find what will work (as far as physical exercise that won’t create flare-ups and more pain). For now, I’m walking several days a week again and am following the PT exercises I’m supposed to do. I didn’t want to rely on prescription medication but have to admit that it’s helping to control the symptoms and pain while I work to find ways to deal with this disease in a more organic and healthy way. I’m so very thankful for a wonderful doctor and fabulous healthcare.

We have gotten to know the Marshes, a military family we met. Mentoring and getting to know a young couple is always a blessing and we have had the added bonus of standing in as “surrogate” grandparents to their three daughters - twins, age 8 and the youngest, age 4. Having these three girls in our lives has been so fun (and exhausting!). What a privilege to be a part of this family’s life and to have little ones in our home again. The girls love all things pink and glittery - so different from our baby girl who is now 18 and is the “big sister” to these little girls. Cuddles and hugs, giggles and crayons, toys and Disney movies are once again a part of our life.

I need women in my life...to laugh with, to talk and share with and to keep me accountable. Three women in particular have made a huge difference in my life: Sue, who has come over several times for lunch and scrapping therapy. Granted, I haven’t gotten much scrapping done, but the therapy has been invaluable as I’ve been able to be completely authentic with her as we’ve both shared and commiserated. Cindy has made dinner dates a wonderful thing and she too has a listening heart and a generous giving spirit and I can feel her support and prayers. Surprisingly, the third woman is someone I’ve “known” for years but only from a distance. When I went back to Colorado for my aunt’s funeral in December, I stayed with Brigette, my cousin’s daughter. She lives in a tiny adorable little house and she welcomed me into her home. For four days and nights, she was my chauffer as we went to the memorial (it was my Mom’s sister and Brigette’s Grandma). I reconnected with relatives I hadn’t seen in years. Something wonderful happened during those four days...despite our differences, Brigette and I connected in a way that was magical. We talked for hours about life, love, hopes, dreams, disappointments and I came home renewed in spirit and ready to make some life changes.

I discovered the library again. When I was little, I went to the library three times a week from first grade until I graduated. The library was a magical world of books. Somehow, through the years, I forgot about the library and found Borders and Amazon. I’m a voracious reader and read at least two to three books a week...even going to used bookstores that can get expensive so a friend suggested I try the library. Wow...it’s changed. You can now reserve books online and then pick them up when they are ready. What a fabulous discovery this has been. I’m having a blast reading books on a variety of subjects and...they’re FREE!!

Being in love and loved is such an incredible (rare) blessing. I really believe I have the best husband in the entire world. Through all of last year, Russell was my knight in shining armor and we fell in love again (corny as that sounds). He loves me just the way I am, which makes me want to be a better me for him.

I had an interview today...out of 108 candidates, I am in the top five. Every week, I faithfully apply for jobs while I receive unemployment (thank you Lord). I know that God has just the right job out there for me and in the right time and place, it will happen. In the meantime, I am thankful for a new year and the opportunity to try again. My word for the year is THRIVE. I want to thrive in body, mind and spirit. The word Thrive means: to be well, grow strongly, flourish, and be successful. So here’s to 2011 and being more mindful of the everyday miracle of life...to find joy in the little things. I also hope to post more...

 

Happy Thanksgiving

It’s been a long couple of weeks. A trip to the ER in the middle of the night with Shanna and then a morning in court to settle a traffic violation (a broken tail light)...all within 24 hours. A round of antibiotics, lots of sleep and she's feeling much better. Shanna is in her fourth week of work at UPS. She was sooooo thrilled with her first check. Oh the joy was absolutely priceless...this is her dancing with her check - isn't she cute with her plaid flannel and short haircut. Her second week, reality hit as they started taking out the union (Teamster) initiation dues and fees...and she discovered FICA. She comes running in wanting to know “Who’s FICA and why are they taking my money?” I laughed so hard, I was in tears...welcome to the real world little girl. She works the early shift so gets up at 4 am, but she’s still hasn’t figured out her sleeping schedule...she’s a night owl and usually ends up sleeping during the day and staying up all night.

Four nights later, Shanna ran screaming into our room that Grandma (Russell’s Mom) was trying to call us...my phone was on the charger and Russell’s phone was on silent for some reason. Thankfully, I have a teen whose phone is nearly always on. My father-in-law’s shop was on fire. He and my MIL opened Parkrose Shoe Hospital in 1974 and he’s been in that same location for 36 years. He’s 77 years old and we have wanted him to retire and close or sell the shop but after working 65 years (he quit school when he was 12 because his dad died and he had to help support his Mom and siblings), he doesn’t know how NOT to work. As is his usual custom, he often worked in the middle of the night (no customers or interruptions so he could get his work done). One of his machines sparked and started a fire. After trying to put it out himself, he called for help. Thank God for the Portland Fire and Rescue...they were there within minutes. Dad was not injured and while there was very little “fire damage”, there was considerable smoke damage and the foam they use to put out the fire made a huge mess. There have been so many blessings from this tragedy. The landlord is letting him out of his lease and is assisting us with getting anything out that’s salvageable. Ultimately it is the best thing to have happened...this has forced him to retire. I think the biggest challenge is that Mom and Dad will have to learn to live together, in the same place, 24 hours a day of togetherness should be interesting.

I am so thankful that my unemployment has been extended again. According to Forbes.com, Portland ranks #7 on “America’s Worst Cities for Finding a Job”. Having been unemployed for over 15 months, I can attest to the fact that I have applied for so many jobs that I am more than qualified for and rarely even get a phone interview. The right job will come along in the right time...in the meantime, I am getting some projects done and learning some new computer programs.

As nervous as I was, you would have thought that I had never cooked a dinner before. I'm so thankful for a VERY patient husband who helped me in the kitchen, despite the fact that I was a rather demanding, crabby kitchen companion (when I apologized later, he said after 28 years, he knows exactly what to expect and loves me anyway...definitely a keeper!!!). Everything turned out great and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My in-laws came and we were thrilled to welcome Shanna’s marine recruiter and his family to dinner. They brought a 24 pound turkey and her “casserole”, which was a rice and broccoli dish (none of us are broccoli fans), but it was really delicious. I discovered these fabulous 2.5 quart dual crock pots and I am in love with them...combined with Reynolds Crockpot Liners (these are right up there with post-it notes as being totally awesome). I cooked dressing, sweet potatoes, corn and gravy in the four crock pots. The ham cooked in the oven, along with the cornbread. The best thing about these crock pots are you can take them straight to the table and sit them on a potholder (no need to mess up serving bowls) and then when it’s cleanup time, you just take the crock pot liner and throw it away, wipe out the crock pot and TaDa...all done!

Russell is working today and since it’s a UPS holiday, he’s getting paid double time and a half...wow. That will help pay for Christmas. For the first time in years, I didn’t get up in the middle of the night and do the early morning shopping thing. I’m doing lots of research and reading about Fibromyalgia and one of the things I’m learning is that I have to listen to my body. These last few weeks have taken a toll and I knew that I didn’t have the physical strength, energy and sharp mind needed to navigate the insanity of Black Friday. Love that many stores are offering online shopping with the same deals and I don’t have to leave my house!

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease dominated by three symptoms: pain, fatigue and brain fog (fibro-fog) and while it’s not life threatening, it is definitely “lifestyle threatening” (from the book FibroWHYalgia, by Susan Ingebretson). Lots of stress and physical activity causes “flare-ups” which are incredibly painful and while I may look “normal”, my joints and muscles hurt so much that any touch or movement can reduce me to a sobbing, out-of-control mess. Several weeks ago, I attended a Fibro and Chronic Pain Support Group. It was such a relief to talk to others who understand. One of the things that I have confirmed it’s critical to find out how to best recognize and manage my flare-ups. Target has fabulous “Microplush Blankets” and we bought two for the living room...they are big enough to cover me up from the tips of my toes to my nose...and they are sooooo soft. When I’m having a flare-up, the seams on my clothes can be nearly unbearable (I wear my socks and shirts inside out sometimes!), so these blankets are fabulous. The soft light of burning candles, with the delicious smell of apple cinnamon, along with small bouquets of flowers (only $8.99 a bunch at Costco) are both external things that bring me comfort. Soft instrumental music is also soothing (loving my Christmas music right now!). If you or someone you know has fibromyalgia, I would love to hear from you. What have you done to manage? How have you altered your lifestyle and what changes have been most helpful?

Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving...enjoy this weekend.  

 

Giving thanks and keeping warm

Russell and I got married 28 years ago on November 20...we were 23 years old and both working at McDonalds (which is where we met). We chose that date because it would give us four days off of work. One of the decisions we made when we got married was to always celebrate our anniversary...more than just a card and dinner...but really celebrate us...our marriage and love.Our first anniversary, we sold Russell’s beat-up old Malibu (it was a blight on the neighborhood, painted 5 different colors and held together with duct tape and bailing wire). He got $100 for it at the junkyard...enough to pay for a nice dinner and a room at the Marriott. We’ve spent several of our anniversaries at Disneyland or World, a couple at the beach, Las Vegas and even a couple at home. Shanna has spent more Thanksgivings with relatives than with us. However, since Russell became a UPS driver four years ago, he no longer gets the week of Thanksgiving off so we’ve had to adjust. We took our anniversary trip to Disney World in October but will still go out to dinner on Saturday our wedding day. What a difference 28 years make...we look somewhat the same, but aged (not necessarily like fine wine). We have an exceptional marriage, something neither of us ever takes for granted...there’s no doubt that we are still crazy in love with each other and still would rather spend time with each other than anyone else.My heart still leaps when he calls me, and when he looks at me with that special look, my insides melt. We often say the same thing at the same time, manage to dress in the same colors without planning it, understand each others strong points and weaknesses and have worked hard to compensate for each other. We laugh together at the silliest things, hold hands and cuddle together and make time for dates.  

 

Anyway, this year we will be home for Thanksgiving and for the first time in many years, we are hosting Thanksgiving dinner. Russell’s Mom and Dad will be joining us and we are thrilled to welcome a Marine family that we have gotten to know. One of the recruiting Staff Sergeants’, his wife and three beautiful daughters (who absolutely adore Shanna) will be joining us. They are originally from Texas so she will be bringing a few “southern dishes” that seem to be a tradition for black families in the south. Each of our brothers are spending Thanksgiving with their own extended family and friends and while I mourn the loss of traditions that extend back several generations, I recognize that family isn’t just about blood and marriage ties, but also about the people that we share our hearts and our time with. So this year, we will be joined by a military family who is far from their own families...we’ll eat together, laugh, share stories, watch movies, play games and create precious memories that will hopefully be remembered fondly in years to come.

 I like to entertain...have people over for dinner. Perhaps it’s because I’m good at the logistics of organizing and planning, getting everything ready and creating a welcoming atmosphere. I learned that gift from my Mom who often invited friends to join us for a meal. I tend to plan my entertaining in advance and am not as spontaneous as my Mom, but I realize how much I enjoy gathering friends and family together...to eat, catch up on life, to laugh and just let go of the outside world for an hour or two. We don’t have a fancy home...our kitchen is the original from 1974 as is the bathroom...our carpet needs to be replaced, but somehow we’ve created a warm, welcoming haven so I’m excited to welcome new friends and family for this holiday where we give thanks for our blessings.

We’re not really turkey people and I will admit it here...I’ve never cooked a turkey (is that un-American?!). We will be serving ham, potatoes, corn, pies, yams, etc. and our guests have offered to bring the turkey along with a few of their favorite holiday dishes.

This weekend we are “weatherizing” our home. Our garage door was hit from the inside (yes, it was me and was the ONLY time I haven’t opened the garage door before getting in the car). As a result of that little accident, the garage door is warped and let’s in too much air, dirt, and warm or cold weather depending on the season. We have aluminum windows, so we will be covering them to protect us from the frigid east gorge wind. We’ll be cleaning out the flowerbeds, bringing the deck furniture in for the winter. We’ve already got a forecast for snow, so I’m thinking it could be a long cold winter, so I want to make sure our home is ready for inclement weather. So wherever you are...stay warm and dry. Happy Friday.

I'm focusing on gratitude today. So here's my current list of things I'm grateful for:

• My always patient, calm and loving husband who loves me just the way I am (and he does laundry!)
• USA Performance, our wonderful auto mechanic who is thorough, fair and honest
• Apple-cinnamon scented jar candles
• Fresh flowers from Costco (at only $8.99 you can't beat the price)
• Japanese Cherry Blossom body wash and spray from Bath and Body Works
• Books...a wonderful way to escape and educate
• Lane Bryant clothing...their clothes have soft fabrics, fit me well and make me feel better about myself
• My Canon camera...I can lose myself in the process of photography and forget about how I feel.
• Prayer...knowing that my Lord is always there, always listening, always giving me strength
• Our soft new micro-plush blankets from Target...the twin size is big enough to completely wrap up in (from head to toe)
• Christmas music

 

 

Trying to keep up

Life seems to be zooming faster than I can keep up. Can’t believe it’s been almost two months since I posted. In that time, my Mother-in-Law had vascular surgery and was in the hospital for three nights. Between Russell, Shanna and I, we have had 17 doctor appointments and one trip to the ER. Shanna has had some health issues as have I. In order to reach a diagnosis, I’ve had a total of 29 vials of blood in four separate lab appointments. We’ve cleaned out my in-laws basement and hauled three loads of stuff to the dump and another three loads to Goodwill. I have sorted through 20 years of my in-laws papers and photos, which took up 22 boxes in our basement. I have applied for 36 jobs and since my last post, Russell and I have taken more than 5,000 photos (once again, thankful for digital!), most of them taken while on vacation at Disney World. It’s been two months of highs and lows.

Some of the Highlights:

• Ten days away with my sweetheart in Orlando, staying at our Disney Vacation Club resort. This vacation was a blessing in that the condo was free (we are DVC members), we had free airline tickets so the cost was fairly minimal. Russell and I had a great time taking photos, eating good food, sleeping in.
• New medications for me that help with pain management.
• Shanna got a job at UPS. She’s working the sunrise shift at the airport and while it’s not a lot of hours, it’s a job!!! Yahoo! (See photo below...Shanna with her first paycheck).
• Russell’s back is healed. Thank you Lord for that.
• My unemployment was renewed for another six weeks.
• Shanna's new ultra-short, very cute, easy to care for haircut.
• So thankful for fabulous healthcare. I can’t say enough good things about my doctor and Kaiser.
• Have compiled all the info for 2010 taxes and am ready to plug in the numbers after the first of the year.
• Supportive friends and family to help Shanna with some health issues while Russell and I were gone.
• Helping my mother-in-law “unclutter” and get rid of so much stuff.
• Attending the Trailblazers “Fan Fest”, a fun night of seeing our team practice, listening to interviews, etc.

 
 

Some of the lows:

• A diagnosis of fibromyalgia. While I’m thankful to have a diagnosis, it’s a chronic disease that really has no cure, so I have to find a way to deal with it and still maintain.
• Too many sleepless nights while I learn how to manage my medication and learn to listen to my body and take it before I am almost insane with pain. Learning what my body is physically capable of doing without pushing myself too far.
• Nine unseasonably hot days at Disney World (90’s with unusually high humidity). I don’t do well in hot weather and after 2 days of the heat and walking for what seemed like miles, we were both hurting so bad we went to Plan B...which for me is just letting go and not having any expectations (hard to do for a Type A personality!). Thank God for Vicodan and a whirlpool tub in our room.
• It's been three years since we've gone to a popular vacation spot and we were so shocked at how many rude, screaming, out-of-control children there were and how many people were constantly on their phones...texting, twittering, talking, etc. We didn't carry our phones with us most of the time...we wanted to get away and knew that Shanna had a good support system here if anything happened. While we were there, Epcot was hosting the Wine and Food Festival (which means there were a lot of people drinking and combine that with the heat and you have loud, rude people!). The parks were crowded and everything seemed to be louder....loud people, loud music, and screaming children. 

 
Russell and I went on a photo date last Saturday and took some great photos of the fall landscapes. It's so windy here today that nearly all the leaves are stripped off the trees. Now that daylight savings time is gone, the days seem dark and gloomy. I've discovered how much I love the scent of apple cinnamon candles along with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Costco (a wonderful, inexpensive treat for only $8.99!) to grace my table and mantle. We love the Christmas season and Shanna wants the Christmas stuff up NOW...so I think we'll get it up this weekend...we're already listening to Christmas music.

Happy Wednesday!

Broadening our horizons

Russell and I are trying to broaden our horizons and get out of our rut. While we always love spending time together, we can be somewhat predictable when we have the occasion to go out on a date. With the rainy weather on its way, we’re looking from some great (inexpensive places to go). We’ve been going to Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver (near the interstate bridge). It's a really pretty park with a nice farmers market and no one seems to mind if we photograph the fruits and vegetables.

Last weekend wasn’t really great weather so we headed to the Sellwood area of town...it’s a very charming neighborhood with lots of cute shops, little gardens and tiny restaurants. With no particular destination in mind, we wandered, took photos of flowers until we stumbled into STARS, an Antique Mall. We spent a couple of hours wandering through. We asked the owners if we could take photos and their only request is that we not rearrange the displays or get in the way of other shoppers.

 
    

My idea of antiques are really old, ornate uncomfortable furniture or elaborate chandeliers, etc. And yes, there was some of that, but a lot of what we saw on display were items that took us back to our childhoods. My theory is that if the item is as old as you are, then it's not an antique! We bought a black rotary dial phone and I swear that it must weigh about 15 pounds...a relic from our childhood years. We saw kitchen canisters in the 50’s style of pink and turquoise, a train pull-toy that my brothers and I all grew up with and a pair of roller skates that strapped onto your shoes. We saw beautiful quilts, kitchen gadgets that I wouldn’t know how to work and hankies (remember those...my grandma always had at least two fresh hankies plus a roll of Mint Lifesavers in her purse). There were old cameras and a couple of radios with beautifully styled knobs and lettering.

 
I got online this week and did some research on upcoming events that we might like to go to, such as the Largest Antique Show (how do they know it’s the largest?), several holiday bazaars and festivals, along with a ton of great antique shops. We are both almost nutty about photographing flowers and landscapes, as well as what we call “details”. We’re a cheap date and have been taking picnic lunches to save money. Stay tuned for more photos from our Weekend Wanderings.

I met Sue and Cindy, two of my life group gals tonight for a girl’s night out. It’s wonderful to catch up, to share the good things and the challenges in each other’s lives, to be real and honest with each other. It’s been two years since I started my life group. My goal at the time was to develop some close relationships with women as we shared our lives and spent some time in prayer and study...a goal that has exceeded my expectations. I’m so thankful for the ladies in my group and for the support and love they extend to me and to each other. Life group fall season will kick off again in the next few weeks and I’m looking forward to our weekly meetings. There have been many weeks when I didn’t want to have anyone over, when I was tired or just didn’t feel like entertaining and leading...but without fail, those were the nights that I was blessed the most. I would love to have a couple more ladies join our group and leaving that in God’s hands.

 

Happy Friday!

 

The reality of life

 
Happy first day of Fall!

Does anyone really know, or care, who the Jersey housewives or the Kardashians are? Am I the only one who thinks that the world has gone insane? There was an article in the newspaper this morning (are we the only ones who still get a daily newspaper?) that questioned the new wave of reality shows. There doesn’t seem to be any boundaries with all the social networking and reality shows.

    “Do reality shows really reflect reality as it really is...or maybe the shows promote less than ideal values, encourage less than ideal behavior and actually have contributed to our popular culture circling the drain.” The Oregonian, September 23, 2010

I also don’t get following your favorite “fill in the blank company or brand” on Facebook or Twitter. Who cares if I like Japanese Cherry Blossom scent from Bath and Body Works! I deactivated my Facebook account this morning. To be honest, Facebook made me feel “less than” and I want/need to feel like I am enough (thanks Brene Brown for that). I don’t want to sit on the edge of life, reading about other people’s busy, fun lives.

The fall season of television has begun and along with it, comes the choice of how much and what to watch. Russell and I have made a conscious decision to cut back on our TV watching. Since he rarely gets home before 7:30, we have approximately two – three hours in the evening together. We have discovered how wonderful Netflix is and how much we enjoy watching our favorite shows without commercial interruption. We bought Tivo’s about a year ago and absolutely love them. So with the fall TV schedule in hand, we’ve selected the shows that we will record and watch and which ones we will wait to come out on DVD. Our favorite shows are: Modern Family, The Middle, The Big Bang Theory, Criminal Minds, NCIS and NCIS Los Angeles. We’re adding Hawaii Five-O to our list. What are you watching this fall?

 

It’s raining today and fall is definitely in the air. If the weather is cooperative this weekend, Russell and I are going to Hood River for another photography date. We have free tickets to the Hood River History Museum (you can get free tickets to a museum in the area by following this link), and then we’re driving the “Fruit Loop”, featuring orchards selling a variety of fruits. We’ll drive up the Columbia Gorge historic highway and stop at Multnomah Falls and Crown Point. With the leaves turning, we should get some great photos.

 

From Brene Brown's blog: "Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone; I am enough."