Have you ever?

Did you ever forget a password or email address that you use to log in on a website somewhere? Well, that's what happened to me. If you've noticed I have a scrapbook blog. Well, I haven't been making blog entries because I have been scrapbooking. I FORGOT my password and email address to log in. I could have sworn that I wrote it down in my secret password place. But nope!! It's taken me sooooo long to figure it out.

Watch out scrapbook blog - the entries are going to start again!!!

We've Had a Good Garden This Year

After a rough start in April after planting these



They bounced back



Well, sort of.


We had onions


Peas


"Lizzie lettuce"


Why do we call it Lizzie lettuce? Well, back in May, Lizzie helped us water.

She loved watering the garden with her Uncle "DayDay"



Can you just hear her now saying "Grandma!! We just watered the lettuce!!!"

And Lizzie must have used a lot of love because this lettuce was HUGE!!


And FINALLY the carrots have been able to be harvested.

And I just added them to a soup that is on the stove. Ready to eat for dinner. Yummy!!!

Boy do we have plans for our garden next year. Can't wait to show you!

Commitment and Communication

Are you a person people can count on? I certainly hope I am. As you read below, yup, I blew it! I forgot a commitment yesterday. Luckily it wasn't a big thing or a paying job. Good thing the person knows me well enough to just call me and say "Amy, where are you?".

But today we had someone that made a commitment last week, not follow through on their commitment. And NO phone call, nothing. Nada! And it was something we were going to pay the person to do. You'd think we'd at least we'd get a phone call saying the least "Hey, something came up and we can't make it". We'd be just fine with that.

This reminds me of the story of the Pig and the Chicken

Once Upon a Time....

A Chicken and a Pig lived on a farm. The farmer was very good to them and they both wanted to do something good for him.

One day the chicken approached the pig and said, "I have a great idea for something we can do for the farmer! Would you like to help?"

The pig, quite intrigued by this, said, "of course! What is it that you propose?"

The chicken knew how much the farmer enjoyed a good healthy breakfast. He also knew how little time the farmer had to make a good breakfast. "I think the farmer would be very happy if we made him breakfast."

The pig thought about this. While not as close to the farmer, he too knew of the farmer's love for a good breakfast. "I'd be happy to help you make breakfast for the farmer! What do you suggest we make?"

The chicken, understanding that he had little else to offer suggested, "I could provide some eggs."

The pig knew the farmer might want more, "That's a fine start. What else should we make?"

The chicken looked around...scratched his head...then said, "ham? The farmer loves ham and eggs!"

The pig, very mindful of what this implied, said, "that's fine, but while you're making a contribution I'm making a real commitment!"

Where do we stand? Just a place where my brain is at the moment.

Here's My Heart...

...whether you want to know or not. If not, just pass on by. I will still love you ;)

I think I've mentioned a blog that I follow by Stephanie Howell. This gal doesn't know it but she helped me get through my son's deployment. Her strength and sharing of her heart, her joys and her fears as her husband was deployed (they have 4 little girls!!) helped me to carry on. Knowing I wasn't alone. Not being able to have a connection with other Mom's and families during Robert's deployment was tough. That's what happens when your son joins a unit in another State. And being contacted by Family Services twice during deployment just doesn't seem to cut it.

Anyway, Stephanie gave us a challenge on her blog here to:

Stephanie was inspired by Ali Edwards (another blog I read). And Ali was inspired by a gal named Jen Lemen (whose blog I may start following). Yes, I can blog stalk with the best of them.

So here you go, here's my heart. Right where it is at this moment.

1. I am soooo worried about our sweet little Lizzie. It's the hardest thing in the world to be a 17 hours drive away from your grandchild when they are sick. Pneumonia!! Still don't know how in the world her illness went straight to that. But grandma's heart and arms hurt. I just want to sit with her and snuggle all day.

Here she wanted to take a picture making silly faces :D


2. I get so frustrated with myself! There are days I can't seem to accomplish squat!!! And others that I just tear up the town. I have to stop beating myself up. And remember to look at the calendar FIRST thing in the morning. Yup!! I forgot an appointment this morning. Nothing critical - Just helping another music booster member straighten up the uniform closet. So I am just feeling like a goober for spacing it.

3. Thankful that David is a good morning person! I have to say (hope I won't jinx things now) that he is the easiest of the 4 kids to get up in the morning. That's not to say given the opportunity he won't sleep until noon - because he has. We've started seminary (Bible study) before school. It starts at 6:30am. I'm even having a hard time getting up. But that's because I don't go to bed at the same time he does. Maybe I should try that sometime ;) I adore his teacher, Laura Newman. She is so understand of David's schedule and his desire to be in spirit band and jazz band and those days that take him away from bible study time. She works with us to help David stay caught up with the rest of the class and gives such a positive attitude to David and the rest of the class. It speaks volumes!!!

4. Positive thinking, being grateful, looking on the bright side, positive speaking, being encouraging. All things I want to do better.

5. Think BEFORE I speak or write a comment.

6. I have a husband who loves and adores me despite my flaws and extra poundage. Getting rid of the fluff isn't as easy as people without insulin resistance think it is. It warms my heart to know he takes the time and WANTS to take me out to dinner or lunch. Or even just working side by side in the chocolate shop - sometimes not even speaking. Just wanting to spend time with me makes my heart happy.


We both are looking a smidge tired here.

7. Speaking of chocolate - sooooo much chocolate to wrap!! We are grateful and blessed our new business (well hobby until it starts making money) is taking off. But boy, we're tired ;D

8. Both girls will be starting college next week. Tabitha will be a Junior. Amber will be a Sophomore. I always worry about them. I also love watching them succeed. They are so different. They both add so much joy (and head shaking) to our lives.

LOTS more on my heart but I won't overwhelm you. Stephanie thinks she'll do this monthly. I think I like that. Our family blog has turned into a journal of our life and even if no one else reads this - I will. And hopefully future generations will read the books I have made from the entries.

Are you up to blogging your heart? Post your link in my comment section. I'd love to see where your heart is - right now.

How Can this Be?

Tell me when did our little Elizabeth get old enough to go to preschool?!?!?

Can you tell she's just a little excited? She's just too adorable!

And this reminds me of her Auntie Amber when she was this age.



I tell you, these 2 little peanuts are so a like sometimes!

We are addicted to water!

Summer has FINALLY come to Washington and we are taking advantage of it every chance we get. In fact, Rob and I ran away for a day - ALONE. Yup!! A.L.O.N.E. = no kids!! It was sooooo fun. We have to do this more often. So many places and things to do. We decided to go to Friday Harbor out in the San Juan Islands.

It was the perfect day!!


Here comes the ferry


A good morning to be on the ferry - not very crowded


Even a jelly fish came to see us off


It was a busy boating day out on the ocean


Coming into the harbor


A view I would NEVER get tired of seeing. This is from the park right above the harbor.


Here's a little perspective of the size of the ferry boat vs. a sailboat


On the way home we went the long way home through Chuckanut Drive. But first went through a little town called Edison. I have to say that this place:


Reminded me of this place in Cook's Corner, Trabuco Canyon, CA


The drive home was stunning


We couldn't ask for a better place to live then the Pacific Northwest!