Lazy Days Of Summer?

I would love to visit someone's world where they have "lazy days of summer"...

We have yet to discover that fantastical, magical place.

It's been warm. Very warm. Ok. It's HOT! It's not over 90F yet, but it may as well be.

We decided it's time for the A/C.

Steve built a new stand:

I helped a little, but was often distracted by the adorable stray kittens at my in-laws' house.

Lastly...

The Garden. I love it. It's my City Sanctuary.

Thanks for checking in!

Wishing For a Fur Baby!

Shando.

The name of my new love.

I wish I could bring him home with me!

However...

We have a "No Pets" policy at our apartment.

I tried to convince Steve that we could dress Shando in baby clothes.

Nobody would know the difference!

Shando's eyes look just like Steve's!

Beautiful brown!

Steve said no.

=(

So, if you have fallen in love with this three-year-old sweetheart who can melt your heart in a minute, head on over to the Willamette Humane Society in Salem to see if you're a match. =)

Thanks!

Peppers Galore

Tasty meatloaf. Twice-baked mashed potatoes.

These are just a few of the things we've made with our abundance of peppers. Last week, we bought a bunch of produce for our photography class. We were practicing lighting techniques, and peppers have some very interesting aspects.

We had a bunch of peppers we needed to use up because of that assignment. So! Here are the recipes for our amazing dinner last night:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brown-Sugar-Meatloaf/Detail.aspx

For this recipe, I made a few changes. I added a bunch of red peppers, for starters. I didn't have any brown sugar, so I used a little white sugar in place of it. I added a little of it to the meat, rather than all in the glaze. I also added Lipton's dry onion soup mix in place of the onion. Since there is so much salt in the soup mix, I didn't add what the recipe calls for. I also added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture. Patting the meatloaf into a casserole dish, rather than a loaf pan, made it much easier to drain off the fat a couple times throughout the baking process. I mixed 3/4 of the sugar with the ketchup and added some Worcestershire sauce to that as well. I then placed the glaze on top of the meat. I covered it with tinfoil for the first 30 minutes of baking and then baked it uncovered the rest of the time. I found that baking the meatloaf for a little over an hour helped to cook off some of the extra fat, but kept the meatloaf very moist. The ginger is delicious too! Don't skip it! ;)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Twice-Baked-Mashed-Potatoes/Detail.aspx

These mashed potatoes were amazing! I admit that I cheated... I used mashed potatoes from a box. Don't be too disappointed in me! ;) I used the butter from the recipe to saute the red peppers and onion. Then I added the milk, water, and potato flakes to that mixture to constitute my "mashed potatoes". I followed the rest of the recipe pretty closely. I added a little more cheese, since we LOVE cheese. It was delicious! It tasted even better as leftovers today since everything had more time to mingle. Yum!

I also made a quiche for breakfast the other day, but I wasn't as fond of it.

Do you have any favorite "leftover" recipes that you love?

Blessing of Friendship

Friendship is one of the greatest blessings in life.

One of the best gifts is a letter.

"Sir, more than kisses, letters, mingle souls;
For, thus, friends absent speak."

- John Donne

Portland Photo Shoot

Portland. Fun, beautiful city. Great photo ops. Great photographer? You tell me. ;)

Portland is considered the most bike-friendly town in the United States.

A city full of beauty, even when it comes to their public drinking fountains.

Every couple of blocks, there are gorgeous parks with water features & statues.
This is one view of the amazing Ira Keller Fountain.

Interesting architecture is everywhere you look, especially up.

The detail of old churches fascinates me. It also makes me sad that we lack such intricacy in most modern architecture.

Balloons make me happy. =)

Nothing quite rounds out a hot & busy day like watching the sunset over the river.
The Portland cityscape reflects off the Willamette River.

Common Cold vs. Allergies

Itchy eyes. Runny nose. Scratchy, sore throat. Sneezing. Chapped nose and lips. Fatigue.

The question looms:

Is it a cold or allergies?

I believe seasonal allergies are often mistaken for a common cold.

A cold is a virus that invades your body. Allergies are your body's way of telling you that it has taken in or come in contact with something that irritates you, and it is trying to flush it out.

A cold virus usually takes 1-2 weeks to run its course, but allergies can last for months. While a virus is contagious, allergies are not.

Here are some tips for ways we deal with colds and allergies in our house.

Colds:

• Wash hands very often.
  
  
• Disinfect handles and surfaces that are high traffic with anti-bacterial wipes or sprays.
  
  
• Don't leave dirty tissues lying around.
  
  
• Don't use antihistamine (claritin/benadryl) drugs as they will stuff you up and retain the virus longer.
  
  
• Use a decongestant/expectorant if you're miserable and some ibuprofen to deal with the aches & pains.
  
  
• Sipping hot tea or chicken noodle soup is great. Lots of soup! Adding honey to your tea can help to coat and soothe a sore throat. Stay away from acidic, sugary teas. Herbal is best.
  
  
• Keep lots of soft Kleenex and lip balm on hand. I've even used lip balm on chapped noses.
  
  
• Lots of rest & lots of fluids.
  
  
• Having someone read to you is better than t.v. because watching t.v. can be stressful for your body.
  
  
• Use a humidifier where you sleep. Take a hot shower. The moist air acts as an expectorant and helps to clear out your sinuses and lungs.

Allergies (hayfever):

• Again, washing hands is key when you're dealing with bodily fluids so we don't pass germs.
  
  
• Eating cold foods such as popsicles and ice cream and drinking ice water can help soothe the swollen, irritated tissue in your sinuses and help reduce the production of mucus. I've found hot foods only exacerbate symptoms.
  
  
• Taking an antihistamine such as Allegra, Claritin, or Benadryl can be very helpful, but be aware they can cause drowsiness, so use caution when driving or operating machinery. They can also cause some people to feel hyper, and it may be better if they are taken in the morning or afternoon rather than evening.
  
  
• Eye drops can often help calm itchy eyes. Some people have even used a saline wash for their sinuses. I've never done this.
  
  
• Being in an air-conditioned room can help because A/C systems use an air filter, which filters out the pollens, molds, and other culprits that are causing your allergy attack.

What are tips and tricks you use in your home when it comes to colds and allergies?

Summertime Sillies

Steve and I had a wonderful day today complete with thrift shopping, sunburn, barbecuing, gardening, and working on Steve's PT job: fixing and selling electronics. He's pretty handy! If you're ever nearby and need something fixed, let him know. He can probably fix it. Mr. Amazing.

There must be something in the water... Or the sunshine... Or the general spirit of summer! Summertime silliness totally took hold of Steve and I at the St. Vincent De Paul store today because of an unmentionable event - way too embarrassing. Let's just say something happened and the wrong person was blamed for it. We were laughing so hard behind the shelves of dishes and glassware that Steve started crying and my face hurt. I wasn't sure if my face would crack from laughter or melt from embarrassment first! Only one word can describe that feeling: Uff-da! We were still laughing in the car as we drove across town to another thrift store.

I still need to post pictures from the last couple of photography outings. Eventually! No promises though... Just in case that last part sounded somewhat committal. I'm completely non-committal at this point! But maybe tomorrow... ;)

What's in the works for our week? Chiropractic appointments (K+S), babysitting (K), work (S), bible study (K+S), humane society (K), photography class (K+S) and hopefully a lot of time spent in the beautiful outdoors with the glorious sunshine and green grass and trees!

This week's photo assignment? Shooting produce, particularly bell peppers, to experiment and learn about lighting. I'm thinking kiwano. I wonder if I'll be able to find one??

Yes!

That's more like it:

10-Day Forecast for Salem, OR (97301)

NEW: Larger Radar Maps & No Ads High / Low (°F) Precip. % Today Jun 11 Partly Cloudy 67°/49° 20 % Sat Jun 12 Sunny 83°/53° 0 % Sun Jun 13 Sunny 76°/48° 0 % Mon Jun 14 Partly Cloudy 69°/47° 10 % Tue Jun 15 Partly Cloudy 69°/49° 10 % Wed Jun 16 Sunny 74°/51° 0 % Thu Jun 17 Sunny 74°/50° 0 % Fri Jun 18 Sunny 74°/53° 0 % Sat Jun 19 Sunny 75°/53° 0 % Sun Jun 20 Sunny 76°/53° 0 % Last Updated Jun 11 10:07 a.m. PT

Wednesday In The Works

A little bit of our day:

She likes her books!

We found a baby bird at the park!

Isn't he super cute?

Our gorgeous Capitol park. =)

Little flower girl. She held them the whole way home.

Waterfalls Galore

Steve and I headed out to Silver Falls State Park today with Jon & Kari and their kids. It was a gorgeous day! Sunny and warm with big, fluffy clouds to give us a little shade from time to time. I just discovered we hiked two miles with two 3-year-olds and a 5-year-old. They were great! I also learned that I've now seen four of the ten falls! Yay! I've seen the North (136 ft) & Upper North (65 ft) Falls and the South (177 ft) & Lower South (93 ft) Falls. They're beautiful! Pictures will come later. These are the next ones on the list:

*Double Falls (178 ft)
*Drake Falls (27 ft)
*Middle North Falls (106 ft)
*Lower North Falls (30 ft)
*Winter Falls (134 ft)
*Twin Falls (31 ft)

After walking and hiking for many miles and hours in my Keens, I have to recommend them for anyone looking for new sandals this summer! My only complaint is that rocks sometimes slip inside, but it's nothing that can't be fixed by a quick shake of the foot or by slipping your sandal off for a second. They're expensive, but definitely worth it!

From "Achoo!" to "Zzz..."

This weekend has flown by so fast. I had a great week with the little girl I watch, and found out the day before that I wasn't going to be watching her Friday. I was very happy. Teething is hard on everybody! Let's just say she looked very similar to this little tyke most of the Wednesday and Thursday:

I was exhausted by Thursday evening and not in the mood to contend with rush hour traffic on an empty gas tank in order to get to the humane society on the other side of town to volunteer. I pulled onto a side street after I couldn't get over to the lane I needed, and called to say I would be in on Friday instead. Then I headed home, VERY relieved.




On Friday, I volunteered at the humane society for 2.5 hours. There is a little guy who tugs at my heart every time I see him. He was adopted for a few days and brought back, and he always looks super sad. I wish someone would give him a family and a home. As a last resort, I wish I could take him home! His name is Spike. He's a sweety.

I think my buddy, Duke, may have just been adopted this weekend! I hope so! He's so snuggly and well-behaved!

Friday night, we went to Jon & Kari's for an amazing dinner and a photography lesson. Our assignments for last time were shallow depth of field and long exposure. Here are my submissions:

This is the newly reopened Union Street Pedestrian Bridge. It was converted from an old railroad bridge to a traffic alternative for those who bike or walk and want to avoid the vehicular rush-hour and safety risks on the Marion Street bridge. Gorgeous angles and beautiful views of the river. You can see how the focus of the photo is very close to the front, or shallow. I love this photo because it not only shows the height and strength of this historical marvel, but it also shows its new purpose and the people who enjoy it.

This shot was my long exposure. Kari and I went out to shoot some traffic while it was sprinkling. We found this awesome S-curve that made for really great lines. The wet pavement also adds some great texture to the shot. =)

On Saturday, I lead the first Women's Bible study at Mt. Olive! It went great! Thanks for all of your prayers and encouragement! We're all very excited about where this ministry will go! I might post the transcript of the message in a future entry.

Steve and I attended Teresa & Brinnon Tyler's wedding reception at our church. It was an intimate gathering with some great food! Brinnon even ran home to bring some of their wedding pictures! I was in Wisconsin at Matt & Mareike Siler's wedding on the day Teresa & Brinnon got married. What a great Saturday! It was so great to see the Tylers and their wedding photos. They had a beautiful wedding!

Between the bible study and the reception, my allergies kicked in. ACHOO! It was awful! I was very blessed though! haha I guess that's what happens when you sneeze in 3's! I ended up going to bed around 9pm. According to Steve, I didn't sleep very well and, therefore, neither did he! Sorry, sweetheart! He woke up feeling sick to his stomach with a headache. We didn't make it to church, but we're feeling better now that we've had a bit more sleep and some time to chill out. Looking forward to bible study tonight.

That's been our weekend! Look forward to more pictures and stories! Hope you're having a great June so far!

10 O'Clock & All Is Well!

All is quiet on the homefront. Little girl is down for her morning nap. A little grocery shopping completed. Husband hard at work at the office. Me? I'm reading a little Beth Moore in preparation for Saturday's women's bible study premier while sipping a mocha frappucino WITH whipped cream. It's a whipped cream kind of day. Some days need a little extra sweetness.

Through some miraculous wheeling-and-dealing, Steve managed to get himself a free second-hand MacBook.

Thank you, Lord. He's been needing a new laptop. My laptop is gradually crumbling to bits, but it still works. Hang in there, my little Lacintosh! It's a Dell with an Apple sticker. Yes, I'm a geek. I'm currently typing on a MacBook whilst Meebo-ing my husband on my iPhone. Meebo is the instant messaging application we use to get around the cost of sending texts. Welcome to the Hornaday's House of Nerddom. Come and visit! It gets better! ;)

The rest of the day will most likely contain Legos, chimichangas, a walk, baby tears and smiles, cute puppies at the humane society, and hopefully a visit to the in-laws. I hope your day contains a lot of happiness! Especially since tomorrow is FRIDAY! Yay!

Indiespotting & Amanda's Obsession on Etsy!

Check this out! I love the copper necklaces and earrings! Super cute!

Where does my help come from?

I recently received an email newsletter from SettingCaptivesFree.com entitled "The Gospel for the Church in Recovery: Part 2: Chained Captives". I'll let you read it for yourself, and then I'll give my take on it. Feel free to add your own two cents.

We people face many problems in life. Sometimes, like Job experienced, hardships and troubles come in numerous ways, seemingly all at the same time. When difficulties come and we face trials of many kinds, it has been the habit of many people throughout history to turn to other people for the solution. It seems far easier to trust in man for solutions rather than to seek the Lord and call upon Him.

And yet turning to man and trusting in man demeans the living God and puts a curse on man. As Jeremiah 17:5 says: “⁵ This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.’” If we want God’s blessing instead of cursing we must learn to turn to Him, ask for His help, seek His face, and trust in Him.

Oh how true this is especially in the area of “addiction”, or rather dealing with our sin problem. Numerous groups and programs abound encouraging us to “work the program” or “follow the steps”. And all the while, God alone has the solution, and is Himself the answer to our sin problem.

We come now to our second study in Psalm chapter 107. There are four word-pictures given to us in this chapter. These word-pictures show us that God is the answer in each and every situation. It is my hope that these studies will help to wean us off of our fatal dependence on man and turn us to the living God. To read the rest, click here. [I didn't read the rest of this.]

Featured Testimony: "Though raised in the church, I turned away from God because I didn't want to live like the people I knew that attended church. I walked away from God and became enslaved to sin. I sank deeper and deeper in sexual immorality, becoming a fornicator, adulterer, and slave to pornography and sexual gratification. I was drowning in sin and harming everyone within my influence. My wife compelled me to seek help through a conference. I did that and had accountablity, but was still enslaved to sin. My brother and wife told me to take a bible study through Setting Captives Free. Through this bible study, God's grace and revelation, the chains of sin has been broken in my life. I was determined to be free even when I attended the conference, but SCF helped me to understand how to really be free. Jesus already dealt with my sin even before I was born. I have received his work, God's grace and mercy, and I am walking in the Spirit of the Holy and Living God. I felt the chains being broken immediately after I started this course. It took a long time for me, but I am at the finish line and ready to continue the race that has been set for me. I will run without sin dragging me down. I am free because I have been set free by Jesus himself. I have been walking in victory for about 7 months now. I know that I am set apart for the work of my master. I Love God.

I have to say, I somewhat agree, but there is a point I don't agree with. Yes, God is the answer to our problems, but that doesn't mean he won't use other people as instruments of His will - like "Setting Captives Free", for example. Different strokes for different folks. Don't knock twelve step programs and conferences. They help many people, even if it's only one step in the journey to healing.

Trying Tuesday

Today was full of some trying moments. But they were just that. Moments. Most of the day was quite fun. Some of the trials included the family of four squirrels trying to eat my strawberry plants and the little girl I babysit testing the limits of "Don't touch." We solved the squirrel problem with some cayenne pepper. One little squirrel must have learned the hard way. He sat up in the tree over the patio chattering out his displeasure - or screaming, if squirrels can do that. Steve could even hear him upstairs on the opposite of the house! The "No, don't touch" testing was solved by some consistency, redirection, and some awesome Legos! Glad this day is over though. We were all tired. =)