friday night video on a monday.

wow its been a while since I ranted on the old blogaroni.....

I have had a little trouble adjusting to all the different duties now required daily. I will get there and am making progress. James moved out and now I am living completely alone for the first time in my life. That reality alone, with all its pendulum swing of emotions, will take some time for adjustment. One moment I love the perks, the other I fall into a loneliness I have never experienced. I know I will be ok. Just another opportunity for growth even though I kind of wish I hadn't had so many growth opportunities over the past 1.5 years.

Moving on; changing topics.....

Lately I have been thinking about the topic on the video below. My family would definately confirm the I am one that has been preoccupied by the external appearances for most of my life. Over the last several years I have been gradually letting that go. Now I know I have a few non churchy readers but this is still a very effective message about todays obsession for the tan, thin and beautiful. This video will hopefully make you smile or laugh and more importantly think about the bigger picture. I especially like the Washington white joke. Now you watch this video while I go spread on another coat of self tanner...... lol! It is all about progress, not perfection!

Burning Barbie from Overlake Christian Church on Vimeo.

finally feeling my mojo return......

I was totally inspired after a great church service on Sunday and came home and whipped this out in a couple of hours. No Fear!

most product is from Studio Calico or Jenni Bowlin

hopefully I will become a great Auntie again this week...... waiting patiently for the news from across Lake Washington.

Lots of not so little things…..

It’s a little after 3 and I have had a full day by my usual standards. I woke up to some great news. My son James got an awesome email from the U of Washington. He was awarded a partial scholarship from the Engineering department for his Senior year. He worked with his counselor and through a few minor changes (like moving out of moms house) he now qualifies for more grants and a higher level of subsidized loan. After all is said and done, he will have his senior year covered by a combination of scholarship, grant, and loan. And some say there isn’t a God……. This mama is sighing in relief and is very grateful for one less thing to guilt trip over.

I spent a few hours working on a Habitat for Humanity project in Redmond this morning. It was great working side by side with the single mom who will be living in the townhouse I was painting and cleaning. It was fun watching her take such loving care as she polished and vacuumed her future home. I did so little in retrospect but I have full intention to get more involved with the program in the future. One thing I know to be true is service work for others reduce my own tendency to throw outrageous pity parties for myself.


Last thing for today is showing a layout I just finished. It has been really hard to keep up on the scrapping and I think my mojo might be lost forever….. however this one was way to quick and easy…..




I hope to be back again tomorrow with another post. I have a burning desire to jump up on my soapbox and talk a bit about something affecting every American…..

PS - had to add this video for my Pastors wife Jodie. This awesome woman in doing a half Iron man in Boise as we speak. Her theme song is one of my favorite U2 song. I am going to play it this afternoon several times in her honor. I am pretty sure that right now she is doing the bike portion..... Go Jodie you Rock star you! By the way a link to her blog is on my sidebar to the right. Jodie Howerton. Just click on her name......

hold your head up and keep on dancin.....

Welcome to a new series called FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEOS!

I claim this blog title literally because when I found this one I just couldn't help but get up and dance. Connor was the only witness to my nuttiness! Yes, music turns me into a 20 something all over again!







Come on back tomorrow. I have some plans to share more this weekend! Happy Friday!

The birthday girl......

Just a quick note to show off the birthday girl Megan and her new awesome haircut! We had such a great time and we ate our brains out.... I am feeling a bit guilty because I didn't get charged my fair share for dinner. I will have to do something really nice for Jennifer who carried most of the burden. It was so much fun and a really big deal for me as I can't remember the last time I went out.

I have been working 2 part time jobs lately which is really helping ease the stress. I am still in negative cash flow but at least at a slower rate. The job listings have decreased lately, so I am really grateful to those who are giving me the occasional odd job for income.

Monday night TLC watch and getting ready for Jon & Kate + 8. Now that is a storyline that helps me keep my life in perspective. I count my blessings ......

a birthday wish.....

Pulled together this simple canvas for a friend celebrating her twenty something Bday. We are meeting at PF Changs for a celebration so I wanted to give it a fortune cookie theme. The fortune reads "you will always be surrounded by true friends". It is shameful how easy this was to do. First I have a collection of small canvases bought long ago during the major Dick Blick sale. When I see a technique I like on other blogs I like to play around creating canvas backgrounds to keep on hand for future. I had done this one a while back and it became a perfect base for this project. Like usual, I pulled out my Studio Calico stash and began cutting and gluing....... so simple yet so different from the other birthday cards she will receive. I will hate to see it go, it kind of looks good next to an old photo of a Monk at a Buddhist Temple in Bangkok, Thailand (circa 2003).


I hope everyone is having a great weekend and keeping with the Chinese theme.....

Nee How Ma !
(good day in Mandarin)

run on popsicles in the northwest.....

it is way to hot to fall asleep easily tonight so I am exploring the vimeo website to see what inspires me.

I am lovin' this tale of a local dude doing great things. OK maybe I've been listening to my SoCal transplant surfer dude pastor for a bit too long. I say this with a lot of love.......

Motor(ed) Bike from Overlake Christian Church on Vimeo.

I hope to one day be in a position to do something this great and this selfless. I would absolutely love to work for a non profit organization. Is this the time? I wish I could see what the future holds for me, but if I could see what is in store I would not grow in Faith. For everything there is a purpose. and a season.

Good night all......

payback for a wicked winter

Disclaimer to my Artist friends: being crafty can be a real challenge in NW summers. We had such a lousy winter that when the weather is good, I am drawn outside. There are gardens to tend, parks to explore, lakes and rivers to visit and mountains to hike....... so inside crafts just don't compete with those options.

We are currently having the kind of weather that helps us put up with our horrible winters. Absolutely beautiful blue skies and perfect temperatures sustained over several weeks. I got up early to take Connor to the park for some exercise. Focused, obsessed, addicted? All apply when it comes to Connor and a Ball. This past week I have been using a soft Frisbee like disk instead of a ball and he is getting the hang of it jumping up to catch in mid air. It went missing last night so the balls went to the park this morning. Maybe my Vet niece Emily can explain something...... why do dogs tend to run in a somewhat crooked position? I mean he is running forward but he is kind of at an angle. He has always done this and makes me wonder....... Anyhow when he plays fetch he refuses to take water breaks so when we get home he quickly plops down in the cool grass by his water bowl.

Sometimes I am afraid he will have a heart attack or something. It generally takes a bit before he settles down on my cold entryway tile for a long sleep.

So I am feeling the need to capture every corner of my home and garden on camera lately. My way of saying farewell to everything I have planted or tended to over the past 8 years. Here are some of my current blooms.........

I really hope you are enjoying your weekend and doing what you LOVE to do!

Later....

wonderful wanderings over the weekend....

Jennifer and I went to Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island for some sun and conversation.

Later we met up with Megan who took us to lunch where we sat out on the patio and relaxed a bit before walking through downtown Issaquah....

I am a bit depressed today as I had a job rejection last week and another one yesterday. I guess I should be thankful that I at least had interviews....... but interviews don't pay the bills. Tomorrow is another day and I pray for better spirits!

One awesome thing to celebrate is James was informed last night he received a scholarship from the Chemical Engineering Department. He will have half of his tuition paid for his final year at the U of W....... I am really proud of him.

additional post:

I have just learned from a friend that a family I know is in extreme crises. Both husband and wife, parents of small children, are taking a nose dive straight to their individual bottoms due to addiction. This family would make TLC's Jon and Kate count their blessings.....

It breaks my heart to see this happen but driving home tonight, I reflected about it. This has helped me put things in proper perspective. While I might be unemployed and in financial crises, I at least have my health. Who cares where I live, who cares if I have to start over again. I am healthy!

Thank you God for revealing what I needed to see.......

jimmy johnson in the house......