One step back....

We saw last night a victory here in Oregon, but unfortunately last week the Supreme Court made a very upsetting decision.

Here is the NY Times report on this.

On the lighter side...here is a great video that catches the essence of what they did....

Man...we have a long ways to go....

Measure 66 & 67 have passed!

Just wanted to mention that these two very important measures have passed!  Fair taxation to help the state.  Thanks Oregon!

This week-

Even though I caught a cold, it has been a great week!   Last Saturday we went to visit my parents on the Oregon Coast. It was super windy and rainy, and the power went out for almost all of Sunday!  But we had fin anyway, played Simpsons Uno and talked.  Monday there was enough of a clearing that we could go to the beach for a few....

High tide!  This is my hubby playing on a tree that was swept in.

Then I came home and had to be a couch potato for much of the time I was not at work.  But Thursday eve Ric and i bought our dog a backpack so he can carry stuff when we go out running!  So excited!  Not sure what JB, our dog, thinks yet....

My dog, JB, in his new back pack :)

Friday we went to the local Good Earth home show, and had a blast!  I love seeing businesses working to be more green, and orgs trying to help people become greener.  I bought about $50 worth of seeds for my upcoming garden (www.territorialseed.com), found some adorable plant markers made from old silverware and glass (paneinthegrass.com) and Ric bought me a new metal waterbottle with an adorable owl on it!  And speaking of owls, the Birds of Prey exhibit was there and they had owls....they are sooo cool!  They also had alpacas....

I want one!

Yesterday, I felt so accomplished!  I worked in the yard, did a run to the dump, had coffee with a friend and then went out and canvassed for Measures 66 & 67.  If you live in Oregon and have not voted, I think these are VERY important and they need to pass.  We are looking at about $800 million in budget cuts if they do not pass.

But another thing that I realized yesterday that I love about canvassing, other than the obvious fact that I am helping a cause I care for, is that I love snooping...lol. It is a great way to see how other people have done their houses, their animals, their yards...etc.  I love it!

And finally, today I worked a little, then bought potting soil for the seeds I need to start.  Ric and I are going to go buy the new Wii Fit Plus :) and then out for bowling with friends....overall I would say it has been a pretty great week and a half!

For my hair...

I have a hard time sitting still, so I craft while we watch tv, etc.  Last night I made myself a little heart hair clip.  I tend to remember seeing a similar clip on another blog and loved it, but now I am not sure where.  Thanks for the idea whoever made this!

My little sun....

Here is the little sun I made to cheer myself up...reminds me of the Carebears!

Need some sun....

The weather here is starting to get to me!  I can't wait for sun...at least sun that is out for more than an hour at a time.  I am dreaming of laying out on a beach or riding a roller coaster in the sun.  Something that is warm and bright and completely out of the ordinary for me.....

Tonight I think I will craft myself a little sun to keep me company....keep you posted.

Dreaming....

So I have been in dream land and entering this sweepstakes...this home is beautiful! I used to live in Arizona, and have thought a lot about living in the Southwest again. What better way than to win a dream home? Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

My new blog!

Welcome to my new blog!

There are several things that I really enjoy....such as crafting, gardening, the environment and politics.

The last one is great because I can love it and I can hate it. But I am passionate about it, and it is the field I hope to go into.

I think my love for the environment came from my parents. When I was about 8 or 9 years old, my parents built a house that was totally off the grid. We had solar and wind power and a well for water. I remember when ever we wanted to watch tv or use the computer, we had to go check to see if we had enough power.

It also made us think in creative ways. My sister and I learned how to sew using a treadle sewing machine, which uses no power at all. My great-grandma and grandma taught me how to crochet when I was 11. We had a garden (even though it was in Arizona, not the best water or soil situation) and grew great tomatoes. Even though they were gross, I loved spending time going out with my dad to pull the tomato horn worms off the tomatoes by hand.

My great grandma was also the best gardener that I knew. Sometimes my mom, sister and I would take her to the nursery, where she would sneak "pinchings" off of the plants, then take them home and grow plants from them. My dad got her roses one year, and she grew a rose bush from the stem!

I was also always sort of an activist. My grandma loves to remind me of the time that we were in California and there was one of those pony "carousels" out in the parking lot of this store as a draw. I was so upset that the water was not nearby for the horses and they were forced to let little kids ride on them all day, that I stormed back into the store and told one of the clerks....my guess was that I was maybe 12....

So now I have become involved in politics. I am mostly involved in the local political scene, and have run campaigns in my area after I graduated from school. My major was linguistics (some of my favorite political people are linguists, like Chomsky and Lakoff) and minors in Poli Sci and Environmental Studies (go figure! ;)

I am married to a great guy (and have been for 8 years now) and have a dog, cat, and 3 chickens, which I love. I will get pics of all of them up soon. My sister lives with us, and she has a turtle and snake of her own. So we have a full house.

My goals for this coming year are to create a better garden and fix up my yard. I also want to take the GMAT and get my application in for business school to get my MBA. I may not get in this year, but I want to get the process going, and the deadline in March is good for me. I want to work on my crafts, and do better with the craft booth my sister and I have in the Saturday Market here in Eugene. And I want to train to run in the half marathon this May. (And this will probably be the hardest for me...I suck at running....)

So I am happy to be starting this blog and to be sharing my experiences with those that choose to read it. And I think that this blog will also be a great way for me to keep track of my goals and keep striving for a better life.