Sorting


So, I decided to tackle some "junk boxes" tonight, you know the ones that are so random and have just tons of this and tons of that. I wouldn't call myself a total pack rat, but I do manage to collect things over time. I am just unsure of how to get rid of things, what to hold on to etc.

Maybe you readers can give me some tips, how do you sort your lives out? What do you do with kind cards from people that are really old.....you can't truly keep them all can you?

Help Me!

Oh the Country!

As I am very busy trying to get all my online courses done before we head off to Hawaii November 14, 2008, I find myself spending much of my day on the couch in front of the computer. Unlike at our old place, where we were mostly underground and I could only see the legs of people walking by on the sidewalk, in Okotoks, I sit on my couch and look out upon hills, Okotoks in the not to far distance & a beautiful sunset each night. This view makes studying a whole lot more bearable. It has been a blessing to be here and get the sniff of fresh mountain air on a daily basis. Very refreshing!

View From Our Bedroom



Beautiful Sunset Just Outside our Door

A "Fair" Treat At Home

I have recently discovered that I am a big fan of kettle corn. I think I may have disliked it at one point and I am not sure why now. There is something about that sweetness, with a bit of salty going on that is just pure bliss! One time at our old place I decided to try make it. It tasted ok, besides a lot of it being burnt and the very unsafe environment of making it,ie: hot oil bubbling out of the pot and splattering on me. It has been a little while since that disaster, and since Jeremiah and I love it so much, I decided I would brave it and try again...this time with the wonderful assistance of you tube. I found this video of the classic mom teaching how to make kettle corn. She looked like she could hold her own in the kitchen, so I decided to follow her every move. It worked! Hurray. Now I will always make it alongside this wondermom of kettlecorn. Hopefully I won't need to always follow her steps, but if I do, its just a click on the internet away.

I brought some up to the father in law as well...I wonder if this receipe has won him over :)

The RANCILIO "Miss Silvia"

Jeremiah has wanted for so long to make specialty coffees at home. He loves his Starbucks white chocolate mocha, and has tried various ways to recreate it, without the help of an espresso machine. Needless to say it couldn't be done. And so, after the failure of our $9.00 Wal-Mart espresso machine, and much research, Jeremiah made the splurge and got us the Rancilio Silvia and Rocky grinder a.k.a. "Miss Silvia". We had it sent to Portland on our trip so Jeremiah had fun learning how to create the perfect shot for us all....it took 20-30 tries, as there are many factors to creating the perfect espresso, such as tamping, the grind, the roast, the temperature etc.

The thing with buying it in the States, was that with them being so heavy we had to buy extra luggage to ensure all our bags were under 50lbs. Also we made sure to figure out a way to not pay taxes at the border. We made it through ok...no tax paying and no lies even! yay.

And now we have it set up nicely in our cute kitchen! I even found a way to tie in my vintage HALL teapot and tea box. I love it. I look forward to many great coffees and earl grey lattes from my love. And if you come by, I am sure he'll make you one too.

Seattle

We have enjoyed a couple days in Seattle with Josh and Mel and visiting the Overland relatives. Here is a little photo series shot in our ghetto parking lot near Pike Place. You can create the story!

The 2 guys in my life

Spending time in Portland has been wonderful. We have be able to spend a great deal of fun times with Shannon and Steve...and the wonderful Bennett.... aka B, Beans, the Benster, Benito. I have totally fallen in love with this little man. We are both proud to be his auntie and uncle. It is going to be sad to leave him, but now with my new mac mail set up I will easily be able to receive lots of new pics of him growing up. We can't wait to meet his little brother.

This trip has also had me falling in love again and again with my beautiful husband Jeremiah. I have no real blog-like stories to share regarding this, but simply wanted to express my love for this man!



B and Auntie Amy (aka "Mimi" by Bennett)


Me and my LOVE

HALL

Today me and Shannon went to the Goodwill in Portland. Jeremiah's mom always has good luck finding great things there when she would visit, and we were lucky too, to come away with a few great items. (See Shannon's blog, i am sure she will post too about her finds too :)

Anyway, one of my finds was this really pretty teapot...unfortunately it didn't have a lid, but I still loved it. When I got it home, I noticed the HALL stamp on the bottom. This led to some investigation about the teapot. It ends up that it is a collectable teapot. Perhaps not worth a great deal, especially without the lid, maybe 30.00-50.00, but could be from as early as 1930. I found a fun website online of HALL teapot fans who had pages of teapots from a 1935 catalogue and mine is the french style, 2cup in canary. This kind of stuff really interests me. I wonder if someone in 1930 enjoyed a morning cup of tea in this exact pot I will now use as a lovely decoration. Fun to ponder.....


So pretty


The Hall Stamp


The 1935 Hall Catalouge