No Buy Month!

Today starts a 30 day, "No Buy" month for me. What this will include will be: books (except for buying a copy of "The Shack" at Borders tomorrow with a 30% off coupon I have....the wait for it at the library is 27 people ahead of me, and I've heard so much about this book I really want to read it.)magazines, cosmetics, greeting cards, stickers, candles, bath products (lotions, shower gels, etc.) which are my default items of small things I buy often. I want to see if I can actually go a whole month without buying any of these things. I get several magazine subscriptions so no need to buy any more. I don't need any more books, I have several I need to read, plus the library is there. I just feel like I have been wasteful in spending this summer on some of these things that I really don't need and they just add to the clutter. Clutter under my bathroom cabinent with too many half-used lotion bottles, etc. I think the breaker for me was going to the Estee Lauder counter at Macy's a few days ago, intending to only pick up a sample of perfume from a card I got in the mail, and then I ended up buying three eyeshadows (two new shades) at $17 a pop. Yes, they have nice shadows and they don't crease and stay on all day. But that was a lot of money I didn't need to spend. Contract renewal is coming up for my husband's machinists union at Boeing in September and if they go on strike I will really be pinching pennies. So, I am starting now. I am also bringing my lunch to work every day as well. I really want to buckle down and pay attention to spending, a lot I think gets wasted on little things and I need to be more mindful.

Friday thoughts

"Another world is not only possible, she's on her way. On a quiet day, if I listen very carefully, I can hear her breathing." Arundhati Roy

A nice weekend

Just a brief recap of the weekend. Friday, I took the day off work with Becky, a co-worker and friend, and we went to the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. We got there at 7am and shopped till about 11am. We save up all year and also this year I had birthday money and Nordstrom gift card money. We like to get our fall/winter clothes for work at the sale. Pam, one of the salesclerks we know, saved us a nice dressing room and had some clothes pulled for us since we went to the preview earlier in the week. I posted some pictures of a few things I got...black skirt suit, black/white tweed skirt suit, some sweaters, a NorthFace black jacket with a hood, some black pants and a pair of grey checked cuffed pants. We also each got a large bottle of the Philosophy Amazing Grace Lotion that was on sale too. We didn't look at shoes, but I need to get some new lower heeled black pumps for fall. We were exhausted by 11am from trying on clothes and looking around so we went to lunch at Chevy's Mexican then home.

Saturday I went to lunch with my friend Laura and got caught up on life.
Sunday Tim and I went to church. Pastor Lance's sermon was on walking in joy, making it a decision to walk in joy as a discipline, fruit of the spirit.

Color Swatch - Nordstrom

Color Swatch - Nordstrom

Color Swatch - Nordstrom

Color Swatch - Nordstrom

Color Swatch - Nordstrom

Color Swatch - Nordstrom

Semantiks Ponte Knit Jacket & Pants - Nordstrom

Semantiks Ponte Knit Jacket & Pants - Nordstrom

Semantiks Suiting Jacket & Skirt - Nordstrom

Semantiks Suiting Jacket & Skirt - Nordstrom

Me and Mr. Tank, taken last Sunday!

YouTube - robbie seay band "song of hope"

YouTube - robbie seay band "song of hope"

Back from vacation!

Vacation always seems to go by too fast. In this case though, it's been just a nice amount of time off. The weather has been gorgeous, in the 70's and low 80's. We went to Tim's parents over the 4th of July for a few days. We took the camper and both dogs, and Tank did very well sleeping in the camper all night, walking with a leash, running on the beach, etc. We came home Saturday and then left again Tuesday to go camping for three days in Eastern Washington, near Ellensberg. The area we went isn't an actual camping area...it's where Tim goes grouse hunting in the fall. Way up in the hills, no one around, except a few logging trucks. The dogs did really well, we took some hikes, they played and got wet and muddy in the creeks. The flowers were beautiful, and everything was really green. I took a lot of books along and some knitting. Camping isn't my first choice for vacation, but it wasn't too bad...it was very quiet and relaxing. We came back late Thursday night, and just have been laying low since. We did go see the Incredible Hulk movie at the theater and that was good. I got my hair cut yesterday. The weather had been so nice. Went to church today and talked to a friend who had gone to Ethiopia for a missions trip, they just got back. They weren't able to get to the Compassion center where Welella, our Compassion teenager we sponsor, is so they couldn't deliver the package I sent for her...but the next best thing is they were able to give it to an orphan about Welella's age (17) at an orphanage they visited, and Mark said the girl was so happy and excited...she said she had never had anything like that and cried and hugged Liane, who gave it to her. It wasn't anything big, a tee shirt, nail clippers, lotion and body spray, deoderant, a pen, etc...just little things, but to her it meant a lot. So I am glad to know that even if Welella didn't receive it, another girl was really happy and blessed.

Here's some pictures from the vacation...Tank, Anna and Tank in the camper, and pictures of the beautiful purple flowers right where we were camping. There were bears, coyotes, elk and deer in the area but we didn't see any (thankfully we didn't see any bears or coyotes!). The dogs stayed right near the camper with us outside and didn't try to run off, and at night we all slept inside the camper together...Anna up with us on the bed, Tank on the floor and he slept all night till about 5:30 am, which is normal time for him to get up.

Off to the inlaws!

Taking the dogs and the camper and going to the inlaws place on the water for a few days for the 4th of July....hopefully Tank will do well, I know he will love to run on the beach. It's been raining and thundering here and it will be cooler in Pt. Ludlow for sure...the heat of the last several days is definitely gone right now.
I am once again for the zillionith time going to try to eat heathier and lose 10 lbs. It is going to be hard as there will be chips and junk food and lots of food at my inlaws. But that Nordstrom Anniversary sale is 15 days away, so losing even a few pounds now will help when I am standing in the dressing room trying on pants!
One good thing about the inlaws place, there's a long quiet road you can walk down with the dogs...a mile down and a mile back....good place for some exercise for them and me for the next few days. Then we come back Saturday and head out for Idaho camping Sunday or Monday.

A very sad day

I feel very sad today, because when I started my first blog over a year and a half ago (this is my second blog, recently started after I deleted my old blog) I had one kind blog friend who would post comments, always so kind and uplifting....and I was always so happy to see her! She had a wonderful blog, very witty and entertaining stories...I laughed outloud more than I can say as she is a clever and wonderful writer. She loves France and French style as I do too...and we actually met in the blogosphere through a comment I left on her blog about Laura Bennett (from Project Runway 3) being on QVC this past spring....we are both fans of Laura's (and I ordered from QVC a blouse, basic black dress and champagne-colored topper coat and I love all three)....anyway la Belette Rouge is closing down her blog for many reasons and I totally understand them, but I have to say publicly and I hope she reads this, that I have so enjoyed her writing and her kindness and friendship via the blog world and emails and I wish her all the best success and happiness that can ever be in the world...as she (and her husband and cat Inkey) are all extremely special people!!

Tim and Tank

This was shortly after we got Tank in early May. He's a lot bigger now! Almost 40 lbs...I need to take some new pictures, but I love these, they are very sweet!

Reveal or Conceal?

Keeping with the subject of gossip, my today's Sparkling Gem devotion's verse is a rough one!! "But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." James 3:8

Yikes!

For me, a lot of the time the temptation (especially at work) to tell something that is none of my business or concern, or to tell something that is critical about another co-worker, is a strong temptation and I cave into it. Today's devotion talks about are you a revealer or a concealer? Do you keep confidences or do you repeat them to others? Do you listen to gossip as well as speak it? Very convicting as I have to admit this is a weak area for me and probably for many women.

I have wondered, what exactly is gossip? And in yesterday's devotion it gave a clear definition, which boils down to:

1. Talking about other people's business and things that do not concern you.

2. Repeating what someone else said, even though you don't know if it's true or not.

3. Talking to others as if you were an authority about matters that are other people's business, when in reality you don't know that you are talking about!

Ouch!!! I raise my hand as guilty on all three counts!

And of course, there's the other litmus test: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it ethical?Would I say what I am saying about a person if the person was standing right in front of me? Was I there? Did I see it? Would the subject of my 'gossip' or 'sharing' give me permission to share it?

Today's devotion about being a revealer or a concealer also talked about walking away from gossip, or being bold enough to say " I don't feel comfortable talking about so and so this way"...or "excuse me, but do you think we should be talking this way?" I have done that at times, but not enough. I know there's the fear of if you say something like that, the person that was telling you something will think that you are trying to be holier than thou, or judge them. But I think it can be said in a kind way, even something like "I am really trying hard not to gossip, or to talk about others unless they are right here" and put it on yourself. I think for me, this is a weak area and one I want to come up higher in. So my prayer for today is that I would think about what gossip is (sin!) and ask God to help me in that area...to speak positive things about people, keep my mouth shut about gossiping about others...figure out what is my business and what isn't, and if it isn't my business to keep my opinions and nose out of it.

On another note....yesterday was not too bad at work and I got some stuff done. However, it was sad because a fairly new co-worker was let go. She was just a lovely girl, but had trouble mastering the things she had to do, and even with lots of patience and extra training, she just was having a hard time grasping things and the bosses made the really hard decision to have to let her go. I felt bad as I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to her, it happened at the end of the day, and of course she left pretty quick as I am sure she felt really bad. I am thinking about getting her address maybe and sending her a little note saying I enjoyed getting to know her and working a little with her...I don't know if it would be appropriate or not though. Anyway, I am praying for her, I hope she finds a new job soon and one that will be the best one for her.

We are going to Tim's parents place at Pt Ludlow/Hood Canal, WA on Thursday and Friday for the 4th of July and coming back Saturday...then we'll pack up and head over to north central Idaho for some camping for a few days. It has been warm here in the high 80's but is supposed to be in the 90's and 100 over there where we are going. We are taking the camper and the dogs...but don't have air conditioning in the truck or camper! I am not a camping queen, so a yearly camping trip is something I do for my husband...it is not my cup of tea. Having Tank now will make it a bit more challenging this year camping, but hopefully we can go to some rivers and the dogs can swim and play...Tim wants to fish. I am going to take some good books, my Bible and a journal and am looking forwarding to some reading and writing. However, I think my trip to Hawaii with my mom in March will be my vacation highlight of this year!! See pictures included here of me and a Fiji island dancer at the luau we went to and also me and my mom, shopping at Hilo Hatties on the Big Island of Hawaii! It was my first time to Hawaii....my hubby couldn't go as he didn't have vacation time and my mom and stepdad paid for my trip! It was lots of fun for sure, and staying at a nice place and laying on the beach, sightseeing and eating out was my idea of a fine vacation for sure!