Thats going a little far.....

Some people go a little far in their love for their dogs. Some people treat them like humans....or Children. (Can you believe that?)

I was surprised to find this beauty aid at the dog store. Even though it says 'John Paul'....the maker is the brother of 'Paul Mitchell' beauty supplies. Seriously....do people go that far in their love for their dogs?

Obviously....they do. Or should I say.....I do. The picture says it all. And the IKEA bedspread gives it away. Yes, My dogs are my children and they smell lovely. And are so soft.

Yes......They are worth it :D

Silence is Wierd.....

Target doesn't play music in their stores. I didn't realize that until today after hopping from store to store with blaring Christmas music. I'm not complaining about the music.....but it was just strange to notice none. An employee told us they never play music. Did you ever notice that?

Cross stitching HURTS!!!

Because we are out of town for Christmas, we had to buy new stockings for down here. (One thing I forgot to pack in September) So of course we went to IKEA to pick them out. LOVE THEM!!! And since I have tons of time on my hands....I thought I could cross stitch our initials on them. OUCH! I'm only half way through the D for Dan....and I have three blisters. Ah.....the pains of Christmas decorating :D

Who am I ????

I have fallen into the abyss of California and have completely forgotten that I have a life and a Blog. We have been here 2 1/2 months and it seems like it has been forever.

We are hoping to be home for the New Year!!! Yeah!!! If we aren't....I'll be really concerned about my sanity. Not to mention Dan's. He works 16 hour days. I have forgotten what it is like to spend all of my time with him. I stay awake at nights just to watch him and spend time with him while he sleeps.

I miss home. I miss my husband. I miss my friends.........I Just MISS!!!

Big Trees

We visited our Niece Maria and her hubby Mitchell this last weekend. They live in Fresno. We had a great time. These were some of the sites:
Yep.....those am some big trees. That was not the only thing we got to see that was huge. Picture to come of a tarantula trying to cross the road. If we had run over it....Yep....we would have felt it!!! YUCK!!!

On the sweet side we did see a few deer and a mama bear with twins (one black, one brown) It was AWESOME!!!

We loved spending time with Mitchell and Maria. We will be coming back soon. We have a few more National Forests to hit over there :D

Only in the country....

Our brother-in-law, Justin, had a birthday this last month. He decided on a restaurant called Cattleman's. Of course it was "Country". Only in a country restaurant could you have your child in a bar. Our nephew Ryder is on his lap. It was great food....but, very loud. I crave their salads. Great Ranch dressing. Yummy.....Maybe I will go there for my birthday.....NOT!!!

Speaking of Toilets.....

I thought my friends in Bookclub could appreciate this one. My sister lives in an old house. And she has a maids closet.



This is the smallest bathroom I have ever seen. It reminded me of "The Help". This closet was definitely an after thought on this home. I don't know if the picture does it justice....but your knees are touching the door if you can close it at all.


There is no window.....no air ventilation.....electricity has only been added within the last year. Seriously....I think it is the strangest thing I've seen in a while. And from the book.....I know exactly why it was made this way.

Got a good chuckle :D

Home Improvement Specialists???

I went to Lowes the other day to buy a ceiling fan for our bedroom. (It is way too hot in California) I love home improvement. Even when it is not my home.

So I go to use the bathroom and I find this......
I'm not sure if the picture does it enough justice....But it was so crooked I couldn't use it without bumping my knee on the side wall.

Not something you would expect to find in a home improvement store :D

Temptation

When you have a headache from the devil......you sometimes are forced to also cross to the dark side and use liquid from the devil too.....
Proof that I was willing to try anything. And I was right.....it didn't work. :(

What season is it?

Here we are in sunny California. Dealing with heat in the 90's and sometimes over 100. I'm having a hard time remembering that it is Autumn.....

Vaccinations

My sister called today to let me know her doctor is recommending anyone that will be around her newborn to get a 'Whooping Cough' vaccination. I guess there has been an epidemic in California. Of course, as a loving sister, I didn't have a problem with that......Dan on the other hand was not happy. (He HATES shots).

I got the appointments immediately so he could not even have a chance to think of it. What I didn't know is that the nurse was so excited to do HIS shot. She said it was like Christmas when she saw his name appear. (I love how the nurses and doctors at that office give him a hard time) He deserves it :D

So, I had to go back and get proof.
While he was in the chair trying to talk himself into and out of doing this.....the other nurse came by and did mine while I was standing there. He didn't even get to see mine happen. He was too busy causing a commotion of his own. He is so adorable.

But, I had proof too:
No one can say we don't love our new nephew :D

SMELL BAD!!!

Our lovely city has decided to re-pave all of the 'city' streets in our neighborhood. That is great and all.....but the city and county lines are so screwed up around here.....there is paving in front of our house.....then it skips four or five houses.....and then starts up again.

Thanks for the new road....but my obsessive compulsive tendencies are going to go crazy with such messiness. Not to mention the smell that is permeating through our house today.

Oh well......I should be grateful. I guess I am.......

Sockless summer

I decided to go without socks all summer. I'm down to the last week and I didn't miss them at all. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to them this fall.....I hate how confining they can be. I guess it will be better than hypothermia though :D

15 lbs of Goodness

We have a family recipe that my father created. Granola. I still remember going to bed with the smell of fresh granola cooking....knowing I will get it for breakfast in the morning. Seriously....YUMMY!!!

My brother decided to use the family recipe and make it a business (Lifestyle Granolas) and bring it in to everyone's home. Unfortunately, those people will never go to bed with the smell in their noses. But...you won't be complaining. He has come up with all sorts of new flavors.....including my favorite.....Island Lover. I send out for a bag every once and a while. While I have the family recipe....Craig has all the ingredients for the different flavors and the kitchen to make that big of a batch:)

My tummy will be singing for some time now. It takes a little bit of time to go through 15 lbs of granola.

New additions to the family

This weekend was a busy one for family members. On Saturday our Grand Nephew was born and on Monday another Nephew was born.

At the moment I only have pictures of the Nephew:

Wyatt Colton Otten
I just talked to my sister Lisa and they are already home from the hospital and settling in. His older brother Ryder is not quite sure what to think of him....and is already wanting more attention than the new baby. We get to go visit them next week. Congratulations Justin and Lisa.

As for our Grand Nephew who we think will be named Ezra....pictures of him will follow too. Congratulations to Brad and Angie.

Sunflowers

I am loving all the sunflowers that we have in our yard this year. I had no idea that there were flowers this color. They are so beautiful! I hope I can find the seeds for more next year.

So Sweet

To keep Chelsea from embarrassment I will keep it anonymous.....


I have a sweet friend that decided to bring me flowers today. She picked all of the orange flowers in her yard knowing it was my favorite color. Now that is a friend. I really needed some sunshine today (hypothetically). I love having friends that really care :D

Yummy smells....

I've been enjoying the rain the past couple of days. I'm loving the freshness that comes from it. I cannot stop inhaling. The smell of September is so vivid. I actually feel nervous like I'm going to school for the first day. It is that strong.

But one smell that seems to bring a smile almost as much?




BACON




I love breakfast for dinner :D

Our Laborious Day

We have been wanting to do this for years. The difficult thing was that we had to figure out how to do it without center posts....due to the fact that we wanted to pull the car back there too.

Dan figured out how to get it done. It is a folding fence. It opens like a closet door...on casters.


I think it turned out quite well. And we had beautiful weather today to work in. I love projects that we can do together.



Job done!!!

GO GET ONE!!!

Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart
(Sorry....couldn't get the image to post)

I swore I would never do this.....but, I cannot stop myself. Dan and I bought a new cookbook this year. And after seeing Julie & Julia we decided to go through that book and cook every recipe. The coolest thing about the book is that it is set up by season. So everything in Spring is what you can find fresh in the stores....same with Summer, Winter, Fall etc. Most of the recipes for Summer are cooked outside so you don't have to heat up your house.

I am in love with this book. EVERY recipe that we have tried has been the best food we have ever had. We will never use any other cookbook. We are just about finished with Summer and ready to move onto Fall. Our only disappointment is that we have to wait and get through the book before we can start making them again :D

Kai's Bike

Our friend Kai is a go to guy. He is all about being on the go. And he loves the freedom his new bike gives him. It was great to see how this seat was on the front of the bike. Most kids have to look at their parents back or look backwards. This one put him in front of the world. He could not get enough of it. He just wants to go, go, go.....



Isn't his helmet just the cutest???

The paddle boat

Note that my dad is the only one in the boat? This was our dreaded trip to the boat crazy lake last month. Everyone tried so hard to paddle that thing. As soon as the boat hit shore everyone was out. My dad took his time. He is the fit one and even he was out of breath. I think we have decided to get rid of the boat. :( Kayaks or canoes sound like much more fun. And the cruise much faster :D

Silence and Lonlieness

Dan and I are going away this weekend (yipee) so we took Gauper and Elphaba to their Aunt Amy's house last night to spend the weekend with their Cousin Cooper.

When we got home....I was wondering why I couldn't hear the dogs barking. It was a very sad homecoming!!!

This morning when Dan left to do jobs.....I was left at home ALONE!!! That was a weird and freaky feeling. I keep looking for my little snugglers. I miss them so much.

Another sad thing.....they miss me too. Amy text me and said that Elphaba has been sitting by the door waiting for me to come back. She had been there for hours. I cannot imagine life with out those darling little rug rats :D

Glee

I have heard so many good things about this new show. I had to try it. So a friend of mine let me borrow her 'Glee' DVD for the first season (Volume one). Dan said that I could watch it during the day because he wasn't that interested in it. RIGHT!!!

I started the show....and within 3 minutes he was out here on the couch watching it with me. Then after it was over he said I cannot watch it without him. I love that man. I knew that he would get on the band wagon :D

So now we are 'Glee' fans :D

Cooper

Our good friend Cooper came to visit for the day. Doggie Play Dates are so much fun. His mama dropped him off on the way to work and will pick him up after work. He loves it here. He used to live here with us....so in a sense it is like coming home. Elphaba and he love to play rough together. I love play dates. This weekend they get to go and stay with him at his house.

Some dog owners are so silly aren't they?

Good Buddies

When you look at this picture....you have to wonder....who is the one being locked in or out? Our little friend Kai loves to come and visit. He is just not quite sure of the dogs yet. They are his size and he doesn't know if he likes that or not. The dogs, of course, love him.....he is the source of unknown human food. Which makes Kai their best friend :D

Bogs & Swamp Monsters

On Saturday we spent a lot of time in our yard thatching and updating our sprinkler system. It got a bit muddy at times.



But, not to worry we were having a great time. Enough fun that a swamp monster was created. Seriously....Yard work doesn't have to always be hard :D

Flaws

I have been struggling recently with a flaw that has been driving me crazy. I am a gossiper. I HATE it. Yet, I cannot seem to stop. Why is that? Why is it so hard to stop doing something that you cannot stand and that you recognize immediately? It is a very difficult struggle....and now that I recognize it maybe it will be easier to battle. Until I conquer my flaw.....I apologize if I have offended anyone....Just know that I am working on it :D

Agates?

One of my favorite sites to go to is Weather Underground. I love weather (I should have studied it for a career I like it so much) But, I also love the pictures that people post from all over the world.

This one is Fort Bragg, California. It is a beach that used to be a dump site. All the 'Agates' you see are what the sea does to garbage. I think it is lovely....but, that is a horrible way to make beauty :D I would love to go there and walk the beach. On one of our trips to California maybe I might :D

New Project

We went to a little antique store in Silverton today....They had these adorable bird house condos. They were like 6' tall. I wanted to buy them on the spot. They were only $30-50. Dan decided that he will make them for us. I'm really excited now....I think I'm becoming a bird lady :D

Spoiled Rotten

My husband is so wonderful. He makes sure I have everything I need. And always makes sure I have good fruits and vegetables. Today I asked for a snack and he brought me a bowl of oranges.....Bless that man.....



If you look closely you can see the 'M' on the "oranges". I'm so glad Dan knows how to take care of me :D

Meteor Showers

We went camping this last weekend mainly to look at the meteor shower that was going on. I have to say....as much as I hated the lake in the middle of the day....it was so peaceful at night looking at the stars. My Dad was there and he was showing us all kinds of cool constellations and everything. It was really cool. We went out two nights in a row and were out there for an hour or so. We could even see the milky way. Sometimes I wonder why I chose to live in the city. For those of you who have not experienced the stars in the country....hundreds of miles from a big city....you must do it. I cannot wait to do it again.

Hot days

I really hate all of this sun we are having. The only time I go outside is twilight. I guess that is ok because it is my favorite time of day....but enough already!!! I am so ready for a wind and rain storm. Bring on the lightning and thunder too. I would go out and enjoy the outdoors then. I'm beginning to think of retirement age and where I will go when it is this hot. Right now I'm thinking ANTARCTICA!!!!

Weekend fun

What a great weekend to go camping. Except for the fact that it was MEGA hot. Luckily we were in a very shaded campsite. (And close to the water)

I say water....but that only includes the lake....NO SHOWERS....NO FLUSHING TOILETS!!! Which means very dirty people.



Three days of stubble



I love how good it feels to take a shower at the end of a very dirty weekend. I love to camp....but nothing beats the comforts of home.

And the kitchen was a HUGE bonus. I loved having all the space on the table. I recommend the kitchen to all campers :D

Some people are freaks

Seen in a dachshund puppy magazine:



It reads: (The self-styled world capital of Dachshundom is Gergweis, Bavaria. It once laid claim to having twice as many dachshunds as people! While this is no longer true, Gerweissians make the most out of the tourist trade by renting Dachshunds to tourists by the hour.)

Dachshund owners can be a little weird. Is it sad that I actually thought of taking us and the dogs there to go on vacation? I love my dogs a little too much :D

Todays Harvest

I love this time of the year. Especially when I can pull this much fruit off the vine in one day. Eventually I will get sick of the sun gold tomatoes and want to share with friends.....but I'm not there yet. Sorry :D

Is it still Camping?

I am one of those people who get super sensitive when it comes to camping. RVs...totally NOT camping. But, most people still throw it into the same category. It really drives me crazy.....a 'heebee geebee' pet peeve :D

On the other hand....I am all for comforts. Especially when it comes to getting old and using back problems as an excuse. :D (RVs are still NOT in for me) But, I find myself enjoying the comforts of an air mattress. And....this new toy.....



Is it still camping with these type of comforts? I'll have to ponder on that. I'll let you know after the weekend.

Peaches

We picked close to 40 peaches off our poor little peach tree this year. I cannot believe how many there used to be. We must have weened off a good 40 more earlier this year just to make sure these grew big and strong. I am so proud of the production of this little tree. I wonder what it will be like when it is 20 years old? I'm so excited!!!

Growing fever

While on my birdhouse spree....I found an adorable greenhouse and decided that it was just the right size to try out my green thumb. I've never actually used a greenhouse so I wanted to start small.

It proved a tough thing to get the birdhouses, the greenhouse, Chelsea, Dan and I in the car. (Plus Chelsea bought a climbing rose bush) We were having too much fun and forgot that we were in a sedan.



When we got out to the car we realized how unprepared we were....without a screwdriver. Chelsea pulled a Popsicle stick out of her purse and away we went. Dan used his keys. All in all....I think we did pretty good.

I'm ready to start growing :D

Birdland

I don't go shopping very often. Mostly, because.....well....I just don't like to. And secondly, because I spend too much money. This is a great example of my shopping sprees. Especially when I find sales. (Buy one get one free)

I have always wanted a bird town. Now.....I have one. I just have to figure out where to break ground :D

WEIGHT OF THE WORLD

oy vey!!! The burdens we bear seem light compared to this! This poor little peach tree is usually as tall as the tree behind it. It's sad that we are so excited that it's burdened so. The only thing weighing on my mind right now is which cobbler recipe to use.

Tigridia

We have a new flower in our yard. It is so beautiful.....BUT.....it only blooms for one day. I'm glad we weren't gone on that day :D

Living Basil

We have been trying a lot of new recipes this year. (Blog to follow) And have found that we use a lot of Basil, Mint, Cilantro and Parsley. Yesterday while shopping for more of these items....we stumbled across this :



Living Basil. It is the coolest. You bring it home....put it in one inch of water and it keeps growing. Like having a plant in your yard....but living in a vase in your kitchen. It is so great. I cannot wait to find more.......

Dad's Relay

I love that my dad is so athletic. We have been able to go to a few of his races and we love it. This race brought him within a mile of our home.



The relay was from Gresham to Eugene. They separate the running times to be about 5-7 miles each. And some of them run two or three legs. One of his legs turned out to be at 2am. He said he loved it because it was so beautiful and quiet and peaceful. There was even an eclipse of the moon that he got to enjoy during his run.



I am so proud of my dad. He always strives to be better than he is. Better educated, more fit and healthy. He has taught me so much over the years about how to better take care of myself. He doesn't seem to let anything get him down. Retiring to him was to stop doing what he was doing for 30 years and do what he has always wanted to do.....Teach science. He is always on the move. I hope that I can be just like him some day. :D



(Just a side note: The guy he is passing off to....His name is Ernie...My dad's name is Burt. I thought that was pretty funny :)

The King and I

We have a wonderful friend who is a professional performer. She invites us to all her shows. This one she played "I" (Anna). I love watching these productions. I cannot believe how much talent we have locally. We always have a blast. Especially because we go out to ice cream after the show with her and her husband. But really....that is not the highlight (completely). :D I cannot wait for the next one!!

Part Time Single Mom

With all of the advertising and promo things Dan has been getting for bio-pest....they always send him fun stuff in the mail.

The other day....he got a boomerang. It was pretty cool. It said "come back to us, we miss your business". I thought it was pretty clever. Until I found it in one of my plants in the living room. Apparently, Dan was trying to figure out which room was big enough to throw it so it would come back. He was giggling like a little boy.

I love my husband. He reverts back to a little boy at times. I think it is the most adorable and funny thing to watch. I could say at times like that that I am happy to be a single mom. Because he makes me smile often :D

If you are offended......DON"T READ!!!

I got a comment from one of the foster parents of a specific child that use to live in our home. I guess she was offended that we had written anything about that child. Supposedly it offended the child too. (remember that next time you post about your children)They thought that my comments were not christian like.

Here is the deal. Don't read my blog if you get offended easily by being loved. If I praise you too much....or if I think you are everything to me.

I think that is pretty simple.

Better yet....Just don't read my blog if you don't even know me or have anything to do with me. There would be no other reason for you to have an interest in anything I have to say. It will save you a lot of misunderstandings.

Days of Summer

Yesterday was such a warm muggy day that we decided to go swimming. BAD IDEA!! The dome on top of the pool is working so well (heat wise) the pool was a balmy 95 degrees. Although that would be a great temp in the winter to swim in.....it is not great to swim in to cool off. I had a difficult time breathing the air. It was like a hot bath.

This sounds like a complaint. It is so NOT. It was wonderful to swim. I love spending time at home....in our yard....just the two of us. I look forward to this summer and many more days like yesterday :D

Goliath

How can I not love this little thing? No joke...this is my favorite little kitten. I cannot get enough of him. And he is so soft I cannot tell that I am even touching him. He is the most gentle of all the kittens and seeks me out all the time. He just wants to be held. He is purr-fectly content. And his blue eyes pierce right through me. He will be the hardest to see go. I fell in love with him from day 1....and probably is the reason I am keeping the kittens until they are 12 weeks. I will keep them as long as I can.

No, really.....I am looking for homes for them. I just don't want to :D

Mamas

This cat is the most perfect cat I have ever met. She is sweet and lovable. She is 100% jealous of the love and attention the kittens get. She will make sure we make time for her too. Or she will tell you all about it. We have conversations all the time. Sometimes I almost think she understands me :D

Pretty

This little girl is a sweet little princess (When she is sleeping) Don't let her size fool you....she is a spit fire. And yet incredibly sweet at the same time. You just want to pick her up and protect her....but, believe me, she can hold her own.