Red Barn Wood

One of my favorite things about the Windy M is this old barn.

It has so much character...
I wish it could tell me some stories.

It sits up on a hill overlooking the canyon and feed lot...
I wonder what all it has seen over the years?

It looks abandoned.

It looks worn.

To me...
it's a treasure...
it's architecture...
it's intriguing.

To me... as I come around the turn in the driveway and see it sitting on the hill...

I know I'm home.

Mazin' Around

Went to the Corn Maze yesterday!

Had a fabulous time...until...

Mason - (35 + lb Mason)...

insisted on his mommy carrying him.

My Oh My - where was the "gator" when we needed it?

Beautiful colors.

Awesome corn husks.

So, so, so happy that we went there in broad daylight!

Memory Lane

Where does the time go?
Why does it happen so fast?

Our little boy is not so little anymore.
He is becoming a boy.
An almost 2 year old boy.
A boy with a growing vocabulary…
A boy with growing feet – size 8.5…
A boy with size 3T clothes…
A boy that out-weighs most boys his age – 35lbs…
A boy with energy that doesn’t stop…
A boy with a mind of his own.

I went down “memory lane” last night, my heart bursting with pride, my eyes full of mist, my mind remembering the wonderful moments of Mason’s life last fall.

Mason is changing –
I don’t know why I expect him to stay “little” forever,
but I do.
Mason is growing –
He is more & more like his daddy…
just a little smaller.

Mason is Mason.

He is ours.

God has given us an amazing gift through our boy.

Mason McCrae ... our sweet, sweet boy...

You Are An Unrepeatable Miracle! (Diane Roger)

A possibility was born the day you were born, and it will live as long as you live.
(Marcus Solero)

Captivating

I just finished Captivating.
I’m smiling.
I’m vulnerable.
I’m alive inside.

It challenged me.
It humbled me.
It made me look at who I really am – or should I say – who I am becoming.
It provoked questions like:
What is my life motto?
What do others see in me?
Captivating… what does it really mean?

I’m processing this book in my mind and “seeing” so much.

I’m seeing that as a woman, I’m called to step out, to offer, to speak up…
to follow my God-given dreams.
It’s not easy – if it was, you’d see lots of women living without fear, without worry, without hiding inside themselves.

I’m seeing that I can’t just play it safe.
I can’t worry about how others may or may not react to me.
“Jesus lived a life of love and he invites us to do the same. Regardless of the response.”

I’m seeing that I can’t wait for tomorrow.
I can’t wait for a better opportunity to present itself.
I have to trust and follow His lead.
I have to BE HERE NOW!

I’m seeing that I need to be real. I need to be present.
“You have only one life to live. It would be best to live your own.”

There are times where I wish for things I don’t have.
There are times when I want my life to be a certain way and it’s not – far from it.
There are times when I just go through the day without really living… living with trust & without worry… living with compassion instead of judgment… living with a understanding that I’m where I need to be – in the present – where God has put me.
Why is it so hard to “live” some days?

I know I’m rambling. I know that this makes sense to me, but maybe not to you.
I was challenged by this book to really look at myself as Captivating…
to look at myself the way God does…
to want to live in such a way that no matter who I’m with or what I say… God is evident.
to be a wife, mother, friend, daughter… a woman who pays attention to the little things, a woman who is honest, a woman who listens, a woman who offers her heart – not caring about what I get in return…
to be a woman that learns from her mistakes…
to be a woman who is seeking God in everything.

I know that I was made for “relationships.”
I know that I was supposed to read this book. (thanks Becky)
I know that I was supposed to share my thoughts with whoever reads this.

I know I have a choice to make every day…
a choice to be Captivating!

Friends

I truly enjoy meeting new people.
Always have...always will.
I love that feeling of "connecting" with someone in a GREAT way.
It makes life interesting.
It makes life an adventure.
It makes me appreciate the value of relationships.

I am amazed at what I learn about myself when I invest my time in others.

I'm learning that it's not about what you have or don't have that makes you a good friend.
I'm learning that taking just a minute or two to respond to someone in a sincere way can make their day amazing.
I'm learning that my problems with other people are really, most likely problems with myself.
I'm learning that relationships are all you really have in life... they're only as good as you want to make them.
I'm learning that my time with my family is precious.
I'm learning that saying "no" to good things isn't a bad thing.
I'm learning that you can never smile too much.
I'm learning that life is what you make it.

This fall has been challenging for me. I'm working full time, I'm still on way too many committees, I've said no to some things that I've been passionate about for the last several years, and yet, through all of this, I've been blessed with a lot of new friends. It's not that my "circle" has changed really - or maybe it has... anyway, it just seems that I've been able to connect with different people in awesome ways.

I've known Joe & Stacy for about 3 years. We see each other every so often, we visit, we have a good laugh, but we've never really been given the opportunity to "connect." Through Ronda - wonderful, giving, amazing, talented Ronda, we connected. They invited our family to a soup/bread/pumpkin picking party yesterday, and we spent several hours at their home, picking pumpkins, carving/painting, relaxing, visiting, smiling, laughing, eating... it was amazing!
Their home is welcoming.
Their hearts are giving.
They are sincere, real, honest people.

I'm blessed to know them.
I appreciate their spirit.
I love that we connected!

Hay Ride @ the Windy M

What a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday in October...

going on a hayride, eating hotdogs with mustard & sauerkraut, painting pumpkins with children, visiting with co-workers (away from work) and taking pictures. These are just a few of my favorites from the day.








I've been collecting fun ideas, good recipes, pictures of table settings, helpful hints.... the list goes on & on... anyway, in my "IDEA" notebook, I found pictures of pumpkins that were painted instead of carved. They looked awesome, so I bought paint, bought sequins, bought craft glue... and everyone else brought their pumpkins.... the result... GREAT, UNIQUE, AWESOME works of art! So, if you don't want to deal with knives & pumpkin guts - give "painting" a try... we loved it!

Good Times - Fun Memories - Happy Fall

Working the Cows

Spent some time in Ukiah last weekend.
Beautiful country, miles & miles of range - Ian's piece of "heaven!"
A boy after his daddy's heart - Mason loved being a part of the action when we working the cows... even if it wasn't totally "safe."
I'm beginning to think that there isn't much in our little world that is really"safe"... but...
That's the joy of it.
That's the adventure of it.
That's life.

Happy Weekend - Enjoy Life -

Live Like There Is No Tommorow!

A New Look

Learning a lot about "html" today from Joe -

can't thank him enough!

What about the NEW color?! HUH!!??!

I love it!

Love brown.
Love orange.
Love fall on the farm.

Captivating!

“Beauty does not diminish with time. Beauty deepens and increases. True beauty comes from a depth of soul that can only be attained through living many years well.”

My grandmother turned 81 on Monday… and she is more captivating than ever before!
Her heart is very much alive.
It is “present.”
It is “open.”
It is “alluring.”
She, like the woman in the book Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge, “has lived in the presence of God, with the gaze of her heart fixed on Him.”

My desire???
To live a life that is captivating.
To live a life modeled after my grandma.
To live a life seeking God.
To live a life that draws me closer to what I was created to be.

Stasi Eldredge writes:
“A woman who is unveiling her beauty is inviting others to life.
She risks being vulnerable exposing her true heart, and inviting others to share theirs.
She is not demanding, but she is hopeful.
She offers kindness and a sincere interest in others.
She offers her beauty by asking good questions and by bringing something of her times with God – an insight, a glimpse into His heart – to bear.
She entices others to the heart of God.”

I know that 60 years ago today, when my grandparents were married in downtown Seattle, my grandpa saw that beauty. He was drawn in and captivated….

Happy 60th Anniversary you two!
Thank you for your example.
Thank you for your love.
Thank you for your faith.
Thank you for living in a way that God is evident.

We ALL love you!

Student Leadership

Busy, busy, busy!
So... my friend & co-worker Tani and I have started a "Student Leadership" group/club/crazy zoo with 15 of the 4th & 5th graders at Rocky Heights. Not having really done this before - our dreams were huge (and still are), but reality has set in and we've found ourselves "treading water."
We meet with them three days a week,and work on projects, clean up the school grounds, write introductions for assembly speakers, take pictures of anything and everything going on at school, read with younger students, put together power point presentations, hand out information about wellness, and now... well...
we are going to attempt to create our own version of the "TODAY" show. I've finally figured out how to make it work & it will show on every TV in the building. Cool huh!?!
We hope to tape during the week and then broadcast on Friday afternoons... not quite ready for the "LIVE" showing yet... maybe by June.

You're probably thinking to yourself:

It sounds great.
It sounds interesting.
It sounds fun.
It sounds like a great way to get kids involved.

To us... it sounds like a challenge, a lot of work, maybe even a headache at times... but worth every second!

We're excited to get started, but haven't come up with a name for our show... any ideas??

Please comment if you have a terrific brainstorm... I'll take your suggestions and let the kids vote... hopefully they can all agree on something... hopefully.

Here are a few great pictures from today -

"Walk Away From Drugs"

All the classes walked together chanting "say no to drugs" or "exercise every day" or "the future relies on you and me" ... it was awesome! Everyone (well, almost everyone) was wearing a red (or a shade close to red), everyone was smiling, everyone was enjoying the afternoon, everyone was proud to be drug free!

Change

Change is something that comes at you... full-force.
Really, there isn't much a person can't do about it.
You can drag your feet.
You can wish it away.
You can hope that it's a dream.
Reality is - life is full of change!

The weather is changing - pouring down rain this morning... a little bit cloudy and cool this afternoon.
The time will be changing next week - shorter days and longer nights.
The price of fuel is changing ALL the time - wish it was going down instead of up.
Attitudes change, schedules change, people change.

Mason is changing daily.
Our baby is becoming a boy.
A boy who loves to be outside.
A boy who loves the farm.
A boy who has figured out how to get out of his crib 7 times Saturday night.
A boy who has a new bed and slept well Sunday night.
A boy who is loved more than he'll ever know.

I like change - I think it's good for the soul.
I'm not always ready for change, but I try my best to adjust to it.
Change means I'm living life to the fullest...
making the most of my surroundings...
not worrying about what the change may or may not bring...
trusting that God is going to take care of EVERYTHING!

If your life isn't changing... you're not really living!

Enjoy the "change" in your life right now... I know I am!