MCC and Memories

This weekend was the West Coast MCC Sale and it was FUN!  Although this year I knew going in that I probably was not going to be coming home with any quilts because I chose to buy a new spinning wheel instead, I still had a great time eating a delicious tri-tip sandwich, homemade (at someone else's house) berry pie, fresh Fritters, tacos and a teeny tiny amount of homemade ice cream.  I loved getting a chance to see and catch up with people I see very infrequently--mostly we see each other at the MCC Sale, with very occasional smatterings of visiting throughout the year.  The quilts were beautiful, but I worked very hard not to get toooooo attached to any of them since I didn't want to cave in and buy something I hadn't budgeted for.  The food, the quilts, and the people were all amazing, but my all time favorite part about this year's MCC Sale was Tyler.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  It's no surprise that Tanya has a "Tyler is so wonderful" tale to tell.  Honestly, that's not what this is! 

On Friday night, Doug and Tyler came to the MCC Sale with my dad for us all to have dinner together.  While we were in line for food, we ran into one of Tyler's friends from school and karate and his family.  I have really enjoyed getting to know his mom over the past few years as we keep running into each other at schools, karate, vacation Bible schools, summer camps, etc. and Tyler enjoys playing with his friend, Josiah, and his younger brother, Elijah.  After the kids had finished eating together (translation--Scarfing down their food as quickly and efficiently as possible), they left the table to play together in a big grassy area nearby.  I swear, one second there were just the three kids playing and the next second there were 8 kids running around together.  THIS was my favorite part.  The friends and the carefree memories being made. 

I have so many amazing memories from when I was growing up and going to the MCC Sale every year and playing with all my friends that I didn't get to see often.  We would have so much freedom to run around and just check in with parents for food tickets or money for books or whatever and running around like crazy people.  I even remember one year when my friend, Peter Hasegawa, bought an avocado green toilet to put in his bedroom as a fish bowl.  I realize that I do a similar thing at the MCC Sale now, it's just a lot more sedate and there is a lot more discussion on "where are you working now?" "how's your family?"  and other "grown up" talk.  I will always cherish my carefree childhood MCC Sale memories and am so glad that Tyler is having the opportunity to create some of his own.



Here are the boys coming back to the table after running around for a while.  I love how they just casually sling their arms around each other and talk about their time playing.

 Tyler, Elijah and Josiah posing together for an MCC Sale wrap picture.  Boy were they happy (and exhausted).

One of the other fun things about the MCC Sale is that they have a book sale every year.  I feel like God is trying to tell me that He has a plan for me:

(note: As funny as I think it was to find them here, I did NOT buy these books.)

Holiday Stress

I had an epiphany about Holiday stress as I was walking into a Starbucks for a little knitting meetup with my family on Christmas Eve.

Somehow, the holidays always seem to be stressful. List makers make lists, shoppers flock to the shops, bakers cover their counters with cookies, decorators decorate the heck out of their spaces and crafters work their wee little knuckles to the bone. People get short tempered and intensly focused which leads to holiday tensions in parking lots, shopping centers, etc.

For the past several years I have tried to do more handcrafting for Christmas gifts, which is its own kind of stress. It's the stress of wondering "Will I finish all this in time?!?" "Will they like it?" "If they don't like it, how can I ask for it back without seeming rude?" and so on. HOWEVER (and here's my epiphany) Crafting stress is the kind of stressing out that happens while you're in your pajamas at home on your couch watching TV show marathons or listening to music of your choice. It is NOT the fighting traffic, standing in lines filled with cranky people and listening to the same piped in holiday music that every store seems to play, but with a 1-2 song delay ensuring that you hear the exact same song at least 3 times in 3 different stores kinda stress. I would far prefer the Holiday Stress of a Crafter to the Holiday Stress of a non-crafter.

Here's a picture of one of the fun things I crafted for the holidays.

He was for my dad who we like to tease about his sneaky ninja-like qualities.

10:19

10 is the number of knitting days that are left before Tyler's Christmas vacation. I am knitting his teacher a fabulous cowl using Jessica's pattern in the school colors of Red and Blue. I made myself one of these cowls and I LOVE it so I hope Mrs. Cha will too. As a minor side benefit, this will also be able to be turned in to meet a Nerd Wars challenge relating to all things British as it is 2 of the 3 colors of the British flag. As a question: I've just recently learned that Tyler is being deployed to a 2/3 combo classroom for reading 4 days of the week instead of the original 2. Does this increased contact with him warrant a teacher gift for that teacher too? even if I've never met/talked with her? I know teacher gifts aren't obligatory, but what's the general guideline on this sort of thing?

19 is the number of crafting days that are left before Christmas. Now, this is including Christmas day, so there's always the possibility that I'll be madly knitting/sewing/whatever ON Christmas Day, but I really hope not. That's stressful.

Lest this depress too many crafters out there, may I direct your attention to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's blog yarnharlot.com where she is doing a daily series on what to give to knitters...AND she's talking about how she has tons of mitten knitting going on which I don't think is her Christmas knitting. I really wonder how she has the time/sanity to do non-Christmas crafting. I am in awe...

Out of the Closet...

I am a closet (not so closet?) fangirl and was very excited to attend the midnight showing of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse". I have to say that this was my favorite of all the three movies that they've put out so far. Should be interesting to see what they do with the next book which they've split into two movies a la "Harry Potter".

One of my favorite things about going to the midnight showing of movies like this with such a committed fan base is the level of excitement of the audience. And I admit that while, in general, I am a silent movie watcher (in theaters anyway), at a midnight showing I may be known to sneak in a "SQUEEE" or an occasional "Whoo hoo!"...One such moment was when Jacob Black/Taylor Lautner said, "Oh come on...we both know I'm hotter than you." Nearly the entire audience (including a few men) went wild at this line and I will own up to my girlish giggle. It's true...he IS way hotter.

One of my least favorite things about going to the midnight showing of movies like this with such a committed fan base is the committed fan base. These dang crazy people show up for a midnight showing waaaay early. I have too much self respect to show up for a midnight showing at 3pm like some of the folks there, but when Dad drove past at 7:15 and told me that the line was already snaking a good way around the building, I decided I'd push up my 8:30 pm arrival to 7:30. I took my trusty knitting, an iPod, some candy, a soda and a bottle of water. If I'm going to be sitting that long, you better believe I'm going to be knitting and listening to an audio book (last night it was Pride and Prejudice). It was really fun to be able to see the different fan shirts. I especially loved seeing a big group of guys with "Team Alice" shirts and enjoyed chatting with a girl wearing a shirt with "HEY EMMETT! (wanna Neck?)" plastered across the front that she had just purchased on a recent trip to Forks, WA. I was knitting on some fingerless mitts that are made with yarn dyed to look like the fingerless mitts Alice Cullen wears in New Moon:

Now, I am not naive...I know that they will not be as cute and stylish on me as they seem to be on her...but hey, I'm a knitter and they are an awesome piece of movie knitwear. I fully intend to rock them. And since I love Twilight...and Knitting...I was particularly interested in this website where Franklin Habit, a famously funny knitter, combined these two interests.

Jonas and his Merry Band of Men

Now, this really is a BBC Show that I have been really enjoying (as opposed to Legend of the Seeker, which I've been enjoying, but which is not BBC). "Robin Hood" is a legend that has always fascinated me...the idea of a Nobleman who could have had all the riches, comforts, and luxuries he was entitled to if only he would have toed the party line...But Nay! He had principles and sacrificed to live for those principles. And of course there's the love story...Robin+Marian= True Love forever! (or in my mind, Jonas+Tanya). Well, in this BBC version of the legend, Robin Hood is played by a very handsome Brit (ok, really he was born in Ireland, raised in England, so I'm not sure if he considers himself Brit or Irish) named Jonas Armstrong:

He's very sassy and heroic and sexy to boot! I was raving about this show to my sister and she asked if I would still like the show if the actors did not have British accents...Well, yes and no...I think a classic British tale needs to be played by Brits...or at least people who can put on a credible English accent. So, while I still would have like the show, I like it much better with accents.

And lest you think I just like him in his Robin Hood woodsman outfits, here he is in Real Life(again, as real as actor's photos get).

Other notable actors in the show are Richard Armitage (who plays a really good bad guy that you really want to see the good in) and Keith Allen (Sheriff of Nottingham...He's Really good as an evil guy). Also quite handsome in the show are Harry Lloyd (who is aparently descended from Charles Dickens) and Joe Armstrong (not related to Jonas, but how confusing would it have been to have a Joe Armstrong and a Jonas Armstrong on set at the same time?)

You'll like these mom!

We were shopping at Target this weekend in the dollar section. As I was walking around to look at the different items, I heard Tyler's voice ring out, "You'll like these Mom! It's yarn!" When I went to see what he was talking about, he was holding out two packages of twine! He dropped two in and said, "Here, you can buy two skeins!" But then later decided that I needed a third skein.

Then on Sunday evening Tyler was getting ready for bed in some flannel puppy pajamas when Auntie Kiki told him he needed to watch out or his pajama puppies might bite him. His reply? "Nonetheless, I'll be too High!" (which has nothing to do with an altered state as a result of herbal enhancements and everything to do with altitude) When I asked him where he had heard the word "nonetheless" he replied that it was from Knitting Podcast, of course.

Of course...

These two events, occurring so closely together and fresh in my mind, make me contemplate the external influences that can make an impact in the life this small being whom God has charged me with raising. Just a small reminder to continue to expose Tyler to the good things in life and try to shield him (as much as possible!) from the bad things in life.

Kiss me! I'm Irish-ish!!

Today is the day for green clothes, green shamrock pins, garish green plastic bowler hats, and for some, green beer. Tyler's school is even having green pancakes for their morning snack. I have been scouring the internet for several years looking for a shirt to wear on this day that goes a step beyond "Kiss me, I'm Irish". Somewhere back through the years on the Harper side, according to Aunt Lois, there were Irish ancestors--Harper is a sept of Clan Buchanan after all. However, I am so much more than just Irish...so I consider myself to be "Irish-ish"...unfortunately, so far, I have been unable to locate a shirt with this exact phrase on it...I suppose I'm going to have to trot out my crafty side and create the dang thing for myself. The really funny thing about St. Patrick's Day is that it makes me feel awkward about listening to Celtic music and it makes me feel like a poser for wearing a celtic knot necklace, even though I listen to this music all year round and wear some type of celtic knot necklace nearly every day.

D & D

No, not Dungeons and Dragons...not Do Not Disturb. Nope...In the method most favored by bachelors, college students, teen agers, widowers and many other population groups, this weekend, I have resorted to the D & D Style of Laundry. It looks a wee bit like this...

In case you are unfamiliar with this exceptional display, this is the Dump and Dig Style. For the very astute amongst you, you will have already noticed that these are all the things--towels, rags, jeans, socks, "dainties", etc.--that do NOT need to be wrinkle-free. Rest assured, the work clothes are all hung in the closet to remain presentable for work; however, I plan to work very hard to diminish this pile throughout the course of this week. I figure that between Tyler and me, wearing 2 socks each, one pair of "unmentionables", using a few rags per day, etc., we should be able to make this pile disappear by Thursday at the very latest!

Instead of folding, sorting, and putting away laundry, I plan to continue on with some more of this:

and a lot of this:

This little beauty is my NON-Knitting Olympics Olympic Knitting project. Because I know now that my mind rebels against a knitting deadline, I have chosen instead to not give myself a deadline....but I still plan to be finished with Sexy Vesty by the time the torch for this years' Winter Games is out. Yeah, it is possible to play mind games with yourself...

Grief is a funny thing

5/7/33-2/22/01
Every year around this time especially, I start to think about Grandpa Del. At this time he and Grandma Darlene were living with us while he underwent chemo for stage IV lung cancer. He was such an amazing man and his death had a profound impact on me. I knew I liked him...I knew I loved him...I even knew that someday when he was gone I would miss him. I had NO idea how much. In my random blog wanderings, I came across this blog on Grief. I don't know if this lady is a writer, a philosopher, a geophysicist...whatever she does, her words spoke to me. They put into words exactly how I felt when Grandpa Del finally lost his struggle with cancer. One thing she mentions is..."How do you pretend at work or the meetings or the bank that everything is fine, because after all, overwhelming perfect strangers with your loss is not polite..." Different people deal with grief differently, some with more skill and grace than others. Me? I went off the deep end. I still remember the day after Grandpa died...I went shopping. I bought a sweater that I still love. I still remember what I wore to the funeral--I will NEVER wear that outfit again (but the strange thing is that, so far, I haven't gotten rid of it). After Grandpa died I stopped going to school. I was a Fresno State and just stopped going. But I told nobody. Instead, I worked. For some reason, it was easier to work all day with happy brides who just wanted a pretty wedding than it was to go to school and think. People deal with grief differently...Nine years later, I like to believe I am done grieving. But I still tear up at the song of "Amazing Grace".

So, There's this guy I know...

I was reading through my joke e-mail the other day and it had this:

A strained voice called out through the darkened theater, "Please, is there a doctor in the house?!"
Several men stood up as the lights came on.
An older lady pulled her daughter to stand next to her, "Good, are any of you doctors single and interested in a date with a good, Jewish girl?"

And it made me laugh out loud (not always a good idea when you're at work because then you have to either read the joke or make up something that would be worthy of laughing out loud for that was not a joke email...very tricky!) and then ponder... I have had several conversations recently that start out "So, there's this guy I know..."

Ever since elementary school, I have been friends with Jen. Her dad is quite like my dad--he's not super chatty (definite understatement), he's totally committed to his family and he's thoughtful of others. Well, aparently my single status has been weighing on him because while he was eating out at Marie Calendar's, he commented to Jen's mom that maybe their waiter and I would hit it off....

And then when I was visiting Grandma Dixie she extolled the virtues of the very nice and very good looking fellow who worked downstairs at the front desk of the facility in which she lives. I was there at about 6pm...she made a point of mentioning several times that he got off work at 10pm so if I wasn't doing anything else and wanted to come back, that's when he'd be free. Now, never mind the fact that I had already noticed this guy and deemed him very attractive. He gets off work at 10pm...and he's very nice...and did she mention already that he gets off work at 10???

And these are just the more interesting stories of "So, there's this guy I know..."

Do you have an interesting story about somebody wanting to fix you up with someone? Do share, I don't want to be the only one that is getting these suggestions...

All the time in the world...

In my blog reading, I keep finding these amazingly fun projects that I would LOVE to do (If I had all the time in the world....

While reading Nesting Place, I came across this project that I really feel like Tyler and I would have a blast with.

While cruising Live a Colorful Life, I found this awesome half eaten gingerbread ornament that I plan to start right after Christmas (gotta finish the Christmas gift knitting) and besides, then I'll have time to do it for the tree for next year.


And while looking on Etsy this week, I found several people who are making Button Letters...I'm totally planning mine (since I can't see spending that much money on something I can make). Instead of a pillow, I'm making mine a wall hanging!


This one's by Letter Perfect Designs

If you have any other super fun projects that I should add to my to do list, please feel free to leave them in a comment!!

Flash Update

So, I've realized I'm a bad blogger. I would like to say that I feel remorse, but in all honesty, I have not had the energy at the end of the day to do much more than check a few websites and other people's blogs before my brain shuts down. Sooo....Instead of trying to go back and recreate a ton of catch up posts that are witty and clever, while trying to remember what happened when, I will do a flash update in this one post and then move forward with (hopefully) more posting regularity. I like to think of it as my rebirth in the blogging world, much like when you accept Christ as THE Saviour and then move forward with your new life.

Things that have happened in the last 6 months:
1. I made an offer on several condos, and a house
2. My offers were rejected on several condos
3. My offer was ACCEPTED on a house (it was a short sale, which anyone who has done anything with real estate knows means it could be a loooong sale)
4. I spent 2 weeks at Lakeview Cottages at Huntington Lake helping my mom (and dad) manage the camp. I was in charge of the "man" jobs like boats, handyman/supply restocking, raking, etc. while my dad had to be at home keeping the business in hand.
5. In July I closed escrow on a lovely little house in Pinedale
6. In August, I moved into my new house and have spent quite a few evenings and weekends getting things set up to my liking.
7. In September, I started back to school with subbing and then was also offered a position as an English Language Intervention teacher. I had this same job last year, but they weren't sure they would have the funding for it this year.
8. In late September and early October, we spent most weekends at Lakeview.
9. The first weekend in October (well, Thursday-Sunday) was QUILT CAMP! at Camp Keola.
10. The Friday of Quilt Camp I received a call that Tyler had Chicken Pox.
11. Middle of October we went to DISNEYLAND for our last trip using our Annual Passes. We had a great time there, but Tyler is at the age where he is a little nervous (translation: terrified) about going on some of the rides. He really likes to see them, but mostly from afar. Dumbo goes too fast, but he likes to watch others on it. Buzz is one of his favorite characters, but the Buzz ride is too scary...you get the idea.
12. In November, Grandma Darlene came to visit from Idaho. We had a great time hanging out and visiting. She also helped me to decorate my house in a much better way.
13. Now it's December and we'll see what happens.

So...there's the flash update. If you thought it was boring to read, you can tell yourself that it's only going to get better because now I'll be able to start writing with more detail...I might even go back and throw in some pictures here and there :-)

Enjoy your coffee...

I receive a daily joke email from guy on the internet named Pastor Tim and included in each of these is a daily illustration. Sometimes these are funny, sometimes more thought provoking. Last Thursday (2/5/09) he sent this one:

"A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, and some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
After all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it's just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and then began eyeing each other's cups."
Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, houses, cars, things, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee.
Enjoy your coffee. Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections."

To me this hit home on two different levels. Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I love tea and frou frou coffee. Every day I'm at work (at the office anyway, not so much when I'm teaching) I have a huge mug of tea on my desk that is constantly refilled throughout the day. The design of the cup has long been a source of joy for me. Color, shape, weight, size--these are all elements of the design that I look at when purchasing a new cup for tea. I prefer large size cups (because then I don't have to refill them so often) but the color, shape and weight are very subjective. The color/design has to make me happy every time I see it, the shape and weight have to feel right.

On another level, as I move through life and reach each different stage (or situation) I learn something new (Good news, right??) and lately I am learning that happiness doesn't mean that there aren't bad things in life, it just means that I am able to be happy/content in spite of the different things that aren't "just so".

I like this illustration set forth by Pastor Tim (note: not Tim Neufeld) because it reminds me not to focus so hard on the cup that I forget to enjoy the coffee...so, although my blog is currently titled "Living the Life I love" it could also be called "Working every day to Enjoy the coffee"...

I find myself with lots of spare time today

So, to begin...my sympathies for my faithful readers...I seem to have a lot of time on my hands today and so feel completely justified in posting one random blog today. Now for those who are thinking (hopefully to themselves instead of out loud) "Aren't all her posts pretty random?" JUST WAIT!


Last night I went to see Dark Knight. Awesome movie, freezing theater! I was wearing a tank top, which is great in the summer heat. It's NOT so great in a theater when you are sitting right under the vent.


Last week I asked my dad to install Bible software on my Palm Centro phone and the only way he was able to get it to work was to install it first on his computer and then sync my phone with his computer. Yay!! Bible to carry everywhere on my phone. Boo!!! HIS calendar synched onto my phone so I had to go into all the days that he had anything on his schedule and delete it. I never realized quite how many things my poor dad has on his calendar every day until that point. YAY!! Payback's a ...booger...Today (and apparently all this week) Dad's phone alarm went off at dinner time. The event? Music at Sierra Vista. The significance??? That was on MY calendar and is now on HIS phone. The funny part? I put alarms on all of my events so now he has to go onto his calendar to delete those things. HaHaHa...I think I have a touch of wicked in me because I think that is completely funny.


Did you know that a 2 year old can be signed up on the library's summer reading program and they can take their reading log in to the library to get prizes? Our log looks like this..."Can't you Sleep Little Bear?"..."Can't you Sleep Little Bear?" ..."Can't you Sleep Little Bear?"...well, you get the idea...Tyler likes to re-read...Yesterday we were reading it for a nap story. First page starts out like this (sadly from memory) "Once there were two bears. Big Bear and Little Bear. Big Bear is the big bear and Little Bear is the little bear." (next to this is a picture of a big bear and a little bear walking through the snow in the forest) So Tyler says, "Sometimes we call Big Bear Mother Bear." Me..."Oh???" And I keep reading. "Big Bear and ..." Tyler, "NO...sometimes we call Big Bear Mother Bear." Me (with the lightbulb above my head), "Do you want me to call Big Bear Mother Bear while I read the story to you today?" Him:"Yes!!" So we did...Dang my kid picks out long bedtime books...


I seem to have more time to people watch while I'm driving now with this new "hands free" law...the funniest thing to see? People reading their newspaper/magazine/etc. Umm...we have a law on the books about using phones, but nothing that says that you may not read while you are driving your car? hmm...I love America.

and now for the obligatory, a blog-post is not complete without pictures section of this post...About a month ago Aunt Lois was out here from Texas and we had a lovely brunch...