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.  

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: 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

King For A Day

Today is my super awesome husband's birthday, and the tot and I are going to do our best to make him feel like a king! Normally he works between 40-80 hours a week, and still manages to come home with a smile on his face and prepare dinner. After dinner he bathes his little one to ensure he gives her some quality time, and stays awake long enough to watch movies, play games, and snuggle with me. Getting him to take five minutes for himself is nearly impossible, yet somehow I managed to convince him to take today off (from everything!) so we're going to take advantage of it.

Happy Birthday Bryan!! 

You're amazing and we love you!!

P.S. Special thanks to the birthday boy for walking me through Photoshop over the phone yesterday so I could put a crown on his unsuspecting head. ;)

Handmade Monday: sunglass case

Last month, before we were enveloped in the two week tornado, I thought I'd throw a few quick crafts onto the overflowing to-do list. Honestly, I don't know who I was kidding. Being a self-taught beginner and a procrastinator = a slooow crafter. Since time wasn't on my side this little project will need to be redone, but it's working pretty well in the meantime.

Here is my sunglass case:

Happy Monday!

*The bead I used for the closure was made by the hubs who does lamp working as a hobby.

I Heart This!

Often times I find myself trying to explain something I've recently discovered to someone with a kid on Christmas level of excitement. My body starts manufacturing adrenaline as I try to accurately explain the specifics, and those around me dissolve into fits of giggles in order to counteract the information overload. Since that's not exactly the best way to enlighten others I've created the I Heart This! My plan/hope here is to post something every Thursday that I feel the need to rave about or recommend. It could be a gadget, a website, a service, or almost anything, but it will always be something I believe needs a little love.

Cinnamon bears

While we were in Sunriver, soaking up some much needed family time, my brother, sister-in-law, and myself shared a small bag of spontaneously purchased cinnamon bears. Bryan hates cinnamon, so I hadn't had any in quite awhile. They were delightful. In fact, they were so tasty there are currently a few in my pantry.

Cookie scoop

I purchased this a few years ago at a Pampered Chef party. I bought it because I'm the person who always attends those stupid parties and feels guilty if I don't purchase a little something. Fortunately, this was money well spent. I've used it to scoop cookies, muffins, and, earlier this week, cupcakes. It's a handy little sucker.

COUGAR TOWN!!

This show is hilarious. When it first started Bryan would always find something else to do and I'd be sitting on the couch cracking up all by myself. Eventually I convinced him to sit through an episode and I've been gloating ever since. There are a lot of running jokes (or maybe inside jokes), so sometimes things don't immediately make sense, but the hubs is proof that you can catch on quickly. It airs Wednesdays at 9:30 on ABC, and it's definitely worth 30 minutes of your time.

Getting Back On Track & Short-term Goals

Jeezy creezy! The last two weeks have been crazy. I feel like we were in constant motion. Everything that has been simmering came to a boil all at once, and we did our best not to let anything burn (except maybe ourselves). We endured ants, exterminators, emergency vet visits, heart wrenching goodbyes, and multiple days in the car. Simultaneously we enjoyed birthday surprises (with lots of birthday cake), precious quality time with loved ones, a family bike ride through the trees, the Oregon Zoo, dinner with dear friends, and the thrilling glimpse of opportunity. It was chaotic, but definitely time well spent.

Now, after sleeping for the majority of the last three days, I feel ready to return to the land of the living and my wee little blog. I have a few ideas brewing, but for now I'll return to our regularly scheduled program (aka the 30 days) with short-term goals.

This is Day 8:

• Get the songs from Tangled out of my head. Seriously.
• Tell friends and family about this blog because so far I've been too chicken.
• Lose weight. (I have a lot to get rid of, so this is both a short and long-term goal.)
• Make the tot an Easter basket.
• Work on list of crafts!!
• Put together boxes for thredup.com.
• Work on the backyard.
• Help the hubs find a job, find a place to live, and move to Portland.
• Get my hands on more spice tea from Republic of Tea.

A Place I've Traveled To

This is Day 4:

Lake Tahoe

Growing up our family vacations were always road trips. My parents took the long way and took their time. As a result, we were able to see Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, the Corn Palace, Canada, and every dinky roadside attraction between Idaho and Ohio. It was fabulous.

As an adult I have yet to have the finances to go as far as I'd like. I've never made it across the country, let alone overseas. Now, with a family, it's going to take even more money and planning, but have complete faith we'll make it at some point. 

Even though I haven't gone a great distance, I haven't exactly stayed home. Once upon a time I took a cruise to Mexico, I've worked in Yellowstone, and every year we journey to Austin to visit family. Also, my husband and I love road trip/mini-vacations, so we vacate this valley as often as our wallets allow. 

The fact that we're fans of cheap travel came in handy after financing our own wedding. We didn't have much to work with, but we had a car, so we spent an entire week in a little house on top of a mountain near Lake Tahoe. It was amazing, beautiful, and probably the best trip we've been on (yet anyway). Remembering that time, coupled with the photo above, is starting to make me feel like this year we may need to return. Hmmm ...