Vac-tion

Oh yeah!
A week in San Clemente. In a beach house. With the fam. Should be freaking AWESOME.
I am gonna surf (YESSSSSS) and boogie board (OHHHH YEAH) and just generally enjoy the fact that I am not working at VBS doing crafts anymore, or proofing a million photos anymore.

I am even bringing more books to read. I can't wait!
See you in a week or so... hopefully with pictures of a superfun family trip!

13 hours

including lunch, dinner, snack and potty breaks...

And the final chapter of the final book in the Harry Potter Series is done.
I already miss it.

Harry Potter Day

If you are looking for me, I am hunkered down at Liane's house reading a certain Book 7 while my children run about willy-nilly at home with Rick in charge.

Harry Potter Day.
I got the book just about an hour ago and it sits next to me as I type. I haven't dared crack the cover (oh God maybe I should just in case I ended up with a copy that, due to an unforseen printing error, had all blank pages... okay, no. I will trust that it is fine. Must resist...), mainly because I know that as soon as I do I won't be able to stop reading it.

But also because I kind of don't want to start reading it... cause it's the last one. Harry Potter has been a part of my life for the past 10 years and at the end of each book there was a certain bit of speculation... anticipation... and wondering what would happen next. But with this one, there won't be that when it's over. It will just be over. And I am not sure I am ready for that.

Okay.
I am.

Cause it is sitting next to me right now... taunting me.
I will not give in. In the morning I will go to Liane's house for Harry Potter Day. She and I will read, chapter by chapter, and have a discussion after each. Speculation... dissection... making the most of this, the last book.
Cause while I don't want it to end, I also must know the end.

I think when it's done, I will start on Book 1 again. On vacation in a couple weeks, I will read the entire series... looking for all those clues that have been planted all along throughout the books. I CAN'T WAIT.

Happy Harry Potter Day! :)

New workout!

Thanks to my awesome friend Erin who sent this to me.
I am gonna be SO in shape!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYFuQXkXErg

Portland Pics :)

Portland was wonderful. I totally want to move there! Here are a few memories of my trip there...


Awesome beer at McMenamin's Kennedy School!



Miss Valerie had this berry lemonade grown up drink that was too good. We could have easily had several!


We walked to the bridge over the Willamette River to watch the fireworks...


And they were gorgeous!


The next day we went to a berry farm and picked all sorts of goodies... blueberries, currant, black cap raspberries, and tayberries. Jim looked just like a migrant worker out there with his big blue tub :)


The fruits of our labor! HAHA


Then we took a drive to the Rose Garden and had lunch there. On the left is my new friend Kelly. There is a house next to hers for sale so I decided when I move to Portland we will be neighbors ;)


Sorting the berries for freezing, canning...


and of course MAKING PIES! yummmmm



Then we visited Jeanine and Jared at their BEAUTIFUL home...


and their daughter Simone showed us just how bouncy her bed is :)


On Saturday we went to Saturday Market. One of the first (and my favorite!) booths we saw was this glass artist who creates Calder-inspired mobiles. I got one to add to our art collection. I love it!! As soon as it's hung up in our house I will take pictures of it :)


In some of the older parts of town, there are these little rings attached to the curb where you would tie up your horses. They aren't used anymore... or so we thought...

HAHAHAHA


And finally, Madison House... the maternity home where Jim and Val live as house parents. Built in 1905, it has so much charm and beauty... they are working on getting the funds to renovate and restore it once again. It has so much potential! I can't wait to see what it looks like after all the work on it is done. :)

5 days is not enough!

Back from spending 5 nonstop days with Val. And still it was not enough time to do and say and see all we wanted. We had a lovely time together, though... picking berries, making jam, making pies, walking everywhere, discussing the history of her 102 year old house, shopping, visiting art shows, seeing Irish movies, meeting new friends, having coffee in real cafes (not Starbucks!), seeing my wonderful cousins... the list goes on...

I have loads of photos to share but too much catching up on all the house-stuff I missed out on while I was gone. I will post them soon!! :)

I am off!

Heading to Portland to visit Miss Valerie :) :) :) :) :)

I will be back Sunday night, and I am sure there will be plenty of stories to tell!
Have a safe & happy 4th of July!!

Updated my website again!

Added the Seniors section - finally! Check it out and tell me what you think! (click on the picture above to go to my new & improved homepage!) The blog link isn't active yet - I am working on a business blog that will be separate from my personal one. There are a couple little things here and there I need to add, but otherwise it's all up and running!

OH... and coming soon to an Etsy Shop near you... Good Art By Riley :)

Violet's been doing chores and working around the house to earn an iPod... she jus made her goal last week but decided to get a sassy cool digital video camera instead. Riley said he wanted to make money too so he could get a Wii. LOL. So we are making him a Wii Chart just like Violet had, and for every big chore he does he will earn a mark. He thought making art was better than doing chores, so we decided we will create a collection of paper constructions and see how it does on Etsy. All the proceeds will go to the Wii fund. Our goal is to open up shop by the end of the month! :)