Take this job and love it

For all of us that still have jobs (especially in the advertising industry!), I congratulate you. Here's a quick pat on the back to myself, too, although is it really in any of our hands to dictate if we keep our jobs? All we can do is, literally, be as billable as possible, which in effect means that we are charging someone good money for the services we provide. But the ad industry is very value-driven and sometimes it's hard to see that fact, particularly for some clients who want do do great work but on a minimum budget. It's not the specific services you provide, because any joe blow can photoshop. It's the value you give to that service, the thoughtfulness and quality of creativity behind those hours you're billing, and that's what I'm proud of.

I'm proud to be the provider in my family and I love that Ross and Isla don't care where the money comes from. I'm also extremely proud to have a husband who is willing to drive six hours every few weeks, or at least offer to, help out on the family farm. The 2,000 glorious acres that is my version of Tara. It's where I gain my strength. Sigh. We are the lucky ones.

The best things in life aren't things

There are so many things you take for granted. Grandparents are definitely one (or two, for me!) of them. The things you learn from the special people around you tend to stay with you through a lifetime and I'm so thankful to have absorbed these lessons from my Grandma Hanna. Here are my top 5:

1. How to make the sourest thing in the world (rhubarb) so delectable!
2. How to always squeeze a hug from even the biggest "kid".
3. How to enjoy life no matter what's going on - depression, the 60s, in your 80's!
4. How to show others your love through actions.
5. The importance of family.

Now hush your mouth and find some time to write yours a letter, if you can. If anything, for all that they've done for you in your life...

Shave and a haircut

Ross getting "blowed"

Beer holder man

Auntie Steph and Auntie Melissa with little ones

Grandpa and Isla

Grandma and Isla 

It's been a while, so sorry! We've been up to a lot lately, or rather, in the last few weeks. We received a mega box of fine products from England, things that Ross misses and can't live without (Like his PG tea, Eclair candies for me, and wine gums!).

We were up in Iowa in mid-June, where we had a great time with my family, and Ross got a summer buzz cut (from my brother, Chris) who proceeded to use his freshly-buzzed head as a beer holder, then blew off the hair clippings with a leaf blower! Good times, good times...We sat in the hot tub and met my little niece, Little Miss Siena. Check out how much bigger Isla is than the little newborn. It's absolutely amazing that just 11 months ago, Isla was actually smaller than Siena - Siena was born 8lbs, 6oz and Isla was a straight 8oz. Just crazy...

This past weekend I wasn't too well, but we still played a game of Settlers of Catan and on Saturday we braved the flash heat/cold/rain waves and walked twenty feet to our lovely neighbor's party and surprisingly, we stayed out until well past midnight! Photos to follow soon! Watch this space!

Some good quotes for today:

Take chances. Take a lot of them. Because honestly, no matter where you are, where you end up or who you end up with, it always ends up just the way it should be. Your mistakes make you who you are. You learn and grow with each choice you make. Everything is worth it. Say how you feel always. Be you and be ok with it.

I may still not know what I want to be when I grow up, but I do know that someday I want to live in a house filled with my books and travel souvenirs. And the walls that aren't covered in bookshelves will be covered with photos of my family and friends. When I leave that house, I will be going to a job I love and I'll return to a person I love. So that's the dream I'm working on...

"Design is 70% dealing with people, 3% the idea, 2% selling the idea, 2% the brief, 2% being pig headed, 1% printing, 3% eye for detail, .6% invoices, 2% coffee, .7% tracking, .1% warm glow, .6% panic, 1% 4am, .6% staring, .2% checking, 1% letting go, .8% keeping hold, .7% estimates, .3% checking, .4% proofs, .1% colour, .9% understanding, .4% marketing, 1% checking, .8% beach ball, .5% mice, .3% keynotes, .4% persuasion, .2% bragging, .5% smiling, 2% knowing when to stop."

Ross and Isla are coming home tonight. Couldn't be more ecstatic! And a bonus that mom and dad are coming too! It looks like it will be a fabulous weekend just hanging out in the sweltering KC heat. Can't wait for it to begin. [note to self: TAKE PHOTOS! You have two cameras now, USE THEM!!] grrr.

I was skyped

...and I liked it! I invited my mom and Ross to be skypers and then I could see my baby through the long week that we'd be separated. I nearly cried this morning while talking to Paula about my first few days sans Isla. I miss both of them desperately. I love that you can take snapshots on it, here are a few!

It was so Nice to meet my Niece...

Ok, now that the tea set is done, I can't, um, WAAAAIT until these two little ones are at a teaparty with me! [question: who is this party really for, anyway?] Isn't Siena a little sweetheart??!

Speaking of sweethearts, sigh. Ross and Isla have been up to the farm in NW Iowa this week to help haul some grain for my dad, and they were lucky enough to go hang out with Teresa and Siena today. It was a total bummer that on the hottest darn week of the year her air conditioner broke! Just pooped out! With a mom, newborn and two very high-maintenance dogs at home. Whew. And I'm moaning about being home alone for the last two days...

Which I actually haven't been home by myself much at all! I was finally able to get some movies deleted off of the DVR, like Thank You for Smoking. Hilariously hilarious movie, I tell you! It makes me realize how powerful choice is, but my personal favorite has always been willpower. They're both such strong words. I love the way 'choice' rolls off the tongue. And I love the connection will+power has. Literally, if you have the "will", you have the "power" within yourself to make of something what you wish. Hopefully. But this is for certin - without both, you could never live a full life. Make a choice, and follow through to the happy/bitter end. Just do it.

Otherwise, I've had a lot of invitations and plans to visit this week! Last night I went out to happy hour at Harry's with my AM, Hilary, since it was her last full day in the office, then my lovely neighbor cooked me dinner! Then I promptly collapsed to the thunderings of a storm. It was pretty blissful, minus the fact that I had no Ross to cuddle with...Tomorrow they'll be home!!

100 Things I Love...

There are so many things...too many to put just 100! So I've taken my time and really thought about this list. It's not in order of importance, even, so enjoy and make your own. This excercise has really shown me what's important in life (notice there's nothing about work here? Hmm, a bit of balance is in order...)


1. My husband of (nearly) four years! They say 82% of married couples make it to five years and 60% make it to 8 so here's to being almost halfway!



2. Isla - no way is she quite #2!



3. http://www.britsuperstore.com/ - they have EVERYTHING an expat like my hubby could ask for, except for Cuprofen...



4. Swimming - preferably in an ocean that's a few degrees below "bathwater" temp.



5. Grocery shopping - punctuated with a starbuck's bought with a gift card acquired though credit card points



6. The feeling of the gravity pushing on you just before take-off on a plane.



7. Finding an old pen that I love, and still works!



8. Packing for a trip.



9. Skipping stones.



10. Getting a rebate in the mail - and it being right!



11. Not having to drive home after a night out.



12. Laughing 'til my face hurts!



13. Trivia!!



14. Learning something new about the past of a family member, esp. when it's good!



15. The new TV seasons - Hell's Kitchen/ Kitchen Nightmares, Creature Comforts, The Tudors...



16. Grandma's rhubarb pie



17. Grandma's cherry pie



18. A favorite song being played by your favorite band...when they were reported to never ever play it again!



19. Singing, esp. to Isla



20. Being grammatically correct, the majority of the time.



21. Telling the truth when other people are too scared to do so.



22. Guernsey - Cobo bay and L'ancresse are gorgeous



23. Flowers! Read earlier post



24. Thunderstorms while falling asleep - not when they wake me up!



25. Getting an outfit juuuust right.



26. Getting to know myself better through the years...



27. Cleaning out my closet and finding "new" things



28. Buying books on Amazon and seeing the completed ones on my shelf.



29. Post-it notes


30. My camelbak water bottle, with bite spout


31. Being surrounded by pictures of Ross and Isla...


32. Gathering quotes


33. Writing in my journal


34. Dark chocolate kit-kats and Curly Wurly's


35. Being able to leverage my experience to help out.


36. Booking a trip


37. A nice cup of tea


38. My rocking chair


39. A balanced checkbook


40. A loving card in the mail


41. A clean, organized...anything


42. Pencils that aren't just-sharpened, I like them a little dull.


43. My iPod


44. Crunchy things! Like BURNT bacon, quesadillas, carrots, thin gingerbread cookies


45. Game night at Emily's


46. My family history
    
47. Being involved.
48. Pedicures
49. Basil pesto
50. Back tickles
51. Pearls
52. Good hair ties
53. Long hair
54. Lifting weights
55. Updating my resume
56. Pink nail polish
57. My iPhone and Ultimate Data Plan (text me!!)
58. Quilts
59. The smell of Isla's hair
60. Ross's eyes
61. Sign Language
62. The Greek Language!
63. The color of chocolate
64. The game of Flux
65. and Flashlight Tag!
66. Books "that bite and sting"
67. Guitar chord C
68. Yoga
69. Being pregnant
70. Jack Vettriano
71. Sauvignon blanc wine
72. Sand castles
73. Cottonwood trees
74. Pretty flowing dresses
75. Stripping furniture and refinishing!
76. Face masks
77. Hydrangeas and bougainvilleas
78. Dr. Morris, our pediatrician
79. Plucking my eyebrows (such a sense of accomplishment!)
80. NO air conditioning
81. Lots of storage space, but planned storage
82. HGTV
83. Making a great meal...
84. Pottery!!
85. Painting - walls, mostly
86. Riding horses
87. Shopping online
88. A good stroller
89. New undies
90. My front and back porches
91. Sand volleyball
92. Butterscotch pudding
93. Paleontology
94. Tubing down the Elkhorn River in July!
95. Balloon animals
96. Kind glances
97. saying, "remember when...!"
98. Being warm
99. Environmentally sound food, water, air...
100. Beautiful swimmers