Saturday, December 31, 2011

farewell 2011.

Wow, I can't believe a year has past. (I'm a cliche!) This time last year I wasn't married and was about to embark onto lands unknown. I really cannot believe that tomorrow will be our one year anniversary. A lot has happened this year, but then again, a lot hasn't really changed. 



We spent the first six months of marriage living with husby's mom (not ideal, but thankfully she obliged for so long). I finally got to go to Hawai'i [for our honeymoon] but was kind of teased by all the things we couldn't afford. That really seems to be the theme of mr. two thousand and eleven. Just getting by. Being poor. But no matter how bad we thought things were [/are] we have yet to go hungry or homeless. So God does provide, just not in the ways we would think or hope for sometimes.

I have been trying to listen more this year. Not knowing what the future holds has led me to the point of being all ears... to people, to God, to opportunities... and trying to be content. And sometimes I fail. I fail a lot. But perhaps one day I will see I am wiser for it.

By no luck of our own, we made it back to Portland at the end of August. Thank you OC for letting Spencer not graduate? Yes, that's a question mark. Unforeseen missing credits led to another year of schooling for husby and a place for us to live in the meantime... but that meantime has an endtime. And that's scary.

It's time to kick it into high gear. It's time to become a sugar mama. Or else. And that's the scary part. I don't know what the 'else' is. Job searching was never this daunting when there were other options out there... I was blessed with my first couple interviews ever to end in a job. Now I am not having such luck and it's getting very disheartening.

Here's to hoping 2012 is a year of renewal. And hope (not the Obama kind). And all around goodness.


12 goals for 2012.

01. Get a job.
02. Listen daily.
03. Convince husby he likes doing dishes. (goal/dream/fantasy - whatever)
04. Spend less.
05. Save more.
06. Move into an apartment.
07. Change my freaking name! (I know...this should have happened, oh, a year ago!)
08. Move more. Physically. Take walks.
09. Eat more greens.
10. Revamp/replenish my Etsy.
11. Save for a real computer so blogging isn't a hassle, but a joy. 
12. Pray. Daily.


here we come a caroling...

Went to the Grotto's festival of lights last night with the mum. Her favorite pianist (Michael Allen Harrison) played. Lights twinkled. A great way to end the Christmas season. I took photos a plenty. Here are the ones from my phone:















































(something went wrong with posting...hence the sideways photos...don't know how to fix it so just tilt your head :P )

Friday, December 30, 2011

gracias ikea.

So on Wednesday Ikea (my homeland) had a great deal on these simple, naked looking, shelves. Now I will admit they are not the most beautiful ones out there but our little place is in dire need of function. We can deal with the form later. I bought two- with one I replaced our previous black shelves in the living room and the other was tranformed into crafty storage! (Finally!)

I wanted to put one in our record breaking teeny tiny closet for some actual storage possibilities (we don't have any dressers & our hanging clothes are on portable rods...not ideal but we make it work.) But whoever designed this 5-plex should be fired. For one thing there isn't even a light in the living room (thank goodness for hot air balloon paper lanterns [see previous posts]... but the even more frusturating thing was that the hanging bar in the closet is stationary, meaning I think the walls were biult around it... thus making the shelf 1 or 2 inches too big to fit around it, without a saw at least. I do not have a saw. Grrr.

So I replaced the living room shelves and put the old black ones in our closet. There's still some wasted space so that's annoying but it's better than the hanging things/chaos that was in there before. Really I'm just happy my crafties have a more permanent home. Clothes can be thrown on the floor ;P




peacock lane.

I still have yet to walk the street...
Until then, a car ride through will do.

But we did drive by Santa!













hot air balloons.

Did you ever have a fascination with hot air balloons? I think I might like to ride in one, one day. I saw this done on a blog via Pinterest and thought it was easy enough to give it a try... I think it makes a perfect ride for my little Ewok friend, don't you?


Sunday, December 25, 2011

Viva la Christmas!





the best way to spread christmas cheer...

...is singing loud for all to hear!

...and also making your husby take Christmas photos with you.


We'll catch up soon,



I promise.

Until then,
I leave you with these...