Merrell Shoes It Is

I spent a Sunday afternoon with my dear friend Donna shopping at the Merrell store for a pair of comfortable walking shoes for our trip. With the great suggestions from Merrell expert/shopping assistant, Cindy I found a great pair of shoes.
Here's a little info on these beauties:

A Mary Jane that’s neat, easy but close-fitting and quick as needed, thanks to a breathable mesh-line canvas upper custom-cinched with a click-down adjustable strap. Supportive, ventilated, and stride-aligned in the Merrell manner, with an encore sole with wide-range grip.

UPPER/LINING
• Strobel construction offers flexibility and comfort
• Vegan friendly footwear
• Mesh upper
• Adjustable strap with clip closer locks in fit in one adjustment
• Breathable mesh lining treated with Aegis® antimicrobial solution
• Ortholite® Anatomical Footbed

MIDSOLE/OUTSOLE
• Molded nylon arch shank
• QForm® comfort provides women’s specific stride-sequenced cushioning
• Merrell® air cushion in the heel absorbs shock and adds stability
• Merrell encore Sole/Sticky rubber
• Weight: 14 ozs.

I have to say I LOVED everything in this store and would fill my suitcase with an entire Merrell wardrobe if I could afford it. Thanks Cindy for helping me find just what I was looking for! Just think of how comfortable I will be walking the streets of Rome : )

Thirty-Seven Days

We're starting to count down DAYS until the "Best of Italy 2010" ... 37 to be exact!
Today I cleaned out the guest room closet and started pulling potential articles of clothing/accessories to set aside for packing. All the websites I've studied say to gather everything and then pack half of it! I've narrowed my color scheme to black & white while coordinating that with red and turquoise tops ... so that it doesn't get boring or colorless. I'm thinking the weather will be warm so I've packed with layering in mind. It's hard to think of everything I'll need for 16 days and still stay under the 50 lb. luggage weight limit : )
I am now down to finding the perfect -- comfortable but stylish -- shoes. Any suggestions????
We are nearly done with our bathroom/utility room remodel so now we can concentrate full-time on our exciting adventure ahead! Can't wait!

They're Engaged!

It's official ... they're engaged! Whooohooo ... we are so excited.
This evening while shopping at Lowe's for trim boards and a bathroom light fixture a call came through my phone from Scottsdale, AZ from Matt sharing the good news.
It's so exciting to have another girl in the family ... Welcome Kathy! We love and adore you : )
Colin will be especially pleased with the news!

Happy Birthday Grandpa

I thought I would try out a new template downloaded from Ali Edwards site. The theme seemed to fit the occasion. You can almost hear Colin describing how he picked out his special gift for Grandpa and look at the anticipation on Calleigh's face as she patiently waits for Grandpa to open her present.
I love how the grandkids know just what we need!


Credits:
Font: Pea Quinn
Template: Ali Edwards
Wordart: Unknown

Wanna Look Like You

Colin just needs sunglasses and these guys would be duplicates! Nice style Uncle Tim!

April Birthdays

Last weekend a large group of family and friends once again dined at our annual Poor Richard's Germer-Gearhart Birthday Celebration.
This tradition started over fifteen years ago when we discovered that, while both of our families lived in NE Portland and didn't know each other, frequented this "two-fer" dining room ... and from there it is history.
Our group of 16 is large and laughter fills the room ... o.k. ... maybe a little too much! However, I think we bring some life to this quiet little establishment.
This year was memorable since Jason turned 30! Just think ... when we first started celebrating together he didn't even have a learner's permit. So much history since then ...
Credits:
Template: Pure Scrap
Font: Didot

Hugs

I just finished downloading photos on our camera and this one caught my eye. It was a goodbye hug from Calleigh on Easter. It just captured what a loving little girl she is and even though you can't see my face ... a small glimpse tells you I am loving this : )
Thank you, Lord for these precious little ones you have brought into our lives.

April Kickoff

So far this month ... excitement and surprise has been plentiful for our family. Brian and Michelle sold their house and bought this wonderful home. What an answer to prayer and the plan has been orchestrated better than we ever could have ever imagined. It was amazing to see how God provided every step of the way! What a blessing to have all that extra square footage. It will truly be a wonderful family home for them.
This week we also took the plunge and committed to a "Tour of Italy" in June to celebrate our 35th anniversary ... just a hair before it's our 36th! This has been a dream vacation on my "Bucket List" for years. After reading Beach Music by Pat Conroy my heart's desire has been set on visiting Italy. We wanted to do this last year but I was RIF'd in April and, since we are cautious people, we put our dream vacation "on hold" until we could see a change in the economy. The additional hours provided by the position I was eventually recalled to, provided the financial incentive to book the tour.
We are thankful for friends and neighbors who have traveled there before us and have given us great insight and suggestions. Please leave comments if you want to share info. with us. We'd love to hear your ideas!
I can't believe we are actually going!

Ciao ...

Dreaming of a 5k

Recently Matt ran the Shamrock Run and it sparked an interest in me to try a 5k run someday. After 12 weeks of working out at the gym ... mostly on the treadmill and elliptical 5 to 6 days a week ... I was surprised and a bit disappointed to find that running OUTSIDE requires much more training and dedication. I am in no way ready for a 5k at this point in my fitness regime.
While I was off work this week I loaded my iPhone with a fast paced playlist, familiarized myself with Walkmeter app and hit the pavement. What an awakening ... I was ready to give up after running only a few minutes where at the gym I can stay on the equipment for 45-60 mins. Hmmm ... this will require much training and take longer to build up the required strength and stamina.
The same day I tried this I discovered one of the blogs I follow started a new fitness blog and she is training for a 5k . She was actually the inspiration / motivation to get me started on a new fitness regime for 2010. Di Hickman is a fitness instructor and personal trainer. I found her design blog through a scrapbooking/card making connection. If you are presently working out or making a decision to get started, check out her fitness site for inspiration and encouragement.
In the meantime I'm going to supplement my gym time with a short run outside on "fair weather" evenings and I'm hoping to build enough stamina to run at least a mile. I will say that after two short runs I feel muscles in my thighs that I haven't been acquainted with in quite some time ... ouch : )
Whatever form of exercise you choose ... keep moving and motivated : )

Spring Break Activities

Today was my last day of Spring Break and I am sad to see it come to an end. What a fun-filled week it has been.
Sunday evening the grandkids came over to spend the night and we had a delightful time with them. They are so artsy-crafty (I think they get this from Mom) and we spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen coloring and painting. I ended up finding old coloring books from when our boys were little ... a great "retro" find ... I can't believe I kept so many of them.
After driving the kids home Monday morning I stopped at a few stores in their area ... fun to have the time to shop/browse. I found a few fun items for the deck at Craft Warehouse. Despite the forecasted weather report, I am ready for spring and pleasant weather.
Tuesday and Wednesday were bonus days -- blue skies and warm sunshine. I washed the car and cleaned the flower beds in the backyard. Amazing to see the new growth shooting up through the earth. Our Bleeding Heart is enormous and it's only March ... love the plants and flowers of spring!
Thursday I joined Donna on a shopping excursion to a new store ... new to me anyway. It's Real Deals Home Decor in Hillsboro. Check it out here. Your first visit to the store requires several trips up and down the aisles. Each time I discovered something I hadn't noticed before. It was fun to find that even the smallest, most inexpensive item added such a nice touch to our home. Many of my purchases were for our yard and deck ... another reason I would like to see pleasant weather ... I want to put out all the yard decor! We made many other stops to stores/malls in the area and even enjoyed a Newport Bay lunch. Can't think of a better way to spend spring break : )
Today I spent time getting my mindset back on work ... cleaning house, doing laundry, baking etc. I didn't mind too much as I have a new audiobook and this gave me an opportunity to get more involved in the story ... multi-tasking at its best.
I hope you had an opportunity to discover new things, spend time with those you love and enjoy some pleasant weather this spring break!

Great Finds ...

Look ... it's back on the store shelves ... my favorite salad dressing!!! For several years this product has not been available -- at least not at the stores where I shop. It was a great find at Fred Meyer this week. Litehouse ... you have me back as a loyal customer.
Another find I discovered on the Fred Meyer shelves ... Lemon Wafers. They are similar to Vanilla Wafers. Only 130 calories for 7 ... the problem is stopping at 7 : ) I bought them to crush over berries and adding a bit of whipped topping ... my version of a yummy light dessert.
Saturday night we made a stop at Teavana. My tea selection was getting a little slim. I used to buy Mrs. Earl Grey there but for some reason they discontinued my favorite tea. One of the employees suggested adding Tarocco Ruby Orange with regular Earl Grey and I have to say ... this is the best. What a wonderful way to start my day with a delicious cup of tea.

Gone With the Wind

After a long nine-month journey with Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley and Melanie the last pages of this great book were read this week. You may be thinking ... why did it take so long? A new job with longer hours, the holidays, a new exercise routine ... reading books from work, knitting projects etc. Gone With the Wind seemed to get pushed aside wherever the wind took me : )
The book pretty much followed the movie ... with the exception of Scarlett's older children. I was a little surprised by Rhett ... I don't think his motives were fully played out in the movie.
Well, now I'm a bit lost without these fictional "acquaintances" and even though I would like to read the sequel for the second time I think it's time to move on to something else. A trip to the library is in today's plan ... right after I finish cleaning up the backyard flowerbeds.
Oh, how I love Spring Break ....

An Amazing Day Off

Today was the beginning of a 4-day weekend ... and much needed time off. I dedicated today to doing things I can never get to ... I actually finished a book this morning!
This afternoon I thought I would give a new nail salon in our "neighborhood" a try. This place was recommended by the gal who cuts my hair. She raved on their service and reasonable prices. What better way to pamper myself than with a manicure and pedicure. I was there for over one and a half hours ... and I was not disappointed. She did a fabulous job and it was fun to see how another salon provides their services. Their prices were indeed reasonable ... a french pedicure for $20 and a manicure for $14. I highly recommend this business and I know I will be back.
In addition to this relaxing experience I had the opportunity to read more of Gone With The Wind. For those who have been following my long journey with Scarlett ... I am now at the point where Rhett and Scarlett return from their honeymoon and are in the process of building their home on Peachtree. I have about 250 pages in the large print edition to go before completing this lengthily read. Donna ... it has been tempting to just stick the DVD in and finish it up : ) but I will keep going. I'm kind of persistent in that way. Then I'll sit back and watch the movie again. It's one of my favorites!
To top off my relaxing afternoon I stopped at Starbucks and used a Christmas gift card from my coworker. She recommended the chocolate cherry mocha ... and it was divine!
Tomorrow it will be time to get down to business and do all the prep and cleaning for the Bunco event of the year ... at least it is when I am the hostess hahaha. It always seems a bit overwhelming getting ready but so much fun when everyone arrives ... such a fun group of gals.
Hope you are finding ways to unwind from your busy schedule and discovering unexpected JOY in your day.

Re-Connecting

As Calleigh gets older, sometimes a memory is triggered while we are playing together. I'm not sure what takes me back to the late fifties but I think it's her hair, skin and eye color that remind me of my childhood friend, Debi.
Debi lived across the street from my daycare provider and we met as toddlers. I remember playing together at her house or mine. We both loved dolls as you can see by the picture -- it was taken in my bedroom. What an awesome "girlie" room I had : )
The school years can change routines and friendships and Debi was a year behind me in school. She attended a neighboring grade school even though we only lived about 4 blocks apart. When the school district changed the boundaries in the mid-sixties she was transferred to my school. We crossed paths again in high school and she married one of Walt's best friends. We share much history together and even though we haven't seen each other ... (except at a memorial service for Marie, my daycare provider) ... I still think of her often.
The memories of Debi became so strong after Christmas that I had to locate her. I found her email address and contacted her a month ago. It was so nice to get a response and hear about her family and her life. Do you have someone that comes to mind often? Follow the prompting and get in touch. I'm so glad I did!

Women's Retreat ... Priceless

Our attendance was smaller this year but the fun was mighty big at the Tillikum Retreat Center! What a perfect weekend to get away ... to be challenged ... to laugh ... to rest ... to find JOY ... and we were not disappointed.
This year's theme was, "Loving Well" and our speaker was Beth Moore via DVD. She is an enthusiastic, honest and open woman ... full of energy and a great sense of humor with a challenging message.
With the temps in the 60's we also enjoyed walks around the lake and good talks on the deck in our free time. I enjoyed the retreat more this year ... sometimes it's easy to feel lost in a crowd and with the smaller group I had the opportunity to get to know many of the women better than just "hello" in the church foyer.
And an added benefit of the weekend ... Walt turned our water off while I was gone so he could work on the plumbing in the basement bathroom. For that reason ... my weekend away was priceless : ) Perfect timing!
Thank you to our retreat planning team ... it was a great weekend getaway.

Home Improvement 101

Here's where we've been spending our "spare" time ... or shall I say ... where Walt has been spending his "spare" time -- the downstairs bathroom.
Our house was built in 1978 and all three bathrooms are in need of repair/updating. We really haven't done much to them except to paint and put down vinyl, etc. This will be much more labor intensive. We are starting by replacing the shower, the walls need to be re-textured/painted, install a new vanity/sink and toilet, and tile the floor.
Once this room is finished we will move to the bedroom downstairs and then start tearing out our bedroom/master bath. Following that ... the main bathroom upstairs. This is our year for interior home improvements. We spent 3 years on the exterior and now it's time to move indoors for some major projects. There's always something to do in maintaining an older home!
If you're bored and have nothing to do, stop by some Saturday. Walt might just hand you a paintbrush or tool : ) Or if you have great ideas for decor or design, please do share. We are still in the planning stage. I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Seventh Week Summary

It has now been seven weeks since we started our fitness regime for the new year. We have made the effort to go to Club Sport at least 5 or 6 times a week. We both can feel the difference health-wise and by how our clothes are fitting. We just feel better!
The first week of our workout my iPod decided to have issues so it was another "investment" in our workout plan. This new updated version has many new features. I can plug it into the equipment and download the data from my workout. This info is sent to Nike Plus where it graphs my workout, calories burned etc. What a great tool and incentive to stay on task.
My last serious adventure in getting fit was in 1987. My Dr. suggested I read Covert Bailey's "Fit or Fat" and it was very motivational. I remember only missing one fitness workout (due to illness) between April-August. I also followed Nathan Pritikin's Diet for Runners where I made meals from seven survival staples. I think that was the last time I truly felt fit and healthy.
I have been so pumped this year working on my Word of Year -- VITALITY. It's huge for me to do this. It has been a long journey in my return to health. Six years ago I was so anemic the Drs. couldn't figure out how I got out of bed to go to work each day. A hemotologist gave me shots of Aranesp (a man-made form of a protein that helps your body produce red blood cells) every other week for 5 months ... an amazing treatment with huge price tag! I also had to have several sessions of iron by IV therapy. So you can only imagine what a victory it is to stay on the elliptical for an hour and "run" 20 laps. In an age where we want "instant" results in our lives, this has been a lesson in persistence and patience. I am so very thankful to those who have been praying for me on this long journey to restored health. For me ... this is my "miracle."
In this second month of the new year I hope you also have found times of victory and renewed determination in your goals and Words of the Year!

Prayer

Our Tuesdays@5 group has been studying Philip Yancey's book, "Prayer ... Does It Make Any Difference?" This is the second Yancey book we've studied and I am enjoying this author and his insight / honesty.
A few weeks ago we shared our favorite Psalm or prayer from the Bible and I immediately thought of Psalm 16. My favorite version is from The Good News for Modern Man translation ... from the 70's : )

Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety.
I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
all the good things I have come from you."
How excellent are the Lord's faithful people!
My greatest pleasure is to be with them.
Those who rush to other gods
bring many troubles on themselves.
I will not take part in their sacrifices;
I will not worship their gods.
You, Lord, are all I have,
and you give me all I need;
my future is in your hands.
How wonderful are your gifts to me;
how good they are!
I praise the Lord, because he guides me,
and in the night my conscience warns me.
I am always aware of the Lord's presence;
he is near, and nothing can shake me.
And so I am thankful and glad, and I feel completely secure,
because you protect me from the power of death,
and the one you love you will not abandon to the world of the dead.
You will show me the path that leads to life;
your presence fills me with JOY and brings me pleasure forever.

I have recently discovered Club Sport's steam room and decided it was a great prayer "closet." The room is filled with warm, moist air ... it's a quiet place and great for spending 15 minutes of prayer. The perfect finish to a great workout!
I would love to hear about your favorite Psalms/prayers from the Bible ...

Merry Christmas Matt ... Finally!

Super Bowl Sunday I knit the last few rows on Matt's 2009 Christmas gift. It was a 13-month project so I missed the holiday deadline. No worries ... I just wrapped it up with the needles attached and promised to finish it soon. Has anyone else had to do that?!?!?
Well, Matte ... your afghan is here waiting for you. I think you'll get a few month's use out of it before the warmer temperatures arrive.
It was a fun project to work on. Merry Christmas (again), Matte : )

Little Pink Hat

Well ... this little hat was a "community" project. Michelle sent me the pattern, Heather found the 2.5 needles (they actually look like toothpicks!) and my knitting "coach," Kathy at work, guided me EVERY step of the way. This pattern was way beyond my skill level but Kathy patiently translated each row, fixed my mistakes, and was a cheerleader throughout the entire process.
What a JOY to see something finished after a long "struggle" in learning many new knitting terms and stitches. Now I need to find a little baby girl to wear it : )
Well ... onto Matt's Christmas gift ... 2009! I have 6 inches to go before I cast off and give him his new afghan. It took a year to complete! Feels good to be knitting again and I am enjoying the company of coworkers as I knit and purl. I hope you are finding time for a favorite craft or hobby this month!