So What if it's for College Dorms?

Most of my green decorating has come from Target, which is their line of home goods geared towards college students. Good thing for me that the green is gender-neutral and they carry an abundance of goodies to match my room!
The lamp that was in the room was an icky, old black lamp left over from college days; it sometimes doesn't even work right:

Thanks to this Sunday's ad, I bought a brand new lamp in spinach green to match the room:

Now to get the spinach green wall clock...

My Recalled Crib

I was blessed to get a crib for free from a friend of a friend. After vacation I put it together, then looked on cpsc.gov to see if it was recalled. Lo and behold, the entire line of cribs from this (now defunct) company have been recalled. They were recalled not only for the sides, but for the mattress support collapsing. I have been scouring craigslist to find a reasonably  priced crib without a drop down side. I think I found one here. She said she would hold it for me until payday, so if it's meant to be, it will be!

My Fabulous Birthday Party

I had the most wonderful birthday party at Bush Park in Salem! The weather was great, my family was wonderful, and I had the best time! Pretty much all pictures are of Maylie, but she's so cute!

A Friendly Dessert

I think all desserts need Teddy Grahams on top...

Don't Mess WIth Texas

I bought Maylie Rae a bib at the Rodeo back in March, when she was only a few weeks old. I decided to wait and give it to her lat week, now that she can use it and I could snap a picture of her with it!

It suits her well!

Sea Lions Are Very Entertaining

The Newport Bayfront is a hot spot for sea lions to gather and wait for the handouts from the boats and crabbers. Most of the time, they are just plain entertaining!

This guy was really vocal the whole time, but was apparently ok, since he suffered some sort of injury at some point, probably fishing line

Over time,they have sunk the docks!

I Heart Newport

Newport, Oregon, is one of my favorite places on earth; I will probably retire there oneday (or maybe own a vacation home so all my Texas friends can appreciate the coast!) My aunts, uncle, and I went on Friday, specifically so I could eat at my favorite restaurant, the Chowder Bowl. It's a hole in the wall that sits between a gift shop and a bar.

I always order the same thing, the Cannonball



On the way down to the water, there was a really cool seagull just chillin' on the post

And I couldn't resist putting my feet into the cold ocean!

My Uncle and His Trains...

My Uncle Doug has had a fascination with any and all things train for years and years. His entire basement is covered in trains, and when that filled up, he tore out his backyard and created a 100-foot layout, including a draw bridge, cities, and train depot. Every time I visit it has grown bigger! It looks awesome, though!

Great Friends

I had such a fun time visiting with old friends from high school! I got to see Carla, a friend from middle and high school, and meet her 3 year old daughter, Anna.

I also got to hang out with my old friend, Jennifer. We go all the way back to 1st grade! I really enjoyed our lunch visit.

What Real Mountains Look Like...

Flying into Washington and Oregon, I remembered what real mountains look like!

Houston Sunrise

On my way out of town on Monday, I caught a beautiful sunrise at my gate waiting to leave Houston:

Elizabeth turns 1!

16-pound Elizabeth turned 1 today! She had a blowout birthday bash at Mimi and Papa's. It was a wonderful time with the new water slide and all the presents. I found the birthday dress at Target and couldn't resist!

the endless pursuit of Life: Texas: an Oregonian's view

My awesome transplanted Oregon friend Tricia gives her POV about being a native Oregonian in the foreign land of Texas. I loved her post so much I just had to share:

the endless pursuit of Life: Texas: an Oregonian's view

PS: Almost a licensed foster parent!

Some Organization

Like most people, I have a pile of cords around my TV/computer/DVR/modem/etc, etc, etc. I hate having them all in a pile, so I researched many solutions and I found the Cable Capture at Ace Hardware, special order of course. I ordered one, found out I loved it, and proceeded to order six more. I still think I need a few more. There are still too many cords, but at least I feel better about how it looks!

Before

After

Living Room

My living room...

Finished!

So glad that I'm finally finished with the room! I had my home study this week, and should be officially licensed within the next couple of weeks. Very exciting...

The perfect green Pack and Play...

All my new toys have a home, and the play yard matches the decor!

Elizabeth's Baby Dedication

Elizabeth was dedicated last Sunday at church, very sweet!