30 Days of Gratitude: Day 13

Thankful for:
A good church
taking a break
relaxing

wrinkly toes after bath time

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 9

Today I'm thankful that:

I have a little brother who I can swap tips on fermenting heirloom tomato seeds, yeah we're both nerds like that

That I have friends and family requesting the best soup recipe ever, it's on the menu for the week (warning, if you make it, plan on inviting some friends over or having leftovers to freeze-it's a big recipe)

Family who sends the cutest little pjs.  They even glow in the dark!

A little girl who is just killing me with her cuteness today.  I just had to put her in a sweater dress that was slightly too small to reveal the bear butt!  I know, a fashion faux pas for adults, but Lunabelle can pull it off!

This is my little reminder.  Yeah, dishes aren't my favorite thing.

A fridge full of food for some good cooking.  Yeah, I'm on a bit of a cooking kick!  I even bought saffron! (It's $20 for less than an ounce, yikes- but so worth it!)

An easy dinner of gnocchi and it went really well with this Argentinian Malbec that I picked up.  Yum, make this- you won't be sorry!

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 8- The Pumpkin Patch

Before it gets too far into November, I have to post pictures of our trip to the pumpkin patch.  Luna wore a little pumpkin hat that my mom knit for her last year and it was so cute.

We also got to pick some golden raspberries, they are yummy!  I love that we get to actually go to a real pumpkin patch.  So many pumpkin patches are grassy fields that randomly have pumpkins strewn about.  I love that we have to chop them off the vine.  Luna was more into the vines than the pumpkins, silly girl!

So there are the photos of that day, but today I'm thankful for:

Not having to cook tonight because someone brought some yummy shrimp and chicken from Bangkok Thai.

That Excedrin Migraine works so well, I love it!

A girl who is starting to walk.  She is taking little steps.

30 Days of Gratefulness: Day 5

Today I'm having to dig a little deeper for the gratitude.  We are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done to our house.  I am thankful for the opportunity to work on it, and I am hopeful.  I stood at the top of our stairs in our attic and imagined myself sitting at a table overlooking Spokane and painting.  It will be wonderful.  And I imagined the tall steep stairs painted with a fun quote.  I'm hoping to get the attic cleared out soon.

 I am thankful for a washer and dryer.  This is so huge.  We got an awesome one  that can add steam to the washer and dryer.  This makes washing the diapers a breeze.  It's also fabulous for making sure thrift store scores are clean.  I did the smell test, and I thought it passed, but by the time I got an orange beach towel home it was a little musty smelling.  I washed in a regular washing machine and had it out in the sun for a while, but it still smelled a bit.  After running it through the sanitize cycle in our washer it smells oh so fresh.  It also has a huge capacity, so I can really wash a lot of clothes at once.  It's also awesome because it doesn't use much water at all, which makes the tree hugger in me happy.  We save $80 a month by having a washer and dryer, and I get an extra day at home each week.  Good bye laundromat.

I am thankful for friends who happen to have awesome furniture in their garages.  (Thank you Courtney)  I am having fun folding fabric and storing my milk glass collection in an awesome green hutch.

 I'm thankful for skype.  It makes it easier that my family lives so far away.  Luna will grow up thinking people live in the computer!

I am thankful for Luna's little friend Gage.  They are finally old enough to start playing together.  They were killing me with their cuteness!
I am thankful for a girl who went to bed early (8:00 pm) and the extra hour we get tonight.  It is the best night of the year in my opinion!  I need the extra hour tonight for sure!

Aren't you proud of my blogging frequency?  I'm thankful to be back in the swing again.

Filled With Joy

We are reading Philippians in our little bible study group and I'm enjoying getting into the word again, I have been away from it for too long.  I am so blessed and encouraged by this group of friends I have.  Philippians is such a cool letter.  It is good to be reminded of the joy in Christ.  And it's interesting to remember that it's written by Paul while he is in jail, yet he is so filled with joy.  The key to the joy is being filled with Christ and his spirit.  I want to try to capture the joy and record it by taking pictures this month.  I think I'll start a flickr page and link to it on here.  One thing that I want to do that is different than what I normally do with pictures is to take more of a mix of pictures.  I want some pictures to be the beautiful and pretty things, but I also want to capture the mundane, or the chores, or maybe pictures of people serving.  I want a little mix of everything.  The blog world is a place of pretty inspiration, but sometimes it's a little too sickeningly perfect if you ask me.  It can make you start feeling like everyone else has a better life.  I know this isn't true, and I know blogs are just a little slice of life, and I know it's not good to compare, but it is hard when you see amazing pictures and fun things all the time online.  I just need to remember to fill my mind with His words rather than the worlds.  Philippians 2:3-7 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus...but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant..."  Finding joy in serving others, in lowering yourself and helping others, it's not something we see or hear everyday, but it is true.  There is joy to be found in Him.  I need this reminder.  I have been so encouraged and filled with the Spirit by these words.  I want to post mundane pictures saying- I am content.  Seriously, what's so wrong with contentment, not everything needs to be fabulous all the time.  I think it's hard to live in our society because we're disillusioned to think we ought to live a fun life all the time.  I love Phil 4:4-11  It speaks of rejoicing to God, to pray, be thankful, dwell on what is lovely, good, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am."  Ok, so I'm majorly paraphrasing there but it is a beautiful section of the bible, one of my favorites.

Luna's whole outfit is from the thrift store.  Except for the scarf, my sister in law made that, and the shoes are from her grandma.

 I am reminded of the book One Thousand Gifts.  The book chronicles the story of Ann Voskamp recording a list of gifts she is thankful to God for.  The habit is to be mindful and thankful to God.  I love Christmas- love it, but I do hate that thanksgiving gets completely looked over.  If you ask me, we Americans have it pretty good.  We're pretty rich and spoiled by many nice things.  So I want to take the time to slow down, rejoice, recognize and thank God for it all this year.  I'm joining in with many others to list some things I'm grateful for.

Here goes:
I'm thankful for
changing seasons.  I love the crisp smell of leaves at autumn, and the sound of them crunching beneath my feet.  I love the vibrant colors of fall.  The rich oranges, yellows and red.  I had fun playing with Luna in the leaves.  Fall is my favorite time of year.  I used to spend hours outside playing in the leaves, raking them into houses.  I hope Luna enjoys it too!  She kills me with her cuteness, kills me- I love these pictures.  I'm so thankful for a camera to capture her.

I'm rejoicing that the sun is shining.  I love seeing the sun

I'm thankful to have heat in my house.

I'm thankful I have dishes to eat off of- dishes that get dirty every day.  And I am thankful I can just turn a knob and fill my sink with water to wash them.  After our summer of hauling water and only having 2 jugs at one time, I am so thankful for running water.  I know that people in other parts of the world go to great lengths to get water.

I'm thankful for good friends who encourage me

I'm thankful for health.  I am so thankful we don't have any major health issues.  That is so awesome.

I'm thankful for fresh flowers that were cheap from Trader Joes.  They make me happy when I see them.  I love gerber daisies, they're my fave. and I love that the roses came with eucalyptus.

I could go on and on.

Happy Halloween

 While we were out in Denver for my friend's wedding she surprised us with this gnome outfit.  And the Everyone Poops book and the little knit shawl.

 I think this is her halloween outfit, I need to still make sure it fits and make it a little more girly by adding some pink and flowers.

 Here are two silly ones, this could pass for halloween too.  It cracks me up!

He's Back (for now)

Sam came back on Saturday and we had a nice day Sunday.  

Before he came back we got one more trip to Greenbluff and picked lots of big juicy strawberries.  (And this time Luna was wearing the apropos attire- the strawberry capris!)

 Then we hurried back for a picnic with friends at the park.  She loved swinging!

On Sunday we went to Liberty Pool.  It was so much fun, and not just for Luna.  I know I may sound like a dork saying this, but Sam and I had fun too!  Grandma and Grandpa came and watched and took pictures.  After Luna was done swimming we went down the big kid water slides, and I even tried out the whirlpool.  The slides didn't look too impressive, but they were really fun!  It's good to act like a kid again, and kids today have it good with cool pools like this in every neighborhood.

 She is half fish I think.  She loves splashing and doesn't mind getting water in her face, she just sticks her tongue out hoping to get a little taste of that water in her mouth!  She liked the water slides.

 In the evening we went on the City Drive.  Have you ever seen the brown arrowhead sign around town?  We didn't head out to Green Bluff, but we did the rest of it and it was really fun.  We saw parts of Spokane that I hadn't seen.  It takes you through the most scenic spots around Spokane.  The next time someone new comes to town I will take them on it for sure.

And then we came home and were starving.  We were going to order take out from South Perry Pizza, but when they're busy they don't even have take out available.  Then I realized I had the ingredients to make a salad just as yummy, and a pizza just as good.  I just cheated by using crescent rolls for crust instead of pizza dough.  

The Waiting Game And Letting Go

Sam was supposed to come home Wednesday night, then Thursday night, then tonight, now tomorrow afternoon.  9 times out of 10 these jobs always take longer than anticipated so I always try not to look forward to the actual day he is supposed to arrive home.  It is so hard not to know when to expect him, and to be disappointed at the last minute every night!  It's 11 pm his time and he's still working tonight as I write this!  So, who knows- maybe he'll be home Sunday.  I'm not going to assume anything until I get a call from the airport!  3 weeks as a single parent is so tiring!  I have so much more respect now.  Luna is chewing on a vintage block as we speak and I'm trying not to think about where they have been.  I'm just hoping that their age will help her build a strong immune system.  This girl has also figured out how to scoot all over the place and roll from one area to another.  It's no longer safe to leave the room and expect to find her where she started out!  She has such a strong little personality.  She scrunches her nose and squints her eyes when she laughs- it's the cutest thing.  I don't know if her dad will recognize her!  I really miss him.  I also know it could be much worse, I'm glad he's here most of the time.  I'm glad he's not in the military.  I'm glad I'm not a single parent!

Her little vintage bathrobe- all clean after a bath!

Being a homeowner and first time landlord has been a little stressful to deal with all alone.  I have been so thankful for my friends and family who have helped out so much.  Friends have invited me over for dinner.  They have listened to me talk for hours on the phone, venting!  They have watched Luna so I could haul our weeds to the transfer station.  They helped drive my truck home when it broke down on the way home!  They helped me put together our lawn mower.  (I can't wait to show you- it's a reel mower-(no gas) and so much fun to use.)  When Jess and Jeff came I was planning on making this cake for them, but it didn't happen, my kitchen floors didn't get mopped and my pile of crap from an estate sale didn't find a home.  It resides in a pile in my dining room!  It's hard for me, because I like everything to look perfect, but it just didn't happen.  But I'm learning to just roll with it.  I felt bad that I couldn't make the perfect meal.  It was so much more fun to just chat at a restaurant and enjoy food that someone else made.  It's so good to just get together with friends.  It's a lesson for me to let go of my own expectations and pride and just be!  God is good and is getting me through.  It really has gone by fast.  Having a community of people to help is so nice.  It's great to have people who love and care and understand! 

So the past few weeks have been very busy.  Staying busy makes the time go fast, but it was almost too busy.  One day last week I helped sell things for our church's community garden and some weaving made by refugee friends.  I was excited about it, but it didn't really work out.  We were not organized enough and had some miscommunication.  So sadly, we aren't selling anymore- but to be honest I'm a little relieved!  It was fun to sit and chat with a friend I hadn't talked to in awhile.  And it was fun talking to the other vendors.  Hopefully we can get it together someday!

Our little garden is growing bigger by the day.  It still looks pretty pathetic, and since I forgot to add the markers before the pencil washed away everything is a mystery!  I know the tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and squash- but that's it.  Every night Luna and I go.  She loves to get sprayed by the hose (on the gentle mist setting)  She makes her little squinty face, it's fun!  She was my little helper weeding all day yesterday!

I painted a little accent wall. It's the first time I've been able to paint in any place that I've lived.  Let's just say I didn't ease into it!  I'll show you the full reveal when I get my art on the wall.

I also made another trip to Greenbluff and got to pick my $16 worth of berries!  There have been many play dates at the park splash pad, a girls night spent chatting much too late at night, and lots of time outside.  Trying to make the most of summer, and trying to choose to be happy even though Sam is gone!

Happy 4th

I made a little cake for our low key 4th of July.  It looks so pretty and is very yummy, but it's super simple to make.  I simply baked a white boxed cake, whipped some heavy cream and sugar, cut the cake into three layers, and piped some stars and a reverse shell with an extra large star tip.  I added some strawberries that Luna and I picked from Green Bluff and some store bought blueberries.  I wish I remembered to use my trifle dish more often.  It makes things so pretty, but I tend to only remember it on the 4th of July.  

 Aunt Katie took Luna swimming.  Luna loves to swim.  She even does a little frog kick.  She loves to float and lay on her back and swim to toys.  She enjoyed the floating even more after we put the sunglasses on, the sun was so bright!

 Nothing better after a long day of swimming than a nap in Grandma's arms on the back patio swing.

 We had a good old fashioned American barbeque.  We didn't get to watch the fireworks though.  I thought we might be able to see them from my porch-pesky trees were in the way!  We also had fun with friends in town the night before.