08-31-12

I like having Fridays off, I could get used to this!

I get to do all kinds of things I don’t normally have the time or ability to do:

Paddleboard first thing in the morning when the lake is so smooth.

Try out a new café that is only open for weekday lunch.

Watch Xander at tennis practice.

Read a book poolside.

Scrapbook for four hours.

Life is good.

08-30-12

The sky was so pink tonight!  I did a different walk tonight.  First walked into the setting sun, then walked toward the big moon, then saw gorgeous pink in the sky.

Let the long weekend begin…

08-29-12

 

The kids had orientation and got their schedules today.  FISCHANA left hers sitting out.  Band, Spanish, Biology, English, Algebra, US History, Leadership, plus youth group, swimming, and an active social life.

Puts my busy little world in perspective for a minute.

08-28-12

Fall is right around the corner.

We can tell because Anastasia needs to get picked up early from swim practice to rush to marching band practice.  First football game is this Friday night.

Might be a good chance for me to scrapbook in an empty house, *wink*.

08-27-12

It’s been a landlording day.  One tenant deciding to move in early, another deciding to go gracefully.  Doesn’t’ leave time for much else.  Happy Monday!

08-26-12

Started the day eating Nutella & cream cheese cinnamon rolls, ended the day eating raw peach vegan cheesecake.  Ah, the variety of flexetarian dining.

The kids' vegetarian challenge may be over, but Xander is still willing to go to the community vegetarian/vegan potluck with me and try out the great dishes.  Here’s my plate – a dab of many delicious choices.

And tomorrow starts the Monday cycle of strict low calorie, high fruits & veggies eating…

08-25-12

Saturday was great weather for camping, no bundling up needed.  In fact, it got hot enough for even Bruce and I to brave the kid pool, with all its splashing and chaos.

Anastasia and Xander enjoyed playing with the younger kids (Sarah here) and giving them underwater piggy back rides.

08-24-12

Family camp at Thousand Trails!

The camp chairs, the campfire to come as the sun sets, the dogs, the kids (all of them growing!), the friends, the same funky cabin… the anticipation of a fun and relaxing weekend.

A little boy, Mason, was really excited to see Xander, then we realized it was his cookie monster shirt…

08-23-12

I told our newest tenants that I would be swinging by to get an “AFTER” photo once the flowers were put in and the shutters were installed.

That was two months ago!

Finally got back there with the good camera tonight.  I was surprised that the flowers are still looking so nice after the dry hot weather we’ve had.

Bonus points for spotting their dog…

08-21-12

The scale is rewarding me for eating well this week, so I was motivated to be strong at our small group BBQ tonight.

Until I saw the pretzel salad.

The same layered butter-pretzel crust, cream cheese, berries & jello salad that Grama makes.

Yum!

08-20-12

I have no idea what this is.  And old fun car that says “Dolly”.  It was parked on my block and I liked the way it looked in the setting sun.

Little things that make you smile.

08-20-12

Name this fruit…

Looking forward to figs in my fresh fruit salad tomorrow morning.  Not looking forward to the 4:30am part.

Blessed in the little things and the not so little things…

08-19-12

We elected not to do a day trip today after all.  We walked to Longview Community to support a bake sale, ending up winning 3 silent auction items.  Then we invited friends over to help us eat the cakes.

And we headed to the country club pool.  I read a great page turner, and Bruce threw the football at the kids as they jumped off the diving board.  Was hoping to catch up on the to do list a little, but at least I caught up on sleep a bit.

08-18-12

Freezing in the DQ parking lot, weather sure has cooled off here.

Forgot my camera when we met the Carasa crew for dessert as they head south for vacation, so Bruce’s phone is filling in today.

Sam is a blur, but that fits, since the kids were a jumble of energy.

08-17-12

I spent a good chunk of my day at “camp” today.  Camp being what we call our logging office, this one located in Castle Rock.

Wired got crossed and we showed up at 11am for a 1pm BBQ, so we took a long walk down a shaded logging road to pass the extra time.

The BBQ included big raffles to raise money for Relay for Life.  I admire this great cable logging scene on a big saw, but am thrilled that I won a Starbucks gift card instead.

08-16-12

More zucchini and more hats.  I decided that a whimsy gardening photo is always welcome.

Maybe soon I’ll be sharing broccoli with co-workers to return the favor of all the zucchini!

08-15-12

Long day, time to get to bed for another early morning tomorrow.

This evening found me at the Electric Bean – for (decaf!) coffee, time with a new friend, and to see photos of local artists.

Halfway to Friday…

08-14-12

I wear hats so little that I can’t even find my hats when I want to wear them!  Good thing Anastasia had some purple pride to share…

Lovely night for a paddle and yard work.

08-13-12

Happy Monday!  Welcome to zucchini week!  A friend has it coming out her hears, so now it is coming out our ears too and will be a side dished at each meal, cooked differently, and my lunch each day…

This also may be hat week!  I’m working on a presentation for Saturday and want to use photos with hats to represent my different roles.  Unfortunately I don’t wear hats very often, so I’m needing to recreate some shots…

08-12-12

Woke up not knowing what to do with my day, but it started and ended outside, with paddle boarding and gardening.

I knew a quiet day at home getting caught up on a few things is what I needed, but the details of what that meant unfolded as the day progressed and my craft room got piles of stuff excavated.

The garden is getting well ahead of me, but I uncovered this pretty fresh little bright anemone as I reclaimed a section of dirt. 

08-11-12

According to Fitbit, I walked aver 11 miles today.

I spent most of my waking hours at Relay for Life, helping to get our site set up, listening to all the survivors at Opening ceremonies, walking laps, prepping BBQ dinner, watching guys dress as girls to raise money, and staying for the Luminaria ceremony.

Almost $200K raised in Cowlitz County so far…

08-10-12

Paddleboard right after work for an audience.  Check.

Get caught up on rental market research, a day late.  Check.

Get ready for Relay for Life, including shopping for and preparing the raffle items and cooking potluck food.  Check.

Keep pace on my book for book club meeting next week.  That’s next.

If I had more time I’d work on the $48 in 48 hours last push Relay fundraising campaign.

Or I’d update my LinkedIn profile; I found a neat article to chat up today.

Or I’d read on the couch with the house empty instead of on the treadmill to get my 10,000 steps.

But at least it’s Friday!

08-09-12

My plan for this evening was to enjoy artichoke hummus wraps at the lake concert.

Reality was enjoying a decaf soy mocha at the EB after showing the Carolina unit to a prospective tenant.  Still a concert, but louder and less outdoors-y.

Is it the weekend yet?!?

08-08-12

I want my real camera back!  Took four different groups of photos tonight, and they all stink.

Here’s the best of the bunch, the guys hanging out in our basement gym.  Anthony is hiding from the camera and Xander is in the crack behind the door.  They make me nervous when they are down there, that they might hurt themselves or the exercise equipment.

But I guess it’s better than swimming in the lake, which is what I saw as I was driving home…

08-07-12

Here’s Anastasia at the Adopt a Block block party.  The kids did great with drawing the kids into sidewalk chalk and bubbles.

Things ran smoothly and we figure about 100 people attended, plus a drop in by Officer McGruff! The weather cooperated, the street got closed, donated stuff showed up, and the grill worked.  The food was great, although people were afraid of my quinoa salad.  We all made new connections.

Deep breath, on to the next adventure and the rest of the week.

08-06-12

Tomorrow night is National Night Out, which means block parties galore.  Party planning for over a hundred is not my strong point, but I’ve had a TON of support, and am looking forward to seeing what happens. 

I have a punch list for tonight, making reminder calls and making side dishes.  Bruce has a punch list for tomorrow, getting the street blocked off and loading things up.  I have quite a big pile accumulated in the hallway – paper goods for dinner, bubbles and chalk for the kids, a tray of Grape Nut cookies, and anything else I can think of…

“One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something.” - Henry David Thoreau

08-05-12

Started and ended the weekend with a book outside.  Moving the chairs to follow the shade...

It’s so warm the heat pump AC can’t keep up, so it’s actually more pleasant outside.  Bruce blames me for baking cookies in the heat of the day…

Went paddle boarding instead of jogging first this morning, what a great treat!

08-04-12

90 degree weather.  Smoke filled rooms to get through.  Electric shocks.  Water slide into dirty water. Dusty trails.  Crawling in mud.  Zombie’s everywhere!!!!

Sound like a good idea?

I wasn’t sure when my heart was pounding after getting through the first zombie filled pasture, but Anastasia and I were able to do all the obstacles, get through with no meltdowns or breathing problems, and it didn’t really physically feel like a 5K since it was walk and sprint rather than jogging.

Getting there early for the guys to get zombified was a great chance for us to see some of the course and mentally and tactically prepare ourselves.  The whole family decided it was a fun event.  And to wrap up the day, tonight we’ll watch Zombieland…

08-03-12

I was planning to relax with a book a bit tonight, but that plan got accelerated to include only R&R.  Not sure why, but I had a systemic reaction to my allergy shot today, so got loaded up with epinephrine and other fun drugs, which zaps me like crazy.

Not the start to the weekend I was hoping for, but at least I’m between big plans and can curl up with a book.

08-02-12

Found out I’ll get my newest camera back from repairs in a few weeks.  In the meantime, bumble through with lower quality photos…

Been spending most of my time on launching Adopt A Block lately and tonight, but not able or thinking to get photos of that, so here is an update on my hay bale gardening project.

The spinach and red lettuce are bolting but still being eaten, and the broccoli is coming along…

08-01-12

Happy August!  How did that happen?!?

Remember my Borage from two weeks ago?  It is really really tall now and in bloom.  It feels like a sunflower plant with tiny little flowers on top.