Scenes from Fall Classic Monroe YMCA Run

The entire family participated in the Fall Classic Fun Run sponsored by the Monroe/Sky Valley Family YMCA (my work and family's home away from home). It was truly a family event complete with great prizes, running competition, and bouncy house. The kids participated in a Kiddy Dash and Drew and I ran the 5K.

It was a beautiful Halloween morning WITHOUT rain and everyone was in great spirits. Personally, my run wasn't the best, but I finished four minutes under my goal time. I try to remind myself that a year ago I'd never even consider running a 5K, but it wouldn't be like me to want to do better. Drew stayed by my side again the entire way which made it more fun for me. Hopefully, I'll have the confidence to do it by myself next time, but I enjoy his company even though I'm recking his race times.

We're off tonight to enjoy and volunteer at The Rock's Fall Festival of Funness... Happy Halloween.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Our Chickens Have Character

We've recently have had lots of friends and readers asking, "How are your chickens doing?" Despite the ridiculous amounts of rain we've been getting...they are dry, cackling, and still producing on average of 2 eggs.

The kids and I still let them out to romp around the back yard every couple of days and spoil them with lots of vegetable/fruit cuttings that were intended for composting. In addition, to their cuttings they have unlimited access to Purina Flock Raiser and fresh water.

Fiona continues to be our main "egg collector" and Mom the main poop shoveler. (Not sure I end up with the bad deal...) The girls are definitely social and enjoy "calling out" when they hear a window or door open in the hopes of being let out to play. (Who wouldn't be with an entire back yard to explore?)

Overall, they have been an interesting addition to the little blue bungalow. Our chickens have character.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Frugal Friday: Being Creative

I don't know about you, but we've always been frugal...but with the current state of the economy there is a sudden urge for more frugality. Even though we have basic debt (just our home mortgage), I continue to look at how we can shave our budget. We are getting creative.

Drew and I both have been reading a great book (of course, not purchased...borrowed from the public library) by Dave Ramsey called The Total Money Makeover. The book gives valuable tips on how to pay off all debt...meaning cars, houses, everything and securing a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement.

We are well on our way, but after ready the book we realize that we need to get more aggressive on saving for our retirement and are confident that with a bit of readjusting we could pay our home off in 15 years. Drew and I don't make much, but we are planners and are faithful in remembering stewardship in everything we do.

Does it make us cool? Not really... Are we what the neighbors refer to as "The Jone's"? No. We are simple people...we grow our own vegetables, own one car and a modest home, have chickens in the back yard, and hang our laundry on the line. (Hardly the case for classy...)

But, we do own our car, the chickens, the laundry line...and not living on a line of credit.

We are creative. Instead of buying cards for $3-4 we make our own. Instead of buying bedding for our chickens we use shredded credit card applications. (Ironic...isn't it?) Instead of having cable we borrow library videos and read books. Instead of using paper napkins we reuse cloth napkins. And on and on and on...

We are comfortable with who we are and confident in our financial goals. Instead of worrying about our bills, we have fun getting creative even if it means shredding credit card applications for the chickens to sit on. (Smile.)

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24

Wordless Wednesday (Belated)

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Sky Valley Farm Tours

Our family dreams of living on a farm, so it is no wonder that this weekend we participated in our second farm tour of the season. From horse riding, cow milking, cow feeding, barn swinging to tractor riding our family enjoyed pure bliss today.

Though we can't get enough of the "farm life"...Drew always reminds us that we'd actually have to work on the farm instead of this "romanticised" idea we have 0f living on a farm. What? Farmers don't stay in the hay loft for a good part of the day swinging into the hay?

Hey, but we can still dream...right?

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Goodbye to Sunny Days

This Fall the Pacific Northwest managed to hang onto our sunny days a bit longer than normal, but atlas I must admit the last two days have been met with rain. (Bitter sweet.) I've already caught myself dodging in between the car and house and contemplating "normal" activities due in part to the rain.

It is official...our Fall and Winter has arrived in the Washington. Call it what you want...rainy season...depressing...Seattle's monsoon...there is no denying our sunny days have been tucked away for a few months.

So...grab your umbrella (if you're visiting that is...true Seattle folks would never be caught with an umbrella!), an extra nap, and take up your favorite past time. I, myself, have a pile of magazines to read, new soup recipes calling me and my crock pot, and a few designated hikes in the rain in mind.

Of course, I have lots of work left in my flower and garden beds to contend with before our true winter strikes, but for today I'm content curling up with my Keegan, sipping tea, and dreaming of next year's garden and sunny days to come...

From inside the "dry" little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Children Musuem's Growing Contest Winners

It is my extreme pleasure as a mom and gardener to announce that both Fiona and Keegan won awards at this year's Imagine Children's Museum Growing Contest! Nothing delights me more in seeing the accomplishment on my children's faces in tending and growing their own plants in the garden.

The contest is a brilliant way of introducing gardening to children as well as learning responsibility in caring for a living plant. In early spring, the museum hands out packets of seeds and ends with a huge Harvest party to celebrate the kid's achievements in the garden. Last year after winning the prize for the biggest pumpkin (click here for last year's contest), Fiona chose to grow sunflowers and little brother Keegan took on the task of growing pumpkins.

Ironically, Fiona's sunflowers were completely dead by the time the contest rolled around last weekend. So with great pride she walked in with the largest stalk of dead sunflowers to the competition along with a poster complete with detailed descriptions (written by Fiona) under each picture. Yes, I admit, we had some second looks, but...that didn't dampen Fiona's excitement in her project. Her sunflowers weren't necessarily dazzling at that moment, but her spirit shined earning her a prize for Best Journal. (A girl after my own heart...a writer and a gardener!)

Keegan's pumpkins did well despite getting an odd leaf fungal in late August. (Actually I've heard from lots of pumpkin farmers that this has been a terrible problem this year.) He yielded over eight pumpkins and only half of them turned orange before the fungal attacked the plant.

Realizing that is was his project I let him pick the bounty for the Harvest Party and was pleased he picked a smaller orange pumpkin with a bright color. But most of all, I was glad he didn't announce to the judges as he accepted his award for honorable mention in best pumpkin that the pumpkin patch has been where he has been learning to "go potty" all summer. THAT my friends, would have definitely been a Little Blue Bungalow moment.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

A God Connection

God meets are every need. During a particularly "lean" time in our lives in the Spring of 2006 we were blessed by our church with a outdoor climber. At our church's, The Rock, annual Easter egg extravaganza, we were delighted when Fiona had won the slide and climb castle climber. It was a simple need, but God met it and we were so blessed.

Fast-forward nearly three and 1/2 years of fruitful play on the climber... Many adventures had been played on the climber, but the kids were getting bigger. After much debate, we decided it was time to pass the climber on as the kids were rarely playing on the climber, instead their bigger tree house.

Our original hope was to pass the climber onto another member of our church, but we couldn't find anyone that needed a climber. After a month of asking around, I had resorted to selling the item on Craig's List and giving the money to the church. But God is bigger.

You can only imagine my amaze and delight of God connecting us to the very family from our church that had a need for a climber. If you are familiar with Craig's List it is a great way for people to find a variety of used items for free or nominal fees and is HEAVILY used by thousands of people everyday.

After I placed the free ad on Craig's List on Friday, the responses to purchase the climber came pouring in. Ironically, (we all know God's hand was in this) I responded to the second person and accidentally left my blog address on my return email. With Denera's permission the emails that followed in our God connection:

Denera,

I have someone supposedly picking it up on Sunday...if for any reason this person doesn't show I will contact you right away. I would prefer to sell it to someone locally. :)

Hi Katie Jean,

Thank you for getting back to me. If for some reason you change your mind and want me to come pick it up today. Give me a call on my cell ...

Thank you and have a great day!

Denera

Well hi there! I clicked on your link and saw pictures of you and the kids. :o) I'm Denera, my niece Nina went to little doves with Fiona. And we also go to the rock with you as well. Funny.

How's Fiona doing? Is she still at little doves or did she start Kindergarten? Nina started Kindergarten at Salem Woods, she's really liking it.

Well, I hope all is well with you guys and I'll probably run into you at church I'm sure.

:o)

Denera

Ironic...isn't it, but God is so GOOD! We had hoped to pass this slide onto another Rock Church family, but didn't know of anyone that needed one. Fiona actually won this at the church's Easter Egg hunt in 2006. I just said to my husband again this morning that it was too bad we couldn't pass it onto someone in our church. But God is so good at connecting one another even over Craig's List! We are so happy to pass this onto your family for FREE.

I work all day tomorrow (at the YMCA) so you'll need to coordinate picking it up from my husband. Hum. Actually...tomorrow morning I'll put it in the front yard and put the instructions and tool for breaking it down in the our silver milk box on the front porch so you can grab it from there. Stop by when it works for you...possibly after church. If our black car is in the driveway you can knock and say hello to Fiona and my family otherwise be blessed and be on your way.

Again, we are so happy you are getting the castle slide.

Katie Jean

http://littlebluebungalow.blogspot.com/

Oh my goodness! What a blessing!!! :o) This is so wonderful of you, thank you very much! And yes, God is so very extremely good!

I've been looking for one of these all summer with no luck, or at least anything that we could afford. You have no idea how much this will bless us and our daughter, Olivia!

We will definitely pick this up after church tomorrow, thank you!

Denera

Truly a God connection...

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Little Boy

I couldn't help but laugh out loud this morning after opening the refrigerator when two acorns came flying out, landing in front of my feet. Life with a little boy...

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean