Boo's Halloween

Halloween has always been one of Peekaboo's favorite holidays. When she was little she would figure out her costume in August so I could start making it as soon as possible. She always knew exactly what she wanted. Our first Halloween with her she dressed up as a princess and John took her out trick or treating. They were gone about an hour. When they got back John laughingly told me that they'd only been to about 4 houses. Sarah would ring the doorbell, go through the whole trick or treat spiel and then proceed to ask if they had a dog or a cat, and then tell them that she has 2 dogs and a cat....etc, etc, etc... she charmed the part of the neighborhood she trick or treated in. Wow! We've come a long way. Now she still loves to get dressed up but it has to be not too dressed up, because that's not cool when you're 13! And, it's important to be cool! Tonight she's off to a halloween party dressed as a blue fairy, complete with black jeans and a blue t-shirt, and wings! Below are some of my favorite photos from this season! Happy Halloween!

easy baby page

Alright. So, I am going to try my first step by step instructions on how to do a cute, simple baby page in Heritage Makers in Basic. I'm using the collection 'Happy Little Bluebird'. The page I've created is very simple but can be dressed up by adding any kind of embellishment that you like. I wanted to teach the 'paste in place' method so that's why I chose this simple layout. You need to click on each photo to follow the step. Next time I 'll do it differently and have the steps below each picture. Guess the flu's really gotten the best of me. I'm not thinking super clearly.



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getting caught up

I'm finally catching up on my old scrapbooking. came across these cute pictures of family dinners in 2006. felt like sharing. I also finally took care of our family vacation to chehalis, Washington. DON'T WAIT THIS LONG TO SCRAPBOOK!!! YOU FORGET IMPORTANT STUFF!!!!!
T- document your big trip now before the details slip!

music of my life

Lately, I've been contemplating the effect of music on my life. Peekaboo has been experimenting with her music likes and dislikes and we've been having some of the stereotypical parent/teen interactions regarding her music choices. She thinks I just 'don't get it' and I get it and don't like it. I remember my early teen years and cringe. most of my music choices weren't too bad but I know that they were a surprise to my parents (sorry mom!) on a number of occasions. The main difference between me and my daughter is that I listened to my music mainly in my room whereas my daughter turns on the 'radio' while using my computer (the radio's on the internet) or changes the radio station in the car when I run into the store on a quick errand. So, it's not just about music choices it's a power clash over who chooses the music in our home. So, this has gotten me thinking about the power of good music in our home. When we listen to hymns we invite the spirit of God into our home, when we listen to 'classical' music we can increase the positive energy in our home or soothe our souls depending on the composition. Personal choices to have music lyrics of love and sweetness leave that love and sweetness behind, lyrics of empowerment empower and lyrics that degrade, degrade all who hear them and leave a slimy feeling behind. Personally I've always enjoyed music that has good harmony to it (Simon & Garfunkle ROCK!) or music with a positive and uplifting message to it. I decided to write a list with my 10 most influential songs in my life. It's an interesting list. I encourage you to do the same. It says a lot about us as individuals. Here's mine.

1) I am a child of God
2) Bridge over troubled water (Simon & Garfunkle)
3) My Father's eyes (Amy Grant)
4) Love, Me (Colin Ray)
5) From this moment (Shania Twain)
6) I love the way you love me (John Michael Montgomery)
7) It's my life (Bon Jovi)
8) Unanswered Prayers (Garth Brook)
9) The only Promise that remains (reba McIntyre)
10) Dream Big (Ryan Shuppe & the Rubber Band)

Haunted Forrest

We have this really cool 'haunted forrest' near us where the teens like to go every year. Boo went last year and loved it so this year she instigated putting together a group of friends to go together. They had a really good time and combated fear with silliness by flashing the camera at things that frightened them. they had a great time!

Peekaboo in Excellence

Tonight was Peek's YW in Excellence. A night to celebrate the YW in our church and the achievements they've made in the past year. The theme for tonight was 'the Academy Awards' AKA 'The Excellence Awards' and they were all asked to dress like movie stars. Peek chose to concentrate on making her hair 'movie star perfect'. She took a couple of these orchids out of one of her flower arrangments and created a 1940's style iconic do. I think it turned out pretty cute. To complete the look she wore her new blue and white dress that she adores and borrowed some of my pearl earrings. At the 'Excellence Awards' she won an award for 'best musician' for all of her piano compositions and even performed one of her compositions for everyone. i thought she should have also gotten an award for best hair and make-up!! Twas a fun evening for everyone!

transitions

I was walking on the college track today wondering at our funky Oregon weather. This morning when I needed to drive a long distance to another town it was pouring down rain, with lightning and thunder....but, several hours later on the track it was gorgeous, mild temperatures blue sky, no wind. I celebrate that unpredictability. i think it's beautiful!!

I love this time of year. I love how the weather is so unpredictable. I love the leaves changing on the trees and the evergreens that stay stately and green. I love having a fire to warm our house (even as I hate maintaining said fire!:( )I love planting my bulbs (I moved about 200-300 daffodils last weekend, along with assundry day lily's) and planning my spring planting. I love getting up early in the morning and having it cold enough to wear gloves and a hat. I love the brisk cool air filling my lungs and waking me up early in the morning.

abi & cedes!

Abi and Cedes came to stay overnight from Saturday to Sunday. I've missed them. Haven't really seen them since the family reunion. They were so cute and goofy. They're growing up so much. Their personalities and confidence are even more defined. Abi is 9! She's such a ham! She invented a whole separate personality for herself called Bob Willoughby Fletcher. He spoke with a southern accent and he was wacky! Cedes demands attention when she walks in the room and if she doesn't get it she sulks, a lot. Fortunately, I'm her aunt and she can sulk all she wants...I can spoil her! Cedes was very attached to Peekaboo...followed her around like she was a pet. She talked Boo into doing all kinds of things like painting her face with eye shadow or making a really foul smelling, tasting, concoction in my kitchen. Jr. set up archery in the backyard and they all participated until it got too cold (about 20 minutes...John just laughed). Finally, I was able to take pictures. We took a lot! At first they weren't co-operating so then I let them be the photographer if they were co-operative. All of them were able to be the photographer and some of the photos turned out remarkably darling!

almost forgot

almost forgot! I'm finally posting the pics of John's birthday(s).

a day in the gorge

WE badly needed a break, so this week John took a day off of work and we travled down the Columbia River Gorge. Sarah took her BFF Symphony Togafau with her and the girls giggled and goofed the whole day away. First we had to stop at the Million Dollar outhouse, more commonly known as the Vista house. It was under renovation again, I think it's always under renovation! We looked around, browsed the gift shop and got going to better things. WE stopped at Latourelle Falls. We only hiked to one of the falls because we forgot about the other. Latourelle Falls is very easy to get to so we were able to walk almost all of the way up to it and walk a bit behind it. It was a perfect day for this kind of trip because it was cool but not cold, the sun came out later in the day to make it gorgeous and....there was only a light breeze which for the gorge (known for it's high winds) is Blissful! From Latourelle we went to Bridal Veil. Bridal Veil takes a bit more effort to get to but we were delighted to see that the paths have been worked on with gravel and rock put down to make it not so slippery. Bridal Veil is viewed from a viewing platform but the girls decided to go climb a large rock that was lower down and closer to the falls. It was all so Beautiful1 Then, we went to Wahkeena, which is a hike up (oh, my aching calves!) but, well worth the 2/10 of a mile hike UP!
Then it was Multnomah falls with it's requisite TONS of visitors (we hadn't really run into many people at that point). We hiked up and squeezed our way onto the bridge....it was pretty and I was in awe of Multnomah falls but I could have done without the hundreds of looky-loos. Then it was onto Onionta Gorge where we were delighted to find one of the 'Old Scenic Highway' tunnels had been re-constructed. it doesn't have the same look as the original but since these tunnels were 'filled in' in the 50's it's exciting to see them coming back! The girls found it fun to 'climb' the side of the tunnel and stand on top. not the safest of practices... At last we decided to try to walk up Onionta Gorge and see if we could get to the falls. They're not easy to get to. We'd brought water shoes (since you have to wade through frigid water) but didn't take them out of the car. After walking a very short distance we quickly reached the log jam (it's been there a long time now...wonder why they don't move it!!) Climbing it we found ourselves faced with the first 'deep' water. Symphony volunteered to test out how deep it was (knee deep), and then she volunteered to go further up to see if it was passable at all. Coming back she had mixed results. John didn't think it was a good idea and neither did Sarah but Symphony and I wanted to try, so we did. The water came up above my knees and was FREEZING, but we made good time. But, then we came to a place where the water was more than knee deep and there was nowhere to go. Symphony tried climbing along the wall but I was too short and too round to grab anything where she did. I had to give up. it was disappointing because I could see the spray from the waterfall and hear it but couldn't even photograph it without standing in frozen 4+ feet of water! Going back over the log jam I took a tumble and cut my leg but I felt fine. Symphony dropped into 3 feet of water or so and Symphony's pants ripped I was soaked from my bottom down. It was quite an adventure. We decided to skip horsetail falls because we were starving. We went to a little mom and pop place in Cascade Locks and we enjoyed our food and then we crossed the bridge of the Gods to go to Washington. There we finished our adventure by hiking up Beacon rock wich is only 1.8 miles round trip but feels like 5. The girls opted to stay at the bottom but John and I enjoyed the view from the top. It was a Good Day!!

Gorge-ous!

John took me and Sarah and her friend Symphony to the Colombia River Gorge for a day trip yesterday. It was wonderful. I'll write more about it later, but I wanted to show off my pictures!!

a box full of memories

Over the last few weeks I have been slowly sifting through albums and boxes full of dirty old loose photos. These are all old Andrew family photos. it started out as a desire to create a storybook about John's Uncle Joe and his family who died in a plane crash in December of 1972 but their family pictures are scattered throughout many different albums in small quantities and odd locations. Since it was so difficult to figure out who was who and where they belonged I chose to scan all the photos I came across and so even with my wonderful Kodak scanner this has been quite an undertaking. It's been an emotional journey. Completely unique in my personal experience. I looked at these beautiful pictures, some of which date to the turn of the century, and feel curious as to who I'm looking at. What life they lived. I guess this is the spirit of Elijah, turning the 'hearts of the children to their fathers'. I am saddned, though, because many of these pictures haven't had any captions or information such as dates or names attached to them, and John and JoAnne (John's parent's) aren't able to identify them. We're the end of the line here. If we don't identify as much as we can, when John and JoAnne go there will be no one left to identify these people. It's also heartbreaking looking at the photos of John's Uncle Joe, Aunt Roseanna, cousins JoJo, Karen and Timothy and seeing their lives just, stop.... they only got so old, there is nothing else. I feel peace in knowing that life continues after death and that there is a God in Heaven who loves us, but it still hurts the heart to see those young, innocent faces.


JoJo & J.R.


John, JR (my John), Uncle Joe & JoJo (Joseph Jr.)

gratitude

A new friend wrote a darling list about 5 things she's grateful for. I found the list very touching and thought that I would like to immitate her and write my 5 things I'm grateful for.

1) I am grateful that my baby brother his home from his mission in Brazil. I'm glad he went. I'm glad he was safe. I'm glad he's home. I felt such pride in him, watching him grow up and move on and doing something he was so excited and prepared to do. I'm grateful to him and his service.

2) I'm grateful for autumn. Wendesday was our first really 'chilly' day here in Oregon. While I walked with my friend Melissa in the morning we had our breath puffing out in the air and it was invigorating, energizing. I love wearing sweaters and hats and gloves and those are all fall clothes. I loved starting the very first fire of the season in our fireplace and having it snap and crackle while Sarah and I worked on her schooling.

3) I'm grateful for support. I have a tremendously supportive husband who always encourages me to reach for my dreams and stretch myself. He's been so supportive this past year as I've started my new business with Heritage Makers and he's been supportive of me when my back has made life so tough. I'm grateful for my friend Melissa who got me walking every morning to deal with my painful back. With her friendship and encouragement I am now pain free and loosing weight and feeling great! I'm grateful to my Sister Christy who is my best cheerleader. She believes in me more than I believe in me and that means so much! I'm grateful to my cousin Tara, who challenges me every day to stay on track and loose this weight that weighs me down. I'm grateful to my new friend Yolanda who is stepping up to be a partner to me to help me jump start my business. It's amazing to me how if you just ask for help so many people are willing to be there for you.

4) I'm grateful for this new charter school that I've started Sarah on. Deciding to home school her was a hard decision and it's been a challenging 5 years. I know it was the right decision but finding this online academy and getting her going has taken so much weight off my shoulders. I get so much more done during the day than I have in years and I'm not nearly as stressed. Plus, it's opened up time for me to now focus on my buisness.

5) I'm grateful for my marriage to John. This November we will have been married for 16 years. It's not a fairy tale and it's not always romantic but ours is a marriage of friends and we have such a good life together. The day John walked into my life, every thing changed. I know that God wanted us together, that it was a purposeful matchup. In John I have my best friend. I have someone who always tells me to try to do whatever I want. Who listens to my crazy ideas and thinks that all of my creative mess is cute. I love him.