No Reno...

... for now. We will hopefully know more on Wednesday when Shauna gets her CA-125 numbers back.  She is in chemo again as I write this :(

Update: Here are all the details from the source.

Almost Happy New Year...

Might not get a chance to do this, as I'm leaving for Reno on the 2nd, so HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  I'm hoping 2008 will be the best year ever... here's to cures for cancer, miracles, safe and healthy horses, no layoffs at Intel, prosperity for small online businesses, and fun times with family and friends!! Bring it on!!

This photo is from Christmas Eve at my sister's house. We so rarely get dressed up!!  Definitely a rarity so I thought we should snap a pic! I look tired, eh??  Well, guess what? I AM!!!

Looking forward to taking this journey with Shauna. We have high hopes for this clinic and treatment.

Jim and Nat will be holding down the fort for awhile.  Thanks to all my family and friends who have offered to take care of them :)

I'll try to post from Reno... Love, P

Checking In

Glad to hear that not only Shauna reads my blog...LOL.  Thanks to all of you who have let me know that you are lurking ;) And, Shauna, thank you for all your comments... I can always count on you :)

I will be MIA for awhile... busy helping Shauna get ready for her visit to Reno.  I might join her down there for awhile, but I'm not sure if or when yet.

She will be going to a cancer clinic down there, and needs to be there for at least 15 days.  Please keep her in your prayers... we are all hoping she gets the answers and help that she needs.  To hear all the trip details, please visit her blog.

Love, P

Merry Christmas

Just a quick note to wish you all Merry Christmas.  I am so grateful for my family and friends... I am truly blessed beyond words. Thank you so much for all of the lovely cards and gifts... I just love hearing from everyone near and far.

It really feels like winter here in Oregon... it is rainy and cold and windy. A very good day for staying inside and drinking hot tea and listening to Christmas carols.  Jim and Nat are at the barn, and I am doing laundry and going down my list, checking it twice ;)

Shauna... so glad we could sneak out for a cup of coffee.  That is just what I needed :) You hang in there, my friend. You are so strong and  brave... so proud of you... more than you can ever know.

Love to you all, 

Paris

2007 in Review (Fall)

Natalie started back as a big 7th grader at ACMA. She has some great electives this fall including sculpture, computer graphics, computer animation and concert choir.  Makes me want to go back to school!! She also got braces! The bad part of that was getting two teeth pulled... that was NOT fun but she was such a trooper.

We went to Inavale for a one-day horse trial (eventing) show. It was so fun to camp with our horse friends! Can't wait until the 3-day show in 2008! Natalie and Memo had a great day and ended up with a 4th place!

Memo is now officially part of our family. After 7 years of riding, Natalie has a horse of her own! We surprised her with Memo as a present for her 13th birthday (and her present for the next 10 birthdays!!) We just adore Memo and know that she and Natalie will have many great times together.

Jim's parents came for Thanksgiving weekend. It was great to spend time with them... they definitely got to experience the joy of some cold days at the barn!!  Brrr!!

We are looking forward to the holidays. Christmas Eve will be in Wilsonville with my sister and her family and my parents. Christmas Day will be here at our home with my family.  We are definitely looking forward to some extra sleep, watching movies and just general down time. It will be the best gift of the season, spending quiet time with family and friends. Our best to all of our loved ones this holiday!

2007 in Review (Summer)

We had a fun, low-key summer. Lots of barn time. Jim did some motorcycle rides and trips. Natalie joined him a few times so that was nice. One trip was to the Olympic National Forest with some guys from work.... I was joking that it was his "Wild Hogs" trip like the movie but they actually called themselves the "Wild Squids". He also did his annual ride called the Black Dog that his buddy Tom puts on up near Mt. Hood. 

Nat did quite a bit of cross-country training and did a couple of one-day horse trials. She also did a Jumper Show at Lake Oswego which was her best ride on Memo to date... they were Champions in Low Jumpers! 

Jim's aunt and uncle were camp hosts here in Oregon for the summer. We joined them for a long weekend and camped in a yurt near Coos Bay on the south coast. It was great to spend time with them by the campfire, do some hiking on the dunes and beach, and Natalie even got to go fishing.

Our vacation for the year was on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We stayed in Victoria, but ventured out to other parts of the island for a kayaking trip and a zip-line tour. We had a complete blast and hated for it to end. What a way to end our summer!

Standing Room Only

Tonight was the holiday concert at Nat's school.  She sang two songs with the Concert Choir... they did such a nice job!  In addition, two other choirs, the classical orchestra, and the jazz bands played. 

ACMA is well-known for their jazz bands.  They actually have 2 jazz ensembles and a jazz orchestra.  The jazz orchestra travels all over the place, and competes in such competitions as the Monterey Jazz Festival. They are truly unbelievable!!  They just rocked the house.

Attending a concert at ACMA is quite the affair.  Concerts and events are held in the "cafe-a-gym-a-torium" which is basically an ancient, small building at the school that has a tiny stage. It gets soooo crowded... if you want a chair you have to be there 30-45 minutes before the concert. Then it is just packed around the sides with people standing. Packed to the gills.

It sure does make for an intimate setting. Everyone just cheers so loud for the kids.... it just warmed my heart and put me in the best mood!

Can't wait for the new performing arts center to be built.  Talk about a bunch of deserving kids that will put that building to good use!!

2007 in Review (Spring)

I made it home again... always good to sleep in your own bed again. I had a GREAT time and Sam and family spoiled me rotten.  Just what I needed... thanks guys!!

Here we go again... spring and the start of summer!

Natalie tested for her first two Pony Club ratings down in Turner, OR.  Memo was none too happy about the cross-country portion of the tests, but Nat made her do it and she passed her D1 and D2!  She also did another Dressage show at DevonWood where she received her first- ever 1st place ribbon on Memo... they were amazing!

They were also able to get a lot more cross-country schooling in... I love this photo of Nat and Memo going through the water. Can't even begin to tell you what a breakthrough this is for Memo... she does not enjoy getting her pretty white socks all wet and muddy.

I left my job at Hot Off The Press the end of April to start my new business. I really miss all of my co-workers and designing,

but I have loved the challenge of creating a new business that is all mine. 

Natalie finished her 6th grade year at Arts & Communications Magnet Academy. What an amazing school! We are so grateful that she is able to attend school there, and that she has made so many great friends.

Off to Gig Harbor...

I'm heading up to see Sam in Washington.  Will be a quick girl's weekend to exchange holiday gifts, sit in the hot tub, drink margaritas and do some shopping.  All in the company of my dear friend and her family :)

More updates on our year when I get back. 

xoxoxo Paris

2007 in Review (Winter)

Since I did not send out a Christmas letter with my cards, I thought I would do a review of our year, a season at a time.

In January at the Oregon Hunter Jumper Assn. Awards Banquet, Natalie was the 2006 Pony Equitation Champion! She was also Reserve Champion in Pony Hunters.

Also in January, we were lucky that the U.S. Pony Club National Convention was here in Portland. Natalie and I attended two full days of seminars by famous riders, judges and coaches! Natalie also did a research fair project and presentation on horse shoes and won 3rd place! Jim joined us for a dinner and presentation by Amy Tryon, a past winner of the renowned Rolex 3-Day Event.

February brought more Pony Club fun.  Natalie and 3 of her fellow pony clubbers participated in the Oregon Region Quiz Rally... it was an entire day of being quizzed on their knowledge of horses.  Her team placed 4th out of 13 teams! All the hard work really paid off.

We were able to sneak up to Gig Harbor, Washington to visit our friends the Guinn Family. My best friend from college and her family recently relocated there from Las Vegas. It is truly a blessing to have them close by, and we always have such a great time with them.

In March we celebrated Jim's birthday, and his parents came up from Las Vegas for a whirlwind horse show weekend. On Friday and Saturday, Natalie did her first Arabian show on Memo down in Salem. They did low hunters and were awesome! On Sunday Natalie did her first Dressage show up at DevonWood in Sherwood. Another successful day! Boy were we tired after that!! Natalie had some 2nd, 3rd and 4th place ribbons to show for her hard work. Way to go, Nat!

Recipe Request

Shauna loved my mom's Chocolate Mint Cookies so I thought I would post the recipe:

3/4 c. butter

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 T. water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 pound Andes Mints, unwrapped

sprinkles

In a saucepan, cook butter, sugar and water. Add chocolate chips and cook until partially melted. Stir at all times. Remove from heat and continue stirring until all melted. Let stand 10 minutes. At high speed, beat eggs in 1 at a time. At low speed, add dry ingredients. Chill 1 hour. Line cookie sheets with foil. Make into balls. Bake 12 minutes. Add mint on top--when soft swirl around. Add sprinkles.

What a night...

Shauna's hat shower was amazing... one of the most powerful nights of my life.  You can read all about it here. I'm so grateful to have been a part of the magic... it was the stuff that make miracles happen and we need a miracle.

Updated... Here are the pics!!

Not so Bah Humbug anymore...

We finally went to get our tree yesterday! We had gone to the barn to see Memo, and headed up the hill to cut down a Noble Fir.  We found a great tree farm in the middle of nowhere... hiked through the woods, down the hill and found the perfect tree.  The bad part was carrying the tree UP the hill and THROUGH the woods.  The GOOD part is that it was SNOWING!  How cool is that??  I don't remember ever having snow on the day we got a tree before.

So now the tree is decorated, the house is decorated (very simply this year), and the lights are NOT up yet. Oh well, maybe next year.

I also made a new fudge recipe:

Merry Cherry Fudge

36 maraschino cherries with stems

1 (12 oz) pkg semisweet choc. chips

6 (1 oz) squares bittersweet choc., chopped

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice

1 cup chopped pecans

Line a 8" square pan with plastic wrap. Set aside. Blot cherries dry on paper towel.

Combine chocolates with sweetened condensed milk in a heavy saucepan; place over low heat, and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Stir in cherry juice and pecans. Spoon mixture into pan. Immediately press cherries into fudge, leaving top of each cherry and stem exposed. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Cut into 36 squares. Store in refrigerator.

That should get you in the holiday spirit.

The best news from yesterday is that Shauna was feeling better!!! Yaaaaaaa HOOOOOOO!!!

Tortilla Soup

I have this in the crockpot today: Tortilla Soup Ingredients 2 chicken breasts (I use the frozen ones from Costco) 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes (or Rotel) 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce ½ cup chopped onion 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies 1 clove garlic, minced 1 carton chicken broth 1 can corn (drained) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon dried cilantro 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black  pepper 1 bay leaf Tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded colby-jack cheese Directions: In crockpot, combine all ingredients except chips, sour cream and cheese. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the bay leaf.  Remove chicken and shred it using 2 forks. Add the chicken back to the soup. Serve the soup with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese.

Song Lyrics

Music has always been a big part of my life.  Instead of singing these days, I mostly just listen to it in the car or on my ipod. It can lift your heart, make you sad, change your mood... music can be very emotional.

There is a version of "Umbrella" by Marie' Digby that I really love, and it really speaks to me right now.  Having a friend stick by you no matter the circumstances is a powerful thing.  To go through a life-changing event together makes you have an unsinkable bond.

Here are a portion of the lyrics:

[Chorus]
When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)

These fancy things, will never come in between
You're part of my entity, here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard, together we'll mend your heart

[Chorus]

I am so grateful to have such amazing friends. Thank you for all you do for me, and for always being there.

Not bad for an English Major

I received a very nice compliment from Natalie the other day: "Mom, you are getting pretty good at this computer stuff." Coming from her, that is high praise.  She definitely takes after her dad in the techie department. She is taking both computer animation and computer graphics this semester and getting higher grades than the high schoolers in class with her. She also knows how to take pics w/her digital camera and get them on the computer... alas that is still a mystery to me ;)

In starting my online business, I have had to learn a lot! The learning curve has been very steep, but I can now do the following:

• create ads using Adobe InDesign
• create graphic files for my laser engraver using Adobe Illustrator
• create and maintain a website!
• use a laser engraving machine that only has directions in Chinese!
• post on this blog!!

It is all still quite shocking to me... who would have thought I could do this!!!  I have to admit, I would still be sitting here scratching my head if it wasn't for Jim.  He is my techie in shining armor. 

And the best part of my new job... my commute.  I love walking to the garage and working in my jammies :)

My next challenge: learning QuickBooks.  I have all of my receipts, etc. tucked into a nice accordian file. I have my inventory written on a notebook page.  Not exactly high tech there...

Say a little prayer

Please keep Shauna in your heart today.  Yesterday was her first day back at chemo. Check out her blog to read a very powerful post. 

Shauna... you are always in my heart.

Oh the weather outside...

... is frightful.  We are supposed to get 50mph winds today.  I don't think I slept a wink cuz it blew all night.  Stuff is just flying around the neighborhood!  Hope we don't lose power!  I've got work to do!!!

Maybe it will finally sink in that winter is here and Christmas is on its way.  Need to get in the holiday spirit and get 'er done.  Sooo much to do!!!  Not exactly a good day to cut down a tree... oh well.  Maybe next weekend.

Maybe I will spend the day cleaning my house... NOT.  Not my favorite thing to do.  Usually that only happens when expecting company.  I definitely need to get it done before hosting Shauna's hat shower on Dec. 11.  It will be great to hang out w/Shauna and her mom, and get to know more of her friends.

Blog Mania

So I've decided to join the blogging bandwagon! I'm such a novice at all this techie stuff.

I thought it would be a good idea to document my crazy life right now:

• I have recently started a new online business and now I'm hitting the holiday rush!
• We just became horse owners for the first time, after years of dealing with school ponies and leases. Memo is a wonderful addition to our family and Natalie is in horsey heaven!
• One of my best friends has cancer and is starting her second round of chemo.
  

I also plan on sharing some of my husband Jim's fabulous photos.  He is an amazing dad, husband and photographer.

So hang on to your hat... here we go!!