LaBellaMaison

Thursday, Ocotober 30th

Here is my picture for today-Thursday, October 30, 2008.  I took this picture this morning at 7:00 a.m. from the deck on the back of my house.

 

It was pretty cold and foggy this morning with a haze that stretched across the lake.  I am usually not up this early to capture such a sight-so today I seized the opportunity.  The weather in Seattle is pretty unique and you never know what to expect in regards to the day to day weather.  Having lived here only one year I never know what each day will bring.  It may be sunny and warm, rain drenched, or cold & damp.  All I know  is you have to be prepared for all types of climate.

I also snapped this picture at Juanita Beach further down the lake from my house.  I was on my way to the Walgreen's in Kirkland and stopped to take these shots.

   

The array of colors of these trees lets you know that autumn is here.  During the summer Juanita Beach is packed with people who love to hang out here.  They even have a outdoor farmers market on Thursday evenings.

If you look back to the west you can see the homes that are on  the shoreline of Lake Washington.   At the bottom of the Lake Washington is Juanita Beach & where the lake winds around to downtown Kirkland.  If you are lucky enough to have a boat you can dock it downtown and enjoy a meal or some shopping.  Close by is downtown Bellevue,  which has a lot of the same attributes as downtown Seattle.

                Lisa

A Picture A Day

I  have decided to embark on  a modified challenge that Ali Edwards had on her blog called A Week In The Life.  My challenge will be a little different in that I will take pictures each day to document my life.  I hope I will be able to keep up with this challenge as I begin now.........

I took these pictures of the fall leaves in Capitol Hill.  Capital is a reat neighborhood in Seattle.

 

 

   

This is my hairdresser Kay.  I met her from two friends Carmen & Faith who we used to coach with at the Green Bay Packers.  Carmen and Faith moved to Seattle before I did when their husbands took jobs coaching with the Seattle Seahawks.

A few shots of  UVillage  where I went to pick-up a few things

 

 

My new "Slice" from Making Memories that I pre-ordered in August.

 

So these are a few pictures from my life today.  And before I end this post I would like to share a couple of simple cards I made as part of a birthday gift for a friend.

 

I made these cards out of scrap paper that I had.  I am not sure who manufactures it;  but ,oh, how I do love this combination of colors and patterns.  The brad is made by Creative Cafe and the stamp from Rubber Soul.

 

This card has beautiful Midori ribbon,stamp by Inkadinkao, Maury punches.

 

I have had this stamp for awhile that I wanted to use.  The stamp is  Bird Cage by Hero Arts and the ink for all cards is Brilliance Coffee Bean.

                Lisa

It's Official

Yesterday morning as I was driving home from an appointment with my chiropractor, my husband Charlie called to inform me of a news conference that was currently taking place.  An important news conference regarding the resignation of our head football coach.  Actually, a force resignation letting the world know that the time had arrived.  The time for our football program to begin searching for a new direction.  A new coach and a new staff.  Out with the old and in with the new.  (Translation:  We were fired yesterday)!!!!

No, it wasn't a shock!  Just a anticipated ending to a season that has gone strangely wrong.  When you are 0-7 you definitely see the writing on the wall.  And to tell you the truth......this is a relief!  To finally make it official-to know our destiny.  Hopefully, this can end the negativity and begin the healing to look forward to a new tomorrow.  Because I think the nasty side of human nature had become overwhelming for me.  I wasn't as upset about our lack of success on the football field; as much as this mean spirited and ugly side of the game.

This time when the firing came our telephone didn't even ring off the hook as it has in the past.  Many of our friends/family didn't bother to call.  Perhaps they are becoming numb to all of this?  Sad to say, I feel like I am becoming a pro:  at getting fired, selling our home, disrupting our lives, moving to a new area of the unknown, saying goodbye to friends, etc....  I guess if you are a football family you just cannot let the grass grow under your feet.  You try to prepare yourself that there really is no job security as a football coach-that you are as good as the numbers of wins and losses.

This last move here to Seattle has been a little more difficult..........we were let go two years ago from the Miami Dolphins after our head coach returned to college football.  Then I lived in Arizona for 7 months  until our house was renovated, while Charlie lived here.  So officially I have physically been living in Seattle for just one year.  One year is not a lot of time to make friends and set down roots.  But, I did like it here.  So we'll just see what happens next & where our path will lead.

Our Hope Is In The Lord

Well, its the morning after...........officially 13 hours after our disheartening loss to Notre Dame 33-7.  Our team is now 0-7 and we need a win desperately to boost the morale of our team.

It's getting harder to know what to feel anymore, except compassion for our coaching staff and players.  Its not easy  to be criticized and evaluated everyday in the public eye & an unmerciful media.   In the midst of this criticism it seems as if people have forgotten that our players/coaches are someone's son, father, brother, uncle, friend, etc...... 

I am amazed at  how unsympathetic people can be when they say that this is the price you pay for being involved in big time athletics.....  Athletics can bring great moments of glory &  sad moments of defeat.  The highs can be awesome and the lows lower than low.

But, I ask every sports fan this question?  How would you feel if your job performance was visible up for the entire world to scrutinize?  What if  your neighbors, friends, family, or minister knew that you had just performed poorly on your job?   I think you would agree that it would be a tough pill to swallow?   When my husband has a bad day at work it is an open book for anyone and everyone to see. 

 I am astounded by the comments posted on fan message boards.  Some of then are quite ridiculous and laughable.  I am glad that I can still laugh at the absurdity of some of these statements...................because what would be the other option to get mad or cry?   We as coaches/players families have to take the high road despite the naysayers and negativity.  This morning  I read a great blog post by Deanne Farve on their blog Family of Favre entitled "Family."  I love this bible passage that she quotes that I find great comfort in:

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

May I encourage you to take a moment to read Deanne's blog post.  I am sure you will find a blessing in her words.

                Lisa

WAKE EVERYBODY

To list to this video you can turn off the music player on the left side of the page.  Just hit the button furthest to the left.

Just Checkin In

I've been a little under the weather the last couple of days-probably for a couple of reasons:

• Our football team is 0-6 (another disappointing loss Saturday & we play Notre Dame this week).
• My sister-in-law is going to Paris next week (I can only dream)
• I have some kinda of flu bug

But, the sun is shining today!!!!  Yesterday  was filled with cold & rain..........So, I am happy that I woke up feeling a little bit better and that Silver Bella is less than a month away!!!!  I also received some great news yesterday that my friend Regina is coming to visit me next month.  It is always fun to have old friends come visit you for some "Girl Time." 

Since I moved to Seattle I haven't had many friends come visit me or vice versa.  My dear friend Karlene came last Thanksgiving weekend and that was a awesome.  So now I will be having another visitor.  U-hoo!!!!  For some reason Seattle seems to be a world away for most people.  It takes a lot of time to fly across country.  But, it is so beautiful here that I am stunned everyday that I am living here.  There is something speical about the water and the mountains that is calming and peaceful.

Anyway, have you seen this?

 

The Cottage Living Christmas Magazine has some great inspiration to get you  to start thinking about the holidays.  I usually spend weeks planning and visualizing my holiday decor.  Then when the time comes to pull out all my decorations it usually takes more than a week to get everything completed.  It is such an ordeal to pull out all my decorations and put them away........But, I still love it! 

 I am not sure what I am going to do for this year's holiday.   Anticipating my husband being "fired" from his job and our house up for sale takes a little wind out of my sails.  I am not sure if we are even going to be in Seattle or Arizona for Christmas?!?!  Yet, its still fun to think about holiday decorating.  So, if you get a chance check out this issue of Cottage Living.

A couple of days ago I found this Christmas card that I made  last year and wanted to share it here:

 

This was a simple card to make for our 100 plus Christmas Card list.  The inside of the card included a family picture.   I love birds and would love to use one this year but I like to mix it up a bit.  I am planning on making a couple of different cards this year because it so much fun.  So, I  am finally giving you a peek at one of the cards:

 

This is going to be my "fun" Christmas Card.  I used My Minds Eyes-"Merry" papers for the card.  The holiday stamp is from Teresa Collins, Midori ribbon, and Maury scallop punch, & Stazon Red ink.

                Lisa

Something Fun and Highly Recommended

Guess what I got to do yesterday?  Something fun and relaxing..........a massage!  A two hour massage................hello!!!  It was fabulous by all means imaginable.   I highly suggest you try it!!!  

 I have a membership at Massage Envy which is a  pre-paid monthly massage club.  My sister-in-law told me about it when I was living in Arizona last year & after one visit I signed up.  Massage Envy has locations around the country and I have been lucky enough to have ones near my house here in Seattle & Phoenix.  This summer I was going to the chiropractor a couple times a week for problems with my back.  Well, I hadn't had an appointment for an adjustment since July and my back problems returned with a vengeance last week.  Well, that's what I get for being a bad girl and not going in for occasional adjustment.  But, I 'm sure you know how it is you start feeling better and you just start playing less attention to the issue.  And then here you are right back at square one!

Tomorrow is our Homecoming game against the Oregon State Beavers.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could get our first win for all the alumni coming back to the game?  Well, a girl can dream and be optimistic!!!!!  I just hope our players and coaches hang in there and keep plugging away at the allusive goal.  A victory!!!  Maybe I should do one of my high school cheers-V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!!

Any how, despite my back issues and sore throat  I was able to make these cards.  I think I hear Reindeer on my roof............(lol)!!!! 

 

This card was made from American Crafts papers that I had in my stash.  Ribbon is Midori, and the branch & ornament stamps are  from Impress Rubber Stamps.    Both stamped images are embossed with clear embossing powder.

 

The supplies used for this card are American Crafts Paper, Midori Ribbon, Coaster is  from Impress Rubber Stamps, and the stamp is Inkadinkado.

 

You can see I love this paper.  Stamp is from Art Warehouse that I purchased years ago.  Die-cut is Making Memories and the ink is Stazon Red.  I used Too Much Fun Red Flock on the stamped image.

And lastly.....

 

New papers from Basic Grey Holiday Collection-Wassail.  Ribbon-Midori, Owl stamp from Hero Arts, & "Rejoice" stamp from Inkadinkado.  I used Brilliance Coffee Bean ink for the owl and sentiment.  The stamps are embossed with clear embossing powder.

Off to bed now............I have a game to go to tomorrow!  Good thing its at 4:00 p.m.  PST.  I guess I get to sleep in.........good night!

                Lisa

 

If You Get A Chance

If you get a chance...........check out this story The Lost Kids Of Williows.

Feeling Like A Normal Person

It's been a quiet week........just hanging out getting stuff done.  The weekend ended up well with a nice dinner with the hubby at McCormick and Schmicks in downtown  Bellevue.   I was surprised at all of the hustle and bustle going on a Saturday evening.  It seemed  like a different world than the one we  have been  hearing about on the nightly news.  It didn't appear that there were  the major economic concerns that are now facing our country.  The restaurant was very crowded and people were shopping up a storm. 

 I actually felt like a "real person" getting out and doing things normal people do.  Now, you might wonder what I mean about doing normal things?  Well, during football season there is no normal.  There are no family dinners, activities, or free time.  Charlie's alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. & he's out the door by 6:30 a.m.  There may be a quick telephone call during the day; but, that is usually the extent of our daily conversations.  The front door usually opens after 10:00 p.m. and it straight to bed  within the next 30 minutes.  On Thursday nights I am lucky that he may be home by 8:00 p.m.  So, you can imagine there isn't much free time to do anything!

I haven't been feeling "like a normal person" lately because of the negative press and criticism leveled at our football program.  It certainly doesn't feel normal when everyday there are stories calling for the head of our head coach.  Negative after negative stories about how terrible our team is.  What people don't realize is that all the negativity that the fans and press are expressing aren't going to help or improve the situation.  So, just staying positive and hoping for our first season win can be extremely difficult and challenging.

On a happy note, I did make a few cards.  I am not big on Halloween; but, I had these Making Memories Spellbound Halloween stamps that I wanted to use. 

 My challenge in making these cards was to use supplies that I already had on hand.

 

This card is all about the jack-o-lantern.  The die cut is from Impress Rubber Stamps, pattern paper & stamp Making Memories, & Fiskars scallop punch.  White ink from Brilliance.

 

Making Memories Stamps on A Muse note card.  Stazon black ink, and Marvy /Fiskars punches.

   

All Making Memories for this card.   Fiskars scallop punch.   I did use my new Stampin Up punch for the "Boo".

 

I love this Paper by Pink Pasilee called "Moonrakers" from their Vintage Moon Collection. 

Hope You Have A Relaxing Day