Thirty-three

We left Sunday on our thirty-third anniversary getaway to Cannon Beach. I believe this is our third year in a row to spend time down here -- two at the Inn at Cannon Beach and one at a "spiritual retreat" cabin we bid on at an auction. We loved the time we had there too ... very small, no TV, no phone ... a great place for R & R -- to unwind.
I am sitting on our deck that overlooks the garden area. The skies are blue, temperatures are warm and there's a hint of a breeze. Life is good : )
We're packing up and getting ready to spend the day on the beach before heading home. It has been a great to spend time with my best and dearest friend! I am so thankful for the thirty-three year "journey" and all the joy, ups and downs, etc. we've shared on the "road."

RSS Feed

Tim is always introducing me to new technology. One of my favorites is NewsNetWire Lite. It allows me to keep up on my favorite blogs, topics, crafts, recipes etc. without manually searching for each one -- new updates are displayed similar to an email "inbox." It's a great time saver!
Many people have asked me what an RSS Feed is ...
Wikipedia describes it as -- "RSS (which, in its latest format, stands for "Really Simple Syndication") is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines or podcasts. An RSS document, which is called a "feed," "web feed," or "channel," contains either a summary of content from an associated web site or the full text. RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with their favorite web sites in an automated manner that's easier than checking them manually."
RSS content can be read using software called a "feed reader" -- I am using NewsNetWire Lite for MAC and it can be downloaded for free at this address: http://www.newsgator.com/Individuals/NetNewsWire
Wikipedia also describes how you can subscribe to a feed by entering the feed's link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. You can check the feeds you have subscribed to regularly for new content, downloading any updates that it finds.
Since I enjoy scrapbooking I have subscribed to several sites such as:
posts to del.icio.us tagged "scrapbooking" enabling me to check out sites I do not have time to search for
pictures tagged "scrapbooking" in flickr! -- some great layout ideas
digital scrapbooking layouts, feebies, tutorials etc.
blogs of my favorite scrapbooking artists
If you are a MAC user, give this a try. You will be amazed at what you will find!

Historical Fiction

The Dear America series, written for grades 5-9, is very popular with grade school children. Many of the diaries in the series date back to 1620 … 1777 … 1859 … 1864 … etc. But nothing prepared me for the discovery of one written about my generation. I am now HISTORICAL fiction!!!
“Where Have All The Flowers Gone? The Diary of Molly MacKenzie Flaherty” focuses on the time period between Christmas 1967 through May 1968. It is a time of war in Vietnam, unrest in the United States: hippies; demonstrations; the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy etc.
Suddenly I’m feeling very old!

Father's Day Fun

After church we enjoyed a Father's Day dinner at Friday's. Colin got to sit with the "big" guys -- his uncles, dad and grandpa.

I think Calleigh had a little too much celebrating for one day :)
Our final family destination -- a shopping trip to Woodburn. Our day was packed with so much JOY!

Calleigh's Family Dedication

Sunday was a special day for our family. We were not only celebrating Father's Day but Calleigh's Family dedication at Potter's Hands. What an awesome service -- nice to have Uncle Tim, Uncle Matt and Great-Grammy join us!

Family Day

Instead of our usual Memorial Day celebration at Sunriver, we enjoyed a family day at our house Monday. It was so nice to get everyone together for food, fun and fellowship. We enjoyed a build-your-own-taco buffet and once our dinner settled we walked up to the park. Colin loves to kick the soccer ball around with the guys and play on the equipment.

We even had time for a competitive round of Left-Center-Right, Sorry and Scrabble --
plus leisurely reading a good book out on the deck.
It was hard to see the day come to and end ... it was a little too quiet after everyone left ... loved spending the day with those we love :)

Memorial Day Weekend

It has been a tradition to go to Sunriver with our family for Memorial Day Weekend. But this year with Calleigh due so close to the holiday, we decided to take a year off. It's amazing how quiet the neighborhood is ... we feel like the only ones home! We have many projects to finish so we have not been bored : )


We have been working on our deck handrail and it took most of our Saturday to finish.
Today we're adding copper post tops giving it a completed look. The next phase will be the stairs. It will be nice to have some BBQs soon. I can almost smell the aroma of dinner cooking now : )

Goin' Digital

I finally picked up a copy of Creating Keepsakes, "Computer Tricks for Scrapbooking," and sat down Saturday morning with laptop and coffee in hand exploring Photoshop Elements. My next scrapbooking project was the Potter's Hands First Gathering. The first skill I worked on was resizing a photo and adding a frame. My favorite new tool was the curved journaling line, giving it a whimiscal touch and the circle text. These are all things that I really can't do by hand. It's the best of both worlds ... I can print out a partially completed page and then add papers, fibers, embellishments etc. for a great finished product. I have been using my computer as an additional scrapbooking tool for a couple of years ... using WordArt etc. but this will definitely make some changes in my scrapbooking style. I have a lot to learn but I'm taking it one step at a time.

Study Basket

At our Spring Women's Retreat our speaker encouraged us to get our Bible study "tools" organized in a basket. This gives portability with no more excuses in finding a quiet spot for devotions or study. So ... months have gone by and I just haven't been able to find the PERFECT basket ... too small ... too short ... too square. BUT last week I found THE perfect basket at Michaels with a bonus of 50% off : ) I love a bargain!
I've filled my basket with the following: NIV/Message Parallel Bible, study book, journal, pencil holder (with pencil, pen, highlighter and post-it-notes), index cards-spiral bound and notecards. I love all the organizational tools and products at the office supply stoes.

It's awesome ... instead of gathering everything up for Tuesday's Bible Study .. I can just carry this out to the car and be on my way. I'm also thinking how nice it will be to carry it out to our new deck during my summer break and have everything at hand. Only 19 more days ... but who's counting??? : )

Best Mother's Day Ever

We spent all day at the hospital yesterday awaiting the birth of baby Calleigh. She arrived at 3:30 p.m. weighing 7lbs 13oz. and 20 in. She's a beauty ... what a precious gift!


Big brother Colin did an awesome job during the 9 1/2 hour wait and enjoyed meeting his new sister!

Kennedy 40

What an awesome day ... our 40-year grade school reunion turned out great. It was fun decorating the room with memorabilia -- I kept so many things from my childhood ... even had my 8th-grade graduation dress on display ... a yellow polka-dot tent dress. Anyone remember those?!?!
We met in Mrs. Stanley's second grade classroom (our school is now a McMenamins.) What fun -- to watch each person walk through the door ... many squeals and hugs. Some were surprises -- we didn't know if they were going to attend or not. One of the nicest surprises was our 8th grade teacher and his wife. As a new teacher, we were his first class and we attended his wedding the summer following our graduation. They brought pictures of us posing with the bride and groom, decorating their car, etc. Many fun memories!

With only a few hours available we reminisced about old school stories and classmates, took a group photo, toured our school building and shared where life has taken us over the last 40 years.
It was fun reconnecting with old friends and classmates. We definitely want to do this again. Maybe in 2009 ... The Summer of 42.

Formal Night

(Pictured with Greg & Ronda)
One of the highlights of the cruise was Formal Night. How often do we get to dress up, enjoy a nice dinner and good company? We were blessed to share a dining table with a nice Christian family from California and our wait staff was awesome. It made our dining experience so enjoyable!
I would like to start saving for a Mediterranean Cruise to celebrate our 35th anniversary. I have always dreamed of going to Italy : )

Cruisin ...

I never thought I would enjoy a cruise. ... I tend to get motion sick and it always seemed like a crowded, confining vacation.
But once we were on board, we were "hooked." In my mind I could not imagine the massive size and elegance of the ship before boarding. We spent the first afternoon just exploring every area -- inside and out.
We cruised down to San Diego the first night and arrived to strong winds canceling many of the port activities. After missing the Catalina stop we enjoyed a Sea Day and relief from swells and seasickness. I was so thankful I had a prescription patch to wear ... never got seasick. To describe how rough the swells were ... I had to hold on to the hand bar in the shower to keep my balance ... the boat was rocking and rolling! Many of our fellow cruisers were too sick to come to dinner that evening and the staff was kept busy cleaning the carpets etc.
This 4-day cruise was a good endurance test! We definitely want to go again ...

Santa Catalina is A-waitin' for Me ...

Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance
Romance, romance, romance ........
Hmmmmm ... that's right ... it will still be a-waiting for me ....
We booked a 4-day cruise over Spring Break with the intention of seeing Catalina Island. We tried to work it in to our 30th Anniversary vacation in 2004 but it didn't work out. I thought this would be a sure thing BUT due to weather conditions it was canceled. What a disappointment! In talking to cruise staff, the Catalina stop has never been canceled in the 3 years they've been onboard! With the rough seas, even as disappointing as it was, I wouldn't have wanted to get in one of the transports : 0 Safety first!
Well ... I'm thinking ... perhaps we now have an excuse to cruise again ... third times a charm?!?!?!

Family Reunion

Before setting sail we joined our southern California family members for breakfast in San Pedro. We enjoyed 3 short hours of catching up on several years of life ... some we haven't seen in nearly 2 decades! What an awesome bon voyage ... surrounded by those we love.

Spring Break Road Trip

Life has been moving at a whirlwind pace since we returned from our cruise.
We hit the road as soon as school let out the Friday before Spring Break and headed down I-5 south in a rented van, passports in hand (a long story !), suitcases packed and much anticipation of a new adventure. It has been years since we've enjoyed a road trip together. Except for the high gas prices, it was a fun and relaxing vacation.
Since most of our past travels to California have always been in the summer, it was nice to see the terrain during the spring. All of those golden hills were lush green and the temperatures were mildly pleasant.
As we traveled to the Bay area we felt carefree listening to a book on tape ... I "knit-and purled" the miles away trying to get Calleigh's baby blanket completed before we returned home.

A Season of Reunions ... UNILIT

I came home from work today to find a voicemail about a UNILIT reunion in June. WOW ... it has been 30 years since working there and haven't seen most of my fellow workers since leaving a month before Brian was born.
UNILIT, United Literature, was a Christian book supplier between bookstores and publishers and had five branches across the US. I worked in Inventory Control for 3 years. During that time it sold to Tyndale House Publishers and years later sold to Spring Arbor. I've always wondered what my fellow coworkers ended up doing in the years following.
The odd thing ... for some reason today a memory from UNILIT was brought to mind ... my bosses first daughter was born on May 7th while I worked there ... I was wondering about their family after all these years ... and then I check my voicemail to find info about the reunion! Wow!
I've always thought it would be fun to have a reunion with these former coworkers. It will be fun to see who shows up ... I'm really looking forward to it.

As Time Goes By

We loved our first apartment in NE Portland as a newly married couple in 1974. It was a one-level end unit in an older apartment complex. It included such amenities as a fireplace, utility room for a washer and dryer, two bedrooms, hardwood floors and a carport. It felt more like a small house and we enjoyed many happy memories during the year and half we lived there.
After taking pictures of the Adams demolition earlier this month we drove by our "first home" to find each apartment unit now for sale with a starting price of $139, 900! Wow ... never would have imagined that as part of the real estate market!!!
How times have changed ...

Earth Day 1970

. . . on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was held, one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy. . . " -American Heritage Magazine, October 1993

Do you remember what you did on the first "Earth Day" in 1970?
We had school-wide student participation at our high school with various activities planned. Our school was divided into 4 "houses" and I remember one group held a burial for a car engine. Thinking back .... hmmm .... not sure how earth-conscious it was to bury that in the ground! I wonder if they've unearthed it during the demolition.
My Gen Ed class planned a protest against the automobile. We rode our bikes side-by-side blocking 33rd Drive to Marine Drive. Cars couldn't get past us and the drivers were extremely unhappy. The police ended up coming and used bullhorns to instruct us to move off the road. Personality-wise, I am not the protester type so this was my first and last involvement in this kind of activity!
How did Walt spend his first earth day???? Getting his driver's license!
Seriously, I think we've come a long way in making an effort to become more "green" and we need to continue to educate ourselves in ways we can each make a difference.
To read more on the history of this event check out this site: http://earthday.envirolink.org/history.html

Adams, You WERE The Very Best

That was then ...








This is now ....

A few weeks ago we were heading out to the airport to pick up our rental car for our spring break cruise and our jaws dropped as we drove by our old high school! We've read newspaper articles and heard rumors about the demolition but since we no longer live in the neighborhood we were not aware of a this scheduled event.
How very sad ... so many memories ... so many dreams, plans, friendships made ... now the last high school built in the Portland Public School District lies in rubble. I wish there had been some kind of alumni "farewell" and a time of closure.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for this property.
As our school song went. "Adams, you are the very best. Adams, better than all the rest ....." Goodbye!

Kennedy Grade School

On Saturday the 28th our 8th-grade class from Kennedy Grade School will gather together for our 40-year reunion. Now that just doesn't seem possible! We will be meeting in the Community Room, which was my second grade classroom in 1960-61. I'm so thankful that our building has been restored. What a beautiful job the McMenamin brothers did ... transforming it from a neighborhood eyesore into a warm and inviting gathering place.
We continue to search for our old classmates hoping to have as many attend as possible. If you know of anyone from the class of '67, please let them know. It will be a fun day of old stories and for many attending, decades of things to catch up on.
Looking forward to it!

A Wonderful Surprise

This is the first year I haven't been able to find my favorite Easter treat ... Hershey's Eggs. I looked through several stores including Target, Fred Meyer and Walgreens. I finally gave up but it just wasn't the same without those yummy chocolately treats. After checking the CandyBlog I found posts from other sad Hershey Egg fans who were also having problems finding them in their area. I guess I was not alone ... Hopefully more stores will carry them next year.
Much to my surprise Tuesday -- Loretta dropped by Bible study with a bag she found at her Walgreens -- just for me!
Much joy to be celebrated. Thank you. Loretta for thinking of me : )

Easter Celebration

What an awesome Easter. We joined Potter's Hands for their first morning worship service at 10:02 a.m. Couldn't ask for a nicer day ... both Tim and Matt came and Brian was part of the worship team. The only sad part of the day was missing Michelle and Colin, who was home sick : (
It was not only awesome to worship with my family but also with those who have been like family to us over the years AND share in a special occasion ... McKenna's baptism. Sean shared a great message from Luke 24: 1-12.
Potter's Hand's new building looks warm and inviting ... great color and decor. Especially loved the kid's room with a beach theme complete with a surfboard table, cabanas etc. ... maybe a little So Cal influence from Sean?!?! Check out their website: http://www.pottershands.org for more info.
The perfect ending to our day was a ham dinner with all the gang at the Gears. Great food, fun and fellowship!

It's Spring!

I love spring ... everything is in bloom ... new growth pushing through the soil ... the colors and fragrances ... new life; new beginnings. Three weeks ago we cleaned up our flowerbeds and only found a few plants poking through the soil. Since we'd cruised on our spring break and have taken a little time off from our gardening, I looked out the kitchen window yesterday and marveled at our Bleeding Heart ... when did it make its debut? It wasn't there a few weeks ago ... and I've never seen it so large!
I'm lovin' it : )

Scrapbooking Idea

I created an 8x8 album for a friends' Sunriver home as a "welcome-to-your-new-home" gift.
I wanted to create a map of their new neighborhood and had an idea. I went to Yahoo! Maps and found a map of Sunriver Resort. I copied and pasted this into Word on tan cardstock. I then positioned and typed in a title (Dream) using WordArt and also a quote about dreams. I ran it through the printer a second time. After adding a few embellishments I had a great title page for this album. This was the first time I'd tried this technique and discovered a great way to create a personal page by using only paper products and printer ink.
This idea may come in handy when you get into a creative slump or simply don't have time to get to the scrapbooking store for inspiration/supplies.

Sneak Peek

Since I was off work last week, Michelle asked me if I'd like to join them for her ultrasound appt. This is the first ultrasound I've had the opportunity to see since I never had one with any of my pregnancies. It was amazing ... Calleigh was waving her arms (maybe to say "hi"?), kicking her feet and even stuck her tongue out. She is approximately 4.5 lbs and is expected to arrive in 8 weeks AND definitely a girl!
As a mother-in-law, it just blew me away to be included in this special family event. God has richly blessed my life with such an amazing daughter-in-law. As I check my Calleigh Countdown desktop widget (custom-designed by Tim), I am reminded that in 53 days (plus or minus) our lives will be filled with much JOY! What an awesome journey ...

Scrap Scene Blog

Check out this blog about the who’s who of scrapbooking. It's a great place to discover the latest papercrafting and scrapbooking trends. http://www.scrapscene.com/
If you have an RSS feed, you can subscribe to this site and get updates on a regular basis. They add new posts several times a day.
A great scrapbooking resource!

Psalm 119

Psalm 119 has been where I've been "residing" since Fall. It has been home to my journey. I was challenged at Family Camp to read a passage thirty-five times to truly bring it into your heart and life. Considering this Psalm has 176 verses I'm sure that by now I have read it at least that many times ... maybe more. I've read it in many different versions -- NIV, Amplified, New Living, and The Message each allowing me to understand a passage worded a bit differently -- expanding my understanding.
I am a visual/object-lesson learner ... I can relate much easier to things I can identify with. The Message uses the illustration of a blessed/joyful life -- one listening to God and His Word -- to a journey. Descriptive words include those related to travel:
stay on course
walking steadily on the road
following His directions
taking steady steps
read the map of your Word
don't miss the road signs posted
keeping your eyes on the Lord
give me clear directions
barricade the road that goes to Nowhere
choosing the road that goes Somewhere
road signs at every curve and corner
guiding us down the road of your commandments
love traveling this freeway
formerly wandered all over the place. Now I'm in step with your Word
watch my step. Avoiding ditches and ruts of evil
never detouring from the route
God gives good directions
by your Word -- can see where I'm going -- throws a beam of light on my dark path
I don't swerve an inch from your course
steady my steps with your Word of promise

This is the longest Psalm and chapter in the Bible. Breaking each portion into twenty-two parts … would it be possible to take the next step and memorize it? Several years ago I memorized Psalm 91 that contains only 16 verses so even though difficult, not totally impossible. Here’s a story I read online:
“Perhaps the most unusual story of the benefit to memorizing this psalm is the story of George Wishart, Bishop of Edinburgh in the 18th century. It seems that he found himself in a difficult spot after being condemned to death. He was confident of a pardon that had not yet arrived even at the moment he stood on the scaffold to meet his fate. Taking advantage of the time honored tradition of allowing the condemned man to pray a Psalm, Wishart chose to recite in prayer the text of the 119th psalm. Before he was finished praying the delayed pardon arrived and his life was spared. One can only imagine his ill fortune had he not memorized this psalm.” –From Truthtalk.org

I find myself eager to start something new after the Women's Retreat over the weekend. Feel free to share your favorite passages, memorized verses or suggestions. It's always encouraging to know where others have journeyed!

I'm "Cable-ing"

My co-worker, Pam helped me get started on a new knitting adventure ... the cable stitch. I've always shied away from it as it looked too complicated and more for the intermediate knitter. But Pam shared a scarf pattern she has been working on and after buying all the necessary supplies ... I'm "cable-ing." So far I've knit 5 inches and I haven't ripped it out/completely started over yet : ) During the past few years I've earned the title: "queen of un-knitting"!!!
If you are interested in this pattern, check out the following link:
http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60053.html?noImages=
Without my knitting-mentor, Pam I would still be mass-producing pillows and kitchen dishcloths.
Thanks, Pam for expanding my knitting horizons!

Top Twenty

I've been sick for several days and I've spent a lot of time reading. I've been looking through my bookcase and it brought back memories of my favorite books and authors over the last decade or two.
As soon as I started learning to use Excel, I've kept a spreadsheet of books I've read each year. As more tools became available, I've switched to a free program for MAC users, "Books" and I started using Library Thing this fall. Years ago my goal was to read 50 books per year and I found, as time passed, I would have a hard time recalling what the book was about when reviewing past lists. The solution: write a summary!

So here's my top twenty ... in alpha order:

Beach Music by Conroy, Pat
Between Friends by Macomber, Debbie
Bleachers by Grisham, John
Blue Nowhere by Deaver, Jeffery
Crossings by Steele, Danielle
Evening Class by Binchy, Maeve
Harmony series by Gulley, Phillip
Hawaii by Michener, James
Leota’s Garden by Rivers, Francine
Lonesome Dove by McMurtry, Larry
Maiden’s Grave by Deaver, Jeffery
Mitford series by Karon, Jan
Nights of Rain and Stars by Binchy, Maeve
Savannah Series by Price, Eugenia
Scarlet Thread by Rivers, Francine
Sunflower, The by Evans, Richard Paul
Testament, The by Grisham, John
Three Weeks with My Brother by Sparks, Nicholas & Micah
Thursdays at Eight by Macomber, Debbie
Toxin by Cook, Robin

And here's a list of my favorite top 20 authors:

Alborn, Mitch
Binchy, Maeve
Clark, Mary Higgins
Cook, Robin
Deaver, Jeffrey
Evans, Richard Paul
Grisham, John
Gulley, Phillip
Jance, J.A.
Jenkins, Jerry
Karon, Jan
Kingsbury, Karen
Macomber, Debbie
Margolin, Phillip
Patterson, James
Plain, Belva
Rivers, Francine
Sparks, Nicholas
Spencer, Lavyrle
VanLiere, Donna

Please feel free to share your favorite books/authors. I'm always looking for something new to read.

The Power of Dyson

We finally made an investment in a new vacuum cleaner last weekend. We went over to Bed, Bath and Beyond with our 20% coupon in hand and tried out a couple of models. We were sold on the Dyson Absolute DC17 Animal. One shopper in the store stopped by to tell us she got one for Christmas and absolutely loves it. Since Walt does most of the vacuuming at our house, I let him make the final decision.
We came home and gave it a test-drive … what a difference it has made in our carpet. It’s like every fiber is standing at attention : ) It has amazing suction.
Not only will we have cleaner carpets but this model has been approved for allergy sufferers as well. Here’s to technology for a cleaner home environment!

Scrapbooking Sketch Link

Just found a link posted on del.icio.us for a lengthly list of sites featuring scrapbooking sketches -- more than 50 sites/blogs filled with layout sketches and ideas. Check it out at: http://www.sketchlover.com/id6.html

This should help with an occasional creative block! I am looking forward to using this resource ... I need to get out of Wallowa 2004 and on to our Disney vacation. AND ... I need to get Colin's birth scrapbooked before his sister arrives in May. I have tomorrow off and hope to make some progress on my album.

ZUMA

For some reason Colin has linked me with the computer game Zuma. I can't figure it out because it's actually one of Grandpa's favorite games and believe me ... I am terrible at playing it!

But here we are enjoying an evening playing his favorite ... ZUMA!

Birthday at Bishop's Close

This evening we had the pleasure of joining others at Bishop’s Close to celebrate Fran’s 60th birthday. I’ve lived in the Portland area my entire life and have never visited this beautiful landmark.
The Elk Rock Gardens / Bishop's Close is the name that was given to the Peter Kerr estate when it was given to the Diocese of Oregon in 1959. Located in the Dunthorpe area the estate consists of thirteen acres on a high bluff on the western bank of the Willamette River and includes approximately six acres of cultivated English-style gardens.
The term "close" as it is used in this instance derives from British usage where it describes an enclosed area around a church or other sacred space, which provides a place for quietude and meditation.
One beautiful day in spring, I would like to go back with my camera and take pictures of Mt. Hood and the gardens in bloom. A great place to take out of town guests!
The house, located at 11800 SW Military Lane, is now the office of the Bishop of the Diocese of Oregon. The gardens are open to the public from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, seven day a week.
Happy birthday, Fran and we wish you many blessings on your birthday and in the coming year!

Beautiful News

Friday night Walt gave me a card and gift before heading over to the men’s conference at Rolling Hills … something to keep me company while he was gone ….
Matt Redman’s new CD, Beautiful News.
Matt Redman is a UK worship leader and songwriter including such songs as, "Blessed Be Your Name" (which garnered him a 2005 Gospel Music Association award for Worship Song of the Year), "The Heart of Worship," and "Better Is One Day” – many songs we sing at church.
Tuesday our Bible study focused on worship and the end of the chapter mentioned the story behind a song Matt Redman wrote, “Heart of Worship.” Check out his site: www.mattredman.com to read the story behind the song.

The Artist Within

One bonus of working in an elementary school is seeing things through children's eyes. The walls in the Kindergarten wing display colorful artwork of each season ... painted cut-out pumpkins, snowmen, flowers. I love how they view their world. Their perspective and artistic talent cannot be duplicated by adult hands. For many "grown ups," the freedom in artistic expression seems to be buried under the tyranny of the urgent ... just keeping up with our busy lives.
As we have been organizing and downsizing the things from our attic, I came across a picture I drew in Mrs. Stanley's room in second grade at Kennedy Grade School -- now a McMenamins. It's a picture of my family and a pretty good likeness through the eyes of an 8-year-old, I might add.
In case you haven't figured it out ... that's a big bowl of spaghetti on the center of the table : )
I think this is the only piece of artwork I have left from my grade school years and finding it brought much joy. For me, it's a reminder to make time for "play" in each day -- be creative!

New Year's Eve

We usually have a traditional date for this evening each year with the Petersons but at the last minute we had changes ... Don had to work.
After a leisurely after-church-lunch at Applebee's we decided to go to a movie in the evening. We saw "Holidays" in a packed theater. I always like movies produced by Nancy Meyers.
Following the movie we decided to stop for a bite to eat with the Gears. Finding most restaurants closed at that time of night, we ended up at Shari's. At one point we were the only customers! We made our own "party" there and rang in the new year with much laughter, pie and dear friends.
Many blessings to you in 2007 ...

Love to Read

I love getting wrapped up in a good book. It is so enjoyable to meet new people as I travel through the pages getting caught up in the plot from cover to cover. Reading has always been a favorite pastime and it is such a joy to find myself surrounded by books all day long in our school library. I love to unbox the new shipments at work and see the new titles and the fun illustrations. Some of my favorite books read in 2006 were from our school library.
Over the years I have recorded the books I've read on a spreadsheet and later started using a computer library program and Library Thing. I like to include the date I read the book, how many pages and a brief description (mostly for my memory!)
At the end of the year I was happy to see that I had read 41 books in 2006. If you'd like to see what I've been reading, click the Library Thing link on my site. It's a great site if you like books.
This morning I started a book new to our school library, "Listening for Lions," by Gloria Whelan. It's about a 13-year old girl left an orphan after influenza takes the lives of her missionary parents in British East Africa. It captured my interest immediately.
If you have a book suggestion, please feel free to leave a comment. I always enjoy finding a new author or series.
Happy Reading .....

Family Timeline

As with any new year, it's always time to think about goals for the coming year. Something we've always talked about over the last few years and finally set a goal to do ... create a family timeline.
We wanted to document our family vacations, accomplishments, activities, and people who have been a part of our lives over the years. We decided to start from the time we were born and move forward throughout our 33 years of marriage. We found many resources in the attic ... old calendars, scrapbooks, pictures and letters. I was amazed at the detailed record I had of my high school years. So, one Christmas Break morning I gathered everything together and spent the day around my kitchen table recording bits and pieces of time on our journey.
Each year when the boys were young we had a wall calendar attached to our kitchen pocket door. I felt like "air traffic control" directing everyone to their daily destinations. The calendar squares were tightly filled with activities involving church, sports, family and friends. I sometimes wonder how I had the energy to keep up with all of it.
I am so thankful to have saved these rolled up and somewhat tattered calendars after all these years, as they have been a great resource for our project. I was amazed as I looked over year after year of events how many details I had forgotten, the people who have come and gone crossing paths with our family, times of joy and sorrow, and those who have come alongside in friendship and support. It made me realize how blessed I am and to not take people or things for granted.
Another area needing an investment of my time and energy -- my scrapbooking room. I started scrapbooking in 1999 and I now realize how valuable our albums are to our family history. They include not only pictures but journaling detailing a wealth of information that just doesn't fit on a calendar square. Even though I struggle to stay current in the events of our lives and always feel like I'm falling behind, I am encouraged all the more to stick with it. One of my New Year's goals is to get things in order and I've been spending time organizing my scrapbooking room and supplies making it easier to stay on task in recording our family history. I received a gift subscription to a scrapbooking magazine that will give me a creative boost and inspiration.
Our timeline project will probably take most of the year to complete as I only had time to record about 18 years of events during the Christmas break but it has brought a lot of pleasure to stroll down "memory lane."
May you enjoy considering your goals and dreams for 2007!

Christmas Day

Christmas breakfast at our house has always been a tradition since the kids were young. The only change over the years has been that we now eat much later in the morning and since the teen years, we have nearly had to drag the guys out of bed to join us at the table! We don't open presents until a leisurely meal and then it's one person/one present at a time. It can take hours to open all the packages ... not due to over-gifting, but it seems like each gift has a story behind the bows, ribbon and gift wrap. Also, a great time for new family "-isms."

I wish I would have recorded the year mom and I first bought each other the same calendar. Now it's a gifting tradition. Each year we open them at the same time ... the shape of the packaging giving obvious clues to its contents. We always have a good laugh and a "kodak" moment.

Each year since the kids were small we have purchased an ornament that represented something about their year. When Brian and Michelle decorated their first tree, they opened the box to find mostly sports-related ornaments. Sorry Michelle! I wish I had been a bit more creative in our ornament choices over the years. This year we photographed these "treasures" -- for scrapbooking reasons.
We always finish the day with a "build-your-own-sub-sandwich" meal and games/movies ... but more than that it's a time for building special family memories. Much JOY on the journey!

Christmas Eve Traditions

We are a family of strong traditions and one thing we always include in our Christmas Eve plans is a trip downtown hanging out until the stores close. This is something we started with the Peterson family decades ago when our kids were small. In the last few years we have altered a few of our destinations in order to accommodate Colin's schedule ... good changes!
This year with the changes at the Meier & Frank building we gravitated over to Nordstrom's for Colin's visit with Santa. I couldn't believe how comfortable he was during his long chat with Mr. Claus. No tears or fears for this little guy.

A trip to Starbuck's and our annual family pictures -- with the Pioneer Courthouse Square tree in the background -- is a requirement for our holiday season. We also made time to tour the stores at Pioneer Place with the guys heading over to the Apple Store and the girls checking out the PINK baby selection at The Children's Place. We worked up quite an appetite for dining at Rock Bottom. Our last stop was at Finnegan's Toy Store, which is one tradition that has been a "must" since our kids were small. Such a wonderful place to find something fun and unusual.

This year we hung out at home and watched a Christmas video while waiting for the 11:00 p.m. Candlelight service at church, abandoning the traditional theater movie. The TCC service is always an awesome "homecoming." Seems like no matter where people's paths have taken them over the years ... those who have been a part our church family, students in college etc. ... the reunion is always a joy! The service is amazing with soft candlelight, the pews are packed and the songs and message continue to remind us of the Reason for the Season. The closing chapter on a wonderful family day.