camping at Dickey Lake... again!

We camped a second time at Dickey Lake this last weekend. (I know, it seems like all we do is camp... but we have only this last summer to get to all the places we have been wanting to go in this area!)
the kids working at a "phone factory"... I think they sold us all phones.

That is little Gus (3 years old!!!) and his dad climbing a pretty hard climb. Wow!

That is Becca above... she made it up the climb she wanted to!

That is me up there! I made it farther than the last time!

The last time we camped here... it wasn't the greatest, but we decided to go again because some friends were coming with us. And that made all the difference! We had a great time with Luke and Becca and the kids, and their friend and his two sons. We swam, we rock climbed, we didn't sleep well... but hey, it was all fun.

Too bad the neighbor had a generator on all night :)Colton and Tyler up there... that boy is not afraid of heights!

This is not Dickey Lake.. it is Lake Kookanoosa (sp?)

I love camping with friends! We are headed to Yellowstone later this week... but there is still one more day to enter for a gift certificate! Giveaways are awesome!!! ENTER!

Right now, I am headed to make the kids some of these (lap pillows) for our trip! Car rides can be excruciatingly long!

Seaworthy :: A Giveaway

Comments closed :: The winner is number 11 :

I like all the homemade stuff~ Brenda

Congrats Brenda! Marisa or I will contact you with info. Yeah!

Today, I have a first for you.... a giveaway!! I don't know why I haven't done one before; maybe this will be the beginning of a new era, so watch out!
This giveaway is from on of my oldest friends. You know, the friend you have dear childhood memories about, but somehow you guys drifted apart in junior high. We were great friends all through elementary school, and I have some of the best memories from our time. The first time I ever went camping was with her family!! Without further ado...

Here is a little question and answer with Marisa of Seaworthy ::Marisa and her Great Uncle at First Thursday in Portland, Oregon

:: Tell us a little about yourself. Where you live? what you like to do?

I have always called Oregon home and I currently live in Portland. I own a tiny (and adorable, if I do say) 1900 Victorian home in NE Portland. I've made a lot of changes in my life in the last year in attempt to keep life simple and open for opportunities that bring happiness to myself and those I love. I am addicted to yoga and practice nearly every day, whether it's a 90 minute class or a couple sun salutations. It has saved me mentally and physically. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and now live nearly pain free with the help of yoga. I also try to get some writing and editing in whenever possible. I work with Momentum Magazine out of Vancouver, BC which helps connect people who love to ride bikes (like me!) with ideas and opportunities for expanding their love. My other loves include junk stores, black and white photos, red shoes, wake boarding, running, rusty metal, clear glass and vanilla candles.:: How (and why) did you come up with the name Seaworthy for your shop?

The actual word, Seaworthy, was thought up by my boyfriend, Clyde. I knew I wanted my company to have a nautical name. I've always been fascinated and humbled by the ocean. I grew up visiting the Oregon coast. We'd spend hours investigating tide pools and digging in the sand for creatures. My name, Marisa, has a Latin root, which means "of the sea". My brother's name Dylan, means "born of the sea" or "son of the sea". And (sorry, there is more) both of my parents grew up in Southern California, on the beach and in the ocean. I guess you can say, the ocean is just a huge part of my life.
Seaworthy means that a vessel is fit for travel. I like to think of my jewelry in the same way. That something old can be new again and be given a new opportunity for a journey.:: Where does your inspiration come from? Inspiring people?

I find my inspiration in the strangest of places. I love old photos and I'm always inspired by the way women dressed in the 40's and 50's. There is something so innocent yet strong about women from that time period. I'm also very lucky to blessed with a wide range of beautiful, charismatic and unique female family members and friends. I'm always inspired by their varied styles and personalities.
I try to avoid pop culture as much as possible. Keeping my designs authentic and true to myself is a must. I only make things that I would feel good wearing.:: What has been your favorite piece?

I really love wearing a long key necklace layered with a chunkier vintage chain. That has been my go to piece these days.:: Where do you see yourself and Seaworthy in 5 years? 10 years?

I spent my 20's doing all the things that I thought I was "supposed" to do. My 30's are about taking risks, having adventures and making memories. Perhaps I'm doing things a bit backwards, but all of my past experiences have led me to this point and I'm just going for it.

:: Has there been some rough ground you have traveled since starting your own business? Anything you would have done differently? Any advice for others starting their own business?

Quitting a very stable and lucrative job to start a jewelry business and work as a part-time editor took a toll financially. But, I've learned that my quality of life is not directly connected my checking account (who knew!). At this point, I wouldn't change a thing. Maybe I could say that I wish I would've done it sooner, but I think that would be silly. I have a lot planned for 2011 based on what I've learned so far and if things were any different maybe I wouldn't have learned so much.
My only advice to someone thinking about starting a creative business would be to have confidence. There are so many creative people out there doing their thing and making a go of it. You're not going to be discovered unless you put yourself out there. Not everyone is going to understand or appreciate what you do. But you have to LOVE it. You have to love it enough to keep practicing and learning and improving, people will appreciate that in your work.:: How do you unwind, reward yourself?

I really enjoy a nice home cooked dinner with my boyfriend with a glass of wine and lingering conversation. I also like walking around our neighborhood with our pup. Yoga and reading also do the trick. I always go back to my favorite poet, TS Eliot and his Four Quartets. I find his words grounding and humbling, just like the ocean.


Marisa is offering a $10 gift certificate for her etsy store. To enter to win, go to the store and find your favorite piece, then leave a comment on this post. For a second chance, mention this on your blog. For a third chance, mention it on your status on Facebook. For a fourth chance, become a fan (or "like") Seaworthy on Facebook. For a fifth chance, become a follower of Seaworthy blog. That is 5 (five) chances! Please leave a comment for each of your chances.

I will leave this open until early evening, Tuesday August 17th; and pick a winner (Tyler will choose a number) shortly after that evening!

Good luck!

My favorite piece right now is this (or below). It reminds me so much of Clifford. (oh, I forgot about my story!!)

Ten things

Ten things I am thankful for:

:: fresh raspberries picked from a friend's yard:: birthday presents for special people; mostly done early, one done late :):: finding the picture frame my mom painted for Kellen (which I love!), and adding one of my favorite pics by Alicia:: melons for breakfast:: kids eating healthy snacks, and not complaining about it:: a long awaited box arriving with two specially ordered toys (a mini laptop and a kid camera) just for Colton (he chose to order these with his birthday money).

:: hearing a kid conversation that made me laugh so hard! Colton to Ayla: You can only use my computer if you don't like pink.

:: learning about our next camping destination (Yellowstone and Grand Tetons)

:: books! I am reading The Help (awesome); also reading People of the Book (for book club, also really good!); also reading Our Babies, Ourselves (excellent); and flipping through The Knitted Odd-bod Bunch (so cute! and inspiring!); also just finished The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss (very informative, and inspiring... I have lost a couple pounds following some of this!).

:: An absolutely fabulous dinner cooked by husband (salmon, potatoes and carrots and green beans!)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thursday! Remember tomorrow is a giveaway from Seaworthy!

Truthful Tuesday

Truthfully, I often wonder if I am a good mother. Sure, I make my kids things... but do I play with them enough? Read to them enough? Or give them the nuturing they need on a daily basis? Am I making the right decisions for them?
I realize that most mothers probably think the same things... so I am not alone. I guess we will see when the kids have grown and how much therapy they need, right? :)( Mom, I don't need therapy)

My childhood was great. I remember having loving parents who cared about us (brothers & sisters) all very much. My best memory of my mom is probably her cooking and crafts; specifically how she included us in both of them. She is both an excellent cook, and a fantastic artist. My dad, he coached me in basketball for many years. I LOVED having him as a coach, and I always knew he was proud to be my dad. And even though he is always trying to get me and my sister to sing "Goodbye Earl" at kareoke, and we tell him no, I know it's because he is proud of us! I guess my kids will probably appreciate me down the road.

Honestly, I don't dwell on this often. Just something that popped into my head. I love my kiddoes and can't imagine my life without them!

First Trip to Canada

After over 3 years of living in Kalispell, which really is not that far from Canada at all, we ventured over our border to Waterton National Park. Waterton is the Canada side of Glacier National Park. We had a fantastic time. Had some weather issues, but the beautiful views and all of the views and the wildlife we saw made up for it and more. Amazingly, we saw a total of SEVEN (7) bears!!! At least 3 of them were grizzlies! The mom and cub were right off the road... we actually got yelled at by a shuttle driver (we were the furthest car from her, but for some reason the lady thought we couldn't open the door to take a picture, from the car!!) She yelled "I don't care about you; I care about the bear!" This was a joke the whole rest of the trip because of the rudeness! But understandable... some people are passionate, right? We also saw coyote, elk, deer, mountain goats, and little marmots and such... all were pretty close and fantastic to see.The kids had never been on a boat, so we took them on a boat ride to Goat Haunt, which is a ranger station/border station. You have to have your passports to hike there because it is in the US. We had intended to go on a longer hike, but just went on a short one because of all the mosquitoes. Colton really loved the boat, thought it was so neat. Ayla would randomly come up with questions regarding the boat, the whole trip. "Where do they make boats?" "How do we get on the boat?" She is so cute!

The kids at the ranger station in Goat Haunt, and them making "fires".

this is the border, cut through the trees.

Sunday, we packed up the car and drove to the Bison Paddock, where supposedly there were bison. I guess they have them corralled up so they don't damage things in the park, but they have access where you can drive around the paddock.... we had to make two passes through to find 3 bison! We were a little disappointed.
On the way through Glacier, we stopped at the Canadian visitor center to see the T-Rex skeleton they have in there. So cool! Colton has been really digging the dinosaur stuff, so he just love it!

Stay tuned this week for a giveaway on Friday, from a lovely girl with a huge talent for creativity. Seaworthy is one of my favorite places to look for jewelry, plus, Marisa, the designer was one of my best friends in grade school.

Oh, and by the way, I can't believe I have 20 followers! Thanks guys and gals!

Kellen's new pants... I'm in love!

Kellen needed some 12 month pants (not exactly RIGHT NOW, but soon :)) and I saw this recipe for adorableness in a book from the library called Handmade Beginnings by Anna Marie Horner. THEN I saw that Amanda, over at Soulemama made some for Harper... I was hooked! So, I went out to the garage and dug through my fabric, and found some perfect for the project. I decided to make 5 paira of 12 months! (they are reversible, so really 10!)

Look at the ducks and chicks! ;)I couldn't be happier with how they turned out perfect for my little babe!next week will continue thankful thursdays (hopefully!) We are off to camp in Canada early tomorrow morning... this time we are keeping the bear spray readily available!!!