First Light

Hot cranberry scones just out of the oven waiting for all the kids and grandkids to arrive for the day to begin. I love the early morning with my cup of coffee and yummy smells to just sit and take in the silence and reflect on what christmas is truely about, the birth of my Savior. Soon the house will fill with squeals and laughter and rude comments( it's not all tinsel and mistletoe) and the day will take on a life of it's own. But for now I will soak in the silence and remember the story of that first Christmas morning. Merry Christmas to you all!

Suprise

My son came by with a beautiful bunch of flowers for me. Blew mw away. Thanks Ryan for thinking of me.

YUM!

Sunday Brunch at Lapellah was so yummy. We have never been there before but I got a potabella mushroom and spinach scramble and it wS delish. We will be back for sure.

Tuba Christmas Concert

I am sitting in Pioneer Square in downtown Portland listening to over 200 tubas. Really amazing!

December Daily

Yesterday, My friend Karin had a bunch of friends over to create a December Daily album.  It was a lot of fun and I was surprised at how far I got in putting it together but Karin had lots of papers and doodads to choose from that made it really easy.  I am looking forward to chronicling my days in December which is only three days away, OH MY!

Basically, we made a page layout for each day in December and will put a picture and journal what we do each day of the month.  You could add ticket stubs and other memorabilia too.  If you want other ideas you can go to the link above.  There are even kits at the link above if you are so inclined.  I did mine in a small three ring binder but you could make your own album if you want.  Anything works.  I hope I can remember to keep up with it once I get busy celebrating the holiday.  I will try and post my pages here too.

Melody Ross Gallery Show

 What a fun night with my Brave Girls, hanging out at the Elida Gallery
 and meeting Melody Ross.

 

We were first to show up and peered in the windows until Melody's husband came and let us in. Melody was just like she is on the videos and such a sweet heart.  I brought along my Soul Restoration notebook and she signed it for me.  Just being there was such a magical experience.  Hearing that this night was a dream for her that only came about 6 months ago was incredible.  She has really worked hard in the last 6 months to make this happen.  She encouraged me to dream big and believe that what I want to come true can.  She is so inspiring. 

I also met some other fellow artists that came to meet Melody.  They shared some of their dreams with me and I wish them the best in the coming year.

 I wish I could have bought one of her paintings, but it didn't happen this time. It looked like there were going to be some pretty happy people going home with gorgeous art.

This past year four of my friends have been going through Soul Restoration 1 & 2 with me.  We would do the class on-line and then meet at my house to talk about what we had learned that week and show the work we had done.  This evening was the perfect ending to finishing both of those classes.  I would recommend both classes if you haven't gone through them yet. It was life changing and enlightening.

Melody, You are the best! 

Love and hugs

New shoes!

Give - a- way

A wonderful give-a-way at Close 2 my art  I love this clock she is giving away but you could also choose a hand made by Michelle camera strap.  Don't delay, go today!

Melody Ross is coming to town

Melody Ross is going to be in my neck of the woods next week.  If you live in southnern Washington or northern Oregon you will have to check it out. She is the creator of Brave Girls Club and I have taken her Soul Restoration I & II on-line classes.  I am so inspired by her to be all I can be and to honor who God has made me to be. Should be a fun evening.  You can check out her website here.

Fall Baking

Got in the mood to bake sugar cookies and deliver them to my kids. Lots of fun!

Lazy day

Yesterday and today have been really quiet around here.  I didn't have to work or have anywhere to be and so I mostly just hung around the house.

 I always think I will do all this stuff if I had the time and when it comes right down to it, I just get lazy and don't get much done.  It is the days that I don't have much time that I fit the most into. Anyway, I made some chicken rice and beans stew with garlic bread and enjoyed some TV shows I had taped.  I finished the book I have been reading for months.  Now that I read books electronically, I have no idea how long they are.  This book was taking me forever to finish so I looked up the paperback edition and it is an 800 page book.  Since I have about 5 minutes to read everyday it was taking me awhile. Then, I get to the end of the book and it leaves me with a shocking cliffhanger ending.  So I get back on the computer and find out it is part of a trilogy and both of the other books are just as long, ugh!  I love a good story but I am the slowest reader on the planet and so I usually like shorter books to read. In the meantime, books are lining up on my electronic bookshelf waiting to be read.  I am going to need a few more of these lazy weekends if I am ever going to get to them. 

French Bakery

A new French Bakery opened in my neighborhood.
Ooo La La!

Weekend memories

 I got into my art studio this weekend.  It has been a very, very long time since I spent time painting and playing just because.  It felt really good.

Friday night we stopped at a resaurant we have been to before when it was a different owner.  We keep driving by since it changed, saying we needed to try it out.  So we decided to go Friday and as we sat there we realized that 32 years ago this same week we had come here on our second date.  We even had a guitarist by our table just like this time.  It was a precious memory and were so glad we had stopped in.

Disneyland 2011

Just a few pics from our recent trip to Disneyland.

We had a great time.

It is so fun to see Disneyland through a 4 & 6 year olds eyes.

We all have terror on our faces except my 4 year old grandson who has the biggest grin on his face. 

A little daredevil was discovered on that roller coaster ride that day.

Day 1 - DISNEYLAND

We are having a great time discovering Disneyland with a 4 year old and a 6 year old.
I have pictures but the network isn't letting me download so I will have to try later.

My Big Hurrah!

Well, it has come and gone but the memories will last a lifetime.

I thought turning 50 may be some depressing thing but it was just the opposite. 

Turning 50 was awesome!

I got my party dress on

                                    

 

We got the back courtyard all spiffy

 

 

 Turned on the fountain

 

 

Set out the food

 

 

Chilled the drinks

 

 

Lit some candles

 

 

And invited a few good friends

 

CAFE art group

(Lani, Me, Karla, Michelle, Jaron)

Soul Restoration ladies

(Jaron, Karin, Me, Lani, Florence)

Florence & Maurice

who sold me the gorgeous, very French table, chairs & buffet

Spent some time hanging around and visiting, eating and laughing!

And enjoy your guy friends who aren't afraid

 to eat with pink forks and drink Girly Girl wine, lol.

Wine and cake too!

(no one took a pic of the cake, oops)

I guess we were too busy eating it, lol

Cake always adds to the festivities,

especially if it is from the Cheescake Factory.

Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake

YUM!

There is seriously nothing better on this planet

Oh and take off the 5" heels

Snuggle up to the guy who put the whole thing together and say

Thank you!

And let's not forget the presents.

I got some wonderful, very thoughtful gifts.

Thanks everyone!

And add a little bow to your head

but only if it matches your outfit exactly, ha, ha

Pop a little extra something in your mouth while you are cleaning up?

The Canazzis

And thank your good friends who cleaned up so you did't have to.

Love you guys

Happy 50th to Me

I am sitting on my porch swing at about 5 AM, watching the sun rise and writing in my journal and feeling completely content and happy. I turn 50 today and I love my life. Knowing how things can turn on a dime, I may not feel like that tomorrow but for today I am full of Joy. Thank you Lord for the many blessings of family and good friends and a beautiful home to enjoy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Grape arbor

Who let the cat out?

I finally decided to let the cat out of the house. After moving into our new place in the city, I was hoping to keep her indoors for quite awhile but she had different ideas. Too many years of roaming our property in the country gave her a love for the outdoors. She has been prowling the house crying and clawing the doors to get out and so after a month I relented. She seems perfectly happy to sit in the back courtyard and soak up the sun, for now anyway.

All moved in

Closet

My husband and I installed our Martha Stuart closet system and it is so pretty. I am getting 3 times the space I currently have and let's just say I am doing the happy dance. My husband and I won't be be smooshing and squeezing anymore. There is lots of space for sheets, pillows, suitcases and anything else we want to store in there. I even have a desk to do my make-up and hair at. I could go on and on. The funny part is that we really are downsizing. I like this part of downsizing.