The Big Day....

The big day came and went with dinner at Circle J Cafe and fun little gifts from the girls, a new car stereo from the bigguy (he put it in 2 mos. ago and just informed me it was my birthday gift! BUT, i love it!). The best gifts though are hands down, the cards the girls made me!! Lily's was very elegant with hand drawn pen and ink and ribbon! Jasi's is so funny with Venus rising out of the starbucks cup with my head on THAT bod! I WISH!! And...Camilles just CRACKED me up!! Me and Rob Thomas kissing! She did it on the computer and thought up this whole elaborate card complete with 2 tickets to the "greatest Unknown Love Story" ever shown. She is such a funny girl! I made my German Chocolate cake (I make it every year for myself), the thing must've weighted in at 10 lbs!! So nummy! And, Lily is to thank for that little pack of "donkey" gum I am holding up!! ( I'd like to think the saying is true but alas, things are starting to go south at this age.) She finds the funniest gifts!! Another year older....but I'd like to think wiser too!!

Tags and My Buddy...

Ah, the cold mornings and warmer days...lovely! Days are too warm to fire up the woodstove but the BigGuy says maybe we can start burning on my birthday! Just a few weeks away. I love wood heat! The heat-pump just makes it stuffy and drafty. Anyway.... Here is a photo of the tags me and Buddy made a few weekends ago. We had a good time. And I also posted a layout I did of her in her new glasses! She looks sooo cute! Poor kid couldn't see the chalkboard or overhead at school but didn't tell me until I noticed she couldn't read the TV from the dinner table! Now she's all set!

My new fav paper is CosmoCricket Love Notes!That is what I used on her layout. Ordered the new Basic Grey Fruitcake and Dasher Holiday papers today off of Scrapgal.com. Can't wait for FancyPants Claire deLune to get in the stores too! Love their stuff!

Mmm, cold front moving in and a blustery day!

Lily wonders why......

....there are not as many pictures of her as there are of Cam and Jas on the blog. Hmm, don't know, but I just fixed that! She is so beautiful! The first three were taken on Cam and Jas's modeling day! And the last 2 were taken when Lily got her new Marilyn Monroe shirt! How fun. Can't wait to do some layouts including these pictures.

Me and Jasi visited the new scrapbook store today to see what was new and ended up with some fun Christmas stuff. When we got home we had an art day and made some Christmas tags! (Will post pictures of them later.) It was so fun and it made her in a better mood. She is such a "teenager"! I never had to deal with those moods and attitudes when Lily and Cami were at that age! Guess I've been very lucky.

Supposed to rain tommorrow! Yippee!

New Stuff!

Ahhh, I am finally going to post my "Loonie" friends' birthday card done in a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch format. It is sooooo Loon! Picture was taken from last years Christmas Tea Party when she was opening gifts! HeeHee!

Next is a cool layout of Jasmine. It was photos taken at the Beanery coffeehouse this summer and Camille took it with her 35mm camera, then we scanned it on the 'puter and photoshopped it to make it look soo cool! Fun papers from new Karen Russell collection and Foofala! Finally used some of the many thousands of buttons I have, thanks to Elsie Flannigans new book which I finally just bought!! Fun Fun Fun!! And of course....glitter!!

Mmm, found the new Fine Cooking Holiday issue yesterday during my weekly trek to my fav store, Barnes and Noble. I made the awesome Chocolate Chip Muffins for breakfast this a.m. Fantastic. Also got the new Donna Hay magazine which is total eye candy for a foodie like me. Simple, wonderful recipes to boot!! New Legacy and Stamper's Sampler are out too which made their way into my basket! Ah, my bad, I know!

Well, off to the grocery for me!!! Happy Fall!

PS. It was 37 degrees this morning! Brr! AND, the bigguy has to get into the Pool to disconnect the pump so we can shut' er down for the winter!!HeeHeeHee!!!

Catchin' Up...

Wow, it's been awhile! My friends probably wonder where the heck I have been! Well, just workin' on getting an answer for all the headaches. I went to the neurologist a couple of weeks ago. He wasn't much help. He didn't think it was anything "bad in my brain" (Thank God) , so no MRI, which is FINE with me! He just thinks it's stress, which alot of the headaches probably are, but the ones I call"Brainswells", well, I am not so sure they are stress induced. So, now I am working with a Naturopath/Homeopath, and have kinda got a handle on the PMS stuff (my family thanks the Dr. for that) and then I am seeing a cranial/sacrial therapist and I think she really might be able to help. Yesterday she gave me some relief from the pressure in the back of my head. AND then, next Monday I am seeing a accupuncturist who is going to test for food sesitivities. Whew, I am one busy gal, just not in the areas I want to be busy in! Needless to say it all cost a small fortune and the "BigGuy" is on his pitypot about it. Oh well. Moving on......


The Hal Ketchum Concert was totally awesome! What a great performer and wonderful voice!! SOOO Fun!

The girls are all back in school. Jas started Sept 5th and Cam & Lil just went back yesterday. They are commuting to the University together. We had to buy a new car for them (whoa was that stressful as the BigGuy has such a hard time letting go of the greenbacks!), I insisited on dual airbags, how can the BigGuy argue that?? So, we got 'em a 97 Toyota Camry with 87K miles. Very nice car, actually it's the nicest car we have ever owned. Jeez, kinda sad (; Now, if only he'd get his truck running again and repair the Honda that he wrecked, for Jas to drive when she gets her license, still working on that, ugh!

And..I love the new fall mornings!! I just can't wait for fall and winter, Thanksgiving and Christmas! Still not really planning on the having the Christmas Teaparty this year but it is such a tradition that it feels weird not planning it!! The pics are from last years party, so pretty!

Last but certainly not least, me and the BigGuy celebrated our 27 wedding anniversary Sept 1st! It was actually very nice and I got a new bling too!!

PS. Cool new Fav's:
FUN Books:" Imaginary Men" and "Invisible Lives" by Anjali Banerjee
"The Little Lady Agency" by Hester Browne
Interesting Exciting read: "The Trudeau Vector" by Juris Jurjevics

Awesome Pic's of Cami and Jasi

Cami and jasi took "modeling" pictures today and they turned out sooo gorgeous!!! They also "photoshopped" them and made them look even cooler! WOW! I can't wait to print some out and make some scrap pages with them. That will give me something to do since tommorrow everyone is going back to school and jobs and I will be left alone to my own devices ):

Some new Fav's....

Oh yeah! I have a new favorite book! It's "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. So, so, so breathtaking, wonderful, poetic, melancholic, awesome and UNFORGETTABLE!! I just loved it and I will never forget this book. It is written by a young man. Incredible! Please read it! (Loon, wait till your birthday please!)


On the music front my new favorite is Joshua Radin, "We were here". Love the slow melancholy music of his. ALSO, just out today.....Ray LaMontagne "Till the sun turns black". Waaay soulful voice! Great CD! (sorry no pic!)

Cami 's Big Day, Wonton Salad and Creme Brulee...

Ahhh.. finally I get to blog! Cami turned big 19 on the 14th and she got the day off of work. She requested NO cake, maybe just a fruit salad! Hunh??!! I said "Cam, are you sure?" and she was adamant, "No cake." Well, what is a bday and no cake and what kinda mom am I if I didn't make her a bday dessert? Sooo, the weekend before her bday I picked up some beautiful blackberries and raspberries from the grower's market and decided to make, "in secret", Creme Brulee! I had a selfish reason too. I wanted that "used" vanilla bean to make vanilla coffee with! She also wanted Wonton Chicken Salad and Mumbaldi (with our garden's eggplant.) A chinese and greek dinner! The wonton salad was sooo tasty and the mumbaldi was to die for, soaked up with fresh bread and butter! The Creme Brulee with melted sugar (I got to use the kitchen torch, scary thought!!) and topped with fresh mixed berries....it was all divine! She scored on the gift front too. Jas was quick to quip "Yeah, this is like Christmas for you and Lily's birthdays and mine was like Valentines Day!" What a girl! I just shake my head. Camille had a great time and just loved the fact that I didn't listen to her and I went ahead and made a special birthday dessert! All is good. And, thank goodness the birthdaze are OVER!!

Ahhh.... The Big Day!

Lily's birthday was sooo nice! I got up early to put her cake together. I "tested" it so much though, that by the time we had it I was kinda sick of it! Really, though, it was awesome. We had vanilla coffee, fresh peaches with blueberries and cream and Cook's Quick Cinnamon Rolls(May/June 2002) for breakfast. It was delicious!

We went to dinner at River's Edge and sat out side and watched the Rogue roll by. It was absolutely gorgeous! Just the right temperature and a small breeze. Since she was "legal" she ordered a Choco-tini. Mmm, it was delish, kinda strong. I swear, I am just a wimp. I had THREE sips of that drink and I could feel it! No kidding. I don't drink ever anyway but I don't think I can tolerate alcohol anymore, maybe because of all the migraine stuff I've taken and continue to take. Hmm, just as well I guess. Then Cami had 2 sips, and she is just skin and bones, she felt it too! ( This is a quote from Cami on the way home "Does alcohol give you gas? We just crack up. "I just want to know!" More laughing from us. "Geez, never mind, whatever!") It was an awfully fun dinner! The "big guy" just sat there, surrounded by his beautiful women.

We came home and opened gifts. I don't know why I always overdo everything but it was like Christmas for Lily! I mean, I don't feel bad cuz she is such a wonderful daughter and it WAS her 21st! The digital camera came at the very last minute yesterday. I was sweatin' I'll tell you! She had no idea either. I had her open everything else first then saved the camera for last. She was sooo surprised, it was great. The cake was wonderful, even though we were all full from the dinner. (I had blackened tuna salad. I had no idea that the tuna was left pink inside and I had a hard time eating it, actually I gave it to the "big guy" and snitched some of his salmon).

Anyway, it was really nice and, I now have to gear up for Camille's 19th on Sunday! Yikes!! I think I've gained 10 lbs already! What was I thinking , having their birthdays soo close!

P.S. The order of photos is: Lily being Marilyn, Me & Lily at restuarant, Jasi copping an attitude, beautiful Camille and "The Cake".

Just Stuff.....

I am just a bad blogger! I think it has something to do with still being on "dial-up" because everything takes sooo long to upload! Well, that is a good excuse, huh?

Anyway, Pearliss is doing just great now! Got him transferred to his new "high potency" pellet food and Cami says he looks soo good. I think he looks "sooo" good because I took the collar off and the poor bird was finally able to groom! He was a "groomin' fool" for a while there after I first took the collar off! Such a funny bird!


Finally finished a new page. This is of Cami, during her and Jasi's "cowboy photo shoot". The camera loves this girl! I just really want to create some more art. Man, there is just no creativity there! It is soo very frustrating!


I met my Mom at the Grower's Market this past weekend and got some nummy rasberries to make Giada's "Raspberry Almond Tart". So simple and easy and goooood! We had lunch at Circle J Cafe and it was delish! I am so glad that she is in our town now, sorry Mom and Sis! She used to be in Crescent City but decided to move over the mountains to my part of the valley! I lucky! I split a hot pastrami sandwich with Jas and it also came with sweet potato fries that were awesome! The sandwich itself was on the best homemade roll! I can't wait to go back!

And....Lilyann's 21st Birthday is tommorrow!!! I just can't believe my "baby" is turning 21!!! I am anxiously waiting for a digital camera I ordered for her, to get here UPS! I am hoping it comes today! I am also making Caprial's Coconut Cream Cake for the party. She loves coconut and in honor of the 21st I thought I'd go to the lengths to make this cake. Will post pic's when I have it done. So far, the coconut cream filling is delish ( I used the Mexican Vanilla I got at Market of Choice in Ashland this week and a whole vanilla bean, which I can now use in my Gevalia coffee this morning....oooooo nummers!) and the buttercream frosting starts with a pastry cream! Then you whip it into a creamed butter/sugar mixture....mmmmmmm good!!! Can't wait!! Happy Birthday Lils!

Hmmm, well I think I'll go make some fresh blueberry muffins to go with that Vanilla coffee this morning........oinkers!

Fun photos.....

I love to tweak photos in photoshop! I took some pics of my beautiful Mandavilla and they turned out sooo pretty! I then tweaked it along with a photo of some pansies that had a beautiful butterfly sitting on the edge of the pot!

Pearliss went to the Dr. today to check the "bubble collar" and he said we can start easing him out of it! Uh, Whaaat? Evidently I have to take the collar off when we are around the bird and put it back on when he is alone and when he goes to bed at night! Oh My Geez! I'm thinkin' I should be getting paid for this?

My Bad.....

I don't know. I guess I just can't say "No" to fun, nummy things. Hmm, it shows in the waistline too ): Today was my weekly trek to Ashland to see the chiropractor and Ashland has one of the last remaining "Market of Choice" stores. Ours, here, closed down last year, which totally bummed me out. They have the coolest food stuffs. Scary when food is so exciting. Me and Jas just went nuts in the store today. We were like swivle head dolls. Spent $180 on , what the "big guy" would term, not real food. You know, not dinner foods or anything, but baking and snacky foods! Is there really anything else? I got my Scharffen Berger Chocolate bars (for my own stash), the Dagoba chocolate drops to make the new "Chewy Chocolate chip cookie" ( I learned about these from a cool foodie blog called Mixed Salad Annie), Scharffen Berger baking chocolate (I can't wait to try this!) and I just had to get the Lillie Belle Farms Spicy Pecan Toffee! Oh, and forgot to mention the fresh Baklava! So good with the Dutch Bros Americano! Mmm, to die for! There were alot of other things too. Like soft cream cheese that took 2nd place in some cheese contest (I am such a sucker!), great bagels from Little Shop of Bagels, fresh breads and more.. Then on to Harry & David's for great apricots, peaches and white nectarines (so good with fresh blueberries). They are the best and go fast in my house.

And, as always, the last stop at Barney's aka Barnes & Noble. I picked up the book "The Mercy of Thin Air" by Ronlyn Domingue, sounds real good, and couldn't pass up the fun sounding read "Body Mover's" by Stephanie Bond. I finished "Case Histories" by Kate Atkinson, the first of a new mystery series featuring P.I. Jackson Brodie. I really liked it. Reminded me of the PBS Mystery Series. Am now on the 2nd of a new series by Shirley Tallman. The first was called Murder on Nob Hill and the 2nd is called The Russian Hill Murders. Both featuring Sarah Woolson as the heroine, 1880's woman attorney who solves crimes. They are fun reads. So many books, so little time!! ):

I also saw a very cool bumper sticker that read "Be Peace". What a wonderful saying!!

Rocker Chick....

Pearliss is doing good. Starting to eat more each day and hasn't bled at all, thank goodness! The collar looks uncomfortable and he can't groom or anything but it is doing it's job. I really didn't think the bird would make it. And I never thought we'd make it this far!

It's hard to watch him though when he twists his little head around trying to groom. I hope we can take it off on August 2nd, at the follow up visit. The vet said something about 2 months! Jeez, that's a long time for a poor little bird to not be able to groom! Like us not being able to bathe ):

Camille altered this headshot of Pearlie! Isn't it cool?! You can see the peanut butter crumbs on his beak!! She calls it "Rocker Chick"!!

Pearliss is home...

Well, Pearliss got to come home today! he is looking good but has that collar on which he doesn't like at all because he can't groom! And Pearliss is all about "grooming"!! Poor little bird.

I can tell he is glad to be home though. Now we have to switch foods on him too! He should be eating these high nutrition pellets and of course he loves his seed and won't touch the pellet. The vet said it will take about 2 weeks for him to switch over. We"ll have to work on it.

My talented Loonie friend....

How cool is this little chicken planter? This was made by my dear Loonie friend. She is so talented and when I was at her house she gave me this wonderful hand built chicken planter. She should be selling her stuff! Loon! Hear me?

Well, I took it home and planted these fun succulents in it. It looks sooo cute! I love it and I already told her I want to put my order in now, for Christmas gifts! Get busy Loon!


PS. Pearliss is still at the "hospital" and will spend another night there to be sure he gets accustomed to his "collar".

Pearliss.....

Well, Pearliss bleed again last night. He has gotten to picking his poor scabbed nubs. Thank God this morning was his check up with Dr. Dickey cuz I am really getting burned out on being the "vet on call" at home.

Pearliss is now admitted to Dr. Dickey's clinic for a few days until he becomes accustomed to a neck collar. Yes, they have neck collars for birds! Oh, poor poor Pearlie. They had to put him in a padded cage too until he stops freaking out. Needless to say I was A-OK when he said they'd have to keep him for a day, I said "Keep him as long as you need to!".

Ahh, peace and quiet at home. The weird thing is.....I am still worried about the bird! He is not even here! Anyway, I hope to get an update tommorrow and will let all know.
PS. Loon you are the greatest and I want your dogs!!

A set back...

This afternoon Camille checked on Pearlie and there was a drop of blood on his perch. I had to do the whole "flour & pressure" thing again. We were disheartened but I know we need to keep a positive attitude, sometimes it's hard! We don't know how he did it either. We don't think he beat his wings as there wasn't any spatter, I'm thinking he accidently brushed it on the perch or picked it while grooming. Either way, bummer.

P.S. Loonie, thank you for all your well wishes and the great Pearlie song!

Pearliss Update...

I am so happy to report that Pearliss is getting back to his onery self!! Biting, squawking begging to get out of his cage!! We have not let him out of his cage for 3 days, and I think that was the key. It kept him quiet and not active. Well, we did get him out and gave him lots of scritching and kisses but just for a few minutes at a time. I have been able to put the ointment on his wings 2x a day and give him his dose of pain med 1x a day. His appetite has picked up and he hasn't had anymore episodes of unbalance or bleeding. Oh, thank God.

I also decided that I can add "veterinary" to my list of "hats" were I to actually get paid as a "stay at home Mom".

Pearliss needs Prayers.....

Oh, poor Pearliss Bird. We came home from the RT concert Sunday night and something had spooked Pearliss in his cage, he beat his wings against the cage until they were bloody stumps at the ends. There was his blood splattered on the wall behind the cage and his wings were still dripping. It was so incredibly sad and scary. I immediately applied pressure and flour to stop the flow. It worked but he was soooo traumatized. Monday was ok, then he got spooked again and started to beat against the cage, we ran out and stopped him BUT he started the bleeding again, and again I had to apply pressure and flour. So, Tuesday morning at 12am then again at 1 am he started them bleeding while in his covered cage, I swear I could NOT be a nurse because when I saw Camille holding him and the blood was flowing down her wrist I had to put my head between my knees!!!! It was terrible. So, I called the Vet Tuesday a.m. and took him to Dr. Ron Dickey in Rogue River, known as the best bird vet in the valley. He is too! He fixed him up and I brought him home, with Jas's help, but Pearliss made this weird keening noise the whole way, freaked us out! Dr. Dickey also informed me he was going out of town the next day, just my luck! He gave Pearlie a vitamin B injection to stimulate his appetite and get him eating again, applied a liquid bandaid to the cuts and pulled out the blood feathers. This poor poor bird has been through so much. He again bled twice yesterday and I seriously thought it was the end for him. I was bawling, Cami was bawling and I was calling Vets after hours trying to find some help. I ended up just applying pressure and flour again even though the Dr. said NO flour as it turns to a glue. It was the only way I culd get the blood to stop. As we put him to bed last night he started getting really unsteady and I thought he was going into shock. Poor Camille (he is her bird) she was so sad and we were both crying and crying. I was so scared to look in on him this a.m. for fear of what I would find BUT he was still alive this morning and I gave him his pain meds and ointmented his poor bloody stumps. He didn't eat all day then when Cam got home we gave him some homemade granola and he loved it. I take him back to Dr. Dickey on Tuesday, I hope. I guess we take it one day at a time and pray for a miracle.

The Awesome Rob Thomas!!

What an Awesome night!! Rob Thomas is a true artist. Brilliant singer songwriter! It was worth sitting in the blazing sun, (95 degrees in the shade) parched with thirst, sweatin' up a storm and claustrophobia setting in becuz of the close proximity of the seating arrangement! Finally he came on and his preformance was so great! The girls stood in the "mosh pit" the whole time! Anyway, Cam took the photos! Love that digital camera!

Just stuff...

Finally got a new layout done. Camille took this photo of us at Point St. George over Mother's Day weekend. She developed the film and photo in her photo class at college. She had fun in the class and learned ALOT, esp. how to use her 35mm!

Went to Grower's Market today and got a homemade donut and homemade goat's milk soap that smell sooo good, called Amazon Rain! I just love that guys soaps. My girls are so spoiled cuz now that's all they will use.

It is just too darn hot to do anything!!!