Ooh, where did this come from?

Total surprise snow. The weather channel is still reporting 70% chance of rain. HA!

Don't you just love the sound of snowfall? It's so quiet and calm. You can't buy it and you can't control it, so when you get the surprise chance to experience it...well....it's.... lovely! So I sat on my porch, watched and listened to the snow.....until H and Daughter pull in the driveway and I hear her scream with excitement. Another sound I absolutely love.

Now, all I hear is, "Momma!" Then boom(!), a snowball hits the front window. Giggles. Fenway is going ballistic trying to get in the middle of everything. (Side note: below is a pic of the t-shirt I ordered as a Christmas gift for myself.....this is my mantra).

Good times. I hope we can still make our ski trip to Bend.

And the branches were hung from the ceiling with care

For at least a year this idea has been hanging out in my head: big branches suspended from the ceiling with white lights and various decor hanging from them. Whenever I would tell someone about it I would use grand, sweeping hand gestures and I could feel my pulse quicken. So, finally, I get it together and on Christmas Eve (no less!), H hangs them for me (he's a really good sport and has a knack for helping me implement my big plans).

Here's a pic.....but, trust me, it's better in person (because you can't see the white lights and the glittery snowflakes in this photo)!

But see, we both agree the scale is off (we have high ceilings here and a pretty big room)....so it's back to the flower market for me at the New Year for a bigger branch.....I am already planning for Valentine's day.....I think there will be....ummm, hearts!

I hope you all had a lovely day holiday.

Merry, merry dreams!

If we just took Burnside....

Yeah, I know, this should be a post about egg nog, tinsel, Santa Claus, and sugar cookies, but LOR-dy, did we ever have a not so lovely experience today (but the lunch was really good!). So, we are on our way to our annual office holiday lunch here and I am being an oh so good back seat driver giving H directions* to the US Bancorp building (take the Sunset Hwy, turn L here, take this street, etc.) when we get to Oak and holy smokers, there are at least 4 SWAT team members with MACHINE GUNS approaching a citizen and hollering, "Stop right there." I am all, "Hit the floor" (to avoid random gunfire) and H puts it in reverse and gets us out of the area. That's one of those moments where you are all, "is this really happening?" Yup, it was real. Ummm, of course we are all a bit shell shocked at lunch, and I suggest, "Perhaps they were just shooting a movie?" It did seem like a scene out of a movie......

*Ok, so tonight we recap the experience and H says, "If we just took Burnside like I originally thought, we would have avoided the whole thing." Ha! But would we have this good of a story?

Ooh, I should add a picture, because as we all know pictures are worth a thousand words....., of course, I don't have pic of the afternoon drama, but here are a couple of good ones (of my darling drama queen's 9.5 birthday celebration....in case you are wondering, Fenway always sits like that on the stairs. It's bizarre, we call it Fenway Style.):

And the winner is..

Gloria V. from Grants Pass. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Cake for a Cause drawing. Tickets sold out 10 days early (the drawing was to be held on Dec. 12). Ooh, she is so lucky. Total yummy goodness.

Tick Tock with smiles all over

Only 9 days until Christmas. Love, love, love how daughter tells me every early morning how many days until the BIG day (in her puffy, just woke up face) while opening the door to her TJ chocolate advent calendar FIRST thing every morning.

So busy....but in the best way:

Rushing around as ambassador of all things good for family and business. Smile.

Fine layer of glitter all over the house. Smile.

Family coming to visit. Smile.

Clever gifts to give. Smile.

BIG basket of goodies arriving in the mail. Smile. And tasty!

New screensaver on iphone (compliments of computer savvy daughter). Smile.

Fa la la la la la. Ooh, and merry dreams.

Wicked, bigger, and more glorious than expected!

NYPD assembled to get ready for the tree lighting ceremony. Nary a crime took place around here!

Recently returned from a business trip to NYC. Even though I tried to avoid THE tree lighting ceremony, I found myself smack dab in the middle of the event while on the way to dinner here. I don't have any pics of the tree, but believe me, it is spectacular enough for gazillions of people to line up around Rockefeller Center to see it turned on (saw it as H and I ran 10 blocks from Wicked to our hotel in the rain. GO see this play if it is anywhere near you!!!!!).

Since I'm big right now on appreciating the first sighting of places I've been, the first view of Times Square at night exiting a cab is exhilarating. Doesn't matter how may times you have seen it before.

Here's a 360 degree view:

Luckily, I had a little time to do some lovely sightseeing. Museums and shopping are always at the top of my to do list when traveling. GO see this exhibit if you find yourself in NYC. It's quite.......unique. Here's a pic of my favorite piece (it's not so great since I surreptitiously took it when the security guard wasn't looking). You can't read all the words down the center, and of course I can't recall them, but they captured my attention at the time.

P.S. Only weeks before Christmas. the second loveliest (after Thanksgiving) of holidays. Ooh, busy decking EVERYTHING for Christmas...not just the Halls.

No pics, just an update

Today was a *lovely* day. I use the term lightly because this morning, I met with the executive director for Koins (the organization I am working with for my water project) and she gave me a grim update of the conditions in Samburu. If you get a chance, take a look at CFAC for a brief recap of our meeting. As soon as I can figure out how to get the "little goodies" working correctly, there will be a listing of fun things you can purchase to make your life a little lighter, and make a difference in the lives of citizens of our world. So check there in the next few days, thanks for reading, and have a lovely day.

Serious stuff

Samburu, Kenya is experiencing a worse than usual drought. Today, I had another meeting with the executive director for Koins. We discussed the imminent need to build a safe and sanitary girls dormitory at the Samburu Secondary School. The stories she told me about the conditions she saw there last May made tears drop from my eyes.

Of course, they'll need a water source. Since Samburu's topography doesn't work for boreholes (wells) we will most likely tap (via pipeline) into the main water source from Mombasa. If you have any questions about the specific, technical aspects just let me know (it's not that interesting to write about..really...plus, I can put you in touch with someone who can explain the process much better than I).

One of the saddest facts that young women face is the inability to continue with their education because of menstruation, pregnancy (often due to early marriage or rape) or lack of funds and water.

Most people know, or should know, that an educated woman is the first line of defense to poverty, violence and AIDS. Anything we can do to keep even one girl in school is worthwhile.

The next time you turn on the tap, try to think about what a precious resource water is.

Never give up.....14 hours to shop

I cannot resist taking photos of signs. This one is from the Palais Royal arcade. Little compares to the perfect little black dress. Lucky for me, I have a reason to get a brand new one!

I tried on a lot of dresses today. Shopping is exercise! I did not buy this one....the sleeves were too much like wings. I am not a bird.

I didn't shop here today, but isn't it a cool photo? I rode enough escalators today to justify posting this pic I took in Paris last month.

Relentlessness leads to the right choice. I pick up the chosen one tomorrow....but still need to get shoes....and *maybe* a handbag. Will have to sleep on that lovely thought.

Live. It. Up.

Just back from true vacation in Hawaii (so much of our traveling is for business). It's always lovely to go back to places where no matter how many times you go, you appreciate that first...

Wave crashing on your legs. Daughter got a head start....
Snorkel adventure....

View of Waimea Canyon. This was, actually, the first time we saw this part of Kauai. It's amazing. If you stand there and concentrate just a little, you can hear the wind in the canyon. I am sure it is saying something important (no idea what because I was watching daughter like a hawk so that she didn't fall off the side...we had our flip flops on and there weren't any guard rails. She can be a daredevil).

Ooh, and the first, second, and *maybe* third mai tai.

Total rest and relaxation.

Status update

Oh my, it's been a while since there's been an update. To quote one of my favorite songs,* it seems I've spent most of the year in a plane going up and down (mostly for work), while continually working and thinking about the well project. Thank you to everyone (friends, family, and strangers) who continue to show support and interest in CFAC.

Lots of activities happening now, in the near future, and ongoing.

Now: Cake for a Cause. Try your luck at winning, hands down, the best cake from the best baker in the state of Oregon. Those of you who have had her cakes know what I am talking about! Call Georganne at 541-479-4559 if you want to buy a ticket.

Near Future: One of my dearest and most creative friends will open her Lake Oswego home for a children's holiday party Sunday, December 13th from 1-5 pm to benefit CFAC. Treats and crafts will be provided. Please email me at alampert712@gmail.com for information. Oh, and I'm going to have one at my house too. I will do pretty much exactly what she does......why reinvent the wheel? The date and time at my home TBD.

Ongoing: Headbands, notecards, and art sale. I'll get the links and photos for those up soon. But right now, I have to do my other job and get daughter to sleep.

*Does anyone out there know Tracyanne Campbell from Camera Obscura? Goodness, it would be more than I could say to get her to do some kind of benefit. Oh, I know, right, yeah, but if you're going to dream.....dream big!

Sometimes you have to work with what you've got.

I took this pic when I was a little* lost and frustrated. I saw this post box and it made me giggle. Someone has a good sense of humor! (*impossible to get completely, utterly lost in Paris).

The week before Halloween I wandered around and got lost a lot (always thinking, "I am sharpening my map reading skills (!)" but really just walking in circles) among the streets of Paris, knowing full well that when I returned, I would have a Halloween costume to assemble wiki-wiki. Daughter wanted to be a businessman so I left thinking, "CAKE. WALK. Once I get home, we'll just dip into the closest goodwill and pick up a boy's suit." Ummm, errrr, not that easy (why weren't legions of suits on racks just waiting for us to scoop them up?) Lucky for me, she changed her mind and wanted to be a pirate. Hey, that's a businessman of the sea. Right?

With 3 days to get it done, I transformed into domestic goddess mode** (absolutely no disrespect to Nigella). We looked through her closet to find piratey-like things, and then picked up the rest at the fabric store. We used what she already had and altered sewing patterns I had to make her shirt and accessories. Smug satisfaction. Not to mention her favorite costume so far.

Ooh, and aren't all of you being excellent moms by eating your kid's (s') candy because we know candy is bad for children?

**Going to carry on in the spirit! Tomorrow, I'll pull on my wellies and muck about in the in the garden. Maybe even bake or cook a little something. This year I'm gonna glitter the gourds! But, best of all, it's time to start the covet list for Christmas!!!!!! You all know how lovely and fun that is.

Lucky or lovely?

I think it's both. How unlikely is this?*

Ummm, since I just received feedback on how it is hard to tell what it is...it's a leaf stuck on my Mercedes emblem.

Unexpected Paris

Before I left for Paris, I took a peek at my previous Paris photos. For this trip, I tried to find photos that are a little unexpected. Let's see how I did: (crud:link AGAIN)

Yup, that's a real, live sea gull on top of a statue in the Luxembourg Gardens. Since the French are so liberal, I thought it OK to post the back side of this famous (but I don't know who it is) statue.

Vogue magazine covers on the Champs Elysees (if I knew how to get the french accents on my e's I would)
The Tuileries. Not a tree out of place. Every trip here, I wonder if someone comes out at night or in the very early morning to make sure everything is just perfect. I have never seen anyone trimming them.

My mom and me in the Jardin de Tuileries. There were all of these strange Automne statues in the garden. They were quite the contrast to the formal statues.

The Georges Pompidou Centre. It looks like a human habitrail to me. It caused quite the stir when it was built!

That's all for now. Bonne Nuit.

Lovely (unexpected) little things....

Swan boats in Boston, May 2009. I love this photo. I took it myself! And....I didn't expect it to turn out so good. (another link look a like)

Sometimes, taken together, it's the little things that make life so lovely. A few years ago, I saw this book and bought it.

Since then, I ruminate, no muse, on the little, unexpected lovelies that happen every day. Today was a good day to do that.

Daughter shows up in your bedroom with almost the same outfit you're wearing and gleefully exclaims, "Look we match again!" ( jeans and long sleeved tee...really, it's a bit uncanny how often this happens).

You turn on your iphone and daughter updated your wallpaper to something she thought you would like (and you REALLY do!).

Who couldn't like this wallpaper?

Beaver and Duck (go Beavs!) football game day and the cars speed by on the 217 with flags flying. I love that game spirit....to see the cars decked out at civil war can be especially impressive.

To get stuck in traffic behind someone with bumper stickers all over their car. Truly, it's much better to be at that long red reading others' opinions.

If you get a chance, make yourself a mental note of the little lovelies that make you smile. It's fun and your loved ones will enjoy hearing them from you.

Quick and fast overnight in Seattle

Special times.

Lovely end of Summer overnight train trip to Seattle with daughter (Space Needle, visiting with aunt,

great food, successful shopping):

360 degrees from the Space Needle.

The view from our hotel:

Today we walked around downtown before catching our train home.

Can one go to Seattle and not take a photo of Pike Place Market? I think not. I saw more people with cameras than fruits/veggies and honey by product products.

The wig store was a bit interesting!

The best part of all was spending time with our aunt and being cocooned in a train together on the way home...even though it ran an hour late and daughter got a bit fidgety. When I asked her where our next trip together will be she chose Chicago......hmmmm, she knows the American Girl flagship store is there.

*Blonde* in Shenzhen

(I did not eat any of this!!!!)

3 weeks ago I returned home from China. It took at least a week to get over the jet lag (it's tomorrow there right now), finally got the suitcases emptied, and the laundry done. There's so much to say...it's difficult to know where to begin.

China was an amazing experience. Only saw the tiniest sliver, and will definitely go back.

Trained from Hong Kong to Shenzhen. What a difference 60 minutes on a train makes! Hong Kong resembles Manhattan....all cosmopolitan, except different currency, language, customs, and the cars were on the other side of the road...leftover from the British rule.

Hong Kong from our Hotel window .

Shenzhen from our Hotel window.

Another photo from our room in Shenzhen. Gasp! Gas masks. Now that's something I have never seen before in a hotel closet. Wasn't sure what to make of them, but figured I would just put one on if some siren went off.

Okay, so this was my first trip to a communist country. Big, big language barrier and the first time I felt like the only Western person in a community (outside the hotel....but even there, there were very few, if any, Americans). When husband had his business meetings I ventured into the streets of Shenzhen via subway. Holy Smokers! People really did stare...but in a curious way. I smiled big and they smiled back. That was it: smiles back and forth, because no one spoke English and I could pretty much only say hello, please, and thank you in Chinese.

Here are a couple of pictures from the streets of Shenzhen.

I made it back from the main Shenzhen marketplace, emerged from the subway station only to get caught in the biggest, baddest downpour EVER (and I live in Portland where it rains ALOT). My umbrella didn't help much, and I ran to the hotel...about a mile from the subway station. The rain came in sheets, and the many buses on the boulevard made miniature tidal waves of Chinese gutter water. It was a lucky sign for me (!) because just to the left of the sidewalk was a bike path that didn't get touched by gutter water waves. Obviously, no pics of that, but, hooray, my treasures (tucked under my arms) made it back safe and dry!

Language barrier: Get to hotel and Michael (one of the many friends I made) said to me: "Ms. L******, you are all wet! Would you like a bottle of water?" The Chinese are so gracious and kind all I could say was, "Yes. Thank you!" Then I went to my room and took a hot bath. Amazing bathroom!

Still have stuff to say about Hong Kong and the secret Chinese sauce my other friend Sean from Shenzhen surprised me with at breakfast....but it's late.

Good night and lovely dreams!