Trying to keep it all in perspective.  Most of you might ask me to embellish but I will just keep it at that and may have another post on this later on down the road.

missed

I thought about grandma this evening as I took my walk.  I miss her still to this day.  I thought about how I lost all of my grandparents by the time I was 30.  Then I read my friend Krista's post on her grandmother and it made me cry and think about grandma and grandpa Panther.  All the memories, all the time spent together as a family, how big I thought our family was when we all got together.  I just miss them. I miss grandma. I miss grandpa. I miss their laughter.  They are loved and missed terribly.

New Years Weekend

I don't have too much exciting to post.  My friends hosted a New Years party at their house on Friday evening.  We played games, played Kinect on the xBox, had lots of food and just had a great time.  It was a little hard staying up 'til midnight but once I got there, I had a second wind and was able to go out some more even after that!


Then the next night, on Saturday, I went out to dinner in Portland with some girlfriends and we danced the night away. Needless to say, I was so tired from being out two nights in a row.  I slept rather well last night and slept in late.  I could probably still use a nap later on today but we'll see.  Now I am just relaxing today and getting a few chores done.

Hope everyone had a great New Years.  Happy 2011!

Christmas Weekend

I hope everyone had a great Christmas with loved ones.  We spent Thursday-Saturday in White Salmon at Jesse's parents house and then they came to our house Saturday-Sunday.  It was a nice, relaxing weekend but it went by so fast!  Luckily, I have another 3 day weekend coming up for New Years.  

I also got a phone call from my half-brother, Jeff wishing us a Merry Christmas.  As most of you know, I grew up not seeing Jeff often except on occasional holidays or at family reunions.  There are pictures take of him and I when I was little.  So, because we never talk or see each other, I thought it was a little odd that he called and I really didn't know what to think.  But fortunately, I worried for nothing because he just wanted to talk.  And I appreciate the effort he's making to get in contact with family and knowing how important that is, especially as we get older.  


I look forward to hearing what the new year will bring for everyone.  I hope it is a time of new beginnings, insights and lessons as well as a time of reflection and knowing more of yourself on a daily basis.

Christmas photos

Okay, I got my Christmas photos and cards done this weekend and will be mailing them out tomorrow. So everyone should be getting them soon.  Now mind you, I am not that happy with the photo but it was the only recent one of Jesse and I together.  It was taken this summer.  Most of you are getting them, but then I had to switch to regular Christmas cards because I ran out, sorry!  Here is the picture:

The one for the Christmas photo is in sepia tone, which I found out from Jesse after I already ordered them, is not the greatest thing to do for certain pics.  But, what's done is done.  

I don't have much exciting news to report.  It's been a while since my last update.  My parents were here briefly the weekend before Thanksgiving before heading to California to see Kjersten.  Dad got sick while he was there and was at the doctor a few times for antibiotics to fight off ear infections and conjuctivitis.  What a way to spend a vacation.  Then on the last leg of the journey home, dad's van breaks down near North Bend.  Man, he was so close to being home.  Now he has to accomodate himself and a dog, all while still being sick, the car breaking down and on top of all that, dad doesn't carry a cell phone.  Go figure. (I think I know what he needs for Christmas...Jitterbug here we come).  I hope he makes it home by the end of the week. 

This year Christmas is going to be like any other day, we just can't afford to do a lot of gifts this year with Jesse not working for past few months, not to mention that last week we had to repair our roof and an electrical problem in the attic all on the same day.  Luckily we have money in savings but that was to be used towards a down payment on a car for next year (since Jesse's car is on it's last leg).  But come January, Jesse will start back up with Frito and we will begin to build the savings back up.  In the end, God has provided every month.  We have always been able to pay the mortgage, which is our biggest expense. For this I am thankful. 

I hope to work on sending out Christmas photos this weekend.  I just need to pick them up and buy some more stamps. 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. 

autumn

The leaves are already turning. I picked this one up on my walk today.  Look how bright it is.