Tag Archives: Family

Happy Birthday Lana & Leonard

A Very Happy Birthday to my Sister and my Brother!

Yes, they are twins…

 

Lana, I thank God for you and pray that He blesses you with all things good this coming year. Thanks for all the fun times we have together, shopping, exploring cemeteries, eating, and blogging together. Joy, Joy, Joy is what I wish for you!

 

Leonard, I thank God for all the new things He has filled your life with this last year! Wow, He has really blessed you richly and it makes this sister overwhelmed with joy for you and thanksgiving to our God. I love you my brother!

Since it’s her birthday why don’t you head over to Lana G!’s to see a photo of her and my brother together sporting a fabulous hairdo!

A New Blog Recommendation

Do you home-school or know anyone who does?

These are my 4 home-schooled nephews. My SIL Kelly and my brother Steve have home-schooled them from K to College. One of my nephews has graduated from Westmont College, one will be a Junior there this year, and one will be starting there in August. My youngest nephew is 16 now and still being home-schooled. These young men have gotten the best kind of education. They have learned to love learning. They have all represented the State of California at National History Day in D.C. several years in a row. Timothy and Levi have spent a summer or two in Africa serving at orphanages there. Levi leads college worship at Westmont. Caleb is serving at Forest Home Christian Camps this summer with young boys. All this to say that this family has done Homeschooling well and there is wisdom you can glean here.

Kelly’s new blog is called Substantive Education. Here’s how that is described.

“A Substantive Education provides more than a solid academic foundation. It is a life-long passion to know more of the world, it’s people, and it’s Creator. Substantive Education doesn’t just prepare one to make a living, but to live a full and significant life.”

Kelly is one great learner and teacher. She is also the Director of Grace Prep School which provides support services to other homeschoolers in her area. Besides all that she’s a Pastor’s wife. I rest my case…

You can get a lot of good tips for homeschooling or learning in general at this new blog. I highly recommend Substantive Education to you.

Oh, A Thrifting We Will Go ~

Oh, A thrifting we will go
a thrifting we will go
Hi ho the derio
a thrifting we will go..

So my sister Lana, our niece Michelle, my daughter-in-law Laura, and I met at Goodwill on Saturday morning to have a shopping party together. Michelle has been in Washington since Tuesday for a wedding and a visit. She is donning an apron that she was considering. This is our sorting out stage of shopping. We first load the carts with everything we think we might want, then when we’ve had enough shopping we sort through everything and decide what we really don’t want.

Some of the goodies I’ve acquired this week. I love the little saying on the blue plate from England. “When two fond hearts as one unite the yoke is easy and the burden light”

I love to mix lace and another color tablecloth for tea tables or just for some old fashioned fun. I’m a sucker for tablecloths and the two I bought today were unique and in very good shape. I’m looking forward to making some sweet treats in these Petite heart pans. Think of the possibilities.

This hand made tablecloth is a very interesting color and the work is so detailed on it. I just couldn’t walk away from it. Well, I could have walked away but I didn’t want to.

While we were shopping my two sons were home preparing a great barbecue for us hard working shoppers. It was so good. They decided on hamburgers and to go with the hamburgers they made carmelized onions, guacamole, bacon, a fruit salad and baked beans. We had my Rice Krispy Bars for dessert. What a feast it was. We felt blessed.

Ok my sister Lana G! really has a talent at presenting her treasures in a beautiful way. She spent the most of all of us. Check out her treasures here.

Port Gamble in Washington

On Wednesday afternoon Josh, Laura, Michelle and I took the Ferry from Edmonds to Kingston for High Tea in Port Gamble. The Tea Room at Port Gamble is in an old Victorian house on the main street in this little town. You get off the ferry at Kingston and follow the road to Highway 104 headed for the Hood Canal Bridge. When you get to the 25 mile an hour speed zone you know you are close. You can’t miss it and it’s a delightful afternoon stop!

Josh was such a good sport to play along and don a hat, too. He had never been to High Tea and we discussed just how civilized it is. Of course none of us had to wear hats but we were just in the mood.

I think the highlights for us were the wonderful scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream and then the chocolate fondue at the end of our tea. Duhliscious!! (I miss-spelled that on purpose!)

We strolled through the little town and enjoyed the architecture and unique little shops. Took the picture of the Artful Ewe for you Willow!

My son Josh and Laura

My DIL Laura and niece Michelle

 

Do you see the sign the antique dealer has under her cash register in her shop? It says “YOUR HUSBAND CALLED – And said you can buy anything you want” On the way out of town we stopped at the Anglican Church.

From the cemetery we could see the Hood Canal Bridge and we commented that we should drop in on Dave and Beth but we didn’t call ahead and our afternoon was turning into evening.  Maybe you can meet Katie and I for tea sometime in Port Gamble Beth!?

At the cemetery Josh spotted this engraving on one of the tombstones. “Remember friend as you pass by, As you are now so once was I, As I am now you soon will be, Prepare for death and follow me”

Sobering thought or it could be taken as an encouragement to prepare ourselves for the inevitable by making decisions today that guarantee our future in Glory when we meet our Creator…

Well we decided it was time to head back to the ferry dock and journey across the Puget Sound to Edmonds and onward. But what did we spot on the way back…

CB’s Nuts! A small Roasting operation right off the main highway. We made a U-turn and headed back after we zoomed by too fast to stop. We are glad we turned around. We met Mr. Roasting Guy and he sold us some fresh peanuts, pistachios, and peanut butter.

Can’t get too much fresher then this!

At the ferry dock while we were waiting for our boat I zoomed in for this shot of Mt. Rainier and downtown Seattle. If you look closely you can see the Space Needle to the right of the rest of the buildings.

Another fabulous day in the Greater Puget Sound! To end the day we met my other kids, Dan and Katie, at PF Chang’s for dinner. A very full day that made this lady pretty tired but joyful.

My Table and My Yard

I do other things beside canoeing, and sight seeing, and eating out when I’m in Washington or California for that matter. And whatever I do I’m inspired to take pictures. Digital Photography has made me free to snap, snap, snap away! First off it was time to change out the Red, White, and Blue table from our 4th of July celebrations. A fresh tablecloth, runner and a vase of fragrant lavender from my bushes make a nice crisp change. Then out to do yard work. I mowed, I pulled weeds and last but not least I attacked the following…

I don’t know what this fast growing, bamboo stalk type plant is but it has completely covered other plants and part of the trunk of this big pine tree we have in our side yard. I decided it was time to tell it who’s boss!

Now you can see the trunk of the tree and the other plants that are trying to grow here. In this shot you can see the stalks of the plant/weed that was taking over.

And after work like this in the yard my body tells me it got used to living in a condo the rest of the year. I put my comfy clothes on and take 3 Ibuprofen every 4 hours just like Dear told me to. The next day I go out and am pleased I can now see all the not so well taken care of plants that were under the domination of the Bamboo stalker. What do you think, Dear? For those of you who don’t know Dear is in California right now while I’m in Washington and I miss him…

Now I just have to put all those branches in the Yard Waste bins…

Ha! But before I do I’m off for a day of fun because my niece Michelle, from Wait For It, is here in town and we’re going to have some adventures together with the family. Have a wonderful day everyone.

Oh and just one other thing. The sun has been shining most every day that I’ve been in Washington. Just gorgeous weather we’re having in the Great Northwest…

Bellevue Botanical Gardens

While I’m in the Seattle area for a spell, Katie and I are doing some tourist projects on her days off. We’re going out to enjoy God’s creation around us here in the Puget Sound Area. On Tuesday we took a trip to Bellevue to stroll through the Botanical Gardens. There were so many beautiful things to see. The garden is free with free parking, too. It’s located on Main Street between 120th Ave. NE and 124th Ave. NE.

So lush, so green, this is one of the benefits of our climate in the Northwest.

 

Makes you think that Faeries might be living here. The different shades of green were wonderful. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky so the light made for some great contrast with shadow.

Many of the Spring blooms have faded but there were plenty of summer blooms for us to enjoy. I’d love to come back here in the Spring.

Golden shades of yellow ~

Some more exotic looking blooms and ferns.

The Fuchsias were blooming.

Lovely shades of purple.

Don’t you just love all the pink flowers God created for us to enjoy. Hydrangeas are just coming out in their glory. And now for the prettiest blossom in the garden…

Our sweet daughter Katie. Today she had a crooked smile because she had just had some dental work done and half her mouth was numb. Beautiful never-the-less.

 

Project Black ~ Take One

For more recent Project Black posts click here.

Our hostess Anna Carson has challenged us with a Black Project this round. Here is my daughter Katie this last Tuesday at Uwajimaya – a wonderful Asian Market we have in the Puget Sound Area. She’s wearing her black t-shirt that says “It’s All About Me”  There’s more black in the background also.

I’m excited to come around and see more Project Black. Thanks Anna for hosting this fun project.

To see the rest of my Project Black click here.

 

4th of July at Our House

Do you know why bloggers wear aprons when they are hosting a party? Why to have a pocket for their camera, of course! So convenient, always at your side, or front as the pocket may be…

 

Some of the “Usual Suspects”. We always love it when little Finn gets to come and he brings his parents along. Oops, I didn’t get pictures of his parents but I did get some of his Auntie Jamie. So we ended up having 14 over for a meal, conversation, Ticket to Ride, and more. The doc and his wife couldn’t make it because someone’s baby decided to be born on the 4th of July.

Of course there was enough food for 24. That’s the curse of growing up in a large family, you tend to make way more and buy way more than you really need :0)

Some of the “Usual Suspects”. We always love it when little Finn gets to come and he brings his parents along. Oops, I didn’t get pictures of his parents but I did get some of his Auntie Jamie.

Finn loves our son Josh. He’s helping Josh make some strategic moves in the game Ticket to Ride. Ticket to Ride is a cross country train adventure.

We learned this great trick from Finn’s grandmother, Jody. This is the quick way to baby proof your cabinets. This is a hair thingee, pony tail thingee, you know what I mean. You just twist it around the knobs.

We ended our meal with some Russian Royal Tea of Czar Nicholas II.

It was a wonderful day and a lovely celebration of our freedom in the USA. Blessings on y’all.

Fabulous Flag Flying Fourth

I saw this great blogathon idea for the 4th at  Ivory Spring and am joining in at  Kari and Kijsa‘s blog through the 4th of July. They say…”The time has come…to lift our flags high…to honor those who helped to create this incredible country we live in and celebrate the freedom we treasure. These are freedoms that have been valiantly fought for, defended and upheld to this very day…so in honor of our Grand Old Flag, and all she stands for, let’s fly our flags high!!”

 

My parents escaped out of Russian into Iran in the 30’s.  Shortly after WWII they and my oldest sister immigrated to the USA from Iran. We are very thankful to God for leading them here. We have been blessed to live in this great country and to be raised and raise our children here. When my parents took their first trip back to Russia after becoming citizens of the USA they were so glad when they flew back into the USA from Russia that they kissed the ground.

These are some of the patriotic things we have around the house and make special displays with during 4th of July celebrations. The couple on the bottom of the collage are Martha and George Washington. Dear’s grandmother Nettie gave them to us on one of our trips to visit her in Illinois. The rest are self-explanatory. The next photo is of Dear’s dad who served in WWII.

Rex Roy B. (February 19, 1917 – October 5, 1985) served his country in New Guinea during WWII

We plan to have friends and family over for food and fun on the 4th. Hope you all have some fun planned, too.

For more proud flag waving posts head over to Kari and Kijsa’s.