What am I thinking? YaRd SaLe ? ????

I have picked a date, wrote it on the calendar, sent notes out to the neighbors to see if they want to join in... I am committed now!

What am I thinking?

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A YARD SALE???

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That just sounds like soooo much work and organization.

Signs, advertising, pricing, tables, change, I have tons of "stuff", but is it

enough stuff, what if it rains?

I have been in yard sales and we LOVE to go to yard sales!!!

But I have never organized and pulled off my own yard sale.

Well it's on the calendar now... so

WE ARE HAVING A YARD SALE!

HP Online courses...

I found something new I am trying out at HP Online courses, you can go sign up, and read about the instructor, and the class outline.

I don't know anything about them yet, but they are free, and I thought I would check it out and share the info if anyone is interested in this stuff.

Digital photography

Telling a story with photos I'm taking this one to start...
Intermediate Photoshop CS2
Improve and share your photos with HP Photosmart Essential
Touch up digital photos with Adobe Photoshop Elements

Digital entertainment
Edit great home videos I need this...
Work and play from anywhere with the MediaSmart Server
Streamline your digital media with the MediaSmart LCD HDTV
Getting started with LightScribe

Security solutions
Tune up your Windows Vista® PC
Tune up your Microsoft® Windows® XP PC
Protect your PC from spam, spyware and viruses
Understanding Windows Vista® Home Basic and Home Premium

Home office
Understanding Windows Vista® Home Basic and Home Premium
Print wirelessly at home or on the road
Introduction to Microsoft® Excel 2007
Introduction to Microsoft® Word 2007
Setting up a wireless home network I could have used this last week...
The future is now: the HP Touchsmart PC

Personal interests & hobbies
Getting started with digital scrapbooking This one sounds fun...
What is web 2.0?
Online social networking
Create and print your own cookbook This looks cool!

Tulips, simplifying, and being charitable...

I have blogged about The Daffodil Principle before, but it keeps coming to the forefront of my mind.... seems like everyone I have talked to today, in business or in my family or even myself have reasons to apply this to their particular situations.

Either to simplify, or to be steadfast, or to have faith, or identifying and knowing who you are...

The tulip bulbs, and memories of going to see the tulip fields in Western Washington really makes me think of spring.

I recently read more on the beautiful fields of tulips from the story.

Every year, high in the San Bernardino mountain range of Southern California, five acres of beautiful daffodils burst into bloom. Amazingly, this special spot, known as "The Daffodil Garden," was planted by one person, Gene Bauer, one bulb at a time, beginning in 1958.
The Willow Fire of 1999 destroyed the Bauer's A-frame home, its surrounding shady trees and garden. Miraculously, the daffodil bulbs beneath the ground survived.

I have some of my own tulips coming up in my yard, and they were planted by the man we bought our house from in memory of his wife. I didn't know her, just her name, they didn't have any kids, but he always talked about her the few times we met with him. And his words were always so loving and kind, and she loved gardening, the bookshelves in our house were full of her gardening books, so I imagine her like the lady in this story. And I think about her and the love he felt for her in this house... every year when they bloom.

I am sure we leave impressions on people we may never even know about, even lasting impressions that live on in memory after we are gone, like in these tulips.

But I am surprised sometimes to think we leave these impressions even on people we may not know, or be friends or family with. It really makes me think about how I carry myself, and how I feel about myself and how I portray that to others around me.

I heard this saying the other day...

"When you are down and feeling sick, do something for someone else... really quick!"

and even though when you are down, the very last thing you feel like doing is being charitable.

I know, that when I have charity in my heart, it lifts me up, and I am no longer down.

I am not sure how all of this rambling ties together...

I guess for today this is how my thoughts go.

Dogs Rule... Cats Drule...

The teenager has been wanting a stuffed head cover since he got his new clubs, we really try and encourage him to save his money for college, or a mission etc. but since he has worked really hard this past week, we thought it would be okay for him to spend his money how he wanted to, so that he learns the value of the work he is doing, and the value of a dollar.

They have head covers of about every animal you could imagine, and they have some really funny ones of the other end of the animal too... which is what I thought he was going to buy. I cringed at the thought of having to look at a pink pigs butt in my living room, which is where his precious clubs tend to be most of the time while he cleans and shines on them.

But he ended up with the Tiger... he didn't want to copy Tiger Woods, but that was the one he really liked the best, so he just went for it.

Much to our surprise when he brought it home... our kind hearted sweet Morgan began to growl, and snarl, but hide behind everything she could find. She was terrified of the big "kitty".

So of course "my boys" thought that was hilarious and chased her and teased her with it, unmercifully... she never growled again, but she avoided and ran and hid from it, trembling the rest of the night.

I think all the stress wore her out... this morning, she collapsed under my desk, curled up around the legs of my chair, you know the one that rolls, so I am locked in... with her little sister next to her chewing on a bone... and she was snoring sooooo loud.

They crack me up!!!

Her little sis loves her to death, and always wants to be laying beside her... or more realistically on top of her most of the time. Taylor doesn't get the "it's my space" concept.

It really doesn't matter if someone else is already occupying that particular space either!! She is famous for laying on top of your head... I guess thinking the pillow is a good place to lay down, but taking no matter that your head is already there.

She is entertaining... we laugh at her constantly!

She really only knows LOVE, PLAY, AND SLEEP!!

I could learn so much from our dogs, but like the "still small voice", I have to be quiet enough to listen. I think all too often in this life, I get so busy I don't take time to listen. I remember a lady in a modeling class I was in one time who had taken a class on listening... and she had the best listening skills. I learned allot just from her example, but like anything else, if I don't use it, I lose it. That is a good goal to add to my eating skills I am practicing this week, while I am slowed down to chew and savor each bite, I could listen!

The Last Days of Spring Break...

So I got a little more progress from the teenager, in a most needed area...

HIS BEDROOM!

We started in the closet... and took out lots of clothes he had outgrown, games that didn't get played, the old dresser... it was a good space saver in there when his clothes were little, but now he needs more room for taller clothes to hang straight, and lots and lots of garbage and little tiny things that could not be identified, other than junk! weird!
We still have a long way to go... still can't see his bed, or the floor... but the fact that he let me in to help him, was progress!

This happened on Friday morning before he left to go play golf with his friends, and I have been up for two nights because my Strong Silent Mysterious Man thought instead of donating all the stuff we are cleaning out, we should have a garage sale... they go over really big here, and we could make some extra gas money. So I have been dreaming all night and tossing and turning on how to plan and organize a garage sale. The only thing solid I have come up with was

1) I will probably be doing it alone.

2) It won't be a garage sale... most definately a yard sale! I can't find my garage!

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Friday night the teenager stayed with his bff Conor, so my Man and I went to dinner and enjoyed a peaceful evening together.

Saturday was another busy day, running errands, more golf practice for the teenager, sound checks for my Man performing in the evening, and a devotional for the young women for me to attend.

After my devotional, I ran to pick up the teenager from his job at the golf course, and we rushed over to the College of Idaho to support our main Man, who had been wrastled into playing in a Scottish Celtic Band with a bag piper friend he used to work with.

We have learned so much being friends with this guy, he is amazingly talented.

He has made his own pipes, a celtic drum (like bent the wood and stretched the canvas and everything), he sings, he plays several instruments, and in the spirit of his culture, he built a loom and is a self taught tartan weaver, and kilt maker... all this on the side of his regular job.

Here he is at the 4th of July parade last summer.

He helped us find our Keith family tartan from Scotland (on my husbands mothers side)... and taught us what all the colors mean in the plaid, it's all very interesting and lots and lots of cultural meaning behind everything!

Not all plaids are created equal... but I like this one! I could do a sash or wear a scarff made with this pattern.

So for Saturday night there was a big Celtic Night Concert at the Performing Arts Center at the College and our friend had recruited my Man to play song in a four piece band with him.

I am soooo mad I forgot my camera, we really had a good time, and saw the dance, and bag pipes, and all different kinds of performances. The teenager was originally just there to support his Dad, but ended up really getting into it. Very Cool!

We giggled a little because the dress for the evening was kilts, all the men were wearing kilts. My Man had already drawn the line before he ever signed up, he would not be wearing a kilt... however, much to my surprise, by the end of this most cultural evening, he leaned over and had this conversation with me...

SSMM - "I didn't know they came down so low and you could wear knee socks with them"

Me-"Yeah, they pretty much cover up everything but your knees, and you have nice knees"

SSMM - "I might could wear one of those... for the next gig"

Me - "Cool, I think they are kind of sexy"

SSMM - "I bet Tim would be thrilled to hear this and would make one for me"

Who knew he would have so much culture down under those faded Levi's and t-shirts. Don't worry, if he wears a kilt anywhere, I will be sure and take my camera!! It was a really fun night and a good time was had by all.