eleme

( Joy To The World )

~

About two weeks ago Hubby and I adventured our way to Exposition Park. Exposition Park is located across the street from USC (University of Southern California) and near-ish to downtown. There are several museusms there (and the Olympic Stadium!), but what I was most interested in was the Rose Garden. I was not sure what I'd find at the Rose Garden in mid-November, but lo and behold! There were flowers!




We arrived in the late afternoon, but we still were able to walk around and enjoy the flowers before the sun set. We were getting hungry (and it was getting a bit chilly once the sun went down), so we sought out a place to eat. We found a yummy Japanese ramen place, right by a bus stop that would take us where we needed to go. We enjoyed a very delicous meal of chicken and rice, and chicken ramen. Yum. It was a particularly meaningful adventure because Hubby started his new job the next morning! When we could see the downtown skyline, he made sure to point out which really tall building he'd be working in.





Saturday (or Sunday) adventures are the highlight of my week. I love the weekends! Not only do I get to see or do something interesting in this new city, but I get to spend time with someone I love very much! Hubby's new job is a blessing (really), but it is also a big challenge and adjusting to it is difficult. Between his work schedule and mine, we only really see one another Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sunday mornings. During the rest of the week I see him when he's asleep (and I'm getting ready for work in the morning), and he sees me when I'm asleep (when he comes home at night), but that doesn't really count in my books. Finding a new rhythm for my school nights has been the challenge of the last weeks. There are many *alone* moments. I keep looking for the calm, and every now and then I find some - knitting quietly with the cats around me, washing dishes and listening to music, or drinking a lovely cup of peach tea. Here's to finding a calming rhythm, and to next Saturday coming soon! *holds up tea mug*


(There are a few more pictures of the Rose Garden in our Zen Gallery here.)



Even if you don't love weekends quite as much as I do, I still hope you had a fabulous one! (and Thanksgiving too, if you celebrated it!) Good night!

~

... i love it :D They had these sorts of stairs at the Children's Museum in Ann Arbor. Maybe if I explore all the metro stations here in LA I'll find some here :) What a cacophony it must be at rush times, LOL!

according to the funtheory website, they're having a contest. I wonder what the winner wins? I want a contest where the winner wins fun things in their hometown! And I want to win! XD

~

In addition to the various exploratory adventures I've had here in California (like trips to the Central Library, Santa Monica Pier, and Griffith Park), I've also been doing a fair share of exploratory reading about my new home. The landscape, weather, and plants (animals too!) are just *different* than what I am used to from my Michigan Great Lakes/Midwest upbringing. Deserts? Ocean coasts? Palm trees? Mediterranean climate? I don't know what all this is about!

So, what do I do? I get a library card as fast as I can (first piece of mail ftw!) and check out some books. Here's a list of books and dvd documentaries that I've enjoyed exploring lately:

City of Angels: In and Around Los Angeles by Julie Jaskol and Brian Lewis, illustrated by Elisa Kleven - a children's book with fantastic illustrations (I love Elisa Kleven!) that describes the histories, events, and character of sights in and around LA. I enjoyed this one.

California A Knopf Guide

National Geographic Field Guide to the Trees of North America - gotta start learning about the different trees that grow here (and finding some of the same ones too)!

Stories from Where We Live: The California Coast by Sara St. Antoine - these short stories, poems, and biographical exerpts have been a great way of familiarizing myself with life on the California coast. A wide range of experiences - from ocean tide pools to the 1906 San Fransisco earthquake - are explored in this collection.

Blue Planet: Seas of Life -- Tidal Oceans, Coasts - I've watched most of the Blue Planet episodes as they showed on TV, but I think I missed at least one. Somehow these episodes in particular feel a little more applicable now. One of these days I'd love to get to a beach that is less peopled and more ... rugged?

It's time for another trip to the library!

I started new job yesterday! Woot! Feels good to be working again. Kids in Cali with autism are like kids in Michigan with autism - familiar yet different, challenging yet loveable. And while I don't have my own keys or know where anything is, I feel comfortable with the kids. And that's a happy feeling.

~

A list of happy things:
1. we got an extra day with the moving van/truck at no extra cost because cdrodeffer worked some magic!
2. Our stuff will totally fit in the van, and almost definitely into the storage unit - we purged enough!!
3. Friends from church came and helped us get a lot of stuff out and into the van! (everything that was ready at least)
4. I found my keys!!! They'd been lost since yesterday and I was worried they got packed into some box. But they're found!!
5. We saw a rainbow.
6. We had yummy dinner with friends (thank you)!!
7. My headache is gone.
8. Feeny is snuggling me right now, sitting on the floor with me and my computer.

Endings, beginnings, tearful goodbyes, and wishes for exciting futures ... adventure. Off we go with the blessing of a rainbow and the prayers of friends and family. Off to seek adventure. (I think Owain will be in good hands with Branwyn, yes? ^.~ )

Elfbit (cdrodeffer and ravenpan's daughter) told me at dinner tonight, "But I will miss you soooo much!" Right back at you girl. I will miss you sooo much too, but I still love you, even when I'm far away. That's what 'i love you' cupcakes can help you remember :)



I miss you, but I still love you. *mwah*

~

Since May I have made seven of these little things and very little else! They range in size from newborn through toddler and are a whole rainbow of colors. I have a serious case of vestie love :D



The pattern is here (and it's free)!

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There is a lot right now that I don't know and facing uncertainty has never been my strong suit. But, turning things around and being optimistic is one thing I'm good at! So as a self pep talk and reassurance, let's think about the things that I *do* know!! I know ...

1. my cats are hungry right now.
2. homemade pizza is teh awesome.
3. my cats like boxes.
4. going to California is an adventure.
5. we have a lot of stuff to put in storage.
6. we're going to rent a moving van to drive to Ohio to put stuff in storage.
7. I love my hubby.
8. hubby is doing his best to figure things out for us.
9. with God, things have a way of working out if I trust him.
10. my cats are still hungry.

Look at that!! I know ten things!! Yay!

*goes to feed cats*

~

why i love my cats :D


(taken 6/28/09)

speckledy is amazing. I never knew ae had such a big soft, playful heart ... until she went and found it. Every day these cats do something that make me laugh, surprise me, or just makes my heart cozy warm. I love their little bug hunting, tail pouncing, purring, fuzzy soft little selves :D

~

<3 <3



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Many of you already know this, but I thought it was time to share this with others who may not. Hubby and are preparing for a big move. With his graduation from UofM this spring (!) comes the next chapter of our life. When our lease runs out later this month (o dear goodness is it already August?!) we will be moving across the country to California. In California hubby will be working with his brother/brother's production company doing a wide variety of projects. This is something hubby really wants to do, and now's the time to do it, so we're going to give it a go.

Am I excited? Maybe. Am I scared? Oh yes. And I don't feel at all ready. This is one big scary adventure, but something inside my (broken-to-be-leaving-here) heart says this is what is right for us right now. I feel like Abraham going when God said "go," leaving behind all he knew, but I don't think He's given me a promise; we just have hopes and wishes.

Prayers are appreciated!

~

wow! I just weighed the two boys and I am surprised! (slightly, I guess.) Feeny weighs 9.6lb at 8 months!! And AE weighs in at 11.4lb! AE has gained weight since I last weighed him, but that was quite a while ago. And Feeny is as big as AE used to be, but not quite as big as he is. Guess AE is still king of this castle XD WOW!

Now I wonder how much the girls weigh ... and how the two siblings compare =O

~

Here's to telling it like it is! (eshy = me , B = a friend)


[17:12] eshy: i'll be back in a jiffy, just going to take a bag of trash out :)
[17:13] B: Haha
[17:13] B: Okkk
[18:22] B: Lalala where r u
[18:22] *** Auto-response sent to B: I am currently away from the computer.
[18:22] B: This oisint a jiffy
[19:08] eshy: WOW
[19:08] eshy: worst trash take out EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
[19:11] eshy: my lock broke! it almost broke my key!!!
[19:12] B: O_O
[19:13] B: I wasss worrrrieddddd
[19:16] eshy: i know! i was like ... trying to type through the window
[19:16] eshy: wishing my cats could type adn tell you what was going on o_O
[19:17] eshy: had to go find a neighbor and call the emergency number
[19:17] eshy: adn wait for a looooong time
[19:17] eshy: he's getting me a whole new lock system cuz it's totally borked
[19:17] B: Lol
[19:17] eshy: now i'm hungry
[19:17] eshy: lol
[19:17] B: :x
[19:18] B: Sounds like a fulll day of fun u had
[19:19] eshy: nuuu was crap
[19:19] B: Lolol

~

Just collecting the links for all my Sims2 family trees in one place!!

Yarn: my awesimsauce challenge family, documented in yarnsim

Watson: my big legacy family!

London: vaguely Watsons - aliens this time!

Garten more vaguely Watson - but plants!

Pons-Watson: Vampire branch of the Watson family!

.

at least, in part.

The other part involved lots of swinging and running. I will be buff this summer XD!

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Happy 6 month birthday to my little babies!!! (And all their siblings - far away babies, I LOVE YOU!)

Dear Speckledy and Feeny,
I love your fuzzy little bellies and your cute paws. I love that you run to the door when I come home and participate in so many of my routines. I even love that you use your litter box while I brush and floss my teeth.


I love your O.O expressions. I love that you finally figured out how to use the litterbox and stopped peeing on the floor.


I love your sleepy snuggliness and desire for belly rubs and cuddles.


I love that you wear your harnesses without fussing. I love watching you play and cuddle together. You are such good friends and that makes my heart happy. I love how you've won over the big grouchy ae like no other kittens could. And I love that you are here with me :)

Thanks for being the best, dear furbabies, I look forward to many more happy months and years!! *snuggles*

~Love,
Your People Mama