They Call Me Andie

So, just a quick update on the Corvallis Fall Festival. The Kids Art Zone is coming along quite well. I met with my co-chairs, Caron and Sarah, on Tuesday night for some brainstorming and to make some silly puppets. Did you know that they call me Andie? They do! I love it! Sunday is going to be PUPPET day!!! We are going to make puppets using fabric, paper bags, contact paper, stickers, all sorts of recycled stuff (bottles, papers, socks, tennis balls, plastic spoons, etc.). Here is our inspiration for it all:

And to make it even better, a group is coming in of international women, who are going to cut and sew and put together multicultural dresses for said puppets. I cannot wait to see how it turns out. I have still to cut some fabric (we got a ton of it donated by Amy- who works(ed) for Nike); I found some lace for the dresses today; and I'm in charge of creating a puppet stage. At this point, I'm just not sure if I want to do all fabric and curtains, which could be very easy to string up either on some PVC pipe framing, or we could hang it on a string between the trees..OR..by getting a large piece of particle board, building a frame to stand it up, and painting it. I love the idea of having the board because I think it would make it look really official. But I don't think it would look as official unless it was painted really cool- and I can't paint. So I'm in search of a painter. Someone who can make it look really good, with spotlights and caricatures and Corvallis Fall Festival Puppet Show painted at the top. Do you know anyone who can paint like that who would want to volunteer their time??

Other activities in the Zone will be Spin Art (but of course), miniature golf, wood block sculptures, journal making, pinwheel making, hair braiding, marine themed pastel posters, bubble play, and I'm probably missing something here but you get the idea. It will be total chaos and I cannot wait.

So if you are in Corvallis September 24-25, stop by and see us! We will be having a blast I'm sure!

Here is my silly puppet I put together in about, oh, 30 seconds. I call her Suzanne.

Isn't she sweet? HA!

Thought for the day...or many thoughts if you will

When I worked at Access in Colorado, a few work mates and I would get together every morning and read an inspirational thought for the day. When I left, I kept the tradition alive for a while...and still do when I see a good one every now and then. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the direction of my life and where I want it to go. Namely: WHAT DO I WANT? So, I've been reading this book called "DO IT! Let's Get Off our Buts" by Peter McWilliams. I have to tell you, it is so good. And it is helping me realize all the things I let hold me back. Also, it is chalk full of quotes. Here is one that I really liked:

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

This quote reminds me of some advice my aunt Lynn likes to give. She says: "Always do what you're scared to do; unless it is unkind, unsafe, or illegal." Good words to live by.

So, bringing me back to my original thought...what is it I want? I wish I was one of those people . You know, who it comes easy for- those people who buy houses at 20, have their own business at 25...those people who go to college right out of high school and seem to have it all figured out. I know it can't possibly be that easy. I know that every person in this world has their own problems, their own tragedy. I know that one of my biggest problems is being brave enough to go out there and DO IT! And those people - the infamous "them", they seem to have no second thoughts about getting out there. The thing is that, all of these years, I've not done anything because I've been too scared. I feel guilty when I have even the smallest successes. And I've just learned that that guilt, is one of the many things holding me back. I mean, I didn't just learn that, I've known, but not known how to stop it. Get it? Maybe not. I'm kind of rambling here. I just want to for once, not put on such a happy face here. I want to be real. I'm scared to be real. I'm scared because, oh gosh, what if you don't like it? What if I'm real and I'm not liked anymore. I know, lame. But there it is. My heart and my fears laid out before you.

What do I want? I'm going to start investigating that. I'm going to start to be brave. I feel like I've gotten small starts. Such as my involvement with the Fall Festival and the DCA. But that isn't necessarily the same as living my dreams. Feeling worthy of my dreams. So this is my new adventure. I'm in the pursuit of living my dreams. I just have to figure out what that is exactly!

Well, I can't leave here without at least putting up a picture, and saying
HOPE YOU HAD A WONDERFUL 4th of JULY!
My weekend was FULL of STRAWBERRIES! I hand picked 24lbs of them. Yowza, that's a lot.

 

 I brought this beauty into work with me. I was told by one of my work mates that he thought it was the best pie that he had ever tasted, and that he didn't know that pie could be so good. Aaahhh, I love making pies. :)

Friday Favorites: Good Tunes and Red Toes

Happy July to you! And happy Friday! Sorry I missed the past couple...we were out of town (in Flagstaff for a family reunion on my mom's side), and then just busy busy! But I'm back today with a few of my favorite things. Oh- and I'll get some of my family reunion trip photos up here soon...and by soon I mean don't be checking everyday for it, but one day it will be here!

I love my records! They make me so happy. Especially when I'm cleaning and listening to The White Stripes. They disbanded- so I'll never see them play live, but the music lives forever!

 Red toes are fully appropriate for the 4th of July!!! One of my favorite holidays.

There is a new restaurant in Downtown Corvallis called the Laughing Planet Cafe.  This place is quickly becoming one of my favorites. They have an upstairs seating area that has a small deck looking over the river walkway. So pretty. The food is super tasty. They cater to vegetarians and vegans. My perfect lunch on this day was the Cuban Bowl. It had brown rice, black beans, sweet potatoes, and plantains, topped with salsa. YUM!

 

One of Greg and mines favorite things to do is seek out live music. If they are playing at a restaurant and we get to eat delicious food while we are at it- all for the better. Last Saturday night we wandered over to FireWorks Restaurant- where most nights they have live music (and the wood fired pizza they have there is awesome!). This duo I snapped a pic of are The Winterlings. It was folk music- and man were they good. They sang this one song, called Lauren's Forest, it seriously brought tears to my eyes. I would have purchased their CD if I had brought extra cash. Even Greg enjoyed them- and folk music isn't his regular thing.

So there you have it. What are you up to for the 4th of July weekend? Fireworks? BBQ? Strawberry Pie? I'm going strawberry picking tomorrow and you can bet I'll be making pie! And jam, and freezer jam, and who knows what other delicious creations.

Friday Favorites

I decided that I would try to make my blog a little more interesting by adding a "feature". This feature is telling you whatever my favorite things are on Fridays. Fridays are my favorite days because it kicks off my weekend, so naturally I would share my favorite things with you on this day. It could be anything I'm loving at the moment, from restaurants to Pandora stations to other blogs I enjoy.

Friday Favorite: BAGUETTE's - Downtown Corvallis
 This little restaurant has been one of my favs for a while now. Vietnamese, French inspired sandwiches- they are to die for! All of their sandwiches are under $6. There is nothing that they sell that costs more. The first time I tried it, I was kind of like...hmmm...these flavors are a little weird, but in a good way. And then, WHAM! I was hooked! All baguettes come with cucumber slices, pickled carrot shreds, cilantro, and their special tasty sauces. EVERY SINGLE ONE is DELICIOUS! Last week I had the Lemon Curry Tofu baguette. YUMM! And to go along with it, a roasted coconut drink. I could seriously eat at this place every single day. 

The people who run this place are always there, and are so incredibly nice. They make everything there, fresh, every day.

This is the Lemongrass Curry tofu Baguette. It is a little spicy in the best way. So so good. 

My other favorites are the other tofu with mushroom pate, the Lemongrass BBQ beef, oh, and their shrimp salad rolls with the best peanut sauce. Greg's favorite Baguette (which he rarely deviates from) is the Shumai - which is pork meatballs. I always end up asking for a bite of his because it really is tasty.

Other Friday Favorites are: 

Music: Been loving Mikke Snow radio on Pandora

Blogs: Oh She Glows! (This one is for you Lynn, and all of your vegan friends! :)), and Bluebird Vintage

Product: Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil - not only can you cook with it, but you can use it straight up as lotion. It makes your skin so soft and gives a nice little glow.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

It didn't rain on our parade!

Hello friends! I have a bazillion photos to share from our stupendous weekend! Boy were we busy bees. Friday night out with Michelle and Dustin. Saturday's Lebanon Strawberry Parade, then dinner with friends at our house. Sunday- well, we rested a bit. But I did bake a pie- make that two for the weekend. I actually don't have a picture of either one. First was a strawberry-rhubarb (YUM!), and the second was a mixed berry pie filled with strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. I liked the strawberry-rhubarb better, but both were good, and both are GONE! Pie does not last long in the Royal household.

I could regale you with all of the fun stories and tidbits, but really, that would be kind of boring and I don't want to type that much. So I'll let the pictures do my talking. I've always preferred that anyway!

Dustin & Michelle @ Block 15 

(mmm, day dreaming of beer battered french fries with garlic and parm topping!)

Yours truly & the Greggers

Here is us and the dog Jazzy that Greg walked, pre-parade

I was kind of wishing while we were there that I had brought my real camera instead of just my phone- some of the floats were AWESOME! Just check out these hulu ladies. They looked so great!

This is at the beginning of the parade walk.

Here's a little video I took with my phone. If you get dizzy real easy, don't watch.

This is the dude I got to walk - his name is Deuce, he is a lover of all children. 

He just soaked up all the attention. There were lots of lucky kids who got to pet him on the fly by.
Like his shirt? That gorgeous design was made by the Royals!

 

Mmm, yes, dinner Saturday night. Full of veggies - we did Shiska-bobs on the grill, had artichoke dipped in lemon garlic butter, a cucumber tomato salad, and of course, PIE!

And besides the great food and company, it was still lovely outside- warm enough not to need a sweater.

The sunset was a treasure.

Welcome to June!

Its been cold and rainy here still. And due to the cold and rainy weather we still don't have our garden in. I heard from someone yesterday saying welcome to Junuary! This week whenever the sun came out for a peek I would take my break and go for a little walk. Here's some photos from Wednesday- just a little break from the rain. It's how I want it to be always!

On that particular day I walked over to Many Hands Trading. It is like my all time favorite store Downtown. Check out a part of the card I got for someone special..

The weather people say it is supposed to hit 80 degrees tomorrow! I can't wait! Seriously, I can't wait! It will be such a fun day. Greg and I are going to be walking dogs in the Lebanon Strawberry Parade on behalf of his work- Safe Haven Humane Society. I have never walked in a parade before. I'll certainly report back. Tomorrow night we are having friends over for dinner. It should be a great weekend. And hey- maybe we'll get our garden going!

Pictures!

My friend from work, Melissa, told me she hadn't done family photos in almost 10 years. That is just uncalled for. So I dusted off the ol' camera and we walked around downtown. It was so fun, and we got some great takes! It just happened to be her son Ethan's 14th birthday as well. Ahh, the teenage years...