Weekend Marriage Retreat

 

On Friday afternoon we headed down South to the Gorge at a Lodge on the Columbia River for a Marriage Retreat Hosted by the Army.  I wish I would have taken some photos of the views on day 1 & 2 when there was sunshine,  but I procrastinated and this is what I got.

The grounds of the Lodge were Beautifully landscaped with WA’s Evergreens.  The smell itself is so refreshing!

The classes were okay, the Food was Delicious, the company divine!!  Lots of Family Time!

The Children’s activities were great!  We took J man swimming in the evenings & the pool had a Big Screen TV in there too.

TWICE the NOISE ;)

J has stolen my scarf, we just finished a Loaded Dessert and were reading in the lobby.  Sean was nice enough to order this Superb dessert with Ice Cream, Cookies, & Fudge Brownies topped with fresh raspberries!  He had to run out to his truck for something & when he returned there was nothing left of it.  Do we look Guilty???

Hardly!!!

;)

My oldest sister and her family live nearby this area so we met them up for Lunch on Sunday on our way home at a new Brewery Close to them.  Notice the “Mother Like Son” behavior in the photo!!  My sister is hiding & her son Jacob has his head down!  Very Cooperative you TWO!  Jonathan is of course his Mama’s Son…… a HAM!

 

My Brother N Law Nathan was showing off his new Arm Artwork!  Ouch!  Nathan is doing better than I have ever seen him since his accident!!  He was completely Eating & Drinking on his OWN with his Right Hand!!!  He is maneuvering well in his wheel chair too ~  Praise God!!!  His HARD work with his trainer is paying off!!!

I had to photo these!  I bought these for Kelly at Whole Foods Market down there.  Chocolates by a Company named "Moonstruck”.  They have the most adorable Chocolates for each season!!

 

HOOAHHHHHHHHHH

to the Army for a great Event!  Marriage is not Always easy & we appreciate that the Army is recognizing how hard deployments can be on Military Marriages.

Artwork, Friends, & Pizza

My Artwork Arrived today that I won from Jennifer!!!  Thank You Jennifer, it’s even more beautiful in person.  I had company over, so I didn’t have a chance to hang it, but it is going to go perfectly in my BLUE Dining Room!!

I LOVE it.  Check out Jennifer’s Studio

I worked today….had Parent/Teacher Conference in the evening & our Fabulous Friends over for dinner, which = a salad I made and a Papa Murphy’s Pizza

;)

Doesn’t Emmalyn have the most Beautiful Big Brown Eyes??

The nerve of Seannie to pinch that sweet baby and make her cry!!!!

I’ve said this before, but Eric & I use to work together and we started on the same day as each other in my old office & now we hardly see one another.  They moved right down the street from us last year, then realized they were having a baby and how much I adore babies, SO THEY MOVED ONE MILE AWAY!!!!

RUDE!!!!

We haven’t seem them in 3 weeks, it seems like an eternity when a baby is involved!

Acupuncture

I tried Acupuncture today………..

This is what I kind of think of it…………

 

I couldn’t resist this one, isn’t that funny!! ;)

 

I dunno, maybe it’s me, but I didn’t find much pleasure in needles being stuck all over my body to include in-between my eyes and in my ears!  After all the needles were placed strategically (or perhaps tragically) in my body the Doctor left me in the room, ALONE, & said he would be back in 15 minutes!  You know what was running thru my head for ALL 15 minutes……. “IF I START BLEEDING, I WILL CERTAINLY BLEED TO DEATH IN 15 MINUTES, MAYBE I SHOULD LOOK UP AND SEE IF I’M BLEEDING.  NO KATIE, DON’T LOOK, YOU WILL PANIC IF YOU SEE YOUR BODY FULL OF NEEDLES.  SHOULD I YELL FOR HELP, SHOULD I JUMP OFF THE BED NEEDLES & ALL, OPEN THE DOOR AND TELL THE DOCTOR TO PLEASE TAKE ALL THESE NEEDLES OUT OF ME AT ONCE.  OH DEAR GOD, HAS IT BEEN 15 MINUTES???”

At 10 minutes the Doctor came back in to check on me and asked “how you doing in here”

My response:

“OH JUST FINE”

AND THE NOISES IN MY HEAD CONTINUED………….

;)

Anyone tried it?  Any benefits from it? 

Splash & In how many Languages can you sing Happy Birthday?

 

 

We enjoyed 2 Fabulous Birthday Celebrations today.  It started off at a swim party with the most adorable cake that my friend made for her daughters 9th Birthday Celebration & ended at an exquisite Korea Luncheon with all the favorite Korean dishes like Bulgogi, Kimchi, & Sushi……SO DELICIOUS!!!!!

We had the most Diverse group of people at this party, it was so darn fun!  We ended up singing Happy Birthday to the Birthday Boy in 5 Different Languages….English, Korean, Tagalog, Arabic,  &  Spanish! The most Impressive Part, the 9 yr. old Birthday Boy was the only one who knew every word to each version!!

Awesome!

Happy Birthday to Mia & Connor!

A Shy Kid & a Science Fair Project

 

Jonathan did his 1st Science Fair Project & he did it practically All by himself!!

He was in a hurry to get it to school this morning.  He RAN it there!

Then we went back to school tonight to check out all the 3rd grade Science Fair Projects (does Jonathan Look Shy here?) He’s doing an impersonation of one of my sisters ;) Really, he was.

Does he look shy here???  He is singing “raising the roof” as I’m taking the photo!

Ooooppppp, it must be this one that makes him look shy right????

 

Jonathan’s teacher told us tonight how SHY & RESERVED Jonathan is!!   He noted this on Jonathan’s last progress report & I completely disregarded it because I thought he put it on the wrong kids report! I’m baffled, certainly there must be another Jonathan in the class that he is confusing my child with.  I asked the teacher if he was joking, and he very seriously looked at me and said “this is the most I’ve ever seen him talk”! MY JONATHAN???

So one of two things, Jonathan has a COMPLETELY different personality at school for the 1st time since he has been going to school than he does at home OR his teacher is not very observant?? 

Jonathan is No where near Shy Or Meek, He is FULL of Personality & since I’m his Mother I can say he is rather obnoxious at times!  He certainly does not get that from me! ;)

Very Interesting!

Can you guess where this Mom will be tomorrow? 

That’s right, a fly on a classroom wall! 

WINNER, WINNER, WINNER!!!

I won a blogosphere giveaway, and an AWESOME ONE TOO!!

 

Jennifer over at Studio JRU has the MOST AMAZING Inspirational Pieces of Artwork I’ve seen.  I have been following her blog for a while now & just adore her work. 

Check her out, you won’t be disappointed!

 

Thank You Jennifer, this is truly a very Generous Giveaway!

Office Drama

I eagerly went back to work yesterday after being off for 5 1/2 months due to illness.  I had only worked at my new office for 1 week before getting sick, so I really didn’t know any of my new co-workers.  Although I did know that I had my work cut out for me because some of my new coworkers were upset that I had gotten the job.

Well, to say the least I was not warmly greeted yesterday! 

I had numerous very unkind comments said to me!

I was only there for 4 hours, & yet it seemed like I had been there for 10!

It takes ALOT to make me cry, I’m not easily offended, & to be quite frank, I don’t have the type of personality that puts up with that sort of nonsense.  But, my body is still tired & I just didn’t have the energy & I was in shock at just how cruel people can be.

So, I went to my desk and worked,  I did more work in that 4 hours than any of those people do in an 8 hour day.  I held my head up high and when I left I stopped at each of their desk on the way out and said “I hope you have a nice evening”.

As soon as the wind hit my face when I left the building the tears started flowing & I called my Dad & blubbered like a child who just got bullied on the playground.

My group of co-workers that I worked with prior to these new “creatures” donated me over 250 hours of sick leave this past fall, sent flowers, came to visit, helped me out tremendously!

So, needless to say it was a rough 1st day back.  I’m thinking tomorrow I will go to the Director and ask for a raise!!!

;)

Visit from a CA Cousin

 

My cousin Donavon called last night to ask if I had plans tonight & said he would be flying into town for work.  Lucky for us his work sends him to the Seattle Area & we once again got to enjoy his great company!

Donavon is such a pleasure to visit with, I just love when he drops in every once in a while on a “moments” notice.  At least this time he called an entire 24 hours ahead of time!!  Usually he just calls & says, I’m in town!

It was so fun to catch up & laff with him.  He even turned me onto to some funny new websites for some not so intellectual reading ;)

Thanks for coming to dinner again Donavon, I love that your work has brought you up here as often as it has since I moved to WA!  I have visited with Donavon more in the last 3 years than I have my entire life & we have enjoyed some great meals, baseball games, & ventures in the city! I’m glad that some of my family comes to VISIT me (even if he is getting paid to CHAD)!!!!!!!

;)

32nd Birthday Weekend Celebration

 

We did a bunch of munching on these……..

While doing much lounging here……

and here…….

enjoying beautiful views……..

stunning wildlife………

and naked beauty……………

   

Home we arrive to a house full of friends, food, & gifts & a tumbled, yet delicious cake!  we had so much fun, barely any photos were taken of the event ;(  My friend RoseMarie whom I was friends with over 7 yrs ago while stationed in OK ( and lost touch with) is now stationed here in WA too & we reconnected a few months ago & she brought this delicious cake.  It fell over on the way, but it was still divinely sinful!!!  If I blog of all the wonderful gifts I received ya’ll would think I was bragging & I would be ~ so……as I use them, I will share them ;)  Thank You Kind & Generous Friends for the Absolutely Warm, Loving, & Incredible Gifts!!  I love them ALL!! May my home always to be too small to fit ALL my friends ~ we were all packed tightly in ~

Then early this morning, off to the airport we go………Renee’s husband Mick whom I met while working with a few years ago after I first moved to WA is currently serving another 12 month tour in Korea.  Some of my readers will remember that Renee gave up some much *valued* time in the last few weeks that her husband was home before this deployment to be with me in the hospital & help with Jonathan during my illness in the fall.  Mick has been called home on Emergency Leave b/c his Mother is currently in Critical Condition in ICU back in his hometown in Colorado.  Renee was originally here to stay for 10 days, so obviously her trip was cut short.  Our hearts & prayers are with them!!  I care deeply for them both & Jonathan is incredibly fond of Renee, so needless to say, it was hard to say goodbye again!

 

as we impatiently wait for Mick ;)

finally……here he comes……

he spots his wife!

A very emotional embrace!  The joy of seeing your wife, yet under horrible circumstances.  Mick has been traveling for the past 36 hours trying to get to his wife, to get to his Mother Quickly!  They had just a few hours before the next flight, so we all went to lunch to help pass the idle time of the dreadful waiting.

Mick & Renee, we are praying that the Lord will lay gentle hands on Lucille & gives her the strength to hold on for her youngest son to arrive by her side!

Til Next time, my friend!