What Really Matters

To live is like to love
all reason is against it,
and all healthy instinct for it.
~~Samuel Butler

Thanksgiving came and went. We had a swell time with hubby and his families in Eugene (except for the part when he spent 3-day fixing/replacing MIL's toilet, seriously!) Now with Junior Lego League and Campfire fundraising craft fair behind us, I am shifting into high gear in making gifts for family, close friends, and the needy.

As a surprise, we were blessed with our friend Catalina's 4-day stay as our guests since last Thursday.

Besides geocaching,
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

...watching the Christmas Parade (took photos very selectively with dog leashes on one hand, eyes on two active 9- and 11-year-old boys) while my children were on the Campfire float
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

...playing at First Street Rapid with Damien and Dakota (my children's favorite park,)
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

...cheering for our homeschool friends' Lego Robotic team who took 3rd place in the 2-day tournament, with over 30 team-participants. Congratulation, Firebird. See you in Portland in January for the State Competition.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

...touring around town, dining at Anthony's and Fireside Red was a plus--awesome food and terrific companies.

Life is Good even when everything around us looks gloomy. It's time to forever more strengthen my relationship with Him and loved ones--that really matter.

DREAM...EXPLORE...AND DISCOVER!!

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Changed for the Good

Only I can change my life.
No one can do it for me.~~Carol Burnett

The weather has been beautiful outside, a little humid perhaps...with a few thunder/lightning storms in between...but I do love the smell of Fall air. The aroma smells like vacation. Duh...I'm sure you all know...everyday is like vacation around here!

It’s probably not very nice to admit this. Life without blogging has been fun for a couple of months. Besides knitting, sewing, hiking, biking, and hanging out with friends, summer is also about reading...precisely Stephanie’s Twilight series. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading these books in the past few years. Now my 12-year-old is hooked on it too. It’s such a compelling story. Like many out there, I am a follower of her imaginary world. I haven't gotten around to the final book, which has been on my headboard idling, crying for my attention for the past month. Perhaps, I'll get to it recovering from five days spent at Chautaugua--our annual family retreat.

We've been back a week now since our vacation. The Chautauqua Unschooling Family Retreat was, of course, our biggest highlight. It is impossible to overstate the difference in our lives attending the retreat has created. The first one was last year. We were curious about what other unschooling families were like in their philosophies/styles and what it would be like living with them on a private island for five days. By the end of the retreat, the intimate experience affirmed our perspective and enhanced our appreciation of so many things in life. We had moved from meeting people to knowing people to developing friendships and finding connections outside of just being unschoolers, too. It affected my children profoundly...they have friends outside of Bend, Oregon and California, friends they are eager to see again. I hardly saw my children. They were living and learning all over the island with their friends. Thanks to my friend Monique, I finally learned how to make a few of Temari, a Japanese toy, which I will share at my crafty blog later in the week. Attending the retreat is like attending a family reunion. I cannot say enough great things about the retreat, only that my children literally started counting the days to the next reunion as soon as they departed from the last one. (And, YES, I have loads of memories captioned to share but can't locate the missing card and connector at the moment~~I'll upload ASA it's found!)

Next year's retreat will be on September 14-18. We would love to have you and your family to join us in Chautauqua. Reserve the dates, mark your calendar, and spread the words! The more the merrier! It is not restricted to PNWers. We have families returning from Connecticut and Canada each year. For more information, click here.

Before wrapping the post, this one is for you, my dearest friends

WICKED
I've heard it said,
that people come into our lives
for a reason,
bringing something we must learn.
And we are led
to those who help us most to grow -
if we let them,
and we help them in return
...
It well may be
that we will never meet again
in this lifetime,
so let me say before we part:
So much of me
is made of what I learned from you,
you'll be with me
like a handprint on my heart.

And now whatever way our stories end,
I know you have rewritten mine
by being my friend
...
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you...I have been changed
For Good.

DREAM...EXPLORE...AND DISCOVER!!

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Mowing for Cookies...NOT!

If you obey all the rules
You miss all the fun.~~Katharine Hepburn

Most kids get a job over the Summer--lawn mowing tends to be a popular one. But with rising gas prices, the luxury of working outdoors and setting your own rate is getting expensive. Have your landscaping maintenance cost gone up in recent months? Just curious...

WOWSERS! Our amiable 12-year-old has landed her first job on Saturday, July 5...

Anyhoo, training on the job went...ahhhh...



left ample room for renegotiating her compensation. $2.25 just doesn't cut it (no pun intended!)

Before...

WHOO-HOO...After!

Hubby, a rain-or-shine kind of guy, would mow in a downpour. I have come to understand that the structure of the universe will tilt and the planet will orbit in reverse, if lawn mowing doesn't happen every week, without fail. Hubby is one dependable guy who wants to get the job done. Ooooh, how I miss him around here.

DREAM...EXPLORE...and DISCOVER!

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Most Beautiful Thing in the World...Family

The most beautiful things in the world are not seen nor touched.
They are felt with the heart.~~Helen Keller

In our fast paced and time constraint society, I reckon it is the norm that working dads spend about 3 minutes a day with their children...dads who abandon their families...dads who rarely see their children because of divorce, and dads who are busy and have very little or nothing to do with raising their children.

Dad gets up early...takes the long drive to work...gets off late...takes the long drive home...and gets home exhausted. He just wants to have dinner, relax a little, and go to bed so that he may repeat the same routine the next day. Every now and then, he tells himself he will spend more time with his children tomorrow.

But my hubby is not like that. As long as I can remember, I have been amazed and delighted that he has always been in their lives since birth...up until now. How much time did he spend with our children in the day? Not just in the same house, but together...really together. More than we can count. Quality time spent between hubby and our children is essential for both hubby, me, and the children. Our children know that their father loves and cares for them, and hubby has been careful that he doesn't lose his relationship with them by neglect.

Now, all that has changed. Hubby is leaving in the morning for California all in the name of...providing us with the good life? In light of the sadness, we spent an evening making memories.

This month's intention is to work on Right Speech and Pain is inevitable, Suffering is Optional. I find it makes a big differnce in my life while going through some difficult family situations lately. Keeping this in mind has helped me maintain a positive frame of mind. The situations are actually far less difficult because I just try not to see them as difficult, but, merely a momentary blip in life that can provide an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s just a different way of looking at life.

Encourage, inspire, laugh...Go GREEN!

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Happy 232rd Birthday, USA!

Happy Birthday USA
Happy Birthday USA
Happy Birthday United States of America
Happy 232nd Birthday to you!!

Much like Memorial Day and Veterans' Day, I take a moment to remember all of those who have fought for our freedom and who protect and serve our citizens each and every day. Happy Fourth, everyone!

A special friend at the Pet's Parade, our very own Zebra!

Hubby enjoying time spent with the kids

Free Popsicles at end of Pet's Parade.

Hangin' out with friends brightens the day...outside of library book sale...and, needless to say, I hit the jackpot with some great finds!




Added July 5, 2008: Our own firework here at the foothill of Pilot Butte, at Juniper Middle School. Thanks to those irresponsible litters, Pilot Butte Middle School Tracking Field is no longer an option for up-close viewing. We insured Juniper's ground was clean before leaving the site...hopefully, we may return for another enjoyable celebration next year.

Encourage, Inspire, Laugh...and GO GREEN!!

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Save a Gallon

A true Inner Vision isn’t doing something you can live with
It’s doing and being something you can’t live life without!”~~Me

Last night, both girls slept over at Tumalo State Park with their Campfire friends. Downside, besides missing them? I lost my reliable babysitter. What am I to do with my 7-year-old on knitting night? It's unimaginative to skip my weekly knitting social. So, my son and I, picked up my friend Cindy on our way, walked 2.5 miles to Makahna's...only to see that Cafe was closed once again. Meeting was canceled last minute last week because Cafe owner had another family emergency. I agree it is a great spot to meet, but, proven unreliable thus far. It's time to consider other venues like WineStyle at Northwest Crossing. Cindy and I weren't the only there, joined by Hildy, Tamra, Carla, Judy, and Dany. Thanks to Dany, the gracious hostess, we had our social at her home just around the corner. Knitting out in her yard was terrific. Weather was perfect--warm with light breeze.

Though whining a bit walking there, DS really perked up going home. We chatted all the way home, joyfully, telling me about camp hike and things he did and found earlier in the day. Wish I had taken my NEW CANON with me as we came across many points of interest in our walk. Next time for sure...FIL called last night to tell me the second best sunset he has ever witnessed. DS couldn't stop ranting to grandpa about his 5-mile adventure. He is quite a charmer, with sored feet. "I am on fire!" as he put it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We have been doing more walks around town since February even before gas hike. Now, I am more allured than ever trying to save a gallon (in order to offset all the driving hubby is doing to California and back!) It's not too hard to save a gallon a week when your tank, like mine a guzzler, not a sipper, gets under 10 miles a gallon! Here are 10 easy ways I came up with so far:

1. Hop on the bus, Gus. Even if you think this is not an option, check out Bend Area Transit or here for other cities/states. You may be surprised by all the options you have never considered. Or carpool. Leaving the car at home and sharing your commute occasionally can help you reach your gallon-goal quickly. Sharing the ride--and expense--with another person regularly can cut your gas costs in half. Check out your carpooling opportunities at eRideShare.comand CarPoolConnect.com.

2. Take it easy. Faster you drive, more gas you use. If your average commute includes 20 miles of highway time at 60 mph, instead of 70 mph, it will take you only three minutes longer to get to your destination--and you’ll save approximately 1.3 gallons of gas in a five-day work week.

3. Trip-chaining. Need to pick up groceries, mail a package, pick up gardening or craft supplies, and go to the bank? Instead of spreading these tasks out over a few trips, chain them together by doing all of them at one trip. Park in a central spot and walk from place to place.

4. Shop online. Save trips to the store and consider other online services to minimize errands such as banking, buying stamps, and paying bills.

5. If you own vehicles of differing size, take the smaller, more fuel-efficient one on any long trips that you can.

6. Take a hike (or ride a bike). Instead of driving everywhere, lace up your sneakers and get some exercise while you save gas. A bicycle can help you rack up car-free miles even faster.

7. Work in your sweats. If you have a job for which working from home is possible, ask the boss if you and your coworkers can telecommute one day a week to save gas. If you are the boss, consider making it a company-wide initiative.

8. Drive as if gas is being rationed. The time may come that you will be allowed only a set number of gallons per week no matter the cost, no matter your needs. Drive now as if you are on a 10-gallons-per-week limit. The practice will do you good.

9. Share rides. Instead of picking up your kids from gymnastic, dance, swim, or tennis practice every day, ask a neighbor with kids in the same class/group to help. You can each take turns picking up.

10. Keep the trunk light. I am the bigger offender I know because I like to have everything accessible at all times! Heavier the load your car has to carry, more gas it guzzles. Don’t use your trunk for long-term storage.

What are your gas-saving tips? I'd love to hear about them!

Encourage, Inspire, Laugh...and GO GREEN!

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Fun Weekend in Portland

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.~~Gilda Radner

(Left photo: St. Helena ahead covered in snow) It was probably mid-70s over the weekend. I spent a quiet afternoon at the water park, in downtown Portland on Willamette River, with our kids and their two friends from Newberg on Saturday.

Everyone including their grandmothers were out...young and old, different nationalities. There were cyclists,

dog-walkers

artists

musician-wanna-bes

those tossing frisbee around,

a family kicking soccer ball and showing off their talent,

OC-lookalikes arrived in stretch limos,

jet-skiiers, boat cruisers,

families with baby strollers or joggers, hellicopter riders, runners, those on rollerblades, nursing moms, dancers, readers...then there was me, a knitter addict, people and bird watcher with no judgement, no expectation...delving inward to observe and be in the presence, on my path to more self-discovery.

We dropped off the kids at the zoo around 5 pm for their sleepover with Campfire kids. Tom, from our homeschooled group, was most gracious to chaperone our troop so the rest of us parents may be free for an evening. THANK YOU, Tom--you're an angel!

Hubby took me to Bush Garden for dinner--my favorite Sushi! It was the best, freshiest I've had for years...rewinding the clock back to the days when we lived/worked in San Francisco! Walking around downtown/Pioneer Square reminded me of San Francisco–a clone literally. How I miss the Bay Area (not the traffic congestion like driving to/in Portland and the 50-cent panhandlers everywhere)...

Here we were stuck on Morrison Bridge on the way back to OMSI yesterday afternoon

Hubby said we can come here as often as I'd like. He even bought us a family membership at OMSI! That’s promising...

It's exhausting after a tour of the Zoo in the morning and OMSI in the afternoon yesterday, but in all seriousness, a great birthday celebration week for sure.

My only regret was I didn’t get to Abundant Yarn & Dyeworks or Knit Purl in Portland. A spa treat for my feet while shopping at Abundant Yarn, soak or nap in bubbly bliss, or gathering with friends around the Ashiyu foot spa for a knit would have made this a perfect weekend excursion! My friend, Kristin got herself a skein of Colinette Jitterbug at Knit Purl on Saturday–she is a very happy gal!

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