Sporadic Blogger

Moving - Today

2010-08-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

I am moving to a new blog address -

http://married2mydreamman.wordpress.com/

Stop by and take a look around!

: )
- Bev

Re-committed

2010-08-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to a the Hot Air Balloon Festival for the Night Glow, it was fun and beautiful. I had gone in years past but was never able to get any good shots. What I have learned in the last 6 months of my POTD project really helped me get a few nice shots of the lit up balloons.

Then this morning my alarm went off at 5:15 so I could get back to the festival in time to see them take off. There were probably about 20 or so and we were able to wander around them while they were filling them.

Then I wandered of the other side of the fairgrounds to check out the car show.

On my way home I stopped and took a few pictures of some old barns and fields I have been wanting to for awhile.

When I looked at my memory card I had taken over 200 pictures before 10:00am this morning. I am jumping in with both feet on a my new commitment to my POTD project.

Ready or not . . .

2010-08-27T00:54:00.000-07:00

Here we are already at the end of summer. Seems like it just began, but here it is at the end. Leaves are turning, it it getting to be time to take up the potatoes, (a project for this weekend), the evenings are cooler, and the days are getting shorter. I love the change of seasons, but for some reason this feels too soon this year.

I am not ready to give up the long evenings, or the warm mornings. I wish for more picnics and barbecues. But summer is coming to and end, and fall is knocking at the door - ready or not.

Beautiful Everett Girls Photo Shoot

2010-08-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

I did a photo shoot of my nieces last evening. It was a lot of fun and they were great sports. The got into it in the end and I was sad we ran out of light.

These are just a few of my favorites.

Carmin looks so much like pictures I have seen of my mom at this age.

Kenzi loved the feathers, she was a natural at the posing.

Aren't they beautiful?

Sunday Creative - Orient

2010-08-22T17:49:00.000-07:00

Orient vb 1: to set in a definite position esp. in relation to the points on a compass 2: to acquaint with an existing situation or environment 3: to direct to the interests of a particular group

So the first thing this word made me thing of was disorient. I feel like I am teetering on the edge of something. Do I jump? Do I keep peering over to see if I can tell what is there? I would love to set myself in a definite position, or direction, but here I sit, on the edge, not quite ready to jump. I know I will set myself, someday, this is the way I operate. I am cautious, not wanting to make a mistake. I know this about myself, and I am enjoying the journey.

Someday I will be oriented to this thing, right now I am disoriented, but that is ok for now.

Dunes

2010-08-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today I got my birthday gift from my husband. We went on a beach and dune tour in Florence. It was beautiful. Twenty of us loaded up into an old converted school bus, and took off towards the dunes and beach.

It was a bit chilly but it was clear and sunny. The views were gorgeous. The driver took up up and down the dunes. It ws so much fun. I would do it again in a heart beat.

Can it possibly be?

2010-08-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

As we were driving home last night, I felt it. Ever so slightly but it was there. Fall, a slight feeling of fall was in the air. How could that be? We have hardly had summer yet.

Then this morning I walked out to the garden, it was there also. The pumpkins have begun to turn, ever so slightly, a tinge of orange. I still have only harvested 2 ripe tomatoes, it can't really be fall yet, can it?

I love the turn of seasons, I usually embrace them. But I don't think I am quite ready to let go of summer yet.

Summer - please stick around awhile - please?

rural life - loving it

2010-08-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

Last night as I was walking around the yard, I realized again how much I love it here. I love the quiet, the open spaces, and the smell of farming. We don't farm, but we live in the middle of fields and people who do farm.

I love watching the weather come and go. I love watching the tractors run up and down the road. Even the "harvest haze" it beautiful to me.

There is something wonderful and calming about just taking a walk out to the garden, or just around the yard.

Sunday Creative Challenge - Ethereal

2010-08-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more heavenly than a baby, it seems to me they are so fresh from heaven that you can almost see heaven in their eyes. Is that sweet baby smell, the smell of heaven?

(This is Emily from her One Year Photo shoot a week or so ago. I loved the way this dress went with the quilt I brought along. She was such a trooper but we sure knew when she was done.)

Naked (Sunday Creative ChallengePrompt)

2010-07-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

I find it hard to leave my self open and naked for others to peer into my soul, the real me. I am more like this moon, baring some but not all. What if they don't like the real me? As I get older this is mattering less, but it still matters. I am working on it, loving my self enough to let others peer in to my nakedness. My amazing husband has helped with this, he knows all of me an still loves all of me. Now, if I could love myself like this -

Loving My Life Right Now!

2010-07-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

I listen to mothers who are so sure they will miss the days when their children are small. I use to think that, don't get me wrong, I loved those days. Even the hard ones. As a single parent there were times that were harder than others but I loved them, all of them. I loved every stage that my children passed though. Okay, so it took me a while to appreciate the junior high days of my son, but I see now how all the stages made them the amazing adults they are now. I love this stage. Watching them make their own decisions, yes, that too is hard to stand back and watch sometimes. But, my children have grown into wonderfully responsible adults, and I could not be prouder of them.

So, I don't miss those days when my children were small, I remember them fondly, with a smile and without regret. They were wonderful, but I would not trade them for the independence we all have at this stage either.

I am free to try on "new shoes" (see post below) They are free to use the tools they gained growing up to make decisions, good and bad, and grow even more. I love the stage I am in right now.

New Shoes

2010-07-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

I just read a blog that got me to thinking about where I am in my life right now. I am teetering back and forth about where my photography hobby will take me. I am a new wife. I have a fairly demanding job. I love all these things, but how to balance them is the trick.

It is like new shoes, you love them, but they are a little stiff. The old worn out shoes are the most comfortable, but they aren't what I need any more.

I would love to make photography into a side business, but am a little lost in how to do it. I also don't want it to become a chore. I love the feeling of taking a really good picture.

I love being a wife, I never knew it could be like this, a real partnership.

I love my job actually, even on the hard days, it is a great job.

I really do love these new shoes I am wearing, even if they are still a little stiff.

Traditional

2010-07-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

This weeks prompt seems to fit right in with the thoughts I was having as I took these pictures last night. These men & women who live this life do so mindful of the traditions passed down from generation to generation. This must be a wonderfully peaceful sight to the loved one of the fleets. Everyone safe in harbor.

Connected

2010-07-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

This morning I took a walk in the woods behind the cemetery. It was quiet, I could see that someone lives on the bank of the creek. I could not bring myself to take pictures of this "home: with out permission, it seemed like and invasion of privacy. But I wonder what about this place, the back side of a cemetery makes this person feel connected to this spot. I could see they had made their own memorials out of discarded items from the cemetery. This line of cement made me think of the word connected, and so many other things make me realize we are all connected in some fashion. By our love for art, our beliefs, our humanity, our wanting a place to belong, even if it is only a rug and a few odds and ends by the creek bank.

taking a break

2010-07-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

I have felt lately that I needed to take a small break from my POTD project, I am taking pictures everyday but not really posting them or processing them. Here are a few I have taken in the last few days.

I Promise . . . . . .

2010-06-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

I promise to spend 10 minutes each day creating.

I promise to talk about my creativity with others.

I promise to continue to challenge myself creatively because that is how I get better.

I promise to be kind to my creative spirit.

I promise to applaud my achievements.

I promise to cultivate relationships with people who share my creative interests.

I promise to call myself an artist.

Creativity Boot Camp Day Thriteen (final day) - Smile

2010-06-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

I could have taken a picture of a smile, but I decided to take pictures of things this morning that made me smile as I walked around the house. I have had a rough week this last week and got way behind on the boot camp and my POTD project. So here they are -

Random Shots near Sodaville, and a run in with a Mountain man -

2010-06-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

So I took a drive up a mountain road to Sodaville - population 303. There were many beautiful vistas and not too many places to pull over. (See the blog below for a view from the top of the mountain.) There were almost as many No Trespassing signs as trees, it kinda made me laugh as I pictured mountain people with shot guns, you know the stereotypically type you see on T.V.

I stopped by the side of the road to get these shots, I was there about 5 minutes or so. I got back in the car and I noticed this old rusty pickup on the road behind me, so I waited for it to pass so I could pull out. It did not pass, it pulled in behind me. I started to take off and a hand came out the window and waved me to stop. I locked my doors, and kept the engine running. A man, with a sleeveless, plaid shirt, old straw hat, stubbly beard, and what had to be a can of chew in his cheek, approached my window. He had one eye, I think, because only one was open, and a pair of very thick glasses on. At this point I did not know whether to laugh or be frightened, all that was missing from his "outfit" was the double barrel shot gun. Apparently he had been watching me, from somewhere, and came down to make sure I wasn't up to no good.

This last shot I took with out getting out of the car - LOL

Creativity Boot Camp Days Ten through Twelve

2010-06-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

Day Ten - Full Bodied Sky

This has been the rainiest spring that I can remember. I am so ready for the sun to come and stay. In the meantime though I am enjoying the beautiful clouds it is bringing. Out where I live you can watch the weather come towards you. I have gotten pretty good at spotting a rain storm and judging how much time I have outside before it hits.

Smooth Get Away

So this pheasant (named Phil) and his mate live in the field behind our home. I have been trying for months to sneak up on him and get a picture. Not a chance, he has amazing hearing - I caught him here taking off but it is not a great photo. Oh well, maybe someday.....

Hush

Drove up this mountain road yesterday. The view was awesome. There was not a sound but nature all around me - God's still small voice. There was a hush up there that can only be had when you are the only soul for miles.

Creativity Boot Camp Day Nine - Drizzle

2010-06-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

So today's word is drizzle - we finally got some summer type weather in the last few days - I did not even want to think about drizzle. And the whole idea of drizzling chocolate syrup or something like that seemed like it would take more energy than I could gather. Today was a draining day and work and it sucked the creativity and energy right out of me - so this is what I could come up with - a drizzle of water from my sprinkler.

Oh well - tomorrow is another day - early to bed tonight to recharge the old batteries!

Creativity Boot Camp Day Seven - Ornament

2010-06-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

Creativity Bootcamp day Six - Fly

2010-06-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

Creativity Boot Camp Day Six - Fluid

2010-06-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

I took this picture at the creek behind my work. It was a happy accident, one of those shots you just take along with all the others, then when you load it on your computer you think - wow wouldn't I be a great photographer if I had taken this on purpose? : )

The journal prompt to day is what rules do I impose on myself when I "create". I am not sure I have rules, I just take pictures of what looks good to me at the moment. Some days it is old rusty stuff, other days it is macros of flowers and other days it is landscapes. I don't really think I have a style of photo.

Creativity Boot Camp Day Five - Grow

2010-06-10T19:17:00.000-07:00

The challenge to listen to some of the music that I listened to in high school took me back quickly. My favorite was Eric Clapton's "All By Myself". I was into the sad, dark ballads about love lost. I think, that if it had been in style back then, I would have been "goth" or "emo". I wrote dark poetry, and sad stories. I don't really know why, I felt alone in my family. My parent's were loving and caring, but I still longed for something. I looked for "it" in bad relationships, and never found it.

I eventually grew out of it, but it took me years. I married still looking for "it", and we all know that another person can not ever be "it". Indeed, he was not "it". But I got my wonderful children from that experience, and would not change that for the world. I have amazing children, (they are adults now). The experience of my divorce forced me to realize that I needed to be happy and satisfied with myself before I could find happiness with another. I was happily single for 23 years when my life took a dramatic turn. I left a job that I had held for 23 years, I took a month long trip to Brazil, I took a job where I supervised 12 very skilled people. It was a scary, exciting time for me. I also met the love of my life, the man that I will spend the rest of my life with. I will grow old with this man, and I know that the roads my life took, led me through many experiences so that I would be ready for this man.

I have grown from a dark, sad teenager, to a happy, loving adult, who is right now this moment, listening to "I am so Blessed" by Martina McBride.

Crearative Bootcamp Day Four - Heavy Metal

2010-06-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

My first thought when I saw our word for the day was of the weights sitting next to my bed and under my desk at work. In this Bootcamp I have been trying to go with my first thought. I spent most of my morning trying to deside how to use the weights in a picture and a journal entry. I was at my physical therapy appointment when the ideas began forming.

The weights are near my bed and under my desk at work because my body is betraying me. Well, at least that is the way it feels to me. I am right handed, and had a fairly significant injury to my right arm15 years ago. A few months ago I noticed my arm aching, my hand getting weaker. I ignored it for weeks and finally when I could not open a jar or pick up my camera with out pain, I went in to have it checked out.

The old injury never heal properly, they are telling me.
I am getting older, I hate to hear that phrase.
I may need surgery, but we are trying physical therapy first.
I feel betrayed, I want my body to work like it did when I was 20, it doesn't.

In some ways my body is holding back the creative side of me, that frustrates me, I feel like I have enough roadbocks with out my body being one of them. I press on, taking as many pictures as I can, processing them as I can, but I can see a difference. I am firm in my resolve to not let it stop me completely, and to learn something from this experience.

The Creativity Bootcamp has been just what I needed for right now. It has made me stop and think about how I think about myself, what my roadblocks are and how to overcome both of them.

The weights will no longer be a reminder not how weak I am, but of how strong I will be.

Multilayered - Creativity Bootcamp Day Three

2010-06-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

These are the hands of a wife, lover, friend, mother, step-mother, housekeeper, gardener, laundress, grocery-getter, employee, supervisor, lover of God, aunt, sister, sister-in-law, daughter, photographer, and artist. These are my hands and I am multilayered.

Creative Bootcamp Day Two

2010-06-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

Today's Word - Picnic

I saw this bee buzzing around this blossom today after work, I thought what a picnic the bee's are having this time of year. No planning, no clean up, just drop in and eat, fly off and eat some more. Then I realized this is no picnic for the bee, it is hard work and it's life's work. But it is a picnic for me to watch, I have a strange fasination with bee's, I am allergic, to I keep my distance, yet I am drawn to them. They are so busy and dedicated to the hive. I love to watch them flit from blossom to blossom.

Creative Bootcamp Day One

2010-06-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Today I am supose to write a letter to myself about what I hope to gain from this course. I want to be challenged and get my creative juices going again. I want to take some one elses prompt and come up with my own interpretation of it. I want to see what others are doing and be inspired by them. That is all.

The word today was Ivory.

I have a new web site -

2010-05-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.wix.com/bevland/landgrenphotography

Here are a couple new pictures I have just posted

love spring couds

2010-04-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

old trucks

2010-04-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

wandered around the old barn next to our house this weekend - loved these old trucks

some of my favorite things

2010-04-20T21:41:00.000-07:00

I love this little spot, it was a pig barn in another life, but is now my "potting shed". There will be a nice garden there next year.

I am having a wonderful time learning about photography, some day I will take a class but for now - trial and error is working.

And it is almost strawberry season - could not resist these from California.

mornings

2010-04-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Until recently I have not been much of a morning person. Weekends rarely saw me up before 9 or 10. Not sure what happened but in the last year or so if I sleep til 8 it is very rare. I am usually up by 6:30 or 7. I love the mornings -

The morning sky is so clear and blue.

I love the dew on the grass

And the colors are beautiful in the morning light

I love watching and listening to swallows - this morning when I stepped out my front door they were buzzing around and a little annoyed at me for interupting them. I spotted a couple on the electrical wire across the street, they made me laugh. I think he was trying to get her attention but she was having none of it -

God does some amazing work - especially in the morning quiet -

New Wedding Album Book

2010-04-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

More pictures from the week

2010-03-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Some of the Pictures

2010-03-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

whats new?

2010-03-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

I started a challenge in Feb, to take one picture everyday and post it to a group on flickr. I tried recently to put some of the pics here also, but could not get them to load. I will try agaon soon. But you can peek at them on flick (Bevland2010) or on my facebook page.

It has been very fun and quite a challenge sometimes, but I am getting more comfortable with my camera, and with taking pictures in odd places.

At the end of the year I should have at least 365 shots - now to figure out the best way to put them into print.

Here are some of my favorite scrapping sites

2010-01-06T21:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.jessicasprague.com/

http://www.scrapgirls.com/

http://www.scrapartist.com/

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/

http://www.shabbyprincess.com/

http://ahhhscrap.com/wordpress/

http://www.littledreamerdesigns.com

These are just a few of my favorite scrapping sites. Almost all of them have free stuff and some tutorials. Photoshop is my choice of programs but Photoshop Elements works pretty well too.

I really like being able to scrap digitally, partly because the cost is so much less, and I can pic up my computer and take a project any where.

Have fun!

Horrible

2009-12-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

So - I am horrible at updating this blog. : )

Life is good right now, I love being married. I love all of it.

I love waking in the night and finding Tim holding my hand, I love the sound of his snore. I love the warmth of his side of the bed. I love the extra snooze in the morning for 5 minutes of cuddling before the day starts. I love that the car is warm every morning before I even get out to it. I love that my english muffin is toasted and waiting for my when I get to the kitchen in the morning. I love cooking dinner for Tim. I love the quietness we share. I love the conversation we share. I love the competiveness of the Wii every day. I love doing his laundry and the smell of him on the clothes. I love rubbing the top of his head. I love the way he puts his arm around me and cups my shoulder in his hand. I love the way he teases me out of a bad mood.

I just love him so much, and feel so loved by him.

Married!

2009-11-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

Finally the day came. It was perfect, everything went just as planned and better.

Catching up . . . .

2009-10-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

So I just realized - or had pointed out to me - that I had not updated this blog in a very long time. So much has happened - I have been so busy. I will try to do a quick update then post pics later.

It is now only 30 days to the wedding - I am so excited! Things are done as much as they can be for now, just last minute stuff to do.

A friend is making the cake - she makes beautiful cakes and did one for her grandparents that was exactly what I had pictured for mine - she offered - I went for it!!

I am still going to make about 250 cupcakes - I think I have decided on the punch. I am hoping to make white grape/peach. We'll see if I can find enough of it.

Bunnie, Melinda and I made 250 white chocolate seashells to go on the cupcakes. The seashell favors are done.

I found a great deal on silk calla lillies for my flowers. I am still deciding on for Tim. I would love to find a really small calla lilly for his lapel.

I have the pics planned out that I want - a friend from work is going to do the pics - that is exciting. She takes the same style as I do and we like the same stuff.

Tim is the love of my life and I am so anxious to start our together life. Sometimes when we are driving along somewhere, talking or just being quiet, it feels as if we have been married for years. It is exciting, new, wonderful, and comfortable, I have never felt so loved, or loved so much. I have never been so much myself with any man. I love being me with him, and I love that he is totally himself with me.

That is all I can think of for now - did I say I was excited????

28 years ago today

2009-08-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that 28 years ago at this minute I was anxiously waiting to meet my first born. Jason is 28 today - so hard to believe that it was that long ago.

I am so proud of the man he has grown into. Even though the piece of his life are still falling into place he tries to follow the plan that God has for him. He has grown into a wonderful man.

Weird Pics

2009-07-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with my camera settings in prep for trying to take a pic of the space station tonight. Some of them have turned out pretty cool.

on the cake

2009-07-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well - it went on pretty easy. Smoothed out pretty nice. I kinda wished I had made some of the white chocolate shells to try on it. Oh well - I may try it again with all the decorations. This last pic is what I would like it to look like, or similar.

my first try at fondant frosting for the wedding cake

2009-07-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

So I tried out the marshmallow fondant frosting that I found on the internet. It was so sticky to make - the pics don't even show how sticky but it ended up turning out pretty smooth. In the next couple days I will try putting it on a cake.

I also made a few white chocolate shells - I want to see how they freeze. See if I can make them way ahead and freeze them. I think they turned out pretty good.

Let you know how the frosting works on the cake.

classes

2009-07-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am taking a 2 week on line class in Photoshop, I am learning some pretty cool stuff. Here are a few examples of what I have done.

this and that

2009-07-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

So here are a couple of the trial shells I did for favors. I have about 180 of them left to go!!

We finished cleaning out the back bedroom that will be Scotts. Now we just need to paint it and then get Scott moved into it. The dining room is next, then on to the rest of the house. It is coming along. Only 15 weekends left to go to get it all done.

It has been hot the last few days, finally feels like summer. Tim and I headed to the coast after work on Thursday. It was so cold and windy that we could hardly walk on the beach. We did snap a few pics (see the post below). We did not stay on the beach too long. But we do have so much fun together!

a few pics

2009-07-05T02:59:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrap pages

favors

2009-06-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

So the asthma episode is pretty much over. Just a little tiredness left really.

Now I am ready to be on the move, I am starting on the wedding favors, kinda stumbled on what I wated to do. Seashells with our names and dates in them with bows. So easy and cheap and can be part of the decorations. And I found white paper lanterns at the dollar store with lights already in them - SCORE!!!

I will post a pic of the favors later.

cough cough cough

2009-06-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

I have been down with an asthma attack for a few days now - it is finally getting some better. Tim has been so good, coming here every day at lunch and bringing me a big pop. : ) I was hoping to head back to work tomorrow but I don't know. We'll see. I can hardly wait to get a good deep breath without coughing up a lung. On the plus side I have been coughing so hard I think it is kinda like sit ups!

Engaged!

2009-06-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

So I am engaged! The wedding is Nov 6th. It will be a small ceremony with a reception following.

Never thought it would happen to me, Tim is a wonderful man, and treats me like a Princess! I love him more than I thought I would love any one!

Chelsey's graduation

2009-06-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

So I guess . . .

2009-06-06T17:06:00.000-07:00

So I guess after being lazy and just posting pictures I ought to write something.

First off, I love that new program, SmileBox. There are about a million different layouts and ways you can use them. Makes posting pics a little more interesting and very easy to make it look like I worked hard at it. : )

So those pics were of our trip to Virginia to see Chels graduate. It was an amazing trip. The cabin we rented was really set in a beautiful location. Liberty University was huge. Much bigger than I ever imagined. There were 6500 graduates. I will post pics of this later.

We saw so much while we were there and did not really even scratch the surface of what we could have seen.

I will post more photo books as I get them done.

Tim and I traveled really well together. We drove over 2000 miles in the week we were there. We had a blast!

It was a little sad to tell Chelsey good bye. But I am so proud of her, and she seems to really like the job she has. I know this is where God wants her for now and that makes it so much easier.

Last One of DC

2009-06-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

One last album before bed

2009-06-06T00:33:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Found this new program on line - Love it!

2009-06-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

2009-06-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

An irregular blogger :)

2009-02-07T08:37:00.000-08:00

So I really thought I would be much better about posting to this blog - kinda like a diary. And then I remembered, even growing up I would start a diary every year and by the middle of January there would be just a few entries. LOL I haven't changed much in that area I guess. So I guess I will just write when I have time and not worry about recording everyday happenings.

Life goes on - I am busy - hopping between here and Tim's. Last weekend we went to the coast it was beautiful over there. Seems funny but we have had better weather over there this winter than over the last summer. It has been too cold to walk too much on the beach but it has been clear and beautiful.

We went to Comedy on the Coast, it was so funny. But went so much later than we thought, got home well after mid-night - actually like 2:30. Took me all week to recover from that. I am getting old I guess.

I am headed to Tim's today to helping him clean out his basement. Started a couple weekends ago - it is going to take some time. He is a "keeper" kinda like dad was. There is stuff down there that has not been touched in years - now I am a "thrower" - so this will be interesting. :) We have never had a fight, I don't anticipate it, but it will be fun to see how this all goes.

Feb. 14th will be one year from our first date. never thought I would date anyone this long. Or actually date any one. At this point in my life I never thought I would find love. But this has been an amazing adventure. We get along so well. Like to do the same things. He is so calm and even tempered and we are so good together. He calms me, settles me when I get too stressed. Tim has really taught me how to relax and not be so obsessive. I am getting him out and moving more. Doing more than just hanging out. We compliment each other so well. People at work have told me he is a different person, happier, since we started going out. That makes me smile. Tim makes me smile. I love him, I feel like I have waited my whole life for this person. I have never known a man like him, never been treated so well, or loved so completely. I have never felt like I could truly be myself with any other, but I can with Tim. Makes me wonder sometimes how my life would have been different if I had waited for this kind of love in the first place.

Ok - well I have rambled enough - need to get up and clean my house before I head down to Tim's.

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All!

I did not do much for New Year's Eve - just went to Tim's - he was feeling under the weather so it was quiet, we shared a kiss at midnight and then I drove home. It was quiet but nice.

Today though, Chelsey and I went out today to get some pics for her graduation. Man it was raining and cold, we did not get too many but here are a few we did get. I edited them in Photoshop. I think she is beautiful! We will probably go back out on Saturday - maybe.

2008-12-27T00:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008 -

We spent Christmas Eve at Monica's - it was a bit wierd without dad. Jason couldn't read the Christmas story so Chelsey read it for us. Then we opened our gifts. It ended up being kinda an early night. Dave was not able to make it because of the snow we had this year. so for the first time in Jason and Chelssy's lives, it was just the three of us for most of the day. Just before dinner Tim came and Jason's friend Sean came also. We had a great dinner of Prime Rib Roast thanks to Uncle Dave. :)

More Snow - it just keeps coming!

2008-12-20T23:28:00.000-08:00

Today was unbelieveable, it snowed all day. Started around 11:00 and then did not stop until 8:00 or 9:00. It is sure beautiful but not too fun to drive in. We are getting pretty good at putting the chains on. I can't remember it ever snowing this much in December. I think we are in for a pretty cold winter.

I did get a little baking done and all the gifts wrapped. Still need to bake somemore to take to work but then I am done.

Tim did drive up just for about an hour today - it was nice he came but not long enough. Weather was too bad for him to stay.

Snow Snow Snow!!!

2008-12-15T18:26:00.000-08:00

It snowed yesterday - alot for here in Keizer Oregon. We had about 3 and half inches on the ground last night. It was beautiful but so cold. The temp dropped to about 21 degrees by the time I headed for bed. Tim came up for a few hours, we usually spend Sunday evenings at his house so it seemed wierd to not be there this week. Looks like next week will be the same, predections are for even more snow.

On the 14th, Tim and I will have been going out for 10 months. It still seems so

real. Neither of us were looking

to date or be in a relationship, but it just happened. He is so good to me, he is such a gentle soul, even though he would like for every one to believe he is gruff. LOL. Anyway. he is such an amazing man and I am so glad we found each other.

The commute to work today was so bad, I actually took the bus. We are heading out now to put chains on Chelsey's car - I am going to be so cold!!! Hope we can figure it out!! - Hot Chocolate and a hot bath will be quickly following.

Well SUCCESS - thank goodness for quick fit chains - they are on and work well - we took a quick test drive - all in about 15 minutes.

Wonderful Day

2008-11-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

Tim and I headed for the coast today after church. We heard it was supose to be nice, and boy was it. 65 degrees and no wind - it was beautiful!! We had a great time, we always do. We have so much fun together. I fell so blessed to have Tim in my life. He is so good to me, treats me so well. I am pretty much spoiled rotten! : )

Well off to bed and ready to start an new week. By the way - have I said recently how much I still love my job?

Another Saturday

2008-11-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

So I spent the day yesterday, scrapping a few pages while watching the poor Beavers roll over and die. It was an awful game, they sure did not play the way they had over the last several weeks. But I did get several pages done and ideas for more. Here where you can take a look if you want - http://picasaweb.google.com/bev.taylor/ScrapPages#

Got a few Christmas decorations up, the rest will go up on Monday I think. Got a bit of Christmas shopping done.

All in all it was a good day.

Oh - and Happy Birthday Mendi - sure miss you guys!

The Day After

2008-11-28T14:27:00.000-08:00

Wow - went downstairs today and saw the ruins of Thanksgiving Day - really it wasn't too bad. Yesterday was a good day, family and friends near. some family far away. I missed the Everett Family, and Chesley, but we had a good day of eating, being lazy, and watching football.

Today I am a bit sluggish - think I need a nap. But they frown on that at work, it is slow at work today, but today that is welcome.

Ended the day by going to Tim's, we dropped by to see his niece and nephew. Conner and Erika, Conner was mostly absorbed in the Wii making a crazy Mii and playing Marion brothers. Erika was thrilled to see me, she calls me Dev. She is very cute and very smart for a 3 year old. These two make me miss my family in Brasil. After a bit of play it was dinner time. Pizza, yum. watched a bit of TV - well kinda - I kept falling asleep and missing parts.

Beaver's game is Saturday - Big Civil war - should be exciting!

Thanksgiving - 2008

2008-11-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

So today is Thanksgiving - a good day to start a blog. A good day to look back on the year and remind myself of all I have to be thankful for. So much has changed in the last year or so. I changed from a job that I had been with for 23 years to a job with the state. A story for another blog. I have begun a new relationship after 24 years of singleness. My kids are both great and doing what they think God wants them to. They have grown to be wonderful godly adults.

Grandma was here for dinner - she is 95. Going strong for her age. Chelsey was in Virginia, Tim was still in Lebanon but showed up later for pie. Jason & Dave were here as well as two of Jason's friends Tim and Carolynn. We had a great day.

I am truly thankful for the life I live and the life I have had. I realize that God has always been in control and has lead me on this path to where I am now.