August 11, 2008 Brookings, OR

Monday we woke up and checked out of the hotel. There was some shopping to do, as a suitcase that we really needed (pj's and sweatshirts) was sitting on our bedroom floor. We hit the biggest Freddy's ever, AND a great sale. Then we met up with our friends to go to the beach house. Kristin , Eli and I went grocery shopping and got the work done
(yes, those are Fruit Loops) and from then on out it was all play! There was some football, and then I took all the kiddos down the beach to do a bit of treasure hunting. It was fabulouso! We also had a familiy hike, checking out tidepools and the like. Ahh, yes...and did I mention the rock climbing?

Beach Day; August 10 Sunday

So how do I choose from my 257 photos to post? Hmm? I seriously need help on this!

You know my aversion to slide shows, so you'll get the play by play. I hope blogs have no maximum capacity for photo space, I'll blow this bloggy up.

I'll go one day at a time for now.

Sunday morning we got a quick start and left our home and puppy, cat, birdies, frog and fish (yes, really- all we need is a hamster!) to a house sitter who did a great job watching over things (and even cleaning, doing laundry and vacuuming the house before we came home! Need a house sitter?)
So West we drove, beach or bust. And bust we did, but we also got the beach.

Our first stop was Bandon. We pulled up a hill and saw this we must get out of this 5 hour car and climb!

Little Critter, on the rock

The boys and I with a view

J

Then in the evening we took in the sunset (and much more rock climbing)

I could say more, but why?

Thoughts on the Ecomony...

Yes, we're home, and YES, I have a million pictures to post and share. For now I'm doing laundry, prepping the house for company, and feeling a bit sad for my dear friend is moving away Monday.

However, my sweet sister-in-law sent me an article that you may appreciate as well as I did. I see these changes happening, see folks walking and riding bikes more, we eat out less and are more careful planning our trips and wish dearly for public transit!

Food for thought;



Finding Good, Even in a Recession


It's pretty hard to find anything good about gasoline prices hovering at an all-time high in the U.S., but I know that my grandmother would find something positive to point out. That's just the way she was. She could always find a rainbow no matter how dark the storm.

I thought about her recently when I read about professors Michael Morrisey, Ph.D. of the University of Alabama and David Grabowski, Ph.D. of Harvard Medical School. They studied traffic fatalities from 1985 to 2006 when the price of gas hit $2.50 a gallon. They've found that for every 10 percent increase in gas prices, there's been a 2.3 percent decline in auto-related deaths. Now that gas prices have pierced the $4-a-gallon mark, they expect to see a drop of about 1,000 deaths per month. In those terms, it's pretty difficult to loathe the high cost of gas. Well, maybe not loathe it quite as much.

There's also another good thing about rising gas costs. People are shifting where they want to live and shop so they stay closer to work and home. That means that some blighted areas close to inner cities are getting revitalized, all because of the high cost of gas.

By staying closer to home, shoppers are helping out the smaller local stores that struggle to survive. That's what is happening in Thomasville, Alabama, a town that was slowly dying and now is seeing a major resurgence. In fact, the once-sleepy town is experiencing traffic jams on its main street from shoppers who can no longer afford the gas to drive many miles away to a big, fancy mall.

If it's any further consolation for the poor economy, Americans are racking up debt at a slower pace these days because it's getting increasingly difficult to acquire new credit.

We're also eating out less which, I can only assume, means we're cooking at home more. Could it be that this slowing economy might actually be good for families by bringing them back to the dinner table?

There are a few economists who argue that a recession could make us healthier. When times are economically tough, they say, we take better care of ourselves, are more likely to look after others and, surprisingly, we become less anxious. Edward Glaeser, economics professor at Harvard, says that a recession becomes a time of possibility, despite the inevitable human suffering that accompanies it.

I don't know all the ways the slumping housing market, high gas prices and soaring food prices are affecting you specifically. I do know this: in every difficult situation, there is always a bright spot, be it ever so tiny. If we look deeply enough, we will find something for which to give thanks. Even in a recession.

We're Off!

Headed to the beach, a gem of a spot on the Oregon Coast, I hear. I'm so excited that I'm chiming in with my Little Critter, N...."Can't we go tonight? We could just drive until we get tired and sleep in the car..."

We'll have a great time, I'm sure. Much to see and do on the OR coast, not to mention r&r with good friends. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get a picture or 800.

Love to you all!

Identity

I've long been reading the witty and creative ways to fill in the blanks;

__________________
title

or

__________________
occupation

We find them on every doctor, dentist, insurance, application.

I hate the title "stay at home mom." I am home with my boys, but we rarely stay. It sounds frumpy. I picture someone that is at home wearing socks and a lacy 80's church-marm dress with teensy flowers and a little bow on it.

I'm not that stay at home mom.

But I feel deceitful if I write anything else. If I write "teacher" (though I am) I am misleading someone to a degree. If I write mother...well, that's not so much of an explanation.

Giver of nurturing,nourishment, health care, taxi, educator, janitor, activities coordinator, manager.... well, who is my audience? YOU, all my mama friends know. But what do we write on that little line? What do you write on that blank spot? Daughter, mother, sister, wife, friend, mother, claimed by a Mighty Creator.

This afternoon I was putting food in the pantry and E, from his perch at the bar told me, "Mom, you look like a doctor." I giggled, and told him it's true. I do help these boys to feel better sometimes, right?

It reminded me of when J was about 2. He told all folks that would listen that I was a nurse. It took awhile for me to figure out that he probably overheard me talk about "nursing" and assumed I was, therefore a nurse. Well, I am. When my boys don't feel so hot I take them into the office of my arms, speak to them softly and try to figure out what's bugging. I measure them too, and have them step on a scale- make a big deal that J is now 50 lbs, N is 40 lbs, and E is 30 lbs. How do you like that, all in a row. :)

Anyhow, I still don't know how to answer this age old question. Maybe I'll just print this out and staple it to every upcoming application;

Mmmmm....

Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 2 hearts romaine, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound blue cheese crumbles, in specialty cheese section of your market
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Place lettuce in a big bowl. Combine garlic, oregano, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Add oil to dressing in a slow stream and mix with a whisk or fork. Stir in blue cheese. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bummer

Root Canal Scheduled for 2 pm tomorrow. Big, Fat Bummer.

Works Wonders for Cooling a House!

It's Works for me Wednesday, and I must really share our favorite (inexpensive) method of keeping the house cool in the summer. I see that Shannon is taking a break, but you know me. Gotta keepa bloggin'.

Introducing, my friend, the whole house fan.



When we had our first house (in Central CA where the days were hot and nights got cool) my handy husband installed a whole house fan, similar to an attic fan. Now I'm hooked. He installed another in this house last summer, and though we have air conditioning we rarely use it, the fan keeps the house nice and cool, and full of farm-fresh air. It's my favorite time of day, when the air temp gets cooler than the house temp, we open windows, switch the fan on and then bask in the cool air.

The fan works by drawing air (it's very powerful) from the out-of-doors in through the house, up into the attic. You may not know it, but your attic is nothing but a nice hot insulator for your home. I think it must be like 490 degrees up there. (Ralph would NOT advise installing the fan in the heat of summer) With the house fan, all the hot air is pushed out and as a result, the house is cooled drastically, and stays cool longer during the day.

We usually let our fan run most of the night, still keep feather comforters on the bed. It gets chilly, but I love the fresh air! (did I say that?)


***Added benefits...
Should you burn something in the kitchen, the house fan takes about 3 minutes to suck that stink right out of the house forever.

White noise...helps the babes sleep. Maybe me too.

and, I love the way my curtains blow around in the evening light....

Check out other great ideas for life & living at Shannon's place.