Musings on life, parenting, Jesus, and more...

The last time I was in Seattle was a few years ago, and even then I made the comment that it seemed much cleaner than Portland does these days. I moved to the Portland area in 2004 after graduating from the University of Oregon in the Eugene. I grew up in North Idaho, and visited Seattle on a few occasions. I knew about the homeless problem, heroin addiction. Seattle had kind of a bad wrap to be honest. When I first moved to Portland area, I loved it. I would go down to events on the Portland waterfront, and frequent restaurants and bars in the city. However, since Covid and the riots, it’s really gone downhill. In my opinion, Portland is far worse these days. I know they are trying to find housing for the unhoused population, and from what I hear from sources on the inside, they are successfully doing that. However, in the meantime, the city still remains an eyesore and for me personally, does not feel like a safe place to visit. It would actually be a fun comparison after spending a ...

Today would have been my dad’s 77th birthday. It also happens to be Father’s Day - a beautiful, sunny Sunday here in Oregon. Yesterday I watched my daughter play beach volleyball under a warm summer sky. Today, I’m sitting on the sidelines of my son’s baseball tournament, soaking in the joy of family, sunshine, and the ordinary magic of weekend routines. On the surface, everything feels peaceful and full. And yet, beneath it all, there’s a quiet ache. I miss my dad. Grief is a strange and unpredictable thing. One minute you’re fine, the next minute the cat leaves you a dead bird on your front doorstep and you’re bawling your eyes out. I know I’m not the first to say it, and I won’t be the last, but I’m deeply grateful that we can hold two truths at once. Life rarely exists in black and white. It’s the “both/and” that shapes our richest experiences. I am both incredibly grateful for this weekend, and also profoundly sad. I miss my dad’s presence, especially on days like today. But I...

I don’t know if many of you know this about me, but I have battled depression at different times over my life, starting in adolescence when I would self harm with razor blades and lighters, and at the age of 15, attempted to take my own life by drinking alcohol and swallowing a bottle of sleeping pills. God had a plan for my life though, and despite my attempt to end it, he has managed to protect me and get me this far (46 years!), thank you Jesus. Depression hit hard again in my 30’s, with three small children and a failing marriage. I once again turned to self harm, but not in the same way as my teenage years.  Through years of therapy, lots of prayer, self help books and podcasts, journaling (LOTS of journaling), and many other tips and tools that I’m going to list below, I have found a way to thrive and enjoy life without depression and without antidepressant pharmaceuticals.  I’m not against the use of antidepressants - I think they can be a great tool to help get people ...

I love writing. I think I’ve always loved to write. I remember being devastated in the 3rd or 4th grade when I didn’t get chosen to do to the Young Writers Conference and somehow my parents managed to pull some strings and let me attend.  (I didn’t realize at the time but in hindsight, I think I probably wasn’t “chosen” to go the first time because my parents didn’t have the money - maybe the school provided a scholarship or maybe the folks scrounged up the money, but somehow I was able to go.) Writing can be a very personal thing, and putting your innermost thoughts out to the world can be very vulnerable. I hope and pray that I am at a point in my personal growth and healing journey that I can share my heart and not let the criticism and judgment that I know is rampant in the online world, affect me or make me feel like a bad person. It takes a lot to be vulnerable in public. I admire those who have gone before me and I know that speaking truth and sharing our personal testimonie...

I started with nothing. My parents were poor, I dropped out of high school. I was living on my own by age 17. But I realized early on that I did not want to work a minimum wage job for the rest of my life. I went to cosmetology school at age 16 1/2, graduated at 17 before the rest of my former classmates had even graduated high school. That didn’t last, but I still keep my Idaho cosmetology license for $20 a year so I can shop at the wholesale beauty supply stores. My vision has always been bigger. Bigger than a 9 to 5 job, bigger than simply working for myself. I want to grow a successful business and help you to do the same. I want to own more real estate and build more equity and help you do the same. And of course, I want to continue helping you save money on your taxes, and understand the best tax structure for your business or businesses. It is so important for your business to hire a confident and proficient bookkeeper. I have a few excellent referrals from our local community i...

I know club sports can kind of get a bad wrap these days. It’s expensive, time consuming, and it makes me sad that some high school sports have become so competitive that if you don’t play club in the off-season, you're probably not going to make a high school team.  It also makes me sad that the cost prevents a lot of families from even having the option to participate. Yes, there are scholarships, but as far as I know, they only pay a portion, maybe half of the club dues so even at the less expensive clubs, on a local team, you would probably still be looking at at least $1,000 in dues.  But I like to focus on the positive and that is what today’s post is about. I love watching my girls play volleyball. I love seeing them gain confidence and bond with their teammates. I love watching their skills improve week after week with their coaches help. And I love getting to know other families that also show up week after week to cheer our girls on, to love and support them, to feed...