ph-balanced

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to the two most amazing men we know. Thank you for your support, prayers and love, but mostly for the spiritual leadership you both display. We are proud to call you Father. May God continue to bless you each step of your journey.

Photos: Jen Fox Photography

Happy Birthday Hubby!

2010-05-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today my handsome husband turns 37. He is the best thing that has happened to me and a true gift from God. Here are the top 10 things I love about Mr. ph-balanced:

1.   His Faith
2.   His Strong Work Ethic
3.   His Sense of Humor
4.   His Bald Head and Goatee (If he ever shaves it...)
5.   His Handiness
6.   His Smile
7.   His Cooking (Yes, Paul does the cooking in this family because he enjoys it.)
8.   His Love For Family
9.   His Thoughtfulness
10. His Love for Me

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!

Photo: Jen Fox Photography

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to the two most beautiful mothers ph-balanced could ask for. We praise God for you in our lives and we thank you for your constant love, prayers and support. May your all your days be blessed with His Love.

Photo: Jen Fox Photography

The Fence...

2010-05-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

IS UP!

THANKS TO THIS HANDY GUY! GREAT WORK MR. PH-BALANCED!

April Fool's Birthday

2010-04-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me....I turned 33! Yes, it's not joke, April Fool's Day is really my birthday and it started with my husband surprising me when I woke up with fun birthday balloons...

and a beautiful spring bouquet on the kitchen table.

When I was getting ready for work, I found a birthday card in one of my bathroom drawers! It was such a great start to my birthday. Thank you My Love.

I had a wonderful birthday lunch at work and received some nice cards and gifts from my co-workers. I also enjoyed the BEST chocolate cupcakes made by my boss, Kathy...they are my favorite!

That evening, Paul and I joined my sister Courtney and her husband Jeff at Applebee's for a birthday dinner. The best part was...It was also Jeff's 40th Birthday! That is no joke either...we share an April Fool's Birthday!

Isn't my husband handsome!

After dinner, Paul and I enjoyed some Italian frozen yogurt from Cefiore in downtown Kirkland. I had a kid's size chocolate with strawberries, almonds and mini chocolate chips. I love this combo because it tastes like chocolate covered strawberries and only has about 250 calories.

I had a wonderful birthday and want to thank my husband for making it special. Happy Birthday to Me and J.D.!

Timber Part 2

2010-03-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

Now that spring is here, we have begun phase two of our landscaping project. If you remember we had a number of trees and shrubs taken down last fall in phase one. Paul's co-worker who lives down the street brought over his chain saw this past Friday and chopped down the little maple tree in our front yard.The next day, Paul took down the old shed in our back yard to make room to install the new white vinyl fence in a couple of weeks.

BEFORE

AFTER

We have a lot more planned but we have to budget a phase at at time. We also plan to install a new shed, re-pave the driveway and walkway, put up a small deck in the front and another in the back, replace the garage door, replace the fence around the front and side of the property, install a hot tub in the back and put in new plants and flowers. More to come!

To My Mother

2010-03-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Mom,

You are so beautiful and your love for the Lord shines through you. I know He loves me because our paths not only crossed here on earth, but they intertwined. You are the mother that I was meant to have and you treat me as your own. Thank you for being my Mom and fostering my growth in my faith. Happy Birthday Mom.

Love, Heather

Proverbs 25-29 "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things,but you surpass them all."

Photo: Jen Fox Photography

Coffee Icon

2010-02-27T19:20:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we headed to the Seattle Home Show to get some ideas to improve our landscape. We found some great vendors for decking and sheds however we came up empty handed for information on fencing. But lucky me, Mr. ph-balanced is handy so he plans on building the fence himself this spring. After we left the home show we stopped by Starbucks for a treat. I have to say, having a short non-fat hot chocolate with whip has been a life saver for me since we started eating healthier. I can indulge once a week for only 190 calories and get my chocolate fix. Paul mentioned that we were close to the Starbucks Headquarters. I had never seen it so we swung by.

Here is the iconic Starbucks Mermaid...but I guess only her head.

The corporate office definitely makes a statement. Of course there was a Starbucks coffee shop attached to the building, after all they have one on every corner in Seattle...and around the world.

What is your favorite Starbucks treat?

Valentine's Weekend

2010-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

My wonderful hubby suprised me with these beauties for Valentine's Day.

Isn't he sweet!

This Valentine's Day we decided to stay overnight in Seattle at the Inn At The Market which is located down by the waterfront next to Pike's Place Market. We booked a water view room and it was fantastic! Paul took this photo in the morning as the ferry sailed past. Our view of the Puget Sound was amazing.

We even enjoyed some yummy chocolate covered strawberries. They were huge and about the best thing I have had in a while since we started eating healthier.

Paul then surprised me with tickets to go see the musical Annie at the Paramount. He pays attention as I have mentioned in the past (numerous times I'm sure) that I love musicals. We had great seats on Valentine's evening and the cast was outstanding (thanks my love!).

The next day we did some shopping and toured Pike's Place Market. We ate lunch at the new Hard Rock Cafe. It had wonderful musical memorabilia and friendly staff but I think the food could have been better (our waitress did say the chefs were "getting the hang of things" as the restaurant opened just five days earlier). But, it was still a good experience as I have not been to a Hard Rock Cafe since I lived in California when I was younger and this was Paul's first time.

We hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Fitness Together

2010-02-13T13:56:00.001-08:00

Last September we decided to make a lifestyle change to get healthy and start a family. We found a personal training gym called Fitness Together. It's a franchise which focuses on one-on-one personal training with a nutrition plan tailored just for you. It was a financial investment, but more importantly it took perseverance and dedication. By going as a couple we stayed motivated and got a price break too. Our main trainer was Wyatt Miller, son of the Owners, Chuck & Nancy Miller who also train. We took a fit test at the start and finish which included checking our cardio fitness, strength, flexibility, weight and body fat %. It was an eye opener on how unhealthy we had become. We went for 1 Hour, 3 days a week for 52 sessions (4 mon). See some of our numbers below.

Chuck & Wyatt Miller, Fitness Together

PAUL
Body Fat %
Start:31%
Finish:21%

Total Weight Lost 18lbs

Push-Ups (1 min.)
Start:18
Finish:52

Sit-Ups (1 min.)
Start:11
Finish:43

HEATHER
Body Fat %
Start:43%
Finish:31%

Total Weight Lost 27lbs

Push-Ups (1 min.)
Start:0
Finish:19

Sit-Ups (1 min.)
Start:21
Finish:60

Paul's least favorite activity was sit-ups and mine was lunges. We both feel our greatest success was push-ups as I could not do any at the start and finished doing 19 and, by the end, Paul was performing push-ups in military time. Boxing was something new and different for both of us and we liked it the best. By far we are most proud of being dedicated to our goals as we did not miss one session in four months. We are now going to a local gym five days a week at 5am. We are well on our way to accomplishing our goals and we want to thank all who have supported our journey.

Picture Wall

2010-01-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Picture Wall is finally up thanks to my wonderful hubby who painstakingly hung each picture. We could have purchased a hanging template, but we gave it go and even though it isn't perfect, I love it. We purchased the 8x10 frames at IKEA and ended up cutting the mattes down to in order to see each picture better. I chose white frames and printed all the photos in black and white so the images would stand out. I used Costco's online photo center because of how fast the pictures are ready (within hours or the next day) and the quality is good. The pictures consist of ph-balanced and each of our respective families, so it really became a family tree. I am thinking of adding a 6th column and will swap out the pictures as our family grows.

Click on the image to englarge

Happy Birthday Sister!

2010-01-04T17:49:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Courty! I love this picture from our sister trip to New York in the summer of 2007, we look beautiful! You were the perfect person to show me NYC having already interned there for In Style Magazine. I had a blast. Thank you for surprising me with an "h" necklace from the original Tiffany's as a congratulations on getting into shape before our trip. You have always been a great big sister and I thank God for the blessing of you in my life. Love you madly, madly, H.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T13:17:00.001-08:00

Photo: dreamstime.com

2009-12-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

O' Christmas Tree

2009-12-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us and this is the first year we will celebrate Christmas in our new home. What a great blessing and gift from God this house has been for us. Paul has strung some lights outside and we decorated the tree together and hung the stockings on the fireplace. It has been such a joy to drive up after work and see everything lit up, especially the Christmas tree framed in the window. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the shopping and decorating season that Christmas has become, we want to remember that this is the time our Lord and Savior was born as a gift from God, to save us. That is the best gift we could ever hope for. Merry CHRISTmas.

Bebo, Natalie & Jeremy

2009-11-27T17:47:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday Paul and I went to a contemporary Christian concert featuring Jeremy Camp with Bebo Norman and Natalie Grant. It was an awesome night of worship and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ and each of their testimonies were moving. All three artists are also advocates of Compassion, a Christian advocacy ministry for children who suffer from social, economical, physical and spiritual hardships around the world. My favorite artist, Bebo Norman played my favorite song, Nothing Without You which was the song I chose to walk down the aisle to towards my future husband. It was such a treat to hear it live and it reminds me of our commitment to each other and our faith as we are nothing without God. Check out these awesome artists!

Photos: bebonorman.com; nataliegrant.com; jeremycamp.com

Fishing

2009-11-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

This is by far my favorite picture of my hubby. I love the neat rows of caught fish, the NC baseball cap and Paul with a huge brace filled smile. He said he used to go fishing on the Puget Sound with his Grandpa Richard, who had a love for the water. It reminds me of fond memories fishing with my Dad and my sister when I was little. This will be one of chosen pictures displayed on our picture wall which will be up for viewing soon. Isn't he a cutie?

Timber

2009-11-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

We have been blessed with a beautiful remodeled home that sits on a large corner lot, but in my opinion we have a forest for a yard and it needs some love and care. So we have big landscaping plans. Recently we started phase one in which we hired Got Stumps? to take down several large trees and various shrubs from the front and back yard. Henry Miller is a wonderful Christian man who runs a hardworking family crew. We highly recommend his services to anyone. Here is "The Great Tree Take Down".

In Loving Memory

2009-10-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we celebrate the wonderful life and memory of Paul's Maternal Grandmother, Mary Nash who passed on to her Creator in October 8, 2009. Mary joins her husband Richard who passed away on December 29, 2007. We love you and miss you.

Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Photo:Jen Fox Photography

The Playoffs

2009-10-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

It is a very exciting time in the ph-balanced household as the Seattle Sounders recently qualified for the Major League Soccer playoffs. The Sounders are the newest expansion team in the MLS and the Seattle fans have broken attendance records across the league. Paul has been fortunate to go to a handful of games this year thanks to my Dad funding season tickets for the boys in the family. Paul grew up playing goalie and coaching soccer and as you can see by his gear he is a huge Sounders fan. He recently attended the last regular game of the season where the Sounders edged out Dallas 2-1. We can't wait for the playoffs to begin this week....GO SOUNDERS!

Electric Fireplace

2009-10-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

We love our new home, however one thing missing from our wish list was a fireplace. We currently have brand new electric baseboard heating throughout the house but the baseboard in the living room doesn't work. We decided to get an electric fireplace to put in our living room that will heat up to 400 sq. feet which is almost half of our home and it will add some decorative detail. We should be receiving this white electric fireplace from Fireplace Gateway this week which includes the following features:

* Multi function remote control
* 7’ power cord
* Opening glass doors
* Can be moved to any room in the home within minutes
* Easy bulb replacement, uses 2 standard 40 watt candelabra bulbs
* No venting required, plugs into any standard outlet
* Highly detailed cast glowing logs and ember bed
* Width : 44" ; Height : 41" ; Depth : 13.5"

It will be so great to have instant heat by the flip of a switch and I can't wait to hang stockings from it during Christmas!

Photo: fireplacegateway.com

Lighting

2009-10-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is our new dining room light! Paul installed it during half-time of the Seahawks game last weekend (isn't my hubby handy). It's no surprise to many that we got this fantastic light at IKEA. It goes nicely over our table and blends with our capiz shell wall hanging and off-white drapes in our dining room. There was previously a ceiling fan/light combo that we are going to relocate to the living room at some point. The only downside to this style of light is it needs to be dusted on a regular basis. The modern shape and beautiful glow definitely make it worth while!

Wall Decals

2009-10-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

I am slowly putting together a family picture wall in our living room with 25 8x10 black and white prints in white frames. I have been looking into modern wall decals as a decorating idea for some time so I thought a "family tree" decal would be perfect for the picture wall. I came across this Neu Tree decal by Modern Wall Graphics. I also found this dandelion wall decal from Dali Decals to place in our bathroom for a bit of whimsy. The decals are easily removable and are offered in a variety of styles and colors by both companies. I will post pictures of them when we get them up!

Photos: Modern Wall Graphics; Dali Decals

The Game

2009-09-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

Paul is a HUGE Chicago Bears fan. The Bears don't come to Seattle very often so when we spotted them on the schedule this year, we jumped on the chance to get Paul some tickets to go to the game. Today was the big day and Paul invited our new neighbor Jordan to join him. Boy was Paul razzed for being in the minority wearing his Bears gear, but he didn't let that get to him. Did I mention his team won...

Wishing

2009-09-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

I am in love with bubble chairs. Their simple design and mid-century modern aesthetic fit into my design style perfectly. The Bubble Chair is designed after the Ball Chair originally created by Eero Aarnio in 1968. The chair itself comes in clear, blue and pink and the pads come in a variety of different colors. I want to own one someday but it does not currently fit into the budget. I would hang it in the corner of our living room next to the large front windows and read...I dream.

Photo: evincodesgn.com

To My Love

2009-09-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Your patience amazes me, your acts of service and leadership astound me and your love abounds for me. Thank you for asking me to be your wife and I look forward to growing closer to you in the years to come. Happy 1st anniversary. All my love, H

Photo: Jen Fox Photography

1st Anniversary

2009-09-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Our first wedding anniversary is upon us and we cannot believe how fast the year has flown by! We plan on celebrating by staying at the Inn at the Market in Seattle this Sunday, September 13th. Thank you to all of our friends and family for your prayers, support, love and encouragement during our first year as husband and wife. God has really blessed us in our union and we look forward to growing closer to Him and to each other in the years to come. Some highlights of our first year of marriage include: Paul getting into the PSE's Gas Worker's School, becoming debt free through the Dave Ramsey Program, Heather visiting with former students, buying our first home (we love it!), Paul getting his motorcycle endorsement and taking our first plane trip together and visiting Disneyland as a couple. In the coming year we hope to get in better shape, get our first puppy, become members of our church and serve, get to know our new neighbors and work on landscaping our yard. We plan out our life together, but we know God is in the driver's seat and wherever He leads, we will follow. Much Love, P & H.

Photo: Jen Fox Photography

Home Again

2009-09-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

We made it home from our Disney Vacation in one piece...but boy was it HOT! We sweated in the California heat (95 degrees) from 9am to 9pm each day which made it kind of miserable. Some highlights were a fabulous dinner at the Bleu Bayou restaurant in Disneyland. It is a very beautiful, dimly lit atmosphere where the tables are out in the open of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and you have to make reservations months in advance. Jeff made it a nice surprise for us and even landed us a water front table. (Thanks Jeff!). Paul REALLY enjoyed the ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney. It is a pub with tons of sports playing on multiple TVs and as Paul put it "A Dream Upon a Dream". I would never see my husband if we lived near it. Of course we enjoyed being kids on the rides (Space Mountain 3 times) and even had a day of shopping in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. These beautiful pictures are courtesy of my talented sister. Thanks Court for capturing our trip so beautifully. (Click on the image to enlarge)

Photo: Courtney Strand

Disneyland Vacation

2009-08-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Paul and I are going on vacation with Courtney and Jeff to Disneyland and we can't wait! We will be staying at the Marriott in Anaheim directly across from the Park. Our first day in California will be spent in Hollywood and Beverly Hills to do the tourist thing and the rest of our vacation will be spent enjoying Disneyland. This will be our very first plane ride together and our first visit as a couple to the most "magical" place on earth. Vacation here we come!

Photo: stillsearching.wordpress.com

Dream Bedroom

2009-08-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

As we settle into our new house, I have realized that apartment living for so many years has held me back from designing my dream spaces and of course, budget has been a factor as well. I have been pouring over interior design magazines to get ideas for our home. Some of my favorite are Metropolitan Home and Dwell. I was thinking what my dream bedroom would be and although the photo above is not exactly my dream bedroom, it does have a lot of features that I am drawn to such as the neutral colors, different textures and dark furniture against the light walls. I really like the headboard because of its modern aesthetic and geometric design. We actually have it in our master bedroom and it is the first true headboard I have acquired since I left home. Some other features of my dream bedroom would be a capiz shell chandelier and dupioni silk curtains. I received a West Elm capiz shell chandelier for my birthday from my sister, but have not been able to figure out where to hang it in our bedroom because we have recessed lighting. Our bedroom is still a work in progress as is the rest of the house, but I look forward to the design process.

What is your dream bedroom?

Photo: West Elm

My Fitness Pal

2009-07-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

We are getting healthy! Both Paul and I have a good amount of weight to lose and we want to be in good health before we start a family. This means excercise on our new Octane Seated Elliptical and eating better. We picked up this Weight Watchers Scale at Costco. It can hold up to 400lbs and gives you a digital reading to an exact weight, no rounding off. It is very motivating to work on getting in shape when you see how much you really weigh, especially when you have not stepped on a scale in a while. Another useful tool has been My Fintess Pal which a co-worker showed me recently. It is a FREE calorie counter and it has a very comprehensive catalog of foods and brands so you don't have to haul every package over to your computer in order to log your Food Diary. Some other great features are the Exercise Log, the Check-In to monitor your progress and the Message Boards for support. This will be a long journey for both of us as Paul wants to shed 60lbs and I want to shed 80lbs. We appreciate all your prayers and support.

Please share a success story or advice!

The "W"

2009-07-21T19:32:00.001-07:00

I really enjoy modern design and one of my new favorite things is a giant zinc "W" that I purchased from Ballard Designs. The "W" is 26"H x 16"W and the material makes it very light weight to hang on the wall. Ballard Designs carries a lot of different home furnishings that range from traditional to rustic to contemporary and the shipping is quick. I have a couple of other items from Ballard Designs which are monogrammed with a "W" such as a shower curtain for our bathroom and chocolate velvet pillows for our couch. I suppose the monogramming has reached its cap for now. What can I say, I am proud to be a West.

He Passed

2009-07-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Motorcycle Class

2009-07-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Paul has a love for Harley Davidson Motorcycles. Since we are not purchasing one anytime soon (Sorry My Love), he is going the bike rental route. So, this weekend Paul is going to get his Motorcycle Endorsement through the Evergreen Safety Council. He will be joined by my sister Courtney and her husband Jeff who are getting endorsed for their new Vespa scooter. Doesn't Paul look like a true biker dude in his gear?

4th Of July Getaway

2009-07-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Paul and I are taking a mini vacation for the holiday weekend and are staying at the Inn at Harbor Steps located downtown Seattle on 1st Avenue. The concept is an Urban Inn with a bed and breakfast twist housed in a corporate office building. We are staying in a Deluxe King Spa Guestroom that has a gas fireplace and a fabulous jetted tub that I wish we had in our new home. Below are some of the complimentary features when you stay this Four Sisters Inn:

* A bountiful breakfast buffet each morning
* Afternoon tea and hors d' oeuvres
* Evening turn down service featuring delectable La Belge chocolate
* Scrumptious, freshly-baked cookies
* Refreshments including water, coffee and tea available throughout the day
* Early newspaper delivery to your guestroom
* Internet access and free local telephone calls
* On site gym including fitness room, pool, lap pool, basketball court
* Concierge and activity recommendations and planning
* 3:00 p.m. check-in and 12:00 noon check-out
* Movies, books and Cd's available to borrow at the front desk
* Toiletry items such as a toothbrush or shaving cream available at the front desk

Photo: Inn At Harbor Steps

New Beginnings

2009-06-27T16:56:00.001-07:00

We finally decided to join the blogging bandwagon and thus starts a new chapter for p h - b a l a n c e d. My wonderfully talented sister Courtney helped me create this blog and I could not have done it without her...I was amazed at how much "behind the scenes" work goes into one of these! Anyway, I see this as an opportunity to share some our day-to-day stuff with family and friends. I also thought this would be a great platform to talk about my weight loss journey which is an ongoing battle. Of course I cannot leave out how great the blog will be to showcase our future dog and future children. ( I can just hear Paul now saying....Children...What?). Thanks for stopping by our new blog. Stay tuned for our next "balancing act".