Dog Blog ... It's Bailey's Birthday!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our Bailey Bacon!

This girl has had three great years. For those of you who don't know, Bailey was born in Nebraska. She's a Corn Husker! Why a puppy from Nebraska? Why not one from Oregon?

Well, here's the short version of her story. We lost our 3 year old Golden, Brandy, tragically the summer of 2011. A huge hole was left in our family. Three days after her death, I set out to find another Brandy. I spent hours on the phone and the internet looking for the girl that was going to fill the hole in our hearts.

I found Bailey in Nebraska and she was 3 weeks old. Here she is with her sister as we watched her grow up from afar.

On the Left                                                 Miss Red                                       Too busy to stay on the wagon

So many of our friends and family rallied around the arrival of this little girl. She had over 90 Facebook friends by the time she made it to Oregon and then the fun began ...

          Bailey in the Airport                                                 In Omaha!                               Jessi, Bailey and I on the plane

What a Girl!

Oh the adventures that girl has had. She's been fun loving and we are so happy we found her.

Look how lovely she is ...

Always smiling, Bailey's world got better when she was 18 months old. We got her a Sister. Little Sister Bella is a Duck. She came from Eugene, Oregon. You would never know that they are not related. Bailey is Bella's Mama ... What a wonderful bond these two have ...

These girls will be celebrating with cupcakes today.

Happy Birthday, Baby! We love you!

I miss my blog ...

What the hell is up with me not blogging?

I start a blog, I check Facebook, I check my Email. I look at Twitter, Pinterest and then I go on Amazon.com to see what I can buy because I know I can get it in two days. Do I buy anything? No. Then I look at my Blog and I'm so worn out from my web surfing, I delete what I've written and think, "tomorrow."

Tomorrow has become weeks and I miss my blog, the bloglovin girls and I feel like I've lost my momentum and maybe even my mojo.

So here I am ... blogging without a plan. A random offering of random stuff.

So many things coming up. I'm excited to go on vacation this Sunday. We're going to Beach Bum Headquarters for 10 days. I love our Beach House. It's cute and quaint. We spend time just being Beach Bums. Lots of time on the beach. Walking the golden girls a few miles up the beach, finding lunch at a cafe and then strolling back. The best part is the girls swimming in the Ocean, they are so much fun to watch. Pure joy!

Okay, so random blogging wouldn't be complete without saying that Tim received his HR packet for retirement and he has 30 work days left! That's from now until September 30th. We. are. getting. really. close! Oh, Swag!

Cool, cool stuff. I received my first product review offer! I think it was commenting on Amanda's blog. Sorry, Amanda ... I forgot how to tag you. Anyway, it's from eShatki and I've ordered this dress. They custom make the dress to your measurements and not only do I get a cute dress, I also like the measurements I sent in! Stay tuned for my review!

I've been busy, busy. I walked relay for life. I walked 18 miles in 5 hours on Team Jeb. My buddy who lost his battle with cancer. Tim and I are building a 100' fence. Fence building in 90 degree weather is tough! I'm still teamed up with my partner in crime, Ann and we are taking down City Hall. We've been at it for two months and we've stopped the ordinance from being voted in for now. 

Next month is Portland to Coast. I walk on a relay team and we're going to have a blast. I got my leg assignment and it's a little intimidating. I'll need to get out and walk some steep hills to prep. I walk straight up for 2 miles and down 5 more and that sounds tough. My second leg is almost 4 miles of rolling hills. The relay is about 30 hours. We walk across Oregon and end up at a big party at the beach! It's safe to say I'm a walker ...

Random Shit about Just Me!

Today I've decide write some random shit about myself. Believe me, there's plenty, but when the Bloglovin girls do confessions, I can't ever come up with anything.


First off, I'm stubborn. When Tim and I went on our honeymoon in Mexico 30 years ago, he bought me this little wooden donkey ass and thought it was so funny. I was only 24 years old at the time so I played along although I wasn't very happy about it. Today I know it to be true, so here's a little donkey for you, Tim!

I also love to dance. I dance all the time. Wouldn't it be great if dancing was a mainstream as say, running or sitting?  I think I'm a good dancer, but I suppose that's subjective.

 I really believe I was or will be an Orca. I'm happiest in or by water and I can swim for hours. I favor black and white in clothes, but recently I'm dressing more and more out of my color box. I always feel most at home in my Orca colors.

Favorite thing is being anywhere with Palm trees. Palm trees are my happy place. I see one and I instantly feel relaxed. They're my ultimate chill pill.

In Cabo!

I also love to skip. Whenever I am feeling young or want to, I tend to get my skip on. I have no idea who's seen me skip because when I'm a skip-ping ... I don't care!

What's something random about you?

Goodbye, June ...

Wow, how did this become the last day of June?

It seems like this month flew by faster than any I can recently remember. It had it's ups and downs, but most importantly, it's ending way up!


Let's start with that. I spent yesterday going to a Race Walk Class and then to the Farmer's Market, sampling salted caramel chocolate, buying berries and hazelnuts and topping it off with coffee and a four hour conversation outside a cafe with my favorite girl, Jessi!

This month I also ate my way to a total of 47 lbs. lost since April 2013 and I feel like a million bucks. Not because I've lost weight, but because I have created a new life for myself by nourishing and resting my body while staying active and lifting weights. I feel so strong and healthy. This month I had my first "Gun Show."

So how is it that I don't feel a day over 30 and our son had his 30th birthday this month? Matt turned 30 and it's not working for me hard to believe! I'm grateful that we spent a week with him in Belize. Thanks, Lizzie! We really missed him on his birthday so Tim and I set out to celebrate him at his favorite restaurant. The parents go to Fire on the Mountain and we had a blast.

I can't let the 30th of June go by without mentioning that Tim has 3 months left until he retires! Tim has 3 months left until he retires !!! That's 44 actual work days with strategically planned vacations to make it easier while waiting for the magic day, September 30th! Retirement, here we come!

I can't leave out Belize. A wonderful week in paradise with our entire family and beautiful Lizzie. It was a trip of a lifetime and we made memories that will forever be with us. Goodbye, June ... Belize was great and so were you!

Almost Retired!

Things I learned this weekend ...

Things I learned this weekend did not come cheap. After some deep thought and reflection, I found a lot out about myself and the good news is that it's not too late to teach this "Old Dog New Tricks!"


The first thing I learned was that loving someone too much can hurt them.  That love that you think the other person should understand because you're heart is in the right place. That love where you are so passionate about what you're saying to the other person, you forget to listen.


The second thing that I learned was that too much passion towards a subject when it involves someones life other than your own is, well, meddling. I never meant to meddle, I never meant to not listen, I just meant to get my point across because I was that passionate about the outcome.


The third thing I learned was the outcome isn't mine.  I can care all I want and think all I like, but the outcome of another persons life is, well, not my outcome to shape. We all make choices and good or bad, we all have to live our own lives.


Yes, I am wise and yes, I know a lot about life and yes, I want to share it. But, no I cannot expect another person to take my short cut when they haven't had the chance to live their own life.


It hurts so bad to believe in your heart that you know what is best for someone and feel helpless when you cannot get through to them. Even though it hurts so bad, it hurts worse to lose their trust that you are there to listen and that they can trust you to be there for them.


I learned this weekend that my passion is really my fear. My fear that I will not be able to save someone from being hurt. The fear of not doing enough with the result of doing too much. I learned that I am better than that and that I can be more mindful of how I express myself.

It's not that I didn't know all these things before this weekend. It's that I forgot. What I learned this weekend is that once you hurt someone, even if it's out of love, you can't take it back. I learned that I really, really wish life had do overs.

I'm Back!

Hey, I'm back!

I've missed blogging and all the bloglovin girls. I had no idea I was so hooked. It's a lot of fun and I learn a lot about people. I wish my friends and family would blog. I'd love to know what you're thinking.

For me, I've been Spinning, Spinning, Spinning. Sleep deprived and malnourished while strategizing and plotting awesomeness our next move with my partner in crime to get the word out on City Hall and take them down.

Ugh ... What the hell happened to me? I have never been political. I vote, but that's the extent of it. I don't even recognize myself.

Let me tell you about my partner. We used to be neighbors. The "hi" and a wave type of neighbors who were busy raising our kids. Well, over 10 years later in the most unsuspecting way, we reunite over a political issue where we waged a war try to get through to City Hall.

So here we are, these two girls ladies who have put the media in motion, started a social media campaign, on first name basis with reporters and receive texts and messages from news media of all types wanting to interview us, but more amazingly, wanting to know who we are and if we're a PAC.

A PAC? Holy shit, get a grip, we're just two incredibly smart, clever and passionate women who see the injustice of the legislation proposed and the smoke and mirrors the politicians are using.

When will it be over? It could be some time. There's a council vote that will take place on Wednesday and if it doesn't go the right way, we're in it for the fight as far as continuing to get the word out and making the politicians uncomfortable accountable. Here's the challenge ...

Ugh! I want my life back and I hope this goes well this week. I'm not confident, though. These sneaky bastards had a master plan and although they didn't expect us, it's so corrupt and rotten, it stinks!

I'm happy to be back. Tomorrow I'm going to start Tuesday treks and I'm going to take you to some of the places I've been until I run out and then I'll find places to go.

Friday Favorites ... There's a Par-Tay for Jessi !!!

It's Friday and that means Favorites!


My first favorite is the day ... It's May 16th and that means it's Jessi's 1/2 Birthday!

 Jessi caught on by the time she was four that her brother received a special gift on Christmas Eve because it was his half birthday. So on this day when she was 4 1/2, she secretly called up both sets of her Grandparents and invited them to her 1/2 Birthday Party. When the phone rang and her Grandma asked what she could bring, we thought that was so sneaky cute that we ran to the store and bought a cake and that's how Jessi's 1/2 Birthday celebrations began ...

This Girl ...

Jessi and Blazer Girl, who was also a Favorite!

My next favorite is anything that makes me feel young ... I absolutely love to swing. I can swing for ever ...

I love, love, love watching my Girls at the Beach. This is one of my favorites where Bailey was teaching Bella about the Ocean ...

 

Tim is also my favorite. He worries about getting me coffee every morning, whether we're at home or away.
"Honey, do you want me to get you a coffee?" He doesn't even drink coffee ...

So I'm going to tease honor him by bringing up that he looks like Woody ...

These Guys ... They both received their Luxembourg Citizenship this week. I'm married to and the mother of a couple of Bur-gers. My family is recapturing the Citizenship of Tim's family that was lost when they immigrated into the U.S. in the 1800's. This is the pic I took the day they applied ...

Congrats !!!

Last but not least ... My favorite day is in jammies, no make-up and glasses. This  pretty much sums it up ...

Have a great weekend everyone!

Linking up with Amanda

Shit Grandma did this Weekend ...

Hey, Happy Monday!

Okay ... Seriously, I want to talk about my weekend. You know, You know it was Mother's Day weekend and yes I am one and it was amazing. I was so spoiled by my family starting with a scavenger hunt that ended in a MacBook Air and then came the bouquets of tulips and a beautiful orchid plant from the Golden Girls with a handcrafted itty bitty card by their Dad.

Saturday, Jessi and I took Grandma out for breakfast. We went to The Black Rabbit at Edgefield and was greeted by a yummy coffee in a dainty cup and saucer. We made our choices and had lovely breakfasts and good conversation. I looked up pictures on my iPhone for Grandma to see what Matt's up to. I decided to show her their recent trip when Matt took Lizzie to Paris for her birthday. I handed it to my 81 year old Mother who doesn't know how to use a computer or text and said, "Swipe the screen to advance the pictures." Innocent, right?

Yep, no kidding ... she swiped "bitch f..." on a Facebook photo. Almost two hours later I saw what I she wrote on Lizzie's album. As you can see, Jessi defended me threw Grandma under the Short Bus, Matt accused me of being drunk and Lizzie topped it off with her sarcasm. Thank you Lizzie for being such a good sport and I knew your "how rude" was "how awesome!" Oh, Grandma! Thanks for the Laughs!

Jessi spent the night Saturday night and we watched the Blazers lose their 3rd series game. My Jessi was a Blazer Fan at a very young age ... I love this picture of her. She had has spirit!

Buck William's Shoes!

Sunday started with Tim delivering our favorite almond milk lattes to his favorite girls. We sat on the deck in the beautiful Sun and we were able to facetime with Matt and Lizzie for over an hour. We cooked, we ate and we sat in the Sun some more and relaxed the whole day ...

I hope you had a great weekend ...


Enjoy your Monday!

Friday Favorites ... My Kids!

 I'm the luckiest Mom on Earth and I know all the other Moms are too!

Being a Mom is the most wonderful thing. Bringing a life into the world and watching them blossom. I've loved every stage of motherhood and I'm so happy to have a front row seat now that Matt and Jessi are adults. Tim and I are really loving watching our kids write their own stories  ...

Matt

We call him Matt Man and that's because he would put on his cape when he was little and jump off things yelling, "Matt-Man!" Matt has always had a young spirit and full of adventure. He's smart and funny!  Matt has lived in Europe for almost four years in his career with Amazon. He's happy in Europe and has a nice life there.  I miss him every day. I'm so grateful for the internet and skype. I love you, Matt Man ... Thank you for being the best Son!

 

Jessi

We call her Jessi Girl. The name really fits. That's because she will always be our girl. She was the one that was going to live with us forever. She's full of life and adventure. She's smart and funny, too! Jessi always wanted to work for Nike and it's no surprise that she does. That has kept her close to home so far and for that I am grateful. I know she has big dreams and they could take her away. That's okay, though. We just want our kids to be happy. I love you, Jessi ...Thank you for being the best daughter!

 

The Golden Girls
These babies came to live with us after Matt and Jessi were gone. It was too quiet and I needed kids in the house. Bailey Bacon and Bella Beans have captured all of our hearts.

 

Matt and Lizzie

Matt loves Lizzie. He met her in Europe. She's from England and they both live in Luxembourg now. It makes me happy to see Matt happy! Happy Mother's Day to your Mum, Lizzie!

NERDS

Life is good! Tim and I are so proud of our family ... I love that Matt and Jessi went to the London Olympics together and the hard hat and safety glasses, circa 1992 are priceless.

Love our family!

Happy Mothers Day to me! These Sneaks sent me on a scavenger hunt yesterday and here's what I found ...

Blog Machine!

Thank you, Matt and Jessi ... Tim, Bailey and Bella too!