One of my favorite aspects of working Downtown Portland is the vast selection of food carts! A great website to discover new food carts is: http://www.foodcartsportland.com/
My current favorite lunch is from Sonny Bowl on SW Washington and 3rd. Only $3 for a healthy, fresh "Mini Bowl" that keeps my fast metabolism satisfied until dinnertime!
Bowl #3 has bbq soy curls (surprisingly delicious texture and flavor) with crisp fresh kale tossed in a mild citrus ginger sauce and moist, short grain brown rice, topped with crispy chow mein noodles.
One of my favorite questions to ask is relevant for strangers and close friends alike! Brings to the surface joy, life and blessings, even in the midst of sorrow.
I am really good at stressing out... and my body is starting to bear the scars, like food allergies, wrist surgeries and chronic upper back tension, not to mention tense personality.
At Solid Rock Church this week, Phil spoke about stress/worry and how it is the opposite of faith. Many sins/poor choices made in life start with stress/anxiety as the root. Want a couple ways to conquer stress? Do good for others - love and justice - and count your blessings. Look at situations from a big picture perspective - in light of eternity, will this matter?
Blogs can be a beautiful avenue to count blessings and share them with others, as a testimony of God's faithfulness. May this by the start of something beautiful.
My husband just built me a tree house! Last night I climb up into it, clean the five windows and sweep the floor. A cozy reading perch is assembled with a soft wool rug from Grandma, matching blanket, pillow and battery-powered lantern. A few pages into reading, I hear pattering noises and discover our kitty, Aslan, vicariously climbing the closet-rod ladder! Purring loudly, Aslan relaxes in the cove behind my knees for hours.
Most updates have been on Facebook lately, so find me there for more frequent posts and photos! Here's a glimpse into the silence of the last few months. Building a new garden with 6' deer fence and other landscaping projects have kept us busy this spring! Most of the vegetables are planted and growing happily and we are eager for an abundant harvest. The friendly and ravenous neighborhood deer have not hopped the fence yet, but they have been aggressively eating other bushes, roses and flowers.
Interior remodel projects have been minimal the last six months. We built a new work bench in the garage with tool cabinets above and ripped the carpet out of the living room and painted the floor with primer. This Memorial Day weekend we will be finishing the master bedroom tile shower and hopefully making progress on the walk-in closet and bathroom flooring!
Troy and I are stoked for the opportunity to go on a second Honeymoon to Mexico this summer!Last time we stayed at the all-inclusive Iberostar Quetzal Hotel in Playa Del Carmen, this time we are staying at an all-inclusive in Bucerias, north of Puerto Vallarta.Looking forward to a new adventure, quality time together, sunshine and beaches and readily available delicious food and drinks!
Still hosting Game Night every Monday, a fantastic opportunity to spend time with a variety of friends with busy schedules! As the weather heats up, these will transform into backyard BBQs and fellowship around the firepit!
Persistent right wrist pain has motivated Jen to have many doctor appointments recently, including x-rays, an MRI and Nerve Test. Surgery to remove multiple Carpal Bosses is scheduled for July 21. New wrist braces for work and sleep have helped in the meanwhile, plus upgrading to a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid!
Troy's Grandpa passed away in May and Troy was able to spend a week in Idaho with his family, remembering good times with his Grandpa and making a memorial video. CLICK HERE to watch the video or CLICK HERE to view Jen's photos from the weekend.
Cranberry and Cricket came to live with my family in 1994.We met the kittens while visiting YWAM friends in British Columbia, who gave the kittens to my sister and me.Beka claimed the female cuddly kitten, nicknaming Cricket “Babe” and I claimed the spunky boy kitten, nicknaming Cranberry “Meowser.”For many years the cats lived outside, running to us when we called out “kitty, kitty, kitty” while refilling their food bowls.I have many fond memories of coming home late at night after parties to find Meowser at the front of the house, running towards me meowing a welcome, his tail sticking straight up in the air, and walking me to the door, waiting patiently while I fumbled with my keys in the dark.
As he grew older, Cranberry became less likely to playfully bite and claw… and my family started letting both cats into the house.He loved to jump up onto my mom’s paperwork and keyboard while she was working in the office, purring for attention.
Meowser enjoyed a relaxing, adventurous cat life and lived to an old age.He stopped eating about two weeks ago and last night Doug and Beka took him to the vet (see farewell photo of Beka's cat ambulance) who put Meowser down and will be cremating the little kitty.
Bankok-style chicken, rice and a delicious ginger sauce are complemented by a miso-like soup. They only serve one entree, so ordering is easy - just tell them your name and how many you want!
Portion size is perfect for me, but might be a little small for somebody with a gluttonous appetite.
ESTJs thrive on order and continuity. Being extraverted, their focus involves organization of people, which translates into supervision. While ENTJs enjoy organizing and mobilizing people according to their own theories and tactically based agendas, ESTJs are content to enforce "the rules," often dictated by tradition or handed down from a higher authority.
ESTJs are joiners. They seek out like-minded companions in clubs, civic groups, churches and other service organizations. The need for belonging is woven into the fiber of SJs. The family likewise is a central focus for ESTJs, and attendance at such events as weddings, funerals and family reunions is obligatory.
Service, the tangible expression of responsibility, is another key focus for ESTJs. They love to provide and to receive good service. The ESTJ merchant who provides dependable service has done much to enhance her self image.
ESTJs promote the work ethic. Power, position and prestige should be worked for and earned. Laziness is rarely viewed with ambivalence nor benevolence by this type.
The ESTJ is outspoken, a person of principles, which are readily expressed. The ESTJ is not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right even in the face of overwhelming odds. ESTJs are able to make the tough calls.
Recently Troy and I have enjoyed making breakfast burritos for a healthy/inexpensive/filling grab-and-go meal. The whole process tends to take a couple days. This batch we bought a bunch of pork chops from Costco, stuffed them into the crockpot with onion, diced tomatoes and steak/taco seasonings. After about 8 hours of simmering, the pork chops were tender, moist, flavorful and ready to shred.
I cooked 5 cups of rice, then mixed in homemade frozen salsa, black beans, taco seasoning and corn. Troy sliced mushrooms then lightly cooked them with onion. I heated each burrito shell, Troy filled it, then I wrapped each one individually for freezing in large zip-lock bags. My cheese-free burritos have "Jen" written in Sharpie and when we ran out of pork Troy cooked a batch of egg, labeled with an "E."
Game Night is one of the highlights of my week... an event that motivates me to keep the house clean, bake a treat to share and pursue new friendships! On the rare week that nobody comes, the week seems longer, more tedious and more lonely!
The older I get, the easier it is to be isolated... cut off from people and relationships. It is easier to not host, not make additional commitments, but the community is worth the effort. I value friendship and Game Nights are my way to commit to being AVAILABLE to friends willing to show up!
So, if I haven't seen you in the last 3 months or more, please join us on a Monday evening, between 7pm-10:30pm! Bring a friend and/or your favorite game... all are welcome!
Pause. In the midst of the living life to the fullest, exploring, learning, pursuing and growing.
Reflect. Notice the joys, relationships built, appreciate the journey.
Live. Intentionally bless others, share opportunities, seek community.
Walk with me. To the beach, in the sunshine, our toes tickled by the ocean waves. Explore with me the world, building relationships to understand culture. Make the most of every opportunity. Seek the best in people and encourage growth.
