My Favorite Things....

Amongst the Christmas traditions, celebrations, decorations and blessings, is the gift giving. I love giving gifts almost more than receiving. Especially when I find that "just right" gift for family or friends.

As always, I received wonderful gifts of all types from wonderful family and friends. I especially, want to share these two special gifts my sisters made for me.

This year, my sisters and I decided on a Make or Bake Gift Giving for each other and spouses. Keeping pressure off trying to find the perfect store gift, while making the gifts from the hands and heart. The pressure of perfection was still there but, in the long run, we all enjoyed the journey. (the photos do not do them justice.)

Sheri made this Gingerbread heart and decorated it also. It is about a foot long...so beautiful. She also made Gingerbread men and snowmen for the boys.

Suzanne, made a memory book from the memorial service we had for our mother in 2007. The pages are filled with photos from years of vacations at the house on Prudence Island, plus all the beautiful poems, prayers and readings we shared that day.

Just Venting...

Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor dark of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

I am a little pissed at the local USPS. We have not received mail in a week. When I called today, instead of them apologizing for not delivering, they suggested we call the city and ask the roads be plowed. Which, as you know if you read my previous postings, will not happen since Forest Grove doesn't own a plow. I suggested they get some balls and do their job...just kidding, I didn't say that.

It is aggravating enough to have the buck passed but worse knowing the buck will stop at the city and the USPS knows that.

I did call the city on Wednesday. The city manager suggested the USPS get better trucks to handle inclement weather.

BOLDly...

BOLDly go where no woman has gone before....BOLD TAG.
Bold the things that you've done before.
1.Started your own blog
2.Slept under the stars
3.Played in a band
4.Visited Hawaii
5.Watched a meteor shower
7. Been to Disneyland
6.Given more than you can afford to charity
8.Climbed a mountain
9.Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14.Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18 Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20.Slept on an overnight train
21.Had a pillow fight
22.Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24.Built a snow fort
25.Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Copy and post on your blog for fun.

PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!

Another day, another few inches of snow and ice. For those of you who live or have lived in big snow states, you might think we are being a little silly, whining about 16+ inches of snow. So you understand the rarity of this amount of snow in a week, really a month, for Portland is a record! This is the most snowfall received in December since 1968. Yes, 40 years (easy math especially since I was born in 1968!). And, this is the 4Th largest amount of snow received during one storm in the Portland area on record. Also, it will take only a few more inches to beat the records...JUST IN...it has surpassed the 4th and is now the 3rd largest!
With that rarity comes lack of equipment and resources. ODOT has done a great job staying on top of the freeways since so much time is used on those roads, the side streets haven't been plowed. The City of Forest Grove does even own a plow!

Obviously, the surrounding peaks, which hold snow all year, are loving the great skiing and snowboarding conditions. The last report was a base depth of 61". The hard part is getting there. I had to cancel a check up for today. Luckily, I have a at home interrogator (so glad I ordered that this year). Although Wade made it to work...he lives for the thrill of the drive....me not so much.

Another upside, I mailed all my Christmas packages two weeks ago. Trucks are held up near along the Gorge since I-84 is closed, keeping a lot of food, mail, etc. from being delivered. I haven't left the neighborhood since last Thursday and that was the first time since the previous Saturday. I'm hoping to go food shopping tomorrow while the boys attend a birthday party across the street.

We do count our blessings. We have enjoyed playing in the snow and sledding. A lot of school buddies live within walking distance so the boys can have playdates. When there isn't a playdate, Chandler and Henry love playing together and get along 90% of the time. The shoveling and walking in the snow make for a good workout. We are blessed to still have power and heat. We were able to deliver donations for local, needy families last Thursday. Wade has made it to work and back home safely.

Saturday's Snowfall

Taken with my flip video camera...an anniversary gift, I'm finally fiddling with.

Remembering my mom....

Today, in memory of the two year passing of my mother, I've decided to share two of my Nativities from my collection.
I have a Nativity collection of around 20. They range in age from my grandmother's wax set which is at least 60 years old; the youngest the Holdaways brought me from Hawaii. I received my first one from my grandmother which she made about 22 years ago; my newest I just received from my sister, Sheri. They are made from many different materials and come in different settings, from ornaments (also from my sister) to snow globes (also from the Holdaways). I could go on since each one is special to me.

Today, I am showing the last two my mother and Ted gave me just a week before she passed on. We call them the largest and smallest.


The largest she loved to set out. It has beautiful detailing. Joseph stands about a foot tall.


The smallest, she had as long as I can remember. So small it can sit on a Susan B. Anthony dollar.

Three Week Holiday Break!

News

It is official, with the cancellation of school for Friday, the boys (and me) will enjoy a three week Christmas break!

Just make it five!

Today is day four of snow, ice and no school (or work for me). Honestly, I'm thinking they can just stay home tomorrow (if there is school) but then I have to work. Well, maybe a two hour delay (which means I don't go in) so then we all stay home. Really, do they expect kids to go in for one day then have two weeks off!

So you would think I finished a lot this week but not really. I am a little stir crazy...here's Johnny! Getting out to shovel or go sledding, although a good workout, isn't cutting it for me. I'm heading out in the car to run an errand. We have donations for a local family that should have been delivered via school on Tuesday. Wade put chains on the van so I should be good. Wish me luck!

I made it back! The worst part is driving off our hill. The snow and ice has sat there since Sunday. Today the temp raised to 35 degrees, so it all started to melt.

Old Blue Boy

This is a picture of Wade's "favorite" shirt. This shirt has a bleach stain on the shoulder. (Which I do not take responsibility for, even with my bleach history.)

Wade won't get rid of this shirt and he wears it a lot...more than he should and to many places he shouldn't. I'm not sure why he likes it so much other than he knows it bothers me for him to wear it.

I accept keeping old or worn shirts for "play" clothes. You can't paint or go fishing in a new shirt but he wears this shirt for other than just "play". I purchased new shirts to replace it, but it is still at the top of his list.

I am trying to keep the shirt from being worn without actually throwing it out. He has threaten me if I throw it out. I hide it in the back of the closet, the back of a drawer, and below unworn clothes. One time, it went about two weeks without coming out but then BAM! there it was!

The last time, it surprised me. Out of nowhere he was wearing it! I had to think why it appear so fast...oh yeah, Wade folded the laundry, so he put it away.

Not this time, he folded the laundry, but I slipped in and put everything away. See if you can find it this time!

First Snowfall of the Season

This morning we woke from knocking on the door and the kids yelling, "It's snowing! It's snowing!"

They were more excited than Christmas morning...almost!

We filled the morning with sledding, fort making, snowballs throwing and hot cocoa with Christmas cookies.

More to come as the day progresses.

The afternoon brought more snow fun. The street's kids (the usual suspects) and Matt joined in on the fun.

Watch out Kool-Aid Mom, here comes Cocoa Mom with Christmas cookies!

PS School is cancelled for tomorrow but the kids don't know yet!

Was it the AM/PM?

Yes!! I can't imagine why I didn't set my alarm clock properly. I actually had the alarm time correct but the time wrong. Really Michelle?! Luckily, I woke on my own with five minutes to spare until shower time (but I missed my workout time). Also lucky...we are having our weekly Out and About, so dress is casual.

Another year!

My five year battery has become a six year battery! Six years ago today I received my ICD at the amazing hands of Dr. Thomas Ross. I have actually missed seeing Dr. Ross every three months for my check-up. Sometimes the visit was quick and to the point, other times we reminisced about the odds of me still being alive.

I do become remorseful thinking about how busy life becomes and that I might not appreciate every moment as I expected I would back then. I know I am still here for a reason, one day I might actually realize that reason.

Update

I am so behind on this blog. I am going to blame my new job. Not lack of time management, I'm pretty good at that. Nor, lack of subjects to blog about, lots of those around here. It is the new 3 hour a day job I started last month!

Honestly, I don't know how working mothers to it all. As much as I support stay-at-home parents, I am more amazed by families where both parents work full time and manage all the other stuff. I'm not saying I took the easy road, staying at home is hard too, but I really didn't want to test being a working mom. On the flip side, I know working moms who can't imagine being at home all the time and making the financial sacrifice.

Anyway, that is not the topic of this posting. This is a get 'er done posting. Mostly to just get one back out there so I stop thinking about having to post. I am proud that I didn't let a week go without posting at Desert to Forest. I was behind on a daily basis but never let the week go without catching up.

We have enjoyed the beginning of our holiday season. I do love this time of year and even more with the cold weather. Grandpa was out for the Thanksgiving Holiday. It seemed like a good year for holiday travel, no big storms or delays. We also included friends from work who do not have family in town. Brad and Amber are expecting their first baby in February.

This week is full of Christmas festivities in town, including the light parade we watched last night. I have all my holiday shopping done, just need that last trip to the post office. Lastly our Christmas cards, we are still working on that picture.

So there is my update and posting to carry me to tomorrow. Hopefully, I can manage my time better in the future.