What I Learned in July

1. It is possible to grow sunflowers in the Northwest! Finally, I was able to grow tall sunflowers and not have them eaten by slugs or deer. The back of our house gets lots of afternoon sun and we broke a record for most sunny days this July. 

2. Applying for college is stressful, even on T.V. shows.  I am probably the only 50+ Mom who tunes in to Pretty Little Liars, but I got hooked a couple years ago when we were living in Illinois. (New town, zero friends, no job…) Anyway, I was watching a recent episode and was struck by some conversations between the characters and their Moms and Dads: 

“Without swimming, I’m just average.” (Emily, after an injury to her shoulder.) “There is nothing average about you.” (Emily’s Dad).  

“You worked hard and deserve to go to a good school. We just need to re-position you.” (Spencer’s Mom talking after her daughter got a rejection letter to the family’s Ivy League alma-mater.) “Mom, I am not a sofa!” (4.0 Spencer)

I am currently attempting to be the supportive parent while my youngest child transfers to a different college situation. My tongue might bleed as I attempt to bite my tongue…

Photo credits: http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/32800000/PLL-Wallpaper-pretty-little-liars-tv-show-32882308-1920-1200.png

3. Language is not the only difference between Europeans and Americans. The following are some of the observations and questions from our Swiss guest, Daisy:

“Why do Americans eat so fast? Why do Americans eat fast food that is unhealthy, and then buy light milk and low-calorie items that don’t taste natural? Why is everyone always rushing? Why do Americans change the color of their hair and put on make-up instead of being happy looking natural the way God made you?”  Yikes. Are we the typical American family or a bit abnormal?...

4.   I think it’s time to take golf lessons. I might actually enjoy golfing with my husband someday if it gives me a reason to get this cute Kate Spade purse.

5. San Francisco isn't the only west coast city to have Trolleys! My little town of Gig Harbor now has trolleys you can ride between Uptown and Downtown for only a quarter. Cheap, fun transportation!

6. Boats make it better. Hometown concerts are just way more fun when sitting on a friend’s boat in the sunshine sipping a Corona Light. (Thank you Scott & Shelly!)

7. Women are expert packers. The store where I work had a “stuff your bag for $50 sale” and boy did those Moms and Grandmas stuff. They rolled those cute little outfits and ended up getting quite a bargain for $50. We might need to change our strategy just a bit before our next bag sale.

      8. I am funny. Daisy said I was and I made her laugh a lot so I guess it’s true!

    

      9. I found a name for my personality!  I heard someone on TV or the radio mention they had a “fairytale mentality”. I have one too!! I name just about everything; cars, houses, clothes.  I believe in happily ever after and that my husband is my knight in shining armor. (He was such an amazing host and “Daddy” to Daisy our guest!) 

     10. One book that I love which isn't make-believe is my bible. There is so much evidence to support that God’s word is true. Besides being Vaughn & Barbara's youngest child, I'm  the daughter of a King!

What did you learn in July?

I am linking up with Emily Freeman from Chatting at the Sky.

In His Grip, Jane

Priorities and Legitimate Reasons

Yep, it’s been almost a month since I've written or posted. I think I've come up with some legitimate reasons: 

1.       My laptop-My keyboard has become unreliable. Note the blog draft from a couple weeks ago…”I just fiured out wy I avent benen writin  or postin lately. Quite a few letters on my keyborard don’t seem to be workin. Neiter is my backspace, so I cant erase. Bear wit me…”

2.        My B & B-My oldest son came to visit for several weeks, my college boy came home for a week, and we’re hosting Daisy from Switzerland for three weeks. (She's in the cute photo above.)

3.       Increase in the local population-There are lots of expectant Mommies, Daddies and Grandparents who have been visiting Charlie Barnes and I've been working a bit more.

4.       Weather-It’s been SUNNY and beautiful!!

Let me describe the last several weeks here on Carver Corner in a bit more detail… Daisy is twenty and staying with us so she can experience America while living with a typical family. We got connected through some Young Life friends after she finished volunteering in Costa Rico and at the Creekside camp in Oregon.  (I’m not sure we fit the description of a “typical/normal” American family…) Daisy doesn't drive and we live at the end of Fox Island, so we've been busy coordinating activities.

Considering how most of the year here in the Northwest is gloomy, when the sun is shining I take FULL advantage of it. Whenever I’m not at work or sleeping, I've been on my porch, walking Sydney, taking drives in the convertible, heading to the beach, begging for boat rides or eating outdoors.  It’s too hard to see the computer screen out in the sunshine, so I’m not able to write outside…

My social life really picked up this past week! Sunday evening we were at a 50^th birthday party sipping martinis and listening to a guitar player. Monday a girlfriend invited my daughter and I and Daisy over for dinner. Tuesday my friends took me to a summer concert in their boat. Thursday we met other friends for dinner and an outdoor concert at Uptown. Friday after work we went to a Shy Boys concert at Fort Nisqually in Tacoma. Last night my hubby and I took our first Trolley ride in the Harbor.

Yep, this girl has been leading a full life. Despite feeling a bit overwhelmed I am feeling blessed beyond measure by all the activities and people God has put in my life since returning to the Harbor. I am learning that blogging isn't always the best use of my time. My priorities this summer are "hands on", just not hands on my keyboard typing!

“Seeking God’s will first brings perspective.” Proverbs 3:6

In between work, a talk by RZIM speaker Amy Orr-Ewing from Oxford, girlfriend gatherings, hair appointment (yay!) and Daisy's last few days, I hope to post about "What I learned in July.". Check back in with See Jane Learn mid-week!

In His Grip, Jane

(This picture is from my friend's waterfront home downtown. Thank you Davis family for taking Daisy boating twice!)

What I Learned in June

I'm linking up with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky to list things I learned this month. 

Ten Things I learned in June:

1. Don Draper keeps letting his past affect his present. I'm a tiny bit addicted to  three dramas that have some very naughty  raunchy story lines and now I'm left hanging until next spring. I tape "my shows" and watch them when Mike is traveling or while I fold and put away laundry. The season finales of Nashville and Dallas were shocking! Mad Men's season ending wasn't nearly as riveting. (Spoiler Alert!) I am left wondering, will  Don and Meghan make it? Thank goodness they allowed Betty to go from being a chubby brunette back to being a svelte blond. It obviously reminded Don what he gave up... Seriously? Will Don ever learn how to stay faithful and let his past go? Season seven will be the last! 

 2. Keys on the counter mean she's home. When I haven't checked my college daughter's bedroom or looked out in the driveway to see if her car is there, I can glance at the kitchen counter and if her keys are there then I know she's home.

3.  Kids don't always put away their toys when they're finished playing. (Even the furry "kids") 

4. Plastic bags aren't allowed in Eugene, OR and don't try to pump your own gas.

5. When it reaches the high 90's in California it's time to put the top up and turn on the air.

6. Watching & listening to my daughter play piano and sing at her church makes my Mama heart swell with pride.

7. Making wine is WAY more involved and scientific than I imagined. I guess I'll stop thinking up names for the wine we'll never produce. Our friends have opened a fabulous winery and tasting room called Kriselle Cellars in Medford, OR and produce award-winning wines. 

8. Wet lettuce in plastic bags in a  full refrigerator tend to freeze. I needed to get it thawed so I could make Caesar salad for twenty for a party. I stuck the Romaine on my sunny porch swing right as my daughter was taking her restaurant food safety test...not sure my method would pass inspection but it worked! 

9. The ice cream truck comes ALL the way to the end of Fox Island. Impressive. I was tempted. The song it played over and over was one that I remember from the 1st grade circus I helped put on when I was a teacher in Indiana back in the late 80's.

10. The definition of Home is changing in my vocabulary.  Home:wherever I currently live and make memories with people I love. My hubby & I are all settled in our pretty rental home and just discovered that it's going into foreclosure and we'll be forced to move out in the unforeseen future. We're hoping not until the summer is over. We might not find a water view with a wrap-around porch, but God will move with us.  To be continued...

What did you learn this month?

In His Grip, Jane

Mad Men Photo source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/07/mad-men-conspiracy-theories_n_3397401.html#slide=2473107

Beauty in the Mess of Life

Thank goodness for the peonies in my white ironstone pitcher.Who knew how vitally important they would be when I picked them up at Trader Joe’s two days ago…

Mr. C and I just returned from a fast trip down to see our daughter in Davis, California. On our drive we saw great friends in Camas, Washington and spent the night with the owners of Kriselle Cellars in Medford. You MUST check out their beautiful winery! We sipped, took a personal tour, and woke up to the beautiful Rouge River right off the deck.

Davis is a fabulous college town right outside of Sacramento. Our sweet girl and her roomies were great tour guides and have a darling apartment. The hi-light of our trip was watching & listening to our Allie sing worship at the church she’s interning at. Goosebumps!!

Now we’re home and I'm it's a mess. The innocent-looking adorable Sydney had a few more accidents while we were out of town. Due to needing the carpet professionally cleaned in three rooms imagine what our abode currently looks like: furniture pushed back, half of the bonus room “stuff” out in the hall, unfolded laundry tossed on the couch, wedding dress box and other tubs waiting to be stored in the garage… and then of course is the HUGE pile of items that we need to sell that were in the bonus and are now back in the recently cleared garage. A future move to another rental is imminent since our landlord is going into foreclosure… Did I mention how much we've loved living with a front porch and water view and how much we dislike packing and moving???

I'm just not productive right now because my heart is heavy for the young parents of  a beautiful baby boy named Noah who went to be with Jesus last week at 11 days old.  Is it a coincidence that God has provided lots of rainbows this week as a visual reminder of love and comfort to all who prayed that Noah would be healed? 

A darling bird just landed outside on the porch rail; another reminder of God being in the details. Even though I can't stand disorganization, and even though I have a busy next few days ( I work every day this week, my oldest is home visiting, company is coming to spend the night Saturday and two people need me to provide food for events), I sit; writing, sipping coffee, feeling overwhelmed and unproductive with a heavy but hopeful heart. Then I gaze at my beautiful pink peonies in my pitcher and I know Jesus will help me through the next few days as I deal with my messy home and messy mind and heart...

"God supplies power to the weak." ISAIAH 40:29,31

God always provides beauty amid the mess; sweet birds, rainbows, even pitchers of pink peonies. ..  They are His visual reminders that He sees and is with me/us. Some days are busy, some days are HARD, but every day I know God provides encouragement and power. I hope that you feel His love and see small bits of beauty in your day too!

In His Grip, Jane 

Zippers, Bumps, and Bruises

I wrote about landing hard here:My hubby and I celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary last week. Yay us!! We enjoyed a dinner date and are taking a road trip to California to visit one of our daughters. We've also finally started going through boxes in the garage and are being ruthless in our “purging”. That dusty, light blue box containing my wedding dress has been stored and moved unopened to our first apartment, first rental, first home we built, the 

tri-level, the Cape Cod, the yellow house we built, our “white” house in Illinois and the rental we’re in on Fox Island. I thought it might be interesting to take a peek and maybe even try it on.

My youngest daughter and I unsealed the box and after pulling out a lot of blue tissue I proceeded with the “try on”. What made me think I would be able to zip my what was I thinking picking long-sleeves for a summer wedding in Indiana   dress?  I should have kept in mind that I have had four pregnancies, slacked off in my work-outs, gained ten pounds since I lost fifteen two years ago and aged thirty years. I've been growing... inside and out! I shuffled in to show my husband and thankfully he said I still looked beautiful.  I packed it away and will hang onto it in case one of my girls wants to borrow some of the lace someday. Or maybe I could have it re-made if we renew our vows in the future?...

Our thirty years as a couple has had its ups and downs but we’re still “walking” in love. We've learned that married life is a journey you take together, love is a decision, and expect the unexpected.   We are excited to join a team at our church that mentors engaged couples. We were rushing across the church parking lot last Monday night, late to our training meeting and I wasn't paying attention.  I tripped on the curb next to the handicapped ramp and fell flat on my face. Did I mention the parking lot was full of people who got quite a glimpse of me face down while my dress flew up and revealed my new shape wear?   I didn't really have a chance to be embarrassed or to cry because I was shocked and thankful not to have any broken bones or teeth. I just had bloody hands, chin & knee, and sore wrists and shoulders. My hands are black and blue from the bruises. I have had many klutzy falls through the years. http://learningjane.blogspot.com/2011/09/landing-hard.html

I tend to my wounds and apply fresh bandages, but I am healing.  Despite the fact that our marriage has sometimes been bumpy and included injuries and bruised hearts, we feel thankful and relatively healthy. We do our best to honor God and each other. We laugh together and pick each other up when we fall.

Those two much skinnier kids who took their vows on a hot, humid June day in Indiana back in 1983 had no idea what the future would hold and we still don’t.

We DO however now know WHO holds our future and that He’s right there helping us through our ups and downs. Now that’s something to celebrate!

"May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus." Romans 15:5

Have you tried on your wedding dress lately? Maybe your zipper will zip...

In His Grip, Jane

A note to my friends, family & occasional readers, I haven’t written many posts lately due to adjusting to my new work schedule and just not having anything I felt was worth sharing. God whispered that I should “get back to it” even if I don’t have a large audience. It is my goal that something I share will touch your heart. Please let me know if it does! I also hope to improve my layout as soon as I discover who can help me with that. Thanks and Blessings!

Where Have I Been? Part Two...

Most of the time I'm home in my little Harbor town enjoying a life of routine. Sometimes though, I get to escape the Northwest and roam to other places where I pretend I'm a travel and food blogger.

Last week I was enjoying 90+ degrees in sunny Scottsdale. I love to be a tag-along on my hubby's business trips when they're in Arizona. Growing up in Indiana I remember looking at pictures in my Grandparent's Sunset magazines. Who knew I would get the chance to fly to the desert once or twice a year as an adult!

There are so many things about the desert climate that I love. The palm trees, cactus plants and flowers are so pretty. I realize the rain makes Western Washington green, but the sun shines an average of 211 days a year in Phoenix vs. about 58 sunny days in Seattle. Summer clothes and sandals are so much more fun than jackets, Fleece and Wellies.

This trip we stayed at the Montelucia Resort & Spa. It had a Mediterranean feel with three dining options and pools. While Mr. C. was in his meetings, I kept busy reading, lounging in the "adults only" pool, going to the on-site gym or visiting some of my favorite outdoor malls.

Each night we tried delicious ethnic foods and here are two examples of what compelled me to hit the treadmill each morning: cheese fondue, and Sopapillas with honey and Margaritas at Salty Senorita's.

 

Our last night we drove up to the mountainside Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs to enjoy the view of Phoenix at sunset.

This travel-lover is a Midwest girl transplanted to the Northwest who loves the heat of the south. Indianapolis, Chicago and Scottsdale are ALL my kind of towns, but HOME is where my friends, church, job and family are. No matter where I roam, I'll keep returning to the Harbor. The island where I live and the smiling faces of my kids are my very favorite sights to see.

Thank you for allowing me to share my latest travels with you! 

In His Grip, Jane

Where Have I Been?

Happy Memorial Day from Sydney and the rest of the Clan on Carver Corner! God Bless America!

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my bible study topic this week is on the world competing for my attention, considering I've missed church every weekend this month due to my travels and busy schedule. The month of May is almost over and I haven’t sat down once in front of my dying H.P. laptop to write.

I've been going places: Spokane to spend Easter with our littles, the store where I work, Indianapolis, Chicago, work, bible study, Scottsdale, the store, my laundry room…You get the idea. I haven’t really been home or I've just had my I-pad which I haven’t figured out how to post a blog on it. Sydney has been left twice and she has missed her Mama!

I've spent my month doing some of the things I love most; seeing family, going to some of my favorite states, restaurants and stores, soaking up the sun and helping at the baby boutique where I work. It will take a couple posts to give you a glimpse of my month of joyful experiences and some of the reasons I need to get back to healthy eating and consistent exercise:

We went to Spokane to go to church on Easter with our two youngest. Afterwards we drove to Coeur 'd alene, Idaho to enjoy a fabulous brunch.

I flew back to Indiana to spend time with my Mom and sisters. We had fun going through lots of old family photos. Of course I had to enjoy a tenderloin at Muldoon's Pub-it's a Hoosier tradition!

Chicago was next on my Midwest get-away. I took the Mega Bus into the city to join Mr. C. and see my oldest and his wife. While my hubby attended his work conference I had important exploring to do on Michigan Avenue. Of course we had to have a deep dish Chicago-style pizza while we were there and we saw  the Great Gatsby at a retro theater near the kid's apartment. We ended our trip with a Mother's Day brunch at Dick's Last Resort overlooking the Chicago River.

When I returned home I spent several days hard at "work" at the baby boutique, Charlie Barnes. Don't you wish you had my job?

I

My busy May, to be continued...

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11

In His Grip, Jane