Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 3)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

  

The difference between Alabama and Oregon (Part 3)

 (Click HERE to read Part 1 and Here for Part 2)

- The Weather: Yes, again! I know I'm a little annoying but I forgot the most important (besides the rain!) difference about the weather.  Humidity!  I've grew up in the South and just grew to deal with it.  I knew when I went to Florida the humidity was worse and my hair either did better at the beach or worse.  I didn't realize how humid it can be in Alabama until I lived here in Oregon for 6 months and then went back to Alabama for a visit in July.  Walking out of the airport I couldn't breath! It just takes your breath away.

- Recycling.  I know cities in Alabama have great recycling organizations but I've never seem recycling like I have here in Oregon.  I wanted to take a picture of our trash cans (yes cans with an S) because our "trash" can is the smallest.  We have a large recycling can and a yard debris can and also a small box for glass recycling.   Where we lived at in Alabama we only had one trash can and it was for everything.  If we wanted to recycle we had to take it somewhere.  Now, there were cities close by that picked up recycling but from what I remember, you just place a bag out by the road.  When you go in most restaurants here in OR, there is almost always a place to put recycling when you are finished.  Go Green or Go Home! :)

- Land.  I've taken Land forgranted.  When we lived in Alabama we lived on 13 acres on Q's dad's land.  We lived in a trailer beside his dad and his wife Hilde.  Here in OR land is very expensive.  Most people I know don't have a lot of land.  There is a lot of farm land here but most of the people I know here live in a neighborhood with a fenced-in backyard.  Now, I don't know a lot of people here in OR yet but it just seems like it's easier to come across land in AL and it's way cheaper.

- Housing.  It's more expensive to buy a house here.  (I'm sure this is connected with the expensive land)  I know at one point I was told that if you bought a house here you would pay 50% less in AL for that same house.  I don't think those statistics are the same now.  It's a little closer now but it shocked me how much houses were here.  The price of living is just higher here on the West coast.  

- The Coast/Beach.  Here in Oregon when you go to the Ocean, you say "I'm going to the coast."  In Alabama you say, "I'm going to the beach."  They are both beautiful.  Both part of my favorite things about the landscape about each state.  Both so VERY different.  In OR I've been to the coast ah, maybe 7 or 8 times and never been swimming in the water or even in my swimsuit for the matter.  It's almost always cold, windy, and sometimes raining.  I tell you though, It's absolutely some of the most amazing views.  I could just explore the Oregon coast all day.  In AL, it's tropical.  White sandy beaches where you wear a swimsuit and lay out on the sand to get a tan or swim in the water....without a wet suit.  It's flat.  It's my favorite vacation spot EVER and I miss it!  In OR, it's rocky and cliffs over the water.  Just totally different but both hold a special place in my heart. 

-BUGS!  I can't believe I almost forgot about bugs and snakes.  I don't see a lot of bugs here in OR but in Alabama, especially in the Summer, you see bugs everywhere!  Also there aren't any poisonous snakes here in Oregon, from what I hear, but I'm not so sure I believe it...  Even so, a snake is a snake.  I hate them all. ;) 
 

(Again, I do understand that some of these differences could be because I lived in a "smaller" town in Alabama and now I live in a "Bigger" city...that's my disclaimer for this post. ha! ;)  

Happy Listing! 

Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 2)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

The Difference Between Alabama and Oregon: (Part 2) 

(Click HERE to read last weeks Part 1)

- In Oregon you don't pay Sales Tax! If it says 4.99, you pay 4.99. In Alabama I think Sales Tax is 8%.

-Thrift Stores are EVERYWHERE here in Oregon.  I counted as many as I knew of around where we live and I counted 14... and I'm sure I'm missing some.  Some of these thrift stores are HUGE.  I find almost all of our clothes at thrift stores now. 

- Did you know that it's only a Southern thing to pull over for a funeral procession??  I don't believe I've seen a funeral procession since I've been here in OR but from what I've heard, people don't pull over for them.

-You hear people say that in the South women have BIG hair and wear lots of make up.  Well, the big hair is true for some but not always as bad as they can make it out to be in the movies.  Women in Alabama wear more makeup than in Oregon for sure.  Oregon is all natural.

- Some Oregonians are against Wal-Mart.  They would rather support local business which is great.  Where our friends Neal and April live in Albany they are just now building a Wal-mart there.  If they want to go to Wal-mart they have to drive 25/30 minutes.  Albany is a decent size town....it has an old Navy...but no Wal-mart.  I think every city in Alabama has one.

- You will ALWAYS see people riding bikes or running here.  I'm sure this one might be more of a big city/small town thing.  I lived in a smaller town in Alabama and now live in some what of a bigger city here in Oregon.  Oregon makes it really easy to ride bikes and walk.  There are bike trails everywhere and sidewalks everywhere.  There are also bike lanes on the road.  One place in town has a double bike lane.  One side of the road is for one-way traffic.  The other side of the road is a 2-lane bike lane.

- We've met several families that only have one car.  It's not the poor people either.  It's nice middle class families that have chosen 1 car.  I'm sure if someone would give them a car they would take it but they don't "need" it.  They can ride their bikes to work or take public transportation which is everywhere here. (another big city thing I believe)

- Weather. (Yes, I'm bringing it up again! ha!)  I take Deci to a public school for a speech class twice a week. I take her mid mourning when the normal school hours are going on and there are almost always kids outside playing for P.E. (Recess).  One day it was 38 degrees, sleeting and the kids where out playing, just as happy as could be.  Yesterday it was raining (sprinkling) and maybe in the 40's and kid were out playing.  I think 38 just feels warmer here...honestly.  But in AL you probably wouldn't see the P.E. class outside when it's 38 degrees....or even in the 40s. The weather just doesn't stop people here.  AND you will rarely see people here carrying an umbrella. 

- People are more direct here.  They tell you what they think when they think it...they aren't being rude (well, most of them) they just tell you straight.  I'm still having to get use to this.  The first month here I almost cried at the post office because a lady was so direct... I loved her after this...I just had to realize she wasn't being mean.  She just said what she needed to.  It seems in the South, people sugar coat things...by using words like sweetie or hunny... Haha, that just sounded like everyone in the South uses words like "sweetie and hunny"...I just mean that people in the South find the nicest way possible to say things without hurting someones feelings. I wish I could give you all an example of this difference.

- People in the South say "Y'all" and I hardly ever hear it here.

*That's it for now...I'm sure I can find more.  Please don't think I'm making fun on either state.  I love you both.  (there, that's the Southern coming out in me! ha! Gotta keep people happy!) ;)

Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 1)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

I've been pondering this list for a while.  The difference between Alabama and Oregon.  Believe me the list is quite long so I'm going to break this into 2 parts. So...here goes :)

The Difference between Alabama and Oregon (Part 1)

- The Weather.  Oh, I could say so much about the difference in the weather...but then I'd get all depressed that I'm still having the Winter Blues...so I'll keep it short. It rains a lot here. A LOT...but not a lot all at once.  It drizzles all day long here, where in Alabama it pours for an hour or two then the sun comes back out (most of the time).  The Winter is LONG here and short Summers, BUT when it is Summer here it's WONDERFUL.  Absolutely perfect weather to play outside.  Alabama Summers can be Too hot for most people (I just so happen to love the heat...) and lots of humidity (which I'm loving living without).  Also no Tornado's here and I don't believe I've seen lightening (thunderstorms) since I've been here.

- If someone invites you to their house to eat here in OR usually you will not be offered Coke products...you will have water or wine. (or Coffee)

- Lots and Lots and Lots of Coffee here.  Everyone drinks it...even kids...  Coffee shops are EVERYWHERE.  There are these drive-thru coffee places that are about as small as a walk-in closet.  At our old house in Springfield, OR you could go a mile (or less) in any direction and hit one of these coffee shops. (I just counted 7 that were in a mile of my old house!)  We lived 1 mile away from 2 different star bucks.  Seriously! CRAZY and I LOVE it!

- Kids.  Kids don't wear hair bows here...or not a lot anyways.  Here kids wear layers.  Leggins, skirts, rain boots... RAIN BOOTS are everywhere.  Alabama kids wear dresses.  Frilly dresses and Bows!  I don't see a lot of frilly dresses here in Oregon.  Also it seems in the AL kids wear a lot of initialed clothes, bags...well anything you can initial.  I don't hardly see anything initialed here...especially not clothing.

 - Speaking of Dresses.  Someone once warned me about this one.  I got my hair cut by a girl about my age just after we moved here.  She was really interested in the South.  She said she really wanted to be a Southerner, wear a sundress, bake a casserole and show up at a picnic. haha! :)  I wondered why people in Oregon don't wear dresses.  Well, this Summer I figured it out.  It's only warm enough to wear dresses for about a  month or two here (for me anyways! ha!).  So, why buy a dress when you can only wear it for one month?  Or maybe for real Oregonians there is another reason...

-  ORGANIC.  Oregonians are all natural.  There are several grocery stores here selling all natural foods.  I know there are people in AL that eat all Natural foods, Organic and Gluten Free but here it's to the extreme! 

- In AL you have Rednecks.  In Oregon you have Hippies.

- I don't have to pump my own gas here in OR!!! It's actually illegal to pump your own gas and I LOVE it!

-  Dogs.  More people here have dogs than in AL it seems..  If you have a dog here it's really a kid.  You can take your dog to work, church, out to eat.  I see more dogs in the strangest places here than ever before.  It seems in AL people don't take their dogs everywhere with them...Dogs are USUALLY just pets...maybe in the backyard or some even in the house.  Some have hunting dogs.  

Well, there you go... just a few differences.  Come back next Wednesday for Part 2.

If you've been to both AL (or the South, really) and OR (or the North West), I would love to hear the differences you noticed. :)

Wednesday's List: Bucket List

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, (doesn't have to be bucket list) then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

Can I just tell you that I've been wanting to share with you my bucket list for a while,

BUT at the same time I feel that my bucket list isn't yet complete...

I started a bucket list several years ago in a Journal and that Journal is currently boxed up. So I'm going to try and remember as well as I can what was on that original list.  Plus I've added some and taken some off.

My Bucket List:

 (in no particular order)

1. Visit all 50 States in the USA

2. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

3.  Take my daughters on a foreign mission trip

4. Visit New York City

5. Go on a road trip across the USA

6. Go skiing in "real" snow.  I've only skied down a hill when I was 10 on fake/man-made snow.

7. Run a 10k...or a 1/2 marathon...

8. Adopt a child...or two

9. Go see the Grand Canyon

10. Get a Tattoo

11. Learn to Knit something that's not square or rectangle (not a headband/scarf/ear warmers)

12. Go on an overnight hiking trip

13. Scuba dive with my Dad and Brother somewhere besides my dads pool

14. Volunteer somewhere at least once a year, every year

15. Visit the 7 wonders of the world

16. See my girls give their lives to follow Jesus...to make their life about Him.

17. At some point, live in a State that is closer to family

18. Ride on a Train

19. To be dept free. We only have my student loan left to pay off!

20. Buy and sewing machine and learn to use it.

21. Get another passport (mine expired in 2009)

22. Take Journey to Mexico (Deci went when she was 13 moths old)

23. Have a street party for our neighbors.

24. Memorize a HUGE chunk of Scripture

25. Personally feed a homeless person...not as in spoon feed them but buy them food and hand it to them.

I would like to add that sometimes I feel like we make bucket list and they are very selfish and worldly.  Mine is no different.  When I think of a bucket list I think of things to actually do to cross off...it's hard to cross off "be less selfish" or "learn more about the bible"  or "Be a better Mom." etc... but there are several things that I would like to change about myself before I "kick the bucket"...I'm just not sure that I'll actually be able to do these things and cross them off a list...they are ongoing.  Maybe that's another list post...

Bucket list items that I took off my list:

-bungee jumping
-sky diving
Like I ever really had enough courage to do either of these and now I have 2 kids that would have a hard time living without me if something went terribly wrong...but maybe one day when they are older I can add these back on my list...maybe. ;)

Have you posted a List lately? I would love to read it!
Happy Listing!

Wednesday's List: Funny Stuff about Me

So, I went to Barnes and Noble over the weekend and got this new Journal:

If you know me, you know I LOVE journals and I LOVE list, so this journal is perfect.  

The inside has questions like this:

I decided that I would incorporate this onto my blog with Wednesday's List!  On Wednesdays I'll try and post a list post.  Some may be random, some serious, but always in list form.  I would love for any of you to drop in at any time and join me then leave a comment and let me know you did so I can check out your list.  

Today's list: Funny (Random) Stuff About Me:

-I've watched every season of The Biggest Loser and a few months ago I started all over again with Season 1.  I'm currently on season 7.  Who does that?? Who watches reality T.V. shows over and over again? ME! I'm a reality T.V. Junky!

-I DESPISE the rain and I live in Oregon.

-I could possibly have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder... Or maybe I'm just a germaphobe...  I've never been diagnosed but I'm sure my husband would say that I'm OCD about washing dishes and how food gets cooked.

-If there is a box of Little Debbie's or Ice Cream in our house it WILL be gone in 24 hours.  I have no self control when it comes to either of these things.

-I'm not even 30 (but will be in May! eeek!) and I knit and love puzzles. 

-I LOVE change...like in the fact that I love when the seasons change.  I love moving. I love rearranging the furniture.  I can hit the scan button on the car radio and be just fine with the change of songs without ever picking one to listen to fully.  

-We eat pizza almost once a week.  It reminds me of my childhood.

-I can be over sensitive and I can over analyze...

-I love LIST! List of "to do" for the day, Things to do in Oregon in 2012, Crossing number 8 off my list, These are a few of my favorite things 2011, In everything give thanks, Bucket list...

If you join me let me know! Lists coming soon:

-Bucket List

-Differences between Alabama and Oregon

 Happy Listing!