tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47578783638019524302012-01-18T13:07:51.452-08:00Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.comBlogger2271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-70999425890849819552011-05-18T05:41:00.000-07:002011-05-18T06:50:02.215-07:00

We've decided to play this entire trip by ear because we make plans to visit someplace and then don't end up there. Like yesterday, we decided to head to Greenwich Village, which we finally ended up in, but we started out riding the subway all the way down to the World Trade Center site. The site itself is hard to see because the fencing is completely covered by a mesh-type material with future

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-45226630618464314012011-05-17T05:12:00.001-07:002011-05-17T06:21:58.149-07:00

Because of the rain, we decided to forgo Ellis Island (I'm hoping for a clear enough day so I can get some great pictures of Lady Liberty from the ferry) and instead head up to Central Park and take in some Museums.We hit the subway, got our MetroCard and headed up to the American Museum of Natural History. Besides walking, which is the best way to see things in this city, if you're going to

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-18420681268302445792011-05-15T15:39:00.000-07:002011-05-15T16:30:39.973-07:00

Our first day in New York City was a rainy one and when we arrived at where the Empire State Building is located, we looked up, then looked at each other and said, "Is that it?" Mainly because the fog had rolled in, obstructing our view from the 45th story on up. Luckily, but the time we meandered (well, walked quickly, because no one meanders in the city) past it for the second time we caught a

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-87223948779863353912011-05-09T18:08:00.001-07:002011-05-09T19:10:21.983-07:00

In approximately 4.2 days(who's counting) I will be flying out to New York City with my mom where we will spend nine whole days celebrating my 40th birthday. It's a gift from my parents and if that doesn't qualify them for mom and dad of the year I don't know what does. Even without the trip they are the most awesome parents ever and if you try to debate me on that I'll leg drop you faster than

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-34383762735407650862011-03-17T17:00:00.000-07:002011-03-18T08:21:12.052-07:00

I think I really became interested in cooking when my kids and I moved to a tiny town at the base of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming, not long after my divorce. When the three of us arrived and moved into the old farmhouse we brought the population of that town up to a whopping 220. Across the street to the north was a ranch with several noisy steers and to the west was the Last Chance Tavern,

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-2423426724149787972011-02-21T21:00:00.000-08:002011-02-21T21:26:43.787-08:00

For the past several days I have diligently kept up with the news coming out of Madison, Wisconsin regarding the bill that would reform collective bargaining and limit union's rights. It's fairly safe to say that the Capitol building is a hot bed of activity and Governor Walker has indeed started a firestorm that could potentially spread across the country to states that are experiencing similar

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-6748825152126056612011-02-21T17:00:00.000-08:002011-02-21T17:27:54.560-08:00

The girl to boy ratio at my house has me outnumbered 5 to 1 and consists of three young men, one husband and BozDog. Chick food doesn't really fly around here and frankly, I'm fine with that. I prefer steak and potatoes over lettuce and carrot sticks and I think turkey bacon is an abomination. I mean, why would you want to ruin an incredibly perfect food by trying to make it out of poultry. Not

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-12803761164066447502011-02-15T20:57:00.000-08:002011-02-15T21:00:45.588-08:00

Okay, I'm admittedly not a fan of CBS news and because I don't watch it, I cannot give an informed opinion about their news corespondent Lara Logan. Mainly because I haven't actually viewed any of her on air reporting and have only read snippets of her commentary, of which I mostly disagree with. However, I do admire her tenacity for reporting on the front lines and I think this lady's got some

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-91092997485669891152011-02-13T16:02:00.000-08:002011-02-13T18:54:20.645-08:00

While the rest of the blog world is eulogizing about the big 'V' day I have decided that I'm not dedicating this post to people treating the one they love to extra special stuff like fancy-schmancy dinners out, candy packaged in big red hearts, the token bouquet of roses and $7 cards waxing philosophical. I guess it's mainly because I'm not all about commercializing love, nor am I a fan of red

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-15798949016328076512011-02-10T21:00:00.000-08:002011-02-10T21:54:49.840-08:00

I've been on a blog hiatus for some time and instead of boring you with the details of the whys and whatnots let me simply say it's been a season. I can't tell you how glad I was to see 2010 take a hike and 2011 come rolling in. I mean how awesome in itself is a year where you have 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and the fact that I have a child who celebrated his coming of age on one of those

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-5906369018660399032010-11-17T19:30:00.000-08:002010-11-17T20:11:58.885-08:00

May 2010To be honest, I don't really remember exactly when and how we started communicating again, I just know it had been several months. It was a text here and an email there that said something to the effect of, 'Hey, just checking in and I love you.' Sometimes a few words are all it takes to start melting hearts that have hardened and put walls up for emotional protection. And then my phone

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-81731445287359703092010-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:002010-11-02T07:22:24.655-07:00

**This is Part One of Three about reconciling with my teenage daughter. To see Part 2, please continue reading.**November 2009There was a light covering of snow on the ground as I made my way along the river trail. Two weeks had passed since I'd been there and I noticed that a lot had changed in that short amount of time.I dressed for the elements, knowing that a storm had blown through the day

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-6915680970270055372010-09-07T19:26:00.000-07:002010-09-07T20:14:18.976-07:00

This past Sunday our church showed a short film titled, "The Butterfly Circus". It takes place during the depression and is about a renowned circus showman who travels across the American countryside bringing hope and happiness to those who are in desperate need of it. One of the characters, Will, is played by Nick Vujicic. If you have never heard of or seen Nick speak in person then you should

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-65039250247742192462010-08-03T20:30:00.000-07:002010-08-03T20:42:25.197-07:00

It's been pretty smokey here today due to a large fire that is currently burning up the forest near one of my favorite areas. The cause is under investigation and I can only hope it's not because some genius threw their cigarette out the window in the middle of the national forest. I figured the best way to escape the smoke was to head 26 miles up the road to a trail head on the opposite side of

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-28965349211484113112010-07-26T21:15:00.000-07:002010-07-26T21:34:17.740-07:00

The other morning as I was sitting on my deck, reading the paper, drinking my coffee and enjoying what's left of my mountain view (thanks to neighbors who added a 2nd story to their house and the trees that continue to grow thus blocking all but the top of the mountain, but I'm not bitter about it)when I had this incredibly bright idea. I mentioned to Jon that we should take the mountain bikes up

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-86011388868242875042010-07-09T05:00:00.000-07:002010-07-09T05:27:52.056-07:00

Apparently I can now be completely embarrassed by some residents of my home town because of this. Not only is my town famous for the first 'man' to ever birth a baby, which was a big joke because the 'man' was actually a woman who supposedly had a sex-change but kept her ovaries in case she wanted children (and in my book that is a woman having a baby) but we can now add our town as being the

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-45485097292398517742010-06-27T18:45:00.000-07:002010-06-27T18:48:08.629-07:00

I guess it's been several weeks (okay, months) since I've done any kind of regular posting on this blog. I've got a ton of excuses as to why that is, but let's just chalk it up to laziness. At this point I should promise to do better but I'm not going to. Mainly because I don't like to break promises. So instead, let's just have a 'whoa, she posted!' moment and and while you sit in feigned shock,

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-77133550586324809882010-05-30T17:28:00.000-07:002010-05-30T17:35:20.429-07:00

In honor of all the Veterans, past and present, my family and I would like to say Thank You for your dedication to service and for giving more than most of us could ever understand to preserve the freedoms our forefather's set forth for all of us in the United States.God Bless you.

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-12491970445544071382010-05-09T20:45:00.000-07:002010-05-09T21:01:22.221-07:00

It was a long winter and it's been an even longer spring. Winter was mild compared to what my friends and family back east endured. I don't remember much snow fall in my town and it seems we had a lot of 50° days.Spring is a different story. The picture is of an apple tree next to our driveway, and as of yesterday, that's pretty much what most trees in this area look like. Fairly leafless. That

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-26581919038882068372010-05-04T19:00:00.000-07:002010-05-04T19:31:52.746-07:00

Joy. A small three-letter word that simply means a state of happiness and a source of delight. There are a lot of things that bring me great joy and I have captured many those on film. These aren't just photographs, but a reminder of the many joys in my life.The mystery of what's behind closed doors.Old glory waving in the wind.An old cabin on the river, in the woods.A rustic chapel where hymns

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-9199399794692282192010-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:002010-03-29T12:18:43.284-07:00

It was a two and a half hour drive to 'DC' from my brother's house that took us down long winding Virginia roads through small towns made up of wooded farmland dotted with old homes. We spotted dozens of turkeys in fields and trees (eight of them were stuffed and mounted on top of a house. Can you say Redneck?), three bald eagles, white tail deer and Baptist churches. Lots of Baptist churches.On

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-48203455815040131022010-03-22T04:22:00.000-07:002010-03-22T05:04:52.532-07:00

I've been spending spring break with Killian on the coast of Virginia, in Gloucester, with my brother and his family and there hasn't been a lot of down time, especially because the amount of kids in the house numbers 13. We've had a great time so far and this week we'll be heading up to DC to visit one of my high school volleyball players who is in a six-month program and working as a Republican

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-80514785096120328432010-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:002010-03-01T00:01:00.094-08:00

There are moments when I think God probably manipulates the way the universe turns so that He can have a good laugh on me. Such as this morning.If you don't already know, photography is a passion of mine and I've been rather anxious to break in my new wide-angle lens. My son was going to be heading off early on a hunting trip and I had packed my bag with all of my camera gear for a hike up Pilot

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-81900075911441777272010-02-21T19:30:00.000-08:002010-02-21T19:43:30.878-08:00

There are moments in my life where my lack of patience tends to come back and bite me in the backside. Such as yesterday. In the checkout line of the local grocery store.I had just stopped to pick up a few things after a long hike along the river and I was anxious to get home and download the 100 plus pictures I'd taken. As I unloaded my cart the checker began chatting with the lady in front of

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-84219383874263451602010-02-15T19:00:00.000-08:002010-02-15T19:05:47.575-08:00

I know that President's Day is supposed to be in honor of Presidents Washington and Lincoln and I am whole heartedly behind what these men stood for and mean to the history of our country. But, my mind took a different turn this morning as I drove across the flag-lined Veteran's Memorial Bridge in Bend and saw the rows of Old Glory standing on either side of the street being wind-whipped to

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-65471994522337942872010-02-08T20:00:00.000-08:002010-02-09T05:35:48.068-08:00

By nature I am not the most patient person. I've come to realize that part of that is because the feelings of restlessness I've felt for as long as I can remember and partly because it's just not a virtue I've perfected. It is definitely something I wish I had more of and practiced more often.While I am not the role model for patience, I know how I picture it, and this is what I see:Patience is..

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-13164401534183450612010-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:002010-02-01T00:00:04.033-08:00

For the past three months I've been Little Miss Sickly. It could be many parts stress and some parts working with sick kids. Regardless, I'm sick of it. Literally. And Jon claims that since we've gotten married and he's given up the bachelor diet of cereal for every meal, my cooking has not done much for his waistline. I've offered to quit cooking and let him go back to a cereal diet but he was

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-7512023564337280952010-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:002010-01-26T06:08:14.526-08:00

At first glance it's a street like any other. And, I'd guess that for most folks there's nothing really special about driving this road. They just get on it to go from one place to the next. A connecting point for those going east to west, or vice versa.For me, however, this road isn't just about getting from one place to the next it's about going somewhere with a purpose. When I crest the top of

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-60116464263701040762010-01-15T05:16:00.000-08:002010-01-15T06:01:27.467-08:00

The reports I've seen on several networks show a country that has be devastated. Bodies litter the streets, buildings have collapsed, homes are destroyed, people are wandering around dazed and searching for loved ones that are missing. There is no food or clean water and desperation is setting in. Delivering the basic necessities and getting medical attention to the people of Haiti is a

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-28685268156513923192010-01-12T06:45:00.000-08:002010-01-12T07:37:18.452-08:00

Maybe we're not lusting after something we don't have, but something we wish we didn't.It was one of those thoughts that crept into my mind as I was driving in my car and heading nowhere in particular. I tend to do that. Put the car in drive, turn on the radio and get to where I'm going without much recollection of actually getting there. Perhaps it's because I've been too preoccupied lately with

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-48485735329571723432010-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:002010-01-01T08:43:50.130-08:00

Most people think of the New Year as a chance to start over and make their list of resolutions. I've never been one to make resolutions simply because I can never keep them. But, I'm approaching this new year a bit differently than past years and have decided to throw caution to the wind and make a list of things I want to do. I thought I'd share that list with you:I'm going to make sure I look

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-30064181735291689712009-12-29T00:05:00.000-08:002009-12-29T00:05:00.096-08:00

Perhaps everyone has their own definition of what the word love means to them and it's possible that it is misused and probably overused in describing every day things. While I'm sure I throw the word love around rather carelessly, I don't like the thought of putting love in a box to only be used in describing how I feel towards someone. So, here are my out-of-the-box thoughts on what I think

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-25844161330963635582009-12-21T00:30:00.000-08:002009-12-21T00:30:00.446-08:00

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.” (Mother Teresa)Two weeks after I graduated from high school I left the logging, ski bum town of 18,000 in which I'd been raised and

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-72870082211965694592009-12-14T03:00:00.000-08:002009-12-14T03:00:03.449-08:00

Christmas GlowPhoto by Annie KI know I've been somewhat remiss about posting here but come on over to my photo blog for a visit and see what I've been up to there.

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-36347193827669585762009-12-03T21:15:00.000-08:002009-12-03T21:16:03.623-08:00

Sarah stood at the busy intersection watching as the rush hour traffic crept slowly through each green light. She was holding a sign, as she did most days, that simply read, 'Homeless, hungry and anything helps. God Bless you.' She was well aware of each stare that was directed her way by the occupants of the vehicles as they waited for the light to change. Some looked on with disgust and Sarah

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-42042756497105586162009-11-10T22:01:00.000-08:002009-11-10T22:01:02.144-08:00

I grew up surrounded by the forest, mountains, lakes and a river that flows through the town I call home. I always loved spending time out in the wilderness and the older I get the more I feel drawn to the winding trails and the solitude of what I consider one of the most peaceful places I know.This time of year there are very few people on the trail and the stillness that surrounds me is

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-74578971460180098162009-11-09T19:15:00.000-08:002009-11-09T19:16:29.702-08:00

I believe in the moments when God speaks to us through music and there is someone who needs to hear this song because life is pretty overwhelming and fragile right now. I don't know where you are or what's happening, but God does and He really, really cares.Everybody falls sometimesGotta find the strength to riseFrom the ashes and make a new beginningAnyone can feel the acheYou think it’s more

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-22216452392721893252009-11-05T01:00:00.000-08:002009-11-05T01:00:00.233-08:00

On Sunday, as I sat in church at the 8am service, listening to the pastor speak, I became totally uncomfortable. In fact, I was downright convicted and honestly, I can't stand that.I mean church is supposed to make me feel good. I put on my Sunday best (which in Bend means jeans with no holes, at least not BIG holes and only wearing flips if you're toenails don't make the person sitting next to

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-76698029522373254732009-11-04T00:00:00.000-08:002009-11-04T00:00:03.254-08:00

My family and I are gathered on an outcropping of rocks high in the mountains, wondering at the stars. An unusually warm winter’s night has given us the luxury of this little excursion, and we’ve been rewarded with the sort of natural scene that sucks in your breath and makes you exhale in a long, slow whistle.Planets dance above our heads, stars glimmer, and each of us take turns wishing upon

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-12716086758792826852009-11-02T01:00:00.000-08:002009-11-02T01:00:34.873-08:00

Yes, I know. I have been extremely remiss in posting anything on my blog the past few months but I do have a good reason. Volley. Ball. As some of you know, I coach high school volleyball (it's a second job) and the joke in our house is that come August when the season starts, I throw out a wave as I'm heading out the door and tell my family, 'see you in November.' It's actually not that far from

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-74968787597716506482009-10-18T19:15:00.000-07:002009-10-18T19:21:31.757-07:00

I don't know when it started, but as long as I can remember, senior pictures have been a 'right of passage' for any senior in high school. Well, today was the day that Kenzi, her best friend 'Nay', the dog and I trudged out into the woods to take Kenzi's senior pictures.It's hard to believe that my first born is already 17, will graduate in a few short months and then sprint as fast as she can

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-66129502615883422692009-10-15T00:01:00.000-07:002009-10-15T00:01:00.551-07:00

I once read that if a person has memories of when they were very, very young their childhood was a good one. I have shared some of my earliest memories with my mom and it seems I have a few of when I was just under two. And I would have to agree that I had a pretty darn good childhood and a lot of fond memories.Whenever I've been asked about my childhood, I have likened it to growing up 'Beaver

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-40308966983962934672009-10-12T00:01:00.000-07:002009-10-12T00:01:01.185-07:00

Living here in the Cascade Mountains I definitely get to enjoy the four seasons of spring, summer, winter and fall. But living this close to the woods and abundant wildlife, we also have another four seasons. Deer season. Elk season. Pheasant season and duck season.Since my son was little, he has had a passion for hunting and this year he drew his first buck tag. It was with much excitement and

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-78861313857303803802009-10-04T10:59:00.000-07:002009-10-04T11:48:38.594-07:00

I know, I know...it's been a few weeks since my last post, and I have some really wonderful excuses as to why I've neglected my blog. (Did you think I was going to tell you what they were?)Anyway, I finally have a few days off and thought I should quit being so lame and post something (anything) on my blog. Since it's snowing like crazy at the moment and the 3-4 inches that have accumulated are

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-52581250524758848572009-09-20T21:00:00.000-07:002009-09-20T21:00:04.012-07:00

Today was a much needed day off and like most late summer weekend days, I felt the river trail calling to me. So I loaded up the dog and set off for a hike that allowed me a few hours of quiet and solitude.As I was walking along the river I could tell when I was nearing the rapids by the sound of rushing water. And while rapids are a beautifully dramatic sight when viewed from the safety of a

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-84628548898904733422009-09-13T13:04:00.000-07:002009-09-13T13:35:25.011-07:00

I love summer, but there is something about the days just before fall when the sun sits a little lower, the first leaves start to change, the air feels just a little crisper and the woods are a little more still. It is days like these, where the temperature is hovering around 80 that I love to be out hiking along the river.Today was one of those days, so I grabbed Boz and my camera and headed out

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-85572685019543266892009-09-02T00:15:00.000-07:002009-09-02T00:15:00.398-07:00

Today is Helen's birthday. If you don't know Helen, she's Hungarian, which makes us sisters, literally, because I'm Hungarian too. And she's Catholic. Which has nothing to do with her birthday, but it's a big part of who she is and how she sees the world. And she loves Polka. Now I don't know a lot of 29 year olds that like Polka, but that's what makes Helen so cool. She likes Polka and Bob

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-37436973555542502442009-08-31T06:15:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:57:34.095-07:00

The best part of harvesting my garden is when I finally get to dig for potatoes. This year I planted three rows of Yukon Gold and Red potatoes. I don't remember exactly where in the rows I planted what, but to me, being surprised by what I dig up is all part of the fun.To me, digging up potatoes is a lot like a treasure hunt. I carefully sink the shovel into the ground around the plant, loosen

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-7267940256830598622009-08-24T05:15:00.000-07:002009-08-24T05:15:00.058-07:00

For the past few mornings I have gone down to one of my favorite trails along the river to walk the dog. While driving to the trail head, there is a point where I crest a large hill and I can see the Cascade Mountains looming majestically in front of me. While they looked close enough to reach out and touch, there are several miles of hills and valleys between me and the mountains. And as my gaze

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-73136276316841529922009-08-15T04:00:00.000-07:002009-08-15T04:00:01.705-07:00

Today is Sherri's birthday. Who is Sherri? Well, she is this incredibly fabulous, crazy, 'dynamite comes in small packages', big hearted type of gal who has a rather eclectic little blog called Matter of Fact. I strongly encourage you to go over there and wish her 'Happy Birthday!'. And take her a nice pair of stilettos while you're at it cause she loves her some stilettos.And Sherri, for your

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-19176944917064311752009-08-13T18:51:00.000-07:002009-08-14T05:45:32.576-07:00

I have noticed lately that people are living in great fear. I hate that. Fear is what keeps us from being who we truly should be and need to be. Fear stops us cold in our tracks. Fear tells us we're not strong enough, good enough, pretty enough, popular enough, rich enough. Fear takes all of our dreams, hopes and joy and squashes it. Fear keeps us inside a little box instead of living outside the

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-57266046597729687922009-08-10T06:30:00.000-07:002009-08-10T06:45:19.403-07:00

When I started this blog over a year ago, I didn't have a specific purpose in mind except to do a little writing and maybe meet a few people along the way. Recently, I have felt as though I am being 'prodded' to take my blog in a different direction and use it as a platform to help those in need. Honestly, I feel rather un-knowledgable in the area of how to specifically go about this and

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-62841293778133483022009-08-05T21:00:00.000-07:002009-08-05T21:12:42.228-07:00

I know you've all been waiting with great anticipation and the day has finally arrived where I was able to harvest my first zucchini of the season. While some may mock me (I think Jon rolled his eyes when I grabbed the camera to take a picture) because growing a garden seems so trivial, it is quite an exciting moment when all of my hard work, sweat, tears, curses to the Central Oregon weather(not

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-4880786664004199772009-08-05T00:09:00.000-07:002009-08-05T00:09:00.342-07:00

Dear Katdish,I know how much you love Boz. So, instead of listening to me prosteletize on how witty, sassy, sarcastic, great, awesome and fantastic you are,(because I'm sure you'd get bored by that), I'm just gonna give you a bunch of Boz pics to look at. Besides, he loves you. Happy Birthday Katdish! ...just had to throw this in... And here's me drinking a toast to you. The wine is

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-78564263999254969922009-07-30T18:21:00.000-07:002009-07-30T18:32:12.115-07:00

What happens when you get a little too close to Boz...It starts out as a great photo op....And then you blow in his face trying to get him to 'pose'...And then you get the kiss. It's just a little kiss....But, ewwwwwww...

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-89554269787726813832009-07-29T10:35:00.000-07:002009-07-29T22:47:59.553-07:00

Yesterday was a big day for me as my 13 year old son was coming home from Virginia after spending a month with my brother and his family. I had to head to the Portland airport to pick him up, which round trip equals nearly seven hours of driving. But it was well worth it because of the time spent with my son and listening to the stories of what a bunch of teenage boys do in rural Virginia to pass

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-36300818193106343972009-07-26T12:43:00.001-07:002009-07-26T13:10:34.188-07:00

Unless it is this.Since I am a baseball widow for the next several days (Jon will be out of town spitting sunflower seed shells and watching his son play in the Little League All-Stars State Playoffs) I get to enjoy the luxury of either cooking whatever I want or not cooking at all. The latter never appeals to me and after working in the garden and pulling weeds in the yard all day yesterday, I

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-76433018371569046712009-07-23T18:44:00.000-07:002009-07-23T20:29:09.867-07:00

Most days, the young girl sat alone at the edge of the grassy field. On occasion, some of the girls would allow her into their small circles of friends during the lunch recess, but only until the bell rang, summoning them to their afternoon classes. She knew she didn't really fit in anywhere, but desperate for friendship, she was willing to take what she could get.Class was her safe haven. A

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-36919572239771377842009-07-22T05:45:00.000-07:002009-07-22T05:48:08.752-07:00

This was my view of the local baseball game last night and once the sun decided to hang out a little closer to the mountainous horizon it was quite enjoyable.To be honest, baseball is not my favorite sport. But, this is a team of college boys playing in the wooden bat league, and with a view like this, who doesn't enjoy some small town (OK, maybe medium town) baseball. In my opinion, this is what

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-75108557962880551182009-07-19T22:15:00.000-07:002009-07-26T12:17:45.231-07:00

I'm not sure what I expected would happen after sharing my encounter with Jimmy* (not his real name) last Thursday, but it certainly wasn't what happened the following morning. In case you haven't read about how I met Jimmy I encourage you to read Part One. Friday morning, prior to work, I posted a link on my Facebook of the blog post that told about my encounter with Jimmy. Honestly, I was

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-41817782649059790082009-07-16T18:59:00.000-07:002009-07-16T21:32:32.384-07:00

My office lies somewhat off of the beaten path. So, unless someone has business with my particular department, I don't see many visitors throughout my work day. Today, as I was working at my desk, I noticed a man pull up on his bike. I vaguely recognized him and thought maybe he was one of our substitute workers bringing in a time sheet.As he walked into the reception area, he looked at me

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-9392228999640325162009-07-16T00:01:00.000-07:002009-07-16T00:01:01.112-07:00

Today is Candy's birthday. If you don't know her (which I suspect you do if you hang around here) then you should head over to her place, pronto.I 'met' Candy..well, I don't really remember how and when. I just know Candy has always been a blessing in this crazy group of ours and she usually has something witty and profound to say. Yes, I used witty and profound in the same sentence. She's just

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-48459521684563562212009-07-13T20:22:00.000-07:002009-07-13T21:21:03.696-07:00

I've been trying for months to get Jon to blog and 'exercise' his gift of writing (which could be read as nagging. But, seriously, it's the only thing I nag about). He told me today that he's been trying for several months to write about certain things, but everything seems to come out negative. I replied (as he was making the 'tongue sticking out face' and I gave it right back) that perhaps he

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-40010138392826468952009-07-13T06:50:00.000-07:002009-07-13T09:21:18.924-07:00

I can't imagine life in a faster lane than this. And here's why I prefer life in the not-so-fast lane, especially in the summer:1. Twenty minutes down the road and I'm deep in the woods. That means pine trees, the river, wildlife and peace.2. Sitting on my porch in the lazy afternoon hours does not include listening to traffic.3. I'm surrounded by mountains. Big mountains. And lakes. Lots of

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-76631515556559520132009-07-09T00:01:00.000-07:002009-07-09T00:01:00.745-07:00

Today is mine and Jon's 4th anniversary. I'll admit that we joke between the two of us, 'we've only been married four but it seems like 12.' The only reason we can get away with that is because we know how hard it's been to blend two families (actually, ours collided) and the challenges we have had to face.To be honest, we've had some pretty low points in the past four years, and at times didn't

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-15436727115793688192009-07-06T05:03:00.000-07:002009-07-06T05:07:45.844-07:00

My 4th of July was rather uneventful, probably because there weren't any kids around. My son is in Virginia for the whole month visiting my brother, the one with 12 kids (hey, what's one more?) and my daughter was off doing her own thing. I headed down to the annual Pet Parade to meet up with my parents and after watching the parade for an hour realized that apparently all 80,000+ residents of

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-68840552331030021432009-07-02T14:48:00.000-07:002009-07-02T14:50:45.904-07:00

I have noticed, especially lately, the astounding amount of people who seem to be hurting and living without happiness or hope. I find that incredibly distressing and I was mulling this over in my mind while on a road trip last week.Everyone has a different story of how they ended up at a particular point in their lives. Circumstances tend to dictate people's happiness, unhappiness, faith, hope,

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-4328676448843473952009-06-30T20:49:00.000-07:002009-06-30T20:49:33.933-07:00

There is something about gardening that is kind of like therapy for me. It's a moment in time where it's just me, the plants, a whole lot of dirt and time to think. When I garden, I don't bother with shoes and gloves because I like the feel of my feet in the dirt and it's easier to pull the weeds with my bare hands.Because I don't wear gloves, I have a spot on the palm of my right hand that is

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-41820696810588701522009-06-28T17:56:00.000-07:002009-06-28T18:26:04.219-07:00

We spent the weekend camping in the forest near a large Obsidian/Lava flow and actually climbed the lava flow with Boz. It was hot. About 3/4 of the way up we came across a patch of snow. I have never seen Boz so happy to see this stuff. Lucky for you, we captured his glee-fest on film.

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-6694242928799590752009-06-23T07:45:00.000-07:002009-06-23T07:54:08.217-07:00

Feel free to stop by Annie's Daily Picture and catch a glimpse of what I see when I get behind the camera. I hope to post a picture a day, unless for some reason I am away from my computer for any length of time (like out in the woods camping, or in a small village in Mexico).If you have a snapshot that you would like to share, please pass it along with a little description and I'd be happy to

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-32132995251704459202009-06-22T07:57:00.001-07:002009-06-22T08:14:31.712-07:00

What a great lazy weekend I had. Jon and I have the place to ourselves for an entire week and so we pretty much did a whole lotta nothing. Yesterday, after Jon washed the three cars (ehem) we laid down in the front yard and for a few hours, enjoyed the view, looking up. Remember doing that as a kid? Looking up at the sky and trying to see what shapes were in the clouds? Life takes on a new

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-14457248390872927412009-06-21T06:03:00.000-07:002009-06-21T06:34:51.553-07:00

This is my dad, with three of his grandchildren (the other 13 were up in the game room). Now, I know every kid thinks they have the best dad in the world, but I really do. Here's a few reason why I love my dad and think he's so awesome:* Dad has no problem telling me he loves me.* Dad loves all of his grandchildren, and especially likes giving them big ol' hugs.* When I'm around dad we have a

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-21782910202875630842009-06-20T14:43:00.000-07:002009-06-20T15:26:48.813-07:00

It has been pretty quiet at my house today. The kids left yesterday to go visit their dad, who lives about 3+ hours away. It's the first time they have driven themselves over the mountain pass. To be honest, it was kind of strange watching them drive off, knowing they are taking a 'trip' on their own. Seems like only yesterday they were too young to even stay home by themselves.In lieu of words,

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-20595018853493172302009-06-17T06:21:00.000-07:002009-06-17T06:33:20.114-07:00

If for some reason, while growing up, you were not allowed to dance because of religious views (you know, 'don't dance, don't drink, don't smoke, don't chew, don't go with guys/girls who do') then you totally missed out and I'm really bummed for you. I mean, growing up without HammerTime? Here's what you missed. No, really, you're welcome. (Ehem)

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-47411890200685341762009-06-14T12:04:00.000-07:002009-06-14T13:23:22.339-07:00

I was recently asked why I started blogging. I guess it was because I had been reading and enjoying some random blogs and thought it would be an interesting way to do some writing and see where it takes me.Writing has always come easy to me and I had some specific things I intended to write about, namely step-family life. But, because of one reason or another, I abandon that idea after writing

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-63634724932543796782009-06-11T20:16:00.000-07:002009-06-11T22:06:24.883-07:00

So you asked and I have answers. In fact, I usually have an answer even when you don't ask. Really, you're welcome. Sometimes I have the answer but choose to remain silent, and other times my mouth works faster than my brain and you get an answer in the form of a somewhat smart alec comment. For instance, I make it a point to never talk about work on my blog. It's the most sure fire way to get

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-34184614809523139182009-06-11T04:00:00.000-07:002009-06-11T04:00:05.653-07:00

It was 17 years ago today that Kenzi made her grand entrance into this big old world at Evans Army Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was barely 21 years old and the thought of being a mom was exciting, scary and overwhelming at the same time.Kenzi was stubborn, strong-willed and determined from the get-go and I should have known there would be some challenges along the way when at the

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-42708019464308209652009-06-10T03:30:00.000-07:002009-06-10T03:30:00.429-07:00

We endured the mother of all storms today and it was madness I tell you. Over two inches of hail fell where I worked and then there was the deluge of rain. I'd play the video I took from my phone, but I sound like a dork (because something struck me funny and I'm laughing so hard) so I'll spare you all the agony. Anyway, the clean up crews are out in full force around the city trying to pump

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-4129770969723636662009-06-09T06:22:00.000-07:002009-06-09T06:42:20.009-07:00

For the past few days I've been kicking around doing a post like Billy did, (because he is full of great ideas, has a really smart grandma and just happens to be our favorite Redneck blogger) but then Katdish beat me to the punch. Que' sera, I guess.But then I decided, what the hey, might as well join in the fun of it all and let my faithful readers, all 4 of them, ask me anything they'd like to

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-730547547753352932009-06-05T16:15:00.000-07:002009-06-05T16:15:00.153-07:00

It's Friday and I'm glad for that because I really have nothing to write about. Seriously, the most exciting thing around here has been the weather and the fact that those silly little cukes in my garden are coming up (sorry, Matt but you will never live that one down because that is the best comment I've ever gotten.) Looks like we'll be in for another humdinger of a thunder/lightning storm

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-49592660879038031342009-05-31T17:35:00.000-07:002009-05-31T17:35:41.210-07:00

My house is totally silent right now. Everyone is gone and all I can hear are the trees moving in the wind as a storm threatens to blow in. I love the quiet times like these because I find much peace in the still moments of life. It was quite a week that was full of ups and downs, drama, prom, reflections, disappointments, anticipation, stress, eye-rolling, laughter, tears, an exhausted dog and a

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-54495462442518839412009-05-29T18:58:00.000-07:002009-05-29T19:42:59.647-07:00

When I was a kid I loved thunder and lightning storms and when the downpour came it was even better. We used to say that 'God is moving furniture around' whenever the thunder clapped. My dad grew up in Akron, Ohio and if you haven't experienced rain on east coast you've never truly experienced a storm. OK, maybe Ohio isn't 'east coast', but it's a lot farther east than Oregon and from Ohio to

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-66245443286238690812009-05-26T20:31:00.000-07:002009-05-26T21:17:01.455-07:00

My weekend was pretty darn good. There were a few downs, but for the most part, the weather was wickedly awesome, the wildlife was in living color, the RV was better than Motel 6 (and I know the sheets were clean - cause that always freaks me out about hotels), the stump made a smokin' hot fire and God put me in check. I thought I'd share some of the highlights, with commentary (of course) of my

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-17352076908037352822009-05-21T19:48:00.000-07:002009-05-21T20:08:13.750-07:00

As I mentioned last week, Jon and I will be spending the week in our castle on wheels out in the woods. In case you can't remember, this is what we will be staying in.I know you all are probably very jealous at my artistic flair for flower arranging, and the fact that I have a SPAM shirt and you don't. I know. How kewl is that. The place we're going is pretty darn awesome. Actually, this is it:

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-26421643124706931352009-05-17T14:42:00.000-07:002009-05-17T15:26:51.721-07:00

I spent yesterday in the trenches. Potato trenches that is. The folks came over and we spent the morning digging trenches and planting potatoes and we even planted some cabbages. These are the only things that will survive the frost that will no doubt plague me sometime around June 26th. I have learned from experience NOT to plant sissy vegetables that can't handle a little ice, because then I

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-68075757228973045682009-05-14T18:07:00.000-07:002009-05-14T20:02:31.053-07:00

I am glad that the week for me is over. I have a great job with lots of vacation and so I save it all up for the end of the year (our year is July to June) and start taking 3-day weekends in May and then a week or two in June. I really need the extra time off this week. I'm brain dead, heart dead, joy dead and dead tired. Sometimes life just goes that way. We all know life just stinks sometimes,

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-11138790585044286412009-05-11T03:30:00.000-07:002009-05-11T03:30:00.740-07:00

My friend Sherri threw down a challenge to all of her blog buds and it goes something like this: Ask your spouse to answer honestly several 'loaded' questions about yourself and call it a good time. I have been putting it off because I was feeling overly insecure and slightly moody last week and was afraid of how Jon would answer the questions (I don't know why, because it's not like he's going

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-1250764184950389572009-05-10T05:45:00.000-07:002009-05-10T06:22:58.305-07:00

Today is Mother's Day and I will be celebrating this day by taking my very awesome mom to breakfast. A few of the reasons why I think my mom is the best are:* She has a huge heart for others.* She can grow a mean flower garden.* She makes the best tulip bouquets.* She isn't afraid to go on mission trips to places like Turkey (where she got everyone arrested), Libya, Palestine and she even

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-59107724159699392832009-05-07T17:54:00.000-07:002009-05-07T17:57:38.436-07:00

It's Friday and I'm off to the valley to listen to my daughter's high school choir sing at a college. (For those of you who don't know what 'the valley' is, it's a very wet place about three hours from my house. It constantly rains (or so it seems). They have greener grass than we do over here in the mountains, but I'll take sun over green grass any day.) It's been a crazy week and I'm

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-45703499593812087152009-05-05T16:37:00.000-07:002009-05-05T17:18:09.609-07:00

So today is my birthday and if you roam around in my blogosphere you would probably have guessed it by now. Let's just say that when I checked my blog email this morning (BEFORE work) I was pretty dang tickled by what I saw.All of my bloggity buds had done Happy Birthday posts on their blogs, and encouraged all of their readers to come over to my blog to wish me happy birthday. Of course the most

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-48810417413993560082009-05-02T11:10:00.000-07:002009-05-02T11:45:01.830-07:00

The Swine Flu - or H1N1 as it is now being called is a serious thing. While any death from this is tragic, I can't help but be amazed at the panic surrounding this virus. Government agencies and news medias seem to be fueling an ever-growing fire by suggesting that we not travel to 'certain' places, cover our mouths when we sneeze or cough and stay home if we're sick. The latter two are common

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-3014075703823355802009-05-01T16:30:00.000-07:002009-05-01T16:43:05.333-07:00

I'm glad it's Friday and here's what I observed (or possibly learned) this week:1. I am incredibly ready for summer and officially sick of snow.2. When I come back from Mexico I should tell everyone about the pigs I came in contact with and cough a lot just to see what kind of panic it causes. (No, I'm not going to Mexico, but if I were...)3. Joe Biden should not be allowed to speak in public.

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-11134137638833769472009-04-28T17:57:00.000-07:002009-04-28T18:31:53.037-07:00

I know what big fans of Boz you are (I'm thinking of starting a FB just for him) and how you love his videos. Well, I've got the latest. If you've never experienced spring in Central Oregon, well, you've never experienced spring. If you'll recall, last weekend I was enjoying 80° days here: Yes, I know. It is paradise and the cool thing is I live here '365' (the sun shines 360 of those days, today

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-47487348260198732462009-04-25T16:14:00.000-07:002009-04-25T16:18:17.364-07:00

Over the past several months I have realized there is a great need to pray for others and I wanted to create a place where people could come and leave any prayer requests they have. There are people in this world who are hurting, broken, addicted, jobless, homeless, hopeless, ill, in need of salvation, healing and direction. We all know such people and I have felt led to start a new blog as a

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-49379018636822987762009-04-23T19:39:00.000-07:002009-04-23T20:34:03.446-07:00

I'm glad tomorrow is Friday. It's been a terribly long week. I mean, it's been a long two days of being back to work after my extremely long and relaxing weekend. (Does that sound like I'm rubbing it in?) (And that is Kenz and her super cool friend Shylo who came with us last weekend. Cute girls huh?)I had a lot of blog reading 'catch up' to do. I feel like a tool (ok - that is Katdish's word,

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-78687712108271015922009-04-21T20:04:00.000-07:002009-04-21T21:00:35.674-07:00

I had the most relaxing extended weekend in the most awesome place. Seriously. My pictures can't do it justice.On the way home today Kenzi and I had a conversation and it went something like this:Kenzi: I don't want to leave this place.Me: If you lived out there would you miss the city (Bend is 80,000 which is BIG for us, but I know some of you are laughing!)and go nuts? Or would you like it?

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-81673089626365339362009-04-20T18:08:00.000-07:002009-04-20T19:07:02.155-07:00

What a great extended weekend it's been out here on the river. I find that the older I get the more I like solitude, peace and quiet. Maybe it's because peace has been somewhat elusive in my adulthood and out here in the woods I find it in abundance. I want to share some highlights of my weekend, and if nothing else, perhaps it will encourage you to seek the places that feed your soul...Highlight

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-43944028773001640762009-04-17T17:03:00.000-07:002009-04-17T17:31:15.275-07:00

I was not anticipating having some awesome video of Boz so early into the weekend, but alas, Boz did the plunge. He was getting a drink on a fairly steep part of the bank and Kenz scared him. Yep. SPLASH! I actually had to reach in and save him. This is probably a snort worthy video. Oh, and this place is awesome, as you can tell from the pictures. I can't wait for the day that Jon is going

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-65778365658356816102009-04-17T06:06:00.000-07:002009-04-17T06:30:09.818-07:00

So today actually IS Friday (I've been thinking it's Friday since Wednesday, which makes for an incredibly long week) and this afternoon, me, my kids, the Boz dog and a few of their very lucky friends will be heading out of town. We're heading for a house, on the river and in the woods. My favorite place.I've told the kids to pack their swim suits because they'll need them for the polar bear

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757878363801952430.post-12208279692355638792009-04-13T18:25:00.001-07:002009-04-13T19:09:07.888-07:00

So Bend has a serious Meth problem. Just last week, the owners of a local taco shop were busted big time for dealing meth. And it's not like they were doing deals in dark alleys or side streets. Nope. You could pull up to the drive-thru and order your burrito with a side of meth, to go. Seriously. Just yesterday, after church, we drove by the restaurant (that is closed for the time being), and

Annie Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07774350914255922163noreply@blogger.com14