Peak into our house....

I soooo like how our house looks this year...nothing new, we just re-purposed some things!  This is what our house looks like from the outside!  The wreaths in the windows are from the house we lovingly refer to as the "Crack Shack"...the first house we had in Port Orchard.  The 4 "orbs"...are really outdoor decorations that I hung from the beam in the living room.  Our house is kind of difficult to do outside lights on, so we light up what we can on the inside...I thought I would share a peak.

Ferndale's Lighted Tractor Parade...

 One of my favorites!!  A horse drawn wagon covered in lights!!

The front of the horse drawn wagon.

 The Dairy Princess entry...complete with the cutest white calf aboard.

 Some of the tractors are antique, but many this year were newer...this one was huge!!!

 This one was just amazing!!

 Santa was on the back of this one...and tubing down a hill!!

The view from our vantage point...in front of Sweetness and Light (Ferndale's chocolate shop), and looking up the street towards the living, lighted Christmas tree.

Holy moly....put a parade on an HGTV special and it sure makes a difference!!  The parade has been showcased on HGTV's special about holiday light displays...and you sure can tell it has had some exposure!! The streets were packed with people last night!!  You could kind of feel the pinch the economy has made on the area...as there seemed to be a lot less entries this year than the prior couple of years.  It was nice to watch...since my camera decided not to work, Lee took all the pictures with his work phone, and I just enjoyed the parade instead of trying to get great blog pics!!!  

Sort of a Christmas Vent...

Texas, in his Christmas finery!!!

Ok.....I kinda have to vent a little.  I am trying hard to hold on to this Christmas spirit I am holding inside of me!  There is one thing that bothers me....and since my guys (Lee, Mace and Elliott) rarely read this they won't know.  Mason called the other night and told us our gift would be late...not really a big deal...but then he asked me what I wanted.  That "question" from these three, who have lived with me most of their lives kinda cuts like a knife.  Maybe it is a girl thing...but it should be pretty obvious what I like....look around, it is pretty blatant!!!  I have to give Lee explicit lists....and in the end, I know what I am getting because he buys straight from the list.  Elliott bought giant candy bars for all his friends at school...wanna know what he wanted to get me...a USB hub for my laptop...I would have loved a $2 Hershey bar more, because he noticed that I love chocolate.  Mason seemed not to like my answer, that I wanted a Starbuck's gift card...he said he wanted to get my something just for me...really???  I have a cupboard filled with Starbuck's mugs that I treasure, I adore their coffee...and since our budget is so tight...I rarely get my beloved nonfat vanilla latte anymore.  That is really what I wanted!!  I don't want to sound ungrateful or selfish....but it sort of hurts when they don't know what to get me...like they are not paying any attention to what goes on around them.  For years I have told Lee all I wanted was a love letter for Christmas...it is not so much the "thing" that I want as I want the "thought" behind the gift.

Sometimes, I wonder if the "Wonder of Christmas" is gone as they boys get older.  I try so hard to get them special things..not just the things on the list they hand me, but special, more thoughtful things.  This year, even with a very tight budget...I started plotting Christmas as soon as the last one was over...I think everyone will be happy.   They know what they will get...as Santa has never let them down before.   I wish I was as brave as Christine, we were texting back and forth about holiday plans and I asked her what she was getting her boys.  She replied that all of their Christmas budget was going to go with her oldest son, Colby, to Belize in January....to be distributed to those that really need it.  I like that.....and I am eager to hear about Colby's trip and the things he see's there.  

My mom was pretty amazing at Christmas....her memory was like a trap!  She would seem to hear all your wants throughout the year and would surprise you on Christmas.  One year, while we were living in Texas...my mom had found somewhere, one of my favorite dolls I had when I was little, a Crissy doll...she had long hair that came out of the top of her head, red pretty hair...that you could lengthen and shorten with a knob on her back.  My mom was so like Santa...and knew just what the perfect gift would be.  I miss that.  

Maybe next year, I will be brave like Chris...that would be interesting!!  I want the wonder back, I want them to be thrilled with the thought I put into their gifts.  I am hoping the magic will return with a little one in the family...I will get to see all the things I loved about Christmas again.  The joy, excitement, the belief in something magical!!  

Dear Mom....

My Mom and Mason at his 14th birthday party, we had just moved back to Washington.

Dear Mom,

I have written you notes since I was a kid…it was an easy way to ask for something, or tell you something, that I thought maybe I could not get out with my voice…so I thought I would write you a note today.   It’s been five years today, since you slipped away from us…your face so peaceful, I will never forget it. 

I cannot put into words very well, how much I have missed you….every time the phone rings, I still hope it is you.  Dad has done a wonderful job of supporting me…it is really amazing, and I think you would be proud.  If there is any silver lining to losing you, it is that I really got to know my dad. 

Every special occasion feels a little bittersweet….Mason and Elliott’s graduations, Mason and Arrielle getting married…..can you believe Mace and Arrielle are going to have a baby???  You were so right, being a grandma is going to be incredible.  I guess I did not realize how much I really wanted a grandbaby.  I feel you with me when I think of this baby….remembering how you were with me every step of the way when Mason was on the way.  I remember giggling during childbirth classes…it was the same giggle that got us in trouble at one of your chemo appointments. 

I follow traditions you and I had….reading the new Richard Paul Evans book in December, I have it on my nightstand, and I will start it tonight….I know it will make me cry…they always do.  Snickerdoodles, following Eunice’s recipe are on my to do list for next week….they never last long, even with one less person in the house…they never make it until Santa comes.  Your Santa adorns my tree, perched up towards the top….I smile when I see it.  I have been slacking on my Christmas spirit the last few years…finding it hard without you…but it has come back and this year all I want is to feel the joy and excitement that Christmas brings.   I know it is not about the gifts under the tree, but more about the gifts I give with my heart and the memories we make.

You are my Christmas angel….and I feel you with me this year, and I thank you for that gift…it is all I have ever wanted the last 5 years.  I love you Mom….more than I can adequately express, and I miss you every moment.

Always,

J

2011 Eureka Lighted Truck Parade...

 One of the Coast Guard's entries in the parade

 I am fond of this tow truck.....my truck has been on it's flat bed TWICE!!!

 All you can say about this one is...WOW!!!

 This one was awesome, Santa was totally rocking out and dancing to the Scorpion's...a band from when I was in high school!!  

This was one of my favorites!!!

Life is a stitch.....

 I wrote a little while ago about stitching again....and I thought I would share some pictures of pieces I have stitched in the past.  When I was getting out all my finished pieces, I found proof I had not stitched in a long time....I had one piece that I did last month duplicated by a piece I did years ago!!!  I did not even have a "deja vu" moment as I stitched it the second time!   Above are a few small samplers I have sone, I like samplers a lot.  Samplers typically have lots of different stitches and I don't get bored as fast.

 This picture has a lot of my personal favorites.  It has a Mary Englebreit "Snap Out Of It" piece in there.  my kitchen is done in Mary Englebreit stuff, much of it from my mom and Lee.  I like to stitch on linen with silk threads.  When we lived in Texas, I stitched the models on display for a local cross stitch store.  They paid me in supplies for my own stash.  I stitched so much in that three years that I will probably be able to stitch for years to come...many, many years!!  I have a lot, plus some of my mom's stash as well....I even have some of my grandmothers things!

These are some fun ones I did, for different months in the year.  Lee is always pestering me to get them framed, instead of storing them away in a large ziploc bag, for no one to see.  Framing is very expensive, and I only actually have two pieces framed.  I am currently working on a red and white sampler that is a reproduction of a sampler done in New England in the middle 1800's.  I started it years ago...this time I will see it through!  I have a basket full of unfinished things I started and stashed away and my goal is to finish them.....so, I can stitch a sampler of my own design for my first grandbaby!!

Feeling the holiday spirit again...

It's no secret that my holiday spirit has been lacking in the last few years...with my mom passing away at Christmas time, and the kids getting older...I kinda have been slacking.  I held on to my tradition of decorating our home the weekend of Thanksgiving...but with less gusto than I used to have.  This year feels different....and all because I picked something up off the floor.  I was dragging out the tree and the holiday tubs...something caught my eye on the floor, I leaned down to pick it up.  It was a piece of white paper.  On the backside of the paper was a small hand print and a picture of Elliott from kindergarten...it was the ornament he made that year.  This ornament should have been stashed away...I find it odd that it wasn't.  Finding it spurred my momentum....and my holiday spirit.  This ornament inspired the theme of this years tree...every ornament had to have a memory.  Last year I decorated the tree in glass balls and my blown glass ornaments...while those have memories too...the ornaments on the tree this year are different.  There is the beaded candy canes my grandma made, a snowman crocheted by Lee's grandma, Mason's Lego fireplace, our Hallmark ornament from the first year we were married, and one of my favorites..the Thomas The Tank Engine ornament that Elliott carried around instead of putting it on the tree...the wear and tear shows how much he loved it.  All of these special ornaments are in a box (above) that is just as special to me as the ornaments is holds year after year....this box contained the gifts from Lee's grandmother and grandfather in 1993, it was the last holiday package we received from them (Lee's grandmother passed away in 1994)....it is a heavy duty box...it has held ornaments for 18 years, moved 6 times and still makes me smile when I see it.  Sounds silly to love a box....but I do love this one!

This Santa was the last Christmas gift I really got to give my mom....she loved Santa's.  This one is about 18 inches tall and this year is standing beside our tree....watching over the gifts that hopefully Santa will bring!!  It is packed carefully in a special box as well...and each year when I open the box, unwrap Santa and straighten his hair and robe....I cannot help but shed a tear.  I miss my mom most at Christmas....and even though I get a little emotional and sad....I need to not let my sadness take away Christmas anymore.  Instead of going through the motions of the holidays, I want to embrace them....and hold onto them, and make another memory....for next years tree filled with memories.

One more thing to be thankful for...

The very first pictures of our grandbaby to be!!!  Woohoo!!!!

Thanksgiving...

It's the time of year when we all try to give thanks....I have a lot to be thankful for, but there are things that I am not thankful for as well.  Here is this years list of things...

Thankful....for my family, not just Lee and the boys, my Dad and Mike, but my whole family.  Aunts, Uncles, cousins, my cousins children and so on.

Not Thankful....loss, this year was a tough one for my family, we lost my Aunt Carole, my cousin Dale.  The war was brought home, not just on the nightly news..but in the death of Mason and Arrielle's friend Adam in Afghanistan.

Thankful...I have great friends...Coast Guard friends all over the country, friends from high school, friends I have met along the way...they lift me when I need it and tell me I am full of crap too!

Not Thankful...Chris is recovering from surgery, and I know her guys will take care of her...I wish I was there so we could go over the gossip magazines and reality tv together.

Thankful....for Lee's job.  It has been a wild ride for 24 years, and even though we are not sure how much longer it will last...it is still something to be grateful for.

Not Thankful...the job market in Eureka...ugh!!!

Thankful...recipe books, and glossy magazines full of cooking adventures!

Not Thankful...for how amazing the recipes I have tried have come out...not good for the waistline, I really need to get back to the gym.

Thankful...My Dad and Mike.  I love them to pieces and I think it would be a great tv show if a camera followed those two around.

Not Thankful...that Mike lost his job, it sucks.  But, he always figures something out.

I think this entry should end with what I am most thankful for....my grandbaby to be.  This little unexpected blessing, is just that...a blessing.  Mason and Arrielle got to see the baby on an ultrasound on Monday...Mason said the look on Arrielle's face as she saw the baby for the first time was amazing.  It is barely and inch long....but it's hold on our hearts is very strong already.  Next July, I cannot wait to pose for a four generation picture, with my dad, Me, Mason and the baby.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING....REMEMBER THOSE YOU LOVE!!!

Foggy November Monday....

Yikes...it is foggy out this morning.  Typical weather really.

It has been a kind of different last few days...I feel like I am walking a balance beam.  I find myself incredibly sad over the  loss of my cousin.  Feeling bad because I cannot be there, to be with my other cousins and to express my sympathies in a form other than a card or notes on facebook.  When something happens so suddenly it gives you the chance to stand back and reflect.  It was the same when my Aunt Carole passed away...that was the catalyst that drove the cousins (on the Slater side) together.  We all clung to one another on facebook, and the cousins in Washington made a point to get together more often.  With every loss, while it is very sad, it is also an opportunity...to remind those you love that you love them.  My cousin's wife Scarlet wrote that in her facebook wall....never let a moment go to waste, remember to let those you love know it!!

On the other side of the balance beam....I have felt the cloak of my mom's love recently.  I have been disappointed since she slipped away from me, that I did not feel her presence more.  I wonder if it is related to me getting to be the thing she loved the most...being a grandma.   I have been cross stitching a lot too.....something I have rarely done in the last few years.  Saturday, I stitched and watched Christmas movies all day....it almost felt like I shared the couch with my mom...it was pretty wonderful.  I know it probably sounds crazy...that I want to feel my mom's spirit, but it is hard for me to grasp that it has almost been 5 years since she left us.  I see her smile when I close my eyes...and some days, that is all I need to get me through.

Exciting things are coming up....Arrielle has an ultrasound next week...and she will get to see the first image of my fist grandbaby!!  Mason and Arrielle's fist anniversary!  Thanksgiving!!  Followed by Christmas events!!  I feel hopeful this Christmas...like the shadow of loss is retreating, I feel hopeful and blessed.

I may have nothing in the bank...but I feel wealthy with the love of family and friends.

A couple little things that have brightened my last couple days...

 This is lil' kitty....whom we really think is a dog in a cats body.  He was trying to help me match socks.  He also likes to spend time in the garage "working" as we call it...he loves it out there.  He is the craziest cat we have ever had!!

 Shhhh...don't tell the kids...I made my first thing for the baby!!  It's a bigger than normal size, soft and fluffy blanket for the baby.  Arrielle likes owls and this was as gender neutral as I could find.  Even better....I had a great coupon for the fabric...and made this blanket for about $5!!!!

I have posted before, about my love for my bird feeders.  I get tons of tiny birds, but lately I have attracted a dove couple.  They do not like to be watched at all and usually fly away if they even sense I am looking.  Today, I was stealthy enough to capture a picture of them.  These two birds make me so happy!

My Cousin Dale....

My cousin Dale, on the left, my cousin Maria in the middle and my lil' bro Mike on the right.  Last February.

My brother called me....my cousin Dale has died.  When a blow like this comes out of no-where...it is hard to absorb.  Dale is only two years older than me.....I can only think of how devastating this must be to his wife and daughters, his parents and his siblings.  

I have a funny memory that the three of us shared..Dale, Mike and myself.  The three of us were left in the care of my dad's aunt...I wish I could remember her name.  The three of us could only be described as hellions that night.  We discovered that this aunt did not like it at all when we blew up balloons and released them to fly through the air....what happens when little kids find out something scares an adult, yeah...we kept on doing it!!!  I am sure she wanted to kill us.  It was a memory we still giggled about as adults.  

Rest in peace my beloved cousin....

Halloween pictures...

 Mason and Arrielle in their costumes!!  

Our pumpkins...I only did two this year...I usually do a lot more!  Elliott always gives me a challenge...this year he told me he wanted "The World Ends With You player pin"...I had no idea what it was...thank goodness for Google...it is an emblem from a video game!!  It's on the left.  The one on the right is my usual style...my pumpkins always have dimples!  This one was inspired by that face everyone makes when only one eye seems to be working...Lee laughs, because I seem to make that face a lot!!

Wow...just wow!!!!

Yesterday, was probably one of the most exciting days I have ever had!!  I AM GONNA BE A GRANDMA!!!!   I am excited and terrified all at the same time!  That faint little line is such a life changer...I am sure Mason and Arrielle are feeling the same excitement and terror.

I remember clearly, telling my mom that Mason was coming....it was the best moment.  I had only gotten married a week before I took the pregnancy test.  She was so excited from the second the words came out of my mouth.  I was kinda sad though yesterday...thinking about how my mom would have loved this moment!!  But, I was reminded by my friend Susan...that my mom was one of the first to know and knew before anyone else did.

I am excited for this journey....CONGRATS MASON AND ARRIELLE!!!!

Marriage...

I have been thinking about marriage a lot lately...especially after seeing the news story about the couple that had been married for 72 years and after being involved in a car accident, passed away holding hands.  Even after the husband stopped breathing...the monitors still registered a heart beat.  The couple was surrounded by their family and they asked the nurse "why?"...and she said the monitor was picking up the wife's heartbeat.  She passed away shortly after he did, they were still holding hands.  That..to me...is amazing.  I love stories like that.

I am truly amazed that Lee and I have been married 21 years, 50 weeks and 1 day....our anniversary is rapidly approaching.  In this day, when marriage feels a little disposable...a long, and dare I say 'happy' marriage is not the norm.  Sure, Lee and I have had our hiccups here and there...it would not be normal if we didn't.  We have gone through a lot together, we have gone through some loss, a lot of stress, lots of time apart and I can let you know our secret...laughter.  Really...Lee makes me laugh like no other...sure he annoys the crap out of me and at times I just want to smack him, and sometimes I even wonder if he could get underway again.   He makes me laugh everyday...sometimes because he is just plain ridiculous.  Honestly...how old does a man have to be, that farting is not funny anymore???   Farts aside, he is the one I want to hold hand with when I slip away.  He still holds my hand, still makes me feel like when we met...still loves me even though I did not lose the baby weight...and our babies are adults...his love is true.  Not everyday is perfect..but each day is a chance to make another memory.

Why are we as a society more concerned about celebrities marriages than our own relationships....we should not care about Demi and Ashton, that is their business.  We should be more concerned with those we love...the ones we have chosen to give our hearts to.  Relationships are work...you get what you give...and it bites when you feel like you are doing all the giving and the other person is just taking.  It is not always sunshine and lollipops...some days just suck!  Marriage is not a sprint race...it is a marathon.

I wish I had a copy of Lee and I's vows...because when we said them, I remember thinking "these are amazing words"....now all I remember is that I promised to love and to cherish, in sickness and health, in plenty and in want, for all the days of our lives.  Those words mean so much....and I meant every one!

I love you Lee...farts and all!


*click on the title of this post "Marriage"...it should take you to the news story about the couple.

Pondering.....

Lil' Kitty.....also known as 'The Devil'....because we think he may be possessed!!

Again, please forgive my lack of blogging lately.  It is unintentional.  I pondered writing a post about taking a little leave of absence from the blog...but thought again, and I don't want to disappoint those that check often to see if I have updated with a new post.  So,  I thought I would hop on this morning and give you a quick update on the three of us.

Elliott....I still cannot get over the fact that my baby is in college.  He is doing very well, still seems to like it.  He is meeting new people and broadening his horizons.  He is on the job hunt as well....it is even harder for him, because he has not had a job before..he just needs that one manager to give him a chance!  He has an interview next week at Gamestop....a video game chain store!  How awesome would that be!

Lee....in the throws of another class right now...Government Contracts!  He likes it because it is something he knows, and has actually already taken similar courses (due to his job), but this course is a little "dumbed down" compared to what he has taken before.  It can get a little frustrating for him.  Work has been ok...lots of new fiscal year drama, especially with these budget crisis's that seem to rear their ugly heads every couple weeks.  He keeps plugging away....and I appreciate that more than I can express.

Me....still on the job hunt.  Still discouraged.  I have been really moody lately too.....I don't know if it is crazy hormones or what, but I am getting pretty sick and tired of crying everyday!!  Mason told me to "just keep swimming" and that is what I am gonna do.

A little Halloween treat...

A little, early Halloween treat....I found it when searching through pictures.   Elliott is dressed as Pokemon and Mason is Obi-Wan-Kenobi.   What makes me smile the most about this picture...besides that Elliott has no front teeth...is that 12 years later...Elliott still plays Pokemon and Mason is still a huge Star Wars fan.

Communication....

I stole this picture from an email....my Dad forwards me emails with awesome scenic pictures, like this one.  This one, I especially love...it is very calming!

I have been thinking of communication a lot lately.  I pretty much suck at it.   I hate to talk on the phone, part of me is convinced only bad things come from phone calls.  Maybe, the only cure for this will come from the day I get a call and am told I will be someone's grandma.  Although, I hope they tell me that in person...because my mom's face was priceless....she was excited from the very first moment!!  I tend to text a lot....really A LOT.  I noticed something on my birthday though.....I received 3 birthday cards in the mail (3 more in gifts, my dad and Mike are excluded from this rant...they sang to me!)) and I received 47 messages on my facebook wall.  I love facebook, but has it replaced that thrill of going to the mail box and getting a brightly colored envelope????   I think not!

I know, I cannot get over the phone phobia anytime soon..but a couple months ago, I dug out all my stationary.  I have been hoarding stationary and cards since I was a kid...I loved visiting Hallmark stores, and McWhorter's in Milpitas.   I made it my mission to send out cards to family and friends on special occasions.  Which reminds me, I need to send my cousin a card to celebrate her wedding.  My grandma was big on writing letters...when she could no longer see, my Aunt Grace wrote the letters.  The Postal Service is struggling, just like any business nowadays.  With each stamp, I feel like I am helping them....and keeping a tradition alive.

It is not easy to step away from electronic communication...but I am going to try.  One this rainy day, I am gonna write a letter.....a real one!  I wonder who's mailbox it will end up in?????  I challenge you to do the same....

Much love.

I ain't got nothin'.....

Really...there has been a whole lotta nothin' going on around here.  So, I don't have a regular blog post.  I thought I would share "The A to Z of Jeanine's Guilty Pleasures"...kinda goofy, but it is all I got today.   These are all things I love.

A...Autumn, I pretty much did the happy dance when the leaves changed and the rain started to fall!!

B...Boyfriend tee's from Target....good golly I have 8 of them in 7 different colors! Best $10 tee shirt ever!

C...Cleaners...specifically household cleaners, if there is a new one out there, I will try it!

D...Dishes, in all honesty...I love washing dishes by hands.  I cannot explain it, but it soothes me!

E...Eighty's Music...listened to it in the 80's and I still do, pretty much everyday!

F...Flip Flop's...I know they are awful on the feet, but I love when after wearing boots all winter, I can wiggle my toes again!

G...Gossip magazines and blogs...I don't buy the magazines anymore, so I covet them when I splurge and get one.  I visit Perez Hilton and People.com every day!

H...Hot rods and fancy old cars...got this guilty pleasure from my dad!!

I... Itunes and my Ipod....love, love, love them both!!!

J...Jalapeno poppers, I don't care what they are stuffed with, cheeses or crab or whatever...I love them!

K...Kiddie cereal....specifically, Cap'n Crunch with Crunchberries.  We only got this type of cereal on special occasions as kids!  It is totally worth the weird thing it does to the top of your mouth!

L...Lots of pictures....the walls in my house are covered with pictures...it is like having mu family and friends with me all the time!

M...Magazines, I love when a big glossy magazine comes in the mail!

N...Naps, enough said!!

O...Online shopping, my preferred way to shop!

P...Purses, this I did get from my mom.  I prefer Dooney and Bourke handbags...they are my fave!

Q...Quiche, I cannot figure out how Lee, who loves omelette's will not eat Quiche!  I love them, they are one on of my favorite comfort foods!

R...Real Housewives of wherever!!!  Now matter the city, I am hooked on this show like glue!

S...Socks, I have blogged about my socks before....I have a few pairs....hahahahahaaa!

T...Twilight..My name is Jeanine and I admit to loving the Twilight series of books and movies..got a tattoo and sweats to prove it!

U...Union Square, in San Francisco.....best shopping ever, and my favorite Macy's store is there!

V...Vanilla ice cream...I love fancy flavors, but vanilla is my favorite!

W...Wooden and wicker baskets, there is not one room in this house that does not have one, or two or four!!

X...Xtra small samples of new things, mainly beauty products and stuff like that!

Y...Yankee Candles, love these so much, it is ridiculous!!

Z...Zoo's, I am like a kid again at a zoo, whether it is one you can drive through or walk through, I love them, with Point Defiance (in Tacoma, WA) being my favorite...it was one I went through as a kid and have taken my kids to as well!!

My birthday week....

Wow...what a week.   Where to begin....ok, how about the job situation.  So...I had my interview on Tuesday, at a bead shop in Arcata.  The interview went very well, I was pleased.  I would have been bummed if I did not get a call for a second interview.  I did get the call for the second interview, and I had it on Friday (23rd)...this one was mainly with the girls that already work there...I like this idea, because they are more apt to tell you what you really want to know...and current employees are usually good at figuring out who will vibe well with the shop.  Talking with both employees went well, I liked them.  The owner sat with me again and explained that they were concerned about the fact that the Coast Guard can be unpredictable and even though it is very unlikely, they can transfer us anytime.  In 22 years of being married...being a military wife has never factored into my ability to get a job.  It seems to be a huge factor in this area...and honestly it hurts my feelings.  Anyway..they are calling today either way...I don't have my positive panties on today.  We shall see...

My birthday....the festivities began at 7:30am , with a duet from Wyatt and Grace, the kids that live next door...complete with red velvet cookies and a handmade card!  I loved it.  I got hugs and love from Lee and Elliott...yeah!  My dad and Mike serenaded me with their version of the birthday song...my dad sings to me every year..it really is my favorite part of the day!  I got to talk to Mason and Arrielle.  My cell phone was full of great text messages, and my facebook wall was inundated with birthday wishes.  I got flowers from Susan and Lee, and a lot of candles in delicious fall scents!  Lee made a yummy steak and baked potato dinner, and we had some of the birthday cake I made.  It was a really nice day.  

 One of my favorite places to eat is this teeny tiny places in Loleta...Loleta Bakery.  It is first and foremost a bakery, with delicious breads and pastries...but they also do a lunch menu.  I try hard to get something different every time.  I got lucky this week and I got to go twice.  Once with Leanne...she celebrates her birthday the day before me, and again with Susan and Emily.  I tried strata....holy moly!  Wonderful does not describe how it tasted.  I always finish my lunch there with a latte...they are the best there, and usually a chocolate chip cookie (although I did try the carrot cake too this week).

I finished my lunch with Emily and Susan and we headed to Susan's parents place.  I love their place almost as much as I love Susan's house in Ferndale!  They live on the outskirts of Eureka, on Humboldt Hill.  They are surrounded by urban sprawl...but when you are there you hardly notice it.  Susan's dad raises chickens...his eggs are sought after.  They are delicious and the yolks are practically orange.  Not like an egg from the grocery store.  You cannot leave Larry and Judy's without a bag of something...

 This is the small patch of their garden.   I left with carrots, beets (don't tell the guys), cabbage, basil, parsley, onions, and of course some fresh eggs.

 There are 5 (I think) Texas Longhorns in the pasture beside the house.  This picture does not justice to how enormous the head and horns are on this cow!  They have no names...although Rufus or Silas seems the perfect name for this one!

 These are the ladies in the bunch...you can see the "urban sprawl" in the back...and apartment complex.  I love this little mini farm...Larry and Judy have truly made it an oasis!

 Here are just a few of the chickens....I swear they produce the best eggs.  I am sure Susan's dad thinks I am nuts...because I tell him his eggs are so pretty.  I love colors of the "brown" eggs...so many shades.  Like I said earlier, the yolks are dark, I call them nuclear eggs, because they are so different than store bought eggs.

Awww, Thursday....my gift from Christine came....I could barely sleep,  I was so excited!  She is very generous and spoils me rotten.  I think she was as excited as I was.  She replaced the old washer with this one.  She shops with her consumer reports in hand and made sure she found the right washer.  I would have been happy with anything.  I have been washing all sorts of things, just so I can try out all the variations!!  Thanks again Christine....you are amazing!

A little update on the job...they just called.  I did not get it.  She said it was a really tough decision, but they were afraid of me getting whisked away....REALLY???...UGH!!!!  In they end it will be their loss.

I had a "moment"....

The gift bag containing my birthday present from Mace and Arrielle.

So, I am driving home from Costco this afternoon....listening to a little Adele, as I cruise up 7th street....when all of the sudden...I smile, and then I start to cry.   Not because I am sad, but because I feel so blessed at this moment.  Here are a few reasons why...

• My dad....I tell him I am going to spend my birthday money at Safeway....so I can save money and because I need meat and stuff...he tells me to go to Costco, they have better meat.  Kinda not a big deal to most...but it is my dad's way of letting me know I am worth a good steak.  Guess what Dad, I even got myself some artichokes too...the first I have had all summer.
• Christine...I almost feel like she jumped for joy when my washer broke...because I needed something, and she was in the position to provide a replacement.  Her generosity amazes me.  I can hardly await its arrival!  I am so glad Chris got a Blackberry....I swear it has changed my life.
• Susan and Amanda...who offered their washers and sympathies in a time of need...but Amanda..North Carolina is a long way to drive to wash Lee's stinky work out clothes.  Cirrus, for the funny texts.
• Elliott...who texted me because he felt like he bombed his first geology exam.  It seems silly...but when he texts me from school, it means so much...because it makes me feel like he still needs me.
• Mason....because when we talked yesterday afternoon, we both said we missed each others voice...that is good to know, especially since he moved out two years ago...times goes by so fast.
• Speaking of time....yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of Lee and I's first date....this man who can make me a little crazy, but still makes me laugh at the dumbest things can still captivate me, and I love him madly.
• Oh...and I have an interview tomorrow...wish me luck.  I am nervous and trying to be positive and optimistic.

Sometimes, we have to remember it is the little things that make life special...it is about moments, and the people in those moments.

Chicken truck, chicken truck...

My buddy, Whirlpool....

Chicken truck, chicken truck...just my luck.   This week has been a little stressful and yesterday afternoon the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae showed it's ugly face.  I am stressed and a little disheartened about job hunting...it has not been going well.  I feel lucky to have supportive friends and family.  I know we are not in dire straits like many families in this country...the bills are paid and food is on the table and we have a comfortable roof over our heads.   We are blessed and I need to remember that, and to not beat myself up over an economy that is so upside down...something is bound to happen soon, I just need to let go of the negative and grasp the positive.

So, back to that ice cream sundae....when Lee gets home from work, I open the garage door for him since it locks from the inside, and it is just easier...as I make my way to the garage I pass the laundry room and see a little glistening on the floor.  My first thought...Texas tinkled on the floor, he is 14 years old and sometimes it happens, I am happy he at least has an accident in the vicinity of the cat box.  So, I open the door for Lee and hustle back to the laundry room to clean up the mess.  I flick the light on..stupid fluorescent lights take a second to come on....I step into a puddle of water...water is all over my laundry room floor.  My first thought..I screwed up the damn washer again. Water has soaked into the couple cardboard boxes we have in there filled with linens...yeah, more of that "luck" coming into play.   We use most of the towels in the house to clean up the water and then toss them into the washer...because we are sure, I must have did something to make it overflow or something.  We turn on the washer, water flows into the tub nicely and flows out the bottom nicely too.....oh crap!   Not a little leak.....we scramble for more towels.  UGH!!  I dream all night of washers...

I get up this morning...get on Google and try to figure out what happened.  I don't think it is the pump...or a seal...those both have signs beforehand.  I did a test....I poured a bowl full of tap water into the mashing, nice warm water...so I would know it was the water I put in.  The nice warm water, came out in seconds....looks like my tub is leaking.   Yippee....the websites all say my beloved washer is a goner.  


THERE WILL BE A PART TWO TO THIS POST.....the story is not over yet.

Mourning a secret love....

Jenny and Greg, on All My Children, February 1984

There is a little something a mom teaches her daughter....it is not in the usual stuff that she teaches, like makeup and that girlie kind of stuff.  It is the love of "drama"....even though many women will say they hate all the drama...we secretly love it.  Why do you think all these Real Housewives of Some City shows are so popular....yeah, I admit it, I watch every show!

It was not that type of drama my mom taught me though....I learned about drama from watching "All my Children"....which I have probably watched off and on since I was a toddler.  All My Children airs its last show next Friday the 23rd.  I will be DVRing these last episodes...to watch, because soaps were a special bond I had with my mom.  My mom and I loved All My Children and General Hospital...often talking on the phone while watching the episodes together.  We discussed Luke and Laura on General Hospital....the story lines captivated and sometimes were just a little too out of this world...like when Elizabeth Taylor was going to freeze Port Charles..there were a couple possible alien story lines in there too!

On February 14th, 1984...my mom let me stay home "sick" to watch the wedding of Jenny and Greg!  It was awesome!  We would discuss all of Erica Kane's husbands...we always liked Jack though!  The story of Angie and Jessie was a favorite too.  

For a while, my mom was really into One Life To Live...the spring before she got sick, she and I went to the women's show in downtown Seattle.  One of the cuties from OLTL would be there.  I cannot remember his name...but he was English and very good looking!   As we got ready to leave, we get on the elevator...and there he is...Oh my!!!  We told him we were fans of the show and he thanked us....we get out of the elevator kinda dumbstruck.  Then I remembered my cell phone had a camera...damn it!!!  She would have loved to have a picture of the two of them together.

It was not only me that she passed the love of soaps to...she got my dad too.  She got him hooked on the British ones.  This makes me smile.  

So, on Friday the 23rd....at exactly noon, I will be busy..likely crying too...watching the last episode of All My Children...and remembering all the times I had with my mom while watching a silly soap opera.  I will be grateful to the soaps for those moments.

A couple Mason and Arrielle pics...

I am really lucky...Mason's mother in-law, Marielle is always sending me cell phone pics of Mason and Arrielle.  I thought I would share the last two.

 Mason and Arrielle, this past Thursday!  I love their smiles!!  It looks like they were on the ferry!

This one is priceless...they are both conked out on the couch at Arrielle's parents house!

Gotta love these two!!!

Ugh....

Our dog Key....who in the 21 months we have lived here has only gone up the stairs twice, and that was because fireworks had scared him.  Key is afraid on flies...really!  A really big fly was in the house a couple weeks ago and Key ran laps downstairs trying to keep away from the fly...honestly it was quite hysterical!  Well, a housefly made its way into the house and Key was taking no chances, and plopped his booty on the third step of the stairs and "hid" from the fly!  And the goofy smile (and yes, Key has "buck" teeth)...well, that is his "I am panicking" face!  What a goober!!!

As for my "ugh"....I have been job hunting.....and it really sucks.  I dislike...as most do...putting myself out there to be judged.  Then I have to factor in being out of the work force for two years and the fact that many employers see military wives as temporary.  I cannot really hide the fact that Lee is in the Coast Guard, when I live on Coast Guard street.  It is hard, especially when I have applied for jobs I have done in the past...and all I hear is crickets.  I will keep trying, because I know something will happen.  I have never had a problem before (finding a job) and this is just frustrating.

On a good note....I feel fall in the air!  The breeze has come back, and the tree's rustle in the afternoons.  Fall magazines are full of recipes I want to try...my goal this fall, to find a new favorite soup and to find a recipe with squash in it that Lee and Elliott will eat.  I love getting out the crock pot and letting the perfect soup simmer away!  I will jump for joy when it rains for the first time...I know, I must be crazy for loving the rain!

It's September...

 The beach out at Table Bluff....I did not know this was here, it was so pretty!!!

Someone para sailing (I think that is what it is called) out at Table Bluff (south of us in Loleta)....right after we took this picture, he flew over us and was kinda yelling (I would be too...from terror!!)...a little ways down the road Elliott says to me..."Do you think he was yelling for help, because it kinda sounded like it??!!"

Just a quickie....the Suburban has a date to get her oil changed.  I was looking at the sticker they always place in your window and it takes me about 6 months to go the 3000 miles they use as a marker to change your oil. That means I drive a heck of a lot less than I did in Washington.  I will admit, that I miss the hour long drive home, from a visit with my dad.  Shoot...I get frazzled when there is summer (lots of RV's) traffic on Broadway here.....which makes me laugh at myself.

Elliott has survived the first week at college.  I think he likes it.  He was able to catch up with a couple friends as well.    He says the lectures can get kinda boring, but he finds the classes interesting.  Let's hope that sticks for the whole semester.  He has already had his first geology field trip.  I told him that the land forms will seem totally different after this class, once you know why they are the way they are.  

I have been on the job hunt....all I can say is UGH!!!  Something I thought would be so easy has turned out not to be easy at all.  I will keep plugging away though...

Ok...off to Leon's, lets just hope we only need an oil change today!!!

I did not cry....

 Elliott, on his first day of 5th grade, September 2003

Elliott, on his first day as a college freshman 8/2011

Well, at least I did not cry when he was looking!  Elliott just left for his first day of college.  It did not seem so daunting when Mason did it, probably because I knew I still had my "baby" in high school.  He has classes on Monday and Wednesday's.  Even though he is only going two days out of the week it is considered a full load, because the classes are pretty long.  He leaves the house around 8a.m. and won't be home until almost 8p.m.  He is taking psychology, geology and an English course.  I asked him a few times yesterday if he wanted me to drive him there, and he politely refused.saying he was totally cool with taking the bus.  I cannot wait to hear all about it.

Mason lost his wallet on Friday...which of course had all his ID and debit cards in it.  By the time I saw the post on Facebook about it, he had already called the bank and taken care of business.  His main concern was that his military ID was in there with his and Lee's social security number on it.  His military ID had just expired (actually it expired when he got married...) on his 21st birthday...but when you have had that ID since your were 10 and it is drilled into your head not to go anywhere without it, I am sure it was hard to remove it from your wallet...kinda like leaving a piece of your life behind.  We got Mace and Lee signed up for credit monitoring...so we now just have to be on the lookout for anything bad to show up.  I was impressed that Mace knew exactly what to do in the situation....these boys never cease to amaze me.

Something interesting...

Gray whale swimming in the Klamath River (this is not my picture)

There is something a little odd happening in Humboldt...well, truthfully Humboldt is all kinds of odd everyday...but this is interesting.  For those that have come to visit us from the North, you probably noticed the bridge over the Klamath river..it is the one with the gold painted bears on each end.  It has become quite the tourist attraction....a gray whale entered the river with her calf about 2 months ago.  The calf left a couple weeks ago, and went back to the ocean..but the momma has not left.  The local scientists and Indian tribes have tried everything, but she shows no signs of leaving.  They worry if she is getting enough nutrition and about people getting too close...she is 45 feet long for goodness sake!

I have a whale tale of my own to share....this was definitely a "bucket list" moment.  This took place a long time ago...when Mason was just a baby.  Lee and I went to Westport (WA) for a night or two, leaving Mace with Grandma and Grandpa.  On the spur of the moment we decided to take a whale watching tour, it was late int he season, so the tickets were a little cheaper than usual.  We head out of Grays Harbor and into the Pacific...Lee all the while reminding me to look toward the horizon...trying hard to keep my breakfast intact and still in my belly.  It took a long time, but some whales were finally spotted...it was amazing to see them (2 or 3) just swim and bob lazily in the ocean...we were on their turf.  The gray whales got closer and closer to the boat....I was like a child, eyes wide open and in total amazement.  One kept getting very close....and one time close enough to touch...Lee said he had never seen me move so fast, I saw it getting closer and thought I had a chance, I flung myself onto the deck of the boat and stuck my hand over the low railing....and touched a whale!   I could feel the skin and the barnacles that lived on the whales back.  It felt like slimy sandpaper.   It is one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced.  It is also a moment I have no proof of...we did not take a camera!


August 16,  I just read online that the whale beached itself last night and died sometime before morning.....it's sad, but also at the same time, an opportunity for scientists to learn more.

Time to celebrate my August Birthday!!!

Oh my...cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes...yes, the cupcake shop on TLC!!!

A little back story....Christine has been my friend forever, I have written about her a lot in the blog.  Well, for the first half of our friendship...28 years now...she would celebrate my birthday in August.  Finally, she realized my birthday is in September...but in true Christine fashion, she said something to the effect of "screw that, I can celebrate your birthday in August if I want to"...and she still does.  She had let me know I would get a delivery today..but no good hints as from where it might be from....oh my goodness, she sent me two dozen assorted cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes (in Washington DC).  This is the same cupcake shop on TLC's DC Cupcakes.   I am pretty sure she got the idea from one of our text-a-thons last week when I complained that all the cupcakes shows were making my sweet tooth crazy!!

She said she added the lemon cupcake in there for Lee.....but I think this is a "don't ask, don't tell" situation...if he does not ask which one is for him, I just may never tell him!

THANK YOU CHRISTINE!!!!