All the Things Lately

Just your typical Wednesday here in the Harbor. Thor spends his early morning hours outdoors, and then enjoys coming back inside to eat and warm up on our heated bathroom floors. I head out early to care for little baby Hazel, and Mike is on the East Coast this week. Yes! He is working!

It took five months of applying, interviewing and WAITING.  Finally, Human Resources completed their process, and my husband got a terrific job! Although the waiting wasn't easy, we are thankful and knew God was with us each step of the way.

The benefits for us: paychecks, a car allowance, and the ability to rack up some air miles. He now has a purpose and the satisfaction of providing for his family, and I got my laptop back because he now has his own computer! (I celebrated when the box was delivered.)

Mike has to get used to traveling again and I have to get used to him not being home all the time. The ONLY thing I like about having the house to myself is control of the remote and not having to listen to his music on Alexa all day. Oh, and I can have a Chicken Pot Pie for dinner.

My daughters and future son-in-law were able to be with us for Easter weekend. We enjoyed cozy couch time, a great Resurrection morning at church and a yummy dinner.

Did you try out the new way to color eggs?  Using vinegar, Cool Whip, and some food coloring, you can make really pretty tie-dyed eggs. I did a couple things different than the link. Instead of a muffin tin, we put parchment paper on a jelly pan-I think we could have done a variety of colors if we'd used a muffin tin. I put the eggs covered in the "goop" in an empty egg carton in the refrigerator and then accidentally forgot about them. They sat overnight. I rinsed the cool whip off the next day in lukewarm water and they actually turned out great! Sometimes the extra wait-time is beneficial.

Because both my daughters are teachers and were on their Spring Break,  they got to stay a couple extra days after Easter. We were all reminiscing about last Spring when we took a girl's trip to San Diego! If you missed our adventure last year you can read about it here: part one, part two, and part three!

Since it was cold and rainy here, we had a Gilmore Girls Marathon one afternoon, which always makes us feel like eating.  I baked my first Lemon Meringue Pie using a Southern Living recipe. (It should be included in the Eat Like a Gilmore unofficial cookbook!) One of my tips is substituting some almond flour for part of the white crust flour; it is lighter and quite tasty.

Somebody else in our family ALWAYS has his mind on food. One night Thor smelled the milk in my Cheerios all the way from the other room and proceeded to beg...

Sweet baby Hazel, whom I Nanny, is a girlie on the go! She is cruising ALL the furniture. She pulls herself up on couches, tables, and even kitchen cupboards. She is still waiting to cut her first tooth!

I am still getting used to being at Hazel's house without sweet Jake, the family dog, being there. He battled Cancer and is now in "Doggie Heaven." What a fabulous dog he was. I only knew him for two months and yet I fell in love...We had to "put down" our dog Sadie and cat Tigger and so I know how very hard it is!!

We headed to Spokane last Friday afternoon, and wow was it Friday the 13th for us! A crash on the Pass shut down the Eastbound lanes for over two hours. Our normal 4.5-5 hour drive took a total of eight! Ugh. We have certainly been given lots of waiting opportunities lately. That said, we had such a fun time hanging out with our youngest three. 

We ate a late dinner at a new-to-us pub called Saranac Public House the first night, and our daughter-in-law prepared a delicious meal for us Saturday evening. We hit our favorite coffee house, Rocket Bakery for the best bagels and cream cheese, did some consignment shopping, and just enjoyed being together. We stayed with our oldest daughter in her cute apartment Friday and went to the Davenport Tower Saturday. The Tower has a great Happy Hour every day of the week and we met and chatted with a wonderful couple who had lived all over the world.

Due to an unexpected upgrade, we ended up on the 20th floor in the swanky honeymoon suite. Very nice indeed! We will be celebrating our 35th anniversary in June. The kids took advantage of the jetted tub before we left on Sunday after lunch. Aren't they clever? Have I mentioned how much I love my four kids?! (And my two daughters-in-law and future son-in-law?)

That kind of sums up the last few weeks in my little corner of the world. It is well with my soul and God painted a gorgeous masterpiece in the sky tonight as another reminder of His goodness and faithfulness.

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"The Lord your God is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and constantly loves those who love him and obey his commands." Deuteronomy 7:9

Thanks for reading See Jane Learn. Wishing you a joy-filled Spring.

In His Grip, 

xo Jane

Hello 2018!

Welcome, New Year! Our little family had highs and lows in 2017, but through it all, God was good. Here's a recap of some of the merriment we experienced in the month of December:

PARTIES!

My sweet bible study friends got together for a delicious brunch, and a few days later we had a girl's night out, sipping wine and painting at a studio called Mood. It was my first time using acrylics and our teacher was wonderful. 

Our Mops Leadership put on a lovely evening at our local country club. I had a couple girlfriends over for a "pre-party" in the bathroom. Just like college days... Mike and I hosted our annual Open House and loved watching our friends mingle.

Despite our city voting against having a Nativity, our local churches got together and set up a beautiful display right downtown on some private property. 

FULL HOUSE!

All four of my kids, plus two daughter-in-laws and our youngest daughter's fiance' were ALL home this year! It was so special to have them all together at our Harbor home. We still don't know if we'll have to put our house on the market this Winter or Spring, but we enjoyed hanging out, playing games, eating and sipping together in our cozy downtown Split-level, with coffee cups, shoes, pillows and laptops scattered everywhere!

7 Seas Brewery Shenanigans

Christmas Morning Breakfast

IT SNOWED ON CHRISTMAS!
We had a White Christmas in the PNW!! It started snowing just as we were heading to Christmas Eve service and continued through the next day. It was beautiful!

WEDDING PREP
The day after Christmas, all the Carver girls headed to the bridal shop to check out our little bride's dress. In another post, I might explain some tips for other future mothers of the bride. (Lots of hidden costs I didn't know about...) 

Mike and I hosted a little engagement party and it was wonderful getting to know our future son-in-law's family. ONLY 185 DAYS UNTIL THEIR WEDDING! I've got some work to do...

SEATTLE DAY TRIP
After all the kids left (missing them!) and the tree was down, we drove up to Seattle on Saturday. We watched the Huskies lose at the Ram by the UW campus, window shopped, admired the city lights and checked out the amazing Gingerbread Houses across from the Sheridan Hotel.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
Thankfully I rebounded from my mean cold (two weeks and counting!) long enough Sunday night to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends. We always enjoy hanging out together!

(At the Burnett Hutchins Group gathering in Nov.)

We spent the evening playing fun games while sipping champagne and munching on snacks and chocolate fondue. The guys set off bottle rockets right before Midnight and we watched fireworks over the water and on TV. I was impressed I stayed up until the clock struck 12:00!

WHAT LIES AHEAD?

So many dear people across our amazing globe dealt with tragedy and terribly hard circumstances, and I hope there will be joy and peace for them in the coming 12 months. I am ready for the New Year and am looking forward to all that 2018 holds in store. I'm excited to begin a new part-time job as a nanny for a baby girl, and our very own baby girl (OK, she's 24) is getting married in July! My husband Michael continues searching hard for his new job. Fingers crossed, and continuous prayers going up! 

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world, and I wish you a wonderful New Year! Once we have some exciting job or house news (and a paycheck) we'll send out belated Christmas cards to our sweet family and friends. Thanks for your understanding...

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
ISAIAH 43:18-19

In His Grip,
xo Jane

5 Favorites

Happy Saturday! I hope you're enjoying this second weekend in December. The photo above is from a post I wrote many years ago, "Mrs. C and Me," explaining all the things I have in common with Mrs. Claus. I LOVE Christmas! I still have and occasionally wear that hat!

One of my sisters asked if I had put my personal family photos back out since our home is no longer "on the market." The answer is no, not yet. Half our garage is still filled with boxes that are packed with personal items, excess decor, out-of-season clothes, etc. Whether we get to stay in the house or not, I'll eventually go through all the stuff and hopefully pare down even more. We've decked-the-halls in a minimalistic, yet cozy way, and I'd better get busy since I'm filling in at Charlie Barnes for a few hours this afternoon. Come visit the baby store if you're in the Gig Harbor area~lots of adorable items for littles.

But first, here are my current favorites:

1. Yay for body butter from Trader Joe's:

I use the Coconut body butter all year, but THIS Warm Vanilla is new and only available for the Holiday season. Rush~there weren't many jars left yesterday! Only $4.99 and healthier than Bath & Bodyworks lotions.

2. The Sample Dinner Ideas from Trader Joes:
In the back of the University Place store, a friendly woman prepares yummy samples using about three ingredients found in the store. Yesterday's menu was roast beef and brie on French bread. My tip is to take a picture of the recipe that they write on a little chalkboard so you can remember what to buy in the future.

3. Seeing familiar faces around town:
One of the big reasons why I love living here in my Harbor town is always bumping into people I know when I run errands. (I may or may not remember all their names, but I know their faces!)  I have a history with lots and lots of wonderful people that I've met over the last twenty years. At Target I saw at least six friends, then caught up with a bestie at Michael's craft store.  I walked into two local shops Friday morning and had the joy of being recognized, welcomed, and known. 

4. Flashback Memory:
When I was a tween and teen, my Dad, who worked in Indianapolis (about 30 minutes North of our home in Carmel) would take me with him downtown for a special day when school was out for the Holidays. I'd get to Christmas shop in L.S. Ayres and Blocks Department stores (think Nordstrom or Macy's) ALL  BY MYSELF! I loved the festive window displays, the gift displays, feeling grown-up and then meeting my Daddy for lunch at the Press Club. I moved away from Indiana in 1994 and my father passed away the year before that, so it's been many, many Christmas seasons since I've had those special times with my Dad in the Hoosier State.

5. Having an unexpected "Holy Moment" in my kitchen.
I had asked "Alexa" to play holiday songs by Michael W. Smith and the song "All is Well" sung by Carrie Underwood and Michael came on. OH. MY! It stopped me in my tracks! SO beautiful and perfect peace for my heart. Praise for their goose-bump talent giving glory to Jesus! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvYJ4SPfqTk

We're praying for the fires in California to be extinguished, (thankfully our oldest son's apartment isn't affected) for healing for our friend's toddler, Caleb, and a new job for my husband, yet rejoicing that there are only 16 days until Christmas!!

In His Grip and trusting All is Well with you,
xo Jane

5 Favorites

Happy Saturday! I didn't get a chance to post this yesterday because we headed up to the wonderful wine area of Woodinville to have dinner with friends. Thanks to a break in the rain, I took a sunny walk Friday morning with Sydney, and the photo above was one of the beautiful sites I got to enjoy. The views in my current town will always be my favorites! Here are five other favorites:

1. Event

This week's list of favorites begins with an invitation. If you live anywhere near Gig Harbor, Washington, you need to pop over to the Festival Of Hope, which takes place today and Sunday at Chapel Hill Church. Check out the link, and then come purchase gifts with a purpose. 

2. Beauty Product
It was time to buy a new mascara, and since I'd read good reviews about L'Oreal Voluminous Paradise Mascara I decided to give it a try! The cashier at Bartell's said everyone raves about it. The price was under $9 and it really is a great product. "Take your lashes to Paradise?" Yes, I did! Now, can I please take my whole self to Paradise? Maui perhaps? A girl can dream...

3. Red Blend
I've always liked "14 Hands" wines, so when I saw this new blend called "Run Wild" I had to try it. WOW. Just like the label says; Juicy and fruit-forward. Such a great affordable red wine! 

4. Country Singer
I obviously haven't been keeping my radio tuned to Country music lately, because not until I watched my recorded "Country Music Awards" show did I rediscover Maren Morris. (I love her song "80's Mercedes.") During the CMA's, Maren sang a duet with Niall Horan, who used to be with the band One Direction. (He's a cutie and talented!) Check out "I could use a Love Song" and "Seeing Blind."

5. Our Thanksgiving Traditions
I love Thanksgiving!  We I watch the Macy's parade, and we normally watch football while preparing our feast. Our family's menu: turkey, Carver stuffing/Story dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cheesy green beans (not the mushroom soup recipe), rolls, cranberry relish, and pie or pumpkin bars with cream cheese. Our vegetarian daughter will whip up something delicious too. We ALWAYS listen to the "Nutcracker Suite" music while we eat, talk about what we're thankful for and looking forward to, and sip yummy Pinot Noir or Riesling wine. 

For the last twenty years, we've lived too far away from our parents and siblings to be together on Thanksgiving except once or twice. As I reflect on our time in the Harbor, I'm so thankful for good friends who have invited us over when we were in-between houses or without kiddos (thanks, Davis and MacIntosh families) and hosted our children when we were back in Illinois. (Thanks, Fullertons!) We also spent many evenings joining our former Life Group for a dessert potluck. It's such a gift to gather around the table to others!! 
How do you spend your Thanksgiving Day?

I'm looking forward to popping over to the Festival of Hope, and joining the mommies I mentor in MOPS for a girl's night in Tacoma.  I'm not looking forward to cleaning again for our Open House tomorrow, but I am HOPEFUL that our buyer will walk through the door and fall in love! Have a great weekend!

"I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds."

Psalm 9:1

In His Grip and grateful for grace,
xo Jane



photo source:https://img.makeupalley.com/hwthumb/980/980/2_9_3_5_3196465.JPG

Having Some Irish March MADness

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I was hoping my Ancestry DNA test results would be back, and I'd know whether or not I am part Irish, but alas, I'm still waiting... I do have a temper, love green and my hair was strawberry blond as a child.

This has NOT been my favorite week. I was thrilled to have most of my children home last weekend, but I was dealing with a sprained/tender ankle, and then on Monday I woke up sick. Apparently I've caught the mean virus that has been going around our Harbor town. Because I have asthma, colds always go straight to my lungs. I managed to get through my shift on Monday at the store, and Bible Study Tuesday morning (hope I didn't spread my germs friends!), but then all my energy left. I have spent the last four days on the couch next to my "I'm sick" stash; Kleenex, inhaler, diffuser, throat lozenges, cough syrup, Tylenol, water, tea, OJ, Chicken noodle soup, etc.

Photo source: Pinterest

Of course my orange furries have been keeping me company but my coughing scares them. My coughing fits are so bad my husband had to sleep in the guest room. To say I'm "under the weather" is an understatement. Boo.

Since the March Madness Basketball tournament is in full swing,  in the spirit of the game and my grumpy mood I made my own MAD list:

1. I am MAD I had to cancel my hair appointment~I was SO ready for my hi-light touch-ups!
2. I am MAD I've had to miss two of my work shifts which forced my friend to cover for me.
3. I am MAD I had to miss MOPS this week. It was going to be a great meeting.
4. I am MAD that I don't have enough energy to take my doggie for a walk even though it finally stopped raining. We're both going stir-crazy!
5. I am MAD that my husband's travel schedule is crazy right now~HE needs some couch time and I miss him.

OK, enough grumbling... I am thankful for my cozy house and Wi-Fi. While I've been sequestered in my home I've passed the time reading, knitting, and enjoying the Spring Home Tour 2017 that was put on by 22 bloggers, "Country Living Magazine" and HomeGoods. I've gotten quite inspired!

http://www.ellaclaireinspired.com/spring-home-tour/

I've also been binging on Victoria, the PBS series.

PBS.org

It's SO good! I've watched four of the seven episodes. If you loved "Downton Abby" and "The Crown," you'll love this too. Great scenery, characters, costumes. The actress, Jenna Coleman is really good in this role. Here's a fun fact; her natural eye color is brown but they went to a lot of editing trouble to make them blue. Why? In real life were Victoria's eyes blue?...

Speaking of eye colors, the combination of my blue eyes and my husband's brown eyes gave our four children beautiful eyes. The youngest two have rich brown, our oldest daughter has hazel, and our first-born son has green. My Grandma Grace often said "eyes are the windows into a person's soul."

Mitch's eye photographed by Sarah at Simple Joys

St Patrick's Day always makes me think of green beer, which makes me think of our wedding post-reception party. WHY? Our wedding was in June and at the time Michael worked at a restaurant. They had a leftover keg of green beer that hadn't been tapped, so he got to bring that to my parent's house. After our country club reception a bunch of close friends came back to my parent's home and we continued the celebration. Doesn't every June bride toast with green beer? I even finally got the Chi Omega candle ceremony that happens when a "sister" gets "pinned" by a Fraternity Boy. If you were Greek in college, you know what I mean... Michael didn't go to Ball State but he was a Frat boy and he was DEFINITELY worth waiting for. I am one lucky wife!

Due to this nasty bug I won't be celebrating with green beer or my favorite Reuben sandwich. I might have to go through drive-through for a Shamrock Shake. My fingers are crossed that I'll be well enough to work Sunday. In the meantime, let's think Happy Irish thoughts!

The Shamrock image at the top of the page can be printed off to color (if you find yourself sick and bored today too...) http://www.allfreeadultcoloringbooks.com/st_patricks_day.html

Here's an Irish saying I found to cheer myself up:

PHRASE:	Beidh biseach ort go luath
PRONOUNCED:	beg bishock urt guh loo-ah
MEANING:	You will be better soon

http://www.ireland-information.com/irishphrases.htm

I LOVE this Old Irish Blessing! You can listen to it sung by a choir. Beautiful!

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand. May God be with you and bless you: May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortune, Rich in blessings. May you know nothing but happiness From this day forward. May the road rise up to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home And may the hand of a friend always be near. May green be the grass you walk on, May blue be the skies above you, May pure be the joys that surround you, May true be the hearts that love you.

Hopefully you are well and will have a restful weekend with friends and family!

Grateful for Grace, and In His Grip,

xo Jane