Fun Day!

For the first half of the day, I finished cleaning my house. I always wonder why I don't clean it a little bit at a time instead of having to kill myself when company comes? It is just so different with Jeff and I just here. He doesn't mind the dust bunnies rolling across the floor in front of us and so since I was so sick for 6 months, I am afraid that I sorta adopted his attitude. You know what they say..."If you can't beat them, join them!"

The worse part is I am so all over the place, I would be cleaning some part of the kitchen and then go and put some away somewhere else... then I would see something there and start cleaning that. ( I know what you are probably thinking...she must be A. D. D. ) well I probably am...just never diagnosed. Oh well, at the age of 55 guess I am not going to change too much now!

Anyway, I got it all done and then showered and jumped in the car and made it just in time to pick my family up.

My brother and 3 of his kids came to stay for the week. I am so excited they came, I have always been close to these kids...they sorta feel like my Grandchildren. We don't get to see each other very often and this is the first time they have ever been to Washington. The good news is... that they came this week and the weather is just beautiful and it is suppose to be this way all week! 

When Jeff came home we decided to take them out to dinner...so we introduced them to one of our favorite places....called M.O.D. Pizza, they loved it! MOD stands for Made On Demand, so you choose your pizza and toppings right there and they make it for you. It is great pizza and a fun place to eat.
After that we had frozen yogurt and then headed to Juanita Beach to walk along the boardwalk. They just couldn't get over how beautiful it was here.

Then came home Jeff then gave those who wanted a ride on his motorcycle around the block. Then talked on the deck while the sun was setting.
What a fun day, I have missed my family and love them very much. So glad that they couldn't wait to get to Aunt Lynn's house. It is going to be a great week.
Good night dear friends!

Swim and Shampoo all in one!

Today was a hot day and so the girls and I decided to stay in... until this evening when it was finally cool enough to eat outside and then take a swim. Now me being the good Nana that I am, I decided why not just shampoo and swim at the same time...that would save on time (not sure their Mom would agree). At first the thought it wasn't a great idea, but it didn't take them long to start liking the idea themselves.

I also was able to start my 12 Days of Christmas projects today...it was 90 degrees out and we had Christmas Music cranked up...it was perfect!

I wasn't able to go out with the girls because Jenny has hand, foot and mouth disease. It is pretty common with young kids, I remember when all my kids had it. She doesn't have it near as bad as Audrey does, but still she is contagious so I couldn't take any chances. 

Since it was the first day of July, I decided to go to back to Weight Watchers today. It has been almost a year ago since I last weighed in. The first 6 months I had a hard time making my meeting because Lee, Lauren and I were all sharing one car with 5 different jobs. I then got back into swimming and busy doubling my hours at work and so I didn't really worry about weighing in since I was holding my weight. Then here came the last 6 months and I have been so sick that it was the least of my worries. But I promised myself before my birthday that I would get back there, see if my weight was off and get back on track. I have been struggling with my thoughts about my self lately so this is something I really need to do. I need to remember this quote more often! 

Day Ten

OK, who ever said that we couldn't drive more than 5 hours a day was wrong. We did 8 hours today and now we are wiped out! The first part of the trip from Kansas was pretty flat, dry and a bit boring.

But as we headed toward Colorado, the scenery got a lot better. We were thrilled as we headed to Denver that there were only a few clouds in the sky, no signs of tornadoes or storms. All clear sky's and beautiful.

 


We passed Vail, Colorado Ski Lodge ( had a little near death experience there quiet a few years ago... but I don't go into that now!)
 We finally made it to Grand Junction, Colorado. I lived here when I was 19 years old. I lived with my brother, his wife and their 2 kids on their families Dairy Farm. Since I had worked with pre-school handicapped children and one of my nieces was struggling with Cerebral Palsy, I was coming to help out with her physical therapy ( she was only 2 years old ). To get some extra money I worked part time at a Veterinarian's office. I basically just stuffed pills and filled orders that came in. I should have realized when the office was in some one's basement, that it wasn't quite on the up and up. Many of the orders were for people who did Cock fighting, I didn't know that it was illegal. Jeff always says... yeah right! 
So tonight I was worried when we drove in here and had dinner that some how, some way that my shady background would some how catch up with me! : )
So this is our last night in a hotel, we are staying at the Marriott, decided we should go out in style. We decided not to bring in our cooler or our 2 big red baskets, that would look too tacky for this nice motel! I personally thought we mine as well, we looked pretty trashed by the time we have been riding in the car for 8 hours anyway.
 Here is Shirley relaxing on our polka dot couch. We are going to watch a movie, swim and then sleep in ... it is our last day, our destination is only 4.5 hours away tomorrow... and then we start reality again! What a fun road trip this has been! Good night dear friends, wish you all could have come on this fun trip with us!
 “Remember that happiness is a way of travel -- not a destination”

 “All of life is a journey which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there.”

Day Nine

We got up a bit early and started off from Topeka, Kansas today. Our goal was to make it into Denver, Colorado, but that didn't quite work out... so we ended up in Colby, Kansas just about 1 1/2 hours from Denver because when we checked the weather of Denver it didn't look good. Last night they had 8 inches of hail and even a tornado touched down there. They were Tornado warnings and they were predicting high winds and more storms for this evening. My brother called and suggested that we stay in a town closer, instead of driving onto Denver. So we ended up here in Colby, Kansas. We were glad to be in a place that was safe for the night. The trip was not real exciting but still beautiful non the less. Lots of wheat, windmills, farms and farms and farms. Here are a few photos to show you the beautiful landscape of Kansas.

As we tried to get our stuff out of the car,  the clouds and winds were coming in fast and hard. I think the winds are something  normal here in Kansas. I can't imagine living in such winds. I told Shirley that I don't like the winds and the storms. It reminded me of the movie The Wizard of Oz, we had everything here except the witch riding a bike with Toto in the basket!  :) Here we are trying to get out stuff out of the car, it was crazy. Once we got everything in safe and  sound, we headed out to a clothing store and just tried on clothes for a couple of hours, it was soooo much fun.Last but not least ...we went to dinner, then came back to the hotel and I got my swimming in. We will get up in the morning and see if we can make it a bit further then we did today. I just have to be home by Sunday, that is when my flight goes back to Seattle!  I am sure we will make it by then!

Good night dear friends!
“the most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that.”
― Norton Juster
 

“It's funny how, in this journey of life, even though we may begin at different times and places, our paths cross with others so that we may share our love, compassion, observations, and hope. This is a design of God that I appreciate and cherish.”
― Steve Maraboli, 

 

Day Eight

 

Today we left Columbia, Indiana today and stopped by Independence, Missouri till we stopped again. There is a quite a bit of history in that town. After a couple of hours there then we got back on the road and headed to Topeka, Kansas.

 It was another beautiful day and so we were so grateful that the weather has been so nice.

 The car is packed so there isn't really any extra room. Funny because when we came started on this trip Shirley said that she was going to teach me how to pack lighter, but let me show you what we put on the cart and pull in and out of our room every day. Sorta thinking that maybe I have corrupted her. I have never been a very good packer, ok...I said it! But I do have other good qualities! :)

Speaking of what issues or problems people have...I found this wonderful article! Hope you enjoy it!
Good night dear friends!

 Would you trade your life's packet of problems?

It’s been 30 years since one of the more memorable Sunday School lessons of my life. I was a boy sitting in the middle of a half-dozen other gawky kids learning about the gospel.
I don't remember where the lesson was supposed to fly, but I do remember where it landed. We had a surprisingly mature discussion with our teacher about something we dubbed our “packet of problems.”
We wondered: What if we were handed a packet of problems before this life? We thought of it as a spiritual envelope containing challenges we would later face during our mortal lives. Naturally, no two packets would be alike and we wouldn’t know the actual contents until the hour came to tackle them. But despite the unknown, perhaps we all agreed to bring our packet with us because we were promised the contents would never amount to more than we could bear.
I’ve thought of this many times through the years, and, even though I know it’s an invention of man and not some literal process, the notion has become a soft blanket during the hard times of my life.
Exactly one year ago, I set out to write a column on this topic. Using email, Facebook and my website, I issued a call for friends and readers to share — anonymously — their packets of problems. I was curious to know what challenges people were facing and how they were viewed.
Do we want to trade packets with others? Do we sometimes think our packet is packed with insurmountable problems while the neighbor’s is empty?
The responses were overwhelming, both emotionally and in sheer volume. I was so overcome by the stories that I shelved the column.
Now, with fresh eyes, I see that most respondents had remarkably positive attitudes about what they’d found in their packets, and almost all were beyond the roughest waters. Also, the responses came from people we probably know: neighbors, distant cousins or old college roommates we haven't connected with in far too long.
A sad number of the packets included divorce. One woman wrote, “I recently found out that my husband of two years has been cheating on me, and that he was cheating when I was pregnant with our now 9-month-old daughter. I now live with my parents and (seven) younger siblings and my husband and I are going through a divorce.”
Though her words are aching, her closing sentence gave a glimpse of a hopeful soul: “Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about my life, I have even more blessings.”
A father wrote about opening his packet of problems and finding that he would watch one of his children die, be accused of a crime he did not commit and be the victim of four layoffs in six years. The last job loss left him teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
Would you trade your packet with him?
A wife described the night she discovered her husband had a pornography addiction. She later learned it stemmed from years of abuse at the hands of an older sibling. As he fought his demons, they lost their home, vehicles and jobs. Ending her email, she feared her packet was far from empty. But quite beautifully, she also wanted me to know she still has faith in Jesus Christ.
I’ve thought of these good people and their packets of problems almost everyday since my survey first began. I’ve considered how many times in my own life I’ve looked across the street or down the pew and wished I could have traded my packet for another’s. What a selfish thought!
My own packet contains challenges that are uniquely mine. They were crafted by the loving and perfect hands of a Heavenly Father who knows how to turn my weaknesses into strengths. Doesn’t he also know my limits and my potential?
Doesn’t he also know yours?
I know it’s not always easy, but I also know I should be grateful for my own tests and give thanks that he loves me enough to challenge and refine me. I should be faithful enough to know that the trials are blessings meant to better prepare me for what awaits in this life and the next.
What about you? Would you trade your life's “packet of problems" with your neighbor?
You can find the articlell here:

We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way.  ~Author Unknown

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.  ~Author Unknown

The new normal!

   As I watch the weather around the the US this past year, I am amazed at all the extremes which have been happening. As I looked at these photos today, I realized how blessed we have been here in Seattle. Many have complained that we didn't have much of a summer but, that would be considered an inconvenience, not a disaster... like many others have had.
    Like this article said, after conditions keep happening over and over again, we probably should consider it as the "new normal".  Normal or not, it makes me think and rethink about how prepared I am. I know you can't prepare for everything, but being prepared as much as you can... is just responsible and that is just what I want to be for me and my family. So tomorrow, I believe I will start rearranging my garage to get things in order, and then start a new check list of what we need to have on hand. I know this isn't the most positive thing to talk about, but after looking at these photos... I am definitely more MOTIVATED to do something. And this is... as you know a MOTIVATIONAL blog! :)
Good night dear friends!

 

Extreme weather: 'the new normal'

Federal climate scientists say 2011 has been one of the worst in U.S. history for extreme weather. With punishing blizzards, epic flooding, devastating drought and a heat wave that has broiled a huge swath of the country, the year's weather has been unrelenting and extraordinary.

By Julie Cart and Hailey Branson-Potts

Los Angeles Times

Mississippi River floods: A levee saves a home.

Tornadoes: May 26 twister kills 141 in Joplin, Mo.

Drought: A cracked lake bed in San Angelo, Texas

Groundhog Day blizzard: Chicago bears brunt.

The weather's apparent caprice puzzled many as it played out: Farmers in Texas and Oklahoma unable to plant during the worst drought on record watched as farmers along the Mississippi River lost their fields to floodwater. Much of the nation suffered through stifling heat while the West Coast enjoyed a mild summer.

Climate scientists note the predictable and cumulative impacts of climate change — hot and cold — to account for much of the extreme weather, although the connection between tornadoes and climate is not clear. In any event, scientists caution the future will hold greater temperature extremes, and for longer duration.

Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say extreme weather has been more frequent since 1980.

"I think it would be a mistake to not think that this has become the new normal," McManus said. "Until it stops happening, we should expect it to continue

 

"Luck can often mean simple taking advantage of a situation at the right moment. It is possible to "make" your luck by being always prepared."  ~ Michael Korda

" Forwarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory."  ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." ~ Howard Ruff

Spring is here...sorta!

There are a few tell tell signs that Spring is here, such as ...the calendar, the bright and beautiful colors at the store, little girls all dressed  up in their Easter dresses ( of course, these little girls just happen to be my granddaughters), candy everywhere, and even some flowers starting to bloom ...but not by the weather today!  It has been one of our coldest and wettest Springs in a  long time. I have noticed that many people are really struggling with that. I feel blessed in that way, the weather has never bothered me here in Seattle. I love the sunshine just like anyone else, but I don't mind the rain and cool weather either. We did have a beautiful couple of days this weekend and so I am grateful.

Still feeling pretty sick and very weak,so I will just leave you with this cute story about a little girl and her Dad...and I will call it a night!

Golf Lessons with Daughter

Like every golfer, I can't wait for the start of the golf season. But I have a special reason: my new playing partner, my 8-year-old daughter, known affectionately as "the Terrorist."

When she was only 2, her mother and I bought the little rascal a child-sized seven iron. It was way too big for her, but she dragged it around the house. About the time she was 5, she started accompanying her daddy to the driving range and putting green.

She and I chipped around in the back yard until she started to hit the ball with some authority. One day, she put a Titleist through the bathroom window, which resulted in a torrent of tears After that, we confine golfing to the driving range.

Then last spring, I said to the Terrorist, "What do you say we play 'real’ golf on a ‘real' golf course?

"Yeah! Daddy!" came the enthusiastic response.

So the following Saturday morning, we drove to a nine-hole, par three course. It is a family-friendly course with slow greens, a driving range and a putting green on which to warm up. One rarely has to wait at the first tee.

After a torrential rain, water collects along the left side of the first fairway. And a ditch lies along the second fairway. Otherwise, it is hard to get into trouble on a course with virtually no rough. Just the place for an 8-year-old, and her daddy.

And so Daddy and the Terrorist played their first round of golf together. Golf is, a wonderful game to teach life's little messages to little girls.

"First of all, you have to count all the strokes, even if you accidentally bump the ball, and it rolls an inch," I instructed.

The Terrorist caught on fast and insisted on keeping score. "So you got a 5 on that hole?" I asked. "No, Daddy, I accidentally hit the ball on the hill, and it moved, so I got a 6." And she dutifully recorded the 6. I could be wrong but I think we have the making of an honest child here.

"Daddy, the ball is behind a bush, can I move it?"

"No, sweetheart, you have to play the ball where it lies, no fair moving it." Another of life's little messages.

On each tee, I dutifully filled my divot sand, then filled at least one more. "Always leave the golf course in better shape than you found it." I advised.

Since then, she has methodically attempted to rebuild every tee by filling every divot.

There is something about sand and kids. When the Terrorist knocked her ball into a sand trap, she would have spent the next hour making sure it was absolutely smooth. "No," I admonished, "there are people waiting on the tee, and we can't hold them up." That led to a simple lesson on slow play and about others around you and how your actions have an impact on them.

Once, when we were two holes ahead of the some behind us, we stopped to fix some extra marks on a green and to practice chipping. For 10 minutes, she chipped the ball at the hole, and I putted it back to her, another of life's little lessons: Practice makes perfect.

For now, golf simply is fun. Hit the ball hard, go find it, and who cares what the score is. We spend little time on the driving range with very elementary instruction, but nothing serious. In another two years, if she still enjoys the game, we will see about some lessons. But for now, it is just a game.

On a short, 60-yard hole, the Terrorist drove the green and landed her ball considerably inside her dad's shot. That was a momentous accomplishment, which later was recounted in great detail to her mother.

Two hours after we teed off, the Terrorist and I returned to the clubhouse to drink lemonade, eat candy bars and (at her insistence) add up the score.

She leaned back in her chair, pushed back her golf visor, looked at me with her child's eyes and, and said, "Daddy, that was a lot of fun! Let's do this again!"

And we did, all summer long.

By Donald Hoke

 

" daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart." ~Author Unknown

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."   ~Henry Van Dyke

"It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place this world is when one is playing golf. 
~ Robert Lynd

Things aren't always as they seem!

We don't watch TV that often anymore. I know that seems weird in today's society, but the truth is...we like it this way. It doesn't mean it never comes on, there are exceptions to the rules, like on Saturday if Jeff and Lee want to watch a Football, Basketball or Baseball game, but that is about it.
  One of the reason that we turned off our TV was because of all the negativity it had on it. Another big factor that lead to that decision was...the amount of filth that was coming into our home through the TV. I saw a commercial a few years ago where it made a piece of gum act like a person,and then do a strip tease with the jingle of the commercial. I was thinking "wow, what a sad world we live in, where everything ( almost everything ) is sexual or made to at least look that way.
   I am very big on protecting my home, this should be one place we feel safe and happy. By turning off the TV, we are keeping a lot of that junk out of our home, and that feels good. It really has made a difference. I am sure by now you are wondering what this has to do with my Christmas story? Well, it is a funny story tonight but it is so true. We tend judge things a certain way, when in the end... they are really not like that at all. Much like the news, it seems like all it is reporting is murders, theft, infidelity or drugs. Yet, I know that isn't true, but because we hear it day in and day out, we begin to believe it. There are a lot of wonderful stories out there, a lot of wonderful people out there making real contributions in the world, but we just don't hear about them that often. Wonder why kindness doesn't sell? It really should.
   Anyway, enjoy this cute story and remember...things aren't always as they seem!

How They Forecast a Cold Winter

One day in early September the chief of a Native American tribe was asked by his tribal elders if the winter of 2009/10 was going to be cold or mild.  The chief asked his medicine man, but he too had lost touch with the reading signs from the natural world around the Great Lakes.

In truth, neither of them had idea about how to predict the coming winter.  However, the chief decided to take a modern approach, and the chief rang the National Weather Service in Gaylord Michigan.

'Yes, it is going to be a cold winter,' the meteorological officer told the chief.  Consequently, he went back to his tribe and told the men to collect plenty of firewood.

A fortnight later the chief called the Weather Service and asked for an update. 'Are you still forecasting a cold winter?' he asked.

'Yes, very cold', the weather officer told him.

As a result of this brief conversation the chief went back to the tribe and told his people to collect every bit of wood they could find.

A month later the chief called the National Weather Service once more and asked about the coming winter. 'Yes,' he was told, 'it is going to be one of the coldest winters ever.'

'How can you be so sure?' the chief asked.

The weatherman replied: 'Because the Native Americans of the Great Lakes are collecting wood like crazy.'

http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/christmas/christmas_stories_funny.htm