Our kids left a puzzle for me last weekend. This was a fun one to put together and it came together quickly. I was happy to see the puzzle poster included.
A trip to the seashore would be lovely.
One last weekend ahead in March. It has been a good relational month for us. What was a highlight of March in your corner?
Joyce is rolling out some fresh Hodgepodge Questions for us.
1. Spring has officially sprung (in the northern hemisphere anyway)…did she roll in more like a lion or more like a lamb in your neck of the woods? What needs more of your attention in terms of a good spring clean this year-your house or your garden/yard?
It rolled in more like a lamb.
I’m going with garden/yard. There will be a scheduling of window washing inside and out, soon.
The great thing about Spring is the fact that both Addy and JJ were born in Spring and we get to have family celebrations for them and then the ultimate celebration in Spring is Easter when we celebrate the new life available to us because of what Jesus accomplished on the Cross and his Resurrection.
2. What’s put a spring in your step lately?
Family love always puts a spring in my step. Along with that, Spring blooms lighten my heart.
3. When you were a kid, what was the best snack to find in your lunchbox? If you didn’t do the lunchbox thing, tell us what was your favorite after school snack.
We took sack lunches to school growing up. I’m trying to remember if there was ever an added snack and I don’t think so. I think milk was provided by the school for a small amount of money.
4. In what area of your life are you planting seeds ?
In my Spiritual life through God’s Truth, the Bible, and hopefully the fruit it produces in my life is evident to everyone in my life, especially my grandkids!
Hosea 10:12 ~ Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
Galatians 6:8 ~ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
5. Why do you live where you do? Would you consider living somewhere else? Why or why not?
We were on the verge of Greg’s retirement and our first grandchild was born so it was a no brainer to move to a more affordable area of our state within a few miles from where our grandchildren would grow up. At this stage moving again is not on our radar.
The only reason I’d want to move elsewhere is the crazy legislation our state is trying to pass to tax us more and more and make life harder for the common person.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
We had so much fun celebrating Addy this past weekend. She requested a Hardy Boys Mystery Theme for her party and it was a hoot! My full birthday post is here.
Keep as much spring as possible in your steps dear people!
…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.
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.
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.
This Monday evening we were celebrating our Sister-in-law, Mandy who had a milestone birthday in late February. We were able to assure Many that this decade she is entering is a good one.
Lana and I ordered the lamb. Everyone’s choices were delicious.
We sang and enjoyed dessert!
Strawberries Romanov for me and Lana. All the desserts were enjoyed.
It was a great treat to enjoy this celebratory meal while we were in Texas.
We give this restaurant high marks for hospitality and quality.
The plan for our Monday in Texas was to visit the Fort Worth Stockyards. Steve dropped us off close to Exchange Avenue where the cattle drive would take place at 11:30 A.M. While he looked for a parking spot we moseyed over to find our spot in the crowds waiting to see the cattle drive. This happens twice a day.
The crowds dispersed and we poked into a few shops to see the western ware.
Everything a tourist might need to take home for a souvenir.
We started looking for a likely spot for our lunch rendezvous with our brother Leonard. He was driving out after a couple of meetings to enjoy lunch with us.
We made reservations at Hotel Drover’s 97 West Kitchen and Bar.
We had time to walk and do a little more shopping before Leonard met up with us at the restaurant.
We enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant and had great service.
Full and satisfied with plans to eat again at dinnertime we made our way to our cars and headed back into Dallas and Flower Mound.
If you have never been we recommend the Historic Stockyards at Forth Worth for a visit. I’m glad we were able to visit on a cool day that started misty and improved for our visit.
After meeting up at Watermark church in Dallas for the 11:15 church service we gathered at Leonard and Mandy’s for lunch. We enjoyed chicken fajitas with all the trimmings. We had some good conversation around the table with a good recap of the sermon.
My brother Leonard and his dear wife, Mandy.
Our hostess and host and chauffeur for our days in Dallas, Lana and Steve.
Our niece, Hope. (Leonard and Mandy’s daughter)
Our nephew, Andrew. (Leonard and Mandy’s son)
We finished off the day with a stop at Half-Price Books. It was the largest Half-Price bookstore we had ever been in but we were in Texas after all, where everything is bigger!
More from Texas coming soon.
While we were traveling we had Spring weather back in our corner of the world and our grands were happy to get the bicycles out of storage.
Is Spring coming early in your corner?
Dinner at the Rusty Moose in Airway Heights on our way to the Spokane airport.
Our flight to Dallas left the Spokane airport at 5:30 am. Since we live about 2 hours from the airport we decided it would be wise to spend the night at a hotel at the airport on Friday. That worked out well. We were able to walk to the airport on Saturday morning in good time to check in and go through security. Our brother-in-law and sister picked us up at Dallas-Fort Worth airport when we arrived before noon.
This was our first time to see Steve and Lana’s new home. It is beautiful and comfortable. Lana prepared Cottage Pie for dinner and soon a few of Steve’s family members arrived along with our brother Leonard’s family. It was a nice relaxed evening getting caught up with everyone.
On Sunday morning we met up at Leonard and Mandy’s church for the 11:15 service and then enjoyed lunch at their home. Yummy fajitas with all the fixins hit the spot.
We had a good discussion about the sermon around the table.
Our sister Lana and her husband, Steve.
Our brother Leonard and wife, Mandy.
And here are our niece and nephew.
The day ended with a good rain storm.
Tomorrow we are planning a trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Hope your March is starting well.
Today we are traveling by air to another state for a visit with loved ones. Here are some clues as to who we will be visiting and the state they live in. I think you’ll be able to guess with these clues. All these photos are flashbacks taken many years ago and a couple years ago.
We are going to be in one of the states above from the second row of quilt squares.
We will be visiting two households.
The kids in these photos are now teens. The adults are all in new decades of their lives.
Any guesses? We’ll see y’all on the other side of our trip and hopefully we’ll have lots of blog fodder to share.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 