Sunday, September 30, 2012

Learn to smile at every situation. See it as an opportunity to prove your strength and ability. ~Joe Brown

Tuesday night Joe came home from work after having his yearly evaluation with a raise and a promise of a promotion in the next year.  Wednesday morning he got to work with the news that his bank was being bought out by a bigger bank in Washington and that he could very well be out of a job in the near future.  

Now that we are a few days away from the initial shock, it is a little easier to smile.  

At this point we don't really know much.  There will be some transition time so we will have some time to plan.  Joe is feeling really sad about the whole thing.  He loves his job, he enjoys the guys he works with and we both love that his office is 5 minutes from the house.  

Obviously there are things that we are worried about.  But overall, we aren't that worried.  Does that even make sense?

There are a lot of unknowns, which is the thing that makes it tough.  If I need to work more I will.  Joe can get another job if that is what ends up needing to be.  There is just a lot of "if".  

So for now, we will look at spending less and saving more.  We had to make some decisions about things when we decided I would stay home with Taelin part time (like getting rid of cable) so we will just need to go through that process again.  

We certainly have been through some times times before.  A different kind of tough, but still tough, and we were fine.  More than fine.  We will be fine this time too.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Photo A Day Sept 7-Sept 23

Time flies when your having fun...and when you are incredibly busy.  It seems like September just started a few days ago but in reality this month is almost done.  I am ever more thankful for my sister talking me into this little project so that I have even the slightest moment captured from my days.  What a gift I feel like I am giving to myself as I look through these pictures.  Little pieces of my everyday life forever collected.  I can only imagine how much these might mean to me later.  And maybe even to Taelin.

Here is what the last couple weeks of our lives have looked like...

sept 7, 2012

sept 8, 2012
The stage of the Jim Gaffigan show.
No pictures allowed during the show so the stage is all I got!

sept 9, 2012
Yee-Haw at the Oregon Zoo

sept 10, 2012

sept 11, 2012

sept 12, 2012

sept 13, 2012

sept 14, 2012

sept 15, 2012
Unwilling participant in the photo at the CSA farm

sept 16, 2012

sept 17, 2012
40 lbs of tomatoes

sept 18, 2012
processing 40 lbs of tomatoes

sept 19, 2012

sept 20, 2012

sept 21, 2012

sept 22, 2012 
sept 23, 2012

Saturday, September 22, 2012

A to Z: Summer 2012 (and I figured out how to do a Shutterfly book!)

I have been working on a little project all summer long as a way to chronicle all of our wonderful adventures.  I didn't go anywhere without some kind of camera, my goal being to make an alphabet book for Taelin (since she is getting to that age where that will be useful) and be able to check off  #95 on my list which is was an A-Z theme photography challenge.

In addition to finally sorting through and organizing all of the photos from the summer, I ended up using Shutterfly to make the book.  I have been playing with the idea of doing more of my scrapbooking in a digital way, not that I don't still love all of my paper, ribbon and other beautiful supplies, but right now it just makes sense because of time and space.  I won't get rid of my scrapbooking things, they will just be saved for other smaller projects (like December Daily albums), card making, and gift tags.

I am really happy with how the A to Z photo challenge turned out and am SO excited to get the printed book to give to Taelin.  Below you can take a look at how it turned out!




Start your own Shutterfly Photo Book today.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

I loved this book.  Absolutely loved it.

This story follows two mothers. One who has given up a daughter in order to save her life.  The other is the one who has adopted her.

Kavita lives in rural India and when her second child is born a girl she walks miles into the large city to turn her over to an orphanage so she doesn't suffer the same fate as her first little girl.  She lies to her husband and says the girl died overnight so that he doesn't take the little girl to be killed like he did their first daughter.  Boys are the preferred baby and while it breaks Kavita's heart to give her up, she knows it is the only way her girl will live.

Somer lives in California and has suffered another miscarriage.  She is finally convinced by her husband, who is from India, to adopt and they come home with a little girl.  Kavita's little girl.

The rest of the story follows Kavita, Somer and Asha, the secret daughter, as they all struggle with their part of the story and the parts they wish they knew.  Kavita wonders what has come of her daughter.  Somer struggles as Asha grows, loving her deeply but unable to completely understand at times.  Asha wonders where is she is from and what her story is.

When Asha is in college, she decides to travel to India for a semester and stays with her father's family, her family.  Because of this trip, all three of their lives are changed forever.

I realize that others might not love this book as much as I did.  My own life and my own story connected me to these characters in such strong ways that I have no doubt that colored my impression of this book.    I just randomly picked up this book, without really knowing anything, and it honestly could not have been a better book for me to read this month.

Spicy Pesto Chicken and Pasta

The CSA box that we have been getting this summer only has a few weeks left...and to be honest I am a little relieved.  There are things I have really liked about it, but there have been times that I am scrambling to find a new recipe so that I don't end up throwing food out.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but kind of tough when time is at a premium these days.  (My absence at this blog is evidence of that.)

Anyway, last Monday I had some chicken I had thawed out for the day before that I hadn't used but HAD to be used that day.  I had about 3 cups of basil that maybe had a day left before it was going to start to brown.  I figured the best thing to do with the basil is make pesto and then put some in the freezer but I wanted to do something other than grilled chicken.

Enter Allrecipes.com and their handy search by ingredient feature.  I entered "chicken" and "pesto" and up popped this recipe.  It only had seven ingredients all of which I had on hand.  (Including the cilantro that we got from "salsa time" at the CSA farm which I had forgotten I had.) I did modify it a little bit because I have never cooked with chili sauce before and didn't want to over do it.

So I whipped up my pesto and got to work.  The result was a super yummy, full of flavor, easy weeknight meal that is sure to be seen again on the menu! I made a quick green salad and dinner was on the table in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients
8 ounces of pasta (I used bow ties because that it what Taelin picked)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of hot chili sauce
1/2 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
4 Tablespoons of pesto
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cilantro


Directions
1. Cook whatever pasta you choose, drain and set to the side.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix in the chile sauce and chicken. Cook and stir chicken until evenly browned and juices run clear.
3.Toss the cooked pasta, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and cilantro into the skillet, and continue cooking just until heated through.

There was a suggestion to toss in some goat cheese at the end to make it kind of creamy.  While I am sure it would be good I didn't have any goat cheese on hand and I am betting that it would make it a little less friendly around the waist.  I might try next time I make it mixing in a couple of low fat Laughing cow cheeses...or just plan for the goat cheese and have it on hand.


Henry's Sisters by Cathy Lamb

This book was a bit different than the blurb on Goodreads suggested.  The blurb was certainly was correct but I don't know that it prepared me for some of the dysfunction that was throughout the book among the three sisters and their mother.  Even though there were parts that I didn't really care for around that dysfunction, I liked the book a lot and raced through it pretty quickly.

This story centers around a family comprised of 3 sisters (all with their own issues because of how they grew up), 1 mother who at times I hated and other times I felt sorry for, 1 brother (Henry) who is mentally challenged but the one that everyone rallys around, and a grandmother that thinks she is Amelia Earhart.

All three sisters end up back in their home town in order to help take care of the family bakery, Henry and Amelia Earhart after the mother ends up needing surgery.  There was A LOT that happened in the story...almost too much at times to be believable...but as a reader I definitely went through a range of emotions.

The plot wasn't necessarily predictable but I wasn't really surprised as events unfolded and it ended pretty much the way I thought it would.  It was a great story though and I can't remember the last time I needed that many tissues at the end of a book.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Music is an outburst of the soul. ~Frederick Delius

One of the things I wish I would have done when I was in New York 5 years ago was go to a show on Broadway.  I have seen a few musicals, but none that would be considered Broadway quality.  Joe is not a fan of musicals so it makes sense that it wouldn't be something we would do together even though there are great shows up in Portland throughout the year.

It almost seems a little embarrassing at this point that I have seen so few shows but that is partly why I put seeing a Broadway show on my list.  I hadn't really made any headway with this particular item, it wasn't even really on my radar when my good friend Kellie invited me to go see Memphis since she had an extra ticket.

I knew nothing of the show, neither did she, but I said yes!  We drove up early and had lunch at P.F. Changs (which was amazing) and then made it to our seats with a few minutes to spare.

I have to say that the show did not disappoint.  This show won 4 Tony Awards in 2010 and even though I don't really have anything to compare it to, I can see why.  It is set in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1950's where a white DJ wants to do change the status quo and a young black singer who is just waiting to make her big break.  The story was very good and the singing was out of this world.  It was funny and heart-warming, tragic and heart-breaking all in a very short amount of time.

For I show I knew nothing about I would say I got pretty lucky.  And I have to admit that I have looked at the shows for the rest of this season and am a little more than intrigued by a few.  A bug my just have bitten me...


Friday, September 14, 2012

Date Night...Jim Gaffigan

Last spring I bought tickets to see Jim Gaffigan.  For those of you that don't know him, he is a hilarious comedian.  We had seen him before but he kept talking about Hot Pockets over and over again and I didn't really like the show all that much.  Since then he has done a few specials and I have to say that I have definitely warmed up to him.

Joe and I both appreciate funny things and I purposefully put seeing a comedian on my list because of that. Since having Taelin I am less likely to plan things that don't include her (which I think for the most part is a good thing) but I do feel like it is also important to keep doing some of the things that we did before, although far less often. Enter Jim Gaffigan.

 I am so glad that Taelin is getting to the point where she can carry on a conversation...but now she wants to carry on a conversation...ALL.THE.TIME.  That makes it difficult to try and carry on other conversations...which way this comedy show couldn't have come at a better time.  It was up in Portland so we had the drive up and back to talk.  We got there early enough to stop into a little Chinese place and have some appetizers (and get our parking validated) and then stopped for dinner on our way home.

Taelin meanwhile happily played with Nana at home.  And Nana was very happy about that.

The show was great.  The food was great.  The company was great.  Really just a great night!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten

Another amazing book! This book follows Danielle who is a single mom and a lawyer about to make partner who takes her son Max to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation.  Danielle is a fierce advocate for her son and refuses to believe her son is capable of the murder he is charged with after he is found in the same room with another patient who has been horribly mutilated.

I admit myself completely annoyed with Danielle's behavior for a better part of the book and thought for awhile that an evaluation for her at a psychiatric hospital might be in her interest too.  I do think that it was the author's intent for me to feel that way and I fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Even though I expected a twist at the end, nothing could have prepared me for the end.  I feel like I can't write much more without giving something away.  I will certainly be watching this author for her next book.

The Murderer's Daughter by Randy Susan Meyers

This novel was amazing! I read it in just over a few days and it was a welcome distraction from the craziness of the beginning of the school year.  It was not what I would call a "feel good" novel by any means, but I think that is why I liked it.  I like books that have a tied up ending but it doesn't necessarily need to be a happy one...especially if I feel like it wouldn't fit the characters and the rest of the book.

This book starts out when two sisters, Lulu and Merry, are little and their father kills their mother and stabs the younger of the two girls. The rest of the book follows the two girls over the next 30 years through living with family, group homes, foster homes and then into adulthood.  They wrestle with how people treat them because of who they are and their story.  Each of them reacts very differently, in particularly in regard to the relationship each has with their father who is in prison.  It was simply amazing how invested I was in each character.

This is Randy Susan Meyers first novel and I have added her next novel, which is supposed to published next February, to my "to-read" list.  Each chapter was told from either Lulu's or Merry's perspective but I was so impressed how she would introduce something in one chapter with one character and then resolve it in the next chapter through the other girl.  I have read a lot of books in the same style, but none that pulled that off as well as this one.  I really hope that her next novel is in the next style.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Photo A Day August 24-Sept 6

Like so many things during this time of year there is just not enough time.  My photo of the day has certainly fallen off of my radar a few times in the last two weeks, but I finally took some time (thanks to Joe's mom) to catch up and get organized in a few different ways today. One of the things on my list was to get caught up was my photo a day.  I will admit upfront that I had to fudge a little and take a couple extra photos today to get caught up...but I am going to go ahead and forgive myself.  Hopefully you will too!

aug 24, 2012
CSA tomatoes 
aug 25, 2012

aug 26, 2012
tags for the homemade jam I made for my teachers

aug 27, 2012 
aug 28, 2012
I can stop anytime I want...

aug 29, 2012
back to school gear

aug 30, 2012

aug 31, 2012

sept 1, 2012

sept 2, 2012
a lot of freakin' candles

sept 3, 2012

sept 4, 2012
all those in the middle of the night leg cramps make a lot of sense now

sept 5, 2012

sept 6, 2012
so excited about this birthday present!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

There are years that ask questions and years that answer. ~Zora Neale Hurston

Birthdays are funny things.  They come once a year on the same day but somehow mine tends to sneak up on me.  Most of it is probably the time of year.  But part of it is that I am indecisive when it come to making a decision on what I want to do for my birthday.  Growing up we were not a family that made lists of gifts that you wanted.  There was a party for the birthday person but I had more than a few birthdays when I was younger that we had just moved to a new town during the summer and there wasn't really anyone to invite to a party.  Birthdays just weren't a huge deal.

I remember the first birthday I had that was a huge deal.  It was my first year as an resident assistant in the dorms at UM.  I had left for school that August knowing it was probably going to be my last summer home.  (I was right.  My family moved and there wasn't really a "home" to go home to.)  I was excited and nervous all at the same time because I was leaving the comfort of having a high school friend as a roommate and was really for the first time, branching out on my own.  The last few weeks of August of 1996 were spent working and playing with people that, at the time, I had no way of knowing would become such an important part of my life.

My birthday came over Labor Day weekend that year, as it often does.  I didn't have a lot of expectations for my birthday.  School had started the week before and life was crazy.  I was spending most of my time with people that I had only know for a few weeks and they were just as busy as I was.  But then there was such a sweet card and cake that compared me to Snow White (which gives you a little idea of how ridiculously innocent they all thought I was...which was pretty much true).  They sang Happy Birthday to me there were hugs all around.  It seems like just a normal kind of birthday celebration as I type it out; I can't even find the words to describe how special I felt that day.

Here I am, 16 years after that birthday, married to the man that held the cake up for me to blow the candles out on the day.  I have a picture of the two of us, probably the first one, and we look so young.  A lot has happened in those 16 years.  A lot of life.  A lot of happiness.  Some hard things but none that I had to do by myself.

I think it is a natural think to reflect on the past year on your birthday.  Did the year turn out like you thought it would?  Are you a better person than you were 365 days ago?  Do you have any regrets? What are you most proud of?   I also think that for most people those answers are a bit of a mixed bag.  I know they are for me.

I woke up early this morning, mostly because of the snoring dog.  I started to think about the answers to all those questions and decided to come and write.  But then, just a bit ago, Taelin woke up and started singing my name.    I went to go get her and she announced that since it was my birthday I needed something on my head.  So here I sit now, with a plastic tiara on my head needing to wrap this post up before I really wanted to.  How did I get so lucky?

Here is to the start of the next year!