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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Lessons Learned in October

Happy Last Day of October! Most call it Halloween; I prefer "costume day" or "trick-or-treat day." As always, the month flew by and I'm catching my breath before a busy afternoon handing out candy to the children who visit Charlie Barnes to share 10 things I learned this month.

Do NOT leave a carved pumpkin on your porch step. Apparently it looked delicious to a 4-legged creature (deer?) and the next morning the face was missing! My hubby had worked so hard on it and I never even snapped a picture of the finished product. I did take a picture of the monogramed pumpkin he made for my nephew’s rehearsal dinner. Given that our name is CARVER, he has natural carving talent.

If you live at the end of the island buying candy is cheaper.
Halloween has changed at my house now that my kids are all in their twenties. A decade  ago I had four kids figuring out costumes, cookies to bake for class parties, candy to buy for the entire town (it seemed as if EVERYONE came trick-or-treating to our former neighborhood...we had policemen making rounds and at one point I counted over 700 kids coming to our door!) Now only one child and I need to dress up for work and I bought two bags of candy. I was smart and bought candy I don't like so I won't eat the leftovers~a tip I read on the Weight Watcher's website.

Weight Watchers requires math skills. Everyone who knows me, knows I hate math! (Except math skills taught to preschoolers, Kinders and 1st graders.) My man and I joined Weight Watchers online two weeks ago after returning from our Indiana trip. Keeping track of my allotted daily points requires some adding and subtracting~sometimes even problem solving. If I have a Margarita with my girlfriend does that mean I’ve blown my free points and it’s not even the weekend? I have developed a bit of self control and am learning to make healthier choices. I’ll let you know how I’m doing next month. 

I am officially kind of old. Case in point; several people I work with who are much younger than me had no idea what I was talking about when I said I was dressing up like "Calamity Jane". (Did they not, at least, watch Toy Story 2 and meet Woody's girlfriend? Oh, that came out in 1999...) Also, I am experiencing Personal Tropical Vacations without leaving the room so I'm often stripping off layers, I need that fan pointed at me every night and a tiny one to work, I'm forgetting simple things...what was I writing about?? Can anyone over 50 relate?...

I should have bought that Bissell Carpet Cleaner years ago. I can't count how many times my girlfriend Tonja loaned me her carpet cleaner (thank you again friend!!) She moved to Nevada and Sydney moved into our home. While Mommy was in Indy, Sydney "did her business" up in the Bonus Room again!! grrr! Thanks to the machine, everything is clean. Until last night. Somehow she got locked downstairs last night and I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to a bark and a "pile". Guess that machine will be getting another work-out... Speaking of poop, have you heard of the new product called Poopourii

According to last fall’s Redbook magazine dancing is reported to boost brain power and  lower dementia risk. Yay! Now I totally have an excuse for dancing and not caring if I look ridiculous. Wedding receptions are the perfect place to take advantage of good music playlists and time with my favorite dance partner. He even took me to Steel Creek in Tacoma since I love country music. If you see me dancing, you'll know I'm doing it for my future health.

Stitch Fix, the online personal styling service, is fun to try. At the beginning of the month a box arrived containing Kut jeans, a cute open cardigan, two dresses and a necklace. If I had kept all five items I would have received a 20% discount. I ended up just keeping a blue dress that I intended to wear at one of the Indiana weddings. It was super easy and free to ship back the items I didn’t keep. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about how Stitch Fix works and I’d love it if you’d use my referral number if you ever place an order:  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3186352         Thanks in advance!

Back then, I knew what I was talking about. My Indiana small group always brings up the fact that I let my kids eat cereal before bed. Guess what? It is a fact that cereal and milk makes you sleepy and it's even mentioned in a Mayo Clinic report!

A room full of babies in costumes is the cutest thing ever! I got to "crash" a Halloween party last weekend at my sweet boss's home and there were 23 babies in attendance, plus their Mommies and Daddies. Our town seems to be having a population explosion! 
Aren't they adorable? So here's a trick I learned~sing the ABC's if you want a bunch of babies to all sit still and look in the same directions. Little guy passed out on the couch was just too tired to participate. Sometimes we need to take naps~even during a party!

Even Christians can "celebrate" today~check out this poem:
Being a believer is like going from a pumpkin to a Jack 'o lantern: 
God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you may have gotten from the other pumpkins.
Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff.
He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc.
Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Whether you'll be handing out candy at your door, or taking little ones Trick-or Treating, have fun and be safe!

In His Grip, Jane


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Two Weddings and the Wicked Cough: Part Two

"A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." Mark 10:6-9

This is part two of my week in Indiana. The days were full and flew by and I survived on cough drops, tea with honey and Codeine cough syrup. I had dinners out, a lemon drop lunch with my oldest sister, shopping for rehearsal dinner decorations with my middle sister (the MOG-mother of groom), found great deals at a consignment shop where we took a big load of my Mom’s clothes, and I even wandered around the Fashion Mall for an hour all by myself. (Update: My steroids seem to be taming the wicked cough and thankfully my boss isn't planning on any drug testing!)

Each day I traveled from where we stayed to my Mom’s current home in about ten minutes zipping around Roundabouts in a very bright Kia Soul that we rented. How many Roundabouts are in Gig Harbor now, two or three? Well, in Carmel they are all over town!

I passed beautiful neighborhoods, the Monon Trail, two hospitals, shopping malls and churches. When I drive ten minutes from my home here on Fox Island I see a gas station, post office, two churches, at least 500 deer and one bridge repair but no stores, no schools and not a sidewalk or street lamp in sight. People in the suburbs of Indianapolis might have difficulty get accustomed to this lifestyle...

My sisters and I continued helping my Mom purge downsize her belongings since she's finally moving into a senior retirement center next month after waiting for years for it to be built. Lots of her friends will be there and she’ll even have a Pub downstairs~it sounds like some grandmas and granddads will be re-experiencing the college dorm lifestyle! It’s hard to take 80+ years of memories, treasures and stuff and shrink it down to what will fit into a one-bedroom tiny apartment. Going through that process has definitely made me want to organize, downsize, acquire less "stuff".  "Real life is not measured by how much we own..." Luke 12:13-21

Mid-week our small group got together again for a surprise birthday party. I loved how quickly we slid back into easy conversation and ended the night in prayer. My hubby and I have had the amazing blessing of belonging to small groups in Indiana, Illinois and here in Gig Harbor. We feel it's an essential part of our faith and marriage. Are you in a small group with friends who hold you accountable, encourage you, do life" with, and pray with?

The days were full and flew by and I survived on cough drops, tea with honey and Codeine cough syrup. I had dinners out, a lemon drop lunch with my oldest sister, shopping for rehearsal dinner decorations with my middle sister (the MOG-mother of groom), found great deals at a consignment shop where we took a big load of my Mom’s clothes, and I even wandered around the Fashion Mall for an hour all by myself. 

On our way downtown for the 2nd wedding, my hubby and I ate  at our favorite spot, Union Jack Pub~even better deep dish pizza than Chicago! Of course I spotted a sweet baby boutique right next door~I'm always on the lookout for new ideas we can use at Charlie Barnes Kids

My sister hosted the rehearsal dinner at Rock Bottom Brewery in the Billiard room. I totally recommend it for a venue. I was a private room with lots of space to visit. Even though I knew the tables where pool tables, guess who set her water glass “in the hole” and got drenched?!

My nephew was married at the downtown Sheraton and the reception room overlooked the city. The only thing missing from a very special night was that my four+ kids weren’t there~ way too expensive to fly my three youngest, and the Chicago-based couple couldn't get off work. Don’t you wish airlines gave family discounts for special occasions? 

My niece’s sweet daughter Story was the flower girl. ("Story" was my maiden name, love that!)


Once again it was hard to say goodbye to my Mom.  I only get to see her 2-3 times a year, plus knowing she’s moving made it extra hard... It took me awhile to adjust to not having my childhood home to go to, and now I won’t have her familiar small home either. Just like my kids, who have had to get used to home being where people you love live, I’m learning that too. 

Although I didn’t get to fly to Arizona this weekend, my college boy came home for his fall break, and  the weekend has been full and fun; dinner out, baby shower, going to our favorite Tacoma consignment shop Urban X-change, Steak, hot tubbing, couch time, cookie baking, pumpkin carving, tacos, and laughing over old family photos.
Every Mama knows, kids warm our hearts and trump sunshine!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend friends!

In His Grip, Jane



Thursday, October 24, 2013

Two Weddings and the Wicked Cough: Part One


I’m supposed to be leaving on a jet plane tonight to join my husband at the Ritz-Charles Resort, in Dove Mountain, Arizona, where he’s attending a conference. Doesn't the photo look dreamy? Wouldn't two and a half days on one of those lounge chairs in the hot sun be fabulous? (Especially since the Northwest is experiencing HEAVY fog that even Brian Williams mentioned on the news?)

And yet...the wicked cough I’ve had for 3+ weeks caused our trip plans to be cancelled postponed. So sad! Since I have a bit of couch time, I thought I'd give you a recap of my Hoosier trip.

Last week the hubby and I (and my cough~yes, it seems to go everywhere with me) were back in Indiana, my home state. When I tell my friends I had a great time in Indy they hear “India”. No, not India. Indy as in Indianapolis, Indiana. Out here in the Northwest most people probably feel it's just a "fly-over state".  Oh, it's a special place and the trees are beautiful in the fall.



We were thrilled to be able to attend two weddings (friends & family) with a week in-between for me to spend time with my Mom and sisters. Thanks to the hospitality of great friends we had a place to stay, a VERY comfy bed (I slept in every morning since the wicked cough kept me up at night) and hubby borrowed their home office so he could work. I bet our hosts are thrilled they're in Florida now on Fall Break~I'm sure the sound of my nebulizer and the constant hacking wore them out!

Saturday morning we headed over to the Hinkle Fieldhouse parking lot on the Butler campus. If I say “Go Dawgs” around here it means the UW Huskies. Back in Indy it means the Butler Bulldogs. My hubby is an alumni and we got to tail gate with all his frat friends and their wives. We miss that! Since we don’t have tickets to the UW or Seahawks games, and all our kids have gone to Whitworth (a private Christian University) there has not been much tailgating in our life. Sunshine, beer, music, and I even learned the “Cupid Shuffle” which came in handy at one of the wedding receptions!


The first wedding we attended was at Zionsville Presbyterian Church where we belonged back in the late 80’s early 90’s.  Our friend (and B & B host) officiated the ceremony which made it really special. (He was also the pastor who brought us back to Christ early in our marriage and officiated when we renewed our vows at our 10th anniversary...twenty years ago!) Our small group was reunited and we were ALL seated together at the wedding reception. Such fun to catch up and be together. United by a wedding, our love for Christ and each other. Oh the memories and stories we shared! What happens at table 8 stays at table 8...

Lots more to tell...to be continued...

A random bit of info:  two days ago my doctor prescribed steroids to help heal my irritated lungs and she suggested I warn my family that the meds might cause me to seem grumpy and irritated. A cancelled trip to Arizona makes me a bit grumpy too!! 


In His Grip, Jane 


Photo sources: 
http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/th/fall-winding-road-100809-lg.jpg
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/DoveMountain/PhotoGallery.htm


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

What I Learned in September


Happy October! I am linking up with Emily Freeman’s Chatting at the Sky to share what I learned this month.

  1. I’m not sure if I’m still a blogger. Oh, you noticed that I haven’t posted a post in two months? My time is filled with work, my involvement in our church’s Women’s bible study and MOPS, continuing to purge junk garage stuff, homework, trying to be ready for book club and having two of my four kids back in the house. If I have computer time I’m reading emails, not typing. Can I still be a blogger if I only post once a month?...
  2. We’ve had our LAST garage sale. EVER. Remind me I said I would never have another one. I’ll continue to purge, donate, possibly sell on Craig’s List, but NOT participate in the Island Garage Sale. It did earn us enough $ to take our 25 year old out for a fancy dinner and buy her a bunch of new clothes so I guess the effort was worth it.
  3. My husband’s Toyota Camry is “stealth”. We kept trying to lock the car Saturday and it wouldn’t let us. Why? Even though we had the keys in our hand it was still running and we couldn’t hear the engine! 
  4. Friends trump weather. It’s been raining here for days and I really miss the sunshine. We broke a record for wettest September. Did I mention I live an hour south of Seattle and I REALLY don’t like rain?! We chose to move back to the Northwest from the Chicago area though, because we love our friends, community and church. I'm loading up on coffee, tea, candles and need to find another cute hat. As I dream of Arizona or sunny mid-west fall days I remind myself that my Christian community matters, not the weather. (If only my family in Indiana, Illinois & Nebraska lived closer...)
  5. Fathers rescue and “pump up” their kids. I saw a man riding a small bike carrying a bicycle pump the other day on my walk. I imagine one of his kids had a flat tire and he was on his way to help. God is like that too. He sees we need to be rescued and arrives. He gives us what we need and more...

How about you? What did you discover in the month of September?

In His Grip, Jane