Random Photos from November

November 2020

Every Autumn I look forward to seeing the leaves make their wondrous transformation. And every Autumn I am fascinated by the beautiful colors they display. It fills me with joy seeing the colors of Autumn so vibrant. There is no doubt that God is the ultimate artist. 

I am blessed for this awesome experience. I am aware that not everyone gets the opportunity to see  deciduous trees up close in autumn.

I love going on walks when the weather is cloudy. This was an after-dinner walk. We had just walked down our street when I looked back and saw how cool the evening sky looked. I had to take a picture. I love how it came out. Yes, the sky was that dark. I don't use filters on my pictures.

Walking on crisp fallen leaves and hearing the crunch is a joyful experience that brings comfort and a deep connection to nature. I love it all.

I read that having hobbies are very beneficial for our brains because they lower stress hormones and improve emotional wellbeing. Hobbies are also mental stimulating activities which create a defense system that delays memory decline and cognitive aging. 

One of my hobbies besides reading is journaling by longhand. It helps me to focus better and allows me to process my feelings in a deeper and calm way. 

I like to cozy up my space when I journal. I light candles, get a comforting (and sometimes healthy) snack and I have calm music playing in the background. It's important to be intentional about creating an environment that brings me peace. I tend to get so engrossed with journaling that often times I lose track of time. I LOVE that. This brings me joy. It makes me feel content and satisfied.

Energy flows as I busy myself with constructive activity. 

Sophie knows better than to sit on my bookcase. Look at her, she knows she's guilty. That's why she's looking back at me that way.

In our home we love to coddle our cats. Nathan is loving on Lila. Lila likes it even though she pretends to be a tough girl.

I haven't made an official blog post about us moving out of Washington. That will come at a later time. This October will be four years since we moved. We miss WA terribly. Aside from my two oldest children still living there, I miss the cloudy/rainy weather, parks/trails, the Puget Sound/ferry, and the North Oregon coast the most. 

Seeing our previous house brings back a lot of great memories. Even though change is inevitable, assimilating to a new environment can be tough in a new city; whether it's the climate, people, or the way of life.

Although it is constantly cloudy in Washington and there's light rain on most days, fog was something that we didn't get every single day. I like fog but after two days of it I noticed that my eyes would take a second to adjust to it whenever I began driving. Fog would put a heaviness on my eyes. Once home I was glad not to be out driving in it. Fog has its own beauty too though.

Virtual school was one of the lamest things we have experienced, especially for my son. For an adult, being in front of a monitor for hours is tedious tiring work now imagine how stressful it was for children during the pandemic. And don't get me started on whether or not they benefited from being taught via a monitor. My son fell back so much on learning during this time. The teachers didn't seem equipped to handle this rapid change either. Riley hated it and I don't blame him not one bit!

Driving past the Tacoma Dome on our way to a restaurant for dinner. I like to eat at different locations when it comes to restaurants. I like a change of scenery. I guess I like to go on car rides and take the long way to a location, at least most of the time I do. 

The ordinary days often become the memories we ache to return to. They matter because they tend to make up most of our lives. 

I've realized that the most important luxuries

in my life are family, slow mornings, home cooked

meals, spending time in nature, and expressing myself

though creativity.

Unscripted October Moments

October 2020

How quicky time pass us by. I wrote down in my agenda about, "how quickly October seem to come around". This is the reason why I try my best to live intentionally. To not live life with haste. To live in the present. To document life from the ordinary mundane moments to fun outings. And this is why I don't ever rush time by saying, "oh, I wish it was Friday, or I wish it was summer, or I wish it was Christmas break". Because I know better. When you think that way it prevents you from living in the present moment.

There's a pumpkin patch about five minutes from our house. Around early October is when you spot a tractor pulling a wagon filled with a huge load of pumpkins driving from their pumpkin patch to several blocks down the road toward their farm store. These were huge pumpkins.

For a few months I began to notice my eyes becoming a little blurry and burn when I read so, Jacob and I both went to see the optometrist. We got our eyes checked and we were both prescribed reading glasses, unfortunately. Fast forward six years to today and we still think having to rely on reading glasses to look at small print is a big inconvenience. I'm still not used to the idea of having reading glasses.

It is such a de-stresser to me to take the backroads whenever possible when I'm feeling overburdened. Driving along pine trees and seeing farm animals lifts my spirits, more so when it is cloudy. I'm keenly aware of my surroundings, observant, and I'm very detailed oriented so at times too much mental overload tends to cause overwhelm. Thankfully, I also know healthy ways on how to relax and decompress.  

This girl, wherever I go especially when I rest, she's sure to follow and lay next to me. I love her fur. She's got a very soft coat. I like to say she's my comfort animal because she feels so familiar to me. She's very patient when I'm holding her and loving on her. I wish she was just as loving towards other cats though.

For those of us that appreciate cloudy weather this scene never gets old. I get excited about cloudy weather as if this type of weather hardly happens, but we know that cloudy weather is a staple in the PNW, still it gets me every time. 

The above cloudy weather brought on a storm. It rained hard late at night which caused a power outage. Power came back on around 5:00 am. I'm glad it did because a cookie bake was planned on this Saturday. 

Riley enjoys helping his dad bake cookies. Sydna grabbing some lunch.

Now adding the icing. I failed to write down what type of cookies they made so I don't have a clue what they're called but I'm sure they were tasty.

This one I know. It was pumpkin cheesecake with crumble. It looks amazing! and I'm sure it was. 

Lila looking pretty.

I had a birthday in October. Riley had the day off for school. After a delicious breakfast we headed N to Redmond and Woodenville. We like taking the scenic route. 

The gorgeous colors of autumn leaves just beg to be displayed.

One of the coziest things to do when it's cloudy and cold is to curl up on the couch and watch a good movie.

After a while though I do feel the need to get up and move around, so we went on a long walk around a couple of neighborhoods.

Spotted these two pretty flowers.

Slow living isn't about doing less; it's about being present in everything you do. It's about connecting deeply with loved ones, nature, and the quiet beauty of daily life. 

This time it was Lila who wanted to sit near me. She's giving me side eye. I love her furry paws. 

Taking the back roads near our home just so I can look at these beauties. Such gorgeous trees.

Nathan dressed up as Bob Ross. So silly.

All ready to head out to a Halloween party.

The devotional book I was reading at the time. (I read it as a book not one devotion a day.) This devotion really caught my attention. We should all heed what it's talking about. We cannot do life on our own. At some point we have to realize that we cannot do life without God.

October was a fun month. It is my favorite month of the year. Anytime I can spend time by the water is always a relaxing enjoyable time for me.

Our lives are made up of time, and the quality of

our existence depends on our wise use of the moments we are given.

Nathan Turns 20

September 2020

Nathan, my middle child. He's responsible, kind, and a hard-working young man. He's always had a quiet demeanor maybe that's why he was easy-going and respectful when he was a child. He was very obedient and enjoyed playing with his toys/cards and liked to read.

Now that he's a young adult he spends most of his day at work and at the gym.

It baffles me on how much Sydna and Nathan have changed from when they were kids. Also, they've been told that they look like they could be twins. I can see that. I can also see myself in both of them especially in Nathan. 

Nathan has favored the chocolate chip cookie cake for years now instead of a regular cake for his birthday. 

This picture makes me happy. I love them all so much. (Missing my two angel babies. The 'What could have been' thoughts surface every now and then still. I hope they never stop.)

Such a sweet moment. I love it! They are ten years apart and they look so different from one another. Riley looks up to his big brother though. He wanted to get Nathan one of his favorite candy, M & M's. He bought it with his own money. What an endearing gesture. 

Nathan, in a single moment in time, you can make a decision that affects your entire life. So, live your life wisely. 

When you don't know what to do, when you don't know the answer, you need to pray. Go to God in prayer and ask Him to help you make the right decision.

You are capable of more than you know. You are the right one to handle

your life. And, you are never alone in your journey.

We love you!

May 2020 Random Happenings

My journaling stated we were having 80 degree weather in early May of 2020. Being inside was starting to get a little uncomfortable. This was before we had central air conditioner in our home so we had to set up our portable a/c unit.

My cats have all been indoor cats. I rarely let them step outside because if my cats get startled or find the courage to just run out I'm sure they would end up getting hit by a car. But, on this occasion, Sophie cautiously walked out and sat down on the porch like the good girl that she is. She went back inside the house when I called her name. 

Because Governor Inslee had the "stay home order" and because most restaurants were only offering take-out and entertainment businesses were closed, I was getting a good amount of reading done. I would sometimes sit in the backyard and read a few pages while getting some sun. 

I also couldn't stand having to be forced to wear a mask, so I did quite a bit of on-line shopping like probably the rest of the world. I bought books. It's always exciting when air mail arrives.

These are it. Fast forward four years and I've only read Another Quest for Celeste. I enjoyed the story which I gave the book five stars. I love good children's books, especially those ones that are wholesome.

Sophie's toebeans. She's got a few chubby toes, lol. Makes me laugh.

I think Riley was trying to entertain himself one evening. Kinda creepy right? Just standing there like a weirdo.

Took this picture of these pretty blossoms during one of our after dinner walks.

After the warm spell we had in early May the weather went back to being its usual cloudy PNW weather. It was definitely welcomed by us. I prefer it and it makes my world cozy.

Another evening out. We walked the Redondo beach boardwalk. We stopped to take in this scene. I love how it looks in the distance. 

I loved my peony bushes. So many of them would bloom allowing me to make bouquets out of them. 

I loved all my trees and bushes. We planted this pom pom tree about two years before we moved. This tree can get quite tall and large. I miss all of my plantings. 

And here's a bunch of peonies in a vase. I love how flowers add life to a room. It beautifies the space for sure. 

Nathan being a sport and battling beyblade with his little brother. Riley was so into this game. He collected so many of them during this time but now (fast forward four years) they're all on the top shelf of his closet collecting dust. How quickly things change.  

During the pandemic Sophie became more attached to me. She would follow me everywhere I went in the house and would constantly meow begging for food. She looks a little mean but she's really a sweet girl.

May 2020 was a good month even if the pandemic orders were ridiculous. We did get to visit the Oregon coast, we visited several places around Tacoma and Seattle and we visited Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. Enjoyed eating out, cared for my garden, read books and enjoyed my family. There is still a lot to be grateful for even during hectic chaotic times.

An important key to not becoming overwhelmed by what is going on around

us is looking for evidence of God's hand at work in the middle of the turmoil and

being "simply overwhelmed with thankfulness to Him".