~ ending the lameness

SO. I have decided to stop being lame and start being awesome, which means I will start posting again. I got all deep and cosmic and stuff and who the hell wants to read that crap? And then I got depressed, and NO ONE wants to read about that crap. 

I may or may not still post the 2011 year-end recap in two separate posts:

~  a happy summarization with photos/links to prior posts

~  a dramatic "oh my gosh I learned such huge life lessons this year" post. 

I guess since this is here for posterity and for me to look back on to see what a wanker I was, I should probably do both. Maybe I should attach a warning at the top of the second one: 

"WARNING! Overly dramatic/self-aggrandizing/indulgent post about a bunch of crap and people you don't know!" 

That way I've covered all my bases, right? 

1.8.2012 ~ needed: less thinking, more writing

No better way to start out the new year than with a little procrastination, right? :) There's also nothing like evaluating the past year to make you really reflect and ponder and think... and think some more... and re-evaluate, and meditate and ponder some more. I've learned not to write until I'm ready, so for now... you'll have to wait.

12.15.2011 ~ Merry Christmas! [post coming soon]

... to be finished when this tired elf gets some rest today! 

12.5.2011 ~ public service announcement

Public service announcement: 

DirecTV channel 839 (Flashback) will help you clean house like nobody's business. 

You will dance around all day and your clean windows will still have streaks and no one will be able to tell you cleaned all day because all you cleaned were windows and walls and baseboard trims and closets and drawers and desks and did laundry. 

BUT-- it will make you forget everything else. Including much needed and longed for massage therapy appointments. Don't be like me. 

11.12.2011 ~ eleven... and eternity

How did this happen?

Eleven years ago, after not-so-gracefully enduring almost seven years of infertility, the joys (not) of going through in vitro, and suffering through the regular effects of pregnancy -- exacerbated by the sweltering Houston heat, two jumping beans taking up the space one normally does, almost-suicide-inducing hives for the last three months, and an epidural that failed during my c-section (yeah, really)...

I got to meet these little dudes.

Totally worth it all. 

After the boys fumbled the delivery of the party invitations the first time around, we almost didn't have a party. We gave it another go, the boys hand-delivered the invitations... and I'm glad. 

I've been having kind of a delayed reaction to the recent death of the infant daughter of a couple who we used to go to church with before they moved away. She was only a few weeks old... healthy... beautiful... and slipped away in her sleep. I grieved for them, but maybe because I wasn't particularly close to the parents I felt detached and didn't fully comprehend the loss right away. How can you, really? The parents can't even grasp the enormity of it all. The only comfort lies in knowing that they'll see their baby girl again someday; that the Atonement covers all sorrows and pain; that they will be together forever as a family. They, and we, have a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the promises of eternity beyond what this life holds.

These last couple of weeks in the midst of everyday hassles and drudgery and kid-induced exasperations, I've found myself more aware of my blessings, and seeing things I didn't see as blessings before. Grateful for dirty socks and dirty dishes... because if they didn't exist, neither would my kids and husband. 

So with a grateful heart I watched the chaos ensue and snapped photos with a smile.

Happy birthday, boys!

 decorations

 dog & cat food donations to the Humane Society instead of gifts

 and nine silly boys!

(Jonathan was my go-to guy, and Kizi and Diesel endured it with the help of some cake...) 

10.11.2011 ~ top 10 things about walking in the rain

After living in Oregon for all but 10 years of my life, I'm still learning things about living here!

1. Murphy's Law of the Pacific Northwest states that from October to June, it really does not matter when you time your walk or run, it WILL pour on you. And then promptly clear up as soon as you return home.

2. Snorkeling masks: not just for swimming!

3. If your dogs get thirsty on your walk or run, they can simply lick the water streaming off your other dog.

4. OtterBox waterproof cases: inspired by the Pacific Northwest!

5. Want to experience feeling like a duck? Wear your Vibrams on your walk or run!

6. If you cry because your IT band or knee is hurting, no one can tell!

7. If a migrating Canadian goose should poop on you, you won't even notice. AND, it'll be washed off by the time you get home!

8. Don't need to give any pesky baths to your dogs! Upon returning from your walk or run, simply put them in the spin cycle and presto! Clean dogs!

9. In the colder months, no need to bother with pesky ice packs on your sore IT band after your run-- the freezing rain will do it for you while you run!

10. When you walk into the house with your dripping wet dogs, simply let them run around the kitchen for a few minutes, then slide around on your socks after them! Presto, clean floors!

10.6.2011 ~ "I knew this day would come..."

I knew this day would come.

They started out so tiny and fluffy, with the sweetest little "peep-peeps". 

And then they grew up. And started hitting on their moms and aunties. I know the crowing will follow soon. Which means...

IT'S TIME.

When we embarked on this little science project, our whole family agreed that any *boys* would be destined for the dinner table. 

I thought being overrun by naughty, ornery little teenage roosters would make that an easy choice. 

Guess what-- it's not.

They're sweet. They eat out of our hands. They follow us around. They don't attack us. Some of them will still let us pick them up. They make the most endearing little adolescent clucks that are beginning to sound like the gentleman their father is. 

{insert whine: "This is haaaarddd!"}

I know it's real life. 

But it's also made me even more grateful for every life that is sacrificed so that we may thrive. I thought I already was. We eat meat sparingly, and with gratitude. But... do we really NEED to eat meat as often as we do? I know we've given these guys a great life, and they are healthy and happy. 

And those mass chicken farms are gross. 

But either way, it's a sobering thought that a creature is going to die so that we can eat it. I'm not a vegetarian, and I know eating meat sparingly is a good thing. But there's a different level of respect now, and a feeling of responsibility. It's easy to not think about it when it's a shrink-wrapped package at the grocery store. It's different when I'm looking it in the eyes as it strolls around my orchard.  

 

Here is Kiziah's pet, Annie.

We think the floppy tails are boys. There are at least six, and there are a few others who definitely have different tails than our original six girls, but I think it's just a different tail inherited from their dad 

(the gentlemanly "Joe Dirt II" who our friend Lisa let us borrow).

So sweet... such a bright, pretty color, richer than our pale girls.

Anyone want a free rooster? 

{sigh...}

8.15.2011 ~ our home is for sale!

http://westsalemhome.blogspot.com/

8.13.2011 ~ picking out a puppy!

It's been a long time since Jonathan's gotten to pick out a dog. We had our little beagle/cocker spaniel Nibley dog when we were newlyweds, who became my parents' farm dog when we had to move to Houston for four years of apartment-dwelling residency. After we moved to Oregon I picked out our black Lab puppy Sadie, who died only two years later in a tragic freak accident involving a neighbor's car. Our Border Collie/McNab dog Gracie was given to us when she was several months old by a family friend who had received her as a gift from the breeder but couldn't keep her. For the past year or so we've had my mom's beagle/bassett hound Bailey, and it's been nice to have two dogs. But the reason we got Bailey was that he is a certified chicken killer, and at the time Mom/Grandma had chickens. Her chickens are now gone... and WE have chickens. We already have one chick we call "NoTail" because it snuck through the fence one day and Bailey cornered it... and Jonathan called him off just in time. 

SO... I informed Jonathan that Mom would be able to take Bailey back at any time (and how happy Bailey will be to once again be a bed-snuggler!) and then sat back and waited for that to sink in. He had a busy week, and then while we were hanging out on Friday night I asked him a few questions about what kind of dog he thought he might like. I opened the Oregonian online dog classified ads, browsed for a minute, and then shut the laptop and fell into bed. The next morning Jonathan was super excited... he had opened up the page I was on and had stayed up for quite a while researching breeds. After some animated discussion, web surfing, and two phone calls, we changed our plans for the day and happily set off for the two hour drive to Clatskanie to see the English Springer Spaniel puppies that he had decided on.

Oh. my. goodness. 

Gracious!!

RAWRRR!!!

"I want this one." 

Baby mama. Sweet, sweet girl.

Baby girl kept trying to snuggle under my legs in the shade.

Baby daddy. Sweet, sweet boy.

Such a sweet girl! 

("Are you sure we can't take her home NOW?")

Does he look happy or what?? I haven't seen him this excited since... since... I can't remember when. He is positively giddy! I am super excited too, but the best part is seeing him SO over the moon for this puppy. :)

 Can you believe all this cuteness?? We have to wait TWO WHOLE WEEKS before she is old enough to leave mama... so we'll be bringing her home on Friday, August 26th. Jonathan wants to give her an English name since she is an English Springer Spaniel, and was trying to think of something from Pride and Prejudice since we like that movie so much (yes, I know I'm outing him, haha) and I suggested "Bingley." That was before he decided on the little girl puppy, so we are trying to decide if that name will still work. Maybe Janie? As in Jane Bingley? Since she is sweet, kind, beautiful and friendly...? :) 

Jonathan put a little purple collar on her before we left. She was all tuckered out. It is cracking me up to watch him be so twitterpated over this darling little puppy. We all can hardly wait to have her join our family!! 

8.13.2011 ~ North 101 beach trip

After we picked out Jonathan's puppy (see previous post) near Clatskanie, we headed over to Seaside and then down to Cannon Beach. It was an impromptu trip to begin with, so we didn't have any big goals, just go have fun before we ran out of time and daylight. 

Which we did.

At the Astoria Column. We found out AFTERwards that you can buy little balsa wood airplanes at the giftshop and fly them from top. DANG IT!!

It seems like a crazy endeavor, but in elementary school I went on an overnight school field trip (I think with grades 5 & 6) to Astoria. We slept overnight in another school's gym, went to Fort Stevens, and climbed the Astoria Column. Doesn't that seem totally nuts to have a bunch of kids sleep overnight in a gym? I don't remember much, but I'm pretty sure I had fun then too... 

I was very brave and went to the top.

This is me saying "EEEEEE! I'm totally fine. Really!"

gorgeous views

at the beach in Seaside

I'd like to match Gracie up with a greyhound some day... she is stinking FAST.

And for you Pioneer Woman fans... I think of her Charlie (and now her new Walter) when I see our Bailey's ears go nuts... and they ALWAYS go nuts at the beach.

The ever lovely Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

Dinner photo by Kiziah at The Local Grill & Scoop in Cannon Beach.