snapshots

Happier every day

 

If you haven't been keeping up with NieNie, you should! Her story is getting better every day. I love today's post "Critical Condition."  She is just amazing and beatiful.  Mostly I cry each time I read her new posts, tears of happiness for her.

Summer to-do list:

1.) Work our way through every flavor.

 

The apple doesn't fall far.

 

This afternoon Mady got a call from the library, telling her she'd won a prize from the weekly reading contest.  She got $10 to a local bookstore, and $5 to a donut shop. So nice for her!

I like to think it was my lucky genes that made her win, but maybe it was the fact that she read 16 books last week. (Note: to accomplish this yourself, read while in the car, restaurants, bed, and in the hot tub.)

the perfect morning

From the patio of our timeshare at Homestead. It's pretty awesome.

Happiness Is: Sunshine

 

...at the lake, at the bay, and in the backyard.

Yesterday I hiked with the girl in silver shoes.

This pretty much sums her up.

 

Crazy kids re-enact over breakfast:

"That was horrible and self-indulgent."

"Absolute rubbish."

"Not the right song for you, dog."

"I'm going to marry Ambert Lambert!"

"Dude, that's tight!"

"You have pretty vocals."

"No- you be Cara.  ....I am Shel Silverstein!"

And it went on this way for fifteen minutes. Who says TV isn't educational?

Pumpernickel Contentment

Jen and I were so productive during Organization Month, that we agreed to have another themed month to keep the momentum going.  Welcome to March: Spring Cleaning and Contentment Month.

I finished a lot of the organizing projects on my list last month, but not everything. Those things get re-titled 'spring-cleaning',  and everyone is happy. The 'Contentment' part is actually about saving money, but doesn't Contentment sound so much happier? As in, being content with what is already available, not needing more.

I have taken it up a notch, and decided to not spend any money in March, other than a very modest food budget and regular bills. Nothing extra. This time by choice, even better. When we did this out of necessity a while back, it was gratifying, but a little more stressful. Amazingly, God provided for every need. This time, I am focusing more on being content in what we already have. Because we do have so much!

Jen and I are both making lists of all the activities we can think of that are at no expense. My list is already long. We're making lists for date nights, and lists of things to do as a family. Not spending money will definitely not be boring! 

We're both also focusing on cutting our food budgets. We are utilizing things we already have, baking more, and being creative. My goal is to not go over $200 on groceries and household items for the month.

The girls and I have a habit of eating lunch at the co-op every Friday, and I think we can fit that into the budget, too. (Photo above.) Have you tried lunches there? Super fun. We usually settle on yogurt with granola, fresh bagels, soups, or salad bar. Since they have the microwave and condiments available in the cafe, free tea, and the bulk foods, we all eat for $5 total. And we get out of the house and sit in the sunlit cafe. The joy of homeschool. :)

Just to reiterate - this time by choice! To regain that contentment, and to challenge ourselves. It'll be fun. Who's in? Spring cleaning optional. :)

I DID love today!

My day was even better than Bliss! I knew I would love it, but I really loved it!

Can I just say again, I have the most incredible, sweet, kind, generous, and thoughtful friends. I am amazed. I didn't find one, but two packages at my door today...

Both brought me to tears. One of them contained a sweet card, coffee, a candle, and more. (Thank you, sweet Aumony!).  And the other, an adorable handmade card and a gift to enjoy a dinner date with my husband on our anniversary! (Oh my goodness - it was sooooo delicious! I had never been to On Rice. Yum!) Thank you Andi and Chantel!  I am continually amazed that God has provided for every single one of our needs, and so many desires too. And Misha, you are just lovely! Thank you friends, for being the hands and feet, and part of my perfect day.

Before all of that excitement, the kids and I enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine, and walked along Taylor Dock. ...And then it was paper chains galore. A perfect day. And I have had SO many of these perfect days lately. I am filled-up.

quarantined

I love tomorrow!

Jenson is 'highly contagious' and to be kept home all week. We have no appointments, no obligations. We are sleeping in!

In celebration of that, I mixed up a berry cobbler. Seemed like a good idea, Vitamin C for the sick kid, and all. I had forgotten how much sugar was involved. No matter, because  I love tomorrow. I am thinking paper chains and Christmas movies.

Plus, it is our 14 year anniversary. What's not to love about tomorrow?

Bliss.

What I 've been up to:

 

Tending to the details. Living within our means. Keeping the faith. Being loved by some very, very, wonderful friends. 

Monday, monday...

Awesome things about today:

There's a brand new library branch in our neighborhood! It is gorgeous, and will have Saturday storytimes soon. Happy, happy.

Mady's  'generous stipend'  for her education just was increased to an even more generous stipend! The world is her oyster.

My auntie announced that she's coming to visit me!

I finally called the phone company to change our listing, and to reflect that my husband and I do, in fact, reside together. It has been incorrect for about three years now.  Don't you love getting those dumb calls made?

I did not get any tickets, despite my tabs expiring yesterday.

I washed and detailed my illegal, expired car. (It's an Explorer, but I still say car. Truck sounds weird, and SUV is kind of uppity sounding. What do you say?)

Veggie pizza for dinner.

And it was, like, 75 degrees today!

weekend top 5

1. An MG date with my husband. Next time I'll put my hair back. (Crazy hairs on I-5!)  We walked Taylor Dock to Woods Coffee. At sunset. Romantic.

 

 

 

2. Made good on my promise to take some small people out in the raft. With only minor complications involving a hole and not very good roping-to-the-roof techniques. We were unscathed.

3. An impromptu black bean taco lunch with my friend Hilary G. at Taco Del Mar.

4. A rousing family game of Boggle. I adore the words a certain third grader comes up with. Today: foo and rit. (As in one Rit cracker). Love him. Past favorite words of his during game night are 'bip' and 'ish'. We give him extra points.

5. Our good fortune of leaving the lake after rafting at the same time as the Dahlia Growers Convention was wrapping up. Free flowers to take home!  Which turned out to be just the nudge I needed to make my home bouquet-worthy and gave it a little scrub. Now we're ready for the week!

My Christmas Wish List

When Mady and I landed in Reno, we were whisked away to Cousin Sophia's school, where she is learning to become an aestetician. It was 'Family and Friends Half-Price Day' - a flurry of facials, waxings, and manicures. Oh, Sophia, good career choice! ;)

 

After being made beautiful, we went downtown to the antique store. If you would like a copy of my Christmas Wish List '08, voila:

 

Since I had to save room in my luggage for the famous vintage dishes, I couldn't bring any of these lovelies home with us.

Although, I did bring home a few rocks from Lake Tahoe. Wrapped in socks to keep them from chipping my dishes. Placed in my suitcase next to my necklace with three silver strands. (This is a really good way to ensure that your carry-on luggage will be inspected for bombs: wires + large dense objects.) Super. Thank you Mr. TSA, for not handling my underwear.

Tomorrow: several ways in which to raft down the Truckee River!

A date with my husband.

**Updated** Oh no! It was also the tenth! This should suffice for Ten on Ten, although it's a little lazy, I suppose. I am so forgetful about that! Do I get any points for having 21 instead of ten? Probably not so much.

Fulfilling #15 on the Summer To-Do List. We hit the road.  Blue skies, wind in our hair.

Sunglasses? Check.

 
 The retro eight-track stereo, handy for listening to some 70's music.

Through the historic streets of Fairhaven.

Quick stop for lunch. Handsome date, no?

Then back to the open road.

The amazing scenery from Chuckanut Drive.

Stopping to enjoy the sweeping views of the San Juan Islands.

The point in the date in which I said, "Are you trying to kill me?" He wasn't, and we survived.

A little tour of the shellfish farm, down on the beach.

A short stroll....

To a mini lighthouse.

I spotted a letterbox along the path.

Authentic beach scenery.

And a vintage soda machine. Nope, the prices weren't vintage.

Shells collected for the children.

A few photos of the MG that my date requested.

(Thanks Kevin. I knew just what to do. Even some chrome reflections like yours.)

 And that was that.  My favorite afternoon date in a long time. Romantic, don't you think? Thanks for coming along.

super-thrifting!

Yesterday I cleaned out our garage for ten hours straight.  I filled my car to brimming with things for Goodwill, gave a few things to neighbors, and left a pile of FREE stuff on the sidewalk.  ...Today, as I was on my way to Goodwill, I spotted someone else's FREE pile on a different street. With a sandbox!! Keston has been asking for a sandbox for weeks!  She is so happy. And I even have a clean garage to put it in. Do you remember this post? Hmm...

A week in the life...

Last week the older two headed to Summer Academy camp, (formerly called Faith and Fine Arts camp). To learn about faith and fine arts and other stuff.

Each day, after dropping them off with their fancy lunches, Keston convinced me that we should go to Rocket Donuts.       (I was a pushover).

(Different shirt, same donut.)

We decided to go to the lake everyday, too.

(Different swimsuits, same happy kid.)

We had many 'cold plate' dinners. (And idea I read in Wondertime from my perch on the beach).

And Mady adopted this cute guy, Zack.

And that is a week in the life of the Ellars.

what we love: camping

Four out of five of us, love camping, anyway. My husband, not so much. He preferred to stay home and golf, away from bugs and dirt. So the rest of us packed up this weekend.

Camping is all in the details, really. I am the Martha Stewart of camping.  Neatly made beds, flowers on the table, gourmet fire pit meals, fairy houses and arts and crafts for the children. For the first day and a half.

By day two, it is just dirty. With marshmellow sticky faces and critters eating our trail mix in the night.  Which evolved into our new camping tradition. On evening one, I warmed some water on the fire, used a hotel shower gel and soft cloth to gently wash each of their faces. They loved it. On night two they were asking to have their faces washed. And thus, our new camping  tradition. How do you camp?

Friday's glimpse of summer : edition one

Making progress on our to-do list.

A stay at Homestead :: A trip to Whistler :: a free movie at Regal (Doogal) :: Ice Cream at Edaleen's (40 cents now!) :: spray park picnic (freezing!) :: bike riding :: picking local strawberries :: campout in the backyard (my whole body hurts) :: reading in the grass :: paper making at the library :: library reading program kick-off party :: walks with my husband in the evenings. 

A very good start to our summer, indeed.

Lemon Bliss in a Bottle

Should you have any scrubbing, wiping, or shining to do, I strongly suggest this.  Safe and natural, good for the earth, and will make your home smell terrific. (And because I am a bit of a label junkie). And I dare say, five times better than Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lemon Verbena. My house is ever so sparkly right now.

Summer Inauguration

Boquets of buttercups presented ever so sweetly. 
Bare feet in the grass.
Trail offerings of salmon berries and robin's egg shells.
Life is sweet.

the crazy words are Luke's fault.

A little blogging absence, due to living our lives, and attempting to create this sweet thing with my favorite girls.

Yesterday, all day, a few words kept coming into my head.

"Take care of what you have."
"Take care of what you have."
"Take care of what you have."

Over and over again. With an ending of, "if you want to be blessed with more." Not 'more' in the sense of materialistically exactly, but sort of. If I want to be blessed with good health, I need to take care of the body I already have. So I took a walk last night. And with every step, kept hearing the words in my head. (I blame this on Mady, who's MP3 wasn't charged, so there was nothing else to listen to but the crazy voices).

It applies to every aspect of life. I would love a quiet little house on some property, with woods and a hammock and a sunny deck. But first, I need to take better care of the home I am already blessed with. I would like more meaningful family time, but I need to make that happen by carefully planning our time, and not letting it slip away. The same with my marriage, my finances, my time, my garden, even my craft supplies! It applies to everything. Why should I be blessed with more if I am not responsible about what I already have?

In one sense, contentment is something to strive for, but in another sense, it doesn't hurt to have a motivator in order to keep plugging away at what's important in life. So plugging away I am.

Luke 16:10-11  "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling your worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"

(So I get it, that this refers to spiritual riches, but I am pretty sure this was where the crazy words in my head came from yesterday). And, PS, I really ought to open my Bible more often, there seems to be some wisdom in there. :) And PPS- Foam core board, on sale at Michael's for $1 this week.
 

A little hike

This little trooper hiked all the way around Lake Padden. 2.6 miles. She 'savored' every step. It took two and half hours. But, time well spent.

Summer Plans and Activity Ideas

Each spring, just before summer gets into full swing, we make a list of all the things we want to do in the summer months. Then we fill it all into a calendar, just to make sure we get to do everything we want, without the days slipping by.

{To make your own list, start by looking in the Sunday papers for ads of local events, and then look to your Parks Department for free activities and community events.} Click on the links I have added, there are lots of great ones!

Here's our '08 list:

1. go camping, at least twice. (tips here.)
2. make smore's in our backyard firepit.
3. birthday parties for Jenson, Mady, and Frank
4. have a memorial day bbq (recipes here.)
5. go to Jetty Island
6. spend a day at Forest Park, including swimming and petting zoo
7. road trip to Ocean Shores to use our timeshare 'bonus'
8. use our timeshare 'bonus' in Lynden at Homestead
9. many trips to Bloedel for beach play
10. trip to Granville Island
11. Whistler business trip
12. read books in the backyard on blankets with iced tea
13. garage saleing to hunt for fun outdoor toys
14. make our own ice cream
15. go for drives in the MGB with the top down
16. Birch Bay Discovery Days parade
17. Buy candy and snow cones at the C Shop
18. waterslides (my own childhood favorite!)
19. participate in the Barnes and Noble summer reading program
20. Participate in the public library reading program
21. go to a couple outdoor movies
22. go to the free Regal children's movies
23. have an Alex's Lemonade Stand
24. Square Foot Garden
25. picnics at out local water spray parks
26. many walks along Taylor Dock, with treats at Woods Coffee
27. Faith Academy camp
28. Relay for Life
29. plant more trees in the backyard
30. shop farmer's markets
31. go to the zoo
32. play horse shoes at Cornwall park
33. Park days with our Mops group
34. Edaleen Dairy for the famous 35 cent cones
35. pick strawberries, blueberries and raspberries locally
36. take many beautiful photos
37. Children's Art Festival, a yearly tradition
38. chalk art festival
39. many walks to Starbuck's with Jen
40. Brown Bag Children's Concerts
41. trip to Tahoe! (aunties, when do you want us?)
42. watch my uncle Johnnie play. He's a rockstar, you know,
43. swim in Lake Tahoe (aka - lay on the beach like sea lions at Skylandia)
44. 4th of July picnic and fireworks
45. invite myself to harvest lovely flower starts from my 'adopted mom's' garden
46. take our little raft out in Lake Whatcom
47. try lots of new recipes for 'summer' foods with our SFG harvest
48. hike
49. day trip to Friday Harbor
50. summer art projects

the simple joys of childhood

A school carnival, complete with a cake walk, cotton candy, and tempera painted signs above silly games. A bowl of sudsy water and a couple of Barbies.

These are two things that brought me joy as a child, too. Simple, happy times of childhood. Nothing could be better.

Oh Happy Day (aka: the longest post evah)

I get such delight in the details, sometimes! Today was a great day for me, in that aspect. Let me tell you...

a. Mady and I received our parcel from Sophia'sFlowers (etsy shop). We ordered two very adorable pens. Mine has a sweet bird on top, wrapped in satin ribbon, and Mady's is a white flower, click pen. But then there was an extra pen for Mady included, with a gorgeous orange peony, with her favorite color (green) ink and ribbon! Sophia has a wonderful shop, she is very talented. And she is my cute cousin, too. :)

b. I ran out of coffee this morning. Had to use a mix of half decaf to make enough for a cup. So this afternoon I was getting a wee little headache (yes! addict, I know!).  I headed to the supermarket for some more compost and a latte. The happy part -  on the counter at Starbucks, was a little pail of free samples of coffee beans! Serious delight! AND to top it off, the barista had an extra shot of espresso, and added it to my coffee at no charge. Those little things are true happiness! I get so excited about great customer service, I really do!

c. Jenson was up vomitting during the night. That part, not delightful. But today, he has been fine, and that part is, in fact, extremely delightful, to both Jenson and I! I am wondering if he ate something that didn't agree.

d. Kelly McCaleb is square foot gardening too! Yay, a whole group to learn from! The kids and I have been working on it, and have one box almost complete, two to go. I was dragging my feet on getting it going (all the bursts of snow weren't all that encouraging either!), but now I have renewed energy for it! Go to Kelly's blog is you want to Garden-Along!

e. Great Wolf Lodge. It would be about time that I told you about that! (It was quite nice, although it was over a week ago.) If you go, here are our tips: bring a husband type. I did it with just the kids and I while Frank stayed home to work. It was fine, but another adult would have been even better as far as logistics of waterpark go. The website is nice becuase you can easily see the rates of each day, midweek versus weekend, etc. We went at the cheapest time, a Monday, and stayed in the low-budget room, the Family Suite. I wouldn't have changed that. There are more expensive rooms with bunk beds and separate TV's for the kids, but we were there to get away from TV and separateness anyway! All the rooms are brand new, and I thought it was fine. There was a fridge and microwave, so I highly advise you to take at least your own breakfast if you want to cut your costs a little. The buffett restaurant was expensive, but it was good. You are somewhat a captive audience once you get there. It is in the middle of nowhere, plus you don't want to keep changing your clothes and drying your hair to leave the lodge. My kids did loads of chores before we went, and earned spending money for the arcade and souvenirs too, and they had fun playing skee ball and air hockey. :) As for the waterpark, it was fantastic! Very clean, and no floating band-aids that I saw. (My worst pet-peeve gross thing!) I think our favorite part was the wave pool. And that it was so warm. I only did the waterslides a couple of times myself, because I had to stay with Keston, who was too short/scared for them. There was a little kids area that she really liked. In this photo, you can see the spot where a giant bucket of water tips every ten minutes. That was fun.

Here are scenes from the wave pool. (I had already gotten dressed at this point and was watching them from above). It is a nice gradual deepening, like a beach.

Very Important Tip: At first, when we got in the wave pool, I thought it was going to be too torturous to Keston. The waves were nuts, slapping into us, and going in her eyes. If you are big, that is pretty fun. But if you are little, or have a little person on your lap, just go out into the deeper area, and the waves are much calmer, and very fun for the little peeps.

Here's the little kids' area:

And here are a few, just random overview shots. Oh, and Flat Stanley. And other random things... (No diving, Stanley!)

Ok, I realize this is getting borderline torturous. Like watching someone's vacation slides. But don't you like to know what to expect? Well, that's it. Fun place. And that is all for my happy day. :)

A very good day

Sometimes investment companies send Frank on trips to wine and dine him, and educate him about their particular funds and stocks and insurance. It is called a "Due Diligence Trip".  Which I find kind of a funny name. He has one of these trips coming up soon.

So,  today he sent me on a Due Diligence Day. It was quite lovely! The man at the nail place said "You have very good face! You need to fix cuticles more. Come back three week." Uh, well, ok then! Who am I to argue? (And to feel less guilty about spending frivolously on nails, I decided that I was supporting their business and families.)  :) Can't go wrong.

I got my nails and toes done, went to two fabric stores, Treasury, Barnes and Noble, an antique store, and to pick up more migraine meds. Even the migraine medicine made me happy! It was a good, and quiet day, just what I need every once in a while.

How do you spend your Due Diligence time?

Here's how it went down:

(Keston likes to play "bells" with the teacups while she helps in the kitchen.  And I wonder how my stuff breaks.)

...My cousin Sophia was shopping in Reno antique stores for a birthday gift for her mama, (my auntie).  Weeks later, she notices the post I wrote, lamenting about my broken dishes. Sophia and Auntie Druann were both there when I bought the original set in a Reno antique store last year. Sophia remembers that she saw the same pattern at a shop when she was looking for birthday presents.

So this afternoon, they (now my other auntie, Debbie, has joined in the pursuit) call to let me know they have secured the dishes in the Reno antique store. It sounds as if Auntie Debbie was a good addition to the crew, to keep the other two in line. I would have liked to seen Auntie Druann's reaction when she was told that the price was $22 for the lot. She said she had to be nonchalant, so that they wouldn't realize what a great deal it was and raise the price on her. Which is really hilarious, and totally opposite of how I do things in an antique store. (I am quite certain Auntie Druann scolded me over this the last time around). So the dishes were purchased, several phones calls were made, and I am ecstatic! Not just because I get new dishes, but now they have to deliver them to me in person! My cup runneth over. Ha!

And here are the goods, all safe and sound in Truckee, CA.. Guess what Aunties and Sophia? On Replacements.com they are worth $211.84!! Did I mention that you guys rock? You're the best! xoxo

Sophia (top), Auntie Druann (left), Auntie Debbie (right).

Even MORE Joy!!

Remember the story of my lovely vintage dishes from my travels? Remember the very sad story of my rapidly breaking vintage dishes? Well, as I type this, my aunties and cousin are buying me four new place settings at an antique store in Reno!! For $22!!  Seriously, pay for them and GET OUT!!! You guys rock!  I can't wait to see you.

Joy

This post made me see it this morning, all that I have and am blessed by:

• A healthy family
• A happy home-schooling almost-teenager
• A sweet little girl that asks "Mommy, can you hug me?"
• A responsible, hard-working husband who has left for work, to a job he loves
• A good cup of coffee
• A sweet little boy who waved at me as he was running into school
• An able body
• A warm home stocked with food and necessities in a safe neighborhood
• A dependable vehicle and the means to pay for gas
• Access to medicines
• Blogs that inspire me
• Rain to grow my beloved daffodils
• Friends and extended family
• Having plenty to share
• The option to be home with my kids
• Modern conveniences of a washing machine, dishwasher, and shower
• The ability to find joy daily