New basket and Grandma Nonnie's b-day

Well, it has been too long since I blogged! Last Tuesday I went into town and visited my mom for her birthday. It was great we had a really good time. I first went to Meg's salon and got my hair done. Then met up with my mom at PF Chang's a new hip Chinese restaurant. We both had Salmon and veggies. We split her b-day desert, it was tiny but tasty. We then went to TJ Max Home Goods. It was fun we found this basket for my dress up clothes. Then Mom didn't feel well so I did a very quick run through TJ's and then Mom wanted a Rotissere chicken from Costco. So I ran those two errand while she waited for me. We then went to her house put together dinner really quickly and ate. Abe is living with them temporarily so he was there also. It was good to see him. Later everyone came and we had German Chocolate Cake that I made from scratch, it was a hit. Then hit the road at about 8:00.Amy made this great card for momThe next morning was my first sub job for Polly(my receptionist who has 5 meetings she leads) I am doing 3 of her meetings. It was in Newport at the county bldg. It was interesting. They are what is called at work meetings. Most of the time they are held where the people work-hence at work meeting. They are smaller than mine generally.

Meg and Greg came Saturday night, we have enjoyed them very much. We watched a movie and basically vegged. Today church of course. I will do Lincoln City tomorrow, Meg is going with me, then on Wed I will do Newport again in the morning and Alsea (up hwy 34 about an hour) in the afternoon. There are no recptionists, I do everything including the paperwork. I really liked the first one I did, so I am sure I will like the rest. I looked at my calendar for the next month and it is crazy, I have much to do and not much time to do it. So I will have to be more disciplined.

I worked in my greenhouse for a couple of hours this week. I am hoping to get it all beautified before Danielle and Clay come. I am not sure if it will happen. I have very few days where I don't have something to do.

Well, it is late. Love you all!

Company and Fathers day

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I blogged. I worked more in my greenhouse. I planted a bunch of flowers in baskets. It is going to be so pretty when they grow. I can't wait. I need to do before and after pics. My cucumbers are up, one of my big squash plants, my beans and lots of carrots. I need to now do another row of beans and onions, and carrots. I am thinking I might grow my own garlic. Also I am going to grow shallots again. They lasted a loooongg time. I still have a few. I think it would be neat to have my own garlic.

This weekend we got to go to Greg's graduation. It is always fun to see them walk for me. We then went to Megan's and Greg's and porked out! There was way too much good stuff. We had a good time visiting with Greg's family and the Arnold's, Winegardners, and my parents.

Here's some cute pics of the grandkids:Then Amy and Mike came out Friday evening. Megan and Greg stayed with Greg's family at our beach house, it was open for some reason so we offered it for free. Then Meg and Greg came to spend the night on Sun and Mon also. So we had a houseful, it was great!!! Amy and Mike did lots of agate hunting, the rest of the time we were pretty lazy. That is until Amy got a wild hair to help me organize all the kids toys. We took all the toys out of the closet, put them in piles, figured out how to contain them, then went to FM and Walmart to find a piece of furniture to house them. After looooonnnngggg deliberation we found the perfect one. We only had to buy one basket and one container and the armoire. It was black and Amy and I decided we would paint it green and that way it would not be so "here I am" in black. Now the thing I haven't mentioned is that as you can imagine it is not the most high quality of furniture, we got it at walmart. Sooooo we went to the paint section and bought the spray paint for plastic, not noticing the fine print, most plastics. Came home and the next day excitedly we both went out and painted it. We let it cure for the full hour, and then when we touched it the paint rubbed right off!!!! Talk about disappointed. We then had to get out towels and rub all the paint off. Some of the green paint stayed on the fake grain, and in a few places like the mouldings the green is green, it doesn't come off. Well, actually it doesn't look that bad, so Mike put it together. I had to go to a meeting, so I left Amy and Mike to finish up. After Mike finished putting it together, Amy loaded it with toys. It looks great! I think they cleaned the Kitchen also and in general picked up. They are sooo sweet.The weather is beginning to make me think it's finally summer. I am afraid to believe it yet, but who knows. I am excited. Amy and I actually sat on the beach in beach chairs. We did have sweatshirts on, but I am very happy to do that if I can at least do that when the sun is out.

Well, I haven't done any housework to speak of since the company came, so I need to get busy.

Love you all!!!

Picking lettuce! And Sssssnakessss

The highlight of the week was working in the greenhouse and picking our first lettuce. There is nothing like the lettuce out of my greenhouse. It is weird how some things are just better from the greenhouse. I used to try to grow lettuce in Springfield and it would be bitter. I am not kidding the lettuce I picked the other day tasted like butter. I am sure it is the variety, but the other one is just as tasty.

When I went out to the greenhouse this week for the first time in quite a few days, I noticed 3 snakes in this one bed. I had noticed one in there many times. 3 was just a little creepy, especially the way they would wrap around each other when I made some real movement toward the bed. We mostly stare at one another, but I do have to work in my beds. Then I walked to the other end of the greenhouse and there is another one bigger than the other 3 in a different bed. He or she is a little more skittish than the others. It doesn't like me looking at it. You can see it scooting away as I take the pic. I came out the day I took these pics and I only saw one in the first bed and one in the last bed. I don't know where the other two are. I researched about whether they are good for the greenhouse and they do eat bugs, and slugs, mice, etc. So I think they are good. But I read they have a minimum of 20 babies per litter!!!! They can have as many as 90. I fear one day I will walk out there and feel like I am Indiana Jones hunting for the lost Ark! Oh well, will keep you posted!

I finally staked my tomatoes. I know they look sparse, but you have to prune them before and as they grow. For those of you that I have talked to about this, you know what a big deal this is. I have been wanting to do this for two years. I was scared to do it, but finally went out to do it. I felt very empowered afterwards. I was watching a DVD about positive thinking and etc. and one person said to substitute the word curious for the word afraid, it worked for me!! Silly I know, but I just knew somewhere the tomato staking police were hiding waiting to take me away if I didn't do it right! :-)

One day this week I wasn't doing very well, and I went out to my greenhouse, turned my music up loud the way I like it, (Steve teases me all the time about it, he says he can tell the plants look happier after I turn on my music, I just smile and think they probably are happier! ) I usually play my classical music, but this day I played a cool soundtrack CD, "Somethings Got to Give" that Megan gave to me a few years ago. I put on my gloves, opened up some compost and started digging. I had a really bad headache when I went out and was tired of taking Excedrin, so I just decided to ignore my headache. After a while I was quite euphoric. I noticed my headache was gone and I was wishing everyone had a greenhouse. I wanted to go out and buy everyone one. It is such a cool environment, a world all unto itself with lots of oxygen, and plants that obey Heavenly Father completely. What more can you ask for !!!

Steve and I are excited to go to Greg's graduation. The speakers are sometimes dull, but there is something about seeing someone you love walk across that stage and get that diploma that is wonderful.

I have a talk this Sunday, I still don't know what I am going to talk on. I thought about the atonement, I don't know.

The sun is out for the third day in a row!!! Yea!!, it is still cold outside. Steve and I tried to go for a walk, but I was too cold. I found 3 smallish agates. I think I could have tons if I went out more. Oh well, priorities and choices.

I have much to do today, I have to clean my house, Amy and Mike are coming for a few days!!!! We are really excited about that also. I need to do some things in the greenhouse, and write my talk!

Well, love you all!!!!

Summer oh Summer where art thou?

Well, the weather here is getting downright annoying and depressing. I woke up this morning to the wind and pelting rain. for the last two days it has resembled the weather in Nov-Feb. For the second time in my life I have hated the rain. We had a summer like this when we were first married and had moved back to Oregon. I remember reassuring Steve that this wasn't normal. I wake up and if the sun is shining I wonder if I am being teased again or if this is for real. I am so ready to let go of the duldrums. Last Sunday was one of the teasers, and thankfully I went outside, laid on the beach, and sat on the deck. The next morning it was gorgeous still so I went on a walk. By noon I realized it was a fake-out! Oh well, hopefully it won't last forever. Although I have to say I do remember one year that rained all summer.

Menopause! Ugh! I am having an average of 1 hot flash an hour 24 hours a day. So on top of having my entire body have a light covering of sweat (or sometimes a heavy covering) every hour, I also get woken up all night long. Since last Saturday I have had a swollen gland in my throat and and a mild fever off and on. I have had more sickness this year than I have ever had in my life except when I was a teenager in high school. I have pondered this because I am eating better than I ever have, exercising and basically taking care of myself. I decided today that it is because I am not getting enough sleep. Since my lack of sleep is caused by menopause, I am not sure what I can do about it. For the first time in my life I am considering sleeping pills. I was saying my prayers the other day and I had a hot flash right in the middle of it and before I knew it it got so bad that I had to stop praying. It is very hard to focus, not only are you hot from head to toe, your heart is beating irregularly. Then of course there is the constant feeling of my emotions on a roller coaster. Well, anyway I know you have all heard one version or another about this I just had to complain one more time. I have thought there must be a purpose to all this sweating and crying. I decided it is to release all the toxins I have accumulated over my lifetime. Although Dairn says he wants to know what a toxin is so who knows. Well, girls and guys, this is what you get to look forward too!!!! I can see why women go on HRT, if they don't eat as healthy as I do and exercise their symtoms would be so out of control they would feel like they are going nuts. Enough of this!

Well, love you all!

New dishes!

The rest of my new dishes came on Tuesday. It was exciting. I love them more each day. Steve likes them way more than I thought he would. He thinks they are pretty, but it is how "substantial" they are, and they are "solid". I took several pics of them in different ways. Pics don't do them justice, but you get the idea. First is the cupboard. I had to rearrange the dishes. I know what you are all thinking. I had no choice they wouldn't fit if I didn't rearrange things. :-)The biggest surprise to me was how much I like the tea cups and saucers. I thought I can just see us all sitting around with the grandkids having a tea party with these. They are sooo cute!My fruit for my oatmeal in the cereal bowls. A couple of different arrangements so you can see them all. The pasta/soup bowls we both love way more than we thought we would also. We only got 4 of those we may get more. I think they are so pretty I don't know why, they are all really the same decor wise.I need to have someone over, I can't wait to set a pretty table! I will make sure and take pictures when we do! Love you all!

I'm just a blogging fool!

I dont' blog for 17 days and then blog 3 blogs in 4 days! Whew! I had the best salad yesterday and it was on my new dishes. The rest should be here by tomorrow, we have actually been able to make it with our 5 dinner plates and 5 salad plates. Isnt' that salad great!!?

I read the best read, anyone can borrow it. It is about the depression years and how it affected the LDS people in a small Utah town. It is typical Dean Hughes-very factual in the details of the time, but fictional characters. It was insightful and good learning about behavior and history. Yesterday was cloudy and depressing, today is gorgeous and Steve took me out to lunch at the Adobe. I had a crab salad! Nummmmmyyyy! I got these cool kids tools for the garden. I thought maybe that wouldn't be enough, but then I thought I couldn't have more than one kid help me at a time anyway. If they each had a shovel, when my back was turned they would be probably digging up my beds when I wasn't looking. Last but not least, I had to show this crazy petunia that grew out of the floor all by itself. This is a different one not one of the other two I blogged. Go figure, I go for years killing flowers and now they grow all by themselves. There is something about the greenhouse that petunias love! As a result of that observation, I am going to make some hanging baskets with petunias in them. I will post them when I get them done! All a part of me fulfilling my dream greenhouse.
Well, love you all!!!!

Mothers day pics, other pics and today

My porch, Ruby lasted about two pots, so I finished the rest yesterday. I will take a pic later in the year when they have bushed out more. Below is my herb shelf. I hope it works. I left them in their little pots a little too long, so some are long and spindly.

I said I would blog what I got for mothers day so here they are! This is from Megan and Greg, seeds and polishMike and Amy's shelf she got at value village for 3 dollars I think, bought a cute knob, painted it and voila a shelf that would sell for 20.00 or more in any cute store!Rebecca and Darin got me these beautiful earrings. They are fresh water pearls I think. Jakes gave me this great book! Ruby and Lyndsey made me the earrings out of shrink a dink, they glued the jewels on the flip flops.Ruby also painted me this pic. Her mom got an even cooler one.Lizzie and Shad gave me these fun spatulas and apron. Last but not least Danielle and Clay got me this cute polka dot bag, my scriptures and church stuff fits perfect in it.Today was a great day. I love church, it fills me up. I taught today. It was interesting, the harder I tried to prepare the more things interrupted me. Before church I still didn't feel prepared. I decided that there was something Heavenly Father wanted me to do that I would find out later. I got more sincere compliments than I have gotten in a long time. There was lots of feedback. I think if I had known where I was really going and what I wanted to do I would have controlled it too much and what was important wouldn't have happened. I am sure to them I was very aware of what I wanted and very in control. I'm grateful I wasn't it kept me humble. We all need humbling times. Well, the sun is out, I think I will take advantage of it, it is supposed to rain for the next 3 days. Love you all!!!!