How I've been by Kena(:

Yeah. I don't update much..So here's what I've been up to[:

Still going to school (most of the time.) and my teachers are all still evil. Even if Mom doesn't believe it (trust me, they put up an act around the parents!) I'm getting average grades...Mostly B's but I got a C in science (I missed three days!) And, shocker, I got an A in PE!

Right now we're doing track and field in gym. Which, combines my two least favorite things: running and sweating ]:

iTunes helped me find some really cool music to listen to (if you didn't know, it recommends songs based on what you buy. It's actually pretty good.) I've been listening to the same song for about an hour now...What can I say? It's a really cute song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI0-Q4Ub21w

if you wanna take a looksie, it's there ^^^ The band (even though it's mostly one guy.) is called Nevershoutnever if you like it C: I sure do

Hmm...I've mostly done nothing. I'm trying to get $16 from my mom so I can buy a Nickasaur! (another good one man band) shirt. If you want, you can try and get her to buy it... Only if you really want ;)

Toodles(:
Makena

Pampered Chef

Don't you want to be pampered?? Oh...me too! Especially in the kitchen! I'm not a great chef, by any means, but enjoy cooking and making new foods. If only I could get my family to try the new foods!

I'm going to a Pampered Chef party on Wednesday, May 27th at 6pm! The BEST part; up to 15% of the totals sales will go to the Relay For Life of Beaverton! The host, my friend, Kathy Cina is doing this great FUNdraiser for her team Wee Bees for a Cure!

If you have Pampered Chef items that you've been wanting, what a great time to get them! Let me know if you'd like to come to the party or if you'd just like to place an order. I already have my list of goodies started...can't wait!

Simplicity

My sister gave me this cute little sign a while back. I can't remember if she gave it to me as a birthday gift, or just because, but she knew that I'd love it!

I love any form or phrase of the word "Simple" - Live Simply. Simplify. Simplicity. Live Life Simply. Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be. Simple Pleasures.

I do try to 'Live Life Simply' so that I can be sure to enjoy as much of it as I can. I started looking around my house a while ago and felt a need to get back to 'Simplicity'. We have so much stuff and I was starting to feel suffocated. It's not just the stacks of DVD's that we never watch or the Wii pieces all over the living room, but papers stacked on the kitchen table (Jamie), knick-knacks and just "stuff".

On a recent Costco trip Jamie came home with a new flat screen tv. (I know...you are all very surprised about this.) I was not happy with him (something he's used to) but it ended up being a good thing. We've always had a big screen, but with standing speakers and all of the reciever boxes it was taking up half of our living room. We had a tall shelf for the receiver boxes, but it also held knick-knacks, picture frames, plants, candles and a ton of dust. We cleared it all out, hung our new tv on the wall and bought a new, small console table. All of our gadgets fit in the new console table, and I have space to put a few things on top of it. Right now tho, I only have one small pig on top as I don't want to add all the clutter back. I figure the longer I stare at it, I'll figure out what else needs to be there.

Because Makena hasn't been feeling well, I started disinfecting all of the remotes, door handles, etc. Then I just decided to clean the house...cuz that's how my mind thinks. I started gathering things from other rooms that I just don't think I have to keep anymore...back to Simplicity. Knick-knacks, plants, picture frames and all of those papers on the kitchen table. There are knick-knacks that I love and can't part with, but others that can go. There are plants that I've had for years, but just don't need. There are pictures frames that hold wonderful memories, but I'm thinking a new digital frame may look great on my new console table. (See how I work that!?!) And, all of those papers on the kitchen table can go back to Jamie's office.

Jamie tells me that he really is moving his office this month, so that will give me my spare room back to Simplify. We'll see how it all goes...

Good Things #13

Little Feet (click on the logo for more information)

Steffan Tubbs, a reporter for 850 KOA Denver, received this request from several soldiers while on assignment in Iraq. He forwarded the request to his college friend Trevor Slavick, a pilot for American Airlines, who had a history of giving away balls while on layovers to Central and South America. After comparing stories, the two realized something so simple, a soccer ball, could change a child's life. Little Feet was started in March of 2006 with one Big Goal in mind; send soccer balls to underprivileged children all over the world!

A Soccer ball won't stop a war, and it won't fill a belly, but it might help heal a soul, and let children be children-at least for a little while.

Pajama Program (click on the logo for more information)

The Pajama Program provides donated new warm pajamas and comforting books to children who desperately need them. The Program works with various agencies to prove the PJ’s to children in need and children waiting to be placed in permanent homes.
The Pajama Program has also extended its aid to needy children in Armenia, Bosnia, Brazil, Columbia, Greece, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, and Ukraine.

“We intend to make a difference - giving back is what it’s all about.” -Genevieve Piturro

Irritating

Things I found irritating yesterday...

1. Annoying people
2. Stupid people
3. Arrogant people
4. Lying people
5. Mean people

Yep...yesterday was just 'one of those days'!

How Healthy Are You?

From Chris Freytag - Health Guru

Every once in awhile it's a good idea to take stock of your habits and routines. Are you doing everything you can to feel good and stay healthy? Here is a fun quiz to get you thinking about some of your habits, as well as some lifestyle changes you might consider…HOW HEALTHY ARE YOU?

Give yourself one point for each question you answer "yes" to:
1. Do you do cardio workouts at least four times a week?
2. Do you strength train two to three times a week?
3. Are you a nonsmoker?
4. Do you wear sunscreen daily?
5. Do you get at least seven hours of sleep per night?
6. Do you take a multivitamin every day?
7. Do you eat fresh or frozen fruits and veggies each day?
8. Do you each fish or chicken each week?
9. Do you take a few minutes to meditate each day?
10. Do you drink no more that two to three cups of coffee each day?
11. Do you wear proper footwear and clothing so that you are safe andcomfortable while you are exercising?
12. Do you own (and use regularly) any resistance bands or a stability ball?

Scoring:
0-4 "Yes" Answers: You should probably lie down to recover from taking this quiz. Your lifestyle needs some attending to!
5-6 "Yes" Answers: Get a personal trainer pronto and put your doctor on speed dial-you have potential!
7-9 "Yes" Answers: You're pretty typical-but are you willing to settle for that?
10-11 "Yes" Answers: Very Good! Now about those "No" answers...you don't have far to go!
12 "Yes" Answers: You are a shining example of great health!

Well...my score totally depends on the week. : (

Great Friends. Yummy Food. Bad Fight. Cute Kids.

Great Friends: we spent Saturday evening at Dawn & John's house with some great friends! Jamie was nice enough to give his money away during poker. : )

Yummy Food: all kinds of yummy food there to eat!

Bad Fight: Hatton knocked out in the 2nd round!?! Nothing more to say...

Cute Kids: TeaLee, Kylah, Ivie, Logan & Kallie! TeaLee will usually pose for me, but was busy playing. Kylah will always give me a smile. Kallie & Ivie are usually hard to catch, but I was lucky. Logan was too fast for me to get any good pictures of...still learning about action shots!

a picture I will blow up and save for Ivie's first date!

Why I smiled

On Friday, Jamie went to help Jason pick up a play structure that Dylona & Jason had gotten for the girls. After doing my 'chores', I went over to the house to visit and pick up Jamie. Kallie was napping while Kylah was catching an orange flying saucer that Jamie was shooting out of a toy. (Great explanation I know...there is a picture below.) Then Kylah woke up Kallie to come and play too.

All great reasons to smile!

When the sun comes out

You see some interesting (or strange) things when the sun comes out...

1. Short-shorts on women who shouldn't wear them
2. No shirts on men that should proudly show their stuff
3. No shirts on men that shouldn't
4. Purple spandex - on a man running - hmmm
5. People in jeans & sweatshirts - did they not notice the SUNshine?!?
6. Pasty-white legs - they could be mine tho too
7. Cute (quiet) kids playing outside with water guns
8. Flowers growing where you didn't think you planted any
9. People on bicycles in weighted backpacks - WHY would you want to make yourself heavier, hello???
10. Me...mowing my yard, then my neighbors yard and then the rental house yard - cuz that's the type of person I am

Walden Island Day 42 & 43

We got up to the lake early Saturday morning and started working. We had to bring a trailer of wood over to the island, and move two other trailers out of the campground.

Makena wasn't very excited, but she did help unload the wood, load it in to the boat, unload it from the boat and then load it on to a small tractor trailer. Look at her work! : )

It only took us two boat loads full to get the wood over to the island.

Then it took 15+ loads of wood in the small trailer to get it all up the hill.

Then I (yes...just me) stacked all of that wood. Makena was exhausted (of course) and Jamie had to go to town to get some parts for The Monster (that wouldn't start when we needed it to).

After finally getting The Monster started, Jamie decided to take out some trees before leveling out some of other lot.

Unfortunately, he took out some of the trees that I wanted to keep! I managed to save two small ones - the two on the left in the picture below. There used to be trees in that entire open area - trees that blocked the neighbors ugly water heater & garbage cans. Jamie later said that he wished he wouldn't have taken out the trees...once again, I'm right. Those neighbors are never out there, maybe they won't notice if we move the things. : )

I then cut up all of the trees (with my handy chainsaw) and made burn piles.

I got up early on Sunday morning to finish cutting up the trees (again, with my handy chainsaw) and finally ended up with three burn piles. Jamie made breakfast and was ready to clear out some more trees in the lot behind us. Yep...more cutting and adding to the burn piles. Makena did help a little, but spent most of the day reading and taking pictures. (I'll post some of her pictures later.)

I also managed to dig a bunch of rocks up out of the other lot. I decided to pile them all up together and use them some day - maybe to build a small pond or wall. I loaded as many rocks as I could in the small tractor, but had to have Jamie use the backhoe bucket on some of the larger ones.

By the time we got back home on Sunday, all we wanted to do was shower and go to bed. By Monday morning, my body was so sore that I didn't even want to get out of bed! It really sucks being older and out of shape...especially when I'm working out muscles that I didn't even know where in my body!

Senate Bill 637

Senate Bill 637 is on its way to the Senate floor!!

The Integrated Pest Management in schools bill, Senate Bill 637, is on its way to the Senate floor. The bill was approved by the Senate Education and General Government Committee on a unanimous vote late Friday.

Today we're one step closer to healthier school environments for our kids to learn in, as well as effective, common-sense pest control for our schools. Pesticides commonly used in Oregon schools have been associated with cancer, reproductive problems, and nervous system damage. Children can be exposed to pesticides by playing on floors, lawns, and play areas, eating pesticide-treated foods, or by handling treated pets.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive way to control pests and weeds that results in effective suppression of pest populations while minimizing human health and environmental hazards. Put simply, IPM is a safer and usually less costly option for effective pest management. IPM uses common sense strategies to reduce sources of food, water and shelter for pests in buildings and grounds. IPM is also a big part of the proposal put together by OEC for the Healthy Schools Act.

Walden Island Day 41

We got up early on Sunday to head up to the lake. We had to bring our new John Deer tractor over to the island. Just imagine a much smaller version of bringing over The Monster. We bought the tractor last month - it needed some welding and we knew just the man to do it. Thanks Duane!!!

It was already nice out when we arrived around that morning.

St. Helens still full of snow

our new tractor - love it!

We had some things to move around at the property as well as get the compost toilet ready. Something exploded in the fridge - I guess we can't leave cans/bottles in there when the power is off and it freezes for a while - so I had to clean that up too. Jamie and I put together the small trailer that attaches to the tractor - it's going to save our backs hauling stuff up the hill! Jamie showed me how to work the tractor, so I mowed the yard. I'm really wanting a riding mower for the house and rental house now - it was great! Jamie put together our new mosquito catcher/machine. We're hoping to get back up there and see all of the female mosquitoes in the machine - not flying around the shed.

Can't wait to get back up to the lake this summer!

Kallie's 2nd Birthday Party

Kallie's 2nd Birthday party was on Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful day to BBQ and play!

another overexposed picture I tried to rescue

Kalllie Bug

Kylah Teagan
a game of Duck-Duck-Goose (I never liked it)

time for cake

yummy cake!

her favorite Auntie (me) gave her paper, finger paint & markers!

and she got a Dora jeep from Mom, Dad & Kylah!

a jeep that Logan loved!

it was NevaeH's birthday party too - here she is with her butterfly cake

and presents!
TeaLee & Makena

"Give me kisses Bug!"

Jamie snuck off to take a little nap

time to clean their feet from running around in the grass all day

Makena and TeaLee got to stay the night and have even more fun! Happy Birthday Kallie - we love you!

After Kallie's party, we headed over to the Castilla's for Sydney's 16th Birthday party. A lot of hyper teenagers were there! : ) I somehow managed to leave all of these parties without any cake - what was I thinking?!?

Electronics Reycling Event

Last Saturday, we were up early to help at a Relay For Life of Hillsboro - Electronics Recycling Event. As well as a wonderful recycling event, it was also a fundraiser for Relay! We raised over $600 during the event!

Jamie unloading a tv

some cool "green" garbage cans I found
some of the electronics that were recycled

So...for a three hour event, I think we did great!

After cleaning up the lot, Jamie and I went home to get ready for Kallie's birthday party.

Good Things #12

Why should you Go Organic?

For Health!

Organic production helps protect your health and future generations.

For the Planet!

Organic farming never uses toxic and persistent pesticides.

This helps keep air, water, and soil clean.

It's Easy!

Now nearly every food you eat has an organic alternative.

Many non-food agricultural products are also being grown organically as well.

Go Organic! For Earth Day, a website that promotes ways to live a healthy and sustainable life. Visit the site for tips, coupons, and to sign up for an educational newsletter.

I'm a bleach girl!

I am a person that loves the smell of bleach, I always have. To me, that smell means 'clean'. Every other product I use is an all-natural product (inside & outside of my home) but I just can't seem to give up bleach. For years I have read articles about the affects of bleach and I really just need to make the switch! Here is an article today that caught my eye...

To a lot of people, clean just isn’t clean if it doesn’t smell like bleach. The bleach that smells like, well, bleach is made from chlorine and is a pretty nasty product to have and use in your home. In addition to being harmful to humans and pets when inhaled, chlorine bleach doesn’t play well with others and becomes extra-toxic when mixed with the chemicals commonly found in other household cleansers. Want to deep-clean your world without all the nasty side effects? Try using non-toxic cleansers. Still can’t live without bleach? Switch to hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach. Hydrogen peroxide is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen and can do a lot more for you than turn tresses platinum. In low concentrations, it works well as a disinfectant and antiseptic without the smell and potentially harmful effects of chlorine bleach.

Still not sold? Consider this: hospitals do not clean with chlorine bleach — it’s too dangerous, too smelly and it doesn’t kill mold (it just bleaches it!). Hospitals clean with peroxide-based cleansers. To get your home antiseptically clean, consider making the switch. Your lungs, your damp basement and your planet will thank you.

Post # 300!!

Wow...I haven't even been blogging for a full year and I'm already at post # 300!! Can you believe it? (I know...me either!) Sometimes I get behind on posting, but I am still very much enjoying my Blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Good Things #11

RECYCLE CAPS WITH AVEDA

Aveda found that a majority of plastic bottle caps do not get recycled today. Often these caps end up as litter or trash, ending up in landfills and beaches or migrating into our rivers and oceans. Birds and other marine creatures mistake them for food with tragic results. The magnitude of this pollution problem is devastating to our oceans and wildlife.

You can be part of the solution by joining Recycle Caps with Aveda. Aveda is announcing a new recycling initiative that helps extend the current boundaries of recycling and elicit participation from all corners of our community. With the help of our network of salons and stores, in partnership with community schools, we are building a new recycling program for plastic bottle caps in which caps are collected at stores and schools and then sent by Aveda to our recycler where the material is recycled into new caps and containers. Aveda has been able to work closely with our suppliers to develop ways to make new caps and containers from the recycled caps. We hope to ship new products using this reworked, environmentally-friendly material later this year.

What type of caps do we collect?The program accepts caps that are rigid polypropylene plastic, sometimes noted with a 5 in the chasing arrows recycling symbol. This includes caps that twist on with a threaded neck such as caps on shampoo, water, soda, milk and other beverage bottles, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise), laundry detergents and some jar lids such as peanut butter.
Excluded from collection are pharmaceutical lids and non rigid lids such as yogurt lids, tub lids (margarine, cottage cheese), and screw on lids that are not rigid. If you can bend or break the lid with your bare hands, then it does not meet the rigid plastic definition. Please do not include any metal lids or plastic pumps or sprayers. Unfortunately, too much of the wrong types of materials can contaminate the recycling process. We appreciate your efforts in keeping it clean!

Join the Recycle Caps with Aveda campaign. Bring your plastic caps into an Aveda Store and feel great knowing that they will be repurposed into new Aveda packaging and kept from entering our waterways and harming wildlife.

The local stores that I found are:
New Beginning Salon Spa 19360 NW Cornell Rd Hillsboro, OR 97124
Avenue Hair Design 4690 SW Washington Ave Beaverton, OR 97005
GiGi Salon & Spa 9396 SW Washington Square Rd R11TIGARD, OR 97223

Caution!

Makena and I got to the Hillsboro Main Library at least once a week, and I usually go to Costco afterwards for gas. After turning on to Airport Way (going behind Costco & past Triquint) and turning on to 48th to go to Costco, I was pulled over by a motorcycle cop. I honestly had NO idea that I was even speeding! I saw the cop down the road and it never even occurred to me to slow down or look at my speedometer as it didn't even cross my mind that I was speeding. I assumed that I was going along with the other traffic and still didn't even look at my speedometer when his lights came on - again, not thinking it was me. I was just slowing down to pull over and get out of his way. Well...apparently I was speeding...he said that he clocked me on the laser going 42 in a 25. (Maybe I just had the biggest car?!?) He also said that the neighborhood had been complaining about speeding vehicles and that's why he was out there...hmmm...

Take caution the next time you are driving down Airport Way...be sure to look at your speedometer!

Green Fact #10

As with my "Good Things" posts; I don't know how many posts I've done that are green related so I'm starting with #10! : )

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more fuel is spilled each year filling up garden equipment than was lost in the entire Exxon Valdez spill in 1989.

Wow - that seems crazy to me!! One more reason to love my battery powered garden equipment.