Nasty genetics!!

I'm just a bit bummed! My blood tests came back showing hypothyroid. There are thyroid issues on my mom's side of the family and apparently I inherited them. :( It does explain the weight gain this last year. I put it to that nasty menopause but apparently that wasn't the whole reason! I've been very lucky in that it's only been about 10 pounds in the last year, which puts me 3 above what I weighed at my top pregnancy weight. Those of you who know those numbers will be able to figure it out. :) And actually it could be a lot lot worse! I feel overweight because I've never been over weight in my life, and still technically am not, but hopefully it doesn't get there and we can get the thyroid issue fixed with medication. I tend to go back to the Reliv I take for why I'm doing okay because other then the weight gain I have no other thyroid symptoms. Everything going on points to me being totally exhausted and fatigued but I'm not. There's actually been three different things that in and of themselves bring fatigue so I'm quite thankful for that Reliv!! And to top it off I could go into diabetes because the thyroid has slowed things down enough that my sugars are starting to rise. That one is due to both my mom and dad's side of the family. Type 2 on both sides there! Not a good combo.

Okay, rant over! :)

Christmas Pictures

It was a very good day! :) I got to cuddle with the grandkids and enjoy a bit of time with them. And of course their mom and dad, Christina and Bobbie. ;)  I'm taking a lazy day today and then back to work tomorrow. My dad will go back Sunday and then I'll be back into full swing work Monday.

Gather in!

Playdough is a must when coming to Grandma's! (the blue strip behind Teagan :) )

Blake and Christina in conversation and Grandpa listening

Blake and Bobbie- It was Roast with potatoes and carrots, mashed Cauliflower and salad with pomegranate seeds. Mashed Cauliflower is very good and excellent substitute for mashed potatoes for those with diabetes.

Scarlet loves the Tweety book!

Nothing to do with today but a funny picture of Mia. She LOVES this particular shoe. Not sure why but she does.

An adorable picture of the girls.

Officially excited!!

I really didn't expect to be looking forward to tomorrow with anticipation but this year I am! It's been a long time coming!! My dad is visiting this week and heading back home Sunday afternoon. He'll be heading back to a winter wonderland in Klamath Falls! My brother sent so pretty nice pictures from down there! Blake and Erika and the grandkids, Christina and Bobbie will be here tomorrow so it'll be a good day. I'll most likely post tomorrow afternoon after everyone leaves. Hopefully there will be some really cute pictures! :)

Today was spent getting a clients books done from September forward. They are all done so that's quite exciting since they are one that takes longer. I have a huge project that I'll start on this weekend and hopefully get decently close to done by next weekend. I'm finishing 2012 and 2013 and getting 2014 and 2015 in! Lots of entering since it's a restaurant! I get this one done and I'll feel like my plate is practically empty! At this point I am almost caught up with what I can do but have a nice long list of clients with questions and information needed. With my luck they'll send me stuff in the same week!! Next week I'll start year-end payroll as well so it'll be busy! A very good thing really! :)

Now to go get dinner together for tomorrow. It's going to be early so I need to prepare tonight!

Everyone have a wonderful time with family on Christmas Day and a safe and happy New Year!

Times a flying!!

It's amazing how quick this month is flying by! I'm getting to my really busy time of year and now that I'm pretty much full time.... Can a person be busier then busy???  :)

My dad is here for the next week so we'll get a good visit in amidst my work. I think I'm going to take him with me to a couple of places next week. They should be quick visits but need to be done. We can visit while I'm driving that way. Fit the time in where you can!

This month has been absolutely nuts rain wise! I'm hearing that we'll break the all time record for December rain. Right now we're somewhere between 12 and 14 inches. Either which way it's a lot!! There was one day that it dumped all morning and in just a few hours we had 3 inches. I know there are other areas that get that much and then some but it's highly unusual here in Portland to get that much in just a few hours. Unfortunately I had an appointment that morning and got caught up in the mess. Flooded roads everywhere! And now we're getting landslides and sinkholes. I think the drought in this particular area of the country is over!! And since the Blob (a term we started using for the warm water parked in the North Pacific for TWO years) is officially dead we're reaping the benefits and then some. It kept the real good rain storms from coming in. The mountains are doing awesome this year as well. I heard one area has already surpassed what they had all of last winter. So it'll be interesting to see if things calm way down next month. El Nino effect is really supposed to kick in in January I believe.

I am definitely noticing that there is something to that 5 year mark. Maybe it's a point of full acceptance and  that there's really nothing that anybody can do but Dave himself. The next week will be the real telling point. The 'anniversary' is December 27th. It's not that I don't think of Dave, I most certainly do, every day really, but I've also learned that it's something that I can ask my Father for help in dealing with. It's most comforting to know that if anyone can help Dave through any situation it's my Father!

Interesting day

I woke up this morning with a feeling that I was going to need all the help that I could get from my Father. I wasn't sure why but there was just this feeling of dread. I walked into my first appointment and found my client pretty upset. This one has been a bit of a challenge. It's one that I bought from a bookkeeper moving on to working for one company. There's been a lot of little things that I'm finding out the hard way and wasn't mentioned in the few hours of training that I got. This one could have been a pretty serious one but luckily a rent increase on a large amount of rent wasn't every year but every 5 years, since they just did the lease this last year we were fine, but her client is fit to be tied since they apparently don't realize it's not every year. It just makes me sick to have to learn things the hard way but that tends to be what happens when there isn't much time for training! I will add on that there's a spreadsheet that mentions whether or not there's a CPI (Consumer Price Index) increase and the lady said everything I'd need was on that spreadsheet. Nope, I need to look at the file if it says no CPI increase for the tenants. My client made the comment that today went a lot smoother then she expected considering all that was going on. I really feel that my Father had a lot to do with how smooth it did go with her as upset as she was.

It did end on a good note at another clients. They're a partnership and they have a really good CPA that is one of those that will go to the clients place and sit down and help the, and even better he charges a reasonable rate. He gave them very good advice about partnerships and the downfalls. I loved what my client said. A partnership is like a marriage but without the love involved. It's actually very true.

I also did an analysis of my business this week and although it tends to be tight I actually did make up the income that I lost this last year. And I've only lost one this year and it was really due to personality conflict. He wanted high energy and I am not a high energy person! The only other loss was one that went in house so I officially have a pretty much full time solid base! I kind of feel like this last few years I've been on automatic with my work as I recovered emotionally from what happen with Dave.  The exciting part is I can feel my energy coming back for the business so I'm excited to see what this next year brings. Again, I really feel this has to do with my Father. Is there much extra? Nope! But is there enough to live on and pay taxes. Yep! Will it be tight? Yep! But there has been provision and there will be provision. It's about trust.

Freezing rain!

Freezing hit tonight. Hopefully the power stays on! Luckily the roads may be okay. But everything else is nicely iced up! My car included. :(  This is what happens when we have a east wind blowing out of the Columbia River Gorge for days on end and then rain moves in with the east wind still blowing. It interesting in this area. Five miles to the west it's in the mid 30's and just raining. Here it's 31-32* and ice. It's all depends on where the east wind is. Two to three miles to the east the roads are icing up because the temperature is 30* or lower.  I got a couple of pictures from a bit earlier. It'll be quite interesting to see what tomorrow morning brings!

Probably shows the best on this one.

Icicles starting to form. They're all along the carport roof but can't get a picture in the dark of that! :)

Those drops on the leaves are ice and a tiny icicle starting. :)

Thankfulness

I have so much to be thankful for. A Father that has truly given me the needed strength to pull through all that has happened, that has provided in times when I wasn't sure what I was going to do and that has given me love and assurance that all will be just fine. There's my family, I'm thankful that Blake and Erika are staying strong in their marriage and for the two wonderful grandchildren that have come from their union. They're truly doing an awesome job in raising them! I'm thankful for Christina growing up to be quite the lady and that she's listening to our Father's guiding. I know it's a struggle but she continues to push forward. There's the many friends that have been there for us over the last (almost) five year and for that I'm truly thankful! I truly don't know what I would have done at times if I hadn't had someone to call and talk to! Clients that have put up with me! :) I do love my clients and there's many of them that I've become good friends with over the years. I truly feel quite blessed! Thank you to all that have been there for my family! I don't say it near enough but you're all very much appreciated!!

One thing that I've heard several times recently is the need to have a thankful heart. Without thankfulness and gratitude the negative tends to forefront and who wants to be around a negative person??

Compost bin it is!!

I got the yard taken care of this afternoon. Final leaves raked, final lawn mow, bury the pots in leaves and hope they last the winter, pull the pepper plants, undo the hoses and last but not least pull the potatoes out of the compost bin.

We were lucky in this area in that we get an east wind that kept us from freezing. Thus the peppers survived! Now it can freeze. :) We'll see if it does because the east wind is supposed to pick back up Wednesday and continue through the weekend. Portland itself has had a freeze since the east wind didn't reach there. The rain started just as I finished! Perfect timing!!

I'm going to repost the potato plants that were growing and then post what I found. There could very well be some more buried in it but hopefully they'll come up next year! :)

Tree is empty of leaves, leaves are raked and lawn mowed! I think this is the first year I've got it all done!

I'm glad I went ahead and left them! Picked about 10 of them and pulled the plants.

Fuchsia's are still going!

These were my potato plants

If only I had a few more months!

This was the take from the compost bin! I do believe this is where I'll plant my potatoes from now on! :)

Yea! Mt. Hood has snow!!

A Tad Frustrated

So I got on line and did the application for my health insurance today.... Only to find out that they actually take the first months insurance payment (for January) WHEN you application is accepted! OUCH!!!! There went my budget flying right out the window for the month! Sigh.... So for those that are self insured in the US and applying for a new policy, be prepared to pay the first month this month or next month and not in January.

Tuesday evening we had some unreal rain for this area. It was just sheeting rain. Unfortunately I was on my way home from a clients and got caught in the middle of it. I've never seen it rain so hard here. We crept along and did our best to make sure we stayed in our lanes. Luckily everyone was driving properly! It's been pretty wet the last two weeks but it sound like it'll be dry starting tomorrow. And we might get our first freeze Saturday morning. This is good since Christina moves Saturday. My baby is all grown up! :) And officially hits adulthood Sunday. Where does the time go??

A thought that I haven't been able to forget is that I'm not measured by what I've done for my Father, I'm measured by what I've withheld from my Father. Am I withholding willing obedience in an area because I want to do something my way?  Needless to say that does absolutely no good and only brings unrest.

Good weekend

It was good to get down to Uncle Frank's funeral this weekend. As always happens with funerals you get to see family that you haven't seen in who knows how many years. I have the best mother-in-law! She offered to share her hotel room with us so we wouldn't have to drive Saturday night. It made for tight quarters with her, Erika, Christina and I but wasn't too bad at all! We had a wonderful view from the room of the South Umpqua River. (See below) It was so very nice this morning. We saw our cousin Larry and a couple of his grandkids at our Sunday morning gathering. Many familiar faces of people I haven't seen in a long time! We are all struggling on! We saw a whole bunch of rainbows on our trip up today. Even a couple of double one's! The thought came to me this evening that I've appreciated. Without the rain (icky weather) there can be no rainbow. We heard this morning that there WILL be tests. Those icky times are often our tests but if I'm willing to leave it in my Father's hands and be willing then there will be a rainbow (joy) at the end.

It went well with Teagan Friday night/Saturday morning. She absolutely loves taking a bath. Give her a few cottage cheese containers with lids, a cup, a spoon with lots of bubble bath and she is one happy camper for a good hour! She is also very good at the memory card game. But boy is she a restless sleeper! It probably didn't help being in a new place! She takes after her mama and auntie there!!

Now for another busy week! I'm glad to be busy but I tell you, it's tough sometimes!

Our view from our motel room

Gorgeous Rainbows

Tegan Concentrating 

Go under my leg grandma!

Tegan being silly. :)

Uncle Frank's Funeral and more

It's Saturday at 2 pm in Roseburg at Faith Luthern. It's hard to believe that he is gone! The best way I can describe him is he was a sweet man with a very big heart. And the accordion, he loved playing the accordion!

I went over to Erika and Blake's tonight and watched the girls for a couple of hours. Poor Scarlet is in the 'I don't want mama to leave' stage. So it took a little bit to settle her down. Then she did just fine!! :) Teagan really impressed me tonight! She said that there were two dogs, two kids and one adult so I asked her how many that was total and she immediately said five! Then she started counting each one of us and then said yep, five. Considering she's 3 1/2 that's pretty good!! I've posted some pictures below. :)  I'll have her for an overnight stay Friday night. It'll be her first time her overnight here so it'll be interesting to see how it goes! She's getting to be such a big girl. Although Blake said she likes to wake up at 6! Hmm... guess I'll need to get to bed at a decent time!

And it was a very productive day! Leaves got raked, lawn got mowed, gutter's and roof got cleaned and checked on for leaves. And I'm so glad I'm seeing my Bowenworks lady tomorrow! :) But the outside is done! At least for a couple of weeks!! Garlic that I planted is coming up but nothing else. It was worth a shot to see what would happen with the lettuce, broccoli and swiss chard. I'll just have to wait for spring!

What are we going to make?

Teagan's finished project!

Scarlett saying Cheese! :)

Teagan, puppy, me and Scarlett. Everybody wanted the lap at once! So it was time for a group picture. :)

Score!

I went to the Red White and Blue store today and found a nice set of pans. The ones I have are really starting to wear out. The nonstick coating is coming off and I really don't think that's real good for our health! That gotten taken care of today! The lid came with the large pan. Total was $18! I also found a new purse there. I think this is literally a new purse. There is absolutely no sign of wear. It's also very similar to what I've been looking at for years in catalogs but wasn't willing to pay the price. It was $3! About every other year or so I'll go there for a new purse. They've always ran around $3. There are 9 states that have stores in the US. Here in Oregon they are very reasonable. Much better prices then Goodwill!!

Sad day...

I got news today that Uncle Frank (Dave's uncle) passed away. He was truly a wonderful man with a big heart. I will most certainly miss him and sure am thinking of Aunt Pat and his family!

A Quick Thought

As I was meditating this morning a thought came to me. If, deep down, I really don't like someone and never come to terms with that then when I associate with that person later in life there's a good chance that I'll be treating them in a not so nice way! Dementia runs in my family. Both Grandmothers, both parents had/have it. When dementia progresses the filters that watch the words that come out, that control our actions around others, starts disappearing. Thus those that are held in contempt are treated in a manner that is not acceptable to our Father because those feelings weren't taken care of when they should have been. And I would say there's a good chance at that point that a person is more or less clueless that they are being down right nasty at times. It's a very scary thought.  Is it hard to get along with everyone? You bet! But it's not a reason to hold them in contempt, to down grade them. After all, where would I be if my Father treated me the way I deserved at times? Another scary thought!

And after pondering a bit more this morning the other thought that came to me is that no matter how much I would want to take care of things, I can't do it in my own power. The only one that can change the basic human nature is my Father.  It's human nature to have people rub you the wrong way, it's human nature to be resentful. And while we can subdue (filter) what we know is a wrong reaction when our brain is at full capacity. That goes away and we go back to the basic human nature. Thus I need to be WILLING for my Father to take care of the issues that come up with others, let him guide me in how to resolve issues so that when I'm older they don't become a burden to someone else. Because if I don't allow those issues to be resolved my attitude will affect everyone around me!

Apparently I needed this reminder and hopefully my thoughts can help others as well! :)

Gardening Day!!

It was absolutely gorgeous today! I'd say around 65*-70*. Got lots done and lots planted. My squash plants were still trying to produce, (see below), but I went ahead and pulled them up since I needed to get my garlic planted!! Out of curiosity I left the tomato plants in to see if any of the tomatoes will ripen any more. There is a ton of new growth and blooms on those plants but I highly doubt they'll do anything. I really thought that I'd dug up most of my garlic this summer but it was very obvious that I hadn't! Unfortunately I didn't go and check before I ordered more garlic, so anyone that wants garlic this summer.... all going well I should have a bunch of it!! :) I think the raspberries are about done. There isn't very many more to pick! Pretty much picked clean. There is some mold starting on some of them but very few have it since there's very few left. I went out and picked and ate this afternoon. I'm still astounded at how many raspberries I was able to pick this fall. I'm sure it'll be many years before we have a fall like this one!

I also planted some swiss chard, broccoli and lettuce. They're calling for a warmer than normal winter so I thought I'd give it a shot. Maybe it'll last all winter! Should of had those three planted a month ago but time tends to scarce for me! Today I just decided to MAKE time. Lawn also got a much needed mowing! I'm really, really hoping that it rains this week. Now that it's everything is planted it needs some moisture! The ground in the garden area is unbelievably dry in areas. The planter boxes aren't too bad but they certainly could use some water. The lawn is pretty moist since the long grass was keeping it wet and it's in the shade most the day now. They're calling for rain but this year a 'good soaking' being forecast means that it'll spit a little bit of rain and be done. Finger's crossed that forecast will actually verify!! The radar isn't looking all that promising though. Everything appears to be moving northwest into Washington and missing us. :( We'll see what tomorrow morning brings! Lots of wind today though, which typically happens in El Nino years with lots of split flow. The jet stream splits and send stuff to Washington and to California and pretty much leaves us high and dry with the southern most remnants of moisture.

Tomato plants-Certainly doesn't look like the plants typically do in October- end of October at that! The box behind is where I planted the broccoli, swiss chard and lettuce.

New blooms and growth on the tomato plants.

Will we get more cucumbers?? They'd stopped growing but in the last couple weeks they're growing again!

Ripening!

Still getting peppers!!

The plants have obviously seen better days but were still producing!

The garlic that I missed!

Maybe I'll be able to pull some potatoes from the compost bin??!

I think this is a sunflower. It's a  bit different in that it has lots of shots growing off the main stalk and each seems to have a flower at the end. The flowers are pretty small. It's growing in the compost bin.

Lots of rose hips but lots of blooms still too.

Still producing tomatoes. I'm curious if these will ripen or not.

The swiss chard, lettuce and Broccoli is planted here.

My garlic bed. This whole thing has garlic! This is where the squash plants were. The garlic growing is what I dug up and transplanted. The other side has the garlic that I ordered.

Where to put the extra plants that I pulled???

Found a spot! :) Hopefully they do okay! This box tends to stay wetter so we'll see!

Well, this got taken upside down but you get the idea! These were the squash that grew from the compost bin! I'm cooking one tonight. So I'll see what it's like!

Nice big bloom. :)

Anybody want some bulbs??? I planted a honeysuckle and these were where I planted it.