Can I Scream?

So Amber and I have been having a wonderful week while the boys are off at scout camp. Little did I know.....Back on Sunday night I told Rob that I "really, really hurt my back". I've never hurt this much and I just couldn't figure out what I could have done to tweak it like this. We continued on with our week. On Tuesday we ran to the store for Robert to get this:
Not sure where this boy got his love for gaming because we certainly didn't do it to this extent. Anyway, it wasn't until I saw this photo that I realize how tired I looked. So I'm really going out on a limb posting this photo. The sore back pain had now gone to the front as well. Hmmm, just odd, I'm thinking. THEN it happened. Wednesday afternoon I scratched my back and "OUCH". I felt bumps. I got into the doctor first thing Thursday morning. And I have SHINGLES!!!!! No one could be more stunned than me. Consider the following description and see if it fits:
"In people who have had chickenpox, the virus is never fully cleared from the body. Instead, the virus remains dormant in the nerve tissues. When physical or emotional stresses to the body weaken the immune system, the virus reactivates and spreads along the nerve fibers to the particular area of skin supplied by the involved nerve."

Anybody think I've had any physical or emotional stresses lately? I'm on antiviral medication and hope we caught it early enough for no more rash to break out. Ugh!!!

And those of you who were around me this week. NO WORRIES!!! I am not contagious! You would have had to rub your skin on my rash AND not ever had chicken pox. So you're just fine.

A Photoshop Newbie

Don't judge me Jessica or Courtney or Jenn. I'm just learning!! I FINALLY got the courage to download some free Actions from Pioneer Woman into my Photoshop. WOW!!! This is fun!!!

Before:

After:


Before:

After:


Before:

After:


I don't know why I was so nervous to use Photoshop. It's a lot of fun and addicting.

Completely in LOVE

This is the most adorable picture of Lizzie!! It captures her personality perfectly. Girlie girl but tomboy all wrapped into one package.

I Need Stock in Skype

We are using this SO much!! I LOVE the person who invented this convenience. How did we ever survive without it? Today was Lizzie!


Someone was happy to see us

LOVE her new hair cut

Showing us her artwork


Seeing Gray Kitty and saying "Gray Kitty git me"


Concentrating on her masterpiece



Saying "mmmmuuaaahhh" to blow kisses

Iraqi Fanta

Interesting isn't it?

I have to admit we are getting spoiled with Skype!

Love talking with our son, literally on the other side of the world.

A BERRY Surgical Monday

This morning we took Amber in to get her wisdom teeth pulled. That's where her IV was and we replaced it with a cute bandage. The surgery was not a pleasant experience for her. But she's now resting on the couch and planning on having a Harry Potter Marathon for days.

And where does the "berry" come in you ask? I stopped and picked up these babies on the way home.

WOWZERS!!!

We are completely processing here!!! This last week Amber went to the Blaine Jazz Festival camp and had a MARVELOUS time. She went on her bassoon. On her bassoon and playing jazz?!?! Sounds strange doesn't it? Let me tell you, it was incredible. The faculty members over her area "Classics Plus" where some of the BEST in the music industry. These four men helped her immensely.


Justin Melland

Lev Zhurbin

Miguel Kertsman

Martin Kuuskmann

Miguel and Martin were particularly "curious" about her future plans. She wowed them with her bassoon playing and her vocal abilities. So much so that Martin WANTS Amber to take lessons from her as he sees MAJOR potential. And he made her (and us) some incredible guarantees as results from her taking lessons from him. Want to see what he sounds like? Here's just a small sample:

Once we get our video uploaded to our computer we'll post some here too.
Trust me, lessons from this guy ain't cheap either :P

Needless to say, Miss Amber has a LOT to think and pray about her career and what she desires to do. And where Heavenly Father guides her will be interesting to watch.

Lazy Days of Summer

Filled with being a slug...that is after we drop Amber off at her Jazz Festival. Then David just watched movies and played Lego's. Can't beat a day like that can you?

Think this has something to do with Star Wars?


Storm troopers are having a meeting


But the Ton-ton has to get in their face!

My sweet boy!!

Cherries and my boy!!

And not in that order either!!! I do have to say, I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!! And not in my Skip voice either.


Silly face time


This is the "ok Mom, if you really want me to smile" face


And a quick snapshot of my brave solider

Even though it's a quick talk and I do have to share with the rest of the family; Skype is AMAZING!!!!

And so are these little beauties!


And why did I wait SO long before I got one of these? It makes those cherry binges so much more productive!!

Ahhhhhhh, summer!!

Garden 2010 Update

So yesterday instead of sending the kids out to water the garden, I decided that I should head out there to check things out a bit. With the hope that I could harvest some lettuce. Look what I found!!!


There be some tomatoes ON the vine!!! And LOTS of blossoms too. I'm SO excited! I've never grown tomatoes while living here.


This is the one box we used starts when planting.


The first harvest!! We do LOVE a variety of lettuce in our salad. It was yummy!!


There's a little broccoli "ball" in there. Broccoli is a first for me growing at all. But you still won't get me to eat it. This is ALL for David ~ our broccoli baby.


I think this corner is the snow peas planted from seeds.

Now to compare the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) vs. gardening in regular pots. See for yourself.

These pots were planted a good 2-3 weeks BEFORE we planted in the SFG. I'd say there is something to be said about the "secret soil" (that's what Rob calls it) mixture. You can bet next years these pots will have new soil.

How are your gardens coming along? And what is your favorite thing to harvest and eat from it?

Just Because

David and I felt like getting a donut this morning after we dropped Amber off at her Jazz Festival camp. Probably because it was cold and rainy. Now we usually aren't "donut people". But back in February someone talked us into trying these donuts. They convinced us and thought we'd splurge today.

You MUST go to Rocket Donuts!! They are on Holly St. just on the edge of downtown Bellingham. They have the BEST donuts we've ever tasted. My personal favorite is the chocolate Old Fashion. And they have a cute rocket ship in their FREE parking lot right next to the building.

If you go, let us know what your favorite donut is.

Ready to Start Home

"Gray kitty" is ready to go!!!


Why is it my kids always seem to be in this position when we travel? Catching up on their sleep, I guess.


Does anyone know what these things are? We saw them quite frequently while driving in both directions.


You know what's fun driving long stretches of highway like this?



You sometimes drive with the same vehicles for hours. Passing each other off and on, etc. We had this one family with an Arizona license plate that had a Mom driving with 2 young boys in the back. Every time we would pass each other we would wave. It kind of turned into a game to pass the time. When it came time for us to take different directions, we waved goodbye to each other. And Amber got some great driving time too. Five hours of highway, construction and Boise, ID "city" traffic. Mom slept in the back ;D

We took the long way home along the Columbia River and through Portland. We wanted to see the Dalles. It was such a beautiful drive. Literally driving along side the Columbia River



Seeing beautiful mountain cliffs

Winery vineyards

And tugboats pushing barges

Seeing the damns

And breathtaking view of Mt. Hood

All from the freeway

And you want to know how you know you've entered Western Washington? The once barren mountain cliffs now have trees on them!!




We stopped in Portland at our favorite chocolate shop ~ CACAO-Drink Chocolate and then headed off to our hotel room for the night.

The next morning we only had a 5-1/2 hour drive home. Again included a stop in Seattle at CHOCOLOPOLIS and more chocolate :D

IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME!!!