Happy Birthday Andrew!

Our oldest grandson, Andrew, is 15 today!  I cannot believe it. He is now as tall as I am... and I am 5-9!  So he has grown so much this past year!  He has matured in all ways.  The most noticible to me is his spiritual maturity.  This kid is amazing. Not perfect but it is amazing how God is using him and working in him and how Andrew is responding to God's touch!  I couldn't be prouder!
Andrew was born leap year.... barely on the 28th!!! He was born in California and Ryan called us crying right before midnight! He was so excited and happy!!!  We got to officially meet Andrew in July of that year when they moved up to Washington!

This is the first time papa held his grandson!

 Here are some of my favorite pictures of Andrew.  He's 15 so I could have posted a thousand, but I held back! lol!

"What are you looking at???"

This was taken at a birthday party / lunch we had for him! We had a pretty big earthquake at the party too.  We'll never forget his 5th birthday!!!!

Bath time!

I've always loved these big hazel eyes since the day I first met him!

And the dimples!

He's our sweet grandson!!!!

Andrew was the apple of every one's eye.. being the first born. All the auntie's gushed over him and Uncle Kevon thought he was so cool.  And his parents think he's priceless!  He is loved!!!! Our life has been so blessed because of Andrew!  I thank God for Him! Happy birthday, baby!!!!

Yesterday we went to the bowling alley. They had Lauren's "friends" birthday party! Lauren's birthday is on Wednesday! It was a lot of fun!  Lauren had a great time!

After the party we stopped to give Maddie a little gift bag and balloon from the party. She has been sick all week with a bad cold so she missed the whole weekend! She liked it!  Then we stepped out to Dylan's playhouse to watch him play some ping pong! His dad made a 1/2 table for him to play on and practice. It is really cool and Dylan is too! lol!

The snow is finally gone (cross my fingers... knock, knock....)!!!!  Not a trace to be seen. It was snowing hard when we were at the bowling alley but it wasn't sticking. Huge flakes!  This morning I am seeing rain... which is fine by me. Means it is warming up!

WEATHER:
A mix of rain and snow showers is in the Monday forecast. Expect more rain and snow showers on Tuesday. Strong winds will develop Tuesday night and Wednesday. A High Wind Watch has been posted for the Washington coast, where gusts could reach 60 mph. 

Well... I guess I am done. I hope your day is sweet and wonderful!  

History is interesting... especially family!

I was so blessed to help my husband with his life blog last night. It took hours but I learned things I didn't know myself. I knew most of it... but hearing from his mouth was incredible. Of course, I typed it for him or we would still be here with no sleep! As it was it took us HOURS! I was talking about my life blog on the way home from the birthday party and he started talking about his... I told him he has a story to tell.. that we should get it in a blog... so we did!  He loves the finished result and so do I.  Here is the link... I hope you read it!
http://lannyslifestory.blogspot.com/
Here is my life:
http://joyceslifein1year.blogspot.com/

Yesterday we went to Andrew and Lauren's birthday party. It was nice! Good company, good pizza and an delicious cake!

It was a great day!  Anytime I see family is a great day!  Then we did the blog! That was about it for our Saturday!

Lanny and I made beans and ham hocks yesterday. We started it in the crock pot. Never again. It took more than 8 hours and was more like a soup.  He put it on the stove the last hour and they turned out perfect! Nummy!  With biscuits.  If I had made home made bread (hahaha) we would have had that with it!

I slept in until 7:30.  Woke up to a dog licking my hand.  Now Toby just doesn't lick and say good morning. He washes the hand!!! I love that dog!  Also woke up to no new snow! Yah!!!  Snow, snow, stay away! I can't handle you today!

I hope you all have a great Sunday! xoxo!

Makoa is 2 today!!!!

Happy Birthday to Makoa!!!!  Today he turns two! I miss him so much it hurts!  I hope he has a wonderful birthday! I am sure he will! 

Today we are going to a joint party for Lauren and Andrew! Andrew turns 15 on Monday and Lauren turns 8 on Wednesday!  That will be nice! I am looking forward to it. Doesn't sound like Maddie will be going... she is still so sick! Poor baby girl! Praying for her!

Yesterday we went to see mom! Toby too!  Mom's apartment was way too hot for him!  I filled her pills and we went to WalMart for her. Mom looked tired but good. Then I visited for a little bit... I felt guilty when I left because she said it gets so lonely there.  Luckily as I was walking out of the building... Don and Lois were walking in!  I know that made her happy... especially since they had her Girl Scout Cookies! I wish others would go see her too! Ya can't make them though.

Don't ya love it when your dogs LOL!!!!

Taken yesterday on the way to moms... snow level is low!

Snow is coming down again this morning. I love living here because this is NOT normal!  I don't want to complain but I don't like the cold much! Nope. Not at all. Yesterday it was 20... which broke the record low of 22 in 1962. It is suppose to snow again tonight and then start warming up into the 40's... then comes the rain! Now that is weather I am used to! lol! The snow does make for pretty pictures!

MEMORY PICTURE:

It was 10 years ago today Andrew was baking a birthday cake for himself!

Nice day with hubby!

It snowed all day long! What was weird was the roads cleared off by noon and no accumulation happened to them the whole day!  And while it snowed all day we only added about an inch of snow. It was very strange... but so beautiful... wispy! I love how my daughter, Karla, describes it. She text me this "It's so small and wispy that it doesn't really come down, it just floats around like bugs."  On face book she wrote "I've never seen snow fall so slowly before. It's in "snow motion". LOL I'm super funny today."  She is!  My sister Libby got 7 inches in Sequim! Yikes!

We had a good day. Papa was home all day. We did something we've been talking about doing for years! We did the Dave Ramsey Financial class on-line.  It was amazing! We learned so much about the pitfalls of debt, mortgages, insurances, how to create a budget every month.... all sorts of fascinating ways to save money!  This guy has rebuilt himself twice and has no debt! We got our vehicles paid off.  We have no credit cards.  So we're on our way there!  It was fun sitting at my computer taking the class together... we both walked away smarter.

Then we made a chicken dinner together which was really fun too! We rarely work in the kitchen at the same time so it was kind of cool!  I love that man of mine!

I have some things to do today. May even venture out. I need to go to mom's and fill her pills! Maybe take her to the store if she needs it.  That and clean. Always things to clean. I hear Papa getting up so ttyl! Have a great Friday!

MEMORY PICTURE:  

Andrew at his 10th birthday party on 2-25-06!

WEATHER:

 We're waking up to record cold temperatures across parts of western Washington Friday morning. Plenty of sunshine is in the forecast with afternoon highs only in the middle 20s to lower 30s.

Clouds will be increasing on Saturday. With cold air staying in place, the next round of precipitation should start as snow Saturday night. 1 to 2 inches is possible by Sunday morning before it changes over to rain.

We'll settle into a rainy pattern early next week. Temperatures will be in the middle to upper 40s Monday and Tuesday.

snow and cold and ... I got nothing for ya!

 I am always trying to remember to love life! We really do have an awesome one!  Papa is home again all day! It snowed yesterday and most of the night. I woke up to a pretty winter wonderland!  I know snow season is almost passed so I will enjoy it while it lasts. Some pictures I took this morning:

Toby with Neighbor

 

smart cat

School is starting 2 hours late today... Dylan really thought there would be no school.  Andrew was praying there would be.  lol!

Not much to report. Life is good. Life is peaceful. Bills are paid. Food in the frig.  Life is good.  Just checked on mama.... she is doing ok. Needs some bread but said it can wait.  As long as she has power she is good.  Papa is sleeping in his chair, cat is sleeping on the couch, Toby is sleeping on my bed.  I thought about going to bed and read a book for a bit.  I never do that.... my sister did it yesterday and it sounded so comfy and good. ;D I think we should all do it! National Read in Bed Day!

Keeping an eye on our weather:
Weather to Expect: The snow is moving out and bitter cold temperatures are moving in. Snow showers decreasing through the evening. Clearing skies with cold Canadian air over the region will make for a hard freeze the next two nights.

I hope you still awake!  I need to go write about my childhood home on my other blog. I love the blog... but it is kind of hard!  Have a great day!

MEMORY PHOTO:

Memory picture... 2-24-2007 Out for breakfast in Durango, Colorado!

Bobcat and life....

Life really is good.  It is easy to love this life God gave me!  He has blessed me and I am learning to let the small stuff go... and the big stuff.  It is hard to do when you are going through the menopausal faze of life. But it is so worth it.  Papa really got to me with a comment the other day on my blog. He has told me for years that I care about others more than they care about me. I fell in love with a family that didn't fall in love with me. I do that.  I give people huge power over my life and emotions.  I am emotional ... in case you couldn't tell. When I love I put all my heart and soul into it. It's just how I am.

One exciting thing happened yesterday! I saw a little bobcat!  It's the first time I've seen one around here! I've seen deer, bear, fox, raccoons, squirrels, but never a bobcat!  Toby was freaking out.... it was over in the neighbors yard.  They look like a cat but with a short raccoonish tail!

Nothing else happened yesterday except for a few snow flurries.

Nothing is going on today except for a few snow flakes.  Some areas are suppose to get more. My sister just sent me a text from Sequim and it is snowing and sticking right now. I like to watch the radar at times like this:
http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/98365?animation=true

I went outside with Toby this morning and let him play with the neighbor dog "Neighbor". That's her name. They had fun but the old man tired out first and came inside.

1979... I let Kevon go crazy with his spaghetti! He loved it!

2-23-2005 Me and the girls at the counter!

Patrick has a goose egg on his forehead. Not too happy! 2005

 WEATHER:

A good day to cuddle with papa and watch some NCIS today!  I hope you all have a sweet day and stay warm!

Birthdays, broken heart, and brrrrrr!

 The citrus soda 7-UP was created in 1929; "7" was selected because the original containers were 7 ounces. "UP" indicated the direction of the bubbles. Interesting fact for you to know... in case you are ever asked....

I love old ads....

 Flat 7up is what I would give my kids when they had the sick tummy.  We cool wash clothes when they had a fever.

Can you tell I got nothing today? Nothing!  Except maybe that today is my niece and nephews birthdays and I would like to acknowledge them!

Today is Kara's birthday! Here she is with her mama Libby (my sis)!

Today is Ronnie's birthday.... my nephew! Here is is 10 years ago with his wife Tiffany!

I heard some really sad news last night. I admit... I cried.  I called to wish Angela a happy birthday. She was in the shower so Kapono answered. We talked for a bit and then he had something to tell me. Angela's aunt has heart problems and had to go back to California for treatment with her doctor. Before she left.... they had friends over with a boy Makoa's age. Makoa beat him up. He wasn't nice. They feel he needs to play with kids his age to learn to play nice. I can't argue with that. They put him in a daycare. I am sad. Very sad. That's all I can say.

Don and Lois came over yesterday to visit!!! That was really nice! We never get visitors way out here so it was awesome! And Maddie, Dylan and Andrew all called yesterday. That was a nice treat! I love it when they call!

Papa is back to working every night for the next couple of weeks. We need the money but I will miss him so much.

Now this makes me angry!!!

 Four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates -- including a couple from Seattle who were aboard the captured yacht -- have been killed by their captors, the U.S. military says.

Why can't they be stopped? Why can't the drug cartels in Mexico be stopped?  Where is Jack? Why can't he be real???

What to make with hamburger tonight?

Ok... this blog is ridiculous.  I have nothing left. Tapped out. I hope you all have a great day! Check out our weather COMING!!!!


KOMO WEATHER:
Those of you who have yearned for a La Nina-esque winter storm to rumble through Western Washington will get your wish in 24 hours.
Some of the snowiest -- and coldest -- weather so far this winter is heading to your backyard.
Random rain/snow showers will continue into Tuesday night.A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect for Wednesday and/or Thursday morning for the entire Puget Sound lowlands.
Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton, and Olympia, are expected to get some accumulating snow of a few inches late Wednesday through Thursday morning, but at this point forecasted totals are not as high as areas to the north. (Still, 1-2" around the city during the commute is probably enough to cause issues.)
Thursday midday through the weekend
Return to a cold and sunny pattern for the end of the week. Highs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will only be in the 30s with hard freezes overnight. Lows in Seattle will drop to the low-mid 20s with teens likely in the outlying areas.

MEMORY PICTURE:

Maddie and her mom... I love this picture taken 6 years ago today!

Andrew thanking Lauren for sharing her ice cream. 2-22-2005