Merry Christmas

We are truly thankful for the wonderful friends and family we have been blessed with. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and can't wait to see what 2010 brings.

Fog and cold in the valley? Go to the coast. These pictures are from Seal Rock, on December 24th, 2009. No fog and 50 degrees (when blocked from the east wind).

Open for Online Business

I used to teach paper crafting classes as an Independent Close to My Heart Consultant, but stopped when I needed to focus on promoting at my other job. Although I stopped teaching and passed my customers on to other Consultants, I remained with the company as a "hobbyist". I really miss being an active Consultant with CTMH and have decided to re-open my business online. I plan to start posting info here and slowly progress to occasional workshops. If you are a previous customer of mine and haven't seen a catalog in a while, you are in for a treat! CTMH just keeps getting better and better. You gotta see what you've been missing. Contact me for the latest catalog and keep checking back to see what's new.

To start things off, a stamp special that we don't see very often, buy 2 get 1 free! This offer is good through November 30th, 2009.



Continuing on the creative side....If you are an artist or a crafter I'm sure you are like me, always looking for a way to organize your creative space. I found a blog, and magazine, called "Where Women Create" that features women doing their creative thing in their "spaces". Take a look and see what you think, and perhaps gleam an idea or two: WWC

Creative Girls Weekend

This past weekend I went to Portland with two of my CTMH friends and fellow Consultants. We spent two days at the Portland Regional Celebration put on by Close to My Heart.

We had a few short business classes, but most of the time was spent learning about cool products CTMH is going to bring out; making CTMH cards, scrapbook layouts or projects; and listening to the company founder talk about her vision and ideas for the company. I think I enjoy these Regional Celebrations better than the company Conventions we used to travel to. While I miss the airplane rides, I get everything else I like about traveling with friends, in a less expensive format.

I still love this company and am so happy that I became a part of it. This is me with the company founder and CEO, Jennette Lynton.

Time in the Pearl

Sunday, August 30th, 2009

I went to Mom and Dad's for the afternoon. We decided to go to lunch and Dad had just the place, the "Elephant Inn" in NW Portland. I enjoy visiting Portland because there is so much to see and do in downtown Portland, it is such a cool city. I wish we had considered buying a condo there. NW Portland is famous for it's "Nob Hill", or as I used to know it, the "Pearl District", which is home to blocks of fine dining and shopping. Dad thought the place he wanted to go to was on 21st or 23rd street, north of Burnside, so we toured up and down the streets looking for a place with an Elephant on the sign. After much back and forth, we weren't able to locate it, so seeing an old familiar place, "Roses Deli and Bakery", we parked and waited in line.


I grew up knowing Roses as the place with the really, really, really large cakes. We're taking like 6 layers of cake, held together with beautiful frosting, yum! Roses is in a new location now, but the food hasn't changed. You can see mile high cakes in the dessert cases, as well as huge eclairs and other fabulous looking desserts. If you want to have some dessert, it's best not to order lunch, or only eat half of it. Nope, half was too much also. Our family loves Rueben sandwiches, and Roses is famous for it's Rueben. If you are super hunger, or want left overs for 2 meals, you can order the "Original Roses Rueben", which resembles a very large Club sandwich only with "Rueben" ingredients. YUMMM! (There's turkey on that Rueben, it's not all sauerkraut). We all ordered our with a mix of pastrami and corned beef, and it didn't disappoint. Except the part about not having room for dessert....


At lunch I found a map with Dad's "Elephant Delicatessen", located 1 block north of Burnside on 22nd St. Dad wanted to stop in and show me what I missed. This little deli has everything! You can put things on a plate and eat there, or buy food to go. I saw salads, cheeses, wines, desserts, casseroles, meats, and olives. I bought some of the olives and they were the best I've had. If you're in Nob Hill, besure to take a stroll through this interesting deli, I know I didn't even scratch the surface of the possibilities here. I will return someday and I'll be hungry.

Creedence Clearwater Revisited

Saturday, August 29th, 2009.

Our last concert of the summer season was at Albany's Northwest Art and Air Fair, starring Creedance Clearwater Revisited. Present were Kris J, Candi and Joe, Tom and Wendy, Derek and Annie and Chris. The art part of the festival was much bigger this year, the wine/beer garden part was much smaller (what were we too roudy last year?). The best part about concerts at this location is the grass hill seating with blankets and lawn chairs. It's like a big picnic with good music, food and friends. After the concert there was a fireworks show. A lovely way to spend a summer evening.

Here are some of the people I was sitting by:

And, just to prove that the Sawyer Brown video sounded bad because we were too close, here's CCR:

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Tended Soil....

A run to the nursery

twice

too much money spent

shovel in hand

dirt under the nails

a handful of compost

plenty of rain

a bit of sun

more plants as gifts from friends

more rain

squirts of Roundup

dashes of heat

and a stiff back

the plot is planted

and tended

daily progress checks

A sprinkle of fertilizer

what's taking so long?

weeds growing fine!

Now the results

too many cucumbers

too many zucchini

big handfuls of basil

bunches of lavendar

baskets of flowers

lots of tomatoes

TOO many patty pan squash

some slugs

carpets of petunias

paths overflowing

bushes of sage

handful of corn

a few peppers

bush of rosemary

bounty of potatoes

hidden chives

Yum

fresh garden eats

Need any zucchini

cucumbers or

squash?

Sawyer Brown Rocks Oregon Garden Resort

And we were there, in the grass ampitheater at the Oregon Garden. Despite the rain, the concert was great. We, (Randy, myself, Candi and Joe) had a nice "picnic" dinner from our nearly front row beach chairs and rocked out to the old and new sounds of Sawyer Brown. Joe actually met the lead singer and has his autograph to prove it. I'll post a video, sorry the sound is bad, it's just a digital camera. I think if we weren't so close the speaker, it might have turned out ok. The lead singer does a lot of funky dancing in is worth keeping an eye on. These guys are worth supporting. New album out this fall.

Suislaw River Run

Today Randy and I launched the boat for it's maiden voyage on the Suislaw River out of Florence. We took a ride to the mouth of the Suislaw at the ocean, then headed up stream all the way to Mapleton. A very pretty ride.

Leaving the Port of Suislaw dock. This is where I backed our boat down a ramp for the first time. I didn't do too bad, just a little readjustment.

Typical for Florence in the summer, the day started off overcast and cool. We could see that the clouds might burn off, but no idea when. I wore my winter coat and it was needed when we hit full speed. Pilot Randy assuming his natural position while I provided nagivation advice from the forward lounge.

The highway 101 bridge, as we are heading west bound.

Our condo building as seen from the river.

Our condo, top floor very right unit. We didn't stay there because it was rented. We stayed at the Casino instead.

Heading westward still....

Straight ahead (the dark colored land) is the north jetty and the "beach" of Harbor Vista Park, where we like to camp.

This is as far west as we went. The Coast Guard was doing some sort of exercise around the bend and we wanted to stay away from that.

This is a railroad crossing over the river, east of Florence at Cushman. We have come all the way back up river past our starting point and are headed east towards Mapleton. The river channel is very difficult to see as you boating east near the casino. Luckily another boat had just come from upstream and we headed in the direction they came from.

The upstream Siuslaw River has a whole different feel, as if the ocean was hours away.






A cute boat in Mapleton


HWY 36 bridge over the Siuslaw River, Mapleton.



The scenery upstream from the HWY 36 bridge.

I drove the boat all the way back to the port, because it was fun. Who's CAPTAIN now, huh?!

The "pirate boat" in Cushman...

The wharf at Old Town Florence. Gee look at that sky, pretty blue! Of course this was when we were getting ready to take out. All done with the Siuslaw for now.

The next day we took the boat out on Woahink Lake, no pictures of that. We circumnavigated the lake and browsed our dream lake houses. We saw a couple of jet skiiers, otherwise the lake was empty. I wish I had thought to get fishing licenses, it would have been enjoyable. The weather did the same thing to us again, cold and cloudy until we loaded up. We'll be back.

Summer is here!

Little man Devan, we loved your recent blog update, but I've got to tell you a few things that you've missed. First off, we miss you, but you probably already know that. Secondly when you come back next I expect you to bring your swimming diapers, arm floaties and sunglasses. We'll show you what fun you can have in the water. It will be good training for you, 'cause your Mom and Dad like to play with water toys too. Let me give you a little of taste of what the big boys and girls do at the lake.





Wednesday July 15th: This Gr Grandpa Carl, Grammy Candi and Uncle Derek trying out the new toy. This puppy is bomb proof, I'm convinced you could be riding it in a couple of years.









Grammy Candi calls it her "Cadillac", it's very safe. It doesn't go over the waves, it goes through them. This puppy has some speed too. You ought to see Gr Grandma drive it, zoom zoom!


Saturday July 18th: It's hot again in the valley, time to head for the lake! Today all of your Oregon Harrison/Mote/Jurosky family, plus Annie, Joey R. and his Dad, went to Foster Lake and played in the water. However, Great Grandpa, Grammy, Uncle Derek and Annie all headed to the Lake EARLY, they get special kudo's. We wanted to try a new park, Lewis Creek Park on the NE corner of Foster Lake, with first come first serve picnicing and mooring. This park is across the lake from where we launch the watercrafts, and is accessible by car.

The early crew secured us a nice spot with a dock and a picnic table in the shade. We skied, wakeboarded and tubed. Others just rode the jet skis. We ate good snack foods and enjoyed the company.

I think Foster has better waves than Detriot, and I've found a spot that has huge waves if you follow a boat through it. Today I was in the bottom of a wave trough that put the wave at face height, it washed my hat right off my head. Woohoo, fun!!!



I was slow with the camera, these pictures were of our spot as everyone was taking the watercraft back to the boat landing. They are tiny specks in the far distance.




This is the row of moorings at the Lewis Creek park. The end of the dock meets up with the open sandy beach, swimming and picnic area. It was crowded today.



These people took over "our" dock after we left.



I hope we've got you interested in playing at the lake. We miss having your Mom and Dad here too. I'm still working on my wakeboarding, I didn't get to lake early enough today to practice, but I will soon. Love, from all in Oregon.

Reach The Bridge Race

Today was the day of the race. Remember, I signed up for the 8k walk from the Portland Zoo to the east side of the Burnside bridge? Well, yippee, it's done and it was fun. Joye from work joined me and we had a good time.

It was the first time either of us had joined an official race, so we weren't sure what to expect. This was a good event to start with, as it wasn't crowded and the course was all down hill and it was a walking event.


We walked past the Washington Park Rose Garden:



And PGE Park:





And China Town:






8k really wasn't as far as it sounded, and we finished in pretty good time. We even had enough time for a slight course detour to the famous "Voodoo Donut" shop at 2nd and Burnside.



VooDoo Donuts has been featured on the Amazing Race and the Food Network, it's famous. I'm not driving back to 2nd and Burnside to visit the place. This was the opportune time.





I had the "Captain, My Captain". A glazed donut with white frosting and Captain Crunch cereal on top. Perfect sugar bomb combination! So I erased my calorie expenditure for the morning.


With a crazy donut concoction in hand, we hopped back on course and still had plenty of time before the bridge raised at 0900 hrs.





Unfortunately it was overcast, cool and windy on the river and we didn't spend much time enjoying the views from the bridge. We located a MAX station and took light rail back to the Zoo/Forestry Center where our car awaited us.

We finished the day by taking my parents to Pho Hung in Beaverton, for a nice lunch of chicken noodle soup.
All in all, a very nice experience. I'm so glad Joye asked to join me.