Amber-Jamie-Makena: July 2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Ardath Rodale

Ardath Rodale is a spiritual teacher, organic gardener, cancer survivor, mother of five and grandmother of eleven, chairman of the board of Rodale Inc., and co-chair of The Rodale Institute, with a long-standing commitment to promoting health and wellness. She is also the author of three wonderful books and has an article in every Prevention magazine. Prevention is the magazine I look most forward to finding in my mailbox each month.

I was reading Ardath's Prevention article last night and wanted to share part of it with you.

Now, more than ever, we need to listen and encourage the future leaders of our society to build on their gifts and strengths and to live with an adventurous spirit. In this way, we teach them to spread kindness, understanding, love, beauty, and joy to our families, our communities and the world.

We must embrace and encourage our youth to be the shining stars they deserve to be. Encourage them to be whatever they want when they grow up, so long as they enjoy it. Teach them to work with passion and dedications - to live healthy, active lives. And most important, appreciate their vision and creativities. Everyone has a talent - a gift to share with the world. Let's allow our children to dream big! Be bold! Go for it!

Remember to encourage the youth in your life.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Walden Island 66, 67 & 68

We left for the lake on Friday afternoon. Not any earlier or later than normal...but the trip took us 1 1/2 hours longer. We hit traffic off/on the entire trip. It was still hot when we got up to the lake, so we just made dinner and relaxed.

On Saturday, Jamie left at 6am for Washougal - for a motocross race. I had a busy day...I read an entire book, I floated in the lake for a few hours, I took a nap in the hammock, I took a walk and I then did some picture editing. I did do a little cleaning, but when you have less than 400 sq ft to clean it doesn't take long. Plus, it was just too hot to do much else! I made dinner before Jamie got back around 9pm and then we watched some episodes of our newest favorite show; The Deadliest Catch. Well...I actually watched movies until 3am...maybe I took too long of a nap!

We woke up to more heat on Sunday. It's usually about 10 degrees cooler at the lake, but not this weekend. Fine with me tho! One of the neighbors were borrowing The Monster, so we had an even better excuse to do nothing. We did a little yard work, swam around in the lake and visited with neighbors.

I honestly only took this picture at the lake this weekend.

These were the most colorful things we have growing on our property right now...dandelions. : ) Shortly after I took the picture, Jamie mowed the field and I sprayed it with weed killer. Sad...but it had to be done...

We're headed back up to the lake on Wednesday this week. The Flaherty's are coming to spend some with us on Thursday and Friday. I'll be coming home on Saturday for the Relay For Life of Beaverton. I haven't decided yet if I'll go back up to the lake...maybe, maybe not.