Waiting....

March 11March 25You saw that first photo in the last post but I just needed to put it here again for a comparison!

She is pretty close to having little peanut-today she was planning on putting her hospital bag together.

As I was looking at her photos I started thinking about the ones Gary took when I was pregnant. So I pulled out the box they were in and looked in our scrapbook for 1984 and found a few to share.

This is from December 1983-
we tried to "hide" our bellies then...

This is January '84-
Gotta love polyester dresses with big bows...

These were "artistic" ones Gary
took the week before Amy was born...

Every girl had photos taken with silk flowers then! Oh and the dress I am wearing...I wore to prom 6 years before.

February 1984

this angel came to live with us and we were all thrilled
especially her Nana-

Homemade Smash book

This is my first attempt at a mixed media journal-sort of like the Smash book. Have you heard of them?! I get all excited just thinking of them-they are journal/scrapbooks with cute decorated pages. The user then "smashes" stuff from their life into the books. The one I have I use for special things I do such as movie stubs and for things I find online that are especially encouraging to me.

This one is much smaller but I figured things out as I went and that meant smaller is better.

I set up a Flicker group so you could see all the pages. I used old dictionary, novel and kid's storybook pages as well as grid paper and ledger pages too. Just a collection of some of the massive supply of paper I have. I will probably be adding packets of papers to my Etsy account so others can put their own books together too. It doesn't need to have the binder strip, simple office supply rings or ribbon would even work. Just punch holes and use what ever is around. I've got lots of ideas but not necessarily the stamina to get them all done. Stay tuned....

An offer for you-Project Life

Have you seen all the information about Project Life? It's a super easy way to scrapbook-just slip in the photos and little journaling cards. Becky Higgins designed it a few years ago. I bought a kit thinking it would be great. But...I decided I really like the traditional process more. So I have this kit to sell. It retailed for more, but I could take $40 for it. I just added up the products for the new line which has the components sold separately. The total would be about $80! There is room for over 100 pictures if I remember correctly. Here is the kit lay out, not sure I know where the date stamp is...
Ali Edwards has been doing hers and posting her pages. Here are a few:
She puts bits and pieces from her everyday life in too. She is using hers as a 365 one year project but they could be used for so much more.

Now if even that seems overwhelming-I could put it together for you with your photos but it would have to include $$ for my time.

Let me know if you would be interested.

Confession is good for the soul

This is me a few years back. I don't know why I'm smiling I sure didn't look very healthy. I guess it's because I didn't want to have a dowdy "before" photo. I was embarking on an adventure of weight loss with Medifast products. I hadn't tried this type of program before in my 20+ years of trying to loose weight. I had high hopes.
and it worked- I lost 65 pounds within about 8 months. I was exercising. I was feeling pretty good. I was buying clothes a size or 2 smaller. But...
I had trouble seeing it!!! I still thought I looked fat, I still was bigger than everyone I knew. Then Satan got a hold of me and started playing bad things in my head. And before you know it I was missing a lot of things like this-
and this-
and this-
and this-
and most decidedly this-
and even this-
oh these too-
and so I gave up and ate and ate and ate. It didn't help much, it felt better for awhile. But those things I was hearing in my head were sure loud. My feet started hurting and my knees. The family went through some stuff and I ate to feel better. I ate to drown the voices in my head.

And then January came and I started my Soul Restoration class. I awoke from my stupor. I learned to shut out the voices in my head. Then I repeated the Soul Restoration class with some new and old friends and I remembered that people did like to be around me. During the Soul Restoration II class I started making goals and the steps to achieve them. I caught up with all my scrapbooking and saw A LOT of photos of me after I had lost the weight. I really did look different. I looked healthier, thinner and happy. I decided I wanted to be there again, I wanted to be content again. I wanted to be able to move. I have plans for hikes, and I want to bike and I want to smile for a lot more photos.

So I am back on Medifast. I have a better coach this time. I've asked some friends to come beside me and help me listen to the great truth teller.

And I am planning on looking at least this good come the next Christmas....
definitely not the end....

One year-24 days

Remember these faces from last year?...
Well it has been a year! Actually a bit over but I have been negligent on blogging so I am just now posting images. Here they are on their anniversary-

oh and there are the mustaches again-

Papa Hayden's made their wedding cake and if you remember to call-will make an anniversary cake just like the top layer of the wedding cake. So glad they remembered-

They were kind enough to share some of their cake with us too.

Congrats to you two-hope your year is full of fun adventures!

I love May-part 2

I had only a couple parties growing up for my birthday so I plan my own every year! This year I did a take off on the movie "13 going on 30".

Amy designed the invites-

I neglected to take an photo of the goodie bags but they had wishing dust, razzles, pixie sticks, twinkies, a mixed "tape" cd and other assorted fun stuff.

In preparation, the kids strung twinkle lights and balloons for me-

I made "tie dye" cupcakes with chocolate frosting-

We had snacks popular in the 70's-

and mini sandwiches, wienie wraps and bbq meatballs too.

my partner-who knew just how to decorate for a 13 or 15 year party-
and did my bright eye make up and nails...

we had to have a wall of heart throbs-can you name them all??

Presents- including this huge flower-

I did take photos of the gals who came but...since I asked them to come in pj's and not all of them had make-up on-I decided for everybody's sake not to post them!

Part 3 will be coming up soon-

I love May

I love May because I get to hear how wonderful I am...a lot. And this info comes from someone other than myself! I try to tell myself I'm wonderful every day-how about you?!

I was going to do a long post about why May is so great but then I thought two posts would be more fun. This will be the shorter post, not because it is any less important just that it is a one day event.

Mother's day has evolved through the years around here. With both the kids married I don't get cold toast with peanut butter and a cup of cocoa anymore. Now I fix my own breakfast but get to still spend the day with those I care most about. We are still figuring out what the best solution is so all the moms involved get equal treatment. This year that meant the spouses spent time with their moms and Amy & Nick came here. Since Gabriele's mom ended up working, she got to come too. It was an event for the calendar because...Gary cooked dinner! He cooked me dinner once before we were married but I can't recall him doing it since. I am talking here about a main dish and extras. Nick was finishing up work and the girls and I were looking through magazines at the table in case Gary had questions-but he did it all.

Made salad, melted butter and added stuff for an awesome garlic/Parmesan bread, skewered shrimp and chicken, covered them in pesto and grilled them. YUMMO.

After dinner we all decided on a drive, so we got in the Jeep and headed out. Gary and I wanted to take them to this area where we think the houses are awesome. But we couldn't find it. That is what happens when you take too many photo drives-you can't remember where you have been. We did end up at the Bob's Red Mill site, which was closed. But Dave's Killer Bread was across the street so we went there. Got some awesome raisin bread too.

When we got home nobody was hungry yet and it was time for the kids to head out, so I packed some cake for them to take home and got a bunch of hugs. Love that!!

this is a mandarin cake made by Marsee's and available
at Zupan's and Fred Meyer at Grand.

and then this week-

So after all the excitement of last week what was I going to do this week? Well on Wednesday Mrs. Gabriele was graduating nursing school, Thursday I was invited to visit an art journaling group and on Friday we had plans to attend Magenta Improv theater. So I stayed pretty low the first few days of the week. Got the laundry done and the rest of stuff put away. Did a bit of reading. After dinner on Wednesday I got all ready for the graduation. Took off the tennies and put on my fancy shoes (Dansko's)-I don't stray too much from comfort. Since it was raining I decided Gary could drive and let me off out front and then he would have to park the car. Good plan-bad entry. As I was attempting to get in the car I inadvertently stepped off the edge of the carport and twisted my foot. My already sore foot from Plantar Fasciitis became excruciating. I iced it all the way to Skyview but it didn't get much better. I hobbled in and sat as quickly as I could.

Here she is ready for things to get going-

and Mr. Nick got to pin on her graduating nurse pin-tears flowed.
Well from me anyway!

So proud of them both for working together to reach this amazing goal!!!

By the end of it I sure needed the rest room. So I hobbled up the stairs and using the railing to guide and help support my aching foot I traveled towards the door. The railing wasn't attached at one point and gouged my finger. So now I was hobbling and bleeding...more drama. As quickly as we could leave gracefully we headed out.

I was awfully glad I was going to the doctor the next day for a rash that had developed on my side. I figured it was something I picked up from the trip...
But that night I got the grand total of about 2 hours sleep because my foot hurt so bad. I did some online research and was convinced I had sprained my foot. As soon as Gary got up I told him that I needed him to call his best friend the doctor and get me in to the clinic before my 1 pm appointment. Well he went to work and then came home a few hours later to take me in. In a twist of fate the PA who saw me did have a sprained ankle and was hobbling around too. She poked and prodded and determined I had just aggravated the fasciitis more. Assured me there was an anti-inflammatory I could take without other drug interactions and would also give me a
stronger pain killer since Tylenol wasn't cutting anything. Oh and the rash turned out to be Shingles.

So for two days I haven't showered or changed out of jammies. I haven't cleaned the house or done many chores. I have prepared some food and read magazines and watched tv and checked my email and facebook on my smart phone. Taken lots of naps and am gradually getting better.
Today I did notice what appears to be a case of athlete's foot (figured I would get something out of the trip) or maybe it's shingles on my toes...

Gary-he is ready to trade me in for a healthier model. Although he keeps telling me how amazed he is that I am not turning into a whiny women through all of this.

Why is it when you decide you are going to try some new things to get both mentally and physically healthy something always gets in the way???

Or should I say someone????

Well tomorrow should be better-asked Amy to come earlier than usual so we will have some crafting time before I'll need a nap. Maybe I can actually get through the day without one-we'll see.

Next week? We will just have to wait and see if things will be back to normal!!

Anniversary plus more...

Got my toes done for the trip...

We took half a dozen photos together and this is the only one that turned out...wonder why?
It was an amazing week! We started the week out with family dinner made by Karl and Amy. Yummy organic hamburgers with most all organic trimmings. They even found an amazing chocolate cake at whole foods. We played Pictionary too which is always fun-why is it you can always guess what the other team is drawing? Amy spent Saturday with us since we wouldn't have Sunday together and we crafted the day away.

Sunday we packed up the car and headed towards the beach via the Astoria route. Although we have taken this road before Gary kept saying it looked different. Maybe because it wasn't raining...It took us over 4 hours to reach Cannon Beach because of the photo opportunities!

These images I took with my phone and played
with the options....

When we finally made it to Cannon Beach we had to EAT-we hadn't had lunch and were very hungry. We stopped at Lumberyard. If you haven't been there...go!

I had ribs-

Gary had fish and chips-

On Monday Gary gave me some lovely presents- a book I have been wanting, a gift card to a craft store and this lovely ring with 3 pearls to represent our decades together and two diamonds to represent our children...LOVE it!On Monday we had lunch in Warrenton at a spot I had Googled-Serendipity Cafe. Supposed to have great Monte Cristos and they did. Gary had biscuits and gravy which were fantastic too.
We drove back roads and ended up at Fort Clatsop that was recently rebuilt after a fire. Gary took photos and I had a little nap. He ended up calling me and saying he had taken a path and was way out past the entrance on the main road so I headed out to meet up with him. We drove a road through the countryside that was one we hadn't been on before-which we love.
Arriving back in Seaside around dinner time I did a quick search on the phone for someplace to eat. Kinda felt like pizza...turns out we were parked behind a place that was supposed to be great in spite of what it looked like in the strip mall. It's right across from Safeway and you would miss it if you weren't looking for it. Angelina's pizza had a fantastic menu!

This is chicken parmesean panini-

This is their cheese calzone with ricotta and mozzarella-

We spent one day of the trip hanging out in the room in our jammies and reading in front of the fire. Didn't feel too guilty since it was extremely windy out.

Another day we took a drive down to Tillamook-had to get some squeeky cheese. I took Gary to the air museum too.

Stopped in Rockaway beach at a cute looking shop called the Frugal Crow. Part gift shop, part antique shop, part yarn store...all around fun and amazing prices. I got this afghan for only $12

We saw these cute bunnies-

We saw this amazing airstream. Never have seen a bus version.

We had a bit of all kinds of weather while we were there...it was kinda fun.


We came home on Friday and Amy, Nick and Gabriele came for dinner and then we went to see Harry Potter.
On Saturday I put everything away and organized my kitchen a bit differently. Sunday Amy came to play and we visited a friends new old home and gave them some suggestions of how to get it ready to live in.
Gary didn't want to go to work today and I had a bit of a tough time getting going...it's hard to come off vacation mode!