Happy Birthday Sweetie

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband


This is the card I made for my husband. It's one of my all time favorite cards I've made and I think I'll make a few more like it. Maybe with some different colors.

Random Thoughts

If you were around this summer, you might remember me thinking about moving. But I found that the rents didn't go down that much, and we actually have a great deal here on campus.

But in 7 months, my honey will be graduating and we will HAVE to move. So along that vein, I've been thinking of what I want in a place when that time comes.

More storage!!!
Whether we find an apt, townhouse, or home, we definitely need more storage. Yes, we did downsize and get rid of a ton of stuff, but there's always stuff you have to have on hand that need a home, like hammers, sleeping bags, and turkey roasters.

A porch, balcony or other type of outside living space.
This apt has been great, but its one major downfall is that it does not have a balcony. I really miss being able to open a door to the outside. Or sit outside and watch the world go by. So having a balcony, patio or whatnot is very important.

Pet Friendly
Joe and I really would like another puppy or kitty. Mike is coming around to the idea too. I really miss having a dog. There's just something about canines that make my life brighter.

Those are the main things I've been thinking about. There are other lesser items, but if I could have those 3 I'd be a happy dweller.

Til next time ....

Revisiting WFW .... At Last!

I haven't participated in Word Filled Wednesday in months, and I've been missing it alot! The last few weeks as my routine has settled down into a nice, fall groove, I have kept telling myself, I need to get a WFW post ready, but each week Wednesday would sneak up on me and I would find myself looking at others WFW posts without having one on my blog. But this week all that changed!



Gal 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Lori over at All You Have to Give is hosting WFW this week. So go check out her blog which has all the participants listed, including me =) But you already knew that!

And enjoy! God's word is so good. Refreshing, encouraging, and even convicting.

Til next time ....

The Birthday Parade

We now enter what I have affectionately termed the birthday parade. The hubster is first up with his b-day in a week or so, then the #1 boy has his, and finally I get to celebrate mine right before Christmas.

So what did I do today? Went shopping for gifts. I found a couple nice things for the hubster at great prices--gotta love that! And saw a couple things that might be work for the Job-boy next month. Gonna talk it over with Michael and see what he thinks.

Up this week, finding a babysitter for #1 son so Michael and I can go out to eat, a b-day tradition. Make reservations at the restaurant he chose. And find a great recipe for carrot cake, which I will be baking for him. He loves carrot cake!

I look forward to celebrating with Michael. And it really isn't that stressful to put together, even if I do joke about it. For the Joe-boy, the menu is the easy part. Pizza and more pizza! And maybe an ice cream cake, like I used to get when I was his age. But I'm needing some good gift ideas for him. Still I have a month to look around.

We'll see what the boys plan for my day. And it wont' be last minute Christmas shopping!

Til next time ....

Ready to Brainstorm???

This semester the hubby is taking 3 night classes. It's not our favorite schedule, nor his, but it couldn't be helped. So on Mon, Tues, and Wed evenings the #1 son and I hang out. Now that the weather has turned and the evenings are getting darker faster, I don't see us going anywhere in the evenings. Josiah typically likes to watch his fav shows (Phinneus and Ferb, anyone???) and his dvd's. He also likes to scribble with pencils, erase the scribble marks, and cut with scissors. I need to be in the same room with him, watching over him and this is where my dilemna comes in.

I want to be busy doing something, instead of just veggin in front of the TV or computer. But I can't dive into any big projects that require alot of space or tools. So I'm thinking if I could have some small handwork to keep my hands busy that would work. But what??? Besides knitting, what would be good handwork for our evenings together that I could lay down at a moments notice to help out the young one? And then pick up again, and know where I was at .... I'm thinking something mindless would work best.

So peeps, what do you got for me? Give me ideas so I dont' waste the next 9 weeks of the semester in front of the boob tube.

Good Food, Got Any?

Have you noticed how many great cooks and awesome recipes are out there in cyberland? On Tuesdays in particular, there seems to be a plethora of blogs that have recipe roundups. I haven't participated, per se. But this morning I took a gander at several blogs and just have to let you in on the great ideas. I also want to remember where I found these recipes instead of printing them all out and then losing them in the clutter I call our kitchen.

Here's the ones I found. If you have found some share, share! One can never have too many recipes, tho I think I'm coming close.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Never Fail Pie Crust (freezable) Makes 6 crusts

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars


Touchdown Taco Pockets

Spicy Sweet Deviled Eggs

Sourdough Starter and Rolls

Is It Fall Yet?

(pics from 2 years ago)




This has been an unusual September for me. 90 degree days much of the time or if not 90, at least 80 degrees. When we had warm September days back in WA we would call it an Indian summer (but it was never this warm) .... don't know what to call it here! And yes, this is a bit of a whine on my part. I love fall. The colors, the cool crisp mornings and evenings with just a hint of warmth in the afternoon .... hear that! just a hint I tell ya! Not the full-bloomin summer heat, thank you very much.

So I watch the weatherman every night. Waiting ... watching ... and then last week he started talking about a cool down. Yippee!! But of course, its a cool down Idaho style. Today 90 degrees or so. Tomorrow 75 or there abouts with a chance of rain in the afternoon. So far so good. Next day .... 56! Say what??? And October 1st, 60 degrees. Say what? Say what? Where did all my luscious 68-72 degrees of fall splendor go?

If you didn't do the math, that's about a 35 degree drop in 48 hours! Sigh .... So what's a girl to do, but go with the flow. So I took all my flip flops and sandals and put them away for another year, I pulled out my winter shoes and boots. Tomorrow I'm pulling out my sweaters, scarves and jackets. And I am looking forward to wearing them. So fun to snuggle into the warmth of a great sweater.

And you never know, next week we may have a 70 degree day before the snows hit!

So how 'bout you? What's the weather like in your neck of the woods? Are the seasons changing where you are?

Til next time ....

A Little Slice of Heaven

In August, we took a quick trip back to WA state. One of the things we really wanted to do was visit some old friends which we happily were able to do. We drove out to Rick & Jan's place and had a wonderful afternoon of fellowship and picnicing in their backyard. Our friends Jim and Sue also joined us and a good time was had by all as only people who have known you for 20+ years can!

We caught up on recent events in each others lives and had the grand tour of the place. Around 3 acres, Rick and Jan have been busy making it a special retreat for all who get the privilige of enjoying it with them.

All those years ago, we would often go out to their place just to enjoy the fire in their firepit. Joe discovered the pit soon after we arrived and couldn't wait for Rick to light it up.




Elsewhere on the property, Rick has built a pond with a gurgling fountain. He built a greenhouse, which for some reason my pic I took seems to be missing! And they have planted wonderful plants to entice birds and butterflies to come visit.







My limited pics don't do their place justice, unfortunately.

Good memories of that day several weeks ago! It filled our emotional tanks to have time to visit with our friends. Can't wait to see them again ...

Til next time ....

Neglecting The Blog

Sigh .... I have been a terrible blogger. I have been neglecting my blog. I have been living in the real world instead! What a thought! I do have thoughts to share, and pictures too. Tho none have been uploaded from the camera since July! Summer was good to us, summer in Idaho is truly summer. The kind of summer I wished I had had as a child. Instead of those rainy, cold summers I remember from my youth.

But now I'm ready for FALL. Both boys are back in school. The hubster is studying hard and doing great. Whereas the #1 son is having issues, mainly not wanting to "work" but rather wanting to play. I asked him if he likes school, and he nodded his head "yes", so being at school isn't the problem. I know he likes the social interaction. Its more likely the expectation that he might have to learn something! Oh boy!

And me, I'm enjoying, but at the same time having a hard time adjusting to my new routine. I find myself being amazingly productive, and then having bouts of wandering around not knowing what to do with myself, or worse, wasting time on the computer! Yikes! But I know I'll find my groove, esp as the weather cools down and Fall becomes a reality here in Southern Idaho.

Til Next Time ....

School Time! Yip Yip Yippee!

Today the hubster went back to school! woohoo!!! yippee And next monday, the #1 son starts back. And that means I get my house back to myself! Can I hear an Amen, Sista???

I am so ready. Tho summer has been fun, and lots of memories have been made, its time to get back into the routine of life and that includes school for the male members of this house.

I am looking forward to doing some cleaning that got overlooked, some more decluttering and organizing, get back to my exercise routine i started last fall, and finding the rhythem of my life.

So in honor of this new school year excitement I just had to change out my blog background. I'm keeping my pic of #1 son for now, but that may change soon too.

So how bout you? What are you doing in honor of a new school year beginning?

Til next time ....

Did Me Some Yoga!

One of my goals for this past year has been to do yoga once a week. We've had our Y membership for a year now and I've known they offer yoga classes. but I never got up the courage to go to a class. Finally this week I sent out an email to my girlfriends and asked if anyone wanted to join me for the beginner's class. My friend Mandy wrote me back telling me she loves yoga and would love to join me.

So tonite, I entered the world of yoga! and it was great! It was challenging, and invigorating. I couldn't hold all the poses for as long as the instructor did, but I felt exilerated when I was able to even get into a pose.

It was a small class with just 4 of us and the instructor, so she was able to come over and help us with our posture and balance. Afterwards I felt like I had run a race, but was curiously relaxed at the same time.

Hubby encouraged me to go again! I think I'll take him up on that offer before he remembers that means watching our son for the evening =)

So how bout you? Have you tried anything new lately? Ever done yoga? Do you like to drag a friend with you when you try something new?

Back from Vacation or Boy, My Pants are Tight

We are back home, and I've almost caught up on my laundry. As you can see by the title we had lots of good times with good food to eat. Too much! So its back to healthy eating for me.

Pics are still in the camera waiting to be uploaded for your viewing pleasure--soon, I promise!

The hubster has all his classes set for this semester. He has bought all but one textbook. And classes start this coming monday. Unfortunately, 3 of his classes meet at night--yuk! But we'll deal with it.

Then a week later, the #1 son starts the 5th grade. Wow, where did the years go? We will be doing some school clothes shopping between now and then. Shoes are a must as his feet seem to be growing. Underwear and pants are also on the list. I found some great shirt buys at the thrift store while on vacation. Gotta love those bargains.

So how 'bout you? Are you gearing up for school? Or just looking forward to the fall season?

Vacation Time

We are heading out tomorrow morning for a couple weeks of vacation time. We will be visiting family, some old friends, and having some quality fam time. Most of our trip is planned, but we have a bit of an open agenda for a couple days.

Hopefully, I'll have some great pics to upload when we get back. And then we'll be talking about back to school. Til next time ...

A Day of My Own

Over a week ago, I planned and prepared my family for a day without me. I had my itinierary, my books, my journal, my Bible, my music, snacks, water and lipgloss. Can't go anywhere without my lipgloss, ya know.

I had decided to drive north to my fav spot by the river. While driving, I listened to a great sermon and had lots to think about. When I arrived it was already warming up, but there were spots left. Unfortunately there was a loud group of kids who were camping there, but I soon tuned them out.

I had a wonderful time of reading my Bible and praying. I took time to journal and plan. I had specifically wanted to spend some time thinking and praying over my priorities, my time and daily direction. Being a stay at home mom I wear alot of hats and juggling all the balls I have, I often find myself dropping one or two or all of them. By taking time to pray and ponder, I'm hopeful that I can tackle the needs of each day.

I'm hoping to take another day this fall, and encourage you to do the same. If its possible with your family obligations, it is a wonderful way to spend a little extra time with God.

Photos from Deception Pass, WA

I have some new photos from our trip to WA to share with you.






Joe at his favorite place: the shoreline.



Isn't this a great photo of this old shelter! I just love the old wood and stone shelter nestled in the trees.




Joe making his way to the shore with the Deception Pass bridge in the background.




Joe enjoying the sand of the west beach. We didnt' really dress for the beach, it was a really nice day there.



Til next time ...

Home Again

We got home from WA late last night. Always good to sleep in one's own bed.

My mother in law passed away July 2nd from a sudden heart attack. She was only 72. So sad to lose her so early. Tho she had some issues, no one expected to lose her like that. The funeral was precious and they did a slide show that was awesome.

So love on your special ones. None of us knows when its our time to go meet our Father in Heaven. Take advantage of the time you have here on earth to let those you love know that. And press in to the Lord when they are taken from you. He is the God of all comfort.

Til next time ....

Death in the Family

There's been a death in the family. We are leaving tomorrow morning to be with family. I dont' really have any words to say right now. Will update later. If you read this, please say a prayer for peace for all affected. Thank You!


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A Few Pics from This Summer

Here's a few photos from a few adventures we've had this summer. It's been fun to explore our new territory.


At the river ....



At Julia Davis park having a bar-b-q picnic ....




At Lake Cascade ....



Along another river ....

Happy Anniversary Babe

Twenty Five Years ago, I never would have imagined the journey our lives have taken. I'm so happy to have followed this path with you! To another 25 years ...

Looking at Rentals

When we moved to Boise last year, we told ourselves we would stay in the campus apts for the whole 2 years. That it just isn't worth it to move while Michael is in school. But with the economy taking a nosedive, and our budget always being squeezed, we have wondered if there might be a cheaper place to rent. Well, this weekend I did more than wonder ... I went on craigslist to see what was available. I found several potential rentals for $200/less a month! That's quite a savings. Joe and I gave Michael some alone time and did the drivebys yesterday afternoon. And today Michael and I are going to check out a couple more.

We have to really crunch the numbers to make sure we would actually save $$ cuz we get alot of freebies with this apt we're in now, but God may have a place for us. We'll see ... We're praying for wisdom, so if you would like to pray with us, we'd be so honored.

Til next time ...

Gas Prices Creeping Up

Have you noticed the price of gas lately? We used to be able to fill up our small tank with a $20 bill. But no more! Last week I put in $20 and it only went up 3/4 of the way----waaaaaaahhhh! No Fair!! And that was before the price crept up a couple more pennies over the weekend.

So how are the prices in your neck of the woods? Has it affected your driving habits? I know for us, we are not going for our fun weekend drives every weekend now. Have to spread them out over the month. We have been tossing around the idea of heading west to see family after Joe is out of summer school, but again, we'll have to wait and see where gas prices are at that time ...

Til next time ....
Happy Summer!

Help! My MP3 is Dead

One of the quirky things about my special needs son is that he LOVES to chew on hard plastic. The other night when he was in the living room watching cartoons, and I was on the computer. I went to check on him and make sure that all was well, and I found him chewing my MP3 player! Accck!

The next day I plugged it in and it charged up. I can put it on hold and it'll turn on, but there is no sound coming out and when I press the volume button nothing happens. Its been 3 days and still no change.

So, my faithful and treasured geeks ... um, I mean readers, is there anything I can do? Is it really dead? Its a sony brand, which I have liked. I had all my tunes on it and no longer have those tunes on my computer. What do you think?

And if I should have to buy a new one, which brand and model would you go with? I dont' need anything fancy, and a moderate to cheap price would be preferable. Let me know your thoughts

Til next time ....

Random Thoughts

I have been very remiss in keeping my blog up to date! Please forgive me.

First off, do you know about Pandora? I had assumed everyone was already up on that, but then I read a friend's blog and she had just learned of it. So in order to make sure everyone knows, go here. Its a great way to listen to music. And its free! (edited to add: oooops! forgot to add the link the first time!)

Today I dug out my sewing machine and mended some shorts of Joe's, hemmed his shorts that I had cut off, and hemmed up some of my pants that I cut off to capri length. Felt good to get back into the sewing realm. Of course, I have a shirt cut out that I want to stitch up, but that will have to wait for another day.

Did I mention I was getting some blood work done? I don't remember who I've told, and who I haven't. Anyway, I found out my blood sugar and cholesterol readings are too high, so I've been ordered to follow a diabetic diet. I've been reading up and figuring out how to eat and when to eat. Change is never easy, but I seem to be getting the hang of it. The hard part is finding good substitutes for my sweet tooth.

Joe spent his first week at summer school and seemed to really enjoy it! He comes home for an hour and then goes to his afternoon program. He has time to chill between school and his afternoon gig which I think helps alot.

Earlier this week, I found the latest copy of "The Voice of the Martyrs". Anyone else read this? I read the main article to Michael about the persecution in North Korea, and I couldn't complete it without getting choked up. The horrendous torture and persecution the christians endure, because they will not bow to the dictator, but instead worship "the God of heaven" (their term, isn't that a wonderful description?)

The director of VOM also has a wonderful opening letter about evil in this world. Well worth a read if you can get your hands on a copy of it.

On the summer front, the hubster is still at loose ends at home. This must be how wives of newly retired husbands feel. I feel like I keep tripping over him. But hopefully this will change, as he has a potential interview next week. We're just waiting to get a call from the boss who is out of town this week. Prayers would be appreciated.

Til next time ....

Have I Told You Lately ...

.... how much I love freecycle? Well, I love it alot!

This week, a member offered a king size comforter. I jumped at it. Our puppy daisy, remember her, had chewed her way thru our last comforter and when we moved I threw it out. I have priced king size sheets and comforters this past year, but they just aren't in our budget right now. Not only did the member allow me to come pick it up the next day----yipppeee!!! but it is a wonderful celery green/sage color with a beautiful lace overlay in the middle. And it is warm! It was so nice to snuggle under the comforter last night and feel all cozy and warm.

Over the last year I have recieved: cute shoes, pants, tops, fabric, toys for Joe, clothes for Joe, t-shirts for Mike, and lots of other stuff from freecycle. Members usually are just wanting to find someone else who can use what they no longer need. And they don't want to fill up the landfills anymore than we can help it.

I have also donated to others outgrown clothes of Joe's, stuff Mike and I no longer want or need, and toys. Its a win-win situation. So check online and see if there is a freecycle in your area.

Til next time ....

Does the Learning Stop When School is Out?

Ola! Como esta? Queremos visitar Brasil!

Did you understand that? Basically, I was trying to say: Hello, how are you? We want to visit Brazil.



The hubsters and I have been teaching ourselves brazilian portuguese. We haven't gotton very far, but we're having alot of fun with it. We got a book appropiately called "Portuguese in 10 Minutes a Day" Some of the pronunciations give us trouble, but we muddle thru it and laugh a lot.

Someday we'd like to visit Brazil or even live there for a short time and I figure if we learn the language we'll be that much farther ahead.

So what are your summer plans?

Why is May Such a Busy Month?

Busy, busy, busy! Not only here at Challenges & Adventures, but I notice it around other blogs as well. For me, we have several family b-days, plus there is Mother's Day, Memorial Day and Cinqo D'Mayo! There is the end of the school year activities and baseball heats up. Plus with spring solidly in place the call to be outside beckons us.

Which is all great, and family memories have been made, but it really sucks where blogging is concerned. I know you understand.

I have been loving my bike rides and have been exploring parts of the trails I haven't known about. I really need to find a bottle holder for my bike so i can carry my water bottle. And I can't wait til my hubby and son can get bikes and join me on my outings.

We took the Joe-boy to see Night of the Museum 2 yesterday. It was cute and he loved it, but for us adults it wasn't quite on par with the first one. We then went over to my brother's for a bar-b-q. My sis-in-law made yummy chicken shikabas.

On Sat the same sis in law and I went to the city farmers market. What fun! The booth that took my breath away was the gal who was selling peony blooms! She had hundreds of light pink and soft white peonies for sale. Did I mention that peonies are one of my top 5 fav flowers? I have had wonderful peony plants at a couple different homes we've had and I miss cutting bouquets of peonies every spring. Alas, I didn't buy any as I knew by the time we got home they'd be wilted. We had lots more shopping and fun. We checked out the Idaho Shakespeare Festival outdoor theatre. We are deciding which play we want to see together and when. And then we ended up at Barnes & Nobles to check out the latest mysteries and the sewing/crafting magazines. And of course, we didn't walk out empty handed.

Next up, the Joe-boy has 2 more weeks of school and then a half day of summer school for 6 or 7 weeks. There are more kids movies coming out and I'm sure we'll see a few of those. "Up" from Disney/Pixar looks especially delightful.

So what was your May like? And what does June hold for you and your family?

A New Bike for Moi

I have had on my wishlist a new bike to ride ever since we moved to Boise. Boise is one of those bike-friendly towns (it even has a sign that says so) that has bike paths all over the place. So when we moved here I just knew I wanted a bike. But being poor starving students, I knew that there were other more pressing needs. But recently we had a bit of a financial blessing come our way, and after spying a great deal at a local store, I decided the time had come. The hubster was all for it, esp since I think he has grown tired of hearing how much I want a bike. We picked it up and brought it home. I rode it around the parking lot a bit, but it wasn't til the next day that I was able to take it out on its maiden voyage. I crossed the street to the college, I wound around the students and other bikers and finally made it to the greenbelt. I tested the gear shifting, shook my long, glorious brown hair in the wind and was lifted to new heights of ecstacy! (how's that for exaggeration?) But seriously, it was great! I love biking and it felt so good to be back. I went farther up the trail than we have been on it by just walking. I stopped for a breather on the way back and forgot how sore my palms can get from pressing down on the handlebars. But I'm confident that my palms with toughen up even as I find time to ride longer and longer rides.

Now the hubster is talking about getting a bike for himself. And we still have on our wishlist our desire to get Joe his special needs bike that I can hook up behind mine. Maybe this will be the year of the bikes? Who knows!