Paper Purging

I got the cutest help with my piles!

In October, I took on the commitment to get clear about our finances and get everything in order.  Because after 17 years we hadn't exactly figured this out for ourselves, I hired a GREAT finance coach to help me find our way.  Though I have been following Mikelann Valterra's blog for over a year, it took a friend

wondering if working with a coach might help me in my quest to prompt me to call and set up an appointment.  Step by step, her knowledge and experience is moving us towards the understanding we want and need.

Last week, the exhilarating by-product of seeing where we are at included paperwork purging.  I threw out 5 large bins of paper.  We're now down to one file drawer, all our past taxes info in one place with a tidy folder waiting for Bill and me to take a first stab at this year's taxes. My favorite part? the complete elimination of paper avalanche potential!

Here is the article Mikelann shared with me about what to keep and what/when to dump that started the cleaning frenzy.  Maybe you'll find it inspiring, too.

I'm Elmo and I Know It

In our early dating, one of the shared interests Bill and I discovered is our tendency to take songs and create our own words for them.  This has become a family past time, and youtube is full of inspiration.

My favorite right now is a take-off on "I'm sexy and I know it."  Check out Elmo!

In LOVE!

Theo and I are in love with a new potential pet - miniature pigs!

Pocket pigs weight about 30 pounds, get to be about 12-16 inches tall, and are extremely clean and intelligent.  They live 15-20 years

Here is possibly the cutest little piggie video ever.  Meet Hamlet!

I haven't posted any cute animal videos in a while...

Forwarded from my dad, who always loves a good chuckle.  I'm thinking if we show the video to Mason enough, he'll figure out this stunt.
Silly, cute, chilly Labrador


From Mark's Daily Apple
Trying To Find What I'm Looking for in the Chest Freezer
The kids kept asking, is someone going to help him out of there.  And I kept replying, no they are too busy laughing and taking a video.

New bird: Varied Thrush

This morning while standing on the porch talking to a contractor, I spied a new-to-me-bird!  We saw lots of new birds in Ecuador, but I thought for sure I'd noticed and figured out all the names for the birds I see in Seattle.

It sort of looked like a robin-size wren with dark brown and clear yellow markings.  As soon as I'd finished my (now distracted) conversation with the contractor, I zipped inside to get my National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America.  Weirdly, it opened right to a picture of the bird in question - the varied thrush, the female.  It is hard to tell from the tiny map, but apparently Seattle is part of either it's year round habitat or its winter range. 

I don't know how I've managed 20 years in Seattle without seeing this beauty, but what a fun thrill to spot a new bird in my own yard. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a fabulous site about birds with great pictures, information and recordings of their sounds.  You can check out my new Thrush friend there.

Fancy dinner

I don't know where the child learns this stuff, but on a whim last night Theo set a very formal dinner table including 2 forks, 2 spoons and 2 knives.  I felt obliged to meet the level of fancy, so I quickly  ended up putting together a very simple 4 course meal.  The kids were delighted with the pause while I served up the next course rather than just having everything put out on the table at once.

Here was our "fancy" menu:
Salad course - tomato, cucumber, pesto salad and Indian veggie pakora
Soup course - chicken consumme with rendered duck fat
Main course - BBQ chicken on cauli-rice with delicata squash accompanied by lots of butter
Dessert course - paleo chocolate chip cookies and a cup of hot tea

Made me miss my favorite tasting menu at Rover's in Madison Park.  I think the last time I was there I was vegetarian, which just goes to show how long it has been.  I wonder if they have a paleo option.  Mmmmmm.

On Being Used Up

I've been inspired by this quote over the past few months.  It reminds me to keep focused on who I want to be, not the many tiny details that aren't working out the way I want them to in this moment.

There is the true joy of life: to be used by a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; to be thoroughly worn out before being thrown on the scrap heap; to be a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that life will not devote itself to making you happy.
            George Bernard Shaw

Rosie's in a music video!!

Check out how cute she is!  Our family is so proud to get to contribute to this video for an issue so close to our hearts.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' Same Love

Theo's Thumbs Up Booklist: 2011-12

Theo has read 220 library books this year!  This of course doesn't include any re-reads of books in the house, comic books or anything his dad has passed to him from the large stack of review books that arrive daily on our front porch.

People often ask what Theo likes to read, so here is a list of his thumbs up from this academic year for your browsing pleasure. You'll notice we were in the Ancient History cycle this year.

As usual, I'm desperately trying to keep him in books, so if anything you see here reminds you of something he might like, drop me a line.  You'll have my undying gratitude!

Still More Stories to Solve  by Shannon
Castle in the Air by Jones
Throne of Fire by Riordan
Lord Sunday by Nix
Tortoise and the Hare (Music CD) by Simon
Hoot by Hiaasen
The Kingfisher Soccer Encyclopedia by Gifford
Maia of Thebes by Turner
Nicholas on Vacation by Goscinny
Ralph Masiello's Ancient Egypt Drawing Book by Giblin
Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile by Gregory
Egyptian Diary: Journal of Nakhat by Platt
Technology in the time of Ancient Egypt by Crosher
Pharaohs and Foot Soldiers by Butcher
Metropolis: Egyptian Town by Steedman
The Ancient Near East by Stefoff
The Ivory Throne of Persia by Coit
The Immortal Fire by Ursu
Olympians: Athena by O'Connor
Corydon & the Fall of atlantis by Druitt
Corydon & the Island of Monsters by Druitt
Corydon & the Siege of Troy by Druitt
Hello, My Name is Bob by Alsenas
Olympians: Zeus by O'Connor
The Shadow Thieves by Ursu
The Siren Song by Ursu
The Battle for Skandia by Flanagan
Olympians: Hera by O'Connor
The Siege of Macindaw by Flanagan
Stormbreaker by Horowitz
Treehouses You Can Actually Build by Stiles
The Glass Cat of Oz by Hulan
Mission: Spy Force Revealed by Abela
Sally and the Something by O'Connor
Uncle Bigfoot by O'Connor
Everything I Know About Cars by Lichtenheld
I Love You Because You're You by Baker
Oh My Gods! by Bryant
Journey into Mohawk Country by Bogaert
Stickman Odyssey by Ford
Children's Book of Mythical Beast and Magical Monsters by DK
Conquest! Can You Build a Roman City by Bruce
Galen: My Life in Imperial Rome by Moss
The Siege of Macindaw by Flanagan
The Sorcerer of the North by Flanagan
You Wouldn't Want to Be A..... by Stewart
...Roman Soldier
...Cleopatra
...Cursed by King Tut
...in the Forbidden City
...Live in Pompeii

Beautiful Modern Swan Dance - Charles "Lil Buck" Riley

*I* am in Vancouver all by myself!!!!  I can't remember the last time I actually took time just to myself.  Last night I had a lovely walk around this funny little neighborhood of Burnaby (it reminds me of Ballard 15 years ago before it got discovered, except with an international mix), ate some amazing pho and went to bed at 9:00.

The Neufeld Institute Conference is here this weekend.  I took the opportunity to come up a day early to rest and wade through my increasingly terrifying pile of things I've said I'd do that are not tracked or maintained in any way.  An hour reading through updates on Things software and refinements on their discussion boards of how to most effectively use the software, and I'm feeling a renewed sense of possibility and commitment.

Anyway, in the course of cleaning out things from my to-do email file, I came across this amazing dance clip forwarded by my housemate.  Hope you love it!

Laughed 'til I cried

Need a belly laugh today?

You HAVE to watch this video of David Hasselhoff doing "Hooked on a Feeling" - you know, the ooga-chukka song.

Bill says I'm obsessed, but it just hurts so good.



All props go to Jenn for forwarding this to me!

I am The Rooster

Cleaning off my desk today, I found a copy made out of a co-worker's Chinese Horoscope book about 15 years ago.  At the time I thought it a delightful description of myself and my goals.  Now I hope for more rest, peace and gentleness than it allows, though I suspect my family still easily recognizes me in its lines.

The Rooster
I am on hand
To herald in the day,
And to announce its exit.
I thrive by clockwork and precision.
In my unending quest for perfection
All things will be restored to their rightful place.
I am the exacting taskmaster.
The ever-watchful administrator.
I seek perfect order in my world.
I represent unfailing dedication.

I AM THE ROOSTER

Squash Happiness

Apparently I've been preoccupied over here seeing as how over a month has past since I last posted.  I think about posting almost everyday and have lots of pictures to share.  Just not much free time in which to post.

For the moment my recommendation of the day: both buttercup squash and blue ballet squash are really yummy!  Baked and served with butter or pureed into a warming breakfast soup.

Happy fall to you all.

Shampoo Bar?

Apparently I was in a total stupor when I wrote this post and my brain mixed Lush, the maker of the lovely shampoo bars and amazing bath bombs, and Kiehl's, another of my cosmetic-maker crushes into one happy store.

Sooo, edited for accuracy (million thanks to Erin):

Rosie and I wandered into Lush a while back, trying to escape the rain downtown.  We sniffed bath bombs, admired sparkly lotion and one of the employees indulged us to a hand treatment.

Somehow the bright 20 something also talked me into buying soap and conditioner bars. The amazing jasmine smell of the shampoo bar lured me into saying yes. Still,  I came home thinking, weird.

Now I'm in love with my shampoo and conditioner bars.  They're easy to use - 5 strokes in my hair with the shampoo bar and I'm all suds.  Conditioner bar takes about 8 strokes, still efficient and very effective.  The employee had said the bar would last longer than a medium bottle of shampoo.  Beyond skeptical I just nodded, but it turns out she's right, the bar lasts a long time. And super bonus, they are so easy to travel with.  Pop them in the little tin, drop them in my bag and off I go.  No issues with how many ounces of liquid they are or concerns that the pressure of travel will cause leaking.

The shampoo bar is gentle and it doesn't seem to strip my hair.  It feels as good as Dr. Bronner's soap on my hair without all the mess and crazy messaging. Check out the bar, you might become a convert, too.  Also, grab a few of the amazing bath bombs while you're at it.


From the other part of my cosmetic-crush brain:
I've been a fan of Kiehl's products for a long time.  I'm not sure they're super natural, but they smell and feel better on my skin than most beauty products. Their lip gloss tops my list, you'll probably love it, too.

Camping Taste Test: Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips

Part of the fun of camping with the homeschool group is the various activities that go on over the 4 days.  Our family loves taste tests, and this year Theo and I decided his favorite potato chips should be verified.

We bought 4 brands of salt and vinegar chips: Lays, Kettle, Tim's and Trader Joe's with a bag of corn chips as palate cleaners.  After a shark frenzy of little kids tasting, their associated adults and a stealth batch of teens, we recorded 25 tasters, though I'm sure we had more.

Here's how the numbers broke out:
Lays - 5
Kettle - 16
Tim's - 2
Trader Joes - 0
Corn chips - 2

Obviously Kettle stomped out the competition.

Interestingly, all of the Lays votes came from people under the age of 8.  The Tim's were for the most part rejected as too sweet (and were the only brand including sugar as an ingredient).   Somehow, TJ's just plain missed the boat - too crunchy, too bitter, too vinegary.  Both corn chip votes came from kids under 5.

Outside is Good

Summer seems to have finally arrived in Seattle.  While the rain has been trying for my soul, the newly installed garden has greatly appreciated the many deep soakings. Probably our water bill has, too.

The updated yard includes four generous planting boxes for my baby-step square foot approach to growing veggies. With 44 designated square feet, I'm awash in 44 yummy options. And that's in addition to all the edible bushes filling our plantable spaces.

When we bought this house our 7200 square foot property came split into various smaller "regions." The backyard came as a lush green lawn surrounded by tall cedar fencing -great for privacy.  Then there was a tiny front yard split by tall fencing from a good sized but non-visible and much-neglected hilly side yard.  Along the street, on the other side of both the driveway and the tall backyard fence someone built a fairly large terraced area that is invisible from all other parts of our house and yard. We call it the Back 40.

The front and side yards recently merged and terraced to create a space that our family spends a huge amount of time enjoying.  I drink my morning tea out there before the rest of the family wakes.  The kids play and jump in the trampoline by the hour.  We all spend time picking berries and fussing over the veggie boxes. Bill hangs out in the sitting area practicing guitar.  The dog lolls around near everyone, keeping careful watch over birds and passers-by.

For some reason, during the planning process, Bill and I (well mostly me) figured we wouldn't need help with the Back 40.  I had plans to recruit a neighbor to garden the space.  Well, for the 2nd year in a row the garden-share plans fell through.  So while our front/side yard is delicious, gorgeous and well used, the Back 40 sports a gigantic weed pit.  Mostly I'm distressed by the horror of it, but Rosie as an 8 year old doesn't see weeds, she sees flowers.  This week it became our bouquet picking area.

I'm grateful summer is really here.  I'm grateful to have an outside space that works so well for our family.  I'm grateful to have such lovely kids who remind me to relax and find the joy in life.

Gosh, I hope the weather holds!

15 Years Coming Up

In a month, Bill and I will have been married for 15 years.  Woof. That's a lotta years.

For anniversary sport, we usually at least try to make a nod to the Traditional/Modern Anniversary Gift Guide.  Sometimes it is a stretch.  In the past I've gotten Bill a subscription to the New York Times (paper), a Leatherman MultiTool (leather) and The American History Dictionary (ivory and gold - okay this was a big stretch, but the book cover IS ivory and gold colored and I knew he'd love it).

Sometimes it takes me months to figure out what to get my dearly beloved.  Apparently the 15th is crystal or glass/watches. For a man that likes pint glasses and has never worn a watch in the 16 years I've known him. Hmmmmm, I feel another stretch coming on.

Feel free to pip in with suggestions!

Cesar Dreams

Cesar Milan is coming to Seattle! You know, the Dog Whisperer. Whoooo hoooo!! He'll be here September 9th at the Paramount Theatre.

Knowing Cesar is coming sent me into a little frenzy of day dreams about what I'd do if I could be one of the lucky people who works with him in person. In the incredible event that Cesar and I were in the same space, I'd ask him to help me with my anxiety about having my perfectly friendly and well-behaved dog around other dogs.

Were I just to be able to ask him questions about how to handle issues, I have 3 that drive me crazy:
- how do I handle my dog's not appropriate to humans crotch-sniffing greeting?
- how do I get my tall 75 pound lab to stop stealing food off the counters?
- what do I do about territorial barking at the house windows and around the yard perimeter?

Morning Delight: Merganser

Usually I start my day out with a walk. Good for by body, good for the dog, good for allowing Bill and the kids to connect with each other.

For the past many months the 6am darkness keeps me in the neighborhood streets where the lights offer a sense of protection.  But in the past few weeks, the first rays of sunlight allow me to turn back down to walk the path along Lake Washington.

The beauty of the lake changes daily - today my little treat from its shores came in bird form.  I saw a common merganser which I've not seen in a long time.  Certainly a disappointing name for such a dramatic looking bird.  I love their straight, pointy lines and their bright clear markings.

Brene Brown on Vulnerability

I can't remember the last time I read a whole book to learn something - my life seems to be a series of video courses, TED talks and YouTube videos.

Yesterday, at the ale house, I watched this TED talk on vulnerability.  I've put it off for several weeks because the subject sounds so serious.  The speaker cracked me up, though, and more than once the people at the next table over stared at me because of my loud guffaws. The information she presented dovetails nicely with the attachment work I've been doing with the Neufeld work.

Check it out and let me know what you think - the talks are about 20 minutes long.