Weird Oddities

A few things have jumped out at me since I've had surgery that I didnt' expect.

Before surgery, I won't say I was addicted to caffeine, but I definitely loved my frou-frou coffees. I have my own espresso maker and would make myself a mocha in the mornings after the boys were off. But after I came home from surgery, I never wanted, craved or desired coffee. I didn't go thru withdrawls either. At first I chalked it up to all the naps I needed but even now on days where I don't have a nap or only have one in the afternoon, I don't gravitate towards making a mocha. Weird, huh?

The surgeon before surgery and after made it a point to let me know that "they" (whoever they are!) would help me keep my pain level in check. But what I found was that no one took the time to explain what pain meds I was on, how long I should be on them, when they should be switched out or the dosage lessened. Nothing, nada, zilch. It has been a guessing game and unsettling to someone like myself who likes things spelled out beforehand. The constant refrain I hear is: Everyones different! Weird, huh?

Before surgery I had grand visions of sitting on the couch knitting as I recooperated, reading vast quantities of good books, diving into my craft stash and making incredible masterpieces. Alas, none of that has happened. My mojo seemed to be cut out of me along with the physical parts they took. Now some of that could be atrributed to all the naps I needed, but even now 10 weeks after the fact, with my energy starting to return, my mojo is no where in sight. Weird, huh?

All in all tho, things are progressing along well. I'm well enough to make dinners again and throw in a load or two of laundry. I still get tired easily and have to pace myself esp when I'm out running errands. It probably won't be til the end of summer before I can take up everything I did before, but I'm ok with that. I refuse to beat myself up for something that is out of my control. This surgery tho major, was much needed and we are all glad we were able to get it taken care of. Tho it wasn't cancerous, the surgeon told me it could have turned into cancer if we hadn't removed the turmor. Not sure I believe that, but what do I know?

So what weird oddities have you run up against in your life?

Til next time ....

An Unexpected No-Spend Month

Have you seen those bloggers who talk about having a no-spend month? If not, let me explain. These bloggers, for whatever reasons, choose a month where they decide, voluntarily, not to spend any money. At least none other than is absolutely necessary for survival, you know, say food to eat, and gas to get to and from work ....

I would read these posts and be amazed. Amazed at their resolve, at their dedication, at their strength ... But also a little bemused wondering why they would even think of having a no-spend month. I don't consider myself a shopaholic, I don't have the funds for that kind of recreational therapy for one thing. I do like to buy things and if I had more money I probably would buy a bit more stuff. I'm also not a minimilist. I don't see myself on either extreme of the equation.

But something happened on the way home from surgery. The last time I filled up our gas tank was a week before I went to the hospital and since that time neither my husbnad or I have been out shopping. We have a local grocery store that my husband walks to after work every day to pick up the few things we need to keep us fed and that has served us well. Since I'm not driving yet, I haven't been to Walmart, Target or craft store in the last 5 weeks. And I havent' really missed it.

While we have picked up a local pizza once a week or brought home subs from the place in town, what I have really missed is going to a sit-down restaurant. My mouth drools over some good mexican enchiladas, or some yummy italian pasta or a plate of phad thai from the thai restaurant. And dont' get me started on missing a nice glass of white wine at dinner. Pain meds and wine don't mix, as we all know.

So I've been suprised at how well this mandatory no-spend month has gone for our family. The husbster really likes how much money we're saving and the padding the checking acct has received. So maybe sometime in the future when I'm not recovering from rib reconstruction surgery, we'll do it again ..... or not!

So how 'bout you? Have you ever done a no-spend month or even been tempted to do one? How did it go for you and your family?

Til next time ....

Nap Time!

One of the side effects of surgery is needing rest to get well. The first week when my sister was with us I was able to nap at will. Not being able to lay down or get up on my own, my sister was able to help me. Once she left tho, I no longer was able to nap while Michael was gone to work. I snuck in a few naps before and after dinner, but those were a poor comparison of the real thing. Finally I was able to get up and lay down on my own and naptime was once again available to me! O happy day!!! The first day of napping on my own I took a nap during the morning and one in the afternoon and slept a full night sleep to boot!

At any other time in my life, I could never sleep at night and nap during the day. But somehow during the healing process extra sleep is needed, is vital, and is oh so welcome. I am not a napper by choice. Now my mother loves a good, 20 minute nap. Me, not so much. But these last few weeks, I have been loving my naptimes. I look forward to them, I enjoy laying in bed and drifting off and I even enjoy waking up and being refreshed from my daytime slumbers.

I'm not sure how long I'll be needing my naps, but I'm confident when the time comes to give them up I'll know. So how bout you? Are you a napper?

Til next time ....
Happy Slumbering ....

Out Of Commission

Twelve days ago I walked into Providence Hospital in Portland Oregon for surgery. Five days later I was wheeled out of the hospital and a friend brought me home. Since then I have been recovering at home.

I have known for several years that I needed to have this particular surgery, but being one of the millions of uninsured americans, we couldn't afford it. I'm glad it was never life threatening. But waiting did have its ramifications. The mass that the doctor removed had grown and was pushing into my lung. We are thankful that Mike got a job right after graduating last May and that his health insurance covered this surgery for me, after the typical waiting period.

Yesterday I met with one of the surgeons nurses for a followup. She was pleased to see how well I am healing. Yay! And gave me a few tips for some of the challenges I am having. My main challenge is the sharp pains I get when I lay down or move in certain ways. She told me they most likely are nerve pains--ouch! Who knew that nerves could be so grouchy!!!

Since leaving the hospital and for the next few weeks, I cannot drive nor lift anything over 10 pounds. My energy level is still compromised and I like my mid day naps. I have been spending my days watching old movies and tv shows on netflix streaming, bad local tv programming, doing a bit of reading and surfing the net. Boredom is setting in ....

My sister was with me for the 5 days after returning home, which not only was wonderful for the company, but necessary in terms of needing her help. At that point, I still couldn't do much for myself. Daily I find myself getting stronger and able to do more. But now that she is gone, I miss having someone around to talk to. Funny cuz I'm used to being alone, being a stay at home mom. but I guess being a stay at home mom is a misnomer cuz I was always on the go. To the library, the post office, the grocery store or busy with projects around the house. Now I sit on the sofa, the dining room chair or at the desk.

But this boredom too will pass. Soon I will be able to drive again and be able to resume my daily activities. Tho I thought it was interesting in the info from the surgeon and hospital both said that it can take up to 6 months to recover your energy after surgery. My mom had always told me that---thanks mom! you were right!!!

Well, this is just a rambly post to document what's been happening in my world. I'm getting better every day. Mike is rising to the challenge of cooking dinners, doing laundry, and keeping Joe clean and happy. Its been wonderful to realize how perfect this spot is where we live right now has been for Michael and us while I'm recuperating. Without his driver, Michael can still walk to the grocery store, pharmecy, post office for what we might need. Joe and Mike can walk over to the pizza eaterie, the coffee joint, the park and the library. All our needs are met here within walking distance in this tiny little town.

And my friends from church have been wonderful in helping me get back and forth to appts and the hospital. Thank you girls!

Til next time ....

What's On Your Nightstand?

My friend Trish over at Another Piece of the Puzzle participates in a bloggy thing where she talks about and reviews what she's reading. I love reading about what others are reading, but have no intention of participating. I'm just stealing the title!

Ever since starting my novel last spring I have been reading more. Coicidence? I think not. It has been like rediscovering a lost friend I haven't sat down with and enjoying a cup of coffee together; make mine a mocha caramel, nonfat, no whip, please. But I digress.

I am currently reading fiction; specifically young adult and middle grade fantasy and sci fi. For research ... as that is where I see my audience for my own work in progress. But once I started reading, I found myself branching out. Back into the nonfiction works I love and have read so much in the past. And some adult fiction too. Mysteries ... cozies, the english type way back when, along with a few american, modern day cozies. I even picked up a chick lit novel, on the recommendation of a blog review and loved it! Stayed up til 2:30 AM for that one and I don't think I've done that since before #1 son was born. A long, lost friend indeed!

But I know when and why I stopped reading. It was after #1 son was born. That whole first year of him not sleeping thru the night. Being sleep deprived for months on end, I didn't have the strength or ambition to read. I was just surviving. Getting by til things got better. Four Years Later! By the time, we figured out his sleep issues and had him on the right meds to help him sleep, I was dealing with his disability diagnoses and my own grief. When I did pick up a book it was pretty dry reading about Angelmans Syndrome, and I rarely had time even to do that.

In between then and now, I did think about reading. About finding a novel to dive into, but life seemed so busy. Well, I'm here to tell you its still busy. There is always something on my to-do list that could be tackled, but I guess I've finally figured out that life isn't just about my to-do list. So I'm giving myself permission to read. During the day, the evening or until 2AM.

So how 'bout you? Do you read? Have you ever stopped reading? Why? I love to hear other peoples stories. And tell me --- What's on your nightstand right now?

On my nightstand:
The Prophecy by Dawn Miller
Kingdom's Dawn by Chuck Black
The Power to Change Your Marriage by Stormie Omartian
Romancing Your Husband by Debra White Smith
The Wisdom of Menopause by Christine Northrup

One Month Later ...

I visit my blog often. To check out my sidebar and see what other blogs are up to. And for the last month, seeing my Christmas post there, long after Christmas has passed I have been telling myself I need to write a new post. Cuz I'm sick of seeing "merry Christmas" every time I visit. Sick.of.it

And thru this last month, I have thought of a few things to blog about. They are still stirring around in the ol brain, not quite ready to put on paper yet (or computer screen as the case may be).

So yesterday when I was at the doc's office the nurse and I were chatting. I asked her if she was recovered from the holidays and we both realized that it has been a month, a whole month since that crazy busy holiday! Tho I love Christmas and all that goes with it, its always nice to get back to a bit of normal. And the older I get the more I feel that way.

So its back into our routine of school for #1 son, work for the hubster, household stuff like decluttering, deep cleaning and whatnot for me, along with a smidgen of writing on my novel, reading novels (research, ya know), a bit of crafting and sewing (mending mostly) and joining the ranks of thousands, if not millions on the diet treadmill.

I joined weight watchers online after talking to a good friend and seeing a couple bloggers talk about what a wonderful resource the online system is. I'm loving it and have lost 3 lbs so far. Not alot, but enough. And better yet, I'm not feeling like a failure and wanting to quit. Since I live in the boonies on the edge of nowhere going to a meeting wasn't really going to happen, so doing this online has been wonderful. (And yes, I'm still trying to adjust to living so far from anywhere! Condolence cards welcome).

So how bout you? What are you up to this January 2011?

Til next time ...

Christmas Greetings

Christmas is here! Its really here!!!

Do you remember when you were a kid and you couldn't wait? It was the best thing in the world. Now as adults, do we look forward to it just as much?

There's been alot of talk about simplifying and downsizing Christmas. Avoiding the consumerism that is rampant out there. I, for one, have tried to simplify for years. Finally, this year we made two decisions that have greatly lessened my stress level. We have chosen not to drive to be with extended family. Even tho we are closer this year since moving to SW WA, we are still 4-6 hours away depending on who we see. And more importantly, we are also at the stage in life where Joe doesn't do well away from his own home overnight. We also decided to not exchange gifts anymore with Michael's side of the family. It had become habit rather than a real joy. That cut my shopping in half, which is loverly!




Other ways in which we have simplified are probably scandalous to some, but work for us. We haven't sent out Christmas cards in years. Tho I enjoy recieving them, during our lean years we just couldn't afford the extra expense. During the same time period, we chose not to have a tree. I do miss having a tree sometimes, but enjoy others trees. Our house is still festive tho, since I still put up lots of decorations around the house. I toned down our baking and cooking as well. This year I've done a bit more baking but not to the same extent as I did years ago. Finding a balance is truly liberating. Finding ways to celebrate without making yourself crazy is life-changing.

Some advocate making gifts instead of buying and if this works for you, that's wonderful. For us, this adds more stress to our lives, so we continue to shop. But our gift budget is not over-the-top.

I'm looking forward to cooking a scrumptious Christmas dinner for the three of us. I'm excited about spending the time with my boys. I love Christmas and I love our family. There is no one else I'd rather be with at this time of year.

So how 'bout you? Have you simplified? What have you found works for you and your family?

Mama's Kitchen

Mama's Kitchen
This looks like a fun little meme. I stole it from a new blog I found called Life with Boys

1. Do you have magnets on your fridge? Yes! But less than I used to.

2. Do you have a calendar in your kitchen, if so, what’s the theme of it? Yes, a puppy dog calendar that hangs on the wall, Joe's school lunch calendar on the fridge and my desk calendar on the counter where I write all my appts, errands, and phone numbers.

3. What is your favorite kitchen gadget? probably my pizza cutter. Its not just for pizza, folks!

4. Are you lucky enough to have a pantry of some kind? Not in this house. I've had pantries in some other houses we've lived in tho and they are great.

5.What is your favorite appliance? Its either my breadmaker or my crockpot. I use both alot!

6. Do you have an eat in kitchen (table in it)? Our dining room is part of the kitchen so yes or no, depending on how you look at it! LOL

7. Do you have a bread box? No. I did when we first got married and we never used it.

8. Do you have a picture of your kids on the fridge? Not at the moment. Tho I have tons of pics of Joe all over the house.

9. Do you ever cook breakfast in your PJs? a better question would be, do i ever cook b'fast! rarely!! but when i do i often cook in my pj's.

10. Do you have a favorite cookbook that you use? Yes! 365 Ways to Cook Chicken & The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook.

11. Are you lucky enough to have recipes that were passed down from your mom or grandma? Not really.

12. What’s your favorite food? I really, really love prime rib. Have it on my b-day every year. I also love mexican food, chocolate, pastries, lasagne and lots of other foods. It shows!

13. What’s your favorite thing to cook? Depends on my mood. But I love to bake and I also love to make really fancy meals. Not so much the day to day stuff.

14. Is your coffee pot electric or stove top? Hubby has a coffee maker and I have an espresso machine.

15. Do you ever make your own bread? You betcha! Best thing next to heaven is fresh bread, warm and slathered with honey butter!

16. Name one thing that you have hanging on your wall in your kitchen: My pizza peel

17. Is there a clock in your kitchen? On the stove and on the coffee maker.

18. Do you have a bowl of fruit sitting on your table or counter? Its actually sitting on top of a cabinet that we have in our eating area. Does that count?

19. What type of canisters do you have? Glass ones.

20. Does your kitchen have a theme? Not really. I do have hot pads with fat italian cooks on them.

21. What’s for supper tonight? tacos! yum

22. Do you have enough cabinet space? Pretty much, tho I wish there were some cabinets that were taller, the shelves seem pretty closely spaced.

23. Does your family use paper plates? Not often.

24. Do you have a good set of china? No, never did and probably never will.

25. Do you wear an apron to work in your kitchen? No

26. Name one thing, if anything, that you would like to change about your kitchen. Oh I'd change alot, but this is just a rental so wont' go into it all. My fav kitchen would have lots of counterspace and cupboards, one of those super big fridges and an extra freezer and lots of good lighting, both natural and artificial. I've learned after moving around alot that you can make do with most any kitchen as long as it has the bare minimum requirements.

Thankfulness Gratitude Appreciation

I've been having a rough time being thankful of late. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what has put me into this ungrateful funk, but its time to crawl out.

So in light of my new resolve I want to share with you a few of my favorite things. Everyone mentions family, friends and faith when they talk about what they are thankful for, but what does that really mean? For me, my faith is my rock. I love that the Creator of the whole, astronomical universe has invited me to have a relationship with Him. I'm grateful that He loves me and I can love him back. That He has forgiven me of all that separates me from Him and that He has prepared a perfect body and home for me when I depart this temporary world. I can't wait to meet Him face to face.

My family is unique as all families probably are, but they are mine. My husband is my best friend and makes me laugh when no one else can. He's adventurous and sees the glass not only half full but all the way full and overflowing. He humors me and has the cutest wink a man can have.

My son is an angel, literally! He has Angelman Syndrome. He doesn't talk, but his laugh is infectious. He loves life and his smiles convey that. Yes, he has his issues and challenges, but he also has his successes. He is loved by many, and loves them back.

My mom and siblings are still around, tho my father is already eating pie in heaven. They are a part of my past, my growing up, and still a part of my present. They pray for me, we visit when possible, we spend time with one another and have lively discussions.

And friends. I have many, many friends. I'm a loyal friend and hate to see a friendship fade away. So I pester them. Stalk them on facebook. Instant message them. Harrass them with phonecalls. I hold onto my old friends even while connecting with the new. I have friends from our first days of marriage, from our days in Bothell and the northend, from our time in Auburn, Puyallup and Sumner, from our sojourn in Twin Falls and Boise. We have friends who knew us before we had Josiah and who knew Michael before his accident. We have friends who never knew us in our early days and only know us as we are now. Each share a piece of our history and we theirs. Many have cried with us as we traveled down the unknown paths. Others have laughed and made merry, played cards and drank sparkling cider with us. All have made an impact on who we are and where we are today.

I'm also thankful this year for Michael's completion of his degree, for the job the Lord provided, for our home here in the gorge, for Josiah's school, his aide, that he gets to join the high school special ed class for swimming once a week and for all the great, compassionate people that have touched his and our lives. I'm thankful for the church we are in now, and all the churches we've been a part of thru the years. For the faithful pastors and teachers, for great worship, for times of fellowship.

I have so much to be thankful for. Sometimes it just takes a little thinking. "Count your blessings, name them one by one" is a simple truth. One good to remember when the grumpies start to crowd in.

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day and Year!

Til next time ...

Just Being Real

MOVING is not what its all cracked up to be! You'd think after 20+ moves in the last 26 years I'd know this by now. Sigh ... Guess I'm a really slow learner!

When we moved out of campus housing last May, we made the decision to purge heavily. We had never done such a heavy purge in all of our moves. We had always gathered up our possessions like the turtle and his shell and moved all of it to our next home. But this time, we thought, we don't need all this "stuff", lets not pay for moving it and just replenish what we need when we get to our new abode. So out went the old worn out mattresses, the craigslist couch find, the ancient space hog tv and more. We donated or threw out books, papers, old magazines and anything else that looked disposable. We embraced a leaner, greener look and smiled.

Fast forward to being in our new place for the last 6 weeks. Every week I feel like I'm heading to the not so local wal-mart, fred meyers or target to replace something that didn't make it in the move! Getting new beds, a flatscreen tv and a sofa were automatic purchases that we knew we'd need, but all those little items like comforters, pillows, curtains, lampshades and more did not make it on my radar until we finally were unpacking. Now granted this probably would have been alot easier if we were still in a major metro area instead of an hour away, but I'm still doubting that we will ever move like this again. Is that wrong? With all the talk about decluttering and moving light am I missing something here?

So how bout you? Have you ever done a super purge before a move and lived to love it? Or do you do like most of us and just pack up everything you own and not worry about it?

In the Throes of Life

Hello dear friends---

A big thank you for all the comments on my last post. Thank you to those who reminded me that my blog is my own to do with as I want. I think I had fallen into the "I should do this, I should do that", rather than just letting things be. At this point, I'm not going to kill off the blog nor take it private. But I reserve the right to not blog for long periods of time as life overwhelms me.

Just a month ago I was writing about being tired of waiting for the big move. Now I'm just tired!!! I'm in the middle of the chaos of moving. We have a semblance of a house, but lots of boxes still remain. In the middle of unpacking, I caught the virus of the year! And have been down for the count for most of this past week. Little has gotton done except for necessary stuff. Hubster has been a trooper tho, and has soldiered on here at home and at work. Even #1 son was down for two days with the virus. Both boys got a lighter dose than I did. Lucky me!

We are still waiting on our sofa and as soon as that arrives I will be curling up with a good book and the tv remote. There may also be room for a recliner tho that remains to be determined. Once again we are in a small space, so that may be wishful dreaming.

Til next time ....

Been Pondering A Situation

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately. In fact I think I've only posted 4 times in the past 4 months! Not good. Which leads me to my pondering ....

A couple months ago I mentioned to the hubster that I was thinking of shutting down my blog. He thought that was a great idea! Oh boy, not exactly the kind of encouragement one wants to hear, but I knew what he meant. I waste/spend alot of time reading blogs and not much writing. My blog is mainly for my own enjoyment as I think I only have 3 faithful readers. And I've always been ok with that. I'm not making money on my blog so have never felt like I had to make it into a job.

And on top of all that wishywashyness, last march I started writing a novel that had been simmering around in my head for years. I'm pretty excited about the book and am scheduling my time to daily write another 500 words on the novel rather than writing another blog post that only I will read. I hope someday to get the book published and than you all can read it too.

So all that brings me back to what to do with my blog here at Challenges and Adventures? I think I've been procrastinating shutting it down, cuz I have enjoyed blogging and getting to know others in the blogging world. And I hate endings. So I'm copping out and thinking I'll just put it to private instead of erasing it altogether. I have no idea what that means if you get this in your reader. It probably won't matter as I don't see myself coming back to post on it, tho I never say never.



And one more picture of the love of my life.

Til next time .... (whenever that may be)

Trying to Win A New Ipod

.... or what do you do to up your chances to win online?

Over at Christian Personal Finance the blogger is having an Ipod giveaway. I have been drooling over the Ipods for awhile now, even to the point of looking at refurbished ones. But how cool would it be to win one!

So in order to qualify, I submit to you one of CPF's great posts. Go check it out! It's a post of encouraging Bible verses. Good stuff.

Til next time ....

Tired of Waiting

Two weeks til we move .... Two long weeks looming ahead. Four months we've been in temporary housing. One month longer than anticipated. Waiting, waiting .... I'm tired of waiting!

Ever feel like that? Ever been waiting for something to happen, so life can go back to normal? I've lived in limbo throughout my married life at one time or another, but this seems to be the most intense time of waiting I've gone through. And I'm finding I don't like it much.

I tend to live in future tense, which I know is a problem for me. I even had a medical personnel tell me that I need to step back and live in the present. Good advice! And something that I frequently fail at. I like to look forward. I like to anticipate. But the grass always looks greener in the future and I'm frequently disappointed once I arrive.

So while I'm waiting I'm writing, on a novel. I have a character who I have grown fond of. His name is Stiller and he's an older, grizzled gentleman. He's on an adventure with his nephew and a girl they have joined up with. Stiller doesn't like waiting either. I guess Stiller has been channeling my inner thoughts as I've been writing. Here's a few snippets from my in-progress (soon to be bestseller!) novel:

(Stiller) left the baker's shop. More waiting .... He had forgotton how tedious the waiting while on an adventure could be.
* * *

Stiller kept a smile on his face, but grimaced inside. More waiting. "We would like to be on our way as soon as possible. We have traveled a ways already and have a bit farther to reach our destination."
* * *

"So now what Uncle?"
Stiller walked a few steps before answering. "Now we wait some more, dear boy!" Dagnabit! How had he forgotton all the waiting there was to be found on an adventure!

So it looks like Stiller and I have more waiting to do while we continue our adventures. Sure, we both have places to be and things to do, but adventures are not without their challenges and one of those challenges is what to do while one waits. For waiting is inevitable in life, whatever adventure you may find yourself on.

Til next time ....

10 on the 10th

10 Things I'm Looking Forward to Once School Starts Back Up and We Are Moved Into A Place of Our Own:

(How's that for a long title???)

1. Getting back to an exercise/workout routine
This summer has not been conducive to exercising since the #1 son is with me all-day-long. I'm getting soft (or softer). I look forward to finding a class or a dvd or just walking on a trail. Something to get this body moving again.

2. Writing for several hours a day on my novel I've started.
I have had an idea for a novel for several years and finally got around to starting it this past spring. Since I don't have alot of alone time to myself this summer instead of writing, I've been reading and researching. But I'm anxious to get back to writing.

3. Taking a Writing Class.
I found a creative writing class at a nearby community college and will be enrolling in it. I'm excited to meet others who are interested in writing and maybe connecting with a few.

4. Nesting
Being in temporary furnished housing has its place, but I'm really itching to get my own stuff out of storage and start making a home for the 3 of us. We found a possible rental, and are hoping to move sometime in Sept. Not soon enough for me of course!

5. Baking Bread and Other Home-y Stuff
I'm itching to get my bread maker out, find my popcorn popper, unload my crockpots and more. I miss making pizza from scratch, baking goodies for my boys, and putting something in the crockpot at 9 in the morning and letting the machine do all the work. Soon, yes soon!

6. Just having some down time.
I love my son, but I am an introvert. Being around someone else all day drains me and I'm looking forward to some alone time.

7. Getting Back to a Regular Devotion Time
I have been slack this summer with my devotions and am committed to starting up again. And looking forward to it.

8. Exploring Portland Oregon
I have several places I want to check out this fall by myself. I know, I'm weird, but I really do prefer to shop alone. Ikea is high on the list, as well as a huge fabric store I've heard was here. Some thrift stores, the whole foods market and trader joe's.

9. Going back to the Beach
Maybe for a weekend when its stormy. Love the beach when its blustery and grey.

10. Seeing How Much Snow They Get Here in the Gorge
I hear that the hills on both sides of the gorge will be full of snow all winter long, but I'm curious to see if for myself. The locals tell me that they don't get much in the towns tho. Mostly rain. We'll soon see!

This 10 on the 10th was brought to you courtesy of Mer, a wonderful mom blogger. Go check her out and see what 10 she's writing about today.

The Summer of My Simplicity

In summers past, I have always had Josiah in a developmental therapy program. The state of Idaho can be lacking in many areas, but their developmental therapy for kiddos like Joe was wonderful. 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, Josiah had one on one therapy both in the center and out in the community.

But this year we moved to Washington. And they don't have their assistance set up the same way. Hence, Joe and I have been hanging out together every day. At first, I was a bit nervous, petrified maybe? about what Joe and I were going to do all day. Things we could do without me resorting to tearing my hair out .... or his!

Since finding a bus for Mike to catch to work, Joe and I have started off our days happily sleeping in. I think we're both catching up on some much needed sleep. Mornings are spent getting ready, eating breakfast and watching cartoons. Two days a week, we go to Christina's house where Joe gets to play the Wii and watch her movies, while I go write on my children's novel.

Lunchtime occurs around the same time that the old Perry Mason reruns air, and then we are ready to find some afternoon fun. We have visited Panther Creek, where Joe threw his sandal in the creek much to my dismay. We drove to Hood River and watched Toy Story 3. We drove down to the park and Joe played on the swings and slides while I watched.

Somewhere between 4 and 5pm we drive to town to pick up Michael from work. We come home and bar-b-q or cook something equally scrumptious. We often watch a show from netflix or light the firepit. And there are evenings where all we do is sit on our porch watching the sun and shadows play on the fir covered hills across the gorge.

Nowhere in my day is any craft of any type. I packed away my craft room when we left Boise. I kept out my beading, my crossstitch, and my sewing machine. Mainly because they were packed in their own little cases and easy to have on hand. But they have not been opened since arriving.

I thought I would miss my crafts. And I have. But not as much as I thought I would. I think mainly because I have chosen to see this summer as one of simplicity. We knew we would be moving into furnished housing. We knew that we would not be able to bring along all our "stuff". Here at our mother-in-law "resort" apartment we have a scaled down kitchen without an area or tools to bake or concoct elaborate meals. We have a miniscule library with only a few books we brought along as well as the few I have checked out from the library. We only have one pack of cards, instead of our assortment of games and cards and whatnot to keep ourselved entertained. But its ok. We're living more simply for this summer--intentionally.

And a month into our living this way, it crosses my mind whether I could simplify for good? Not sure I would want to. I do like my "stuff". There are times I would like to make some pizza dough or start another knitting project. But I can feel the pull that draws many in wanting to live a simpler life.

Life here has a slower, more rhythmic pace here this summer. We are enjoying our surroundings and each other. We have time for reaching out to new friends and old ones. It is a joy to discover God's beautiful creation here in the Columbia Gorge.

So cheers! Here's to the summer of my simplicity!

Summertime, Summertime

This summer, the next 10 weeks to be exact, are looking to be pretty simple and laidback. As far as I have found, WA state does not have a developmental program for kiddos like my son, like we had in Idaho. This means that after next Tuesday, Joe and I will have lots of time together. While dad is at work, we will be hanging out. Now to those of you with normal kiddos, that may not sound like much, but to this mom of this child, it means that I will need to find ways to keep the #1 son occupied, entertained, and out of trouble for 8 hours a day. That can be an exhausting task to even the most organized and creative types. And top that off with his very short attention span and you get the picture.

So, on our to-do list so far is:

*visit the library once or twice a week (30-60 min)
*go swimming on fridays at the local pool when they have $1 fridays (1-2 hours)
*drive to Portland to visit the Zoo (all day)
*visit Panther creek when it gets hot so Joe can sit by the creek and throw rocks in the water to his hearts content (2-3 hours)
*see a matinee in neighboring town a couple times a month (2-3 hours)
*visit the local park and swing (30-60 min)

Still looking to round out our time each week. Cartoons and movies at home only go so far. There is alot that he can't do due to his special needs, so thinking creatively is a must.

Any ideas you can think of that I haven't got on my list? I'd love to hear what you would fill up your summer with if you were hanging out with the Joe-boy.

Til next time ....

Welcome to the 'Hood

Mt Hood, that is. Sorry, I couldn't resist.



Saturday we took a drive around Mt Hood. What a gorgeous day of an outing. Sunshine, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, temps in the mid to high 70's. Perfect! And what a gorgeous mountain. So fun to explore our new neighborhood.



By driving around the mountain we got to see it from different angles and viewpoints. We discovered this lake (pic below)about 3/4 of the way around the mountain. Trillium Lake it is called, and tho I didn't see any trilliums we did see this beautiful vista. Lots of people were fishing on the lake shore or picnicing nearby. Tho its probably a good couple hour drive from us, we will be back this summer to spend more time at Trillium Lake.



We ended up in Sandy, Oregon for lattes and a movie, then wound down to Gresham for dinner at Olive Garden--mmmm! Living in the middle of nowhere doesn't seem quite so bad this week.

Til next time ....

How Does Your Shopping Go?

We have moved! We made it! We are in the middle of nowhere!

Seriously, I feel like I'm in the middle of a shopping desert. The local market is 10 minutes away and the evening we got settled we ran down there to pick up a few essentials. We walked out $50 lighter with only 2 shopping bags. Wowsers. I miss my Winco already.

How do you folks who live in the middle of nowhere do it?

Yesterday, I had to drive the hubster into a small town 30 minutes away for training with his new job. I found a wal-mart, tho not the super one with the grocery stuff. It did have a few staples so I picked up napkins, salad dressing, salsa and relish. But I'm told that to do major shopping I have my pick of Vancouver or Portland, both over an hour away.

So tomorrow or this weekend, we will be driving west and checking out the stores there. My question tho, is how often will I need to go over there? Gasoline isn't cheap anymore so I know I won't be hopping over everytime I need something the way I could when living in Boise. I really can't see myself spending the time or the money to drive over there every week. Will 2x a month be enough? Can I get away with every 3 weeks?

Part of this new adventure I didn't see coming. The challenge of shopping! Would love to hear your shopping challenges.

Til next time ....

We Finally Know Where We're Moving

It's finally official! Michael has had an offer of employment. Actually its a paid internship, but they have an intern to work program so this could very well be where he works for the next several years. Anyway, we are on our way!

He starts June 1st, which means we're moving over Memorial Day weekend. Where, you ask? Southwestern WA, an hour or so east of Portland OR. Back to our country, where everything is more familiar than the high dessert of Idaho that we have been living in for the last 10 years (off and on). Back to rain country. Where the clouds come in and stay for days on end. Sad for us sun lovers, but ladies, your skin is moist and beautiful for decades. Closer to family. No longer will it take a long day's drive to see siblings and parents. Closer to the ocean, my beloved beaches. Sand that I love to run my fingers through and dig my toes into. And the waves I love to hear crash and sing. And back to people and a culture that I am familiar with. WA and ID are so close, yet their culture is very, very different. Something we had no notion of when we first moved to Idaho.

There are many things that we will miss about Boise and Idaho. Things we are are glad we have had the chance to know. People we've met and walked this journey with for a short while. Many happy memories. But we are excited about the new chapter of our lives.

We are a bit nervous, alot excited, happy, stressed (moving! you know), and busy nailing down all the details. We have a furnished duplex waiting. But don't know the address, guess we forgot to ask! Not sure which school district Joe will be in, but will soon find out. Not sure what Joe and I will do during the day while Mike is at work, but I'm sure we can find some trouble to get into.

For now, we are surrounded by boxes. Looking around for the next thing to pack away and still asking the question: Is this worth trucking over to our new home and storage unit?

Til next time ....