Life Lately

Sweet Gracie enjoying God's world.

Happy Earth Day! I hope this finds you well. In our little corner of the world, it is raining today. It's pretty much the first rainy day we've had all month. The local weatherman said it's one of the dryest Aprils on record. I'm not excited to take a rainy walk but I am grateful that the pollen is getting washed away.

Here are some things I've been learning lately:

Earth day is having its 50th anniversary. I didn't know Earth Day existed until I was a freshman in college at Ball State University. Apparently, I was introduced to more than just beer and sorority life. Oh, and my elementary education classes.

The dog I rescued seven years ago really thinks she's a therapy dog. Sydney, our Australian Kelpie, never leaves my side. Like NEVER. When I get up to use the bathroom, she comes with me. When I go downstairs to do laundry, she follows me. If I go on the back deck, she wants to come too. If I'm sitting on the couch, she's under my feet or beside me. The ONLY time she isn't by my side or behind me is when we go on walks. Then she leads me. 

Sometimes it drives me crazy that she won't leave me alone. (I bet some mamas of littles can relate.) Other times I appreciate her loyalty and remember that she thinks it is her JOB to make sure I am looked after... Sydney reminds me of a scripture verse that is a good one to remember during this pandemic.

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

I'm thankful God is always with me and I want to walk in trust just like my cat Thor does on our skinny railing.

Sometimes you just need to turn it around. Literally! For two weeks I thought my sewing machine was broken so my mask-making project screeched to a halt. It turns out, I was putting in my new needle backward. Ugh! If we're grumpy or discouraged, maybe we can flip our mindset around, "Pollyanna-style." Let's try to be glad and look for the good! 

CURRENTLY:

Reading- Secrets of Willow House, the first in a series by Susanne O'Leary. I recently finished The Stories We Tell by Patti Callahan Henry. It was SO good!

Watching- "Murdoch Mysteries" on Amazon Prime. We're on season one and there are 13!

Photo source

Needing- My diffusers going and candles lit. I'm going to need to order more Young Living essential oils soon and another citrus soy candle from Target. My Anthro-candle-diffuser-oil recipe was not a big hit with my husband, so I'm not using it, but maybe you'll enjoy it.

I really wanted the "real thing" so I went onto the Anthropologie site to possibly order a Capri Blue Volcano candle, but after shipping it would be over $40!! I just couldn't do it. 

Creating- I am finally working on photo albums. I will have to write a whole other post on that.

Loving- Playing games and laughing with my adult kids on Zoom (hopefully once a week.) The other thing I'm loving is our new downstairs bathroom color. We Mike painted it a pretty pinky-peach called Embrace. It looks a bit like pink grapefruit and goes good with the new shower curtain I picked from Target. 

Thanks for stopping by to read "See Jane Learn." I hope you're safe and well and making the best of this STAY AT HOME season. 

In His Grip, 

xo Jane

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24

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

What I Learned This Summer

At the end of each season, I think back to all I've learned, and link up with other bloggers on Emily P. Freeman's Blog called "Chatting at the Sky." What a fun summer I enjoyed! Highlights included being with all my kids during Hoopfest weekend, deck time with friends, learning to eat healthier resulting in some weight loss, spending four days in Napa, and celebrating my birthday with my family in Spokane. 

Here are ten things I learned:

1. The Grammarly App should have been put on my computer years ago!

Better late than never... Grammarly helps me stop making grammatical errors when I write. It underlines words in red that are misspelled, or if I need to add punctuation. Who knew all those Happy Birthday messages I sent on Facebook needed a comma...

2. My dog Sydney is NOT a good neighbor, so it's a good thing we live where we live, and not on 5th Ave in New York City!

Have you heard of the Good Canine Citizen test that is required in order to live in many NYC condos? Check out this article. There are so many behaviors that are inappropriate in my rescue puppy. Some days, (like yesterday when our Vet bill was over $300 for her allergies and eye infections) I get frustrated. Then, I look at this face and remember how sweet she is at home.

Sydney has loved napping in the sunshine this summer (so has her pet Mama), but one day she skidded off the deck by accident. We're thankful she landed in the Ivy and didn't hurt herself! The new railing goes up this weekend!

3. Even when you know your child is about to become engaged, when it happens it is SO EXCITING!

Our youngest daughter's boyfriend (now fiance') had asked "the question" of my husband, and we knew the ring was in Nick's possession. That did not take away from the surprise of where and when it happened, (at the top of a mountain in Montana on a Sunday evening) and their JOY made me scream cheer and cry when they Facetimed us.

4. Be specific when you ask Google to find "Mother of the Bride" hats.

When my son got married I got a cute white "mother of the groom" baseball hat. It is now a traveling hat; I loan it to friends when their sons are engaged and then they return it and I pass it on...Think, "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Anyway, I googled hats expecting to see baseball caps with lettering but instead, I got this:

Hmmm...perhaps if the wedding next Summer was happening in Great Britain!

5. Phlebotomists can tell if you're dehydrated by how hard or easy it is to stick the needle in your arm.

When I got some blood drawn, my Phlebotomist asked if I'd been drinking enough water because my skin was "tough" to poke. Great! I suppose since I finished Whole 30 last month my water bottle isn't always by my side... (You can read about my Whole 30 journey here.)

6. Even six years after a fall on your front teeth, followed by a root canal, you still should cut up your apples.

I wondered why my front teeth have been achy this week, and then I remembered I ate a whole apple on the way to church Sunday. Normally I cut them up because my teeth are still SO sensitive due to that ridiculous fall that happened years ago...

7. Some people move before they pack!

We've moved a lot over the 34 years we've been married. I'm a list-maker and  gather supplies person, who has the boxes labeled and ready-to-go before "Moving Day." Some of my favorite Millennials do not prepare this way. When we arrived to pick up our now 28-year-old from her Sophomore year in the dorm, she'd barely started packing! When we arrived to help our son and daughter-in-law move out of their apartment and into a rental home this summer, they also weren't packed. The moves still happened. 

My heart is hurting for ALL the displaced people in Houston who were forced to move out of their homes due to Hurricane Harvey and flooding. Even if they packed a few special items knowing the waters were rising, no one could possibly be prepared for the devastation that happened. 

8. Kirk from The Gilmore Girls has two big roles in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies.

The actor, Sean Gunn, not only plays the Ravager named Kraglin, but he is also the motion reference actor for Rocket the Raccoon. (Bradley Cooper only does the voice of Rocket.) Sean is really talented at moving about on all fours, is most likely less expensive than Bradley, and his brother James is the director and a co-writer for the Guardians movies.

I really enjoyed the movie, and the soundtrack is SO good! "Alexa, play the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Soundtrack please..." Shoot, I have to be a member of Amazon Music unlimited. ($3+ fee a month)

9. My family is sort of famous.

My daughters and I peeked inside a Wedding Dress store while in Spokane last weekend. I grabbed the thick, free "The Wedding Resource Guide" magazine on our way out and flipped through the pages. All of a sudden I noticed familiar faces! What a fun surprise to see my son and his bride's wedding from October 2015  featured on two pages! Aren't they adorable? 

10. Something new is in store for me.
For the last four+ years, I have worked part-time at a baby boutique and loved learning about the business and meeting all the babies and their parents and grandparents. My sweet boss needs to be in the store more, so I have to move on to another adventure... I have ZERO ideas what my Fall will look like, but I DO know that God has a plan for me and I just need to trust, obey and wait. Are you in a season of waiting?...

Here's a bit of last-minute summer joy my daughters experienced on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho last weekend. May their joy be contagious!

Thank you for reading SJL, and please join me in praying for Houston. Our prayers matter as much as our financial contributions! 

In July, Max Lucado tweeted the following: "Our prayers may be awkward.But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do matter."

What did you learn this summer?

In His Grip,
xo Jane

A Bit of Bragging, Some Beef, and Babies!

A bit of rain couldn't dampen our smiles!

It's going to be a sunny Memorial Weekend here in the PNW and we are HAPPY about that! Let me start by acknowledging, thanking and remembering the men and women who are the reason we have a Memorial Weekend; those who died while serving in America's armed forces.

I was born and raised a Hoosier, so of course I'm thinking about the 500 Mile race too, which takes place on Sunday in Indianapolis. "Lady (only one woman this year) and Gentlemen, start your engines!!"

So I must brag. My third child graduated last weekend with his Master's in Family and Marriage Therapy and he is already employed. Successful Launch! At the moment he is in Sri Lanka, and then Nepal, studying the culture. It's his final class. Prayers for safety would be appreciated.

If you are a Mom of an elementary-high school son who is causing you anxiety due to his lack of motivation and/or desire to read or study, let me give you hope and encouragement. A LOT can change once your son goes to college. A LOT. My boy who didn't like to read and spent way too many hours playing X-Box. Now he's earned an Undergraduate and Graduate Degree from a stellar University (Whitworth), he LOVES to read, and he is passionate about helping others. He's also a husband and wonderful brother. My Mommy heart is just so full and proud.

About Beef: Our family has a tradition. Every time one of our four children entered college as a freshman and then again when they graduated, we all drove a half hour East of Spokane to the Wolf Lodge Inn Steakhouse in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. It's a "hole in the wall" spot with lots of taxidermy on the walls, but amazing steak, and rolls to die for. By the way, there is fish too, if you're not a Carnivor. With four undergrad and two graduate degrees to celebrate, we've been there ten times! Look through the sign-in welcome book for the Carver family!

Here are some pictures from last year when Sarah graduated:

That's our oldest son, Mitch, in the middle. He wasn't able to fly up from L.A. this time.

About Babies:
I was going to the Steam Plant Grill Friday afternoon and I discovered a Baby Boutique right next door called "French Toast Baby." Oh! So cute! Perhaps this was a sign that I'm not supposed to dream of moving to Spokane to be near my kids and opening a baby store...

I am a proud Grandma...of three kitties! My son and his wife have Walter and my youngest daughter has an eight year old rescue cat name Mimosa (Memo.)

 Walter did NOT want his picture taken.

This is Memo-I never actually saw her on this trip. She hid under the couch the WHOLE time!

Sarah decided she needed a kitten too, so meet Layla May! Oh my goodness she's adorable! We all had fun playing with her during our "TJ send-off brunch" at Sarah's apartment.

I also got the privilege of meeting a darling newborn human baby belonging to a friend's sweet daughter. Oh little Mary, you are perfect!

My friend Kimberly was in town too, so we got to catch up while we snuggled little Mary.

Other hi-lights of our trip to Spokane last weekend included dinner and stories at TJ and Katie's apartment, seeing Allie's cute spot (yep, 3 or my 4 kids live in Spokane) and watching the nighttime Lilac parade off the patio of our hotel. Night time parade plus cocktails? Win, win!

Of course we popped into two of my favorite places downtown on Sunday before leaving; Atticus, a coffee house with great gifts and Anthropologie. I was good, I didn't buy anything, I just looked!!

As I finish this post, I'm sitting out on my deck, listening to the birds chirp and the boats honk, sipping a glass of Rose' and munching on Trader Joe's pizza while I enjoy the beauty down in the Harbor. I am blessed. Thank you for taking the time to read "See Jane Learn" and I wish you all a joy-filled Memorial Weekend!

In His Grip, 
xo Jane

P.S. I want to give a shout-out and congratulations to my Omaha nieces Mattie and Nicole, and my nephew Connor, who are celebrating graduations this weekend. Love you!

5 Favorites For Friday

I am a happy Mama on this particular Friday due to the fact that my youngest daughter is flying home for the weekend to visit and keep me company. Normally she drives over from Spokane, but due to our crazy PNW weather, the mountain pass is closed and not safe. You empty nester Moms out there understand how much joy a simple visit from our kids brings!

So far our agenda includes: possibly getting pedicures, drinking good wine, watching at least one movie, snuggling with the pets, going for a walk, and organizing old photographs. Hopefully she'll agree with my plans. 

Sarah has started her own blog and it's SO good. Check out Simple Joys.

Here are my 5 things I'm loving this week:

1. Website for parents:

Last week at our MOPS meeting, our guest speaker was Amanda Morgan. She shared so many good ideas for positive parenting. As a mom of four and former early education teacher, I was really interested in all she had to say and her w website is filled with helpful resources. 

Through the years I've read SO many parenting books, taken courses, and even taught one at my church. Amanda's credentials of Early Childhood Education plus a Masters in Human Development combine to bring parents excellent information. Check out her website called Not Just Cute. 

2. The Bells and Whistles on my Leased BMW

Let me start by saying that driving a zippy little car is fun. In the summer it is REALLY fun to have a convertible with the top down on a sunny day. We don't own a boat, but I equate the feeling to zipping through the water. Have you seen the Pepsi commercials lately?...

Heated seat-check. Heated steering wheel-check!! (I don't even need gloves anymore!) 

I'm still trying to figure out the pre-sets for music, telephone, etc. I discovered a VERY handy surprise while zooming back on the highway from a trip to the YMCA and Target. If you go ten miles over the speed limit, the car warns you that you are speeding! There is a chime and a visual message pops up on the screen. This happens whether or not a police car is anywhere near. Thank you BMW for the handy warning. 

It's a bit like the Holy Spirit nudging us: "Beware, you're about ready to sin." We can listen and slow down, or speed ahead into trouble.

3. Current musical at the movie theatre

Last Saturday we drove over to a Vintage theatre in Tacoma called The Grand with some friends and saw the movie La La Land. I really like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and their acting and dancing were very good. I want all of the dresses Emma wore (and her figure.) Since we were down in L.A. visiting my oldest son and daughter-in-law this fall and we'd taken the MGM tour, the scenes looked very familiar. If you don't like musicals you definitely don't want to spend money for the big screen, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, along with the popcorn and company.

4. The way these two co-exist

Thor and Sydney. Kitty and Dog. It's a love-hate relationship and constantly keeps us guessing. Lots of chasing happens, the orange kitty paw often pokes as a certain sister-dog minds her own business. Often we hear that horrible sound of claws on hardwood floors as they run around after each other. Sometimes Thor finds places to jump into that provide a bit of protection.. Like the bathtub...

Just when we think they need a sibling separator (something I meant to invent for my own human children) then we'll find them snuggled up together on the couch. If only our government could learn from these two. 

5. The word copious and the Cascara Latte

When I arise in the morning, one of the first things I do is head to the coffee maker and start a small pot. If I'm especially tired due to a restless night (why was I tossing and turning again last night?!) then my mind says "I need copious cups of coffee!" Not sure when I started thinking about this word, but yes I need an abundant supply of coffee!

co·pi·ous

[ˈkōpēəs]

ADJECTIVE

1. 
   

abundant in supply or quantity: 

"she took copious notes"

synonyms: abundant · superabundant · plentiful · ample · profuse · full · extensive · 

[more]

Speaking of coffee, have you tried the new Starbucks drink called the Cascara Latte? It is SO yummy! Bummer. I just looked up the nutritional facts and discovered this lusciousness has 190 calories and 26 grams of carbohydrates. Guess I can't order copious cups of them. 

I need to leave for the airport to pick up my daughter.  I'll leave you with some images that will surely warm your heart.

Meet Oliver Rhodes! He arrived on February 1st.

I get to babysit this little guy tonight.

The "store baby," Britton, turns one in a couple days!

"Babies are such a nice way to start people." Don Herold

Wishing you a wonderful weekend friends!

In His Grip,

xo Jane