Category Archives: Birthday

Tea ~ White Heather Tea Room

Welcome to Tea Time 2025. These posts will be about Tea Rooms we’ve been to, Teas we’ve given for friends and family, Church Tea events, and High Tea in restaurants from 2008 to the present. Tea in the U.S.A., Tea in England and Tea in Canada. Many of the Tea Rooms are no longer in business, which is sad.

This post is from April 6th 2011

On Saturday we walked many miles around town and ended up for an afternoon tea in the Oak Bay area of Victoria. It was a wonderful authentic English High Tea that was recommended to us by Pondside who lives on Vancouver Island. She graciously made our reservations for us including instructions not to be seated in the middle of the restaurant. We had a delightful experience at the White Heather Tea Room and would recommend it to you. Later I will post about meeting Pondside on Sunday and what a wonderful day we had together.

It was so delightful to meet Pondside face to face on this trip.

We visited this tea room on a Sister weekend the four of us enjoyed in Victoria B.C. for my 60th birthday. This tea room is still in business!

We stayed at the Beaconsfield for our weekend.

Back to the present: Yesterday was the first day of Summer and we got a nice rain shower and today we are expecting some more rain. Lots of heat forecasted for many areas in the U.S.A. the next few days. Colville is supposed to be 55 F today with rain starting at noon. How are the temps where you are?

Choo Choo Train Hodgepodge

Our second born, Dan, enjoying his Choo Choo Train engine at his 3rd birthday celebration.

It’s time my friend for another Hodgepodge thanks to Joyce From this Side of the Pond.

1. What do birthdays look like in your house? How are they celebrated? Any special traditions?

We always tried to have a special celebration for each of our children on their birthdays. Their first birthday was an extended family and friend event with lots of adults and kids. As the years progressed birthdays morphed. After having the inspiration to have a Choo Choo train cake for Dan’s 3rd birthday, it became a special tradition for him.

The photo above is from his 5th birthday celebration.

From Dan’s 19th birthday celebration.

When Dan met Jamie and before they were married, she made him a Choo Choo Train cake for one of his birthdays. This next cake was her idea, too, at his 40th birthday celebration in Arizona.

Dan’s 40th birthday Pokeman choo choo train cake.

What about birthdays growing up? 

Birthdays were celebrated growing up but they were not the over the top brand of today. Simple cake and ice cream. Sometimes there was a gift and sometimes there was not a gift. One unique thing my parents did for my older sisters and me was to buy us a special birthstone ring for our 16th birthday.

2. Someone is sending you a dozen roses…what color are you hoping for?

I enjoy roses with subtle color, not the bold reds or yellows. You don’t have to send me roses but do bring a bouquet from your garden, please.

 Are you someone who gets accused of seeing the world through rose colored glasses? Is your accuser correct? Elaborate. 

I would say that I lean toward black and white, not rose colored. I’m more of a realist and less of a poet. Saying that, I do choose joy and am filled with hope for a future in heaven that far exceeds anything on this earth. I will be upbeat and have a smile on my face in many circumstances of life.

3. June 4th is National Cheese Day…will you celebrate? What’s something (besides a burger) you make in the summer months that calls for cheese? 

There is nothing specific that calls for cheese but we’ll add cheese to egg scrambles, burritos, tacos, and some salads.

Summer reminds me of Bible Camp and Bible Camp reminds me of the classic grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup!

4. ’tis the season…any weddings on your June calendar?

No June weddings on our calendar.

What’s the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage? 

It was a jumble of words because of our current climate where the marriage covenant has been so mistreated and undermined and attacked. It’s not a surprise since marriage was ordained by God and the model is His model. The original is the standard, a man and a woman, leaving mother and father, becoming one in marriage. I believe in the Word of God, the Bible, and what it has to say about marriage.

Mark 10:6-9

But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.

This is a great month to celebrate and affirm marriage as God intended. Marriage reflects Christ and His Bride, the church.

Ephesians 5:31-33 ~Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

5. What are you most looking forward to this June? 

Having our epic garage sale behind us. The dates for this sale keep shifting but we hope to get it accomplished by July!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The above photo is from a Happy Birthday meal on the Westside for Greg in 2024 just before we flew to Scotland for more celebrations.

From September of 2024 through April of 2025, we celebrated all 10 of our ‘family’ birthdays.

We sing, we blow out candles, we eat cake or pie, we gift, and most of all we love and affirm one another on birthdays and other days, too.

“The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”

Tea ~ Madam Fifi’s

Welcome to Tea Time 2025. These posts will be about Tea Rooms we’ve been to, Teas we’ve given for friends and family, Church Tea events, and High Tea in restaurants from 2008 to the present. Tea in the U.S.A., Tea in England and Tea in Canada. Many of the Tea Rooms are no longer in business, which is sad.

I recently posted a Tea Room we enjoyed with our mom in Northridge, California in 2008.

Today’s Tea Room is Madam Fifi’s which was in Country Village, Bothell, Washington. This Tea Room didn’t last long and now Country Village is also gone and replaced with condos.

In August of 2008 I took my little sister Lana G! to Madam Fifi’s in Country Village for her belated birthday lunch.

The following was written in 2008…

We went to Madam Fifi’s Tea Room in Bothell at Country Village. I was wanting to share this Tea Room with Lana and since this is a rare day when we are both in Washington at the same time we took the opportunity. We were both delighted with the Grand Tea.

Madam Fifi’s Grand Tea
Pot of loose leaf tea or iced tea of the day
Cup of soup or garden salad
Fresh seasonal fruit
scones with cream & lemon curd
Generous tea sandwiches—
Smoked salmon cream cheese with cucumber
Crab salad
Chicken curry salad
Turkey with raspberry cream cheese
Grand assortment of decadent tarts, cookies and pastries.
~
We had the soup of the day and it was wonderful. We also chose the Lady Londonderry Tea. We really enjoyed it and both ended up buying some to take home to savor. It is really hard to treat Lana to a meal. She is very sneaky about picking up the tab. Today I was going to finally win but Madam Fifi thwarted me and insisted on giving us her Grand Tea on the house! Thank you Madam Fifi. We love your establishment and we will be back.

Six!

For JJ’s sixth birthday party the theme of Batman was chosen.

Today is his actual birthday but the family celebration was on this past Saturday, the 12th of April.

Thank you, Lord, for our grandson, JJ. He is such a delight. We love how you created him and how his mind works. He has a kind heart towards his sister. He is observant and curious. We pray that you will save him and lead and direct his life to always follow You. Thank you for all the loving and caring people he is surrounded by! 

The pizza party lunch was at noon and all the festivities began with a prayer.

Besides pizza, we had veggies and Super Batman Fruit!

We had some indoor games and outdoor games along with some Batman rescues!

Batman to the rescue! He rescued Aunt Katie and had to turn around and rescue Addy, too!

After all the rescuing it was time for presents and cake!

The Six and Thirty-Six year old birthday boys!

The Batman party came to a happy conclusion.

We changed venues and enjoyed a steak dinner and birthday pie in honor of Andrew!

Our long weekend family time was bookended with playing SkyJoe at both homes!

On Sunday we met at church for our Palm Sunday service before our ‘Westside’ crew drove home.

Thank you, Lord, for all your goodness to our family, for safe travels, joy in being together, loving support of one another and continued growth in You. We love you, Lord.

F is for…

While searching my archives for A to Z photos I found this photo I took at the Postal Museum in Washington D.C. back in May of 2011.

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.

Today is Monday April 7th and today’s letter if F.

F is for Farmer’s Market

Pike Place Market back in March of 2007 with Josh and Laura.

 

And then another trip to the market in July of 2007 with my brother Leonard and Mandy.

F is also for Flowers…

These are store bought but pretty soon daffodils will make their blooms known in our yard.

Have a great Monday!

It’s No Mystery…

…we love her to pieces!

On Saturday we gathered to celebrate Addy turning eight. She requested a Hardy Boys Mystery Themed party. We were each given a character from the books to be on this day. Wigs, scarves, and other costume choices were made.

Mr. Hardy, Mrs. Hardy, Frank, Joe, Iola, Calli, Belinda, Biff, Ethel, Chief Collig, were all present and accounted for. A few more characters were due to arrive.

Eight is Great!

Mysteries were solved and clues were followed. Which shoe made what print?

I’m sorry I didn’t take a photo of the 3×5 treasure hunt clues we found all over the house that Addy’s dad wrote out for us to follow to find the treasure!

When all the characters arrived, we enjoyed baked potatoes with many toppings for lunch.

Orange Creme soda and root beer right out of a bottle will be a fun memory.

After lunch it was time for presents before we enjoyed the cake.

It’s getting easier each year for Addy to read the cards on her own.

The last present to open was her new scooter and she was thrilled! Uncle Andrew, the aeronautical engineer, was given the task to put it together!

Time for Cake!

 

The cake was another masterpiece by Addy’s mom. It was a delicious S’mores cake!

When you are eight, you get to light the candle on the cake!

 

Another great birthday celebration in the books.

And for the record this wasn’t the only celebration on this day. After Addy’s party was done, we gathered again at Gramps and Baba’s for a Chinese themed dinner of Hot and Sour Soup (homemade). Our kids put this meal together while Baba watched a movie with Addy and JJ. We gather the moments when our kids from the Westside are in town! After dinner we introduced SKYJO to everyone.

Our family highly recommends this game and it can entertain a wide range of ages! Tested at our home for 8 year olds and up!

On Sunday we all gathered at church for the early service and we were surprised with a special number by Addy on the piano. Our country church includes from time to time special numbers that anyone from the congregation can share with the church. Addy chose to play It is Well with My Soul as a special gift for me. Yes, there were tears.

Thank you, Addy. Baba loves you and is so happy that you love Jesus. Baba and Gramps pray that you will grow closer and closer to Our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ each new year of your life.

Because of Jesus, It is Well With My Soul.

Birthday Getaway

First things first…Happy Spring everyone!!

The Roosevelt Inn on Wallace in Coeur d’Alene.

Our room included the bell tower with beautiful views. The three windows on the right side of the building on the third floor were part of our room and then there was a flight of stairs to get up to the bell tower sitting area with telescope and great views of the area.

Welcome to The Roosevelt Inn,  a stunning Coeur d’Alene inn.  This grand brick building was the first permanent schoolhouse established in 1905. Now, experience historic elegance at The Roosevelt Inn a romantic and relaxing bed and breakfast located in the heart of beautiful downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The above is the webpage write up for the Inn. The last time we spent the night at the Inn was for my 70th birthday and at that time they had ‘sold the Inn’. We found out that that sale fell through and they’ve had 7 subsequent sales that all fell through. This time, 4 years later, it is sold again and will be final by May. It is a relaxing environment and the rooms are nice but the elegance is waning  and stunning as a description is a stretch. We enjoyed our stay and the owners are welcoming.

On Tuesday morning we were able to order our breakfast as we wanted it and it was prepared well. The other breakfast items stocked in the breakfast room gave you a great variety to choose from.

We enjoyed our shopping stops in CDA. On Monday after we had a nice lunch in Rathdrum, we stopped at the Union Gospel Mission Thrift store, a couple vintage shops and a local grocery store called Pilgrim’s Market. Pilgrim’s Market is a lot like Whole Foods. Home Depot was our first stop after breakfast on Tuesday and where I chose a shorter hedge trimmer and new blower for yard work coming up soon. The new Sierra store was our second stop and we made some purchases there. Sierra is part of the HomeGoods, TJMaxx, Marshalls group. On to Costco where we got gasoline for $2.89 WOW! A used book store was our last stop in CDA before heading back across the state line to Washington. Sales tax is only 6% in CDA so when we are visiting we like to make any purchases that we need to take advantage of that. In Washington we stopped at another Union Gospel Mission Thrift store and found some good books, tools and a clothing item.

We made it back home before dark. It was a good overnight. Our weather range over the two days was decent enough to glorious.

Today is Friday and sometime later today our ‘Westside’ kids will all be here along with our Colville kids to start the beginning of a birthday weekend. Addy will be celebrated on Saturday and there will also be one more family celebration for my birthday. The fun just keeps rolling in.

A Grand Birthday

Both Addy and JJ created happy birthday greetings for me with a candy cane treat attached. JJ also included a finger knitting bracelet and necklace. Addy got creative with a musical greeting, ‘It is well with my soul’.

A very lovely birthday celebration with our Colville Kids and Grands. Addy nailed it, It is well with my soul. Thank you, LORD!

On Friday, my actual birthday, I received these greetings from near and far.

Thank you to all my friends and family for your sweet birthday greetings, yesterday.

Thankful for Seventy Four

Celebrating my 74th birthday today with some Friday Flashbacks to my 60th Celebrations.

Back in 2011 our kids and Greg surprised me with more than one celebration. The first one was that Dan made the trip across the mountains to be at my 60th brunch and dinner party, too. I was totally surprised when he walked into Josh and Laura’s kitchen. After brunch on Sunday March 13th, the day before my actual birth-day, Greg and I drove north to Chuckanut Manor Restaurant to meet some of the Mennonite Girls and their husbands for a birthday dinner.

Then on Monday the 14th of March the surprises continued when a limousine showed up to take us to dinner in downtown Seattle.

 

Our daughter Katie was in Jacksonville, North Carolina, getting married to Andrew by the Justice of the Peace before Andrew took off for his first tour of duty to Afghanistan. That is why she wasn’t at this birthday celebration. One year later on March 11, 2012 we had a formal wedding for them in Seattle. They just celebrated their 14th Wedding Anniversary! Here they are 14 years ago….

My 60th birthday celebration continued into April of 2011 with a Sisters Weekend in Victoria, B.C.!

This was the trip that I met Honora face to face and she was so kind to drive me and my sisters around to some lovely spots.

Back to the present and 74 years…

On Wednesday our Colville Kids and Grands had a birthday lunch for me at their home. It was a delicious meal and lovely dessert. Addy and JJ each gave me handmade cards. I’ll share those on my post tomorrow.

Tonight we have a Marriage Conference at our church with a catered meal to kick-off the two day event.

Monday Greg and I are going for an overnight in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to celebrate St. Patrick and me.

Being in the Mid-Winter of my life on earth I don’t take for granted each new day. God has my days numbered and He leads me on until He calls me home. I can rest and be at peace in this reality. I’m a wonderer and I’m wondering what new things I’ll see and learn this new year of my life.