Playing a little catch up

I feel like like I say this with every post, but wow it's been a long time since I've updated!  I haven't been consistent with blogging - unless you consider not posting consistently to be consistent. Ha!

I've been striving for a bit more routine in my life lately, and blogging regularly falls into that intention. I intend to create space for personal reflection and introspection.  I've realized recently that a lot of change has happened around me which tends to effect where my attention is spent.  My attention being elsewhere causes me to eventually walk into a wall and only then (when smacked in the face with the awareness) do I realize a shift needs to be made.

So anyhow, that's all at the forefront of my awareness right now.

As for the recent past, here's what's been going on:

If we're friends in real life or on social media you probably heard that my brother was in a bad motocross accident last month.  His pain is lessening, his spirits are well and his relationship with God, family and friends is being forged stronger.  This is a long road for him though and while it's definitely effecting him, his wife and daughter most, seeing it effect them and my parents is really, really difficult for me.  I'm a 'fixer' by nature and knowing I can't fix it is hard.  We trust our God though, and while we're hopeful the wheelchair is only temporary, we know His plan is perfect and take solace in that.

In all things there is good, and there is joy in finding the silver lining.  For me that has definitely been the opportunity for more family time.  I love Portland, but moving here has taken time with my family from near-daily to once every few months at best.  In the past month I've had the opportunity to travel home twice, and am already planning to return in a few weeks.  Can't complain there!  I mean look at this munchkin, how could you not love time with her...

In other news a huge bucket list item has been crossed off recently...

I SAW AMOS LEE LIVE Y'ALL!

Yes, live.
In person.
In the flesh.
In all his sexiness.
I saw Amos Lee.

Oh what a glorious night it was.

The show was great!  So full of energy, and that voice.... oh that voice.
Simply perfection.

So there you have it.  Some ups, some downs, and lots of recognition of needs and intentions. 

How has life been for you lately?  

January 2014 in an Instagram

• Road trip home from Idaho
• Working out with friends
• Oregon Coast visits
• Rains returned
• Kitty cuddles
• Brunch Book Club
• Girls Night Out
• Family night
• Baby cuddles
• Nanny life
• Birthday celebrations
• Magazine launch
• Visits home

What were the highs of your January?

Thanksgiving 2013 Recap

This year's Thanksgiving was a special one.  From the time I was 12 and my immediate family moved to Idaho we've been getting together with my Dad's siblings and their families for the holidays.  The idea was to have a different sibling host each year, that way everyone takes turns traveling/hosting each year.  One sister lives in Seattle, another is SW Washington, and my Dad, of course, lives in Idaho.  For the first few years the kids were all young enough that the families all worked hard to get together, despite costs, weather and life interruptions, but as we all got older it became increasingly difficult to get everyone together.  While the tradition still carried, someone - a brother, sister, child, etc - was missing from the pack.

So it was very exciting to hear that everyone could make it this year!  No one had 'other side of the family' obligations or work getting in the way.  The weather looked like it was going to hold out, and my cousin who lives in the Tri Cities (therefore equal distance from everyone) offered to host, so there were no "we have to travel too far" excuses!  Everyone (that's 16 adults, 1 five year old and 1 five month old) made it!  We all stayed at my cousin's house for 4 days, and loved every minute of it.

I really am blessed to be a part of a family that can get along and enjoy each other for that many days.

My Aunt Sandy enjoying time with her Grand-niece Emerson

Uncle Rodney getting his baby time in

Joie made turkey centerpieces for all the tables

Joie "helping" Aunt Janet make pies

Lots of smiles and wine

My little brother Kalen got in some baby time too - good practice for the near future ;)

I love my niece to pieces

Joie and her Papa (my dad)

Aunt Janet, Emerson,  my cousin Jill and Aunt Sandy

Everyone together!

November 2013 in an Instagram

How is it December already?!

I mean seriously.

November was an event filled month!  It started off with my first ever art show (a month-long gallery even!) and ended surrounded by family for the Thanksgiving holiday!

Here's some of the highlights:

• My art show in Newberg
• Girls Road Trip to surprise my family over my niece's bday weekend
• Danielle and Joie visiting Portland 
• New glasses
• Spending 4 days with my whole family over Thanksgiving
• Finding out the family is growing!

Did you see family over the holiday? How was your November?

Here's to a great December!

Catching Up

Oh my goodness life has been good lately!  I've been so busy enjoying it that I didn't even realize I haven't been on here in a few weeks!  So it's definitely time I add some pictures of the past few weeks' adventures.

I found out I was going to have Veteran's Day off from work making it a 3 day weekend and I decided that it would be a good time to drive to Idaho and surprise my family.  My niece's bday was on the 8th, and my family would be having a get-together on Saturday the 9th for her.  I could easily make it that evening and have all day Sunday with them before heading back Monday morning.  My aunt who lives in Longview was free for the weekend to join me, and we discovered that my cousin and her baby girl who live in the Tri Cities was free too.

Girls Road Trip!

My Aunt Janet, Cousin Jill and her baby Emerson and Me all ready to roll!

Pit stop for a diaper change, refuel and baby cheek snuggle!

Once in Idaho I was completely unlike myself and only took pictures at two moments.  Early Sunday morning I captured these treasures with my niece (who's FIVE now! OMG)

and on the trip home snagged a pic of the state capitol building.  

Is it weird that I miss this building?

After returning to Portland I lost myself in the work week, looking forward to my sister in law and niece visiting me the following weekend! That's right, just 4 days and I'd be seeing that little munchkin again!

They made it to town just as I was finishing up work, and we enjoyed dinner and drinks downtown.  Saturday morning we woke up and headed to the coast.  Joie wasn't very excited about it at first, she insisted that going to the beach meant an encounter with sharks, but after a little time on the sand she warmed up (literally - because it was freezing at first) to it.

All three of us, happy as clams.

My sister in law pulled off the best photobomb ever ;)

We thoroughly enjoyed all the coast had to offer.  The next day we got up, enjoyed coffee and hot chocolate and hiked Multnomah Falls.

The past few weeks have been full of family and FUN!  This next week is Thanksgiving and I'll be traveling to the Tri Cities along with the rest of my family for a few days of more family fun.  It's guaranteed to be a great time, and I'm so looking forward to it!

Has anything great happened for you the past couple of weeks?

Will you be traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday?

Catching Up | End of August through Labor Day

Holy crap I'm behind on blogging!  Guess that's what happens when your life takes off on an insanely busy fall season.  Fall (September specifically) is my favorite time of year though, and I thought I definitely owed it to myself to post a little update on how it's been going so far!

First of all, my cousin Jared got married!  My family loves a good excuse to get together, drink, party, drink, catch up, drink, dance, and drink!  And what better excuse than a wedding?! (None I think.)

So we all got together at my aunt's house in Longview and enjoyed some time catching up (and drinking.)

After the wedding my mom's littlest sister, Saleen, and I drove back down the coast toward her casa in the Palm Springs area.  I posted this little update on the first half our trip - down the 101 and through the Redwoods toward Santa Rosa.  We continued on to SoCal after a few days rest in NorCal.  The weather was glorious, and the sunsets were amazing!  I got in a few runs and LOTS of swimming!

I got home on a Thursday, worked Friday, ran 8 miles Saturday morning, took pictures of this adorable family then heading east toward Baker City to meet up with my brother and cousin and their families for some Labor Day camping.  We had fun chatting, playing card games, and making s'mores with, as my niece calls them, 'smarshmellows.'  It was a great weekend filled with family, and I thoroughly enjoyed time with my niece and my cousin's baby, which I can never get enough of.

Since my return I've been working my rear off with lots of creative projects.

I'll be back soon to update more!  What have you been up to??

On The Road

I'm on the road again this week.  Started in Portland, had a brief stay-over in Santa Rosa and made it to Palm Desert today.  We drove down the 101 from Portland to Santa Rosa and it was be-a-utiful!!!  The coast, the Redwoods, the fog... it was all gorgeous!

I made the conscience decision to leave my big camera behind and only take pictures with my iPhone for this trip.  It's been a great challenge and I'm excited to share some tips and tricks I've discovered along the way!

How's your weekend/week going?  Traveled anywhere cool lately?

Wordless Wednesday | Oregon Coast, Cannon Beach

Photo Credit: Motormouth Studios

Photo Credit: Motormouth Studios

Photo Credit: Motormouth Studios

Photo Credit: Motormouth Studios

Photo Credit: Motormouth Studios

Photo Credit: Motormouth Studios

Photo Credit: Jenn Pfaus

Photo Credit: Jenn Pfaus

Photo Credit: Jenn Pfaus

Photo Credit: Jenn Pfaus

Photo Credit: Jenn Pfaus

Weekend Shenanigans | Oregon Coast Edition

Ahhh... the weekend.  Can we have it back please?  I love my job, but this last weekend, I could seriously relive that one again and again.

It began with a six mile run/walk with my TEAM along the waterfront of Portland.  Is there any better place to be on a walk than a beautiful city, along the water with great company to chat with?  I think not.

I've been really proud of myself this past month for sticking with my plan of more movement and healthier nutrition choices.  It's not always easy, but seeing the payoff has made it all worth it.

Saturday afternoon/evening I took off for the Oregon Coast with a couple of friends, Jenn and Shannon.  Jenn had scheduled a few photo shoots through her studio and Shannon and I were tagging along to help hold the reflector when necessary, and just have fun really.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day on the beach, and running around in the sand and ocean was just what my soul needed!

Sunday was spent reflecting, meditating, and chatting with a couple of great friends I haven't seen for a while.  It was also a day my soul (and heart) needed.  Tears were shed, hugs were shared, and all of it was necessary.

I'm linking up this week with Sami to share my weekend shenanigans.  Check out her site and link up too!

What did you do this weekend?  Was it a good one?

Escaping Reality

It's been quiet around here the past few weeks, and for that I apologize.  I've had a bit of a rough go in my personal life, and have needed to process before posting about it all.  I'll be back soon to write it all down and let you in on what's next for me, but for now I'll leave you with this thought:

"Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things." - anonymous

New Cars, Roadtrips and Laughter.... OH MY!

So something pretty major happened around here last week.... I BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!!

Everybody,  I'd like to formally introduce you to Toby...

My old car, a beautiful 2003 Ford Taurus (lovingly named Derrik by a toddler I used to babysit) has been going downhill the past year.  He hit 140 thousand miles when I moved to Portland and was close to 150 thousand when he just stopped.  He lived a good long life, and I would love to have given him a new engine and a little extra loving, but I just couldn't justify putting more money into him that he was worth. 

So Ryan and I (he loves me enough to spend a day with me freaking out over finances and new shiny objects - lots of highs and lows in a short span of time) spent a day talking with our friend Austin who works for the Enterprise lot in Portland. 
* side note - Austin is the husband of the awesome Kayla over at Fit Life Forward!  I wasn't necessarily planning on buying anything that day, but once I drove this 2012 Nissan Versa, it was over.

I LOVE THIS CAR!!!

Toby and I went on our first road trip together this past weekend.  I packed him up and we drove to Idaho Friday to visit friends and family.

It was a pretty great weekend with my favorite munchkin (my niece Joie).  Much laughter and good times were shared.  I'll be blogging more about my photoshoots and adventures later this week!

Any major and/or exciting news happening in your world this week?  

I'd love to hear about it!  Share in the excitement in the comments below!

Top 5 Memories of My First Year in Portland

Meeting Ryan - July 5th, 2012

There's no link to a post about meeting Ryan. I can't believe I didn't blog about this!  (Actually, what probably happened is that I blogged about it, and then worried that I would jinx it by getting so excited about it, so I deleted that post.  I'm a bad blogger sometimes).

Oh well, I can remember it like it was yesterday anyway ;)

My cousin Leeah had invited me to join her at the Ben Harper concert at Edgefield in Troutdale.  Ryan (who I had met online) had asked me to a beer for that same evening.  I accepted both 'dates' forgetting that they were for the same Thursday.  I panicked when I'd discovered my mistake and told Ryan that we would either need to reschedule, or he was welcome to get a ticket and join us.  He grabbed a ticket online and joined us!

I remember being so impressed that he was spontaneous, and was excited to meet him.  We spent the concert chatting about hiking, photography and our shared love for Amos Lee.  We were the last ones to leave the concert (actually asked by the security guy to get out because they needed to clean up) and headed to Vancouver for drinks and more chatting.  An amazing friendship grew out of that evening, and I can't believe I haven't known him forever.

Although I didn't blog about the evening, my cousin did snap a picture of the three of us.  It was sooooo awkward at the time, but I'm so thankful she insisted.   I'd known Ryan for about an hour when this photo was taken.

My Apartment - July 2012

I found my apartment on Craigslist.  It was only 3 miles from the house where I was going to be working, and the most affordable choice I had stumbled upon.  I visited, fell in love, and filled out an application.  I was told I was 7th in line and resigned myself to believing I wasn't going to get it.  36 hours later I received a phone call saying everyone else had poor rental history and the apartment was mine!

Shocked and blessed.  Yup.

Vacation in Boise - August 2012

Having lived in Boise for 7 years, I really thought I knew the town well.  Visiting it as a 'tourist' opened my eyes to Boise in a whole new way.  I thoroughly enjoyed my Boise vacation, and strangely it solidified that moving to Portland was the right decision for me.  I came home to PDX finally feeling like life had begun for me.

But don't get me wrong, I miss this munchkin (and the rest of my family) very much.

Turning 30 - September 18, 2012

30 is a birthday I have looked forward to since I was a teenager.  It wasn't necessarily everything I thought it would be, but it was still pretty darn great.  I enjoyed time in the Tri Cities with family, hikes with friends, and beach time all as celebrations.

Finding the Goonies

Perhaps my favorite memory of all my first year in Portland is running away to the coast with Ryan.  We were both frustrated and stressed for various reasons and just needed to get away and clear our heads.  We decided to visit Astoria and search for the Goonies house.  It was a fun weekend in the sun, we saw many interesting sites, but best of all, it was the first time he held my hand and kissed me.  We were officially "something."  And I was officially over the moon.

 

I can't wait to see all the wonderful things I will experience my next year in Portland!