Just a little something to think about..

It is well..

Zach and I have never been the type of people you might call contentish..or content in non-Amberish type language (ish).

No sadly I cannot claim we are always happy with our position in life. In fact, it seems we have been perpetually on the move, trying to outrun our position in life for many, many years. Not just moving in the literal sense (but we have done that too!) No really I'm talking about in our spirit..ourselves..our deepest desires. Make sense? It's like this.. we are always asking ourselves what is next? What are we suppose to be doing right now? Because deep down we could NOT believe what we were/are currently doing is ok..is right on task. No, what we do now is too mundane, not flashy enough, not making a big enough of an impact..yada yada yada..
you get my point?

My 35th birthday is coming up, and for the first time in a long long time, it feels right. I'm ok with it. I'm ok with 35 and still no direction. I'm ok with 35 and admitting that I'm far far far from from having any answers at all. I'm ok with 35 and still unable to fold my laundry. I'm ok with 35 and the need to loose 20lbs. I'm ok with 35 and no degree.

I'm ok with 35 and all that it entails.

Recently I was part of a little game, it went like this...

"We are going to go around the bus and say our name and what it is that we do."

This is the part where I would normally FREAK OUT!! I mean what is it that I do?? Yes I could eloquently wax on about the merits of motherhood (I'm not trying to minimize motherhood). I could make myself look like the professional photog I dream of being..I could tell you of all my good deeds and merits..but why?
Why do I feel so hard pressed to prove myself and furthermore what is there to prove?

Then came my turn..

"Hi! (with my very sweetest smile) My name is Amber, and I do nothing."

Oh ha ha ha everyone laughed and yes I did too (cuz you know, I'm pretty funny) but I have to tell you dear reader, there was so much freedom in that statement. So much so I used it again that day, and really I'm beginning to think I will use it for the rest of my life.

Maybe I will have some new business cards printed up..

Amber Strehle
Doer of Nothing
(And she's really good at it)

So today as I go about my business, I go about it with a renewed sense of purpose. The purpose is not so I can say.."Hi my name is Amber and I do (insert something really really super cool here)." No need to impress you, no need to hurry past this current stage of life.

No, I will do it so I can look myself in the mirror and say,

"Life is not perfect, all your dreams may NOT come true, people will come and go, marriage is tough and raising kids just might be tougher, scrubbing toilets will never transfer over to a resume and that masters degree?? It juuust might be out of the question... and it's ok if you have nothing to do..really, I promise."

"Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul."

Tuesday is not over yet!!

Do you know that every time I do a drawing I say a little prayer..yup. Nothing fancy, nothing eloquent, just a, "God, you know who needs to win this drawing." kinda of prayer..

The winner is Cyndi!!
WOOHOO!! I do have to admit she is one of my very most favorite people, so I'm pretty stoked she won:)
PLUS I get to give it to her in person, how fun is that!

Thanks for votes, I knew you would all pick Roosevelt house. How did I know?
Well it's really because I'm pretty sure I have the hippest blog readers around:)

So it's official..
The Roosevelt house it is!

Saturday Simple

Our world is complicated. My world is complicated. Everyday brings a new challenge, a new season. There are times when I just need to reflect on simplicity.

House Naming Contest

But first..a few pic's of the new place..

We officially have a barn! Right now it's holding alot of junk..but oh in the future..what plans I have! Hahaha..We were just messing around:)BUT this is an apple tree from one of the 3 that are on our property.

Ok you can just barely see the raised garden bed hidden beneath the weeds..next spring this will be glorious!! There are 7 in all and I just can't wait to sink my hands into sweet earth!

I'm totally in love with tire swings..It kinda was a big selling point for me..and I'm not joking:)

Paper craft goodness..

Yes I know I already posted pics of him..but just look!! And guess the best part?? I paid 14.75 for him at Goodwill, see now I know your in love:)

I'm sitting right here and writing this post. The very old walnut tree in our back yard. In the far back left corner of this picture you can also see the chicken house..I can't wait to have some feathered ladies again!!

The house naming contest is here!! If you are new to my blog, this will be your first introduction to how very eccentric Amber is. Lets review previous Strehle house names...

1.Reiner Road House (WA)
This will ALWAYS be my favorite house, and I miss it everyday:(

2.Big House (1st in AZ) Our first home that was over 3000 square feet, I was one of the few women who actually cleaned my own home in the neighborhood.

3.80's House (2nd in AZ)
It was like time had stopped and I was listening to Debbie Gibson and rockin my side ponytail.

4.Cold House (1st in return trip to WA)
For the first month we kept it really warm until we received our first heating bill, then it was cold house once more.

Here are my finalist for the current house...

1. The Hicks House.
K long story on this but I will shorten it.
The previous owners last name was Hicks and we kinda new them. Plus the added bonus to this name is, according to any person who lives in a major metropolitan area this house is for sure in Hicksville..yes we are in the middle of no where. So that name kinda has two meanings.

2. The Roosevelt House. (ooh pick me, pick me!)
I like this one. We live off a road called Roosevelt Road and everyone in the area knows this road. So when I'm telling Great Aunt Jenny where we live I say (really loud so she can hear me),
"We live off of Roosevelt Road."
And she shakes her sweet little white head with acknowledgement.

3. Half Ass House.
Umm yeah the name pretty much says it all.
(I know!! I try not to swear TOO much on the blog but how else do you say that?? So please no comments about the language (Elaine)!!)

4. Wannabe farmer house.
2 1/2 acres is just enough to be dangerous..and you know the Strehle's like to live dangerously;)

So this is how it is going to work..Leave a comment casting your vote and I will then tally up the votes and post the winning results on Tuesday! Every person that comments will be entered in a drawing for...

Thats right dear reader once again please don't thank be for my MASSIVE generosity just know that MY blog readers are well taken care of:)

Come junk with us..well only if want to be super cool.

A few pics from a great day! Here is some Barn House goodness, enjoy!

The List..back to school style

I'm kinda going through this weird art/statue/obscure stage..Zach LOVES it. This is Abe..I got a smoking deal on him a few days back..as you can see I'm pleased as punch with him:)

Yes I have a huge girl crush on Mona..especially when she is hanging in my living room..

This is nippy...Because this is a familish type blog I will let you make your own conclusions.. She currently resides on a buffet next to our kitchen table, every once in a while I catch Zach staring...

10. My Freshman year in High School I bought a pair of Reebok pumps..do you remember these shoes??

Oh I was sooo FRICKEN COOL!! That was the first battle I ever fought over shoes, I had to save up and buy them on my own, it was worth every penny. Now I just fight with Zach about boots..speaking of which...do you like these?? My birthday is November 8th..hmmm.

9. So the boys started middle school yesterday. I forgot to take a picture. Nice..

8. It was Silas' 7th birthday yesterday as well, I found myself in tears many times throughout the day. Middle school, Silas turning 7..nervous break down soon to come. At least I got a picture of the birthday boy and his sissy on the first day of school!

7. The second I stepped off the plane last December I knew it was going to be a problem..yes dear reader..a BIG problem..my hair. For those of you who knew me "pre-Arizona" know that my hair is naturally curly..really curly. When I moved to AZ I discovered that dry heat is good for curly hair..to stay NON CURLY. I rejoiced in this! For the first time in my life I did not have to fight the dreaded frizz..For the past long 9 months I have been fighting the frizz fight and I'm tired of it..and so is my hair. So I'm welcoming back curly haired Amber. No more wrestling the straighting iron only to be ruined by a down pour on my way out to the car..no this winter I will embrace the curl and be ok with rubber boots to church. Its time to let the dream die.

6. I took out my nose ring..goodbye edgy Amber.

5. Now I want a new tattoo..don't tell Zach or my parents.

4. House naming contest starts next week...

Here is a little preview of the house tour..ooh I have some decorating goodness going on around here!! It's so good to be in a sweet old house again!

3. I booked three photo sessions in one day last week..yipee!

2. I'm pretty stoked to spend the day with Timi and Come Junk with Us! I also get to meet the famed Barn House Boys...These guys have a cult following in blogging/junking circles around these parts..I feel like I'm going to the Oscars..well the junking/blogging/cute boys/Washingtonish Oscars..

1. I do have to admit I have a sense of peace and serenity I have not had in two long years. Being grounded again fills this void inside me, I'm so glad to have a home that is really my home again:)

My heart belongs to Paris..

Zach and I were laying in bed the other morning..

"Have I told you about the restaurant that only had one thing on the menu in Paris?"

"No." (he is super chatty in the morning)

"They only served steak with a creamy yummy sauce and frites, there was no menu and when you ordered you just told the waitress how you wanted your steak cooked (and you better DARN well say nothing more than medium, or she is going to stab your eye out!) when she took your order she wrote it down on the paper table cloth."

"Really?" (see SUPER chatty)

"Yup, then after you were finished they would walk around with big platters of steak cooked the way you wanted and ask if you wanted more..kinda like a really super posh all you can eat joint."

"Sounds like heaven." (just talking my ear off!)

I laid there for a moment remembering that very wonderful meal and evening, one of many wonderful meals and evenings I spent in Paris... Then I was a little sad. When I came home I really had to hit the ground running, I stinking got on a flight to Arizona the very next morning and that was the least of it! Now we are all moved in and life is starting to steady out and I'm realizing I have so much to share! Zach did not even know about the steak bistro.. neither did you! How sad is that? Do you know that at last count I had right around 2000 pictures of my trip? TWO THOUSAND!! How many have you seen? Like 7.. A few more fun facts about my trip...

-Parisian women wear black and navy blue together.

-I just happened to be in the "rainbow district" the same day as the Gay Pride Parade, I don't think you've ever really seen a better looking man in your whole entire life until you've seen a Gay Parisian..they are simply a work of art. I also saw a drag queen dressed as Marilyn Monroe that day..and he was African American (although we were in Paris so does that make him African European? Or maybe he really was from Africa? I never asked him)

-Signs that said, "Stay off the grass" and "Don't pick the flowers".

-I ate at Le Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower..and do you know that on the way up I actually started to cry and had to turn away from the elevator guy. (not sure of what is official name is) I mean I was just so overcome with joy and I could not stand it and the tears flowed.. it was a meal that I will never in a million years EVER forget, I think I'm getting teary right now.

-Speaking of tears.. When we were eating yet another positively wonderful meal, a Sunday lunch in fact. There was a middle aged (50's) beautiful women sitting next to our table with her family (two college aged boys and hubby) At some point during the meal she stared weeping..I mean really crying and proceeded to do so for almost the entire meal while her husband sat blank faced and her boys consoled her. She was speaking the quickest French I had heard to date and not touching a piece of the wonderful meal placed before her... Oh did I mention she was impeccably dressed. Prada this, Burberry that and some killer Christian Louboutin heels to match.. When I grow up I want to be a tragically beautiful French women who weeps in public places...

-My wallet was stolen in the Louvre.

-My favorite meal was Duck Confit..can food give you a glimpse of heaven? I'm pretty sure yes.

-Every night I slept with the french doors (ha! french doors IN FRANCE!!) wide open, with the breeze blowing.. I still can't believe that a city sooo crammed full of people can be that quiet at night, it's amazing.

-I wish the Metro did not scare me, but it did. I would much rather be above ground and able to see where I'm going..like hoping and praying I'm going in the right direction.

-I got lost once and had to ask the police how to get to my destination..he pointed me in the right direction, and no they are not bi-lingual.

-French men flirt with anything on two legs..and I loved it:)

-On our first day there I actually fell asleep on a water taxi. The sun was shining, I had been up for 30 hours plus and I made the cardinal mistake..I sat down, and that was it. Next thing I knew Val and Antonya were shaking me awake..

That is just a few of the tidbits I needed to get off my chest..Don't worry there is more where that came from:)

Miss me???

Strehle fun on the road...

How stinking cute is this?

It kinda scares me how good she is getting at this..Where did she learn to look like that?


Yesterday I had this sweet encounter with a girlfriend from my high school days. Let me insert here for a moment.. it's soo nice to be all grown up and have kiddos and not worry about how big our butts look in acid washed jeans anymore (cuz I wear a long sweater to cover my booty now, this equals wisdom) and be able to reconnect with some very sweet people, makes me smile from the inside:)

So as I'm hanging with the family at the fair (more on that later) I see a couple of gf's from days gone by..one said,

"Oh I have to tell you I just LOVE your blog"

"You read it? Really?" I reply.

"Yes!! Alot."

Oh my blogger heart just swelled up with blogger pride. So what did I do after a long day at the fair, still reeking of corn dogs and deep fried twinkies..I started a post!
Our internet was connected after two and a half long weeks..It was kinda like a detox for me, and I'm pretty darn sure the reason the house is almost totally unpacked is NOT because of my will power or organization skills, no I'm pretty sure it's because we did not have internet.

A few things to catch up on...

Many of you know Timi right?? She recently co-hosted the big Hot Blogust Nights here in Snohomish. Well because she is just so darn clever she has put together a new adventure...

Just imagine a bus load of ladies who love junkin just as much as you!! It is going to be a wonderful event!! Timi has asked The Dish and I to be the official "Come Junk With Us" photogs..yippee! I'm so stoked for this event and even if I was not going as part of Come Junk With Us, I would be going anyway! You can pretty much bet that anything Timi is involved with is going to be a good time:)

Now it's a bit of a bummer but The Dish can't make it to this event:( Truthfully I always feel a little lost when I go to these shows without her or Miss Elaine kicking around..BUT the reason she is not able to go is because she is going to her own show with her fab business..Wild Whimsy, so I don't feel too bad for her. Although she will be working her booty off and I will be happily snapping pictures of fabulous finds and even more fabulous people..

I'm soo super excited to give you all a tour of the new Strehle house.
I 'm holding a house naming contest very soon.
As my faithful readers know I like to name my houses..and since I have had 5 in the past 2 years I have HAD to name them to keep them straight..Now I'm really hoping this will be the last move for quite some time but I really want to name my current abode..it helps me make my home more real to you dear reader:) So I'm going to come up with some name options and I'm hoping you will help me make the final decision. Then all of you who voted will be included in a drawing for a gift card..this will be the last gift card drawing for a while sadly.. I have a house payment now and can't be handing out 5 dollar gift cards to everyone...sheesh.

Lastly it's back to school time for the Strehle kiddos. All four will be in full time, this will inevitably turn me into a melancholy Amber. Not melancholy in wishing for my kids to be young again..HECK NO!! But melancholy in wishing I knew what to do with myself. I can only keep myself busy with laundry, Starbucks coffee dates and house cleaning for so long before I get bored... this time always brings about a crazy Amberish type decision..Paris was last year..I'm anxious to see what this year will bring!