Life at a "Swell's" pace

Five simple things

Hello.

The cold has come and now it's gone. We took advantage of the chill in the air for a few days and painted our deck (a post is in the works). We went with a textured surface with color and it really turned out well. We also decided to grab up some textured paint for the front step area, too. We are hoping to get a coat on that soon before the winter season comes. On a different note, today marks one year since we lost our sweet, loving dog Baz. It still hard for us to think about and my favorite and hardest times this past year have been when all three of us gather in the front room with no distractions and just talk about him, or other topics. I really enjoy that time we spend together because it seems to allow us to be more connected. I have Baz to thank for those moments because it really started after he passed away. God we miss him. With Meia and him being gone, and with having them for almost 20 years, our lives have definitely taken a different path now. It's been a hard year, but the healing is happening. And although we are healing from their loss, we will never get over how much they affected our lives and left a permanent mark on our lives. We will live life at a Swell's pace and also never forget how the little things matter so much. Here are five simple things that made this week good.

1. This harvest...

With the Harvest Moon we went ahead of picked and dug all of the vegetables we could gather. We were extremely pleased with the potato harvest and the last of the tomatoes are slowly ripening up.

2. These crab pots...

Always ready to go and always makes me long for ocean waves.

3. These tablets...

Trying a new way to clean the hard to reach stainless steel water bottles.

4. These organic deodorant...

Giving it a go. We'll see...

5. This Mightnest fix for September...

Still wondering if we like silicone, but we're willing to give it at least give it a chance.

A few more things:

• Avoid winter burnout

• Homemade Halloween printables (Be sure to use recycled paper and biodegradable inks)

• This necklace

• One of a kind Autumn wreath.

• Growing bamboo

• Yoga Today for yoga every day

• This casserole pot in white

• Learning to swap ingredients in recipes

• Sexual harassment PSA posters

• Apple cider stand

Have a nice weekend.

Five simple things

Hello.

So this past weekend we celebrated The Mr.'s birthday; He turned 46 this year! It seems that both of us are slowly aging before we know it, but even though our age shows in numbers it definitely doesn't show in us. We both feel like we are in our late 20s, which we're told is great! The Mr. said every birthday just gets better for him. The Bean and I come up with new ways to celebrate it with him and this year was no different. The Bean will turn 15 on the last day in September, so for the last month we've done nothing but celebrate our birthdays. My mom is the best when it comes to remembering birthdays and she is always prompt with her surprises through the mail. I don't know what we'd do if it wasn't for her birthday surprises to us each year. We all three look forward to them and they are such a treat! On a side note, this week was a pretty stress-filled week and it won't stop yet. The Mr. has to work all weekend and The Bean and I are gearing up for another year of homeschooling soon. I usually give him from August 15, his testing day, to his birthday, September 30, as a "summer break" and then we get back to it on the Monday following. Organizing and getting his school schedule and curriculum done before that time as been quite a chore as he is going into the ninth grade this year. I keep reminding The Mr., The Bean, and myself, "We have this."

Here are five simple things that made this week good.

1. This eye cream gift...

I received this firming eye cream as part of the Influenster program and for testing purposes. Although I am not one to use creams like this because of my allergies and how sensitive my eyes are, this one is really nice. I've been using it a week now and I am pleased with the results so far. Most eye creams in the past have made my eyes itch and burn to the point of me rubbing my eyes raw. The Perricone MD firming eye cream feels hydrating and nice when I apply it at night. I have enjoyed it so much that I've been even using a small bit of it during my morning routine, as well. It's holistic and anti-inflammatory. You can purchase the Perricone MD Firming Eye Cream at Sephora, or here.

2. This man's birthday...

The Mr. had a great time celebrating his birthday. From a homemade chocolate on chocolate birthday cake-his favorite, to The Bean's homemade banner he could run through. It was a good day.

3. This box...

This was the September Yogi Surprise Lifestyle box and it was packed full of great items. I'm not really a huge fan of purple, but that cashmere shaw is amazing! I can't wait to wear it this fall and into the winter months here in Oregon. You can get on the October list here.

4. This sign...

It's really sad that we have to place signs up in businesses to let people know that they are welcome no matter where, who, what, or why. Hate really has no place anywhere!
(Nearly Normal's Gonzo Cuisine)

5. Autumn changes...

We are looking forward to the changes here because this is the time of year that makes Oregon shine the best! We are looking forward to some great fall hikes.

A few more things:

• How to create a zen garden in your own backyard

• Burn 100 calories in 10 minutes

• Back to school DIYs

• Living from Scratch

• Never underestimate the simple gift of freshly sharpened pencils

• Hand milled soaps

• Typography pumpkins just in time for Autumn

• Meyers Falls Market

• Prospector Co.

• Time to clean out and organize your first aid kits

Have a nice weekend.

Five simple things

Hello.

We had a chilly week here in the Valley this week and a few mornings we had to turn on the heater to low just to get the chill out of the air indoors. We also got a few days of heavy rain and it was welcomed with smiles in our house. With our water bills being pretty large already from trying to stay ahead of the heat, the rain gave us a little bit of a break from watering our garden and flowers. This past weekend was our "Downsizing yard sale" as we like to call it. We ended up selling a treadmill, an armoire, a few nightstands, an electric guitar and amp, a secretary's desk that The Bean used for homeschooling for years. I was sad to see the desk go, but we have other options for a desk now-the dinner table-that helps us be more minimal. We also sold a lot of The Mr.'s card collections; Football, baseball, and golf gear. We tried in vain to sell the wooden picnic table, but no one seemed to be interested in it right now. We will try again with our last sale before we finally move into the next phase of our life in a couple of years. We are gearing up to celebrate The Mr.'s birthday this weekend, too!

Here are five simple things that made this week.

1. This sweet doggie...

Because I don't talk about him enough and how great of a doggie friend he really is.

2. These blue skies...

It's been awhile since we've seen them because of the fires, but this week was nothing but blue skies and a bit of rain, but definitely more blue.

3. This Yogi Surprise box...

This was the August 2018 Yogi Surprise Box and it was all about chakras and clearing out to make room for the new. You can sign up here to get next month's box and get a $10 credit towards your first one with coupon: REFJVDKY1IDAT

4. These balms...

Because with the temperature change lately they have been a lifesaver.

5. This sleeping kitty...

Because nothing is sweeter than a sleeping kitty. Eleven cat has become such a sweetheart and with the loss of Meia recently, we are giving her extra special attention.

A few more things:

• Kitchen, spice jar, and pantry organizing labels (free download)

• Homemade shower spray

• Driftwood pillow print

• Grow your own redwood tree

• Get ready for National Vodka Day

• Six places to enjoy the colors of autumn in Oregon

• Create custom temporary tattoo with tattoo paper

• DIY Homemade vanilla extract

• DIY Large paper dahlia

• Rustic on Pinterest

Have a nice weekend.

Road trip: Paddle boating

The Bean and I spent the last few days of summer doing a few things we've been wanting to do when the heat of the day was pretty high. One of the things we've been wanting to try is the paddle boats at Waverly Park ran by the Albany Parks and Recreation. The day we went it had gotten up to 98 degrees and it was the perfect day to paddle around the water, feed the ducks, and enjoy the splashes from the water that occasionally hit our feet.

Road trip: Carousel ride

This past month we finally got a chance to ride on the infamous Albany, Oregon, Carousel. This carousel has quite a history to it. The original carousel started in New Jersey and worked its way to Albany, Oregon, where it was restored and brought back to life. The ride animals are all hand carved and with donations and sponsorships from individuals and businesses it's able to provide this wonderful attraction to the general public. It's been in operation since 2017 as the Albany Carousel Project.

As part of keeping the magic alive with the carousel the Albany Carousel Project has volunteers that give you a tour of the building and the work that goes into the carousel going. The tour takes visitors in the workshop of the carousel building where all the hand carving takes place. This is that area and we got a firsthand look at the future animals soon to be added to the carousel.

In the gift shop they have hand carved animals and other carousel items for sale and The Bean purchased this menagerie. The profits go toward keeping the carousel going and keeping the magic alive.

Five simple things

Hello.

We are in the middle of yard sale weekend right now and rounding out the four days with Sunday. We are selling a lot of our home furnishings and odds and ends that we no longer can justify having. We are hoping to downsize a lot more later on, but right now is a great start in the process. I even sold our old treadmill to an 91 year old woman looking to keep moving every day. She really gave us some sound advice and said, "Movement is life." Amen to that, and cheers to her for being a great role model in the game of live.

Here are five simple things that made this week great.

1. This eco-dough...

Because it's better all the way around.

2. This fork...

Sometimes the Willamette Valley has some unusual stops along the way. This picture was taken when The Bean headed out for the day with his grandma and took in some of these unusual places.

3. This sign...

More and more farms are in cooperation with Organic Valley and more people are realizing that organic is better for your health and the environment. This particular farm is located in Scio, Oregon.

4. These hops...