I LOVE Christmas....don't you?

Welcome to our home....

As you can see.....the tree is up! This year we made the choice to go with bows, snowflakes, some wooden ornaments and a few miscellaneous ones. We stayed away from the long sharp icicles this year for fear that Keely would not be able to leave them alone....and hurt herself. Amazingly, she has not disturbed the gifts under the tree at all. The ornaments fascinate her more that the gifts do. I'm sure that will change once she realizes she can tear them open.

Lots of cookies have been baked this year. I've been trying out a few new recipes.....some good and some not that great...but it's fun trying. Tonight I'm trying a new version of an old recipe I had.....blueberry cookies...YUM. There's something about those baking smells that really put me in the Christmas spirit. Cinnamon, hot chocolate, fireplace wood.....with a little mistletoe thrown in....;)

We'll be enjoying a Christmas close to home this year. Everyone is meeting over at my Grandma's house this year. I'm looking forward to a FUN gift exchange. We have a great time stealing the gifts from one another.....all in good fun, of course!

Hopefully, we make it up to the mountain for a little fun in the snow over the Christmas break. I can't wait for Keely to get big enough to start teaching her how to ski too....what fun.

From our home to yours......have a very Merry Christmas.

What Type of Christmas Tree Are You?

Over the years it has fascinated me on the selection and the preferences people have for Christmas trees.......what kind of tree do you like?

T'was the Night Before Turkey Day.....

....And all through the house, not a creature was stirring and I'm happy as all get out.....:)

I've baked the pies, the turkey is thawed, the fridge is stocked and the house is fairly clean. Everyone who is coming to our home tomorrow knows what to bring and I can sleep in, in the morning if I want to!!

This is my favorite time of a holiday.....the night before. All the work is done and I'm comfortable in my oversized chair with a nice warm, crackling fire. Soft music playing and I'm half asleep, enjoying the mood. There's that contentment of knowing you're ready for the fun to come and looking forward to having family and friends in our home.

Thanksgiving Day will start off by hearing the local family who gets together out on the field by our house to have their annual family and friends football game. It's so much fun to hear their laughter and friendly competition....rain or shine...they are always there! I'll be up early enough to get that big ol' turkey in the oven, 22 pounder...what a fatty!! I then head off to the gym for their annual 'burn the turkey off' power cycle ride......I even talked my daughter in to cycling with me this year. Family will begin to show up around 1pm .....of course football will already be on and somebody will start munching ahead of time. It goes without saying that all will be extremely full within a very short time. But there's always room for more pie....right?

After awhile.....the games will come out. First we'll start with maybe a game of dominoes or scrabble. My sisters family will be bringing their Nintendo Wii .....guess we'll give it a try....sounds like fun...eh? Grandma always likes a good movie so we try to have something she will really enjoy. I love a holiday......don't you? Until everyone arrives tomorrow.....I will enjoy myself by the fireplace.....this is my time.

Giving Thanks.....and pass the pumpkin pie.

It's hard to believe we are so close to Thanksgiving......where has this year gone?


This year has been so full of activities, travel and family. Ups and downs, surprises and sadness. As I think back on all the events.... it occurs to me that I wouldn't trade most of it for anything. My life is truly blessed.

How often do we take the time to reflect on our lives? Reminiscing is a gift many don't learn or take the time to use. How wonderful to sit back and recall the special moments and people in our pasts. It's amazing with time how our memories soften the hard edges, but the good and the fun remains so sharp and clear. Hold those moments near to your hearts...but most of all ....share them with others. I cherish the moments when I can gather with family and friends to enjoy good food, conversation and fun.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Take a moment this Thanksgiving to let someone know how special they really are....share a memory....and make a memory.

Trick or Treat?

I'll take a TREAT....
Over the years it's been real interesting to see which candies actually make it to Halloween night. I've got a husband who has a very serious sweet tooth!!

His top favorite seems to the the traditional Snickers bar. It never fails for me to find dozens of small wrappers thrown away in the trash can beside his desk!

The next candy that runs a close second in his consumption is yours and mine cute little buddies the M&M brothers..

This is a man who will clean out the cupboards.... YES, actually searching for any hidden treats! Once he has eaten all the hidden Halloween candy then he will resort to buying his own stash....and those come in the 1 and 2 lbs size bags!! Okay......I'll quit picking on him.... How he maintains his girlish figure...I'll never know...:).

Now my weakness for the sweet treats is more along the lines of.....

I tend to consume one here and there.... tuck a couple in my pocket for later. I don't lean towards liking very much chocolate at one time...so the tootsie roll is just right!

Another of my favorites is the always flavorful Saltwater Taffy....YUM.

That stuff is definitely addicting! There's a great little store out on the Oregon coast that sells this ....nice and fresh....I can give myself a stomach ache because I don't realize how much I've consumed until it's too late...;(

BUT...my favorite fun candy overall ...is the candy corn!

It's not that its all that scrumptious in taste... but I do consider it rather pleasing... it's also the game you make out of eating it. Very carefully you bite the little white tip off. Can you take it off cleanly without any white left showing? Can you do the same to the other end. Of course, there is the game of what you can do with the whole candy. Placed strategically as fangs or the large end down to make very believable Bugs Bunny teeth...:D

As Halloween nears it never fails that I've got to go out and buy more candy before the big evening....the neighborhood kids have learned that I'm the lady who hands out the candy in BIG handfuls.....they like me....they really like me.....ha, ha, ha.....!

Just Plod, Plod, Plodding....Along.

This has been the longest two weeks of my life!!

For 6 - 8 hours everyday I sat in a class learning more about government contracting than I ever thought I wanted to know. The only thing that made this class palatable was the fact that we were divided up into group....and I had an awesome group to work with. Over the two weeks we had 4 scenarios to do pre and post award administration, problem solve, resolve and of course refererence every government law and clause we could lay our hands on! Okay...I'll admit...some of it was actually fun and interesting....:)

Our instructor was an interesting kind of dude. His name was Bernie, he is a former government worker who now contracts with these training companies to teach these classes. I'm sure he's making a nice little profit as a private contractor! He was kind of quirky, a slightly raunchy humor, and one very fantastic cook! Since this training was two weeks, he hosted a dinner on the weekend and cooked for everyone....wow....the guy is really good. Quite impressive. I would weigh 300 lbs in no time at all if I continued to eat like that...but MMmmm...mmmm......it was tasty!

I'm happy to report that today was my last class and YES I passed...YEAH...one more class out of the way. Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention....I am also taking my evening Accounting class at the same time as this one. Only two more sessions and I can move on to something else....wooo hooo. I'm trying real hard to fast track all of this schooling so I can graduate in May 2008. So far, it's looking very promising. I'll try not to let you all witness too many meltdowns on here!

So....it's the weekend...the weather is looking promising, it's been a glorious Fall day.... and I'm a happy woman!

Puppy Love...

Those soft, warm, squirmy little bundles of joy. That warm puppy body and the licky little tongue...... I'm in love.

Puppies are so trusting and carefree. Look at those innocent little faces. Eyes that follow you and adore you. Little wet noses that want nothing more than to be stroked and kissed. When they hear your voice they get all wiggly and happy.

Can a man/woman have a more trusted companion. As they grow older they are the loyal faithful friend. Strong enough to protect and gentle enough to sense distress and give comfort. We are truly blessed to have such companions.

Memories....and Acceptance.

I took a moment this afternoon and wandered around my backyard. My original intent was to find some nice October shots...but alas....I found none to my satisfaction. The leaves just weren't yellow and orange enough yet. I'll give them another week or two then they'll be absolutely gorgeous.

There was a sentimental moment...... while looking at my birdbath and having fond thoughts of my mother, who passed away a little over two years ago. This birdbath isn't really my kind of style, but as Mom and I were browsing through a local garden pottery shop she spotted this beauty. She was sure it would be perfect for a little shaded corner of my yard. I was looking for a clay oven for my back patio in anticipation of a simple, quiet evening outside by a fire, while Mom purchased the birdbath as a early birthday present for me. We ended up bringing both items home and placing each in their current locations.

I've enjoyed many an evening outside with my clay oven, but have almost completely ignored the birdbath. I didn't have the heart to tell Mom I wasn't all that enchanted with it. As you can see....it has begun to weather and blend with it's setting. I do believe this little birdbath is growing on me. As I stood there looking at it...I began to envision what it will look like when the ivy begins to climb up the base of it. The ivy...was also an idea of Moms. I've grown used to the funny little birds, frogs and flowers....they don't seem quite so ridiculous anymore.

I think I learned a simple lesson on this mid-October day....

NEVER too old to play.

How many stay actively involved in sports throughout their lives?














Why is it that we think team sports end when we leave college?

We had a discussion at work the other day as to why people quit playing sports! Several reasons were: Family commitments, Work, Fear of Injury, and just other interests. The discussion was quite lively due to the different opinions on this subject. There are several of us who have made it a point to stay involved. Yes, we've all experienced injuries, aches and pains, but the love of a team sport runs deep. I personally enjoy having a group of friends to come together with and the friendly competition with other teams. I like the feeling of staying fit.

I love my team...and do you know the average age on my team?......about 40, maybe more. Our pitcher is the oldest and he is in his mid-70's!! If I can hit and run like he does when I reach that age....I will be a happy woman.


Do you think companies should promote more physical fitness for their employees....maybe require it?

Mom and Dads Night Out

Randy and I were invited to a big birthday bash this past Saturday night. It was a celebration for a couple of guys who were turning 50. This was the first time I've gotten to dress up and go out in very long time. Why is that? As we get older do we become lazy or just too tired to make the effort?

Once we were there it was completely enjoyable, great music, good conversation and food. The band was fantastic, check out their website: http://www.themoes.com/ These guys really knew how to rock it. Unfortunately, I'm still healing from a torn achilles, but was still able to kick my heels up a bit. Here's one of the birthday boys and myself....David Meyer he's a good friend from highschool days. Hopefully he and his wife will be doing some cycling with me this next summer, as well.

School News....

Wow.....It's been awhile, I guess I kind of suck at blogging....:)

Life's been busy. From July through September is my busiest time of year at work. Thankfully the stress level is coming down and I'll be able to ease back into a more normal work routine. But.......

I've had a pretty full load with mostly business classes...with the odd Humanities class thrown in. I just finished up with a class I THOUGHT was an ethics class...so it was a bit of a surprise to find out it was very deep into Philosophy.....wow...what a bunch of crazy, dead guys...ha.ha. In about a week from now I start a full two-week (80 hours) Contracting course. Luckily, it's here in Portland so I won't have to deal with strange hotel rooms and travel pains. I will still be going to school in the evenings too. Wait.....that's not all...

Starting the end of November I will be doubling up on my classes...and this will continue until April. This will ensure that I am able to graduate the end of May 2008 with my Bachelors in Business Administration. From the schedule I've worked out it seems to be very do-able. The winter months are the slower/less stress time at work. I've got a couple holidays and off-weeks thrown in there to allow me to do catch-up work. I'll be fine, but definitely busy.

How's the rest of the family doing?

Ashley is going to Mt Hood CC....just picking up the last few miscellaneous credits she needs before heading off to PT schooling for the next 3 years. She's taking a couple on-line classes, so her need to drive and spend too much time on campus is substantially less. She's working full time in a PT clinic and really enjoying it...and learning a LOT.

Brandt has graduated....(see graduation picture I posted earlier) but he is still working on the finishing touches of his senior project. Hopefully this will come to an end in the next couple months. I do believe he is anxious to finally move in to his chosen field....yeah. He is also working in the concrete business with Randy until he lands an engineering job.

Erin is going to Ashmead College -- she has about 6 more months and will be a Licensed Massage Therapist. She is really enjoying herself and has definitely found her profession. It's wonderful to see her so excited about the classes and clinics. I've volunteered to come in to the clinic so she can practice on me....ha..ha.. Actually, there are many massage schools that have open clinics that the public can go to for massages....and the price is substantially less. Little Keely spends half of a day in daycare...and seems to really be enjoying it. They've moved her from the infant room into the toddler room....she now gets to play with the big kids, read books, color and is now in the process of potty training! Wish I'd had someone to potty train my kids!! She's a true joy to this family and it's so much fun watching her discover her world.

Randy is as busy as usual with the concrete business. We are now moving into the wet season...so he tends to get a little grumpier. Someday, he will have to move in to some other type of business that is less physical...he's not a spring chicken anymore...;) Hopefully we can take a nice relaxing week in January or February to some place warm....so we can dry him out.

Life is good.....

Ready For Some Changes......Grab a brush and come on over!!

Gotta strike while the mood is hot......ha.ha...

Yes, I've gotten a flea in my ear and am ready to pull out the paint roller and paint the town red!! Well....at least my family room. I've been wanting to paint it a color that helps make the room nice and cozy, and I've found just the right color....Mexican Chili....it's kind of a burnt red color...Burnt Red.....I really think it will go very nicely in there with the stone of the fireplace and the bit of cedar that's on the one wall.

NEXT....I've found a lovely soft butter yellow to paint the walls in my dining area, called Celestial Yellow....(Yellow)with the east window in that room it should be a nice happy, soft glow in the morning. I'm thinking this will become my favorite place to eat breakfast and wake up in the mornings.

And Finally......I will be painting my livingroom and hallways a beautiful color called Desert Warmth.... There will be one wall in the livingroom that will have a nice color called MOther Nature.....a warm sage green....(not this color, much more muted) This should perk my little house up very nicely!

What brought on all this change, you say? I painted all the walls and ceilings white in this house about 7 years ago. They are in real need of some attention and I'm very tired of white!! This is now the time to make those changes. I'm getting excited just thinking about it....:) I already grabbed my color palletes and will be heading for home depot tomorrow....I bet I could get the family room done tomorrow and the dining room done the next day! I LOVE IT when a room is freshly painted......AND I will be doing a little weeding out of STUFF while I'm at it. Jim inspired me to minimize the clutter......simplify my life.

The Anderson Family Reunion...July 2007

Our trip began on the morning of July 3rd....the van was loaded, all passengers buckled in, and the vehicle engaged into drive.....then Keely decided to throw up! Everyone bales out because it REEKED. So needless to say we were a little delayed with the start of our trip. Finally we hit the road with a few other minor incidents, such as....spilled pop.

We made a stop in the small town of Cusick, WA (about an hour northeast of Spokane) to visit Doug and Hazel Cole. They are building a vacation/retirement home on the Pend O'reille River. What an absolutely beautiful location. It made me want to stay, and stay ....and stay. After a nice visit and supper with them we loaded back up and continued our trip. Unfortunately, Brandt hadn't been feeling that well and we made a fairly rapid stop about a half and hour out of Sandpoint for him to lose breakfast, lunch and supper! Of course, Randy and Ashley have sympathy reactions to this type of activity and they made and exit out the other side of the van. Yep....once again Mom to the rescue and acting as the complementary clean up committee...:)

Our original plan was to drive straight through to Canmore, Alberta....but with all the delays we decided to stop in Cranbrook, BC for the evening. One slight problem, due to the 4th of July and summer travelers there were few rooms available. We finally found A room a the Traveler's Inn.....yes....one room! I think I may have been the only one who slept well, but I was the one driving too, so I guess that's all that really mattered...right? We all rose the next morning to the fragrant smell of pot being inhaled somewhere nearby...funny stuff. We had a nice breakfast at the local Denny's who give complementary birthday breakfasts...So...happy birthday to me!

We finally reached Canmore about 2 pm Wednesday afternoon and checked into our accommodations at the beautiful WorldMark resorts (our timeshare) Canmore is just 15 minutes out of Banff National Park and is quickly turning into a wonderful little resort town. Every direction a person turns the scenery is beautiful and very pleasing to the eyes and senses. Our location was at the base of the mountains just out of town. Very peaceful and quiet, with lots of wildlife to view. We setttled in to our rooms then left to explore the town.

The rest of the family began to arrive on Thursday evening and Friday. It was so nice to see everyone...some who have not been seen in almost 20 years! Now all the activities will begin. This is a very active family who enjoy hiking, biking, rock climbing, cycling.....you name it.....they'll try it.

Brandt and Ashley were able to try their skills at rock climbing and I do believe they liked it!



















I had an absolutely beautiful hike up to the sight where the kids were climbing....it just couldn't get any better than this!

Our week was spent traveling to Foothills Campmeeting on Saturday for Jasper's baptism and getting to visit with friends and family we haven't seen in a long time. We were blessed with beautiful weather the whole time and that was a big plus!



It seemed like every time all the siblings got together another group shot was taken. Kinda funny...but very cool. This picture was taken immediately after Jaspers baptism by the river.

The rest of the week involved alot of meals together, trips to Banff, some went to the Calgary Stampede, golfing in Kananaskis and more hiking and mountain biking!

A wonderful time was had by all! Here are a few more candid pics on the last full day we were there.......family pictures up by the Canmore Nordic Center.

Graduation Day..June 2007

Randy and I are proud parents! Brandt, our oldest kid has finally graduated from college. He got his diploma for mechanical engineering. Now he needs to figure out what to do with it. Anyone have some job offers out there?...:)

It's hard to believe my little baby is all grown up...the time has sure flown by.

Congratulations Son...we love you.

ALOHA...!!

While in Hawaii this spring I decided to work on my photograghy of flowers a bit more. This was one of my first attempts ....and not too bad.