Surfing Trip and New Board

This past weekend we took a trip over to the coast and purchased Skylar a new stick. The board he went with was the Torq longboard and his favorite color is red, so of course his board is white with red details along the side. He also got to break it in that same weekend and it was definitely a great surfing time. He is totally enjoying the board and definitely helped him stay afloat better than the foam Wavestorm we've been sharing. His board is a 9' longboard, so with his height it is perfect. We got in about two hours of surfing before the weather turned on us and the wind picked up, but overall it was a good time breaking in his new board.

Five Simple Things (October 29)

Hello.

Here are five things this week...

1. This Cat.

We ended up having to move the cat palm out of the window, because Eleven took "cat" palm seriously and would sit in the pot. Not only was the dirt she kicked out of the pot an issue, we were afraid she was going to damage the palm. It now has a nice home on top of our fireplace.

2. This Machine.

I bought a cotton candy machine this week and literally ate way too much sugar trying it out. This cotton candy maker is versatile, because it, not only makes cotton candy from regular sugar, but also spins sugar threads from hard candy.

3. This Storm.

These clouds reminded me of the tornado-forming clouds down south and were a bit unnerving. We noticed them on our way to surf, but they ended up only bringing rain and wind. 

4. This House.

This house is on a main street in the city where we live and it is almost as if it's stuck in a time capsule. I enjoy driving past it and daydreaming of another period of time.

5. This Reminder.

Best way to start your minimal journey is to use up what you already have. This is the main question a lot of people ask me, "how do I get started." And, I always tell them, use up what you have and once one product is gone, don't buy it again, or switch up to a more sustainable brand.

Did you catch the appearance of Mercury this week (24), or the moon near M35 (25), 

 

Positive affirmations this week:

This quote goes a long way when you are wondering "why not me," or "I wish I had that..." There's a lot of things we think we need, but we really don't. In the end it's easier to see why we don't need them, but in the beginning it's hard to see that clearly. It's taken me over 30 years to realize that most of the things I thought were good for me really weren't the best things for me. Too many years of my own life has been wasted living by other people's standards and what I thought was the best path for myself. I wish I could tell everyone to stop living by what you think other people would like of you and live for yourself. I try my best to teach Skylar to do what he thinks is best for him and not by what other people would think of him, or how they will judge him. If it makes you happy, practice working on shutting others out and what others are doing or thinking, and do what's best for you. If you don't start that now, you will waste years trying to find yourself. You can do it!

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (October 22)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Photoshop.

I was sitting in the car waiting on Jeff and Skylar to come out of the store and noticed the store employee gathering carts in a yellow rain coat. I immediately show IT and had to incorporate a red balloon. As a horror fan, I can't help myself. ☺

2. This "Ninja."

I haven't driven since my car wreck in June, but sometimes go with Jeff, or Skylar to the store. I loved how Jeff's face mask blended in with his hoodie. 

3. This Drawing.

I was having a bad mental health day and Skylar gave me a little something to smile about. Although, it washed off eventually, it did help me feel a lot better. 

4. This Box.

We are still enjoying out Misfits Market boxes and have loved even more the selection they are adding to their online market. This week we decided to try out a lot of the organic produce and we were definitely pleased with what you received. You can sign up here and get $10 towards your first box. It's definitely worth it and will save you a lot on organic groceries. 

5. This Temp-Check.

These temperature checks have been going steady since the start of the pandemic. We check our temperatures once a day to make sure we are all doing okay. We have a specific calendar that we've been keeping track of, not only temperatures, but also if we have come in contact with anyone that has tested positive for Coronavirus. We have also purchased a few more rapid tests incase we need them. We are still wearing face masks, gloves when we need to, sanitizing when we are out, and also using soap and water, and showering when we come in from being out near bigger groups of people. 

Did you catch Antares near Venus this week (16), or the Full Hunter's Moon (19), or even the Orionids Meteor Shower (20)?

Positive affirmations this week:

This quote is such a huge statement of why it's okay to feel what you feel. I grew up in a house where expressing certain emotions that I was feeling at the time was "wrong." I experienced so much emotional suppression that now as an adult it has taken me a long time to process those feelings and to make sure that I am feeling them correctly. Therapy has helped me navigate through that a lot and now I, not only express how I am truly feeling, I also am not afraid of saying "No," or cutting people out without feeling bad about it. Most of the people I cut out are people that no longer serve a positive purpose in my life. I do feel a bit sorry for them because they haven't figured out how to navigate through their own healing yet, but at this point in my life, I am no longer their doormat for that. But, expressing your thoughts, especially when you are hurt or upset is healthy and definitely something we all should get better at doing. As adults that were raised to not express emotion, or to stop crying, or to not be able to be mad when we are mad, it's hard to know when we should express those feelings correctly and at the right time. Kids should be encouraged to feel their feelings. If something is big to you, or hurts you, regardless of how others perceive it, feel your feelings, too. And, additionally, if you hurt someone, it is not your place to say whether you did or not. Let the person you hurt tell you how you hurt them and actually listen to them. Bitterness and betrayal can be avoided by actually listening to how you hurt them, saying you're sorry, and letting it go.  

Have a nice weekend.

Autumn Hike at Silver Creek Falls

After watching the Stayton Ghost Tour and Historic Walk yesterday, we decided to take a hike around Silver Creek Falls to finish out the day. The leaves were changing for the season and the smell of autumn was all around us. The falls looks its best this time of year and it's one of my favorite places to hike in Oregon. Of course, with the pandemic there wasn't a lot of people out and about and it made the hiking that much more enjoyable for us.