Inexpensive Gift Ideas!!!

My sister Amy is a Mary Kay Rep and is gearing up for the Holidays. She has these really nice stocking stuffer gifts and can custom make gift treat cups with any Mary Kay products. To get more info, ask or email Amy m.amy.brown@gmail.com Santa's Foot Treat Cup
Mint Bliss™ Energizing Lotion for Feet & Legs
2 Candy Canes
2 Packs of Hot Chocolate
1 Pair of Fuzzy Socks
1 Deluxe Foot File
1 Santa Ornament (coming out of the chimney)
1 Large Christmas Mug
Price $15.00 with free shipping and no sales tax

Frosty's Hand Treat Cup
Satin Hands® Hand Cream
2 Candy Canes
2 Packs of Hot Chocolate
1 Deluxe Multi-Textured Nail File
1 Snowman Ornament
1 Christmas Mug
Price $10.00 with free shipping and no sales tax

Black Friday....A Success...but we went into the red!!!

I am going to try to make this a bit short and sweet. It is currently 10:30pm on Black Friday when I am starting this and I have been up since 2:30am....yes we were die hards this year!!! This has always been a tradition in my family and Jason has started to participate in the fun....at least that's what I call it. Jason's mom Hazel has never done Black Friday being there right as they open with the huge lines and crowds so I figured it was time.
This morning Jason and I got up at 2:30 and got the dogs all taken care of to leave for the day and headed to Hood River to get John and Hazel. We got to their house and by the time we left their house in Odell and got to Wal-Mart in Hood River right as they were opening at 5:00am. The line was HUGE. We just went right up to the front doors, waited until about the end of the line and was allowed in. Once in, we were still in so quick that there was still all the good stuff. Once I got in, I forgot everything that were in the adds! lol All I remembered was $2 movies. It was more for the fun and experience of being there. Hazel said she got some good stuff, but I didn't see it....maybe it's for me!!! lol We got out of there without much complication, Jason and I ditched the few items we wanted since we didn't want to wait in the lines and we figured they would still be there tomorrow.
Next we were off to Portland. We went to Fred Meyer's and that was a great place! I got one person on our Christmas list completed, one person started, got me a couple of 99 cent pairs of gloves, and some nice earrings for myself that were super cheap!!!
Then we went to breakfast....then to Oregon City to talk to a man about a truck....then to Kay's Jewelers to get a super deal...then to Coastal. Coastal was awesome. For Jason I got him some really nice flannels that were padded and not heavy. I thought on sale they would end up being about $20 a piece so I bought two of them. I get up to the register, they rung up at $10.81!!! SO CHEAP!!! Unfortunately they only had two in his size. I love a deal, and we really got some good ones.
Picture of my bags of plunder....not too bad I don't think.These are the earrings I got....they look better in personSo this is what we went to Oregon City for!!!! We are elated!!! Jason's 4Runner puked a motor a little bit ago and if it were a 4 cylinder, it would have been worth rebuilding. It's a 6 cylinder and it's not so we are scrapping it and we had been looking hard for another vehicle...no SUV though, Jason needed his truck back. We were so lucky to find this one. The gentleman was selling it because the wife hated to park it....so she wouldn't drive it anymore! Wow! His loss, definately our gain. It's a 1996 Ford F250 Powerstroke Diesel CrewCab with a 50hp chip and 4 inch downpipe and all sorts of other gingerbread on it!

My only question....how to you top a Black Friday like this?!?!?!?!?!

Jason is thankful...

So I was reading Jason my I am thankful post and as he is starting up the fire tonight, he says that he is happy for a family that stands with him, right beside him, not behind him. I get what he means....we are so lucky!

Thanks giving....Minus the Turkey

So the bird caught a break for sure at our Thanksgiving dinner....the pig, not so lucky!

Jason and I left The Dalles for his folks' in Hood River at about noon today. I was driving and I gave him the camera to take some pics on the way.

There are very few trees left with their leaves on, yet the evergreens are standing tall and pretty. This is the Columbia River. Across the river is Washington.

Double Bridge on the Washington side...kinda cool in person.

Bob is John's cousin and Pennie is his wife. We went to their house in Parkdale again this year. They had some really nice property with nice trees.

This is looking North towards their neighbor's place.

I can't help but imagine how the tree above would look with LOTS of Christmas lights !!! Hazel and John after dinner. I took 5 pictures of Hazel and every one but this one her eyes are closed! I don't know why this always happens, so In this picture she was holding her eyes open and I told her to put her hands down right as I took it....that's why she looks so wide eyed. lolJason and I getting ready to leave. I never get pictures of the two of us together, so I'm going to make a great effort to get more pics together. It was a good day!

Gotta get off to bed, Black Friday is coming early!!!

I am Thankful

I am thankful for...how sweet my husband is in getting up earlier than me and stoking the fire up so it's nice and warm when I wake up....for how he talks to me extra gentle when I first get up...for how warm our house is, and it's because Jason worked so hard getting all the wood we need...I'm thankful for my cellphone beep that keeps going off with new text messages from friends wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving....I'm so thankful for good friends...for most days when I get home from work, I get beeped at by someone I know going by, or they stop and chit chat a bit before they go on home...I'm thankful for my mom...and her emails and how she always refers to herself as "Mother" when we never call her that unless she is being silly....she's mom, the most endearing word there is...I love how she is the very first to call me on holidays, birthdays, etc....I love how when we are watching something funny, or at a restaraunt and start laughing so hard, she gets this laugh that you know she's a goner and it will take her a while to get back under control...I'm thankful for Jason's folks John and Hazel...they are not far from us and love having us over for dinner or just being together...they are so thoughtful and helpful and just fun...I get to have more of those really great laugh times with Hazel...I'm thankful for siblings...Each one add to my life in different ways....ways that if they didn't, I wouldn't be who I am....I'm thankful fo Amy and her new adventure to Alaska.....and another secret one that I am having SO much fun with her on....I'm thankful for Sarah in Seattle....and her phone call yesterday telling me we should do Black Friday together....I said sure, In Portland? Since it's 1 1/2 hours for me and 2 hours for her....well no she wants to go in Seattle....4 hours for me, that would make me leave my house at midnight...she was fine with that!!!! I'm thankful for the offer and might actually take her up on it....I'm thankful for her always helping and being able to email, call, and messge her....she is quite fun to be with....I'm thankful for Bob, her husband for unearthing the loving side of her....that's fun to see...I'm thankful for Katy....I think she has the biggest heart humanly possible...she is a fixer...I'm thankful for her calls to tell me when mom isn't having a great day and I should call mom, or reminding me of anniversaries, etc....our calls are ususally short, but meaningful none the less...I'm thankful how when we hang up she always says "Love you Bethy"....I'm thankful for Jason's sister Jeana....she hasa great laugh too and even though she lives in Oklahoma, she is out often and we get to hear that laugh alot....I'm thankful for the kind messages she sends me and the text I just got wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving....I'm thankful for this area of the country we moved to....how beautiful it is...even when it's getting cold like it is....it's worth it all for the people...I'm thankful for James and Lauren...how when you don't answer James' call the first time he leaves a LONG laborous message that you're screening his call....he goes on and on it's so funny....I'm thankful that he is always ready and willing to help us and knows we are always ready and willing to help him...I'm thankful for Lauren and the place that she has filled in James' life...Incredible...I'm thankful that now we both work for the County and get to go to lunch together when I'm not at a meeting and she is not in court....I'm thankful for Monday grocery shopping...it's so fun...we shop and look and talk and see people we know...it usually takes at least two hours....we have to remember to get ice cream and milk last!!! I'm thankful for my new job....I miss my co'worker and friend Courtney tremendously but I am really happy with my job change....I work for Wasco County Commission on Children and Families....mouthful I know, but I'm thankful to say it....I'm thankful for Jason's joh on the Wind Turbines....it's right up his alley with extreme heights, climbing, etc....it's like being on top of the jumgle gym at school....ok so he probably wouldn't agree with me on that but secretly and actually alot of times not so secretly he is still a little boy in his spirit....Love that...I'm thankful for the dogs, even as crazy as I sometimes am, they do some sweet things and we're quite lucky....I'm thankful for the new church we are going to...the people are so kind, and each time I feel like the message the pastor is preaching on was intended just for me...I'm thankful for health and pray that it continues and that others become well....I'm thankful that Jason has fallen asleep while I was doing this...oops...I gotta get ready for Thanksgiving, just wanted to get started with reminding myself on some of the things I am thankful for! I'm thankful....are you?

Didn't get to church today

Oops....

I set up my friend Wendy to meet this guy Jeff who is so nice. So we all went to the Vault to watch a Guns and Roses tribute band. They were very good! I invited my old co-worker Courtney to come along and she brought her friend Jenny. We had a great time and the band was really good. Look just like them! We didn't get home until 1am, so needless to say we didn't get up to early this morning. People started calling my phone at 7:30 this morning. First it was Wendy, I missed that call. Then James called wanting to do breakfast before we helped him pour concrete for his shop. Then Courtney called. Then Wendy called again. I am so thankful though for good friends. We have been so lucky to meet and spend time with a select few that have great hearts, are good people, and so fun to be with! Wendy and Jeff really hit it off, so I'm excited to see a good man in Wendy's life...stay tuned on that one. Jason and I are up at James' and Laurens' now to help with concrete. It's getting cold. I'll take some pics and post them up! Happy Sunday....maybe just being out in nature today will be my sermon!

It's feeling more and more like Christmas!!!

Christmas is probably my favorite time of year! In Arizona, when the weather started to get cold, and you felt that crispness in the air, you knew it was Christmas. So I'm a bit thrown off...I feel the crispness, the cold, but it's only the beginning of November?! It's ok, because my senses are telling my brain it's Christmas time, and that makes me happy. This year we will be here in Oregon for Christmas and mom is coming in to town to spend it with us and Jason's family. I can't wait! I put pictures of last winter in this post, I just love all the pretty white snow! Thank heaven for four wheel drive and snow tires!

Church message today

We had a great day at church today! The pastor is great, I really like him!

Today's message was Getting Organized for a Miracle. What a great day for this message... This morning was a bit rough getting ready for church. Seems like odds were really against us to get to church and I know that is because we are really making an effort in getting back to church and satan really doesn't like that a whole lot. I was trying to vacuum, sweep the floor, and do the dishes before I got ready. Earlier in the morning, Jason was putting wood in the stove and tweeked his back out of place. He had a nerve pinched BAD! So he was able to get himself ready, but I felt this crazy overwelming stress, but kept thinking of what my mom always says; Usually when you go to do something right, forces of evil try to conspire against you to prevent you from doing what is right and what you should be doing. I felt that today. I know it will get easier and easier and it was just about a miracle that after everything this morning, we made it to church and on time!
...so back to the message. It was quite fitting for today. We were more organized this Sunday than we were last Sunday and so we both got to church today! The pastor is so funny, well he adds in his moments anyways! In the beginning of his sermon, he was speaking to the congregation and was telling the story Matthew 14:13-18 of the 5 Loaves of bread and 2 Fish and Jesus feeding 5000 men, besides women and children. The Pastor pointed out that it would take alot of organization for that to happen, looking from a logistical standpoint. He then said, loud and clear, "Men, it is your job to organize your family for a miracle." The room was silent. He says again, "Men, it is your job to organize your family for a miracle." There were a few amens. Then he said AGAIN, "Men, it is YOUR job to Organize your family for a miracle!!!" Everyone clapped and acknowledged the message. If we ask for a miracle, we need to be prepared for what we are asking for! Makes sense. If we want the Lord to believe that we are worthy to receive miracles, we need to believe ourselves that we are worthy to receive miracles. So often, we ask for blessings and we've not convinced even ourselves that we have enough worth and/or value to receive what it is that we are asking for. In order for someone else to believe it, we have to believe it, live it, speak it, and practice it.
I look forward to next week, and hearing what the sermon is on. It's seems that so far, each sermon is directed right at me and Jason. Life is good, and would you believe it feels as if it's getting better daily? Incredible!

Fall is Here!

Being from Arizona, I've never seen all the colors of fall like I have here in Oregon. We live right along the Columbia River in Oregon, that separates Oregon from Washington state. When we drive to Hood River, or Portland, we have trees and mountains on one side and the Columbia River on the other side. It's called the Gorge. It's so beautiful! In the summer everything is green. Now that it is fall, the most beautiful yellows, oranges, reds, and greens. Above is a picture of my neighbor's trees

This is a picture from our porch looking out in the east front yard and part of or neighbor's yard. You can see the leaves from our big trees out front are falling. You can still see some grass through the leaves.

Here is the yard now, just a few days later! I am so happy that I had not raked yet!!!

Layers and Layers of leaves!!! Beautiful leaves and make noise everytime you walk though them. You cannot see the grass through the leaves!!! Guess what we are doing after work tomorrow? :) The leaves aren't all off yet, but you just wade through them, so it's time. This is so cool! I'm just crazy, last year I got to shovel snow, and I loved it!!! I totally like all the leaves too so I'm happy to get them up too!

Feels good to go to church

With all that has been going on, I've been finding myself missing some sort of organized relegion. Although I was never crazy about church for about 10 years, I'm finally ready to have it be a Yesterday I told Jason that I wanted to find a church. We had discussed this alot before this and are both on the same page of what we are looking for. We had gone a couple times to Jason's folks church and it's very nice, but it's in Hood River so we were hoping to find something a little closer to us. Before this, we hadn't been to church since last Christmas when we were at moms and went with her. I got online to find a church close to us and this morning I went, and it was really nice. Jason will come with me next time, but I ventured out by myself to a new church for the first Sunday.



I attended the Life in Christ Center. The people were very nice, and I was very comfortable. I didn't know all the words to the songs, but I'm learning them. The pastor was great and reminded me of my grandpa Jay. A couple funny points, yet the importance of his message rang clear!

The program had this thought and scripture in it.



--The battle is the Lord's. Still, God wants us to show up with our armor on.--



Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass Psalm 37:4-5



After some singing, the associate Pastor recognized all the veterans and service men and women and their families.

The pastor spoke on the Parable of the Patient Farmer Mark 4:26-29

(Matthew, Luke, and John do not touch on this parable, only Mark)

Seed= The word of God, the Bible; within honest and good hearts

Farmer= Each of us, Christians

Harvest= winning souls/ Patience, time



There is a limit to what we can do.

Only the Holy Spirit can produce Harvest.

Know what is our part, and what is God's part


We cannot make the seed grow, but we can hinder it's growth with improper care.

God's not going to sow, water, or reep - that is our job.


Depend on God and the power of his word


Necessity of Patience, James 5:7

Hope, Psalm 126:5-6; 1Cor 15:58


Harvest comes suddenly, John 4:35-38

Living Water, Matthew 8:37-38; Lots of Harvest, few laborers. 20% of Christians do 80% of the work.



GOD IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING -- Be Ready for Harvest



Saddest words in the Bible

Jeremiah 8:20

Harvest has past, summer has ended, and we are not saved!

I feel like a bad dog mom

So Jason and I don't have kids yet, but we have dogs. Each of them have their little quirks and personalities. This post is about Diesel. Diesel was born Christmas day in 2005. He is an over achiever!! He championed out in UKC in two weekends, and it was his only two weekends we every showed him. All before he turned one. Pretty Impressive. He's pictured below for his Champion photo.

So after the UKC confirmation championship, we decided on a Friday night to take him to try a weight pull competition the following morning. He'd never had a harness on him, we bought the harness Friday night. He pulled 1740 lbs (he weighs 60lbs) and won a trophy for ultimate pull for his weightclass and a medal I can't remember what for. He totally loved it!Then we went to wieght pull championships in Snowflake. Mom came too, it was so fun! Diesel almost struts when it's his turn to go. This is him pulling,Here he's pulling a little more. That is railroad iron in 105lb bars.
Jason is hooking him up to the cart. Look at that big smile!!! These dogs LOVE this sport! Well in Snowflake he bettered his weight by 400lbs!!! He pulled 2130. Diesel weighed in at 61lbs himself.
Why do I feel like I'm a bad dog mom? Well we have been quite busy lately getting ready for winter and trying to get all the wood we need and splitting and stacking it. We've been back and forth to Portland the last few weekends getting all our vehicles new tires for winter. Also, I recently started a new job with the County and Jason's still recooping with his shoulder. So our poor dogs have not as much attention as we like to give them. Last week, Jason went down to the basement, which is accessed by outside and 1100 sq ft unfinished. We have our deep freeze down there, some boxes, and Diesel's weight pull harnesses are hung down there too. It was rainy and kinda cold so he left the door open so Diesel could be in the back yard or in the basement if he got cold. We get home from work and Jason goes outside to get something out of the basement and he hollers up to me. I got outside and Jason asked if I had taken Diesel's harnesses down; he has three. I said that I hadn't. Well Diesel ran down to Jason in the basement and was trying to put his head through the harness. He pulled down the harnesses and wanted them on! Jason put one on him and let him walk around the backyard with it, he just strut around like he was really something. He misses pulling! So we are going to have to get back into that, we've never done it in Oregon. Poor little thing, just wants to work. He's such a good boy!

Well America...You asked for it!!!

SCARY!!!