This Time Around…

…we decided on more coverage.

After our deck gazebo demise we’ve been considering new options for our deck and how to get protection from the afternoon sun. Here’s what we came up with…

Joshua came over to help his father and I got to lend a hand here and there. This wouldn’t have been as easy without Joshua’s help. Thank you Josh!

We are on the same wave length as the Space Needle make over for the 50th anniversary of the World’s Fair with Galaxy Gold…

We’re calling our color terracotta and that’s the color of our new deck stain.

Here are some interesting facts about the Space Needle…

When the Space Needle was built in 1962 it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.

The Space Needle had the second revolving restaurant in the world. The first one was in the Ala Moana shopping mall in Hawaii (now closed). There are now hundreds of turntables throughout the world.

One of the best sellers during the fair was a Needle-shaped gold charm with a light in it, selling for about $75 in 1962. Another was a 9-inch high chrome lighter in the shape of the Needle.

The center of gravity for the Space Needle is 5 feet above the ground.

The original nickname of the Space Needle was “The Space Cage.” The original name of the restaurant was “Eye of the Needle.”

We had so much fun in the sun over the weekend and we are still promised a good stretch. It was timely to get the deck structures up. Have a great week everyone!

Look Ma…no Jacket!

We had our first evening Sounders Soccer game that I did not have to have several layers of warmth on my body this past Saturday! The sun was shining, the crowd was rowdy, but our team went down in defeat. The only downer on a very wonderful day!

All day in the sunshine. A 5K in the morning. Putting up deck structures in the afternoon. Dinner downtown before the game. We were all yawning during the 2nd half of the game! Absorbing vitamin D is hard work!

Going to the Dentist today so hopefully I can say “Look ma, no cavities, too!”

Can’t leave without showing you how thoughtful my kids are…

A basket full of treats that were personalized about things that bring me joy from Josh and Laura.

Flowers on my doorstep from Katie and Andrew all the way from North Carolina.

Daniel sent me a gift certificate for a local salon and I’ll be booking a massage real soon.

Dear pampered me all day beginning with home made eggs Benedict that were delicious!

Blessed to the brim and I don’t take it for granted…

Have a great week y’all.

Free Them 5K!

We joined our son’s team Axia Home Loans Lynnwood to walk against human trafficking. World Concern in Seattle sponsored the event.

This is part of our Northshore Baptist group. Notice the sun glasses? We are in a wonderful stretch of sunny days here in the Seattle area. We were all a little befuddled from all the sunshine we were in on Saturday!

This event has really grown from year to year and our daughter in law was busy helping coordinate it all week long. Thankfully there were lots of volunteers to help things run more smoothly. Human trafficking is a troubling worldwide problem and events like these raise awareness and money to help fight it!

Our sunny day activities continued on after our morning walk and I’ll share more later. Today I’m linking this post with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

O Word of God Incarnate ~ Hymn

O Word of God Incarnate

O Word of God incarnate, O wisdom from on high,
O truth unchanged, unchanging, O light of our dark sky:
We praise You for the radiance that from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age.

The Church from You, our Savior, received the gift divine,
And still that light is lifted o’er all the earth to shine.
It is the sacred vessel where gems of truth are stored;
It is the Heav’n drawn picture of Christ, the living Word.

The Scripture is a banner before God’s host unfurled;
It is a shining beacon above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass that over life’s surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to You, O Christ, will guide.

O make your Church, dear Savior, a lamp of purest gold,
To bear before the nations Your true light as of old.
O teach your wandering pilgrims by this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended, they see You face to face.

Words: William W. How, 1867.

Moms at the Wedding!

For my special Mother’s Day edition for this weekend I’m posting photos that Jeremy Leffel took at Katie and Andrew’s wedding that include mothers. Have we mentioned how much we appreciate Jeremy and his photography?

My Mom

Andrew’s Mother and his sister.

Andrew’s dad and step mom.

My side of our extended family.

This is Dear’s side of the family.

Young moms, older moms, mothers in law, step moms, grandmothers, sisters, sisters in law, nieces, cousins, friends… moms. All important people in our lives.

We are getting a stretch of good weather here in the Pacific Northwest so I’m sure people will be out and about and getting caught up on their gardening. We are participating in a Free Them 5K against human trafficking on Saturday morning. Later in the day we will enjoy a meal with Josh and Laura and from there head to the Sounders soccer game. Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Let’s Dish ~ Mother’s Day…

I was able to use my latest purchases that I showed you a few weeks ago to create a table scape.

I ended up using and changing out 3 different chargers. The bright green, bright purple and pale purple.

My mother is an old world mother. One who sacrifices everything for her husband and children. She has never driven a car to this day and she is 89. She was a stay at home mom her whole married life. Her love was expressed by sharing her faith in God, providing good meals, sewing clothing for her daughters, and putting herself last when it came to needing something new. My mom bore 9 children. Her first daughter died at 2 years old in Iran. Eight of us are all still alive and well in Southern California, Texas, and Washington. Here’s my mom at Katie and Andrew’s wedding in March.

This photo was taken by Jeremy Leffel, I love it! That’s my dear dad behind her making sure she kept steady since she is using a walker these days. It would be nice to serve my mom a meal at this table but traveling is getting very hard for her. She’ll be celebrating at my niece’s home with some of my sister’s families.

I used flowering rosemary and another ground cover in the vases.

I am really enjoying this color combination. I’m still on the lookout for a few more pieces.

I talked to my mom on the phone today and told her I didn’t buy a card, yet. I’m going to have to do something special when I see her the weekend after Mother’s Day weekend.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers who visit here…

I’m linking up with Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen for Let’s Dish Mother’s Day edition and with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Many Hands…

…make light work.

We got the professional photos from the wedding and I’m going to share them in a series. I want to acknowledge our photographer Jeremy Leffel. We’ve known for a few years that we would hire him for Katie’s wedding. When she became engaged we knew the date we chose would have to be a date that Jeremy was available.  So the photos I’ll be sharing are all taken by him. We can’t recommend him enough to anyone needing a wedding photographer.

Here are some pre-wedding shots…

Our hairdresser Sherri was indispensable to us the morning of the wedding. If you can have the hairdresser come to your venue it really makes the whole pre wedding preparations more relaxed.

Our nieces Melissa and Debbee helped the girls with their make-up.

The venue provided a wonderful plate of cheeses, fruit and champagne for us.

The guys found a local spot to the venue to get some sandwiches and drinks to tide them over.

Yep…it took many hands to make the whole celebration light work. We continue to be thankful.

Off With It’s Head…

…or the show and tell of the old and new roof!

The Garage/Shop

The House

We are very pleased with the new roof and the new gutters. The gutters have already gotten a good workout with several downpours over the last couple weeks. The other thing we are pleased with is a ridge vent instead of the old vents we had.

Now all we need to do is finish the siding, pour a driveway, gut the downstairs bathroom, replace all the floor coverings inside, replace the counter tops in the kitchen. Sheesh the fun just never stops!

Finding Spring

We are finally getting a little warm up in our weather and some sunshine. It will be good to have some dry days to be able to get the planter beds weeded.

I’m sure that many of you have been strolling around your local garden shops to see if there is something new to add to you gardens. We bought a new Rhododendron while we were at Meerkerk Rhododendron Garden that we are finding a spot for.

I am not a gardener. I mow the lawn happily but I always have a little skepticism on whether something new that I plant will survive. I am very thankful when our plants revive themselves in the Spring and Summer. I am conscious of the Master Gardener and the beauty He has created for us to enjoy.  Just walking in a beautiful garden causes me to thank God for his creation. Sometimes it even makes me sing… out loud. Gifted earthly gardeners are very much appreciated by me, too.

I’m linking up with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. I hope to get around to see your mosaics. I’ll be on the road tomorrow so I might be late in visiting.

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us ~ Stuart Townend

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
(REPEAT)

~Stuart Townend

Added note: I posted this wonderful song on Saturday evening on my blog and on Sunday morning during Communion the worship band led us in singing this same song. The prompting to the Holy Spirit and the congruence of the Holy Spirit is an amazing thing…