Adventures with the Andersons - World Forestry Center

 

Since I am literally months behind on here, this feature will be popping up a lot while I play catchup. 

I don't really remember when we ventured to the World Forestry Center, but I know it was sometime after our second move because we took the MAX line (I'll gush about the MAX in another post). It took about an hour to get there, but it's a fun hour and the stop at Washington Park is super cool because it's 260ft below ground.

The museum is simple and interesting. You basically learn all about forests and what we are capable of creating with wood. 

In the center is a little piece of forest and a lift ride you can take to the top. We didn't partake in the ride because the tot didn't meet the height requirement, but she grows so fast I'm sure she'll be tall enough in about fifteen minutes.

The majority of the exhibits are interactive or hands-on which makes it perfect for both the little one  and the kid at heart. I could have sworn I took a picture of the hubs and ELA on a virtual white water rafting thing, but apparently it was a mental photo. Whoops.

Handmade Monday: sweatshirt

I'm as surprised as you are to see this banner again (assuming you're surprised). The sad thing is today's featured project is one from last winter(?), so I could have posted it at any time. I'm just going to continue and blame my lame blogging on my double relocation and the fact that our computer is in our spare/storage room, if that's alright with you. Next week, however, this feature should be brand new because I'm so far behind on projects it's ridiculous.

For some reason almost every embroidery pattern I have screams "make this for your sister-in-love!" at me. I have so many things I want to make her that if I actually complete them all her and my brother will be up to their eyeballs in stitches. Earlier this year I grabbed this little pattern from over at Sublime Stitching, and decided she needed a sweatshirt of all things. In retrospect this clearly should have been on a pillow or the corner of a blanket. Live and learn. 

 

Adventures with the Andersons - Japanese Gardens

I typed this post up over a month ago, but the banner I had created ended up being really similar to the blog title of a dear friend. Since my creativity has been at a standstill it took a while for me to create a new one. I feel a bit "meh" about this post now, but I'm gonna publish it just to give the 'ole blog some life. 

I decided to create a feature for all the various adventures the Andersons embark on. Since moving to our lovely new city we've been much busier than before, so these posts will be a photo diary of sorts. If you happen to be my FB friend as well (which I think everyone who reads this is), this may get a bit repetitive. Feel free not to read it. I won't be offended. 

We decided to explore the The Japanese Gardens for Father's Day because it just so happens to be my husband's favorite style of garden. Luckily ELA is a huge fan of rocks, and wilderness in general, so she was pretty entertained as well. A bit less lucky was the fact that the battery in my camera was dead. Here are a few of the pics I took with my trusty phone.

It's really lovely and peaceful, and a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.  

A Big Box of Happy

Recently I won the fabulous giveaway over at File Me Away. As I kid I won the cake walk so frequently that I believed you just walked in a circle and then they gave you a treat, but this is the first time I've ever won anything as an adult. Honestly, I couldn't have been more excited if I tried! 

Due to the whole move and move again fiasco I had to wait for what felt like an eternity before I was able to give Megan a mailing address. Boy was it worth the wait! 

My spoils:

Those suitcases are so pretty in real life! I'm torn between actually using them, storing craft supplies in them, or just putting them on display. Within the littlest one I found a lovely card, coasters with knitting instructions, a little frame magnet, an apron, and the coolest little cookbook thing ever! I don't cook, but all of my mother's recipes came from similar books, and there are tons of blank pages inside for notes (although I don't think I'll ever want to soil the pages with my handwriting). 

Please forgive me if it seems like I'm bragging. I'm just really excited and wanted to share. I will definitely need to have a giveaway of my own at some point so that I can pay it forward. Thanks again Megan! You're awesome! 

Portland Discoveries - BraveStarr, chocolate milk, & a DQ menu

In this feature I will be posting fun or interesting things I've discovered while getting to know my new city. It will pop up whenever I have something new to share, and will most likely not be composed of the typical things Portlanders adore because I'm just not that cool. ;)

BraveStarr on local channel 22-2:

A photo of it on my TV.

My brother and I used to watch this cartoon when we were little (he LOVED it). BraveStarr is a space cowboy (technically Galactic Marshall) on the planet New Texas with powers from spirit animals. He's awesome. (This channel also plays cute pre-school cartoons all day which is fabulous when Mom needs a minute.)

this chocolate milk:

I'm a huge fan of chocolate milk and this stuff is amazing! It doesn't have any crazy chemical ingredients, it comes in an adorable mini carton, and it tastes like I suspect the river in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory does.

this Dairy Queen menu:

 
This was the menu for the DQ patrons using the drive-thru. How cute is this?!

More to come! What have you stumbled across lately?

Moving

A little over a month ago we pulled out of our driveway in Southern Oregon and headed north. This was a dream and plan we'd had for years and it was finally coming true, but at first it was really hard to be excited. I was taken off guard by how much I was reluctant to leave behind. I knew I'd miss my mom, my friends and my home, but it's shocking the things you grow attached to. Who knew I'd be heartbroken to move away from my pediatrician?

The thing I miss most though is my little abode. We own our home in Central Point, and even though we bought it knowing we'd never stay, and it certainly isn't our dream house, I still love and miss it.

For the first three weeks I wanted to my house back so badly it hurt. The place we had lined up to rent turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. The bedrooms upstairs were creepier than we remembered and I was reluctant to put ELA to bed every night (crazy old house not remodeled very well after all). Our bed frame couldn't fit up the staircase, so we just had our mattress on the floor. None of our furniture really fit because it was smaller than we'd realized, and the washer smelled like mold. 

Then, during our first 48 hours in that house, it became obvious we couldn't stay. Both ELA and I were suffering massive asthma issues, but only while in the house, and our financial situation tightened up a bit. We spent the next few weeks trying to find somewhere new (with the only internet access being on our phones!).

Fortunately a little duplex popped up just in time. I'm not crazy about sharing walls, but I've done it before and it's not forever. :)

We still haven't fully unpacked, but we're definitely getting starting to get settled. Eventually I'll even set up my craft area and Handmade Monday will return. What a thought!

I Am Here, I Am Here!

After over three weeks, two moves, and one relocation I am here. If anyone has been waiting for signs of life to emerge from my dust speck, I am here. Life has been super crazy since the moving truck pulled out of our old driveway and into our new one (and then into a second new one), and I can't wait to tell you about it, but first I need to unpack these horrible boxes. 

I hope all is well. Please stay tuned! 

Something(s) I'm Looking Forward To

Remember that "30 days of blogging" list I was working on? This is day 10:

• Getting my current house packed up.
• Receiving and signing the lease for the new rental.
• Unpacking.
• Going to Ikea.
• Settling in so I can start crafting more.
• Exploring a new city.
• Visiting family.
• My first concert (Sara Bareilles & Joshua Radin).
• Harry Potter.
• The birth of my dearest friend's new baby boy.
• Having an address to mail things to. ;)
• Getting to know my fellow bloggers.

What are somethings you're looking forward to?

Handmade Monday: camera case

My excuse for being late is this ... I am moving in five days, not just from one home to another, but from the bottom of my state to the top. Since I have yet to pack up my current house, or sign a lease on a new one, my life is a bit disorganized. I hope you'll forgive me.

On a craftier note, here is the case I made to go with the spiffy new camera I bought my mom for her birthday. I only had a few hours to construct it, so it's kinda sloppy, but it works. :)

Camera Case:

Since I failed to center the word smile, I had to throw an "s" on the end. Oh well, at least it was handmade. Right?

Changes

*Disclaimer: This post will most likely be a quite mishmoshy. Read at your own risk.*

Change #1: You may or may not have noticed that "I Heart This!" has been absent recently. I've decided to let it pop up at random rather than force it to appear every Thursday. To be honest, my heart hasn't really been in it the last few weeks.

Change #2: The Anderson family is finally moving to Portland!! 

Twenty days ago the hubs received the life changing news that he had landed a new job, and they needed him to start June 14th. We have ten days until he's scheduled to stroll into that new office and still haven't found a place to live. 

One week after learning the good news we made the 4.5 hour drive north to look at houses only to find they were all in shady neighborhoods. We've traveled up twice since then, each time going up and back all in the same day with toddler in tow, and we're still homeless. Since we don't have a place lined up, I've been living in denial, and haven't packed a single box. *gulp* To say I'm a bit stressed out is an understatement.

Today, while we wait to hear the status of a rental application submitted on the one decent house we've found, I find myself in a bit of a funk. While I'm SUPER excited to be moving, I'm thrown by how hard it's been emotionally. A myriad of things have taken me off guard ... finding a place to live, the financial blow to our barely there savings, leaving our first home to become renters again, how much I'm going to miss people, and leaving family. Oh, how I wish I could just pick up my house and relocate it with my mom inside!  

Since that's not really possible I have A LOT of work to do in the next week. I hope you'll forgive my lack of blogging as of late, and my absence over the next little while. I know my blog is still in it's infancy, but my little handful of readers mean the world to me. I would really appreciate it if you'll just stay tuned. <3

Handmade Monday: grandma's pillowcase

I have been a terrible blogger lately because life has been horribly hectic. My goal is to get a post or two up this week to bring my small, but oh so special, handful of readers up to speed. Until then, here's some of my embroidery since it's still Monday here in Oregon.

Pillowcase for Grandma:

Thanks for sticking with me! <3

Handmade Monday: seat belt covers

When we ventured over to the coast a few weekends ago ELA got horribly I-had-nightmares-about-it carsick. During the cleanup one of the seat belt covers that help ensure she's comfy while confined disappeared. After one failed attempt, and a handful of curse words, I made her some new ones.

seat belt covers: 

 

I forgot to take pictures of the inside, and I'm too lazy to go grab them, but they're white. Just in case you were curious. :)

I Heart This! my cat Alex

I don't really have a lot to post today, and not because I've been super lazy with this feature (which I totally have), but because I'm simply too sad. Yesterday I had to send my cat of almost 20 years off to a better place. Basically he was just old and deserved better than to be tortured with procedures in order for me to avoid the inevitable, but that certainly doesn't make it any easier. 

My cat Alex: 

Alexander Nicholas Bluepoint was a Himalayan that Santa Claus brought me when I was twelve. We lived in two states and 13 different houses together. I have cuddled him through every heartbreak I've ever had, and he was often where I'd turn when missing my father. He was the perfect heating pad and could say a handful of words including my name. Except for decorating every environment with a hairball, and shedding so much it looked as though he'd exploded, he was perfect. I heart this cat and will miss him so.

Perkier posts to come! <3

Handmade Monday: scotty dog

Last night I was working on a project that I had intended to use for today's post, but it took a very ugly turn and found itself relocated to my trashcan. I had planned to give it another go today (actually I still do), but it's just not going to be presentable in time. Fortunately I've taken pictures of past projects like this scotty dog. This little bag is pretty much the only thing I can sew right now.

Scotty dog/Zippered bag:

I currently have about a million little scraps of fabric cut for these bags and not very many people left to make them for. Oops. :)

Hope everyone has a good week!

I Heart This! Oregon Coast

Jeezy creezy. The universe does not want me to post this. First the power was out at La Casa de Anderson, then blogger was being all sorts of snarky, and now my internet is throwing a fit because of the lack of electricity. It's been a weird week. 

The hubs treated our little family (including my mom) to a weekend trip to the coast for Mother's Day. If you've never been you should put it on your bucket list. It's quite lovely. 

Oregon Coast:

Some fun stuff:

 

Our cute rental:

That's all I have for today. In the last 48 hours we've received some really exciting news and some not so fun news. Once I get all my thoughts organized I'll be back with bells on. ;) I hope everyone has a great weekend! Happy Friday! <3

Handmade Monday: Momma's Day Edition

A little over a decade ago I started making my momma gifts for Mother's Day, and the tradition has carried over into my own little family unit. Since the tot is only two the hubs has been doing the majority of the work thus far and she "helps". Here's what a received this year ...

Card:

Charms (& the back of the card):

It says, "I've got some mad photoshop skills."

Sorry this post is almost late. We just returned from our blissful little beach getaway (which I'll probably be blogging about later).<3