I'm working on....

I seem to be in the middle of a lot of things at the moment...

Maybe it will help me to finish them up if I list them - or at least I can clear my head...






1. Figuring out the menu for Easter Brunch










2. Organizing a Wedding Shower that will be held here on Saturday (food, decorations, games, prizes, gifts)








3. Reading a 900+ page novel (World Without End by Ken Follett)









4. Doing (*starting*) my taxes








5. Taking care of some of my co-worker's clients while he's away - he comes home today, I think, so this one is almost complete, though there are still calls to be made



6. CMA's on several properties







7. Day 6 of a 10 day exercise plan. I love this limited exersie blip so I feel like it's not an endless battle, yet I hope it will get me in the mood to continue





8. Worrying about Norris' dad, who, at 95, is in hospice, but who seems to defy all odds and come back around after both a broken hip and pneumonia in the last month. (Of course this is totally #1 in importance)


9. Figuring out when the kids are home and when they head off on their holidays, and if and when they will all be here at one time





10. Planning for our trip and reading up on Dubai and Cairo and making sure I don't miss anything important or pack anything stupid









11. Preparing for book club here in about 2 weeks - food and good discussion points






12. New siding is going on the house - we are on about day 4 of a war zone. Nice setting for the shower and Easter brunch. Added bonus: Our foreman is in Seattle today becoming an American citizen, so I need to think of something cool to give him when he comes back tomorrow





13. New windows, new deck also being installed in the next new weeks. Deal with delivery, scheduling, keep workers out of each others' hair







14. Deciding on a new exterior paint color for when the siding is finished. This one is the (second) most troubling because I just can't screw it up.
I have enlisted the fabulous Kishra to help me - she has the best eye and knows all the coolest houses to go look at








15. Finding something for the boys' easter baskets






16. Ordering up tickets for a few trips - brothers to Portland this summer, a wedding in PA, a girls trip to the Carolinas, a family trip to Hawaii...



17. Ordering up that dreaded colonoscopy & my annual check-up


18. Last, and certainly not least, finding the right house for A&K, A&J, A&A, C&C, and getting one sold for S, T&S, and S&F...



At least my hairdresser is back. Doing this all with less-than perfect hair was a nightmare, LOL.

Another fun night with the girls!

**there actually are men at these parties...they just tend to shy away from the photo ops**

Love my Girls...

Sunday Afternoon at the Chinese Garden

Cam & Betsy surprised us on Saturday night. What a happy surprise for us!
And today was a beautiful day to see the Chinese Garden.

Lucy's Big Day

Claire & TJ had a little party for their 1-year old's birthday.




















Singing along with the Happy Birthday Song.




















Diving In.
















YUM!
***The cake was from a dog bakery****
Isn't she cute?

K & K's Wedding

We rented a Hummer for the rough drive up the mountain. There have been lots of news stories about the treacherous conditions getting to the mountain and it's been a very snowy year. The girlfriends were concerned about putting on chains (they went up the day before - without the men) and having a wedding on Mt. Hood in the middle of February seemed like it might be a bit tricky for the guests.


















But it was a glorious drive to Mt. Hood yesterday. Portland had sun and 60 degrees so we knew it would be gorgeous at Timberline Lodge. The drive was quick and easy, and I snapped a few shots of the mountain on the way. There's 10 feet of snow along the road side and over 15 feet at Mt. Hood.


















The snow was dirty and deep, but the roads were clear and dry.


















Finally, we approached the lodge, and the parking lot was full by 10am. We were fortunate enough to be offered hotel parking, since we were clearly dressed for a wedding, and not for skiing!

















Remember the movie "The Shining?" They used this lodge for the exterior of the hotel in the movie and it's fun to imagine what it would be like to be stranded here. REDRUM! If Jack Nicholson weren't chasing me around, I'd be fine in the bar on the top floor waiting for my rescue.

The hotel is just lovely, and the wedding was in a softly-lit room on a lower level, and the reception was at the very top. The view to the South was beautiful yesterday, and you could see Mt. Jefferson and the Sisters all the way south to Bend.


















The bride was stunning, and her handsome groom was practically melting as he watched her recite her vows. The girlfriends were suffering from too much fun the night before, but we still had a wonderful day filled with love & laughter!

Spanish Coffee at Huber's

Triple Sec
151 Bacardi Rum
Kahlua
Coffee
Whipped cream

A Portland classic!

My Valentine

gave me oodles of tulips.

and



a new coffeemaker, just like Kim's!

We had chocolates and coffee for breakfast.

Muah!

Will I ever move?

In 10+ years of looking at some of Portland's most beautiful neighborhoods and enjoying the luxury of seeing people's most intimate spaces, their homes, I am often drawn to the question of whether or not I would give up my home for theirs. Certainly, and without doubt, I have seen houses worth a heck of a lot more money and way more beautiful than mine. And without the quirks of mine.

Next door to an elementary school? The kids arrive and start playing in the yard at around 8. I never realize how much sound is generated until summer vacation begins.

But it's a happy sound that I love. I can look at them from my kitchen window. From there I can also see the trees planted in memory of two dear friends whose children attended the school. It's where my little kids were whisked in the winter of 1993, and where they found that it's OK to transfer cross-country to a new school when your mom is right next door. There is more of an emotional tie to that place than I've ever really put into words. And the sunsets over the fields and the wetlands are spectacular.

5600 square feet? For two people and a dog? There are four bedrooms upstairs, and two bathrooms. That leaves three bedrooms that are only used on holidays. They are still shrines to the kids' school years, and Cam's room holds the large bookcase that contains ALL of their children's books. Am I ready to get rid of those? Nope. Where would they keep all their precious junk if we had a smaller house? Should I decorate one as "the sewing room" and the others as "dens or guest rooms?" For now I want them to remain Claire, Whit & Cam's rooms. Easy.

The main floor is perfect. A medium sized living room, with two pianos that hardly get played, and a nice wood-burning fireplace. It's the perfect room for the perfect Christmas tree. And everything is about the Christmas tree, so forget about a living room with a lower ceiling. The dining room could be much larger and I'd be happy, but we can swing the table all the way into the living room and we served 18 at Thanksgiving, so it works. Now the kitchen - here's a room that needs some attention. 1991 tile counters and oak cabinets are so not glamorous. I'd like a sleek, sexy kitchen. We're working on ideas for that and Norris would like to pull the trigger, but wait until you finish reading and you'll see where the money is going. There's a large, square family room with a huge wall of bookshelves, a big picture window and another fireplace. We live in this space and it's very comfortable. One utility room, a guest room and bathroom and my home office complete the first floor. Can't improve on this layout.

There's a great big finished basement for the kids' parties and there's a little kitchen, a bedroom and another bathroom. We could really rent this whole part out, if we could stand having another person in the house. Which we can't. Too bad, because that could pay for the kitchen remodel, LOL.

Now here's the expensive part. The outside. It seems like acres of siding that is dirty, old and desperately needs replacement, or to tide us over for the next 8 years, a really good paint job. The deck was poorly constructed out of inferior materials, and needs replacement. The landscape in the back yard has to go. First, we don't need a yard, and second, we would like some taller evergreen trees that block the view of the school building. That's priority one, and the deck is priority two. Painting - priority three. (Because the deck can be put on in the rain so we can get it done before dry weather arrives)

Last, but not least, we are working on plans for a courtyard in the front. There is too much garden for me to handle in spite of my love of flowers - I hate to weed! So we're hoping for large cement squares, with wild thyme or some dense grass in between the squares, a beautiful palm tree, and lots of soft, easy care plants and grasses, and a cutting garden. And a big fence to keep the neighbors from getting a shot of me in my pajamas on the laptop.

So that's a little tour of our house, and I think it's pretty clear that we're here to stay. I'm not ready to go! Maybe if I get energetic (or do some spring cleaning) I'll post a few pics.

Isn't it Fun?

Whenever I see clients, or even in conversations with friends, they all love to hear about the houses I've been through. It's a fun job to look at houses every day! And I've been loving a lot of houses lately! Here are two gorgeous ones that my clients are currently in the process of buying...

The first is on one of the best streets in town, as far as I'm concerned, because it has huge trees and privacy in back and a striking city & mountain view out the front. This house will have it's 100'th birthday in 2014 and I can't wait for the party!





This next one is in my neighborhood and is a classic. The street is named after the house's original owners, and their torn and tattered 1940's landscape blueprint is framed in the hallway. I'm heartened to know the buyers will revert to the original landscape once the house is theirs! It has amazing windows and light and an enormous kitchen! And the most amazing fir trees.