Happy Birthday Ashleigh!

Yesterday was Ashleigh's birthday. I am now the mother of a 20 year old!!! As with Tyler, I was obviously extremely young when I had her!!! It took 21 hours of hard labor to get her here and she's been a fighter ever since, mostly with me!!!

She is a sophomore at WWU and almost done with this year. Hard to believe! I was 20 when I got married and it seems so young when I look at her and see all that she has ahead of her. She is smart, funny, loving, and an incredible blessing in my life!

I love you sweet girl!

Mama

Spring

Spring is finally here!! How do I know this? I did a little scouting around the yard and this is what I found. Lilacs aching to bloom!

More lilacs and the pond is full!

The Heather and the "white stuff" is beautiful!

The true sign of spring for me is the return of allergy season. Three or four days of misery while my allergy medication kicks in, but then it's all good!! Bring on the lawnmower and the rototiller! I'm almost ready for action!!!

Hitch-hiking

Last Saturday, I came across this darling woman out on the road, all alone, looking for a lift. It turns out that her husband has just married his assistant and she had been a witness to the whole thing.

Okay, so her husband is a minister, she was a guest and she was just waiting for me to pick her up for our outing to the quilt shop! But wasn't she cute? This is my BFF Lynda and her dear husband Roger. For the record, they are very, happily married!!

There is this cute little chapel in Bow where the wedding took place. All wooden pews and a bell in the belfry. Wish we could have rung that bell!!! There were two little rockers in the little room on the side. I could imagine church services of old, with mothers rocking their babies in those chairs, trying to keep their babies quiet during services. A potluck scheduled after. It smelled like those old churches, where so much activity had happened. Weddings, Christenings, Teas and Funerals. Happy times and sad times. What a lovely place to gather!

Lynda and I had a nice outing. Went to some of our favorite places- Cotton Pickins, Homeward Bound, Calico Creations, which was closed, and the finale....Target! It was a great day!!

Holly

March Madness

Yes!!!! Both Sienna and Wisconsin just won their games in OT! This puts me back in 1st place in the family pool! I can be down in a flash so I have to post this ASAP!!!!!
Had a fun day with Ashleigh. Went to the craft show, again, and got a beautiful picture. It's even framed and hanging on my wall! Also got a bracelet for A's b-day next week. She got LOTS of fudge and a few cards. Later we went to Sole Obsession where my friend Tami, www.theladyinthestonehouse.blogspot.com, who was working there for the day. We tried on copious amounts of shoes!! A girls dream! Took home two pair! (Paid for them first, of course!)
Tyler is at a Halo party down the street and Ashleigh is at work so hubby and I ate dinner in front of the TV and watched basketball. We know how to party! We even had ice cream!!

Good Night! Holly

Treasures

Today I met my friend, Lynda, at the Spring Craft and Antique show here in Lynden. We got there as the doors opened and right in the front was our favorite booth! We made a bee line for it and were greatly rewarded! Last year Lynda relieved them of all their really good stuff and this year I did the same ! We both love primitive, old wood and metal, and we found some of everything today! Lynda's house is adorable and I know that as soon as she walked in her door she found a spot for each and every treasure. I, on the other hand, promptly displayed everything for a picture to post, and my treasures will probably remain there, for what could be, days!! It was so much fun! I'm definately ready for garage sale season now. I've been inspired!!!

Wish I had thought to get the names of these dear ladies!

On a side note, I emailed the Farm Chicks, http://www.thefarmchicks.com/, last night with a question and to tell them how wonderful their new book is. This morning I had a note from Teri in my maibox! Such great service and such lovely ladies!

March Madness

It's now 12:30 a.m. and I just finished with my NCAA picks. This is quite a process!

My brother-in-law, Brad, always gets things going and this year is no different. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Brothers, Sisters, Grandma and Papa all participate. We had some technical difficulties this year, so I had to pick for my kids-sorry guys!

I've decided that I need to set up a special "Chick" site, as there are not enough details on any of the sports sites. I prefer to know the important things, such as location, team colors and mascot, the word to the fight song, how many cheerleaders and are they any good (the cheerleaders), weather, etc.You get the picture. Alas, I could find none of this info so I had to report to plan B.

This involved looking at each teams ranking,location, league...all the boring stuff that the guys look at. I had to create an edge so I decided to see if they had a #12 on the team, (my favorite number), or a Tyler ,( my favorite player). This process takes quite a bit of work and just a few web-sites!!!

With Ashleigh, I picked all the teams, within reason, that are local to us (West Coast), or places she'd like to visit! Not necessarily the best picks, but she could sweep with the odds!


With Tyler, I went will all the highest seeds, because that's what he would probably do!

No money involved, just bragging rights and the chance to trash talk!!!!

I'll keep you posted on my teams, but right now I don't even remember who I chose!!



Good-night!!!!

It's here

It's here!!!!! The new Farm Chicks book arrived today!

My best friend, Lynda , aka Betty, Burke gave me a note for Christmas this year, saying that I would be getting the book as soon as it came out and today was the day. It is Beautiful!!! Stunning!!!! I read it cover to cover in one sitting. The pictures are lovely and there are tips, recipes, ideas, history and lots of projects! It's very inspiring.

I've been going to the Farm Chicks show for 3 years now and it is so much fun! Can't wait to go back. Thank you, Lynda dear, for this delightful keepsake!

Procrastination

I have a bad habit of procrastinating. I've done it all my life, hate it and hate it when others do it, but I have yet to find a cure.

I love to create and start new projects, but am not all that thrilled to finish them. So many new things that I want to make and create that I move on to the next project before the first one is finished.

Case in point, I love to do stitcheries. Fast, easy and portable, they are the perfect little diddy to have on hand. I have a project wall in my "happy room" on which I put unfinished projects to gently remind me to finish them. All of the projects on this wall are at least 2 years old. Recently I decided to get on the ball and finish a few of these items. Not one of them took me more than 5 minutes. Seriously. I needed a string of buttons on the lilac one, only a frame for the dandelion one and a tree trunk on the sampler. I painted 3 frames at the same time and they were DONE!!!! They could have been hanging on my wall years ago. So sad.

I wish I could say that I'm cured of this disease, but alas, no. My project wall is not as full, but it still has some things on it. A few quilts that need quilting, stitcheries that need framing and quilts in progress. Not to mention all of the new things that I want to start!!!!!!

If you have any miracle cures up your sleeve, please forward them.....and please don't procrastinate!!

Reliving my youth

The weather cleared and I headed over to Spokane Friday morning. Beautiful day, easy driving and lots of time. I hemmed and hawed and debated over driving 6 hours to watch a baketball game, but I'm so glad that I went!

Got to the arena , walked in the door and it was just like walking down memory lane. Ran into people that I haven't seen in over 25 years! It was wonderful! I saw old friends, parents of friends, first and second cousins, my dear auntie! Davenport won their game and went on to play for the championship the next night. Of course, I had to stay for that game too!!!!!

If you've never been to a small town basketball game, I highly encourage you to go. There is nothing like it! From the very young to the very much older, everyone is there. All dressed in red and white , wearing buttons with the players photos on them, everyone standing and cheering and singing the fight song. Rembering days gone by, the good old days!

Unfortunately, Davenport didn't win, but they came away with 2nd place which is pretty darn good! There was a big get-together after the game and I'm so thankful that I got to be a part of it.

It took me a long time to get home, as the pass was pretty bad. Two hours longer than usual. But my boys made it home safely and everyone was sitting around the table when I got home. It was so good to see them! They are adorable and I love them to pieces!!! I told Tyler that he absolutely has to play basketball for the next 3 years!!!! Hopefully, he'll do it!

I encourage all of you to take a trip back to your past and relive some of your youth. This was certainly a great time for me and I can't wait to do it again!

Wild Weather

Snow, that's right, you heard it, Snow. What is up with that? I was telling my husband the other night, that spring is definately on the way because the frogs have started up with their noise. We have a pond on our property and LOTS and LOTS of frogs. When the weather starts getting nice, they start their mating calls and they've started. So, no more snow please!!
I was going to go to Spokane tomorrow, but a winter advisory is in effect for the mountains and chains are required. I hate chains.
The State B Basketball tournement is over there and I wanted to go and watch the Davenport Gorillas. Such memories of my youth at those games. Mostly of looking at all the cute boys with my best friend and cousin, Annette. We'd get all prettied up and flash our brightest smiles and flirt til the lights went out! Oh, the fun we had!!! Now the children of these boys are playing and it would have been fun to take a stroll down memory lane. Maybe the weather will improve tomorrow! Go Gorilla's!!

Happy Birthday!

My Baby, my little boy. The time has gone by so quickly. Today Tyler is 15 years old. Amazing. Seems like only yesterday that lego's and cars were your constant companions, hugs in public were good things and you loved being at home with mom. My, how things have changed! Today you got on a plane to L.A. ,with your friend Max, to spend winter break in Disneyland. I got a hug on the way out the door,but no phone call to let me know you got there. No news is good news according to you! (Yes, I did make sure you got there!) Dad's there on business, but you guys are pretty much on your own. Weird.

You bring so much joy to my life! I don't know if you'll ever realize how much. You're smart, funny, polite and beautiful inside and out. Thank you for filling my heart with love. I know that God has something amazing in store for your life and it's a pleasure to watch Hime work in you. May you always know and feel His love, and mine. Happy Birthday Ty!

Our Wedding Picture 1985

Who are these children? Was I ever really this young? DH and I celebrated 24 years yesterday! Where has the time gone? Seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating our wedding! It was a wonderful day, and it has been a wonderful married life! I am so blessed to have this man in my life. We don't make too big of a deal out of our anniversary, we try and celebrate every day, but we did go out for dinner last night. Monday is not the best day for big plans!!!

A New Beginning

I'm taking the plunge into Blogland. After reading and enjoying everyone else's blogs it's time to start one of my own. My friend Tami, at "the lady in the stone house" had a blogging tutorial at her home the other night and while I have achieved the basics I still have a long way to go. I have no clue how to add a picture and can tell that I will be challanged daily with the technical aspects!
I've been getting over a cold and really have nothing exciting to report. I didn't even make it to church with my family today. My husband and son have been busy making new cupboards for my pantry.We had a leaky shower, back in November, and are still waiting to have all the wood floors replaced. My pantry is an odd shape and didn't have a lot of storage, so my Brilliant husband came up with some ideas. He cut into the walls on the sides of the pantry and put shelving between the studs. He stained and trimmed it out and it looks amazing. Now he is building furniture-like shelving and cupboards to go on the back wall. Everything is built and primed, but I need to sand and paint. I'm really excited to have it all done and will post pics as soon as I learn how!!! The pantry innards have been in my bedroom for 4 months now and I am definately looking forward to getting them back where they belong.
I'm thinking salmon for dinner tonight. So easy, so good with Aunt Lisa's salmon sauce. Absolutely to die for! I will take pictures and hopefully post someday and add the recipe! I never seem to have any trouble coming up with the main dish, it's the side dishes that give me grief. Does anyone else have that problem? When I do come up with one or two , they seem to go with the main forever. I have no flexablility! So,,,, tonight will probably be fettucini alfredo, from the box, and a salad or vegetable. That's it, no more, no less. Sounds pretty boring, but it's a family favorite!