40+ Hour Home

 I'm finally moved in to my newly furnished office.  Not a fan of this new furniture they picked out, buy hey--everyone has their own taste!

Bringing a little touch of home...even have some Florida/Oregon sand and shells!

They didn't believe me when I said I needed two file cabinets...and sure enough...these suckers are completely FILLED.  That's what happens when you work for a boss who likes a paper trail rather than an electronic trail :)

Guest Bedroom

I'm just a tad bit tardy in posting these photos.  Here's a little peak into our guest room...though I have to say I'm disappointed with how the photos turned out.  This looks pretty blah...

Meet Mr. Moo-Cow

Cows are up there on my favorites list.  Not sure if it's their peaceful demeanor, their lovely eyelashes, or just the fact that they get to live on a farm.  Last year, I found this fun little cow in my Christmas stocking, and I just recently decided to share it with Hutch.  Low and behold, Hutch loves cows too!!!  He's already learned who "Moo-Moo" or "Your Cow" is and is able to go find him on command.  Such a smart little guy...

THANK YOU, Harris Teeter

Idle: (adj) habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy.


The influx of online freedom has encouraged, if not forced, US citizens to become lazy. Gift shopping is literally done in as little as 1 – 2 – 3. Just look up at the top bar as you check out, and you’ll see it. Travel agents have been replaced with search engines offering super savings. Encyclopedia is just a long word that students don’t utilize anymore because of GOOGLE’s ability to retrieve answers in less time than it takes to say “I have a question.”

With all that said, I have a huge confession to make. I have taken this idle behavior one step further from the average Jo, and I participated in an activity that may cause some to shake their head. Ready for it?

Okay…I grocery shopped online!

It was amazing!!!! Oh my goodness, with the quick and easy click of the mouse, I "walked" down virtual aisles putting my groceries in my cart. No pushing or shoving to grab my favorite bread—no long lines at the cash registers. All I had to do was pick out my items online and drive to the store to pick them up.

I just saved one whole hour of my week! I can hear you thinking “She probably spent a fortune” …but NO! $4. Let me say that again…$4!!! Four buckaroos is well worth an hour of my time.

Call me idle, call me lazy. But most of all…call me one hour richer!

Did I mention it's curbside pick-up???? :)

Zzzzzzzzz

Hutch is notorious for finding odd places to sleep.  I documented this over the weekend, but unfortunately, most of the pictures are on my camera...here are a couple that I took on my phone...

I think this one is just because he was afraid Jesse might leave again...

You may have already noticed, but Duck tends to stay close to his pal Hutch...we introduced him to Cow this weekend, but it was still Duck he took to bed with him. 

Finally Friday

I've got nothin' this morning...I had grand plans to sit down and write something inspiring, but it's not coming.  So, I'll just leave a really good verse here instead:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV


Jesse comes home tonight, and I can hardly wait!!!

Attacked with Love

Hutch must have thought I needed some extra love last night because when I got into bed, he attacked me with vigour.  Lots of licks and cuddles from this furry little friend. 

A cool thing: This morning: I left earlier than usual to get a head start to moving into our new furniture at work.  God had other ideas for my early departure.  The girl who parks next to us in the garage also has a dog, so of course we know her a little bit better than other neighbors because we run into each other for potty breaks.  I've never seen her in the mornings, but we were walking to our cars at the exact same time this morning.  She seemed down so I stopped her usual "how's the weather?" conversation and just asked if she was okay.  She proceeded to tell me some concerns for a friend of hers and how it's weighing heavily on her heart. Then we got to talking about her church (YAY!!!) and so we talked about the Christian family and what a support it is.  It felt so good to find a fellow believer!!!!  God is pretty cool in how he makes me think I'm leaving early for my own good...NOT.

Hutch says Hi

Quieted Soul

“In solitude, where we are least alone.” –Lord Byron


English Lit taught me a few facts about Lord Byron that undoubtedly cause me to question his ethics, but this quote rests heavily with me. It is when we slow down, set our worries and blundering thoughts aside, that we experience the magnitude of the Holy Spirit. Not until we physically stop ourselves do we become enveloped by the largest Presence there is.

I can remember the first time I meditated—the no distraction, no noise, no nothing type. Our youth group was participating in the 30 Hour Famine, and part of the evening involved a time for meditation. We were encouraged to seek a place of solitude, an area away from everything and everyone. The thirty minute segment was a struggle at first, and I seriously doubted its purpose, but after a five minute mind dump, I was able to focus on Christ. We’d been given topics to reflect, but I found myself focusing on just one thing. For the first time in my life, I experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit on a level I’d never imagined could exist. He surrounded me with Himself, and I sat there, staring into my corner, completely detached from any physical realm holding me.

I’ve had similar experiences since then, though I wish I could say there have been more. I don’t often escape, and I visit the gas station to fuel my car more often than I fill up my soul. Jesse is gone for work this week, and last night I felt lonely. But then, my mind surrendered to searching for the Presence, and I was less alone than I had been in a long while. I sat there, in solitude, praying, listening, stopping. The only thing keeping me from floating away was the tick of the clock.

In these moments, we realize how mighty God really is. He fills the skies, He fills the seas.

The Mark of REALLY Good Sleep...

Jesse slept in quite late on Saturday morning, obviously needing to catch up on some much-needed rest.  When he emerged from his dark den, I noticed something peculiar on his chest...

Either a scary monster from under the bed attacked him in his sleep, or he was sleeping so hard that his own hand planted itself in this one spot. 

Hi-Ho, It's Off to Read I go

With a passing storm forecasted for Saturday afternoon, Jesse and I tried to enjoy the outdoors before the rain decided to visit.  As mentioned before, we purchased a dog carrier for my bike so we could avoid being mindful of the time while biking, but in less than two minutes of using it, we realized the advertisement was anything but true.  Hutch loved his fifteen minutes of wind in the face ride, but the bag was no match for the ride.  Disappointed and upset, we reloaded the bikes on the rack and trudged home.  The remainder of our weekend has been spent RELAXING.  Here's a peek into our weekend...though I don't have a photo of how it all began...we took Hutch to an Irish Pub in Old Town Alexandria and ordered him lamb stew!!!  Everyone around thought he was the cutest thing, which of course I think he might be. :)

I'm still working on getting through my last two books before I can enjoy my nook.  I'm not complaining--a quiet morning filled with tea and pages is at the top of my favorites.

The cayenne peppers are ripening rapidly, so I will soon be taking the Field Produce Market to work to share.

No weekend would be complete without TOYS!!!!!  We've been playing a lot with Hutch, trying to get him back to his spunky little self...still not quite there, but he's getting better each day.

It may still be 95 degrees outside, but my inner clock is telling me that fall is on its way.  Don't worry, I haven't brought out the autumn decor yet, and we're still LOVING the pool...but I did hunker down and do some baking!!! 
SNICKER DOODLES!!!!

I had a little baking helper.

Minnesota mix for Rice Flour Muffins from Kara.  I added apple sauce, cinnamon, and fresh apples to spice 'em up a bit.  They're pretty good...of course not as good as Mom's apple muffins, but they'll do.  I'm sure my coworkers won't mind the breakfast and cookies tomorrow!

Focusing on God's direction right now.  Sometimes all it takes is to stop and listen.

Summer Fruits

Yummmmm.  Our office kitchen normally hosts plates of cookies or other sugary treats people feel guilty eating, but yesterday, it was full of fruit.  I brought a bowl of cherries, another lady brought a platter of watermelon, and then some unknown contributor shared sliced mango.  It was glorious!

My Own Little World

It should arrive today!

With plans to bike every weekend, we decided to make it easier by bringing Hutch along with us. This way we can be away for extended periods of time without watching the clock.  I informed Hutch a couple days ago that he too was getting a bike. :)

~

And now for my daily word dump--I apologize ahead of time to those who find my rambling quite boring. 

Monotony Mo-not-on-y (n.) wearisome uniformity or lack of variety.

Daily routines can be comforting, but they can also make the world seem like it’s on repeat. After all, I certainly can’t brush my teeth before I put my contacts in—the mirror might crack from the absurdity of it! Quite simply, routines can form ruts. I am a person who likes order, and I will admit that I thrive off routine. A whole month may pass before I realize I’ve done exactly the same thing each day, in order, and without falter from plan.

Yesterday at lunch, I vacuumed our apartment. Not necessarily because the floor needed it, but because it was one step outside my comfortable habitually ordered life that would throw things off kilter. Am I sounding totally insane yet?

There is a song called “My Own Little World,” by Matthew West. He sings about how his focus on his own life causes him to blind himself from everything going on around him. I focus on my life patterns and forget my life passions. I’m positive Jesus didn’t wake up to the same routine every day of his life, allowing the seasons to melt away like an ice cream cone on a hot day. (mmmm, ice cream sounds really good right now!)

I often blog about my struggle with To Do Lists, and perhaps monotony falls under that same category. Clearly I'm still struggling with it because here I am dumping it on ya' all over again.  Yesterday's abnormal vacuum schedule sparked something anew in me.  What would life be like if I stepped outside my own little world to meet people where they are at?  Cleaning my home has nothing to do with people, I understand that, but I needed to do something to jolt me back to reality--something to push me back into this chaotic world we live in to leave behind my safety net of monotony.  Before I left work yesterday, I pulled a friend into my office and asked how she was doing.  Knowing she's struggling with some marital issues, I knew her heart was hurting, and just maybe she needed someone to reach out to her.  I'm jolted--hello chaos, hello people, hello needs.  Good bye to my own little world.

The Road Ahead

Something we learn when we are too tiny to reach the counter tops is that we get “in trouble” when we do something bad. Bite your sister, you will be spanked. Talk-back to Mom, you’ll find yourself with a bar of soap in your mouth. Parents discipline their children to keep them from repeating their poor choices (for many of us, it takes more than once to learn).

Consequences don’t stop when you turn eighteen and become an “adult.” There aren’t many forty year-olds sitting on the bathroom counter with a bar of dial in their mouths because they said stupid, but there are plenty of adults suffering the consequences of their poor decisions. Without sharing too much detail, I made a very poor choice about a year ago. Instead of trusting God and seeking after His will for me, I listened to my selfish heart and ran in the opposite direction God desired. Now, ten months later, the consequences continue. What I’ve come to understand is I haven’t learned my lesson yet. I haven’t repeated my mistake, but God knows my heart. He knows there is yet to learn.

I never liked being sent to my room, but I sure am thankful my parents stuck to their guns. Enduring the consequence is part of the healing. I can’t be upset with anyone but myself for what consequences lay ahead. Thank you, Jesus, for your forgiveness and grace. Please open my eyes to what it is you want me to see. Amen.

Psalm 119:33-40

Seeking Adventure

Piles of work sit here waiting for my attack, and yet I'm distracted, still running off fumes from the weekend.  Anyone who watches the news or Weather Channel would know that half our country is experiencing extreme temperatures of the abnormal sort.  Alexandria is no exception, and I find myself wondering if George Washington ever had to deal with this sort of heat.  Heavens, I sure hope not!  The air is thick--filled with tiny droplets of moisture that cling to anything in their path.  Florida is wet, Virginia is humid.  One might think that two Oregonians living in a hot and humid climate would escape to the land of AC, feeling like fish out water.  But not these Oregonians...
We braved the 100+ temps this weekend to seek adventure.  And, as most north westerners know, adventure must begin with a trip to R.E.I.  Okay, so that may be a bit untrue, but we happened to NEED this starting point.  Jesse and I have been wanting to go bike riding since moving here.  The metro area is known for its bike trails, but most are located far from our home.  We purchased a bike rack, and then found ourselves perusing the bike section, our fingers trailing along the new handlebars and seats.  After a night of thinking it over, we returned to the store to purchase two bikes, as Happy Belated Birthday gifts to each other.  Yay for extending birthdays!!!
Our adventure went from assembling the bike rack in 108 degree weather (at least that's what the car registered) to riding the next day in 101 degrees.  Might I just insert a little fact?  My body doesn't think that biking and 100+ degrees goes together too well.  (Understatement of the week).
Anyways, our weekend, despite the head aches that come with dehydration, was WONDERFUL.  Both Jesse and I hit our pillows last night feeling full and content.  It's amazing what a little outdoor activity will do.

Hutch enjoying some Saturday morning sun seeping through the window

Jesse after our EXTREME heat ride

 And prepare yourself now for something that flaunts with vulgarity, but when looked at closely is just plain funny.  We think maybe Hutch is trying to tell us something...