Roses With Roots

I'm doing great did get lots of gardening done today;
roses, berries, bulbs are moved;
and I planted new tulip bulbs in pink white and purple,
and onions by the three new roses I put in yesterday.

Last week I got two more fruit trees planted
a red plum and apricot.
Gardening is great exercise too!

Siding

More progress!
This is a view from the back
with the siding on.
The pluming is in now too.

Dream Home Pics.

Top:
Bay window framing is in and more roof trusses are up!










This is the back view of the house more trusses up over the dining room where French doors will be that open out to the deck patio area.
A patio or deck will be off the master bedroom.
It will be white with med. brown accents on the exterior
and earth tones interior unless some one buys it and
changes that. [People are already asking if the house
is for sale!]

Fire!

On my walk today I took this photo with my camera phone
in the distance you see smoke rising from
fire in the area from dry lightening we had last Friday
it's where we where we ride ATV's, and used to go boating
up Hell's canyon.

Garden Wedding

Over dinner for our 34th wedding anniversary was last week hubby and I were laughing because I told hubby I wanted to get married in a wheat field ie [stubble field] remember we are from the hippie days; I wanted a ring of daises in my hair. Hubby's family were farmers I thought it would be a nice touch. Mom vetoed this idea she was right. So I settled on a garden wedding. Boy was that a lot of work! Hubby said he got in on the preparation for that. Mom sewed the dresses and a lady from the church made the cake we used a recipe for the punch from my grandma's and & grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary celebration mom had to get the recipe from my aunt.

It was a simple affair 104 guests very memorable. T-storm the night before had us picking up tree limbs the morning of the event off the lawn.
My wedding bridal bouquet was not what I'd expected and I wept over them my aunts rescued them. Granny grew delphiniums in her garden those baskets were in front of the mock orange in the yard bloomed and were fragrant as we said out vows that we had written. The day was not too hot just perfect! The photographer, was a guy at the church that had been doing it for his work in the basement and the pictures turned out well.

We had a potluck after ward and people kept waiting for us to leave;
the photographer pulled us aside and said we should stage an exit even thou we were staying for the meal so I changed and we went around the block and came back for supper.

ATV Ride

ATV-ing was great fun for us this weekend. Hubby and I got separated and I found an awesome trail to ride on and picnic spot. We saw a dead rattle snake in the road on the way up; on my walk this morning I saw a humming bird; and some wild canaries up in the mountains, hubby saw an eagle some deer. The smell of the forest was great.

When we got home we cleaned up the ATV's and put them away and the stuff that we used for this picnic ride in Washington. Praising God for a safe return trip home after a close encounter with a deer hubby had to swerve to avoid. The huckleberries are not ripe yet but the blackberries around here are just now coming on.

Dear son and dear grand daughters came by for a visit. He loved hearing about our ride!

Dear son in law stopped by to deliver the trailer they borrowed for a camp out in Idaho by the one of the hot springs in the central part of the state. I got paid for some work last month so this is great.

Trusses are here.

Trusses were on time today.
Heat wave here makes morning work the best!
Pic. #1 & 2 are trusses that were delivered and set in place today.

Ground Breaking

pic #1. dear daugther helping to sight in the depth of the first digging.
pic #2 digging with small backhoe;
pic #3 # power is in

We broke ground on the property last Sat. the family was there. Dear daughter was helping with survey equipment. They had a small cat and bob cat to move dirt around.

The guys were excited dear grand son was playing with the water! Guys and gals all sizes love to play in the dirt and it was an exciting day for all of us! They have poured the footings did that last week; and foundation was poured today.

I've been working on the yard at home dug out a smallish apple tree that had bugs in in the trunk so it had to go. Doing granny duty so dear daughter can work at the job site doing concrete work. I've also been painting the stairway too.

What I Love About My Dream Job

That’s one of the things I love about my dream job of home designer the fact that my schedule is flexible and I can call dear daughter and if I need help on this too. It’s great to have family living close by. Riding motor cycle out to check on the water meter and power pole on the lot to see if they were in and seeing 4 deer just across the path!

I'm setting up a note book for this with 1-12 numbered dividers, some color coded ones and others with a-z tabs. We are in the design phase of this still the guys are working on securing the permits and doing paper work. I found a kitchen design note book and hubby and I agree we hate all the ideas in it they are off the wall and funky ideas to weird for around here.

I was hoping we could say we had broke ground by now. Hubby had to draw up another view for the house plans. And one for the floor joists. But those are done now so we are chipping away at the progress. I’m meeting new people and enjoying that part of it.

I’m keeping a log or journal of the progress each day. Adding to the contact list and hoping that helps next time we do this. Some days it like three steps forward and two steps back. But that’s how it is in life at times.

Checking In

Today I promised my self I’d update my blog so here goes!

Last weekend it was cold and we did not do much for the memorial day weekend. Thinking this weekend we could have a family gathering, but the weather is so nice that they are camping! Great idea it might be time for a tree fix for us too.

This week I mowed the back yard for my exercise and the roses and irises are great this year. I weeded the garden last night and the tomatoes are doing great in the new spot we planted them this year.

It was a good week here I marked a mile post three years on my weigh loss journey some thing to celebrate! I was at the local green house produce stand the other day and found a rose bush I will get to mark this occasion. While I was there I also found some peach jam with no extra added sugar I was excited about that! So I’ll get some of that too. The sugar free apple pie is gone, I have a peach one in the freezer. These are great in lunches I have wedge shaped containers for hubby to take in his lunch. He said he was forgetting to eat breakfast, so I tucked a plastic spoon in his Bible cover as a reminder this has been working great such a simple thing too!

I’ve been working on my card file putting verse of the day on file cards until I ran out of them. Making a master list of my favorite inspirational verses for a projects or two.
I’ve been working on outside stuff and the house shows it. I’m not doing as much with my crafts these days.

Next week I’m on carpool duty dear for grand daughter. That’s one of the things I love about my dream job of home designer the fact that my schedule is flexible and I can call dear daughter and if I need help on this too. It’s great to have family living close by. I went through the books in the book cases in the basement and weeded out a few and found one for kindergarten teachers addition that dear daughter can use for dear grand son. I’m glad I found it before he had out grown it! Dear grand daughters are past that phase now.

Progress on the house building project but it is a bit slower than we had hoped.

Books

My new book shelf is full! I've read half of a book, a novel last evening outside under the big shade tree in the front yard. It was very relaxing.
Now that the weather is warmer I can do that again!

I'm reading "The One Minute Millionaire" by Mark Victor Hansen co-author of "Chicken soup for the soul" and Robert G. Allen author of "Nothing Down" and "Creating Wealth". Lots of info. in this book is review if you've read any of the rich dad series. I love this book the right side of the pages are a fiction story that teaches, the left side is the info. and formulas graphs visual aids etc. my brain loves this format!!!!

I just finished reading "Driven to distraction" riveting reading! I have another A.D.D. book to read later on maybe in the fall called "Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder". It is fascinating learning how the brain works.

I have "Positive Thinking For a Time Like This" by Norman Vincent Peale in my T.B.R. pile, I enjoy his work. I have some Debbie Macomber light fiction novels I want to get to this summer in my TBR pile, I started Daily word prayer journal found it at a yard sale this weekend. I have one chapter left to read in "The Secret".

I ordered a Joyce Meyer Book and teaching series "Habits Of Highly Effective Christians" I'm looking forward to getting that. I've seen these on TV not really new info. in them but I"m looking forward to review and seeing if I can glean any notes tips and pointers from them. Last week I got T.D. Jakes "Reposition Yourself Living life without limits". There is a work book that goes with this book too.

I'm in the middle of "Prophetic Evangelism" by Sean Smith; and found "Elements of the Writing Craft" by Robert Olmstead at the thrift shop so I had to have that one too! I am about half way done with "Time Out For Prayer" by Julie Baker this one is excellent!

I have started reading "Einstein's wife" to read a bio. I enjoy biographies!

New House Plans

We got the closing papers signed on the lot last week. Hubby drew up the plans for the inside of the house yesterday took longer than we anticipated, today he has to do the outside plans. He had some architecture in collage so he knows what he’s doing and learned some fun tricks to help with this. This week getting the plans drawn up is the goal and then getting a material supply list together and submitting them for approval. To make sure they are in accordance with the stipulations for the new subdivision. Hubby will be back to work this week after a week of vacation he his rested up and doing better.

Last night to relax I colored on a print that was some sepia brown and white and some color so it’s all colored now! That was fun! I’ve been reading and enjoying that. I’m reading one minute millionaire going now. I have a print to frame up also.

Dear daughter has an open house today. Dear son begins his new job tomorrow. Grand kiddos will be here tomorrow I’m excited as I have some new crafts to do with them.

I finished crocheting up a prayer shawl last night and have yarn for another one in lavender and white I’m looking forward to working on it. I have yarn for a larger project in aqua blue and sea foam green colors! That will be fun I’m wondering if I should knit or crochet it! I’m looking forward to discussing this with my friend we knit together and met every other week. Seems to be helping us both to discuss stuff going on in our lives. These days we both seem to have quite a bit going on.

Busy Week

I mowed yesterday for my exercise. It was 86* great weather. My plants trees and bushes are all still alive I’ve been watering them I need to get the sprinkler on the grass today. I felt great after that! I've been doing great at maintaining my weight loss.
Mowing was my exercise yesterday!

Last night we took a short motorcycle ride over to the lot and stopped by to see the grand-girls. That was fun! Went to the lot and saw a bull snake he lives there we’ve seen it there twice now. Hubby is getting stuff lined up to build a spec. house to sell. He wants to do that for his job/work after this fall. I’m over the fear part of it now. Yea that took some time.

We grilled patties in the carport last night. It was a bbq for two had family over for a pizza party on Monday for mom's day. The car is in the shop so there was extra room! Used my smaller folding craft table it worked great. I made scalloped potatoes from
a mix and they were awesome my new favorite dish to make for a b.b.q. now it’s much easier than potato salad.

My gratitude journal helps, and doing a card file or using a planner, or pc reminders helps with A.D.D. the book Driven to Distraction said, so I’ve already found what they suggest helps.

I got an unfinished book case six foot tall and I’ve been gotten it oiled and loaded with my books note books journaled mags. etc. help me making less clutter of books around and that has been my progress this week.

Dear son has found a job working for a pest control place. A guy he went to school with. They are excited it’s pretty good money.

Dear daughter had a Realtors tours twenty five Realtors were through the house on Tues. a.m. she brought Joey over they hung out here. The have their house listed and are excited to move again in the the new one they have built a one level home in a new subdivision with great views on some of the lots.

We watched the movie “cowboy up” it was good. Kiefer Southerland the guy in 24 was in it.

Community Event Week

I delivered donations to a church yard sale this week. Glad to get these items out of here. I cleaned the lawn chairs that were in the carport and picked up the yard. We are loving spring here the Dogwood festival and County fair are both this weekend. We went to the dogwood festival today and I got to go to the craft fair. Hubby went to the show n shine. So glad to have better weather and more fun opportunities to enjoy the great out doors. The scent of lilacs is lovely when I'm outside these days! Love that!

Hubby has recruited me to help in his new business he needed some one to delegate to run errands fetch parts and supplies and general go-for. Let the contracting begin! I did some errands for this that past two days when I was out and about any way. My dad was a contractor so this is not new to me.

My e-bay items did not go so I brought them back home.
Will be trying motor cycle parts next fender and muffler for 98 Vulcan classic 1500.

De-clutter mode!

We got our taxes off then did a clean sweep in the office went through papers worked on getting files purged and the filing system set up ready to go for a new year. There were files to put in deeper storage after the sale of the farm last year it was time to move some of the boxes again. Hubby was off for some dental work and had time to help me with this office stuff.

This week we are getting ready for a block yard sale. Dear daughter and family are getting ready to move and as she does she said it's double duty sorting for the move and for the yard sale. I cleared out the pool house and I'm going to be using it as a potting shed this summer.

Last weekend we got the news that our son has won the election for A.S.B. Pres. by a landslide victory! He said that he has some meetings this week in two other collages in our state. Prayers appreciated for them and my prayer is that they are able to brain storm some ideas for better safety and protection for schools collages all across the nation.

Giving E-bay a go!

I found a local movie rental store that will put items on e-bay for a reasonable fee. So I'm giving e-bay a go this week. They take the photos and ship stuff off so I don't have to run all over town to find packing materials and a ups site to ship from so it's worth it to me to try this!

The wooden decorative boxes they said weigh too much to ship so I had to go fetch them back home. Learning as I go here.

Yard Sale Or E-Bay!

Yard Sale List:

Our neighbors have recruited every one for a block yard sale.
These are great for generating 
higher traffic. 
 
Pick date for sale.
[Keep in mind higher value items for e-bay as you sort 
there is more than one way to de-clutter.]
 
6 weeks before sale: 
 
Collect donations & yard sale items.
Find out local guidelines;
is it okay to post signs and have sales in your area?
Compose add for local adds in and classifieds 
nickel shopper, penny-saver, money saver add paper 
and area newspaper.
 
1~2 weeks before sale: 
 
Clear junk out of front yard this can be done earlier. 
Clean garage carport shed etc. sweep and set up tables. 
Clean tables and move to area where sale will be. 
Buy or make signs kids can help with this!
Wash sale items toss broken things 
Get change and move sawhorses to carport put plywood near by.
 
Week of sale: 
 
Clear & rope off area 
Cover items not for sale 
Bring boxes & bags & containers out of house for sale items. 
Get electric cord ready to test appliances.
Have adding machine or calculator handy. 
Put change in fanny pack  
set up till area table store bags & papers under table 
for wrapping breakable items. 
 
Day of sale:
 
Put out signs & refreshments if you are severing them,
Get change out use fanny pack.
Take signs down! 
Or you may be getting folks at ten o’clock at night; 
my friend said this happened to her!
Get Chinese take out or order in subway or pizza so you 
don’t have to cook. Having a yard sale is hard work 
like moving but it burns a lot of calories! 
Move cars out of the way if possible so customers can park!
 
After the sale:

Call for donations pick up after sale.

Son Runs for Collage A.S.B. President

I have news! Last week I found out our son is running for A.S.B. President. We will know in a few weeks if he got it or not. He is currently Vice Pres. a junior majoring in communications.

library thing

Easter Week

Yesterday one of my finds was a flower pot that had the words violet painted on it and a painting of some violets in bloom. I have lots of these in the yard so it will be great to put one in it. On the way home I stopped by the nursery and got two fruit trees a peach and nectarine and got those planted. Now I'm trying to figure out where to put an apricot tree! It was 29* here over night and I am SO glad I put the annuals in the play house. I just got them out for some sun. It's a lovely day here and will warm up through the end of the week.

I found a couple of books by a favorite author Emilie Barnes and a wire bound journal and a planner, planner size note book plus filler pages for these at the thrift shop. I like the bigger size rings in the planner and I'd been looking for one so I'm delighted with these finds. Speaking of books I found library thing web site and have most of my books there some I've read some to read some that I'm currently reading. See link in blog title for this post.

I've been getting ready for a block yard sale the weekend after Easter is keeping me busy I"m getting "stuff" rounded up for this. I went through the books last weekend. It feels good to get progress on this! Tonight is Family Dinner at dear daughter's.

Gardening News

Another trip to the garden store is on the docket today with the truck for trees this time. The herbs shrubs roses and grass seed is in, annuals are next.

Yesterday I got a fake rock planter with a hole in it for planting and put it by the front door, a cane bottom chair with a hole in it from the thrift shop will be holding plants soon. I'm finding gardening to be very therapeutic. I got some snaps, tall marigolds yellow and white, and purple and white pansies. Fruit trees are next nectarine and peach and I found some bulbs!

The other peach tree died well past it's prime of the life span about 25 years for fruit trees, with lovely blooms in the spring we enjoyed these! Last year we took out the apricot tree and pine they had bugs and the above ground pool went in now it's back to grass and this made room for the new tree additions.

Major Tweak!

Today I’m trying a new browser
Firefox I’m tired of the I.E. not working.
So going to give this one a go.

-----> Edited to add on 3/29
I like this it spell checks when
I post on message boards!
Also I can increase font size on them too.
Now I am wondering why I waited so long!
I love it!

-----
Our greatest glory is not in never failing,
but in rising up every time we fail.
Emerson.

Spring Fun!

Yea! I made it in to my writing blog; I've not been able to get in here for a while. So I'm happy to see that I can get in again. I've finished a green knitting project for March. We have been on an ATV ride it was so-o good to get out of the house and see the changes in naure after our ride last fall there was more burning and there were trees down. Some on had went ahead of us and move the biggest logs out of the way. I've been to a Business Boot Camp training also. We are having wonderful warmer weather here is was up to 70* on Saturday. The roads were drying out and dryer than we expected. Some snow is at the top in the shady spots. We saw a heard of elk, mtn. blue birgs and wild turkeys. Bulbs are blooming in our yard that makes outside work
much more fun again now.

Think Week

I remember an interview some one was doing of Bill Gates about this time last year I think it was. He was talking about having "think week". Setting aside time a week to read books, articles and go over other info. he does this three or four times a year he said. Julia Cameron recommends a going with out media for a week. So I decided to take their advice grounded myself from the computer last weekend. I got quite a bit of other stuff done, and made some decisioins I needed to consider and got some knitting, crafting reading and caught up on my off line journals.

Feels Like Spring!

The geese were honking over head again this morning. This week it’s been warmer fifty - one degrees yesterday and today it was forty - seven it felt like spring out. I resumed my walk on the hill by here and I’m in great shape I was rather surprised by this. Yesterday I did ten minutes and no ill effects, to today I bumped it up a bit and I did more 45 min. plus ten on the level I could tell I’d done more when I got home but it felt good. I picked up a bag of trash today as I walked, then when I got about a half a block from home I saw nine white tailed deer that was fun!

I called a friend and she said even though it’s been cold she is still getting eggs from her chickens. We had a great visit and it was good to catch up on news and compare notes on what we have been up to the past few weeks.

It has warmed up here 40* - 56* here for this week my walk was realy rather plesant today outside! I saw people hauling trash off to the dump, roses had been pruned, others were getting pedal bikes ready to use for spring and I saw a robin today too!

Changes

Now that the weather has turned off mild again this week for a while any way, I am able to take my daily walks again now. I saw geese honk as they flew over head on my walk yesterday and several other days this week. They were out for their daily exercise too, they fly laps over heads circling the area. I see or hear them often. I enjoy watching the birds in the winter on my daily walks.

There have been other changes here as well, as grandchildren grow up go off to school and other activities there is not the need for me to do granny duty. I’m getting my life back so I’ve been tweaking my plans and getting some fun things back on to it that I like to do. I have been missing some of these things weaving, ladies groups such as Women’s Aglow, spinning and weaving guild meetings, life groups at church, it's time to call and order a book I've been wanting to read, walk at the beach and around the island where we camp, my list is growing!

No Escape from Cold!

Winter has a cold icy grip on our country from Washington to Texas there is no escaping it! I was remembering some of the winters we experienced as children. When I was three or four my granny knit me a two piece red snow suit! There are pictures of me trying to ride my trike with the red snow suit on. It was a sweater and knit pants. That took some time to make and what she did that long record cold winter.

Hubby’s family had horses and cows on the farm when they were kids. Feeding them was a lot of work in the winter keeping ice out of the water troughs. Hubby tells great stories of this and those 4-h projects that they did as kids. They raised pure bread championship Herefords the red cows with white faces. My stories of sewing aprons are not nearly as entertaining! We have some good times remembering when we raised rabbits.

We had a bad winter when were kids that was in 1963 with three plus feet of snow we made lots of snow forts, and played outside because of all the snow we missed a lot of school that year. Our mom’s had hot cocoa for us when we came back inside and shed the numerous layers of clothing, mittens hats and boots to dry by the stove.

In high school we rode a snowmobile, I think I enjoyed sledding more because it was quiet and no fumes. Many of us had sledding adventures some high school buddies were unlucky and crashed into trees with broken bones they had hospital stays and missed a lot of school. Back in those days if you broke a leg you stayed home.

We were talking about how much snow is on top where we were riding A.T.V.’s last summer and the snowmobile trails are busy on the weekends. This year I’ve been getting a lot of knitting done for grand children other family and myself members ski scarves, shrugs, prayer shawls, and ponchos! I’m SO glad I had just stocked up on yarn before this cold snap hit!

Furried and Feathered Friends

Our furry and feathered friends need to be remembered this time of year, with the cold snap in our nation birds and squirrels are in need of food and water too. Today when I was clearing some stuff off the steps I found the walnuts dear grand son and I had gathered on one of our summer walks. So I scattered some of them under the tree where a family of squirrels has taken up residence.

We’ve had many hours of entertainment watching them play. Scampering up and down the tree, teasing the neighbors cats, grooming and sunning them selves and even looking in the window watching us makes me wonder what they think of us when they peer in the window. One time they chased robins out of their nest and on a different day at a different house I saw the robins chase the squirrels out of the robins’ nest. So I’m adding this to my list to do at least while the cold weather is here and the nuts last.

Life Lessons 06

List a few of the things you won’t change this year.

1. I'm thinner fitting in to the size I wore in high school now!
Yea!!! Keeping on with my health and fitness plans!
To see what worked for me check out my yahoo group cyberhealthclub.

2. Stay organized ~ with my plan by using peelsplanner yahoo group I set up several years ago helped me and others to get and stay organized.

3. My airsplanner getting organized for the holidays yahoo group
helped me to stay sane on track with my plan for gifting all year round prep.

4. Myprayerplanner yahoo group goes in the category of spiritual growth.

5. I'm keeping my groups at least to the end of 07.
[I set a goal of 5 years to succeed with these and my 5 years is up! ]

6. Planning
We have planned our vacations out for the year and we are keeping what we did for last year it worked for us the past few years. So we will do that again.

Journaling b/c it's fun for me!
I want to do a couple of them; one sketch journal and
a leather journal they have been "too nice" or "too good" to start
but what the heck I"m not getting any younger!

I got a granny journal but it's geared toward remembering my youth and
I want to get down some of the fun things we do with grand kids around here. I'm going to rip out the pages with journaling prompts
and use the lined pages or just use a different one b/c I have another focus! More fun reading is going on my list this year.

Best purchase of 06 new ATV 's for us and a used caddie! [car]

List some things you will change!
Some of the changes I'm looking forward to for 07 are ~> read on...

I'm looking forward to getting a pc and camera this summer. What I'm changing getting a pc w/out a pen stylus. Hubby can use it, but I type faster than I write so I just do not use that feature it. My camera phone is not working using the pics I used to so will need a digital camera, I’m trying to do some research on that now. I did not want to rush the purchase until I checked in to these. I do not want to spend a lot in case some one dumps it in the lake like someone’s phone but at least that had a plan for replacement on it.

Survival Gear

It’s been riveting watching the search for hikers on the news this week-end. Some of the guys in the service are from Camp Pendleton that is not that far away from us. That got me to thinking about survival gear. When we were trucking hubby told me of some truckers that were trapped between two rock slides on the pass and could not get out for several days. We kept tuna in the truck for those just in case times. I keep boots and couple of blankets in the car.

One time hubby came upon a wreck and he gave a blanket to some on in shock they had gotten the person out and up by the road on a piece of paneling but did not have a blanket. One time we had a wreck in the truck swerved to miss a dear and spilled a load of lumber like match sticks all over the road. I ended up with a broken toe and had my foot soaking in a lunch box sized ice chest to prevent swelling. We had to kick out the front windshield to get out of the truck and I sat on a pillow with one of the blue jean quilts I’d made wrapped around me.

When we were motor cycling we kept cup-a-soup with us fast and just boil water and you had a meal. I’ve been known to back up biscuits and take them. Not a munchy food but work in case of an emergency with cheese it’s nearly a meal and some peanuts raisins and trail mix. Water of course, if you are in the cold keep a bottle of water with you in the sleeping bag so it does not freeze over night. I learned that on a show about camping in the artic must have been the travel channel.

The guys keep weights like cinder or cement blocks in the back of the pick up and bags of sand in case they get stuck, chains of course. I take my cell phone charger so I can recharge it in the car. The guys keep jumper -cables in the trunk with a tool kit. In the camper we keep a first aid kit. I have a list around here some where I need to go take a peek at it.

Snow Cave

I remember when brother in law was in boy scouts and he was talking about camping in the winter and they build a snow cave he said they could stay comfortable if they lit a candle for warmth it was amazing to me. I've never tried it but it's pretty common knowledge in these parts here in the Pacific North West.

Wind Storm

The winds slammed in here and woke me up around mid night the first time. And then at the peak of this wind storm at four in the morning I had the rude awakening of the winds gusting between forty and forty-eight mph blasting the house, it creeks when the wind gets above thirty or thirty five miles an hour.

Today I’m I'm up and it's quiet the winds finally died down about some time between four and six yesterday afternoon. Hubby said at work they were with out power for a while and the dispatcher was using the CB [2way radio] in the work rig to dispatch from, and the mechanics were working on trucks in the yard [parking lot] because there was not enough light inside the shop with out power.

At home I had power, and the cable and inter net were both working all day. Yea! We lost a small tree branch that was already dead but it did not hurt anything or anyone when it fell. I had to move it before I could get out of the drive way to do my errands.

Motor Cycle Parade

We went to the toys for tots motor cycle parade this weekend while we were on a date that was fun! We used to do this when we had bikes. This weekend we will take soup the weather is going to turn cold we will drive around and see the holiday lights in the area and take a stroll at the locomotive park. Other holiday happenings here. The house lights are up, the packages have been wrapped and shipped in transit. Cards have been mailed. Tree is up and decorated. Nativity set is up and lights are around it.

Still to do stockings to stuff, holiday tea menu final tweaking, then food shopping list for holiday tea to make out. I've had a menu change I was going to have ham but decided on chicken fried steaks I can use my new gravy boat! Little smokies are still on the menu and I'll be making up a cheese ball. I need to go over my notes in my note book from years past menus and meal suggestions, it will be in the evening or at dusk so we can enjoy the lights.

[Wind warnings for the next couple of days we are between storms at the moment here. ]

How Do I De-clutter?

To answer your question Annie How do I de-clutter?
Here are some things I've done when de-cluttering my home.

Set up a sorting station: For my De-cluttering sorting station: I get a couple of saw horse and ½ sheet of ply wood and a good lamp and trash can garbage bags, boxes and radio, cd, movie. I like to do this in the morning when I'm fresh, kids can help too. First I round up supplies get kids parents or older grand kids to help me haul in the saw horses and ½ sheet of ply wood, then I get the lamp and movie or music going, after we are fed and the dailies are done, work on this a while several times a week and one room at a time. When you are done think of some type of reward that works for you, maybe going to the library.

Use your timer! A fresh approach, I used to set the timer with my kids for home work 20 min. on each subject. Did this for chores too. I would work on fixing dinner while they did spelling, math or what ever. (No TV so we could concentrate.) Do you de-cluttering in the morning right after daily chores.

Make it a game! How much can you get done in a TV commercial? Have kids pick up after when they are done, every 45 min. or so, stop and change actives then it's not so over whelming. If they play in the play room it's just too over whelming for them and me to cope with. I have been there often with what you say about home work! This is one solution for home work and art craft supplies: I had to get a shelf / dresser for the crafts papers books and supplies for the grandkids to use, the younger ones use the bottom drawers. I get the top ones.

Do one room a month. I worked on one room a month in those days that worked for me, no I can go through the house in about six weeks, it does get easier!

Get a buddy! I used the buddy system and we set up card files to gether and had great fun working at it together. We worked at it together with accountability, phone calls, and going out for a soda to plan for the next week mostly the rooms or areas we would work on in the coming week. Now I do it on the pc in my outlook the reminders nag me! I have a new de-cluttering buddy now and I called her the other day.

Giving Box: We talked about stuff going on here and that I heard a speaker talk about having a giving box. I have done this before, one a week that's fifty two boxes a year of stuff gone! I got some more boxes at the store when I was over town last week. These are to fill up and give away. I'm about to start on the toys. Also the storage area needs my attention. Plus hubby is on vacation again in a few weeks, and we will be getting out the holiday stuff too put up the tree and the rest of the decorations. All plans are subject to change for me most of the time. There are many forms of cyber nagging groups these days.

Focus on main living areas first pick the smallest room. I've had to learn to just take life as it comes and focus on the main living areas, first; plus one zone or room at a time. I work with the grandkids in a room when they were here we seem to get more done that way. Unless it's paper work, hubby does it now. Touch one thing in there and a whole pile comes tumbling down. Paper tiger! Does your office look like that?

Get family to help. Last spring going to the farm is a great example. I was going to do some of the craft stuff but ended up painting fence. Guys idea for de-cluttering: Hubby and brother have decided to have a bonfire for old warn out furniture at the farm in the spring it was sold sale. I have a box to go to the thrift shop, kids will haul it off for me. So maybe you can ask the kids to haul off a few things for your. Dear son put a love seat at the office in the collage last year where he worked. His girlfriend took another one. I just said I had a _____________ to find a home for and asked about three people, the it went bye - bye, I put a dead line on it too like by next Fri. it's going going gone! I've called the salivation army or other favorite charity for pickup too.

I don't do yard sales for only $25.oo I made it's just not worth my time! I don't keep that stuff around. If you have stuff that you think you might need some day it goes in the give away pile. That is a major problem for most people, they think they will use it but don't.

On hoarding if you can figure out why you hang on to things this might help. I had trouble understanding I've moved on to a new things like crafts and letting go of those were hard; but once I got to the point where I could let go it helped. I found new things came in that were much more fun and better. I had to make room for the supplies for the new hobby.

This time of year it's so easy to be over-whelmed because of the extra stuff with the holidays I have heard it recommended put off craft projects on hold until after the holidays. Of course I’m still knitting . . . others recommend doing a couple batches of cookies each week Sept. – Dec. for the holidays all that ever did for us was make us fat! So I crossed it off my to do list.

Pray: Last but not least pray for divine intervention, inspiration and help from God! Pray for order to be restored in your home and to learn what works for you and your family and to be free from the prison clutter that can imprison us.

Turkey Day Memories

Back in the day most of the moms and grannys did not work. My granny was a cook at the mill. She was a home style cook not a chef or gormet style.

To get ready for Thanksgiving she would cook all week for turkey day pies, and cinnamon rolls early in the week then it was the breads for stuffing. On turkey Thursday I would go to grandmas house who lived next door she woud entice me with the TV and turkey day parades. We did not have a TV until I was six so this was before then. I helped set the table and do other "go-fer" tasks. I can still remember that the Yummy smell of turkey and watching the parade on the ole' black and white TV!

3 lbs.

More winds headed our way tonight. Time to secure anything that might become airborne.

Last night I watched a new show 3 lbs. I think it refers to the brain weighing three pounds but I’d think that each brain is different in weight according to the size of the person maybe not.

The show was about surgeons and high tech. medical brain equipment, patients and the way they deal with surgery. Amazing how they can resolve stuff in an hour on the TV. I enjoyed this show.

I tried to flip back and forth between the Unit and House. I don’t think I got much out of either of those two shows.

The Power of the Protecting Hand of God.

Have you ever known that God protected you without a doubt?

I was woken up today with a phone call at 5:30 a.m. on a dark Monday morning. It was hubby saying that the gale force winds had blown the truck he was driving over but he was okay. This is not the first time that this has happened. The last time it was on the front page of the local news paper.

He called from the cab of a fellow driver who stopped and they were waiting on the state trooper to show up. I suspect that they will close the roads until these winds slow up some. That is their normal case of action.

The Calico Bears

I have two calico bears that I have collected on my rounds they have been among my “finds” over the years. One is a Christmas print and he had to go to the bear doll hospital. After his leg was fixed he was good to go on the Christmas quilt that Mom made one Christmas for me.

This year I made addition of a bear with a pink rose calico print bear she wears a pink calico hat. The dear grand daughters like to play with them and made a bed for them to sleep in on the floor with the afghans I keep on the couch. So for now the bears are happy at granny’s. I just hope that they can get along with the calico bunnies okay when I put them in storage. Maybe I need to separate them.

Buffet

We got a lovely walnut table the table was nearly a hundred dollars off and cherry buffet over the weekend at the antique shop 20% off. We are using chairs we had here. The buffet [aka side board as granny used to call them] has a reddish accent that goes with the piano in the living room and the ten dollar solid wood door I got at the thrift shop a few years back that hubby refinished on his vacation one year. I think I remember him promising never to do that again!

I had to go to four stores for old English dark furniture polish for the table and the buffet. I worked on cleaning and polishing them up this week end. I've been getting the Christmas tree dishes up stairs and clean up put them in the buffet. The candles are out and I have the lights on the front rail of the house now too.

Book Wish List

My book wish list from the North light book club catalogue

Colored pencil techniques the complete guide

Painting people
drawing & Painting buildings
By Richard Taylor

Great portrait drawings & Paintings

The artists complete guide to drawing the head
William L. Maugham

The artists guide to perspective
Janet Shearer

The colored pencil solution book
by Janie Gildow & Barbara Benedetti Newton

Painting with your artist’s brain
Carl Purrell

The watercolorists Essential note book: Landscapes

One stroke brush rest

Tom Lynche’s 100 water color work shop lessons charts flip chart lessons

Drawing mastering the language of visual expression
by Keith Micklewright

School Canyon Fire

School Canyon Fire two years ago

was here. 50,000 acres were burned

in Eastern Washington.

It was in Oregon too.

The bend in the road

The bend in the ATV road
less traveled and it's lots of fun
to leave the cob webs in the brain behind
after a day in the fresh air!
That's all for now folks!

The road less traveled!

The road hubby said put on of the road up!
So here it is
not a very wide one at that
dirt and rocky it gets narrower in spots up the road a ways.

The Photographer!

Dear son the photographer on the ATV ride in Oct. this fall.
What a blast to do this check out that back ground scenery!

Ready to roll

Unloading ATVs ready to roll!
This is always an exciting moment getting
ready to ride! We secure the cooler, gear and bags
with bungie cords so we don't loose any thing.
Most of the time it's is successful but a pair of boncoculars went
airborne this trip and dear son had to stop and get them.

Elk

Elk are at the top of the hill lots of them.
Dear son took a lot of pics.
on the atv ride he used my machine.
Had a blast too!

Wild Turkeys

Dear son took this pic. of wild turkeys on a ride last month
with his dad on my machine. More pics to come laer
it takes a while to upload them so I can't do them all tonight.

The Table Search Continues

I’ve worked on my zone work and gotten the house in shape for the holiday happenings around here. I have not decided on the table yet but I’m zooming in on a decision before long. I’m thinking I’d love to have a table chairs hutch and buffet so it’s back to pounding the pavement and looking at more catalogues. I’ve decided to wait and do this for one of my art dates. Without grand kids in tow so I do not have to worry about them jumping from one new couch to another and I’m not kidding about this! Or swinging from the chandeliers kidding here, but I now realize why I was overwhelmed by this decision. I’d find a table with out chairs at one antique store, no price yet on it so I’m waiting for a call. I found one or a dinette set I liked in the right color of wood but the chairs were not comfortable, so I had to keep looking, another one awesome but over powering and was huge and for a formal dinning room, ours is not.

A hutch is on my list as well; would like a hutch one with a mirrored back to reflect more light because of the Northern exposure. I found one or two and a couple buffets Now I’m hoping to find these pieces in a wood we like. Hubby likes the oak, I’ve given up on pine and will be looking at oak and have seen some older pieced at the antique shops. This has been an interesting adventure. One of the plusses of a new set is that they will deliver it free! That is a consideration around here.

TV night

This is one of my favorite nights for TV. Last night I watched a pretty new TV show called Friday Night Lights I’ve seen it a couple of times and enjoyed it. This show took me back to my high school days and I knew they had done their job with I found my self reflecting dating my hubby he was on the foot ball team we were. There is some thing soothing about life if your biggest problem is what student to start as qb [quarter back] on Friday night. This show is on too late I think. Don’t know if I’ll be able to catch very many of these. Tonight The Unity one of my favorites new shows from last year. I should get dinner done early so I can get the evening stuff out of the way and sit down and relax and watch it.

Hanging Iron

There is snow in the forecast here for later in the weekend it’s frosty out now. I asked hubby if he had hung iron yet, that’s trucker talk for “put chains on the truck”; to have them with you for getting up and over snowy road conditions in the winter. He said yes he put them on the first of September. There is snow in the forecast over night the first week of snow was last week. It's breezey and blustery outside now.

New TV show fav. picks of the season

Men in trees a delightful comedy has us laughing and feeling good a Friday night delight.

Shark is a surprise I did not think I would like this one but the salty main character’s experience holds his own. Fresh camera shots are great in this one. I look for it to be around for a while.

These two shows get my pick of the two top new TV shows of 06.
The rest of the new shows could not hold my attention for a whole hour.

I look forward to the return of house after the series. My fav. pick of last season.

Friday Finds

Finds:
[If I was doing a list journal this would go in it.]

metal footed candle stand
pj's
silk roses
decor tin w/ pumpkins on it
note book to draw on & in
decor hat for office w/ flowers on it
sweater in my size
button down sweater
fabric
white mini crochet baskets
beads
2 silver spoons
plastic ice cream bucket
gloves kids long
fabric
noise maker
hat for wall w/ flowers on it
carpet bag tote
jars for canisters
slippers

Aprons for Mama & Others!

I remember one year mom made aprons for everyone for Christmas it was such fun for her to sew these up and for us to receive them. After that we have gotten a John Deer BBQ apron, and I have a sheep apron I use for my spinning and weaving crafts.

I've been gathering up aprons for mom. What she used to call cobbler style aprons, I've found one at a yard sale like new in an tropical print and some others at a thrift store. She cooks at the senior center part time and wears them for her work.

While I was clearing out the basement and going through the dear grand daughters toys. I found a tiny apron it reminded me of ones I made for our daughter and one for her doll that matched I did one for myself too. I made some for the dear grand daughters and their dolls they have loved playing at cooking wearing their aprons and feeding their dolls.

I found some aprons that the home improvement store has for kids and small ones like a nail apron to wear when daddy is building something to keep nails and a hammer in.

Granny’s Hammer

I remember granny’s hammer today at a tent sale outside as I was chatting with a friend I spotted this hammer and got it I remember granny had one just like it for small jobs in the house the bigger hammers the guys would [borrow] borry as she said and not bring them back. This smaller one they did not want to mess with it was just right for small jobs like hanging a picture or helping us to nail a bird house before we painted them or pulling nails that were in the way.

I found a canvas satchel for my art sketch bookand my writing journal I ‘ve been looking for just the right container for my things ant this just fits the bill. Hubby commented that I seemed to be having more fun at the stores he wanted to go to that had hunting gear. I found fender bags for my ATV too!

The Traveling Basket

I’ve been thinking about a basket my grandmother and grandfather brought a sea grass tote basket with them on the train. One time it had some food to eat canned tuna, cheese and cracker packets for the three day cross country journey trip from where she lived to our house.

It was great because we remembered this basket from when we went back one year. So this basket was passed back and forth across the country several times. Mom filled it for their return trip adding a can opener as I remember, I have fond memories of these type of baskets today.

I have a basket similar to this in my cupboard today it’s a smaller version when my sis was out last time we talked about our memories of this basket. It seems to come up when we are visiting each other! It has come sort of a tradition of portable hospitality for us.

Rubber stamping Fun & Mini-mancation

I went to a rubber stamping party for gno [girls night out] this past week. It was great we made some cards and ordered supplies. I came home and hubby was having a miniman cation a party for one having dinner in front of the TV watching wrestling. I was not the only one having a fun break in my routine this week!

Today I took a rain walk with my newest wardrobe addtion a purple rain coat, and a hat, soon the rain stopped while I was on my fourtyfive minute walk. After I got home sun came out. I've been cooking chicken in bulk I thawed out that whole bag of chicken thighs and cooked them up using two crock pots and the oven. The house sure smells great, I have broth for soup now yummy!

Morning Painting Evening Pages

I found stationery that said special on it and I custom cut it to fit my planner and I’ll will be using it as a writing exercise for 21 days write about being special.

I’m enjoying a book I found last week and nearly have it read I highly recommend this book Writing alone and with others by Pat Schneider especially if you have writing aspirations you need this book! It's a great read too about her experiences of leading writing work shops and what is good in a writing work shop or writing class.

I wrote and auto bio of my younger years a few years back and that was such a fun experience I took my note book and went to a coffee shop one morning and got the bulk of ideas on paper that went so smoothly without the distraction of phone or TV; I see why they suggest that in the books on writing that I love to read!

I enjoyed a writers group that I was in one fall it so inspired me to keep on writing it was a very productive fall. That was before blogging for me.

No, I do not write fiction not writing a book not working on a manuscript some are doing NaNoWriMo 2006 for a fall fiction project writing project what is this? http://www.nanowrimo.org/

My dear grand daughter 2nd grade is supposed to be doing journaling and I’ve talked to her parents about keeping it in her book bag so she can work on it here, yesterday I had her write down a line of the topic she wanted to write about. I do this to help me remember if I do not have my journal / planner with me. Journaling is one of my passions I love to read journals by others like early pioneers Lewis and Clark journals have been a fun read for me. I’ve found this at the local camp ground and others in
our area. So next time you are traveling check out books at tourist attractions of local authors.

Morning painting evening pages I’m painting in the mornings these days instead of doing morning pages and journaling in the evening whatever works! I"m Painting bird houses doll chairs and other fun items!

I did my art date yesterday ie play time over town shopping / doing research for dining table was exhausting I thought it would be fun it's not!

My 'finds' this week on my art date were two Emilie Barnes tea books! I love these they were on my book wish list last Christmas last year so I’m feeling very blessed to have these to read now. Timeless treasures and the Twelve teas of friendship. I have her gardening one and it’s time for a re-read of it I think! I love the art work in the Timeless Treasures Sandy Lynam Clough is the featured artist in this one; and twelve teas has art by Susan Ross. If you want a gift suggestion for a mom or granny that loves teas this is one you need to check in to getting!

I’ve really been inspired to get in gear with my painting by a book Creative Artist by Nita Lealand got it from north light book club I’ve got a wish list of at least $200.oo of books I want from the last catalogue. If only I had more time to read.

Table Shopping

I’ve been on an elusive search for the perfect dining table.
I wanted pine with knots but found out they don’t recommend pine
because the wood is too soft.

So I’ve been scouring thrift shops, going to yard sales
new and 2nd hand furniture stores.
with out luck but I’m not giving up not yet any way.
This week I"m still shopping and doing research.
I'm learning a lot about this process.

Gathering Walk

The Gathering Walk This is a walk I'd been planning this one for a week or so. I headed out to the corner and only made it half way to the first block I had to go back for got something, back home I grabbed two bags there were pine, fir and spruce cones I wanted to gather along the street there were dove feathers I'd spotted the other day. I found some cedar hedge trimmings from yard work done earlier in the week I spotted and that was a true find to add to the fragrant woodsy smell I was after.

Today the weather was perfect 68* clear blue skies the kind of weather I love to walk in. Twenty minutes later after the loop the first part of my gathering adventure was done I had to come by the house to shed my sweater.

I was off to the next part of my walk about a half mile down the road there was a walnut tree I was heading for English walnuts, and further down the lane black walnuts I was after nuts and shells, for craft supplies I scooted my feet in bright yellow leaves as I walked along just like I remembered doing as a kid walking home from school it was such a great feeling.

I have a potpourri recipe for fall I want to try I found it in a December magazine how you could do that and then let it sit the three weeks needed and get it ready for the holidays is beyond me but I was able to start early and will be trying this next.

Mancations & ATV-ing fun

We are back from an ATV picnic ride. The ride on the way up before we unloaded the machines
we saw 13 head of mountain sheep a couple of rams were fighting in the road. Then in the next pasture we saw 4 deer, we saw birds during the day after we unloaded blue birds, ravens, a sparrow hawk, and on three elk, and three wild turkeys.

It was great we found a camp ground we had been trying to get to but did not get the right road until today. That was great, found another camp ground on the way to it. The one we went to had scenic attractions of info. about CC camps during the depression they had built a look out tower. This spot was called mount misery.

The fall color was glorious the huckleberry bushes were vibrant red. The road was smoother this trip and that was good just a couple of rough spots. Hubby showed me where he and our son had tent camped and woke up to 6” of snow the next morning. It was a complete surprise to them that snow was in the forecast this was an elk hunting trip. One of those man-cations I heard about on the news the other day a vacation for men.

On the way we stopped at what looked like a cabin a place the snow mobile riders can warm up in the winter. There was another place we got some info. men looked like they were on a mancation too, it was a forest ranger place I found out later.

We were close to the places that had fires and saw the trial heads that were closed. On one of our earlier trips in July, I think we stayed in one of the camp grounds that was closed because of the Columbia complex fire.

On the way home we traded ATVs and I rode hubby’s. and he rode mine for about ¼ of the way approximately 22 mi. I think we did 44 miles today.

20 Creative Actions

Creative actions you I can take list.
1. fix hole in basement stair wall & paint
2. Hang curtains in sewing room.
3. Put the primrose into a good pot.
4. Change the downstairs pics.
5. Work on creativity notebook.
6. Send my sister send mom the apron I got for her.
7. Send my sister crochet afghan book I got for her.
8. Buy socks.
9. Go to church wearing new sox.
10. Work on a computer file of fall name tags.

11. Send afun tag or stat to friends.
12. Write about my current life and send a letter to granny.
13. Put something in my "God Jar," a special incubator for my dreams and hopes.
14. Designate something else a "what the heck!" basket for my resentment, annoyances, and fears.
15. Throw a tea party and request that each guest bring a good story to tell.
16. Make a pot of home made soup.
17. Donate clothes that are too big.
18. Pray for more creative ideas.
19. Go to a great body lotion store and get one great perfumed soap.
20. Take an friend to a lunch, or granny play date with others grannys that have kids at home too.

Grape Pie

Yesterday after school the grand kids helped me to pick the grapes something that they love to do. These are green grapes.

Then they played in the back yard we had recess

for an hour or so. The weather was perfect 72* and sunny out side.

This reminded me of a time my granny made grape pie.

As I sat on the patio swing I realized what a joy this was to

watch grand children playing and it was what makes me happy.

They played with the toys I set up on the new cubes in the rec. room

with renews interest after rotating the toys for the new fall season

indoor toys and kids books have such a new place in the schedule now.

First Snow

First snow!

Lets by-pass fall and zoom right on in to snow season
Lord knows we need it for all the fires in the PNW
I heard on the news Mt. Spokane had snow this morning.
That oh saw a 3.5 hr. drive from here.

It was cold on the walk today even with a sweater 65* ish was our high temp.
aver 90* for weeks it feels cold. Rain that predicted did not show up.
We needed it but it breezed right past us.

I am looking forward to the fall color around here.
We are enjoying cooler temps.
they will be up to 70* again next week.

One year it was warm enough to go camping in November.
That was great.

Full Tank

I was watching Yanni on PBS and it made me think now that really filled my tank! So now I am thinking about priming the pump, on the farm you have to put water in to prime the pump some time what we put in our spirits helped us to get the creative forces going.

My weekly hikes and daily walks help, and some of the other things that have made me feel refueled in the past. have been been reading some on being refreshed getting some time for me after a busy summer; it’s become evident that I need to move me up higher on the list and important for me understand that I really do need to take some down time to get refreshed from time to time.

Last week of vacation really helped I did not realize how dry I’d become in my spirit. Some times just taking a walk to see the color of fall will do it for me but fall color has not arrived here yet, but we did see some fall color in the mountains.

Other times for me it’s having a fresh perspective on life. I need to schedule time to write, read, draw and do creative pursuits that I enjoy.

Today after I mowed the yard on my art date this week I was able to find a silver coffee service I’d had my eye on for a while I decide to go ahead and get it. It was black and took some elbow grease and some Mr. Metal to get most of the black off. I am going to use this for decoration on the piano for now and it will be fun to have on the serving table during the holidays. These are some of the things that fill my tank.

After getting refreshed I was able to return to my work with renewed enthusiasm and vigor things like dishes were not longer so over whelming I understood they were just a part of life. My whole perspective had changed about it.

Create a Personal Sanctuary

Create a personal sanctuary a place for quiet reflection alone to read write and contemplate. Some people are able to do this when they drive. I realize that when we are on the ATV's this is a wonderful time for me to have what I call the solace of solitude. No traffic no on else was around and have a time to reflect pray and enjoy God's creation over the week end we saw two different groups of big horned mountain sheep, some deer and wild turkeys too! Getting to pick black berries in the bottom of the canyon was a treat.

It was neat when hubby said I was getting better on my ATV when I pulled up just seconds after he stopped. I was trying to keep up so we had time to pick berried. Other times I'm just enjoying the view and lolly ~ gagging behind. I enjoy a slower pace at times too.

At home my office is that place at times any way; so I'm trying to dig it out before it gets any deeper in here we almost needed a snow shovel to scoop out the piles papers, and stuff I'd taken out of the living room in my latest stash and dash when people stopped by.

We have a home that is not Martha Stewart clean but has that "lived in look". I try to keep the living room presentable, the first two places we had were open kitchen floor plans what a night mare for me that was now the kitchen has a wall and that has been a life saver for me!

On my art date yesterday at the thrift shop I found a tote bag that zipped closed, I'll be able to put a sketch pad and journal in that. I'd been looking for one. I found a pail with a bail and a lid it is blue with white dots on it and geese a wonderful size for berry picking just enough for a pie! That will come in so handy I have another one like it only it holds a gallon or more. So this one is a better size. The lid is great if you trip on the trial you do not spill all your berries!

People Grats

People that have helped me grats of people who have helped me on my weight loss journey.

Dr. H. who delivered our kids and had me walking a mi. a day when I was pregnant with gestational diabetes.

Hubby ~ for starting to journey and being a great leader on
the weight loss journey.

Pastor Ron King who said from the pulpit please don’t bring goodies at the holiday season.

Neighbors / friends Mr. & Mrs. K.

Neighbor Mr. A. positive comment

The next door neighbors to the west who said their dr. said eat half.

Neighbors directly behind us who shared about their daughter that had gastric bypass surgery that groups donated free clothes to her that was so inspiring!

Oprah & her trainer Bob Greene

Dr. Phil

Kristi Alley [the Jenny Craig spokeswoman].

For all those on TV shows that had the courage to share their journey.
For the authors of books I read that went on the journey before me to inspire me so much!

To my sis that completed suicide and showed
me a path I knew I did not want to take.

My grand children who like to go on walks with me, and give me so much
more inspiration to continue on my journey.

For those doctors and nurses that taught us how do deal with our son’s
diabetes and who ever made the teaching video on how to mange blood sugar for our son when he got diabetes type I at 17 when he was a high school senior.

For all the P.E. teachers that were such a great example for me when I wasn in PE is school eons ago when they actually taught PE as a class.

For my high school track coach that taught me to love that sport.

For my grandpa who taught me how to overcome the obstacle of blindness from glaucoma and the dedication to church when he could
no longer drive.

For my other granny at fourty-five who said her dr. said she she she needed to loose some weight – and she did. What a wonderful example she’s in her 90’s and still alive today.

For s.h.e. sisters who taught me how to have and implement a plan.

For the 4-5 people we know that had heart attacks since we started on our journey it really it really confirmed we are on the path!

My jeweler who said “congratulations” when I took my rings in to
be down sized again!

For my fear of the dr’s tools of the needle, and the knife that spurned me on to do it my own.

What Have You Learned In The Past 18 Months?

What is the important thing you have learned in the last 18 mo.?

Don’t give up, even when I thought I’d failed and the scales seemed suck, or went in the wrong direction I just kept plugging along! I kept on keeping on. When I fell off my eating program I got right back on and started all over again. And yes I did have set backs. But I did not give up I kept walking, exercising and monitoring the size of the portions I consumed.

I reviewed the de-fat the kitchen part of my program, and tossed the junk that crept back in occasionally. I asked family members not to bring the stuff I was not supposed to have with the sugar, white flour, chips and other junk foods. We replaced them with on program alternatives.

Our home became a haven and refuge we learned that we really could enjoy life again with out candy bars cakes cookies and the all you can eat buffet! We learned to love salads at lunch and dinner too. At some point our focus changed off of the food and we moved on to let other things be our focus. Seeing how we could get past the issues that were stressing us so much a death in the family of an aging parent.

The exercise we got during sale of the farm, seeing childern finally getting their ducks in a row helped too. I found an on line support community of prayer that lifted me up and encouraged me. I kept walking daily through the steps of my life I discovered an internal strength that I did no know I had. What a joy to discover my affirmations were helping and actually working.

My yard and garden became work out zone and helped as we worked on projects together. Helping others move created a renewed since of community and family ties were strengthened as we went through this process. We grew stronger in our faith and closer as a couple.

Challenges of having my last close extended family member move cross country helped me to refocus my energy and attention on immediate family. My friends could not keep up on walks as my health improved and we enjoyed trips to the park with grand children it’s been fun to devote time energy and attention to them and being grateful for the opportunity to see them grow past the stroller stage as when the lived with us. And now that they have moved they still like to go on walks and nature hikes with us we helped them to understand some healthier life style options.

On our walks they gathered treasure in bags for treasure boxes leaves
became art projects to trace cut and glue for even more fun. The joy in our lived increased greatly in those times that we shared.

Fishing Fun

Last weekend hubby dropped a carton of worms in to the lake. I enjoyed hearing the water as the ripples splashed on the rocks and made the best sound to relax and sunbath by with echoes of peace to my soul and awaken my inner spirit again to the joys of boating it was great. Upon returning we saw the light dance off the water. As chance would have it we did not catch any fish that day. This week our luck changed for the better. I did not realize how fragile the worm cartons were as I opened it the lid split right in two!

I’m in better shape than I realized because I got cat - calls from the road traffic as the went by where we were fishing. The bikini that matches the royal blue color of the boat is working for me. [Hottie grammy brags!] My health and fitness journey has been SO worth it!

Good news this week the boat is NOT in the shop and it ran fine. Last week they put it on the computer and the fuel pump had to be recalibrated.