Passport Photos
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
First Anniversary
Our first wedding anniversary is today. We celebrated on Thursday. I JOKINGLY told Doug he had permission to get me a rice cooker (after i nearly caught the kitchen on fire leaving the rice on high for 45 minutes--that pan will never be the same). After i gave him permission, i regretted it...
Out he came with a large square box, neatly wrapped. I laughed-"it's a rice cooker!!!" i exclaimed. I unwrapped it, had a good laugh, and he told me to look inside. There was more. I opened a jewelry box to find a jeweled crown keychain purse hanger thingie. Cute...but that was the extra somethin' special? "OK," i thought, "he is taking me to a nice dinner, we're on a budget, he's so sweet...." Then he pulled the real jewelry box out of his pocket. I was pleasantly surprised there was more! It's a beautiful white gold locket with engraved flowers and scrolls and a diamond. It's so vintage looking and beautiful. I just love it. He even put in a photo of me, and a photo of himself from our wedding day. Then he opened my present. It's our first anniversary, and the traditional gift is paper. I had searched the net for ideas, and a photobook of our first year was suggested. "Perfect," i thought...so i put one together as quickly as i could. He seemed to like it. I felt lame giving him a little photobook after all the things he got me. We had a laugh about it. We laughed a lot about it. I still felt lame.
We enjoyed a nice dinner at Beppe & Gianni's, and took a stroll in Hendrick's park. The rhodie's are still in bloom, but on their way out. I had to do something else for him--budget or not. He's been wanting a GPS, but i know NOTHING about electronics, and frankly, after the watch i bought him for our wedding (that broke), and the camera i bought him for christmas (that's crap), i promised him i wouldn't buy him electronics anymore! My sweet friend Angie helped me figure it out, took me to a few stores (and back again) to find just the right one, at just the right price. I was so excited to give it to him!
I came home & he told me he'd been fired from his job. What a blow. I think we're both in shock.
The first photobook i bought (and gave him) was messed up, and i told him the new one was coming. It arrived on saturday--perfect chance to give him his 'bonus gift'. So i gave him the 2nd photobook--still messed up, and a lil' somethin' extra. He was so exited, and LOVED it. It's still following tradition, with a twist. It's SAVING paper--we won't need any more maps! ;) I had a feeling this would lift his spirits.
Today's the actual day, and it's just as warm, muggy, and overcast as the actual day last year. We enjoyed church with the kids, and a relaxing afternoon at home. Tuesday we're sharing the wedding video with family and a few of the wedding party. We're going to enjoy some cake from the bakery who made our wedding cake. (that's another story). This is the celebration that just keeps going!
We've had a very interesting year. It was certainly full of love and devotion, learning and growing. With the job loss, and upcoming homeschooling, we're starting a very interesting new chapter.
Out he came with a large square box, neatly wrapped. I laughed-"it's a rice cooker!!!" i exclaimed. I unwrapped it, had a good laugh, and he told me to look inside. There was more. I opened a jewelry box to find a jeweled crown keychain purse hanger thingie. Cute...but that was the extra somethin' special? "OK," i thought, "he is taking me to a nice dinner, we're on a budget, he's so sweet...." Then he pulled the real jewelry box out of his pocket. I was pleasantly surprised there was more! It's a beautiful white gold locket with engraved flowers and scrolls and a diamond. It's so vintage looking and beautiful. I just love it. He even put in a photo of me, and a photo of himself from our wedding day. Then he opened my present. It's our first anniversary, and the traditional gift is paper. I had searched the net for ideas, and a photobook of our first year was suggested. "Perfect," i thought...so i put one together as quickly as i could. He seemed to like it. I felt lame giving him a little photobook after all the things he got me. We had a laugh about it. We laughed a lot about it. I still felt lame.
We enjoyed a nice dinner at Beppe & Gianni's, and took a stroll in Hendrick's park. The rhodie's are still in bloom, but on their way out. I had to do something else for him--budget or not. He's been wanting a GPS, but i know NOTHING about electronics, and frankly, after the watch i bought him for our wedding (that broke), and the camera i bought him for christmas (that's crap), i promised him i wouldn't buy him electronics anymore! My sweet friend Angie helped me figure it out, took me to a few stores (and back again) to find just the right one, at just the right price. I was so excited to give it to him!
I came home & he told me he'd been fired from his job. What a blow. I think we're both in shock.
The first photobook i bought (and gave him) was messed up, and i told him the new one was coming. It arrived on saturday--perfect chance to give him his 'bonus gift'. So i gave him the 2nd photobook--still messed up, and a lil' somethin' extra. He was so exited, and LOVED it. It's still following tradition, with a twist. It's SAVING paper--we won't need any more maps! ;) I had a feeling this would lift his spirits.
Today's the actual day, and it's just as warm, muggy, and overcast as the actual day last year. We enjoyed church with the kids, and a relaxing afternoon at home. Tuesday we're sharing the wedding video with family and a few of the wedding party. We're going to enjoy some cake from the bakery who made our wedding cake. (that's another story). This is the celebration that just keeps going!
We've had a very interesting year. It was certainly full of love and devotion, learning and growing. With the job loss, and upcoming homeschooling, we're starting a very interesting new chapter.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
ironic
a couple weeks after my maverick ways post (which i truly meant), i met doug, the man of my dreams, and future husband. he swept me off my feet and i never blogged again. no, not really...well, sorta. ;) i had a wedding blog with all my favorite wedding stuff and crafts and that kept me really busy last year!
now i'm enjoying life as a stay at home mom aka barista, chef, chauffeur, gardener, financial planner, accounts receivable, accounts payable, housekeeper (well, kinda), booboo fixer, teacher, beauty queen (haha) and a few other things i can't think of!
I like my maverick ways June 23, 2008
This is my horoscope from today (Eugene Daily Emerald)...it was so cool i just had to share it. ;)
You're like a wild stallion that some tough cowboy is trying to break. You can buck your oppressor off of you and continue in your maverick ways, or you can submit to a future of having someone on your back.
You're like a wild stallion that some tough cowboy is trying to break. You can buck your oppressor off of you and continue in your maverick ways, or you can submit to a future of having someone on your back.
a tree grows in junction city may 6, 2008
We moved to Junction City four years ago in May. I love springtime. I love the daffodils, plum blossoms, camellias, bluebells, lilacs, dogwoods, and cherry blossoms. No really, i LOVE them. They make me happy. When we first moved here everything was in bloom and I was so excited to see what would come up in the flowerbeds.
There was a little plant growing by the front door. It grew like a beanstock, inches every day. By the end of summer it was 10 feet tall and had leaves that were two feet across. The main stem was hollow. It was an oddity and a mystery. Nobody seemed to know what it was. At the base it looked like it had grown and been cut down about 4 times in the past. Being the tree lover that i am, (that's tree lover, not hugger) i decided to keep it and see what it turned into. Someone told me Danuta Pfeiffer had one, so i called her to ask some questions. i went out to her place (Pfeiffer Winery out High Pass if you haven't been i HIGHLY recommend it) to check it out. It's a Chinese Empresss tree, or Paulownia. Sounds cool, eh? Well the word on the street is, it's a weed. People don't plant them. Yeah, well i thought it was cool, and rumor has it they grow lovely smelling flowers. So i figured it should be moved away from the foundation (you are getting way way way more details than you wanted here, i know....too bad). I had a pro come out and help move it to the back yard.
Each year the leaves have gotten smaller (thankfully) and they don't turn pretty colors in the fall and they are kinda messy. It provides good shade though. So it's been acceptable. Well, i was upstairs this evening and noticed something on the branches...buds of leaves...and FLOWERS! FLOWERS ARE ON MY WEED TREE! BIG PURPLE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER BUDS!!!!!! I had to go out and see in person. They're too high up, so i grabbed a ladder and climbed up to the nearest flower and took a whiff. Oh my goodness. They smell like violets! Like a little voilet doll i had as a child. After four years, i have flowers on my weed tree. And they smell amazing. I'm so happy.
This is a year of new beginnings for me and my tree. :)
This happened with my irises too. My dear friend Gail gave me irises from her flower bed when she moved several years ago. I planted them at my place in springfield and they never bloomed. They never died...they just stayed green all year...for three years. I moved here and they didn't bloom for another three years. Then last summer, after someone moved out, they bloomed! AFTER SIX years, they finally bloomed! It's like my plants know...i love them. :)
There was a little plant growing by the front door. It grew like a beanstock, inches every day. By the end of summer it was 10 feet tall and had leaves that were two feet across. The main stem was hollow. It was an oddity and a mystery. Nobody seemed to know what it was. At the base it looked like it had grown and been cut down about 4 times in the past. Being the tree lover that i am, (that's tree lover, not hugger) i decided to keep it and see what it turned into. Someone told me Danuta Pfeiffer had one, so i called her to ask some questions. i went out to her place (Pfeiffer Winery out High Pass if you haven't been i HIGHLY recommend it) to check it out. It's a Chinese Empresss tree, or Paulownia. Sounds cool, eh? Well the word on the street is, it's a weed. People don't plant them. Yeah, well i thought it was cool, and rumor has it they grow lovely smelling flowers. So i figured it should be moved away from the foundation (you are getting way way way more details than you wanted here, i know....too bad). I had a pro come out and help move it to the back yard.
Each year the leaves have gotten smaller (thankfully) and they don't turn pretty colors in the fall and they are kinda messy. It provides good shade though. So it's been acceptable. Well, i was upstairs this evening and noticed something on the branches...buds of leaves...and FLOWERS! FLOWERS ARE ON MY WEED TREE! BIG PURPLE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER BUDS!!!!!! I had to go out and see in person. They're too high up, so i grabbed a ladder and climbed up to the nearest flower and took a whiff. Oh my goodness. They smell like violets! Like a little voilet doll i had as a child. After four years, i have flowers on my weed tree. And they smell amazing. I'm so happy.
This is a year of new beginnings for me and my tree. :)
This happened with my irises too. My dear friend Gail gave me irises from her flower bed when she moved several years ago. I planted them at my place in springfield and they never bloomed. They never died...they just stayed green all year...for three years. I moved here and they didn't bloom for another three years. Then last summer, after someone moved out, they bloomed! AFTER SIX years, they finally bloomed! It's like my plants know...i love them. :)
Jane Ellen, March 10, 2008
She has loved with passion. She has fought with courage. She has suffered but not complained. Her faith is amazing. She is in the arms of her true love now. She isn't suffering anymore. She's at peace. I don't know what my life will be like without her. She's been an incredible mom and friend. She has always loved me as if I were one of her own. She will be so missed.
I've been 'accused' of being just like her. That is a compliment I will always treasure. If only I were. She's an inspiration to me as a woman of deep faith and loyalty. She was a strong woman. She has endured much suffering and hardship. She had an amazing smile and enthusiasm for life. She loved Ali & Joey so much. She was a wonderful gramma, always loving on those kids. Always instilling in them the word of God. Always pointing me back to Jesus...She has left a legacy of unwaivering faith.
My heart is broken because of this loss. My heart is broken that i didn't have that one last chance to say goodbye. I will always treasure our last hug a month ago. I will always cherish the last words we shared with each other, and i will let her go. I love you, mom.
Isaiah 54--this has been such an important chapter to me as a single woman
Isaiah 54
The Future Glory of Zion
1 "Sing, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,"
says the LORD.
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
4 "Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
6 The LORD will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God.
7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.
9 "To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
11 "Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the LORD,
and great will be their peace.
14 In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.
Terror will be far removed;
it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender to you.
16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,"
declares the LORD.
The Future Glory of Zion
1 "Sing, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,"
says the LORD.
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
4 "Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
6 The LORD will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God.
7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.
9 "To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
11 "Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the LORD,
and great will be their peace.
14 In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.
Terror will be far removed;
it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender to you.
16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,"
declares the LORD.
snakes! november 21, 2007
last night i ran my washing machine and went to bed. i heard some noises (the wind, the pipes, whatever) and got a little freaked out (being home alone) then went back to sleep. i woke up this morning and saw that my kitchen sink had puked all over the counter and floor. kinda gross, kinda messy, but hey! good excuse to mop my floor. so i mopped.
the sink was still full of water so i ran the disposal and it didn't help. i went to bimart to get some liquid plumr and they didn't have the 'professional strength' so i just got regular. i had a feeling it wasn't going to work. i was right. i also noticed my washing machine hadn't drained, so figured this was going to be a bigger job than i could deal with. i called two plumbers and waited for a call...and waited...my usual guy (who i LOVE) never called back, but someone else did and he was here in 5 minutes! cool, eh?
in the five minutes i was waiting for him to arrive, i opened a drawer where i keep my sponge and it was FULL of water. i went to get a towel to mop it up and the towels in the drawer were soaked. ALL 5 drawers next to my sink were full of water! i had one drawer perfectly organized and full of ALL my delicious tea. it's ruined and i'm a bit sad about it. :( so, i started cleaning out all those drawers. tossed all my tea and cocoa. now i have an empty drawer! that's pretty cool, i guess. i'm sure i'll find something to put in it....the garbage can was full of water, the whole thing under the sink was wet. it was a mess!!!! the water has been sitting for at least 12 hours now and i didn't even know about it. the drawers are a little warped and i'm not getting ANY work done today! (might as well waste some more time blogging about it, right?)
so, mr. bailey arrived and snaked the pipes. i'd always wondered what a snake was (in the plumbing sense). it was educational. i tried not to bother the guy too much, but i will tell ya, i was curious. i had to move a bunch of bikes & boxes out of the way in the garage...yet another mess i need to deal with.
so i was thinking, while he was here--and we were still within the first hour of billing--i would have him look at my bathroom sink and tub, which have been draining slowly. he fixed them for me and i'm quite pleased. though he charged me for 1.5 hrs. :{
oh well, now i'll be able to make my chocolate pecan pie and wash the dishes--and do a couple more loads of laundry, and mop again. does it ever end?
have you tried the limited time only pomegranate 7-up? it's sooooooooooo tastey!
happy turkey day!
the sink was still full of water so i ran the disposal and it didn't help. i went to bimart to get some liquid plumr and they didn't have the 'professional strength' so i just got regular. i had a feeling it wasn't going to work. i was right. i also noticed my washing machine hadn't drained, so figured this was going to be a bigger job than i could deal with. i called two plumbers and waited for a call...and waited...my usual guy (who i LOVE) never called back, but someone else did and he was here in 5 minutes! cool, eh?
in the five minutes i was waiting for him to arrive, i opened a drawer where i keep my sponge and it was FULL of water. i went to get a towel to mop it up and the towels in the drawer were soaked. ALL 5 drawers next to my sink were full of water! i had one drawer perfectly organized and full of ALL my delicious tea. it's ruined and i'm a bit sad about it. :( so, i started cleaning out all those drawers. tossed all my tea and cocoa. now i have an empty drawer! that's pretty cool, i guess. i'm sure i'll find something to put in it....the garbage can was full of water, the whole thing under the sink was wet. it was a mess!!!! the water has been sitting for at least 12 hours now and i didn't even know about it. the drawers are a little warped and i'm not getting ANY work done today! (might as well waste some more time blogging about it, right?)
so, mr. bailey arrived and snaked the pipes. i'd always wondered what a snake was (in the plumbing sense). it was educational. i tried not to bother the guy too much, but i will tell ya, i was curious. i had to move a bunch of bikes & boxes out of the way in the garage...yet another mess i need to deal with.
so i was thinking, while he was here--and we were still within the first hour of billing--i would have him look at my bathroom sink and tub, which have been draining slowly. he fixed them for me and i'm quite pleased. though he charged me for 1.5 hrs. :{
oh well, now i'll be able to make my chocolate pecan pie and wash the dishes--and do a couple more loads of laundry, and mop again. does it ever end?
have you tried the limited time only pomegranate 7-up? it's sooooooooooo tastey!
happy turkey day!
1974--a very good year
In 1974 |
 Gerald Ford becomes president of the US Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run to beat Babe Ruth's record Impeachment hearings are opened against President Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee President Nixon resigns President Gerald Ford issues an unconditional pardon to ex-President Nixon for all federal crimes Muhammad Ali knocks out George Foreman in the eighth round to regain the heavyweight crown in Zaire Heiress Patty Hearst is kidnapped by and eventually joins the Symbionese Liberation Army Dungeons & Dragons officially released People magazine is published for the first time Kate Moss, Alyson Hannigan, Penelope Cruz, Alanis Morissette, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ryan Seacrest are born Oakland Athletics win the World Series Miami Dolphins win Superbowl VIII Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup Blazing Saddles is the top grossing film All the President's Men by Bernstein and Woodward is published "Killing Me Softly With His Song" wins Grammy for song of the year |
juicy! october 8, 2007
where can i get good ol' fashioned cranberry juice that makes you pucker? no raspberry juice or grape juice or sugar added. just the pure unadulterated cranberry juice i remember from my childhood! i just bought some sugar free stuff thinking for sure it would be like i remember it but no, there's grape juice added. i hate grape juice. i want some tart-ass cranberry juice!
i want some tim tam's too, while you're at it. i heard you can get them at world market. guess where i'm going tomorrow?
i want some tim tam's too, while you're at it. i heard you can get them at world market. guess where i'm going tomorrow?
rainbow connection, october 5, 2007
my four year old daughter heard kermit the frog singing rainbow connection these were her comments:
"he sounds like ernie. he has a nice voice."
wow. if kermit has a nice voice, i should too, right?
"he sounds like ernie. he has a nice voice."
wow. if kermit has a nice voice, i should too, right?
firemen in the house! Sept 32, 2007
if you call the fire department for a non-emergency, be sure you have your clothes on, cuz they might want to come over and check things out.
my smoke alarm has been beeping consistently for at least a week now. i figured out it needed a new battery. i asked my mom to do it while i was at work on wednesday. she told me she did, but it was still beeping. so i let it beep for a few more days. this morning i decided it was time to see what the heck was going on. i took it off the wall and read the back. it said if it beeps constantly (even with a fresh battery) that there are likely combustion particles detected. so i don't really know what that means, but i DO know what combustion is, and it's not something i want happening in my house.
i looked it up online, but found nothing (i really do try to google everything before phoning a friend). i didn't know which friend to call, so i called my friendly neighborhood fire department, figuring someone could give me some answers over the phone. nope, not really. they offered to send a truck over. YIKES! i didn't have any clothes on yet. i asked her to give me a couple minutes. i had just enough time to put something on and up rolled the large red engine with 4 kind public servants at my door. they were ready for flames. there were no flames. i hated to disapoint. well, not really. it was just embarassing to have all these firefighters in my house to look at my smoke detector. :) talk about overkill!
they used some nifty little gadget to see if there was any carbon monoxide or something in the air. it all checked out. so they thought i probably just needed a new detector. okey dokey. they left, all's well. so i called my mom to tell her what happened. as we were talking it came out that she actually changed the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector. ha. ha. ha. ha. the battery had never been changed in the smoke detector. she never even saw it. i'm still buying a new smoke detector. that's all there is to it.
my smoke alarm has been beeping consistently for at least a week now. i figured out it needed a new battery. i asked my mom to do it while i was at work on wednesday. she told me she did, but it was still beeping. so i let it beep for a few more days. this morning i decided it was time to see what the heck was going on. i took it off the wall and read the back. it said if it beeps constantly (even with a fresh battery) that there are likely combustion particles detected. so i don't really know what that means, but i DO know what combustion is, and it's not something i want happening in my house.
i looked it up online, but found nothing (i really do try to google everything before phoning a friend). i didn't know which friend to call, so i called my friendly neighborhood fire department, figuring someone could give me some answers over the phone. nope, not really. they offered to send a truck over. YIKES! i didn't have any clothes on yet. i asked her to give me a couple minutes. i had just enough time to put something on and up rolled the large red engine with 4 kind public servants at my door. they were ready for flames. there were no flames. i hated to disapoint. well, not really. it was just embarassing to have all these firefighters in my house to look at my smoke detector. :) talk about overkill!
they used some nifty little gadget to see if there was any carbon monoxide or something in the air. it all checked out. so they thought i probably just needed a new detector. okey dokey. they left, all's well. so i called my mom to tell her what happened. as we were talking it came out that she actually changed the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector. ha. ha. ha. ha. the battery had never been changed in the smoke detector. she never even saw it. i'm still buying a new smoke detector. that's all there is to it.
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