Pitter Patter & Prom

This morning I woke to the pitter patter of little feet.
I'm in Kearney with my oldest daughter and grandsons.
Life is good.

While I am glad to be here, my thoughts are also with Caroline #6 as she prepares for and attends her senior prom back in Salem.

I have struggled for years with having to choose.
Having 8 kids means I can't be every where I want to be at the same time.

Most days I like having choices.
I like options.
I like things open ended,
but not in situations like this.

I am blessed to have a big family and I am especially blessed today knowing my older sister is stepping in for me back home in Salem.
Knowing she is tending to #6, so I can be 'home' here in Kearney with #1 & #3 is a huge comfort.

Happy Easter to all!


- Posted by DWNTWN

Location:W 4th St,Kearney,United States

Kansas City

My day has been a busy one.

It began with packing up in Wichita and detouring on our way out of town to visit my 97 year old grandma, Zelma.
I love her so much!
Grandma loves baseball and so do I. When I was very young I would spend the night with her and grandpa and they would take me to watch the Wichita Aero's Minor League Baseball games.
That is where I first learned how to keep stats, and learned about baseball strategy!

I sure hope today wasn't the last time I get to see her and hear her wonderful stories.

Every time I visit her I try to ask a different question,
or at least ask the same question in a different way.
By doing so I learn more about this amazing woman each time I sit at her side and listen.
She is sharp as a tack, but her hearing isn't quite as good as it was 5 months ago.
And she seems a bit more tired, perhaps even weak;
physically, not mentally.

I have tried to capture as much of her life story as I can...
While I can.
I hope to see her again soon.
As I said before...
I love her so!

We made our way to Kansas City by mid afternoon.
We unloaded the car, then packed boxes, cleaned cupboards,
(am I the only one who uses the word cupboards any more?)
vacuumed, cleaned some carpets, cleaned the oven & stove top, did laundry, made dinner,
and hauled more boxes to the garage.
All in all a very busy, productive day in Kansas City.
Tomorrow will be even more so,
I hope!


- Posted by DWNTWN

Location:Roe Ave,Mission,United States

Kickin' back in my childhood home

I've been in Wichita for  just over 4 days.




Tomorrow its time to head to Kansas City and help my daughter (child #3) move to Oregon.

The past 4 days have been a good mix.

There has been time to visit with and catch up with family
and
there has been lots of hard work outdoors in the yard and garden.
I love working outside especially when I can work outside in the warmth of the sun.

I have had a perfect time.

There are still a lot of things to be done around the house for my mom,
but that is okay.
I will just have to make my way back here again soon.
But for now,
at nearly midnight,
I am kicking my feet up,
enjoying a beverage,
and looking back on my visit.

I am glad to have accomplished so much with the help of my awesome siblings.
I am blessed to have 3 incredible sisters,
and
3 incredible brothers!

All of us were home again the past couple of days except one.,
but even the missing one was with us in spirit.
{Love you "Otto"}
And on top of that I have been able to spend time with my 2 oldest daughters, a son in law, two grandsons, and my 97 year old grandma.

Tonight, with the help of many hands we shared another family dinner....
34 enchaladas  (beef, chicken and veggie) with all the trimmings;.

It was exciting to have most everyone here to share a meal.
We had grandmas, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, kids, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, pets,
and just about every aspect of family life in and around the table.
It was a true communion.
We were just missing Papo.

I am so blessed to have such a rich and wonderful family!
I hope to make it back here again soon.

Tomorrow it is time to head north to Kansas City where there will be more time with family and friends
and more hard work.

By the time I get back to Salem though,
I imagine I will be thankful for my new job.
I imagine I will be needing a break from my 'working' vacation!.

Life is good!.


- Posted by DWNTWN

Location:N Coolidge Ave,Wichita,United States

Amazing

It's absolutely Amazing!

I went to bed last night with the wind howling,
and the cold north wind blowing!
I huddled under my blankets like an Eskimo.

This morning I wake to birds chirping,
blue skies, & Sunshine!

The forecast looks...

PERFECT.

And to top it off,
2 of my baby girls arrive today with their families!

It's amazing the difference a day can make.

Life is good!

Happy Saturday!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Briggs St,Wichita,United States

Going home

This morning I am at PDX waiting a flight home to ICT.
As I say this I have to think about that word, HOME.

It seems odd to say, "I am going home."
Because after nearly 5 years, Oregon feels like home.
It was certainly difficult to leave behind my sleeping children at 4 AM to head to the airport.
My kids are my home.

Yet, ICT, Wichita, is still home...
My childhood home.

This will be my first time home since my dad passed away in December.
I have a jumbled mix of emotions anticipating what that will be like.
I know my siblings who still live nearby have had many opportunities to face going home without dad's presence there.

I am wishing I had asked them what it is like,
Being in the house without dad there,
then maybe I would know what to expect.

But enough of those thoughts for now...

I also will be in Kansas City and Kearney within the next 2 weeks.
KC & K town are two places I have called home as well.
Kearney was more so than Kansas City.
We lived in Kearney for over 13 years.
Kansas City for only 2.

I am blessed to have so many places to call home.
So many places where loved ones were left behind.
So many places that I look forward to going back too (or is it to)?

Regardless of whether I am in Wichita,
Kansas City, or Kearney,
I am looking forward to going home.

And after being gone for two long weeks,
I know I will be glad when I get back HOME!

What places do you call home?





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My Mushroom Book

I spent this afternoon re-writing my mushroom book in an attempt to try a new publishing site.
I found it a much slower, more confusing site to work with, and in my mind not very user friendly.
I also found the creative options to be very limited in regards to
page colors, font options, text colors, and overall page layout.
On top of that,
It was more expensive.

I went to the trouble of uploading, arranging, re-writing, and editing the book mostly because I had a Groupon for this website and it was expiring soon, but secondary to that was I am looking for a way to make the book more accessible.
What I have found in using Shutterfly is,
I am able to share the book through
Facebook, Blogger, and email quite easily.

I placed my order and am waiting the final test... photo quality.

I am excited about this project because I sold my first book this weekend.
(I sold the larger iPhoto version.)
Someone saw it at the Doctor's Clinic and sought me out to purchase their own copy.  I am still a bit surprised, and I am honored at the same time.

They even asked me if I would autograph it for them.
I guess that makes me somewhat of an 'official' author.

Take a look below and let me know what you think.

When I return from a visit to Kansas and Nebraska, I hope to start the next book rolling around in my head...
FireHydrants!

Click here to view this photo book larger


http://steppinoutwithdwntwn.blogspot.com/2011/01/mushrooms-look-through-kansas-girls.html

Back to Work

Today I start back to work.

Last Friday, 

April Fool's Day,

I signed a contract to work at Mid Valley Mentors.

(I trust that signing a contract on April Fools Day is NOT bad luck.)

Today is my first day.

I have never officially been an Executive Assistant, but the jobs I have held in the past have given me many of the skills I will need to do this job.

It is only part time, 20 hours a week.

I think that will be a good blend of hours at work 

and hours at home with the kids.

Mid Valley Mentors recruits volunteers to mentor children and adults affected by incarceration.  
I think working here will be a good fit for me.

However, I am feeling nervous this morning.  
I will be meeting the other staff, key volunteers, and key donors 
as we set up for a big fundraising event this evening.
Meeting new people is not the easiest thing for me, 
especially in large groups.
But I usually can fake a feeling of being comfortable and at ease when I need to.  My past job experiences have helped me in that area.

So here I go again, 
Off to experience another new job.
I wonder where this one will lead me...... 

http://midvalleymentors.org/about/what-we-do/

P.S.   (Saturday recap of my first day)

It was a long day, 12+ hours setting up and working the fundraising event.  

I am stiff and sore this morning.  

Its been a while since I carried, moved, 

and climbed up & down a 12 foot ladder, let alone was on my feet for that long with little to no break.  

My body aches today, that is for sure.

But the staff I will be working with are dedicated and passionate about their work.  

And they are fun! 

Also,I got to meet and listen to Dave Dahl's story 

of Dave's Killer Bread. 

http://www.daveskillerbread.com/story.shtml

http://www.daveskillerbread.com/index.shtml

I ran into some folks from Habitat for Humanity that I had not seen in a long while.

All in all a good first day.

There is no doubt there are adventures 

and probably some misadventures ahead.

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Choir Girls Rule!

Today was a big choir day for my 3 youngest girls.

It began this morning with taking Laura (#8) to school and her telling me she had to perform in front of the school this morning.

It would end with Jacquie (#7) and Caroline (#6) both performing at District Choir competition in their respective choirs, Asteria Singers and Choir of the Titans.

Before I get too much farther into this blog I want to share a bit of my conversation with Laura as we drove to school.

Laura mentioned to me in her non-chalant way their choir would be performing in front of the school this morning. 
She explained the teacher believed that the more often a choir can perform in front of an audience, the better they become. 

I can see the logic in this thinking.

She went on to say that yesterday their early morning Jazz choir practice was held in the hallway, as was the Jazz band practice. 

When she went up to her locker after rehearsal she heard people making fun of the band and the choir. 
She paused as if waiting for me to find a way to make all the uneasy feelings go away.

I thought for...
what seemed like too long.
I was searching for what to say.

I said something like this to Laura,

"It's not easy being in junior high.

And if you decide to be in choir in high school, 

it might not be easy there either.

Kids often times have to put each other down 

in order to feel better than their selves.

They make fun of each other thinking it will make them look better.

But they are wrong.

Can you imagine if the kids you heard making fun of the band 

instead went up to them and said,

Good Job!
You sounded great!
Its awesome that you come to school an hour earlier 

than everyone else just to practice.

I think that when kids
AND ADULTS
say nice things to each other
then everyone walks away feeling better about themselves. 
I think that is how it should be.
But its not like that ...
not yet."

Then we exchanged our 'I love you's'
and she got out of the car.

On my drive home to pick up Jacquie,
(She also was going to school early for a rehearsal)

I thought about all the activities my kids have been involved in over the course of 26 years or so.

I think being in band and choir has been more difficult than being in sports.  Yet some how it teaches my kids a lot about following their dreams, and sharing their talents with others
even when it isn't the popular thing to do.

I am proud of them for sticking with choir even though it isn't easy.

I know, for the most part, they love choir.

It has been a tricky week around our house as both Jacquie and Caroline have been sick.
As District competition has approached they have been more and more concerned about how to care for their throats and voice.

I woke up this morning to every possible assortment of medication and home remedy's spread out upon the kitchen counters.

I think the girls tried about every combination of items imaginable including boiled ginger root (it didn't make the photo)
in an effort to be able to sing today.

I took videos of Jacquie and Caroline.
Unfortunately,
due to my iPhone not working well,
I messed up Jacquie's videos.

But figured it out to get a video or two of Caroline.

All in all it was a great day for my Choir Girls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZImdiH3wBQ

Steppin' out with DWNTWN

DWNTWNimages.me

Makin' Bacon

 This morning is an unusual Sunday for us.
We woke to only 2 kids in the house.
That alone makes for an unusual day.
I don't mind so much as it gave me an opportunity to work one and one with the youngest, Laura Jayne.
Laura wanted to learn to cook bacon.
We were at the grocery store yesterday and somehow the bacon ended up in the cart in spite of the fact that it wasn't on my list.

I am a very deliberate menu/grocery list maker.
I have had to be over the years.
It is too expensive to feed a family of 10
(plus stray neighbor kids)
if I am not deliberate in my list making.

I am sure most everyone has 'popped' into the store for 3 or 4 simple items.
You grab just 1 of your recycle grocery bags.
After all your list is simple, such as; milk, bread, bananas, and toilet paper.
You estimate your bill to be less that $10.
and it will fit in one bag... Hooray!
Yet when you get to the check out counter you have lots more and your bill totals $53.00.

That happens when I let Jeff or the kids go to the store with me.
That is how we ended up with bacon in our cart yesterday.

But that's okay.
It gave me some early morning quality mom/daughter time with Laura that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Over the years some of my kids have learned to cook and bake and others have not.
I think back and realize that I could have been more deliberate in teaching them all to cook.
It seems that those that were interested in learning have
and those that weren't interested in learning to cook haven't. 

In my house cooking has always been another chore,
its another task on my 'mom to-do list'.
But as our family gets smaller,
I find it more enjoyable
and sometimes...
I even find it relaxing.

There is a vast difference between rushing to cook enough bacon for 10 hungry people,
and teaching an interested 13 year old to cook bacon for 4 people.

This morning was one of those times when it was enjoyable and relaxing.
I look forward to more 'unusual' Sunday mornings.

My only regret is that I don't have the opportunity to spend an unusual Sunday morning with my older kids who are now cooking their own bacon.

Happy Weekend!
I hope you find joy in the unusual!



Steppin' out with DWNTWN
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Taking the train

I love riding the train.


It's relaxing, rhythmic,
And peaceful.

I am heading to Portland to have a 'play day' with my sister!
We always have fun when we are together and it's been a couple of weeks since we've had a chance to see each other.


There is a Blazer game tonight so it just made sense to take the train, and hang out until game time.
I am trusting I can catch a ride back home with Jeff.

I need this today.
I've spent much of the week working on job applications,
tweaking resumes,
and I even had an actual face to face interview.

Nothing has come of all this,
At least not yet.

But perhaps soon.

I'm just trying to stay positive.
Some days it's easier to be positive than other days.

One thing I am holding on to is,

It's all good!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:NW Station Way,Portland,United States

Spring where are you?

 

Spring Break is over, 

the girls are back in school.

Sleeping in and having them home during the day was fun while it lasted.

Today I am looking for my routine.

I know it should be around here somewhere.
It hasn't been that long since I used it,
but in the last week or so I seemed to have misplaced it.

I have been productive this morning, in spite of losing my routine.
I have done 2 loads of laundry,
unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher,
picked up the house,
cleaned off the kitchen counters,
showered, dressed, and dried my hair.
(You might laugh at that last line, but there are days when I get busy
or too wrapped up in what I am doing and its afternoon before I get in the shower.)

In spite of being productive and freshly showered before noon,
I still feel out of kilter.

Maybe its the drab weather. 

Spring is a time for blue skies,
puffy white clouds,
and lots of new colors blooming in the garden.

Today is gray and drab.
It doesn't look or feel like spring at all.

Regardless, I need to get out my to-do list
and stay focused on the tasks at hand.
Because in 18 days I will be heading to home to Kansas/Nebraska where there is no routine
...And hopefully lots of bright blue springtime skies with puffy white clouds!

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Wet-cool-March-records-set-to-fall-118688339.html



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Too Many to Count & Not Often Enough...

 Yesterday was a beach day!

I posted a picture on Facebook and my brother asked me, 

"How many times have you photographed that rock?"

I replied, "Too Many to Count 

& 

Not Often Enough... I love this place."

I do love Pacific City, 

Cape Kiwanda 

and Pelican Pub & Brewery.

My brother's question got me to thinking about just how many pictures I have from Pacific City.  

I honestly can say there are too many to count.

Some are just of the scenery, 

some are of family and friends, 

and 

some are of the refreshing beverages available at the pub,

and yes,

some are pictures of feet.

I have a tendency to take feet photos more often than I should.

I've been known to take pictures of my feet while enjoying a delicious craft beer.

I know it is a strange thing to photograph, but it isn't about my feet, and it isn't about the beer.

Its my way of saying, I am right here, right now.

It is my way of reminding myself to live in the present moment.

Not just get 'through' the present moment, 

but to live in it, 

good or bad,

happy or sad.

You see...

I believe in soaking it all up.  

I've never been very good at sidestepping problems, 

sweeping things under the rug, 

or going around troubles.

My feet are important because they are my every day reminder to stay grounded. 

Be firm in my stance.  

 

To stand tall in times of turmoil.

My grandpa Barkman taught me that.

But my feet and the feet photos I have taken and collected from family and friends will have to be the topic of a future blog.

 

this blog is supposed to be about the big rock at Pacific City.

You see, 

the pictures I take of the big rock also is my way of capturing the present moment.

Cloudy or Sunny,

Sunrise or Sunset,

High Tide or Low Tide,

Full Moon or New Moon

Alone or with family or friends.

 Pacific City is where I generally head when I need to just 'BE'.

Below are more pictures of the 'big rock' 

and will always be reminders for me of times when I was there, not 'do-ing' anything,

just 'be-ing' present.

Do you have a place you are drawn to when you just need to be?

I hope so....

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There will be days like this! More Senior pictures.

Yesterday... the mountains,

Today the kids and I

ventured into the city.

At first we encountered cloudy skies and light rain,
But by mid afternoon we had some blue skies and sunshine.

I thought the Grotto might be a good outing.

The kids had never been there,

Its Lent,

and it might provide a good backdrop for a few more pictures.

I'll admit there was a bit of grumbling from some of them.

I mean seriously...

What mom takes their teenage children to a Grotto/Shrine for a fun time on their Spring Break?

They trudged along
(mostly without complaint)
and in the end actually enjoyed themselves.

We didn't stay too long,
(that probably helped lessen the complaints)
we stayed just long enough to get an overall feel for the place.
I wanted them to experience a bit of the serenity,

say a few prayers,

and give me some time to take a few pictures.



All in all...
a good day.

My momma told me there would be days like this!


What's more appropriate than a little Van Morrison?

When its not always raining there'll be days like this
When there's no one complaining there'll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this

When you don't need to worry there'll be days like this
When no ones in a hurry there'll be days like this
When you don't get betrayed by that old judas kiss
Oh my mama told me there'll be days like this

When you don't need an answer there'll be days like this
When you don't meet a chancer there'll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they f it
Then I must remember there'll be days like this

When everyone is up front and they're not playing tricks
When you don't have no freeloaders out to get their kicks
When its nobody's business the way that you wanna live
I just have to remember there'll be days like this

When no one steps on my dreams there'll be days like this
When people understand what I mean there'll be days like this
When you ring out the changes of how everything is
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this

Oh my mama told me
there'll be days like this

Tomorrow ...   The Beach! 

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Have you ever seen the rain on a sunny day?

Today is the 1st day of spring break for the girls.
Today, the Mountains,
Tomorrow, the City,
Wednesday, the beach,
And who knows where we will end up on Thursday and Friday.

We are trying to do Spring Break on a budget.
It keeps life interesting.

Today, Jacquie and Laura bailed on me, but Caroline didn't.
We went up to Silver Falls State Park  (one of my favorite OR spots.)

I took my camera to take some more 'senior picture' photos.
We took some in the Fall mostly to make the year book deadline,
https://www.me.com/gallery/#100370
but Caroline and I both wanted to take more.

Today wasn't a great day weather-wise, but I gave it my best 'shot'.
(No pun intended.)

Here are a few of my favorites prior to photoshopping...

I haven't compared them to my favorites from last Fall yet.
That will come at the end of the week when we are done taking pictures in the City and at the Beach.
It is awesome that we live within an hours drive of all 3... mountains, city, beach!

I got home in time to throw on a pot of my dad's famous chili.
!  :-)  !

As I was cooking I listened to Pandora and Credence Clearwater Revival's
Have you Ever Seen the Rain?...
that is all the keeps running through my mind now.

My answer is "YES!"

It rained and even hailed a little bit as I was trying to photograph Caroline today.
Tomorrow I hope for a sunny day with NO rain.

I hope Wednesday will be ...
Sittin' by the dock of the bay...

You Gotta Love Spring Break!








Steppin' out with DWNTWN
DWNTWNimages.me

I see the moon, at least I hope to!

I have been infatuated with the moon for as long as I can remember.

I have early memories of watching the full moon move from east to west through my bedroom window at night, and watching the moon follow us home in the car.

The moon seemed to follow me where ever I went.   My little girl mind wondered how the moon knew where to find me each night.  

How did it know where I was going be?

My infatuation and curiosity was enhanced by the Apollo missions.

I couldn't get enough of the moon.

Going to the Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson was my favorite grade school field trip.

That was the first time I saw pictures of earth rising.   

My infatuation of the moon has continued to grow.

I've been fortunate to experience hundreds of full moons rising over the plains of Kansas and Nebraska.

One of my favorite moments was sitting in a field surrounded by the bluffs in northwestern Nebraska. 

As the full moon was rising in the east, 

the sun was setting in the west.  

The world seemed as if it was in perfect balance.

Being able to watch the full moon over the ocean at low tide is equally enthralling to me.

This weekend is our next full moon.

I am hoping that the clouds clear out enough that I get to enjoy its luminous smile.

According to NASA this full moon will be the brightest in 20 years because of its proximity to the earth.

It sounds like a perfect time to get out my tripod and camera.

I just wish I was back in the flat land of Kansas or Nebraska to capture it at first peek/peak over the edge of the earth.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/18/nasa.moon/index.html?iref=NS1

When my children were small I would sing the 'moon song' to them as I tucked them in at night:

I see the moon, the moon sees me,

peeking through the old oak tree.

Let the moon that shines on me,

Shine on the one I love.

May the moon shine bright on you tonight...

Steppin' out with DWNTWN
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