Enjoying summer blooms

A look back, once again

As I mentioned in my last entry, I have truly had a time of reflection lately and what I find interesting is that old, important memories continue to surface. More so in the past two weeks than they have in a really long time. Just today I was going through an old box of files and discovered I had saved a highschool writing assignment. The assignment asked us to write about "parenting" Keep in mind I was probably fifteen at the time. :) The first page of my book is a dedication page. I dedicated the "book" to my mom and included these words "This is dedicated to my mom who remembers being young and understands how I feel. She is a mother, a teacher and a friend." Included in this assignment was a written entry about a strong memory regarding a parent. The memory I chose to write about was when my mom was in the hospital for two weeks at Harborview when I was a sixth grader and how scared we all were. It was good to be able to read my feelings and thoughts. That was the only time my mom was admitted to the hospital to stay because of heart issues. My grandparents took care of me and my four younger siblings. My brothers, sisters and I missed my mom terribly and were very worried about her. I ended the entry with expressing how thankful we all were to have our mother home and healthy....
Sometimes I believe we think if we don't take things or people forgranted we won't be "asked" to experience life without them. Sometimes what we are challenged to endure or accept can nearly break us. But God will not give us more than we can endure.
I am thankful that I knew how important my mom was when she was here, I know I could have done more to make her life easier - but I am so grateful for the relationship we had.

A week of reflection

I have had a week of reflection. It started with buying Palmolive dish soap and having the scent bring me back to 11 years ago. Evidently, I am a Dawn girl...or I was. The green, easy on your hands Palmolive, totally brought me back to the Heckman Lake cabin, 11 years ago, when Vance proposed to me. I was washing dishes at the time~! Sweet memory .....

Also, I have thought of my mom so much in the last week. I bought an old I love Lucy episode at GoodWill on video and remembered my mom enjoying I love Lucy. I love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, My Three Sons, Mary Tyler Moore, these all bring me back to memories of my mom and growing up.

This recent rain has gotten me in the baking mood, something my mom was very good at. Those comfort foods we remember growing up are so soothing. I think I will make coffee cake later today.

My mom was patient, funny and very kind. I have only sweet memories of her.

I have also been reflecting because Merit will soon be a kindergartener! I have a school age child! I am so thankful that I have been able to stay at home with these boys. The playing, pretending, teaching and nurturing has really been a wonderful, challenging job. (Today isn't a day of pulling my hair out, so far, so it is a good day for this entry.)

If you have little ones at home, soak up each moment. If you still have your mom, tell her how much you love her.

More photograpy fun

Once again I was blessed with adorable subjects....Kailer and Lily.

Inspirations for Card Making

The flowers and insects in our yard today have been so beautiful and fun to photograph. It is 104 degrees, so some of our blooms are looking sad, but boy sunflowers really do like the sun. Oh and a GoodWill find....the true book of Honeybees. Now I am inspired to make some bright, sunny cards. (The table that I hoped to purchase at Bargain Town this morning was GONE, rats)

8am, I will buy the table at the junkyard!

There is this table that I can't stop thinking about....distressed, a bit wobbly, totally cool.... at Bargain Town. Maria, please don't beat me there. :) I stopped yesterday and almost bought it. The price tag says $10, I will offer $7. What I keep thinking is that I need to paint it a barn red, burnt orange or mustard yellow and display pumpkins and gourds on it come September. Sometimes these thrift store/ junkyard deals really occupy my thinking. When I first got out of my car to inspect it, I was disappointed cause it wasn't super stable and the top is a dark wood and the legs a cool, distressed, paint over top of paint look. But then when I thought of how I can use it with Autumn just around the corner and the paint colors I could use I thought I HAVE to have it. Ok, so Bargain Town opens at 8 I think - Vance will probably sleep in with the boys, I think I need to run and get the table first thing in the morning. Wish me luck.

Good times

Wanted to share a bit more of our fun in Lynden. Merit, Emily and Hannah in their football huddle and Merit leaping into Papa and Gramma's pool. Wow, summer is busy and fun! Tonight we will take the boys to the rodeo. We have been going and going and our house is starting to show it! Time to get things picked up, windows washed and catch up on some laundry before we are off again. Enjoy these days of summer!

Brielle

Our darling niece, Brielle -- It was so fun to see Brielle when we were in Lynden. I had last seen her when she was nine days old and now she will be three months old tomorrow. Babies grow so fast...she is a doll.

Lemonade Stand

More Memories Made in Lynden!

We had a fun time in Lynden over the weekend. Merit LOVED seeing his cousins and Emma and Thea. He played and played and was not ready to come home. Willem had lots of fun too, but can hardly keep up with our busy schedule while we are there! We spent Saturday evening at Vance's Uncle Guys - he had a fun party! Sunday we saw Lissa, Travis, Emma and Thea. Sunday night we went to my sister Lesha's and caught up with my family there. Monday was spent at the Lynden FAIR (the most beautiful FAIR in the world). Papa Stan and Grandma Adie treated us and we had a blast! AND the cousins had a rock band... it is so fun to see them all play!

Visiting friends and family in Lynden

Our good friends Thea and Emma

Anniversary 8-8-08

On 8-8-98, ten years ago TODAY, Vance and I were married. Ten years can go by in a hurry. It was a beautiful summer day in Lynden. We were married at Wiser Lake Chapel on the Guide Meridian, with 28 in attendance. We then headed out to Vance's grandpa's beautiful home and had our reception in his yard with almost 200 people. The ceremony was so special, the weather was wonderful and it was a lovely day.
Tonight we BBQ'd chicken with these wild boys! :) But either this weekend or next week we will go out for an anniversary dinner! Also, we plan to go away somewhere over night (without the boys) in the next few months. We have not done this in over four years, so I know it will be a wonderful treat! And it is always fun to have something to look forward to!

Summertime

...when you can run around naked or in your undies (ok, maybe just if you are seven and under), when your days are about swimming, playing in the mud and BBQing, when you don't have to have clean socks in your drawer because you can just throw on a pair of flip flops or crocks....I love it! But, today I had a reality check. It is time for me to start taking college credits again. I should have started a year ago. I now have one year to take 30 credits -- or is it 45? I need to call the Educational Service District tomorrow. Being home with these boys is so much fun, but I believe I will want to get back into teaching some day and really don't want my certificate to expire. So all of this playing may need to come to a bit of a halt.... I suppose when Merit starts kindergarten I will start my college studies again. But as far as today goes, I think I will end it by playing catch on the front yard with Merit and going for a bike ride.

PAY IT FORWARD

How does it work? Here are the rules: I will send a little gift (of my choosing) to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this "PIF" exchange, and who make the same pledge on their own blog. The only thing you have to do in return is PAY IT FORWARD - on your own blog. So, if you want to get a goodie from me, and are willing to do the same via your blog, let me know! (Note that you'll need to give me your real snail mail address... which you can do by private email.) I got this idea off of my friend Jessica's blog. COMMENT soon so I can send a gift to YOU!

Brothers, Friends

Willem and Merit are buddies. Today it was fun to watch them wash the golf cart (a surprise for daddy) and then they decided to play pirate ship. Today it has been hot -- 101 degrees, but this afternoon the clouds and wind rolled in and it began looking stormy. Merit found it to be perfect "pirate ship" weather. Their ship began on a big inflatable raft (with a John Deere Gator on top) and watching them cooperate, share and play was pretty cool. Merit "gives in" to the demanding two year old often, but today it was fun to watch them workout a lot of difficult issues :) in their "pirate play." I can't tell you how much I love the LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER.

Wild Will

Intense, wild, spirited....three words to describe Will these days!

Sundress and Sandles

See the wonder, see the beauty.....Molly West, just observing, loving nature and being the sweet girl that she is.

Loving our time with friends

Lazy Days of Summer.............

More thrift store bargains!

Friday I snuck away to the thrift store while my sweet neighbor girl Lilee watched the boys for an hour. I found two wonderful, old children's books, an old insulator, two cloth napkins (totally 70s style) a darling apron with fine green stripes and a 1969 Simplicity pattern for my sister Natasha. The poncho on the front was too cute! I spent less than 5 dollars! You can imagine my excitement.

Merit

I love five. ABCs, caring spirit, fun sense of humor, a love for learning, entering coloring contests, driving the golf cart.........I love this kid, at five!

A very pretty weed and a bee....down by the creek. My "photo shoot" was going to be of the boys - but Willem was totally not cooperative. I did get a good one of Merit, although he wasn't big into posing either. So, as we walked, rode around around in the golf cart and explored I got a few of nature. And the boys and I just enjoyed hanging out.

I have an Etsy Shop!

Check out my shop on Etsy. I have had a lot of fun making unique, one of a kind cards to sell on Etsy. A goal of mine for the past month has been to get them listed and ready to sell. I've "set up shop"! http://michelelaurene.etsy.com

Cape Fox...

Sharing more bits and pieces of Ketchikan

Ketchikan

Ketchikan is green, very green. Coming from a desert this is welcoming. Although I do prefer the desert -it is so fun to see green trees. Ketchikan locals told us the last time they had three sunny days in a row was in May! Wow. We were so fortunate to experience two sunny days in a row when we were there. The first night of our trip and the last were spent at the Cape Fox Hotel. The location of this hotel is what I love most about it. A tram can be taken down to the boardwalk and "town" or you can hike the "married man's trail" - that is what its called - to the boardwalk. This bridge is part of the trail.