The Bean goes bowling for his birthday

On September 30, 2013 my little Bean turned 10 years old.  I couldn't believe he is already 10 when that Monday rolled around.  It was almost a feeling of regret in a way.  A regret to all the things I wanted to do with him before he got to the big one/zero.  But I remembered all of the things we HAVE done up to number 10.  From road trips, to moving to Oregon, to all of the things in between.  We even fit a Foghat concert in there.  Foghat!  I mean really, how many other kids, under the age of 10, can say they went to a Foghat concert and actually jumped into a mosh pit and sang along?  Not many, but my Bean did!  It's been a great 10 years for him and I hope he has enjoyed every minute of it along the way, just as much as Mommy and Daddy have.

  

For Skylar's 10 year birthday we wanted to go mini golfing, but you know Oregon, the rain falls like crazy here.  It was a bit of a bummer because since our Sunriver trip, he has really taken a liking to the golfing scene.  But we settled on a good game of bowling instead.  Here is a recap of his 10th birthday, bowling party.

I found the cutest invitations at Staples.  I loved the colorful bunting at the top.  They were PERFECT for a birthday party!

The bowling alley put his name on the board to show everyone he was celebrating his birthday.  See that little boy on the left?  That's our good pal Conner and I will tell you what, he is the funniest kid you will ever meet.  He cracks us up all the time.  We love him and his family!

He got some cool gifts and the bowling alley even gave him a "retired" bowling pin with his name on it.  

The bowling pin was the favorite of the night, for sure!

So even though his birthday party was on Sunday, his actual birthday was on Monday.  We took him out to eat at a local restaurant here that he really likes and came back to have him blow out a candle to make a wish.  

FYI:  He has been birthday wishing for a miniature donkey for the past three years.  We think by next year we might be on the path to getting it.  We are in the process of looking for a house to buy outside the city limits.  Fingers crossed!

Overall Skylar said he had a great birthday for both days and I was glad!  One of his large birthday gifts from us was a visit to the LEGO Kids Fest in Portland.  Those pictures to come soon.

I can't believe I have a 10 year old!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAN!  WE LOVE YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH!

And for his dad's birthday that falls in September too, the 16th to be exact, we had a small little at-home celebration.  Jeff works so dang hard throughout the week that he likes to keep it low-key.  I think it's because he turned 41.  Ha!

He got birthday donuts.  Even ones with sprinkles.

We got his favorite pizza from the local pizza place.

And he even got his favorite cake, Devils Food.  He loved it and I love how it turned out!  

Happy Birthday to both of my boys!

Five on Friday: Spark of Loves this Week

I have joined in on the fun over at Carolina Charm with her Five on Friday linkup.  I adore linkups and this one is a lot of fun.  It's similar to the Spark of Loves this Week post that I have been doing already, but this time it will be five things I am loving.  In the process, I get to do the Friday loves with a whole slew of ladies that love to blog too.  So without further ado, here are my Five on Friday loves, but this week I have 10 instead!  It was a good week!

1.  Google wishing me a happy birthday.

Although this was more than likely generated to automatically pop up on my screen the day of, I still smiled at Google actually acknowledging that it was my day.  Thanks Google!

2.  Chicken Poop Lipbalm.

Have you heard of this?  It's awesome on so many levels, from it's name down to its ingredients.  You can pick up your own tube from I love Chicken Poop for about $4.

3.  This Goat Cheese.

You guys!  I love lavender products and anytime food is combined with anything lavender (real lavender) I have to try it.  This goat milk cheese is called Purple Haze because it contains lavender blooms and it tastes AMAZING!  It's also made in a small town in California called Arcata.  You can read more about Purple Haze at their website here.

4.  This straw.

I have joined the paper straw craze and purchased me a ton of them.  I actually like them better than the plastic ones and the best part, they are recyclable!  Yay!  Score another one for the environment.  I picked up an entire pack of 100 from Greenmunch for $14.

5.  These bookmarks.

Skylar and I have been having a load of fun with Origami lately and these hound dog bookmarks are part of that adventure.  I will have more of our Origami work up on the blog here real soon, so stay tuned for that.

6.  These Colorful Clays.

I love all things bright and colorful and when my friend Gem and her boys gave these to Skylar for his birthday I thought, we are going to have a blast with these.  And we have! 

7.  My Kid's Outfit.

Okay, mom fail on this one.  One day last week my kid jumps out of the car in nothing by his PJ pants, and house shoes, but at least his shirt was okay.  I ran out of the door so fast with him, I didn't even check what he was wearing.  Thank goodness we were just going to the grocery store and not some where fancy.  Total mom fail though.....TOTALLY!

8.  These Red Potatoes.

Have you seen these yet?  They are totally awesome!  It's red potatoes in a steam-able bag called Steamables by Simply Spuds.  How cool is that? They don't even require refrigeration at all.  We have had them a few times and they are perfect.  They taste just like they would come from your own garden, which for us, is a good thing seeing as how we didn't have a garden last season.  *shame*

9.  My Yoga Blog post ending.

A lot of friends, family, and blog followers don't know that I keep a yoga blog as well.  The link to it is always located at the top of my page under the tabs.  I update it once a month and keep track of anything that is new with yoga that I've learned.  I enjoy yoga so much and it's my outlet to help others with the journey as well.  The blog name is "Diary of a Yogi" and I would love for you to hop over and take a look from time to time.  

Canadian Geese fly south for the winter

A storm recently rolled through the Willamette Valley and brought rain, wind, and a bit of a chill with it.  As the sun seemed to disappear and more rain came, it brought about a few rainbows in the sky toward the late afternoon.  It was nice to see them in the sky during the rain showers because it made you forget that it was actually storming.  Toward the evening it brought the sun setting, the rain stopped, and the sky turned a beautiful blue.  Canadian geese used that time to make their yearly flight back down south to a warmer climate. 

The sound the make when they fly over is a chorus of squawks about who is breaking the line and not staying in formation, or where to land, or even maybe they are talking about the lady on the ground that is snapping pictures of them.  We shall never know.

Eco-Tip:  Fall brings about a lot of great nature-viewing opportunities.  Take this time to head outside and appreciate the many colors and smells that come along with the change in the weather.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me:  Go Green.

For further tips on making your life a bit more informative on the "green" front, visit my Examiner Green Pages:

1.  Little Rock Green Living Examiner

2.  Portland Green Living Examiner

What's Cooking? Wednesdays: Potato and onion chowder and food safety

It's Wednesday again and that means another link up with Jenn over at Going the Distance Blog.  This week I am going to add in a few food safety tips along with my infamous Potato and Onion Chowder.  Enjoy!

Food safety is important in any kitchen, no matter how novice of a cook or professional you are.  Food safety falls under the category of everything from meat prep to handling of knives and everything in between.  Here are five food safety tips to keep in mind when handling or cooking any type of food.

• Wash each item you use for food preparation such as cutting boards, dishes, utensils and even the counter tops whether the food touched them or not. This is important before moving onto handling other food items thereafter. A half a slice of lemon rubbed on cutting boards after you wash and dry them will help cut out bacteria as well.

• Never thaw or defrost foods at room temperature in your sink or your counter top. Thawing foods should be kept in the refrigerator or thawed under cold running water. And never ever marinate foods at room temperature. Always marinate foods in a refrigerator due to bacteria setting in.

• Regardless of the expiration date, never use cans that are bulging or badly dented. Air leaks can happen with these dents and bulges and allow bacterial growth to take place.

• When using sponges and dish rags be sure to wash them regularly and dry them on hot in the dryer. The heat from the dryer will kill any additional bacteria that was missed when washed in hot soapy water.

• Always place your leftovers in shallow containers when placing in the refrigerator. Shallow containers will allow for quicker cooling that can reduce bacteria growth while stored.

• Additional, always check the expiration of your spices and seasonings. Some spices can be frozen while others that you use regularly need to be watched. Never use spices that are more than a month old.

Follow these and other quick kitchen tips can help reduce the bacteria and illnesses that come with cooking.  Sanitize often and always clean up as you go when preparing foods.  Cooking is fun but, safety is a must!

As the temperatures dip a bit this weekend, give this comfort food recipe a try!

• Potato and Onion Chowder

Makes 8 Cups

1 tbs. vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups fresh or frozen asparagus, chopped

1 large potato, peeled and diced

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 can (15 ounces) cream-style corn

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1.  Heat the oil in a medium pot and saute the onion, asparagus and the potatoes over medium high heat for about 10 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and corn to the mix and cook until the potatoes are tender.

2.  Add the frozen peas and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and ladle into serving bowls.  Sprinkle tops with cheese and serve!

You can link up with Jenn too!  Every Wednesday share your recipe on your blog and then add it to the link party to share with others on her blog.  It's really that easy!  

See this week's recipe link up HERE!

Eco-Tip:  Buy seafood that is not farmed or caught in ways that harm the environment.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me:  Go Green.

For further tips on making your life a bit more informative on the "green" front, visit my Examiner Green Pages:

1.  Little Rock Green Living Examiner

2.  Portland Green Living Examiner