Winter Wonderland for 5 hours...

I realize that I have neglected my blog when I go to my camera and I have not downloaded them since Ben's Birthday in December. Well we have had an exciting week this week with some snow!

Here is a little update of our situation (and then you get cute pictures). If you don't know yet, Ben is looking for a new job. One that pays a salary :) Ben has had two interviews for a Credit Analyst that went well. We are just waiting there, while he applies for 5 jobs a day and waits for other calls. I think he really would like to have a government job, so we are exploring options there too. I have had one and have another one next week for a Senior Event Manager. Not sure how I feel yet about going back to work....just relying on faith to get me through.

Here is our cutie, that is babbling daily, exploring everywhere and is learning his signs. He can say banana (nannnannna), thank you (tank you) and cheese (eeeese?) and of course mama and dada.

Loving every minute of my last days before busy season is upon us and I start traveling again, which would be tomorrow. Stay warm this winter!

My Boys..

Boston's buddy Westly (1 yr)

Boston's buddy Forest (3 yrs) I think Boston weighs more than him. But Boston was a little squished after that ride.

Yay Packers

Happy Superbowl Sunday! In honor of the GB Packers winning today we are posting this video of our young athlete, Boston!

And a special THANK YOU to Michelle and Aaron for generously giving us their Flip camera... Loving it! (I think of you every time we break it out because of the engagement picture printed on the front) We recently went up to Seattle for my friend Tev's 50th birthday, but had the chance to stay one night with Michelle (my old roommate) and Aaron. They gave us the Flip and also a beautiful rug. Hmmmm, we are searching right now for things to give them for when they come visit us sometime this spring!

Seattle was as lovely as ever. And Tev's party was fabulous and quaint, a special dinner for 12 with her closest friends. And the amazing pedicures beforehand were a special treat from her. Thank you Tev!

10 pounds and one month down...

2011 is going great for us so far! Here is the update...

I have lost 10 pounds so far, thanks to my combo of Jillian Michael's Master your Metabolism Book and the Couch to 5K program. Yep, I have finally come to realize that after 34 (almost 35) years there is no secret to weight loss. Well there is and it is.....ready...... eating less bad stuff, more good stuff and lots of exercise. So me and Boston have been wogging (walking/jogging for those not familiar with the term) our butts off for two weeks now. Add in a few turbo jams, yoga, kick boxing and Jillian's 30 day shred program and wha...la, 10 pounds off!
I love when Boston is in the stroller and about half way through when I am breathing really heavy he realizes I am there, turns around and just smiles a me. Talk about motivation!

I have been working a little here and there, in which I like not being busy. But my mom just insists on taking care of little B even if I don't have work, so I get a few hours of me time to workout or whatever.

Ben just closed his first loan. Wish we had more of those lying around. But still a tiny bit exciting.

We are going to Seattle tomorrow for my friend Tev's 50th Birthday, just me and Ben! Should be a nice getaway in our free hotel room that I won. We also will get to see my old roommate Michelle and her new baby June. And my friend from Hyatt Jessica and her new baby, Beau (only 12 days old).

So for the most part, even though we are little poor, life is good and we are happy! That is all that counts right!

Goodbye 2010, hello 2011!!!

So as you all know 2010 was not my favorite year for just a few reasons. I keep celebrating that the year is finally over and am so very excited for the year to come. But the truth is there were many good moments of the past year, of which I would like to share.

I am so very thankful for...

• Everytime we point a camera at Boston he squints his eyes like he is preparing for a bright flash. It is my favorite thing he does.
• My one night away with Ben soon after Boston was born, we went to the coast for our anniversary. It was a wonderful day/night of jacuzzi bath tubs, moose crunch carmel corn and lots of sleep and of course a little monopoly deal in bed. And the best part was the whole trip was free :)
• My profession...I get lots of free stuff and trips, 2010 was a big travel year for us and it was mostly on the house. Boston is now mobile, I think we will take a few years off.
• For Ben getting a job, glad he is working everyday (hope that someday he will get paid for all of his hard work)
• My mom... she is a life saver and loves watching Boston. She has taught him so many things, like how to go up and down stairs, how to say dog...and thanks to the "My Baby Can Read" program, he will be a genius in no time (well, we will see, we have some skeptics around here)
• Seeing Alaska was amazing, I can check it off my list now.
• Winning that free trip and going to Hawaii with my best friend Jen, Jason and Ben, it was an amazing trip.
• Rocking Boston to sleep one night and the moment I realized how much I love him bringing tears to my eyes
• When once in a blue moon Ben tells me I am beautiful or brings me flowers just because
• Finding the $45 from the when will Boston actually be born bet on my desk a few weeks before Christmas.
• The few cozy nights where Ben and I just decided to read together in bed instead of watching TV or playing video games.
• Any kickboxing class where I got all the steps right and sweat a lot.
• Dain, Ben's best friend, watching him complete the Iron Man was truly inspirational and almost made me cry. I wish I were half the athlete he is.
• The best thing I ate last year had to be this yummy butterfish we ate in Hawaii at the most beautiful restaurant right on the ocean at sunset. I think it was really the whole experience, because I can't believe that the best thing I ever ate in 2010 would be fish, it would have to be a cake of some sort, right?
• The strong bond that Ben and Boston made, I can just tell.
• For my testimony, it has been tried and tested and has only been made stronger. 2011 will have to be lived with a lot of faith this year and knowing that we will be okay financially...somehow.
• All the times that Ben and mom watched Boston when I was out of town. I am not thankful for the time I was away, just the fact that I have them in my life to take care of my cutie pie.
• For writing this blog and realizing that 2010 was actually a great year... minus The International Ecotourism Society and the time I lost working on that conference. Afterall there would have been no free Alaska trip without them.

This blog layout is called the measure of time...what that means to me is, make the most of it this year and be thankful for the time we have together.

Thank you to all of my friends and family, love you and happy new year!

• 

Christmas pics

Could my kid be any cuter...

My baby is one!

Kenna is Boston's friend, they are three days apart!
























I guess what they say is true, it goes by so fast! Boston turned one on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I am taking the next month off, so I will play blog catch up soon with some good times the Beaverton Blakes have been having around here and in far off places like Hawaii:)

The Value of Time...

The Sustainable Culinary Showcase

Sustainable Fashion Show

Sustainable Culinary Showcase

Showcase-sustainable cupcakes!

Trashcan Joe played on recycled instruments at the showcase.

Portland Taiko Drums Opened the Conference

Showcase event

The program

So here is a little snapshot of what I have been doing with the last year of my life. I interviewed when I was 7 months pregnant and out of 100 applicants I got the contract. A one year contract planning the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference for the International Ecotourism Society. I knew it would be a challenge and that I could do the job but I didn't know how much it would interfere with raising Boston and my family life. 5 months after I started I still had not received any money yet, because my contract was commission based...BIG mistake. At that point I realized that I would not be making the amount promised. Still I had so much time invested...I kept going. As September 8th through the 10th approached the hours got longer and longer. Many nights I was up until 2am working after working an entire day. Working from home no longer seemed like a luxury, I literally felt chained to my desk. I finally made it to the week before the conference, I was strangely excited that all of my hard work was about to unfold. Everything about the conference went as planned, a few snags here and there but to the public eye it was the best conference they had ever had. The board clapped for me as I walked in the room the day after event. I was overcome with emotion and quickly realized that I had put my heart and soul into this conference. They offered me another contract...same terms.

For the last two weeks I have going back and forth on whether or not to continue working with TIES (the International Ecotourism Society). When your husband makes only commission and as a small business owner it is really hard to walk away potential income. After all of the should I do it, yes or no discussions, Ben and I decided that my time is more valuable elsewhere. Finding new business and raising Boston as much as I can. Last Sunday there was a lesson on faith. The simplest subject shed so much light on this deep debate of ours. One of the women mentioned when she was younger that in tough times she would try to do more and more of everything. She shared that it was taxing and took so much out of her. As she got older she started using a different method. She started stepping back and living by faith. That if she focused on her family, faith and what really mattered that it would work out.

From that lesson I learned that my faith, my family and my time is more valuable than anything else I have.