Organization

I don't plan to make any special resolutions for the New Year. However, I really do need to get better organized. Not so much in the business. There I am actually really organized and can put my finger on nearly anything I need at any given moment. Our own living space is another matter entirely! This last week I have been sorting photographs. It took days! Now they are all separated into folders by subject. Next it is time to organize the storage room to have a place to put the plastic file boxes. But to do that there are a few other things that will need organized—piles of this and that. I always have these great plans when we move into a new place. I plan to set every place up to have a spot for everything and I plan to keep everything in said spot. Yet somehow, the boxes get brought in before I have it started and it never comes to fruition. So, maybe now, I can accomplish this one thing that I have never before been able to finish. Maybe I will be able to have an organized living space. Then again, I did get a really good book for Christmas…

Snowflakes

Today I was meandering through some of my old links and found this one. It is a fun one. I enjoyed making a few flakes. I may have to get out some paper and scissors to try an old fashioned one!

White Christmas!

The last white Christmas in Portland was in 1934! It was so wonderful to watch the flakes coming down. It brings to mind the reason for the season in that Jesus came so we could be washed as white as snow.

Casey found a warm and cozy spot to wait out the "storm."

Merry Christmas!

Away in a manger,

No crib for His bed

The little Lord Jesus

Laid down His sweet head



The stars in the bright sky

Looked down where He lay

The little Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay



The cattle are lowing

The poor Baby wakes

But little Lord Jesus

No crying He makes



I love Thee, Lord Jesus

Look down from the sky

And stay by my side,

'Til morning is nigh.



Be near me, Lord Jesus,

I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever

And love me I pray



Bless all the dear children

In Thy tender care

And take us to heaven

To live with Thee there

Here it is

And isn't it AWESOME!!

The 16 cubes are 13.25" square so they will hold my scrapbooking paper. I plan to get some baskets for organization. The desk hooks to the shelves and is open below. That way my rolling cart fits under it and it can be worked on from both sides! For scale there are rulers on it, the largest is 18".

New hobby

Over the summer when my niece, Mary, was visiting, she started me working with polymer clay. She is really good at it and so is another niece, Donella. I am really getting going on it lately and just wanted to share a couple of projects.

The first is a snowman about 3.5" tall. He is holding a candy cane which is upside down as a J since Jesus is the reason we celebrate.

The light bulb is actually a large replacement bulb covered with clay. The red clay has glitter in it and the green wraps around in the sjape of holly leaves. Believe it or not the lettering is a stamp with dye ink. It baked right on the clay. Who would've thought?!

Anyway, I am enjoying doing projects and being creative. Just wait until I get some photos of what Jeff got me for Christmas! He wanted me to have a space close to our resident's to work on them so he got me something REALLY cool!

Of course...

You Are a Snowman

Friendly and fun, you enjoy bringing holiday cheer to everyone you know!

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

Where I've been...

Getting Ready!

Other People's Shoes

Today I spent the day in other people's shoes. First he took me to a gym to try rock climbing. Rental shoes which are to be worn without socks so one can have a better connection with the "rocks." I can't decide if it was harder or easier than I thought it would be. My hands are really tired, but it was really fun. I can't wait to do it again.

Then we went on to wear more rental shoes. For the first time in nearly 20 years, we went bowling. Okay, so it wasn't pretty. I had more gutter balls than spares. Strikes were not even in the picture for me.

And last, but certainly not least, we headed out for our dinner reservations. But we had to make a quick stop to pick something up at his cousin's house. The quick stop was our dinner reservations. We had a luau with Jeff's sister and family, my sister and family and Jeff's parents. Basically, Jeff did a great job of planning my 40th birthday. It was a great day!

I've done it again!

Your Hidden Talent

You are both very knowledgeable and creative. You tend to be full of new ideas and potential - big potential. Ideas like yours could change the world, if you build them. As long as you don't stop working on your dreams, you'll get there.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

You Are: 80% Dog, 20% Cat

You and dogs definitely have a lot in common. You're both goofy, happy, and content with the small things in life. However, you're definitely not as needy as the average dog. You need your down time occasionally.

Are You More Cat or Dog?

You Should Be A Poet

You craft words well, in creative and unexpected ways. And you have a great talent for evoking beautiful imagery... Or describing the most intense heartbreak ever. You're already naturally a poet, even if you've never written a poem.

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

You Are Totally Like Your Mom

You and your mom are practically clones. You think alike, and you even seem to read each other's minds. You're definitely you're mother's child... and that's just fine with you.

Are You Like Your Mom?

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together. People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

You Belong in 1952

You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!

What Year Do You Belong In?

I really should stop this now!

It really is a dog's life!

We have a young puppy named Harly visiting as part of his training for pet assisted therapy. His parents have a blog and posted about their first visit on Tuesday. Check it out here.

A View from the Window

This evening Jeff took a look out the kitchen window and saw a Blue Heron perched on the neighbor's patio cover. It stayed long enough for me to get out on the back deck for some birdwatching.

Scrapbooking!

I love photos. I love the memory each brings to mind when I look at them. I recently started doing some scrapbooking along with making cards. I have so much fun finding new embellishments and stuff to decorate a page. This is one of my favorite pages.

Conforming?

You Are 73% Non Conformist

You are a pretty serious non conformist. You live a life hardly anyone understands. And while some may call you a freak, you're happy with who you are.

Are You a Nonconformist?

Today is...

International Choclate Day!

So, enjoy some chocolate today!

Never Forget

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Stressful Day

At 9:30 this morning, the doorbell rang. Who could that be I thought as I answered it still wearing my pajamas? (Yes, I wear my pajamas until everyone is up and dressed, then I go shower and dress. Trust me, if you did what I do, you would wait to shower, too!) Anyway, back to the door. "Hello, my name is Trevin Butler." It is our surveyor for our licensing. Yep, I open the door to our annual survey wearing my pajamas. Great first impression, huh!

To make a long story short, it is over and he is gone. I didn't get my wish of no citations, but the one we got is so bizarre. We were cited because I didn't document that each resident can evacuate the home within 3 minutes. Yes, I talked about it and, yes, each can do it. However, I didn’t write it in the screening paperwork. But I already have my correction summary ready to mail, so there!

So, we can continue this for at least one more year. And that is a good thing, I think…

Twenty Years Ago

Bodyworlds

DH & I went to OMSI to see the Bodyworlds exhibit yesterday. It was amazing. I have always been interested in the medical field my particular interest is in how each part of the body works together to function. Being able to see how each part of the body correlates with others sets it in my mind. It also allows me to understand better how God created us. How one can view the exhibit and still believe that we evolved from primordial sludge, it is beyond my comprehension.

There is a lot of talk about the ethics of this type of treatment of the body. In my opinion once we are gone, it is just a body, a vessel that held the real person, the soul. While we are alive, we must treat the body as a temple because it holds the soul.

Personal DNA

Just Call Me...

Madame President

As of last Saturday, I am the state president of the Independent Adult Foster Home Association. It was announced at our first state convention. We had a great team putting the convention together, but the main responsibility was mine. It went pretty smoothly considering 2 of our 5 speakers canceled that week.

The centerpieces were a family endeavor. One niece & I created the plant stakes from balsa wood, tempra paint, polymer clay and paper. They were made to look like the logo I designed for the theme--Heart to Heart & Home to Home. My sister found the plants and kept them alive for 2 weeks, since she knew I would kill them. DH cut the tissue paper to cover the ugly pots. Sister's family and I covered them and got them set up on the tables. They really turned out very nice. I put a star under a chair at each table and the person sitting there took it home.

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

You Are a Turkey Sandwich

Conservative and a bit shy, you tend to stick with what you know and trust. You are very introverted, and you prefer to blend in whenever possible. Though you may be hard to know well, anyone who does know you considers you a true friend. Your best friend: The Ham Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Tuna Fish Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Slow & Easy

Lot's of stuff going on and I am needing to take some time to slow down and take care of myself. So, today is all about appreciating the little things.

• The green of the grass
• The blue of the sky (when I get to see it today.)
• Breathing in and out

If I can focus on those things today, I will keep on going...

SNOW!

Not every one would get so excited about 3.5 inches of snow, but I do. Everything in Portland has come to a stop today. School's are closed. Doctor's offices are closed. Few people are getting out and about except to play or walk in the snow. The only one's in this city that may not appreciate it are a few pink flamingos...

UGH! Gotta great photo to post, but I am having trouble. You can see it here.