Friday’s Fave Five ~ The Happiest Place on Earth…

FRIDAY!! This week got away from me. Thank you Susanne for encouraging us with this weekly exercise of “looking back” and being thankful for our favorites from the past week. Click on over to Living to Tell the Story to join in…

 

1. So we made it safe and a little bit crazy back to Southern California on Sunday. My favorite part of our 18 hour trip in the car was listening to Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix on cds. There are 23 cds and we only got up to #15. Listening to books on cd really helps me endure the boredom of road travel especially through Central California.

2. Came home to a nice clean condo which quickly had every inch of floor space filled with inflatable beds because my daughter and her boyfriend made the trip with us and are staying here for a week.

3. On Wednesday I met up with 10 family members to enjoy the day at Disneyland. My sister Lana G! treated me royally that day paying for my ticket and all my food.

4. Spending time with my brother Leonard, his wife Mandy and my niece Hope. We get to see them once or twice a year since they live in Texas.

5. Watching Miss Hope (my niece) and Jackson (my grand nephew) interact with each other. Miss Hope really enjoys having Jack in her sights. She is pointing out his nose for him in the collage.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Disneyland With Jack and Miss Hope …

On Wednesday me and a million of my friends showed up at Disneyland. I picked my closest 10 friends to hang out with and they just happened to all be related to me…

My brother Leonard and his wife Mandy along with their daughter Miss Hope flew in for the week so we have lots of fun activities planned. First on the list…conquer Disneyland!

First stop was the Carousel.

My nieces and my twin siblings Leonard and Lana. Melissa, Lana G!, Debbee, Michelle, and Leonard…

 

Next was “It’s a Small World”

 

My niece Michelle is due in a month with Jack’s little sister so she made use of this wheel chair. Ryan, Jack’s dad, and Melissa my niece are the designated pushers, transportation assistants.

 

Miss Hope loves Jackson and Jackson got some practice in dealing with little girls…

 

 

 

Here’s Jackson the Jedi Knight!

The longer we walked around the crowds the worse my photo skills got. I’m glad I at least got these heads in the photo!

The later it got the goofier we got and we started fighting taking turns in that wheel chair!

It’s always nice to get to see my brother’s family and spend extended time with them. Today is beach day (I’m home having rest day) and then on Saturday an Open House and on Sunday a baby shower for Michelle. Fun times…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

ABC’s of the Word ~ The End…Z

Romans 9:33

33 As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Today ABC’s of the Word draws to a close. We’ve been through the alphabet twice and find ourselves at the letter Z. I pulled this from my archives because I thought it is always relevant and it works for the letter Z and the end of our good run with this weekly event. Thank you Pam for the idea and for hosting us twice through the alphabet. To see more Z verses visit Pam at Grey Like Snuffie…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

WFW ~ Isaiah 61:10

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For more WFW please visit Critty Joy !

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

It’s time to visit Susan A Southern DayDreamer to join in on Outdoor Wednesday.

 

I was driving past the Acacia Memorial Park in Shoreline, Washington last week and noticed all the flags flying. Being a curious blogger I popped a U-ie made a U-turn to see what was going on. The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall was being exhibited for 3 days on this site. It was a sobering experience.

“The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is dedicated to all Americans who served in Vietnam and honors all veterans of the U.S. military. The three-day exhibition is sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Association posts 102 and 423 and local Dignity Memorial funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers.”

“The monument was created as a service to those who might never travel to the nation’s capital to experience the Vietnam Veterans Memorial firsthand,” said Donna Wagner, director of Dignity Memorial providers in Seattle. “Our replica offers visitors a chance for healing and reflections, and we are very pleased to be able to share it with the community.”

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

 

 

North and South…

 

We left our home in Washington Sunday at 5:15 A.M. and made it to our Condo in Southern California at 11:30 P.M. This photo was taken in Southern Washington before we crossed the border into Oregon.

Today I’m unpacking and trying to get organized for the week. We have our daughter and her boyfriend here, too. I’m dodging 2 extra inflatable beds on the floor in the living area and our bedroom. Ben and Katie are busy and away each day doing all the dizzy parks. I’ll have a couple days of floor space this week while they stay with our nieces in Orange County. Wednesday is family day at the “Happiest Place on Earth”. A lot of us are meeting up to spend the day together and see Miss Hope in action.

Hope everyone’s week is going well…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Day is Dying in the West ~ Hymn

Day is Dying in the West

Day is dying in the west;
Heav’n is touching earth with rest;
Wait and worship while the night
Sets the evening lamps alight
Through all the sky.

Refrain

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heav’n and earth are full of Thee!
Heav’n and earth are praising Thee,
O Lord most high!

Lord of life, beneath the dome
Of the universe, Thy home,
Gather us who seek Thy face
To the fold of Thy embrace,
For Thou art nigh.

Refrain

While the deepening shadows fall,
Heart of love enfolding all,
Through the glory and the grace
Of the stars that veil Thy face,
Our hearts ascend.

Refrain

When forever from our sight
Pass the stars, the day, the night,
Lord of angels, on our eyes
Let eternal morning rise
And shadows end.

Refrain

Words by Mary A. Lathbury (1841-1913)

 

Road Trip, Overnight Guests, and Reunions Oh My!

Today I’m doing all the last minute things I need to do for our trip back to the Condo in Southern California. Our daughter Katie and her boyfriend Ben are road tripping with us and then staying in Southern California with us for a week. My brother Leonard and his wife Mandy and their daughter Miss Hope arrive in Southern California on Tuesday. We have extended family events planned for the week. I do not know how much blogging will occur.

I wanted to share some fun events coming up in blog land with you before I disappear for a while.

On Tuesday August 18th I’m pleased to announce I’ll be guest posting on Sandy’s blog ~4 Reluctant Entertainers. If you’ve never visited her blog you should. She really is a gifted lady and has great ideas on incorporating hospitality in your home. You’ll also enjoy her recipes and photographs.

On Saturday August 22nd the next Round Robin Photo Challenge is Birds! Don’t let this one fly by! You can sign up for this challenge by following the simple directions here.

On Tuesday August 25th there’s a Let there be White Party hosted by Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen. Click on over to get the details…

On August 28th there’s a Show Us Your Roosters party hosted at Bella Vista by Barb.

Then on September 11th there’s a 2nd Cloche Party hosted by Marty at A Stroll Thru Life.

Hope to see you all soon.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Friday’s Fave Five ~ The Great Northwest…

Thank you to Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for starting this weekly event where we consider the last week and share some of our favorite things.

My favorites this week are the things I love about being home in The Northwest. On Sunday we leave the Seattle area bright and early and drive 1200 miles back to Southern California where Dear and I have been living the last 3 years.

 

One of my favorite things about the Northwest are the trees. I really enjoy big trees. When I look out the windows of my house I can see sky and trees. I can see the sun setting from my bed in my upper story. Early for bed you think? Maybe, but remember in the summer the sun sets later in the great Northwest!

I enjoy pampering my kids and feeding them when I’m here even though they are adults and can fend for themselves. I probably run the dishwasher once maybe twice a week at our little condo in Southern California. When I’m home in Washington I run it once sometimes twice in one day! It’s also fun to see the kids spend one on one time with their dad. Each of our kids is so unique and it’s fun to see this come out in what kind of things they do with their dad…

 

I love my hairdresser here in Seattle and Friday I’ll get my hair cut and roots taken care of  before I head back South.

 

This is Sherri cutting my daughter Katie’s hair…

Some of my favorite places to shop are Goodwill in Washington and the Fred Meyer stores. I know there are Goodwill stores in every state but the ones in Washington just seem to be cleaner and better organized.

I really enjoy the space I have around my home in Washington. It’s not huge just about 1/3 acre but that affords privacy and quiet that I don’t get in Southern California.

 

Now just to be fair to Southern California I will post my favorite things about Southern California and my little condo soon!!

Click on over to Susanne’s on Friday to see more favorites or to join in the fun!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.