#NaPhoPoMo Day 23...My Happy Man

I love this photo so much...
there were several that I snapped
of this man of my dreams...
BUT THIS ONE

just speaks volumes about who he really is deep inside...
he is just fun
and he makes me laugh!
He is always quick to laugh...
He knows when to take life seriously and when to enjoy it.
Life with him is pretty magical!

Here he is blowing his horn during a recent birthday party...
how many men do you know that can laugh and giggle with their wife doing silly non-sensical things like that???

Well, he does
and I am so grateful that he's willing to be a total goofball right alongside me!

So Day 23 is for this sweet man of mine
who keeps me smiling
with that smile of his
that I absolutely adore!

#NaPhoPoMo Day 7...YOU are my Everything!

Day 7 of this amazing Photo Taking and Posting Experience!!!

Just because...

My Darling Husband really is my Everything!

Looking for the Good...

Have you ever been in a room filled with others that seem to be looking at all the negative aspects of life, people and circumstance? 

What typically begins to happen to you? 

Well, unfortunately for most, 

we often follow suit and the negative images begin to enter our own minds. 

Can we help others to look for the good and see it? 

Can we separate ourselves from these feelings and thoughts? 

I think yes!!!

I often do a little exercise when I have a group of women together … 
women’s retreats are the perfect setting for this! 
My goal is to help these women focus on the good, to look for the beautiful people they are surrounded with in their lives. 
So…I ask each to share something, at least one thing, they love about their husbands. 
NO husband bashing is allowed! 
(There is a time and a place to discuss things that are unhappy in a marriage, but a group setting is never the place for such a thing.)
 
What I have found time and again is miraculous. 
Even the ladies who felt their husbands were less than desirable or nearly rotten to the core, end up searching their hearts and find things about them that they adore. 
A beautiful thing happens to these ladies and to their marriages…when they return home, a re-kindled love for that man in their life is formed and if they continue to add healthy “logs” to the fire by choosing to seek and find the good things they see in their husbands, soon the love they originally felt for this wonderful man becomes the warm, comfortable place they desire to be. 
AND with all of this, comes a BONUS… 
noticing the change in her, 
he’ll begin tossing in a log or two…
soon that little flame she started becomes a raging fire and the love between them is stronger and better than ever before. 
It really does happen!

Now, I do not wish to say that we should blind ourselves to true issues. 
BUT, I do believe that 
staying in love with your man means you continue to fall in love with him over and over and over 
and this can never happen if you are choosing to continually focus on all the bad or negative or unattractive things he may do.

I could focus on the imperfections of my husband 
OR 
I could choose to look for the beautiful person he is and see all the good he does…
it’s my choice and I will see whatever I am looking for.

Is it REALLY the end of the world if he doesn’t put his socks away? 
Should he really be tortured for the next three months because he did or said something I didn’t like or didn’t agree with? 
Am I going to hold a grudge that forms a giant wall between us because of little things he may or may not do? 
Not if I wish to have a beautiful marriage 
and not if I wish for him to look past my imperfections.

I chose to focus on marriages this month because of our MAN FEAST coming right up…but this is a beautiful exercise to do with all the wonderful people in your world, not just your hubby.

Choose a child, perhaps the one that pulls your strings the very most! 
Focus on seeing every good and desirable thing they do 
AND then let them know you notice just how fabulous they are…
that same beautiful thing will happen with your relationship with your child ~ 
a closeness, a love, an adoration that we desire to have!

During this month of THANKSgiving ~ 
let’s all do our best to look for the good, 
to focus on it and to act on it. 
Our hearts will be bursting with love and abundant joy will bless our homes!

Blessings!

Written as November Presidents Message for The Buzz

#NaPhoPoMo Day 3...Dreamy Sunday Afternoon Nap

DAY 3

As I was pondering what I would most like to capture in a photograph today,
my thoughts went to the places I feel the happiest.

It is Sunday Afternoon...
one of my favorite things EVER
is to sneak in a little quiet nap time
with the man of my dreams.

He was already snoozin' away
when I went up to join him
and I couldn't help myself...
I just had to get a shot of my happy place with him.

So Day 3 is a
Dreamy Sunday Afternoon Nap

Living a "Newly-Wed-Like" life FOREVER...

YES, it happens!!!
And here are some tips to make it happen in your "Happily Ever After"...

Last night I spent some time with one of my very favorite people in the world, Corrie!!!
It was a party night for her daughter...
BRIDAL SHOWER Time!

When my invitation arrived in the mail,
I was assigned a room  ~
can you guess which room I received??
Yep, the BEDROOM!!!
Hmmm...
soooo many directions to go with this one...

I knew I wanted it to be good,
I knew I wanted it to be memorable,
I knew I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the beauty of marriage with her...
so,
I decided to combine it all into a
BIG Happy Package!!!




Here are the words that go along with all the little gifts inside the BIG Box ~

Dear Rachel ~
I want to share a few tips that can help you to
live a "Newly-Wed-Like" Life FOREVER --



1.  A Treasure Box to help you remember to always "treasure" one another
and a perfect place to keep the treasured love letters, cards and special moments of your life as husband and wife.
(I found a box that I just loved...I have one that I keep all my "Sweet Stuff" from my Sweet Man in, so I just had to get one for her!)

2.  Two Candles for your bedroom to help you remember how important it is to keep a flame alive in your marriage.
(Who doesn't love candles???
And the thing I love to tell others about love when they feel it is lost or gone...
I ask, "Was it ever there???"
If they can answer yes,
then it's repairable...
all they need do is rekindle that flame!
So, if you are finding yourself in that position, read on...these little tips will do the trick!)

3.  Paris ~ Always share your dreams and together make them realities!
(This was a little trinket that had "Paris" on it...Rachel loves Paris so this was fitting for her)

4.  Diamonds ~ There will be dull days and hard times in your marriage, these diamonds are here to remind you to focus on all the Shining Moments you have together!
(A little bag filled with "diamonds"...unfortunately for Rachel, I am not a rich person, so they were quite fake, but they sure do sparkle!)

5.  Hugs & Kisses ~ Because a day should never pass that you don't share love and affection with one another.
(I wrapped a pretty red bow around the bags of Hershey's Hugs and Kisses...perfect!)

6.  A Pillow ~ "Pillow Talk" each and every night will keep you close, remember to have that communication and never go to sleep angry...stay up until sunrise if necessary, but talk out your differences and end on a happy note with each other.

7.  Throw in a little "Sugar and SPICE" every now and then..it's sure to bring a smile!
(Yes, I did....
I embarrassed both Rachel and her sweet Mom...
I had to do it!
I snuck in a little pair of "SPICY Undies",
okay, two pair...should have taken a photo...the cheeks were bright red on these sweet girls!)

8.  A Blanket ~ because every day is a good day to snuggle up together!

And finally...

9.  Do your very best to make every day your "Happily Ever After" and it will be!
(I gave her a little metal sign with these words...it was super cute!)

***Something to think about...***
Our spouses may never be "Perfect"...
there will be times they will disappoint us.

None of us are perfect,
but Happily Ever After is still possible!

How???
YOU be as perfectly in love as possible
and be perfectly willing to share that love at all times
and something magical will happen ~
your spouse will wish to be just as perfect as you are and
your marriage will become perfectly wonderful...
thus the "Happily Ever After"...   Perfectly Beautiful!


What a lovely night for such a lovely girl!!!
Best wishes to you always, Rachel!

Random Ramblings...

What a weekend...
I think I need a "weekend" now just to recover from our crazy weekend!

Our Friday Night Dinner Party
a.k.a. "The Man Feast"
was fantastic!!!
Great friends, food was yummy, tables looked pretty,
we didn't run out of food (always one of my biggest worries)
lots of laughing and mingling and smiles...
love seeing the smiles!

While all of the prepping and last minute touches were happening for the Man Feast, I had my hubby and boys preparing for a scout camp out and my 3 youngest kiddos heading out for a Primary Practice for their Primary Program that happened this morning.  It was feeling a little crazy at my house!

Just the night before (Thursday night) was a Pack Meeting for Scouts...
I am the Cub Master for the Cub Scouting Program...
Our focus for the evening was Veterans Day ~
we talked of the responsibility we have as citizens and then we spent some time with a friend of ours who spoke to the boys and answered questions regarding his time in Iraq. 
I feel it is imperative that our boys
(meaning all of my little cub scouts ~ all 20 + of 'em!)
have a love and an understanding of our rights and our freedoms, I want them to understand that our freedoms do not come free and that it is because of our Veterans that we enjoy the lives we do.

Saturday morning, bright and early...all of my own boys, together with all the other scouts, gathered at our home to head out for a morning of "Scouting for Food"...this is a beautiful program that benefits the communities we live in.  The Boy Scouts go out and gather food to donate to the hungry.  I love the service opportunities these boys have...what a blessing they are to others!

Saturday was also packed with a little fun time for me...
SUPER SATURDAY!!!
I spent a little time crafting...
I mastered Bow Making ~ yippee...
Wigs me out just a bit that I haven't even given a thought to the fact that Christmas is right around the corner. 
Haven't the foggiest idea what anyone might receive...
but I do know...
whatever it is --
it will look unbelievably fantastic under our tree!!!
I am planning to have the cutest packages ever under my tree with adorable bows...can't wait! 
I'm thinking I might have to wrap a few cereal boxes just so I can add extra presents under the tree; what kiddo doesn't love a box of Sugar coated Sugar??? 

I learned a few new techniques for pie making ~
I'm ready to give them a shot...
I need to master a Gluten Free Pie Crust and then I'll give all the cute little extras a go!

I did a little painting and made a new necklace.
If I ever get around to it, I'll post a few photos...
My phone just takes
F O R E V E R
to get the photos...so tonight it just can't happen.

Then Saturday evening ~ a date night with my hubby!
LOVE date nights!!!!!!!

We headed to the Cheesecake Factory...
a friend of ours is the Chef there ~
after our divine dinner,
he invited me back to tour the kitchen ~
Yep, he knows I am a food fanatic...
so he shared his love of cooking with me.
He has been so kind and has shared a few of his little secrets...
love all the helpful tips ~ it is inspiring to me and makes me want to just keep learn and experimenting.
My family is pretty happy that I LOVE cooking for them!

Saturday evening after our yummy dinner together,
my hubby walked with me in to the mall so I could sign up for a cooking class with Williams Sonoma...
I am really excited for it. 
I just have to be careful to not feel inadequate...

I am fairly simple
not too fancy
I just try to cook the yummiest stuff possible
and then attempt to make it look fantastic as I serve it...
BUT
I fail in comparison ~

SO GUESS WHAT???

I'm not gonna compare...
why ruin it for myself???

I'll just be me
and do the best I can do
and then be happy with it
and if I can learn some extra great stuff ~
great...
and if it feels too BIG, I'll just stick to what I do and be happy.
Moving on to today, Sunday...
My little ones sang beautifully in their Primary Program at church today ~
makes my heart smile!
Little people just have a way of bringing out the best in big people!

Spent time with all my kids and my little grand babies tonight...
it's so good to have them all with me
(even if I'm falling asleep on the couch after such a big weekend)

Monday will hold a bunch of fun stuff in the Lytle Household...
Preparing for Science Fair Projects
and
my
cooking class later in the day...
bundle those up with our regular routine
and it's sure to be a whirlwind.
I'm thinking the perfect way to start out such a day will be with hot cocoa and snuggling..then we'll move on to the busy-ness of it all!
I'll be sure to share my kiddos Projects with you...
LOVE Science Fairs!!!

Have a wonderful week ~
I'll be talking with you again very soon.  :0)

Days of our Lives....

So are you ready for the next episode of my Soap Opera???
I'm thinking I should at least have a big ol' box of bon bons to go along with all of this drama!!!

Saturday evening was our annual opening social for the homeschooling families in our area...great night, by the way...thanks to all who came!!!

Well, as we were driving home that evening, one of my sons commented on how stuffed up his nose was and I replied back to him that it was probably all of the smoke in the air and that it was also bothering me, my chest was actually hurting.

By the time we arrived home and got the kiddos all in bed, I started itching a bit, then a lot and then a tremendous amount!!!  Checked myself out and I was COVERED in red spots all over!  Not good!!!  And not attractive in the least, I was a scary sight!

I was feeling pretty lousy and wiped out, because of still dealing with this vertigo issue I have going on.  I wanted to just drop into bed and sleep the night away, but at my husbands request, I drank a large dose of Benadryl and then headed to bed.  I did anything but sleep the night away, I tossed and turned and itched and scratched and THEN I found myself having difficulty swallowing and my eyes were more than a little difficult to open (and not due to the lack of sleep I was experiencing)  I climbed out of my bed, went in a downed another big dose of Benadryl and tried to get a little more sleep.  By the time my hubby woke in the morning, maybe a little before 8, he looked at me in a rather horrified manner and said I looked like I had swollen up as large as a balloon.  At this point, I could no longer close my mouth, due to the immense swelling of my lips.  It was difficult to speak, because my tongue was swollen and my throat and glands were enormous and quite painful.  I don't even want to express what I looked like, suffice it to say, it was not a pretty picture!!!

Guess, where I was lucky enough to spend my Sunday morning??? 
Yep, in the ER!

They haven't the foggiest idea WHY this happened ~
and to be just down right honest...
I don't think they even cared WHY.

Their concern was treating the symptoms.
So as I lay in this special little room designed for a child ~ which I might add, I rather enjoyed!  It was refreshing to have something enjoyable to look around at...it was a fairly picturesque room with the whole Universe thing going on, even the ceiling tiles had some excitement happening!
Anyway, as I lay there, I speak to one doctor and then 2 different nurses and then had the pleasure of meeting up with the Respiratory Therapist who insisted I have a breathing treatment.  All the while, I am being a bit of a pain in the tooshy...I didn't wish to be here and I was a little upset that they didn't care WHY this was happening.  They didn't even seem the slightest bit interested in the why.  At a certain point, after asking a multitude of questions as to why they needed to do what they were doing, this dear man I am married to said, "STACEY, PLEASE do as the doctor says and quit arguing with him.  I want to take you home, just take the pills, take the breathing treatment and listen to them."  Then he smiled at me.  I proceeded to swallow all the pills and obediently breathed in that little breathing treatment. 

The long of the short is that I am now taking Steroids for the next week and a Super Benadryl type of pill several times a day. 

Those silly doctors still don't know what is wrong with me...BUT GUESS WHAT???
I do...
Am I am not feeling so happy about it.
I've wanted to pretend this wasn't very real.

But I tested it out.
NO I am not the brightest light bulb in the package.
But you must understand...
the only true way to KNOW if something is...
is to give it the test.
So I did today
and much to my dismay, I am worse tonight, so I just downed a couple more pills.
And now I am sulking and itching and scratching and swelling up again.
But not too bad, so no worries, just enough to prove what I had to know.

Ya wanna know what the nasty little culprit is???
Well, remember when I went to the Styx concert on Friday evening,
I not only indulged on amazing music, I also indulged my taste buds with a yummy funnel cake.  I ONLY ate half of it, I shared with my sweet hubby.
And then at the opening social on Saturday, I ate a hot dog and I had a piece of pie.
What do all of these little goodies contain that I have been told to stay away from???
GLUTEN...
Dang stuff anyway.
Why does it have to be in stuff that tastes so yummy?
I've been so good and then I decide to just have a few morsels of yumminess and this happens...

Well, I came to this conclusion today and decided that the ONLY REAL WAY TO KNOW was to test it out, so I ate half of a delicious hot bun that was brought over to me from a friend.  Oh my goodness, it was bread heaven. 
BUT NOW, it is a sad moment.
The moment of truth that I didn't want to face...

I guess the good thing is that I have my answer
AND
I didn't even need some fancy doctor to tell me,
Which is a good thing
SINCE HE COULDN'T!!!

So...
A new adventure awaits me!
I shall never have gluten again, it is not worth this!

I had to tell you,
Well actually I had to tell me
and if I tell you (whoever "you" are)
then I am accountable.
And when you are accountable
you can't mess up
you can't fudge
you can't tell a little white lie
you just gotta do it
cause you said you would
so I said and I would
and now I will.

I am mighty hopeful that I will be able to sleep at some point tonight.
I forgot to mention that STEROIDS and I DO NOT GET ALONG!

Have you ever downed half a bottle of diet pills?
How about 10 pots of coffee in a 20 minute sitting?

My body is pretty certain it may have done both...and it just keeps going and going and going!

I have hardly been able to sit down today, I can't relax, I can't be still, I can't rest
AND I AM TIRED, so very, very, very tired
at least my eyes and my mind are tired,
but my body
is having a it's own private little party going on!
I wouldn't even be surprised to hear a giant "Woo-Hoo" come flying out of me.

Four more days of Steroids...
If I dont' get some sleep before this is over,
it might get ugly.
Someone may need to come rescue my family
and take them to safety
because they may not recognize the crazed woman living with them.

I NEED SLEEP.
and with that, I will try once more.
Good night world...much love comin' at ya!

My Kind of Crazy!!!

I had the best night Friday!

My hubby took me took the Western Idaho Fair to see their ROCK concert...
yes, I know I am the Mom and I should be a little more reserved and not go hang out acting like a teenager, BUT I just cannot help myself! 
Actually, why should I have to grow up and not do the things I love? 
There really isn't anything at all wrong with still being a little crazy, when I leave I feel so happy and renewed, my cup runneth over! 
Now, I may need to remind you or possibly inform you that "my crazy" isn't all that terribly crazy...
no adult beverages involved...
just a whole lotta hoopin' and hollerin'
and dancing and singing my heart out...
used to be a whole lot more jumping up and down, but not as much this year.

One of our little girls, Cassie, recently asked me if when she gets bigger if she can go to a Rock and Roll Concert...I quickly, no hesitation whatsoever...responded to her, "OF COURSE you can, sweet girl ~ EVERYONE deserves to go to rock concerts in their lifetime and I'll even take you!"  Oh, she just beamed...it was fantastic!

For some who may not have Rock and Roll pulsing through their veins this may all seem a bit crazy to you.  But for someone like me...I can't wait!  This year, I was a little worried about how I might be able to go and enjoy and even stay for any amount of time, due to this stupid vertigo that has decided to hang around to be my best friend or my worst enemy, take your pick! 
But it was STYX...how could I miss that??? 
And it was free, except for the $7 ticket to enter the fairgrounds..
AND I had just missed seeing JOURNEY and LOVERBOY because of this lovely new friend hanging around with me.  So I was bound and determined to make it to this one! 
I had even resigned myself to hanging out with all the fuddy duddies who wish to sit in the grandstands...I'll just never get that one! 
IF YOU are lucky enough to be at a concert filled with music that just makes you smile and dance and sing and scream, you cannot do it from a seat a mile back, YOU REALLY MUST be close enough to almost reach out and touch those Rock Stars.  You gotta feel like you were really there...gotta make a little eye contact!

Now here comes the exciting part of my story...
Remember how I said I had resigned myself to hangin' out with those who don't wish to be crazy? 
Well, it was soooooo packed that there weren't two seats available anywhere.
At first a wave of panic came across me...
was I really going to have to miss another concert? 
NO!!! 
I decided to stand for as long as I could and that sweet man of mine was happy to stand right behind me and hold me up and steady. 
So to the floor we went...
and went...
and went,
until we were right there,
no trying to focus way off into the distance...
NOPE, right there, IN THE FRONT!!! 
I was pretty reserved to begin with, but then as we became packed in like a ginormous sardine can,  strangely I felt a little more secure...it's pretty hard to fall over when there is no where to fall and with my adorable hubby behind me holding me tight, I was able to do all the moving and shakin' I wished. 

By the time the concert was over,
read that line again...
by the time the concert was over --
YES, "over!"
I made it through the whole thing standing!!!! 
How Amazing and Wonderful is that?!
Anyway, by the time it was over, my voice was also approaching the "over" stage,
but you couldn't have wiped the smile from my face.

Thank you, WESTERN IDAHO FAIR, for bringing such fantastic concerts to us.

CHEAP TRICK last year ~ Oh, they were so, so, so rockin' fun...LOVED IT!
and then STYX this year...(big smiley face!)

You could totally out do yourselves next year, and bring in my all time favorite ~ JOURNEY!!!
PLEASE, Please, please!!!  I would love you forever!
So sad I had to miss them this year at the Idaho Center Amphitheater.
I might even kiss your feet for doing such a fabulous thing! 
(Providing they were clean
and not nasty
and I only had to kinda blow a kiss
and not actually make physical contact with my lips)

Still smiling...
and still feeling like a teenager ~
maybe that's one of the reasons my teenagers think I'm pretty okay...
gotta love life and live it to it's fullest!
I intend to, and no Vertigo is going to stop me!!!

Gold Stars 'n Billboards

I'm wondering if I missed my other "calling" in life...
My first calling is Mom, but I can't help but feel that there is another.

It seems that no matter where I go, no matter the situation, there is most often someone who needs to talk, someone who just needs a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on or a friend to comfort their heavily burdened heart.  I'm beginning to think I must have a sign that is invisible to my eyes but one that blinks in obnoxious bright colors with an open invitation to the weariest of hearts that I am the perfect source of comfort and counsel and that ALL details should be dumped for the sorting.

Now I want you to know that I do not mind this, I just find it fascinating and more than a little curious.  I am starting to see this as a blessing in my life, it is still very odd to me, I don't know that I will ever understand WHY these people come to me...strangers, people I've never met, never spoken to....and yet, it is as though I am an overpowering magnetic force for them...I just suck 'em all in!

I can be anywhere, seriously anywhere and IT happens.
The grocery store, walking down the street, sitting at a scouting activity, or while picking up school supplies for my kiddos.  Some are significant, others more casual.  Today was one that may stick out in my mind for some time.

My hubby had a job and since it was a Saturday afternoon and since I make his schedule, which means I made him have to work on a day he could have had off, I felt like it was only right that I go along for the ride and keep him company, so I did.

Well, we arrive at this beautiful little home and my husband starts cleaning the carpets and the next thing I know I am in a DEEP conversation with the young man who owns the home.  He was simply showing me around and I commented on how lovely his home was; it was being prepped for sale, so I inquired if he and his wife (which he'd already mentioned when referring to the choice of paint colors on the walls) had found a larger home or if they were still looking. 

That's where it all started. 

He asked me, "Do you believe in God?" 
I felt a smile immediately come across my face as I told him that, "YES...I sure do..."

I guess that made it safe for him to talk with me???

We proceeded to discuss his marriage, the lack of love he felt for and from his wife and the fact that LOVE had never truly existed.
He said they had met and quickly married at the age of 21...there was all sorts of excitement and hooplah with the planning and such, but the Real stuff just hadn't been there.  He referred to her very kindly and never spoke ill of her at all...rather, he spoke of her in a very tender way, one of concern.  He mentioned that he felt they were more like great roommates and friends, not a great couple.
One of his primary concerns that he needed addressed was
if I felt he was less of a Christian
if he chose to go through with his divorce. 
He was so concerned about what their friends and family were saying regarding divorce and how that was not something a Christian would do...
they mentioned to him that the Bible says they cannot and should not end their marriage.

Well, my advice to him was two fold...
to begin with the most important thing to me was to have him reconsider whether or not there had ever REALLY been a true love present in his heart for her...
BECAUSE if it had been there,
and had just lost some of its luster and awe,
if there had been a full flame at one time --
that a spark could always be re-lit and it could be even better and brighter and more magnificent than ever before...
sadly, after listening to him,
I can honestly say that I think both he and his wife deserve more than what he can give to her,
she deserves to be loved
and he deserves to be with someone he can love.  

I felt ever so grateful that they did not have children together;
I found myself telling him that the very most important thing that he needed to consider was the possibility of ever bringing children into their lives and how vital it would be that those little people could see and feel the love that their daddy had for their momma. 
Again, it just wasn't there for him, so this is best...they both need and deserve more!

Secondly, I addressed the "Christian" comment...
(this may not sit well with some of you, and if it doesn't I am sorry, BUT I FEEL this quite passionately!)...
so I asked him if he felt that God put him on this Earth to be unhappy? 
I asked him if this life is just to be a test to see how much he could endure or if he believed that God had something much bigger in mind for him? 
Did he believe that God wished for him to find joy and happiness in life or to just wade through day after day? 
We don't receive a Gold Star at the end of this life for making it through...we don't have to stay in a situation that isn't right. 

I believe with all of my heart that our Heavenly Father looks down and just like we, as mothers and fathers do, wishes for His children to be blissfully happy...to be living each day as if they'd just received a big Gold Star. 

(think back to being a little person, wasn't it just the best to be the recipient of one of those fantastic stickers?  I think He'd like us to feel that same glee inside as often as possible)

It is true that marriages aren't perfect, and I know that every day is not really going to be a Gold Star day, BUT I DO KNOW ..."Men are, that they might have joy"  (2 Nephi 2:25) and I believe that a great deal of responsiblity lies with us to help bring about that joy in our own lives.

Going back to my little friend today...
I don't know if I gave him all the right answers
or if I gave him any of the right answers,
but what I saw was a young man who walked away with his shoulders a little higher, with his smile a little brighter and his heart a little lighter...
he told me that he knew God had brought me into his life today and he thanked me for spending time with him.

So...I will add him to my list of people I will pray for and I will thank my Heavenly Father for the blessing that he has given me...this amazing billboard I carry about on my head brings some pretty phenomenal experiences my way.  I really do love people and I find it a privilege to spend a little time lifting their hearts.

Wishing you a beautiful Sunday!

Is it safe to be Joyous???

Do you wish to know what I am fascinated and obsessed with? 
I just have to share these thoughts...I can't keep them all to myself.

Fair warning:  Some of this may seem a little whacked to you, but bear with me...it's good!
I received this little piece of info from a friend a few weeks back, at first this info was entertaining, now it is SO MUCH MORE! 

"IT"
is a little tidbit of info that comes from a book titled,  Heal Your Body A-Z by Louise L. Hay.,
the reason she sent it to me was that it contained
the possible causes of vertigo and a little thought to share with yourself.   
It's not really about Vertigo, it's about ME and how I tick and what happens when my tick tock just up and stops...

So here is the little piece she forwarded to me:


Probable causes of Vertigo:

Flighty, scattered thinking.
A refusal to look.

New thought pattern:

I am deeply centered and peaceful in life.
It is safe for me to be alive and joyous.

Okay, now don't give up on me already and click out of this post, it may sound a little "new-agey" to you; you may think I've gone off the deep-end, BUT I assure you, there is some really GOOD STUFF I am going to share with you...Ready?

Alright, let's get to it!

At first, I was a little displeased, okay, I was downright flipped out about the "Flighty" comment, how insulting and rude!!! 
The "scattered thinking"...yeah, I've been dealing with that one to a huge degree. 
"A refusal to look"...
well, can we smack me any harder with all these statements???
Again, at first I was a little miffed at such "probable causes"...

I am not flighty and I don't refuse to look...
OR
am I and do I?

AND what the heck does some book know about how I feel and WHY I feel that way?

Then I read the new thought pattern, I'm not super great at talking to myself, someone might think I'm crazy or something!  BUT I have to say as I read over this, I could not get it out of my mind!

At first reading this is what I saw:
"I am deeply...and peaceful in life...blah, blah, blah, blah..."
well, I'm not even sure I got that much out of it. 

Then I read it again (maybe a hundred more times!) 
The prompting to go back and re-read these two little lines was INTENSE!
"I am deeply centered and peaceful in life.  It is safe for me to be alive and joyous."

I could not get over the DEEPLY centered part...what is the significance here? 
It didn't just say I am centered,
NO,
it had to say I am DEEPLY centered
and then let's throw in a little of the I am peaceful on top of it. 

DANG...not so sure I am deeply anything,
other than deeply in over my head most days!

So that was the first part that I was consumed by...
What did this line mean to me? 
What did it mean for me? 
What was it trying to say to me? 
What was the message I was missing? 
I went on the hunt to find out what these few words meant to me and for me.
"I am deeply centered and peaceful in life."

This was BIG!

This past few weeks, I have focused on being deeply centered...the conclusion I have come to is sweet and simple...I have a deep need to experience a REAL relationship with my Heavenly Father and with my Savior...my life is centered and functions well BECAUSE of the relationship I have with them. 
When I am deeply centering myself, when I am deeply immersing myself, when I am deeply focusing on what keeps me ticking, I can feel PEACEFUL in my life. 
I actually visualize a special little warm,fuzzy connection between them and the top of my head...
they are there keeping me "centered"...
keeping me right and strong and peaceful
and with this centering
I don't feel that I have to "refuse to look",
I am happy to look AND TO SEE what is out there, it is not nearly as frightening.

I have cause to wonder if I feel "Dizzy" because I am out of balance...
I know you probably just smacked yourself upside the head yelling out "DUH!",
but that's not the kind of balance I meant,
not the kind that makes you want to tip over,
but the BIG kind of balance...
the stuff that makes life all mesh together or go running crazy out of control. 
I see a connection between my lack of balance and my lack of being centered...AND I am seeing that they may both be restored TOGETHER...

This may have seemed like a no-brainer and not a big deal for many of you, but for me...this was HUGE!  I had never really thought about this in such a manner.  It has given me a deeper look into myself and into my relationships.  I could go on and on about this, but it is high time to move on to the next ah-ha moments I have experienced recently.

These are a little more tender for me...another fair warning, this is quite personal stuff, so if you don't want to know, you may want to say good-bye now.  I need to say these things for me...when I think them and then write them, I am changed, I am whole, I am peaceful...

The next line of the new thought pattern states:
"It is safe for me to be alive and joyous."

OKAY...

This one didn't exactly hit me in any sort of way UNTIL just a few days ago, and then KACHOW! 

Just before this lovely "V-word" decided to join me in my journey through life, I had been thinking of how far I feel I have come in a couple of areas in my life.  One of the biggies is in the area of TRUST. 

Having come from some very yucky, not so nice (okay, down right mean and nasty) relationships in my past, trust has proven to be a struggle for me. 
My wonderful husband has been so kind and understanding,
he allows me to be me,
 he gets where I've been and he accepts all my weirdness. 
He knows that certain things will set me off and that I may end up in a tail spin until he can finally save me from it all. 
He has protected me from having to deal with most of these feelings and memories and has sweetly accepted my need to control certain things in my life. 
He knows what things I must avoid to be okay, and he comforts me when I wake from a bad dream that causes me to "go back".

Speaking of going back,
a little over a month ago, I really felt that I was loosening up on some of these things
and I wished so much to just let them all go,
to not be afraid of anything anymore,
to just trust that no one would ever hurt me again. 
To believe that I am safe and secure
and that I could relinquish some of my need to control...
that I could just pass it all on over to Chad and be done with being afraid ever again. 
By all rights, this seemed quite appropriate, I've been with this sweet man for nearly half of my life and he has never crossed the line, he has never hurt me and I believe with all of my heart that he'd sooner die than raise a hand to me...
so, I thought thoughts,
I didn't actually pray,
but I put those thoughts out there
and I have no doubt HE heard them and just decided they must have been meant as a prayer??? 
Anyway, I wished that I could stop being afraid of silly things, I wished that I could stop wigging out if Chad's hands ever came by my neck, I wanted to stop thinking that the only way I could always be safe would be to be in control of me.  I wished to be able to trust Chad in all situations, to never have reason to doubt or to fear...and guess what?

A beautiful thing is happening to me...

i have so very little control of ANYTHING i do right now,
i need my hubby's help for EVERYTHING,
i need it just to walk down the hallway,
i need it to lay down in my bed and go to sleep,
i've needed him to hold me tight so that I would believe i wasn't falling out of my bed,
i needed him to take care of everything...from the biggest of things to the very smallest,
he must drive me anywhere i need to be,
he must take care of all the things i usually take care of,
he has listened to me cry,
he has held me when i feel weak and afraid,
he has helped me to see that i am safe,
that i can count on him,
that he will never leave me alone,
that he will love me through all things,
that he will be my rock,
that i can lean on him,
that i don't have to be strong,
that i don't have to have it all together,
that i can be dependent on him and it's beautiful...it is not scary...
it is safe to depend on the person you love and they will not let you down,
they will not turn into a scary beast,
they will continue to be your dream come true.

I am so sad that I couldn't get rid of all this stupid stuff I've been carrying around for years! 
But the good news is that I am dealing with it all, I see it, I am looking and I am trusting completely.  I'm sure it hasn't all just magically disappeared, but it is so much better.  I know that I am safe and that is a beautiful thing...not sure why it took me over 20 years, but better late than never.  :0)


Through this past 4+ weeks, I've come to know myself in a new way. 
The last line of my new thought reads:
It is safe for me to be alive AND joyous.

After coming to terms with being safe (physically),
I am also recognizing that I need to be safe emotionally. 
This is another BIGGIE...

What does it mean to be safe emotionally?
There is this little part deep inside me that I didn't recognize or give any thought to, until reading this line.

I've addressed feeling safe to be alive...
even though some of those scary people from my past are still very much alive and kicking...
I have no need to have fear of them any longer. I am safe!

so now onto... is it safe to be joyous?

This one brought with it a few tears (maybe a bucket full)...
Do you feel safe in being JOYOUS?
Is it okay with your heart to be YOU? 
Is it okay to feel and express and live those things that make you joyous?
OR do you stifle them?
Have you tucked them away most of your life?
Have you ignored some of the silly things that might bring about tremendous joy in your life?
When you were little did you sing and dance and twirl and giggle and do all the joyful things that life holds? 
Or did you keep quiet so as to not bother anyone with your crazy little spirited self?

Well, I fall/fell into the less than joyous category...
I quieted myself, I hid me, I stifled those things that bring joy,
I have always done what I thought others would like me to do,
I have always been what I thought others thought I should be,
I have lived my life trying to please the rest of the world
and never really felt safe just being me.
I tucked away the desire to catch raindrops in my mouth,
I would shy away from any of the things that might draw too much attention my way,
I walked around the mud puddles instead of jumping in with both feet,
I did my best to fit in and not stand out,
I followed the crowd and sought after what others found to be good,
I let the things in me that I wished for melt away
feeling that they were most likely of little worth.
I have given up on dreams because they seemed silly to others.

The exception to these things are my days of being the momma...
it feels okay to jump in a puddle when you have your little kids by your side!
Or is it?
Would I stop if I thought SOMEONE might see me?
Would my joy be lessened if I worried about another?

Sadly, I have to answer these questions with a question in my heart.
I think I would be affected by others.
So, I have not come to a true place of it being Safe to be Joyous.

I wish to dance and twirl and sing and catch raindrops on my tongue,
I wish to dream my dreams and make them come to life,
I wish to STAND OUT and not be ashamed,
I wish to live my life in a way that makes me feel joy
and to share that joy with others.
I wish to help others see that it is safe and it is wonderful to be joyous!
I wish to have the magical thoughts and aspirations my little children do.
I wish to have the desire to catch a leprechaun...
and then to act on that desire.
I wish to keep on trying with the same intense desire time and time again, no matter the number of failures...to never let failure squelch the dream.
I wish to always be vibrant and excited and have a dance in my heart.
I wish to have days that make my heart smile.
I wish to squish the sand and the mud between my toes.
I wish to make the most beautiful necklace of dandelions and proudly wear it.
I wish to come to the point that it is safe to be joyous.

I'm not totally there yet, but it is coming. 
The awareness is there and that is a big step in the right direction. 
Another big step is that I really do like me now.
I've shared that in previous posts and that was another one of my life-changing moments.
It's crazy that I have to be this age to finally get to know me...
is it like this for others?
I have to wonder.

I truly wonder if others feel it is safe to be joyous.
I truly wonder if others feel deeply centered and peaceful in life.
Is this a gift that some receive early on, while others make their way through the discovery of themselves?
I REALLY  TRULY wonder if others dream of twirling and dancing...
do others long for the magic of a sprinkling of pixie dust?

I'm waiting for a rain storm...I have raindrops to catch and puddles to pounce on!  And as soon as I can dance without falling over, I will dance and twirl until I fall in a heap on the ground, at which time I will search the clouds for the magic that is there; with imagination the world is a beautiful place to be!

I do believe it is safe for me to be joyous.
I plan to tackle it with all the crazy spirit I have been blessed with!

Did I ask for this?

Well my "Friday" came and went and another is fast approaching...
That chosen day of mine did not deliver what I had intended it to.

Friday was to have given me my life back,
when it failed to deliver in the way I had expected,
I was...
well,
a little less than pleased. 
Alright, I was downright frustrated, flipped out and to the point of giving up! 
What was I going to give up? 
It's not like my life was over just because I couldn't be doing "the life" I believed I should be deeply engaged in...My life hasn't ended just because it continues to be in my imaginary tornado...it has just simplified.

Now, I have to say that it has come to my attention, through many of the people that I love the very most in this life, that I may have needed to simplify and some even added in a gentle reminder that I had often prayed to find a way to simplify and slow this life down just a touch.  I've come to a small conclusion, well I think I am coming to it, I am still in the midst of trying to accept this conclusion...I wanted life to slow down a little, I wanted to simplify, I wanted to not feel so out of control busy all of the time...yet at the same time I didn't want any of those things to happen, BECAUSE that is the life I have known for so many years. 
Isn't it crazy that we become comfortable with the "known" things in our lives ~ even if they make us CRAZY ~ while the things that might alleviate some of the craziness are just far too scary to be comfortable with, causing us to actually make those changes impossible!

I've learned a few good ones over this past few weeks...it's amazing what can happen when YOU have to sit and be still...
I've learned that I have some crazy insane sorts of thoughts running through this brain of mine...and no this isn't just the vertigo speaking, I really do!
It's kinda scary when you realize what you've been telling yourself and what you've been attempting to live up to...It's no wonder my mind is doing this crazy tornado world...it finally caught up with my body!

Here's how I finally came to my "conclusions" or what I've learned about myself...
Friday night my hubby and I were sitting on the couch...no date night for this Momma (at least not one outside the home)...
anyway, we were sitting watching TV and I was eating some popcorn ~
way yummy popcorn...thought you'd like to hear that...
I'll have to remember to tell you all how to whip some up for yourself. 
Well this popcorn was messy enough that it required a paper towel or two or three...well, I was eating away and Chad asked me how my day had been. 
Oooohhhh, bad question today!
I was doing my best to "fake it" and let him see my happy side. 
I can never fool him,
but I was givin' it my best shot...
well, I started to talk and then did my little cough to help cover up my cracking voice,
yeah, he wasn't falling for it at all. 
In his sweet little way,
he told me I should
"just use that paper towel sitting beside me"  
??? 
What? 
Did I have a little popcorn goo on my chin? 
He could see my reaction and said,
 "Stacey, I can hear it in your voice, just let it go..."
So I did....
......
......
.....
.....

After a few moments I could speak again and I told him I was sorry that he was having to do EVERYTHING for me...
I told him that I'm really not okay with not being able to take care of myself or take care of our family. 
I told him I'm used to being strong all the time,
taking care of things,
but right now I'm just not strong,
I just don't have it in me,
I just can't do it...
and trying to remain strong for everyone was killing me! 
The honest truth is that I just don't want to be strong anymore,
I'm tired of doing this hard road,
I really just wish
 to be, well - not weak, but just a little less strong,
just a tad bit wimpy...
I don't have it in me to be any one's rock right now. 
But saying all of that just didn't feel very good,
it felt like a cop-out,
felt like less than what I am supposed to be...

Again, he just told me, "Let it go"...

I really am blessed.
He really loves me.
He really cares.
And he is actually really loving taking care of me.

He asked me to relax, to let it go, to not worry about anything,
he told me that it is my turn to be taken care of,
that I can't go take care of anyone else...
He was HAPPY about this!
I wasn't sharing in his happiness at all!!!

But as I listened to him and he listened to me
and after I had myself a good cry...
yes, it was a good cry, because afterwards I felt good...
that's what defines a good cry...
A Bad cry leaves you feeling bad,
but a GOOD one is,
well
it's just good
and refreshing
and cleansing
and rejuvenating
and leaves you with a feeling of peace and understanding.
Anyway, after all of that
I was able to clarify in my mind that I really don't always have to be strong,
I don't always have to be on top of it all,
I can learn to rely on others and it's okay,
it's not failure like I've always believed it to be.

So, who knows, and far be it from me to say this is fact, BUT...
I am seeing that there may be a deeper reason
for all of this "V-WORD" stuff I've been dealing with!
Maybe, just maybe
vertigo
has been
an answer
to my prayers
???
I have to wonder to myself,
did I ask for this???

SO my words of advice for you at this time ~
*Yep, you already guessed the first one...be careful what you ask for*  ;)
and the last is to just be open to the "ride" you are given.
Sometimes it's okay to be a dizzy blond!

Much love to you dear friends!

He answers me...

Today, my husband and two friends went out for the day to have a little fun on their snowbikes.

I was a tad surprised to have not heard from Chad at some point during the day, but not too worried. 

Around 7:00 p.m., I found out they had been "stuck in a hole"...not a good thing to have happen, but it sounded to me like that was an earlier occurrence and had been resolved and they were good.

Around 9:00 p.m., the next communication was that they were walking out and had many hours to go.  So my assumption that all was good just flew right out the window...walking out and leaving 3 bikes behind is never a good thing...it is the very last choice, so things were obviously "yucky" in their world. 

Okay, I will be honest, I wanted to remain perfectly calm,
I know my husband is capable and strong and all...
BUT then the part of me that adores EVERYTHING about him decided to have a little freak out session! 
All the "WHAT-IF's" started crowding my mind and taking over...oh dear, this is never good!

I managed to get myself together again and reasoned what my husband would do in this situation and what he would want ME to do in this situation at home...
so I said my prayers FERVENTLY,
begging and pleading with the Lord
to watch over and protect him and to wrap His arms around my freezing cold husband to keep him warm and safe. 
I told Him how I trusted in Him and Believed in Him and knew that He would watch over and care for Chad and his friends.  (I think I needed to remind myself of what I believe)
...I really knew Chad would be okay...
I just really worried it might be the longest, most miserable night of his entire life...
I worried that they might not head in the right direction ~
only finding themselves deeper in the mountains,
BUT again, these are strong, capable men and I had to also believe in them. 
I felt much better after my prayer.

Just a few minutes later, I received a phone call that made my heart leap with joy!!!  They have found a snowmobile road and estimate being only about 2 miles away from the suburban.  They can make two miles...I know it and with any luck at all, a groomer may come by and pick them up.  (I now sit and wait to hear for that glorious moment when they arrive to a warm, dry spot...)

It is moments like these that I wonder why my dear, darling husband has to love the scary, adventurous, crazy things in life...why can't he be satisfied with a book, or a golf club or a chess piece??? 
Like I've said many times before,
I'll never ask him to give up what he loves doing, but it does cross my mind during moments like these.

Cannot wait for that sweet man of mine to call so I can hear his voice and I really cannot wait to be in his arms.  I hope your walk is not treacherous and I pray that your drive home will be free from any further "adventure"....I love you sooooo much!!! 
Now don't do this to my heart again, it's not good for me!!!
(and YES, I am pointing my finger at you! and YOU deserve it!)

Riding on Powdered Sugar!

BOYS, BOYS, BOYS...

Happy Birthday Wishes were in order

for My Hubby and one of our greatest friends, Rick!

Rick, Corrie, Chad and I headed to the mountains to enjoy a day of snowmobiling to celebrate the birth of these two wonderful men!.

The snow was lovely

and more snow was dropping from the skies above ~

Perfect day!

We found some pretty deep snow...

do you think this wonderful little hubby of mine could stay where it wasn't TOO deep? 

NO, how silly! 

When you are a BIG BOY,

you MUST show us how it is done. 

hehehehe

Just have to tease him...

If the truth be told, I was the one who dumped the snowmobile over twice! 

Both times with Corrie on the back of me...oops!

Couldn't believe it...going along just fine and then

WHAM...

It's kind of a funny thing, looking back on it, I can almost see it all in slow motion...crazy!

So glad snow is soft!

And this snow was amazingly perfect.

The best way to describe it...hmmm....

Picture yourself jumping right into a pile of powdered sugar

POOF!

The powder goes a flyin'

everywhere!

That is exactly what the snow was like on this perfect day...

powder just flying as we blew threw it all.

(I really wanted to be able to take a photo to capture the beauty of the snow flying off the sides of the snowmobiles ahead of me, BUT I was a little fearful I might crash into a tree if I was paying too close attention to a photography moment...so I missed out on that one...you'll just have to take my word for it...it was phenomenal!!!)

We took a little break and stopped in at Baumgartner Hot Springs...

Here's Chad warming his buns!

Crazy Man!!!!!

We had such a great time soaking in the hot water.

There is something pretty magical about being outside,

in the mountains,

and floating about in hot water

while snowflakes are dropping all around! 

I could get used to that...very, very happy place for me!!!

At one point in the day, Chad stopped and said, "Can we come again tomorrow?" 

He so reminds me of a little boy some days. 

Now fast forward just a few days...

This is a first!

I don't think I've ever had a shot of Chad on his birthday in a restaurant.

It was hysterical...

we're sitting across the table from our friends, The Millers,

and around the corner comes this big ol' band of El Gallo Giro Staff singin' away!!!

I think Chad turned every shade of red...

LOVED IT!  Priceless moment (thanks Robert!)

I'm thinking this adorable man of mine got plenty of spoiling this year...friends all over the place spending time celebrating what a fantastic man he is! 

Add a whole slew of kiddos in the picture and he had it made...

the homemade cards and drawings were a treasure for sure.

Happy Birthday Sweet Man of Mine ~ I LOVE YOU ~

thanks for making my heart pitter~patter after all these wonderful years!

Oh no, What's Wrong???

Have you ever received one of "those phone calls"?
The one that upon answering the phone -- the first words out of your mouth are, "Are you okay, what's wrong?"

Just yesterday, I was blissfully returning from a fabulous field trip with my kiddos and settling in for a little writing time when one of "those" calls came in...Unfortunately from my husband!

After work, he and our oldest son decided to go tackle a mountain or two.  Things didn't work out quite as he expected.  I understand the need for adrenaline, I understand that these boys need to be boys (no matter their age), I just wish they could get that adrenaline rush in a little safer way; one that returns them just as they left.

Now I need to just add in that this is not the first time I've received this heart-stopping phone call...I have no NEED to feel this adrenaline rush, yet it is forced upon me by all these boys of mine!  I have to stop and catch my breath each time one of them is hurt (luckily there have been very few times, but not a one of them is good for my heart!)
Yesterday...my hubby and his motorcycle had a little spat mid-mountain;
Chad lost...
he is now toting around a fancy little set of crutches!
Nothing is broken, his pride took a pretty substantial hit...but is still intact...whew!!!
His knee is a little unhappy, but will be okay soon providing he will relax and stay off of it.
This is where I come in ~ if he won't stay put, I'll just have to plop myself right on his lap and keep him there against his will.  And he can't do a thing about it, hehehehe  :0)

In the past I have always told him that I am happy to give him all the attention he needs...again I gently reminded him that there are easier ways than hurting himself to have me attend his every need.

I'm beginning to think he must enjoy me hanging around and waiting on him hand and foot.  Is there something alluring about your wife "serving" you?  Hmmmm....I'm wondering if that could be an adrenaline rush in itself???  Gonna have to think about that one a little...

Speaking of waiting on him hand and foot...the most adorable thing happened last night...The little girls came in and whispered in my ear asking me to wake them up early so they could make breakfast and a little card for their Daddy ~ they asked their Daddy to sleep in a little so they could get up and do something tasty for him ~ then they turned back to me and whispered, "We need to be up early, so can you wake us up at 10:00?"   I just had to giggle ~ sweet little things!!!

Well, I've probably taken away enough time from this adorable man of mine...so I'm going to go back to doting on him and try to sneak in a few safe ideas for that much desired adrenaline fix he simply must have in life; wonder if he'll buy any of them???  Good thing I love him so much or I'd have to hurt him!!!

Seattle!

If all of our kiddos were grown, I'd be strongly considering spending a few months living here!

Chad and I had so much fun.  Granted it was only about 24 hours worth of fun in this amazing city...but I will take what I can get!

We arrived Friday evening and had dinner in the Space Needle...

the view--nothing short of breathtaking!
The spinning dining room gave a feeling I hadn't expected ~ but after a few minutes I was oriented and all was okay in my little world!

Looking out over the city, I was quite sure I would NEVER want to live in a place as busy as this...
but it was so intriguing to witness...
I will say, I still feel that I could never live in place this busy (at least not while raising kiddos),
BUT...

after spending Saturday enjoying what this city had to offer,
I could be convinced to visit long term
(again, only if my kiddos weren't little people...not the place I'd want to be raising them). 
My one requirement would be that I live downtown within walking distance of Pikes Place Market and the Pier. 
No desire to have to drive anywhere or to have to attempt parking once I had driven. 

The market was charming beyond description! 

I've never in my life seen veggies and fruit and cheeses that I could say I felt excited about. 
I even had to photograph them...
that's how much in love I was with this produce! 
I know, I'm a little off my rocker, you'd have had to be there to appreciate it!

The one experience I could have done without, actually occurred as I was snappin' photos of that amazing produce. 
This "guy", all I can recall of him was that he had dark hair, dark eyes, a powerful voice and he stood a good shoulder and head above me...anyway, he came up and said, "Hey, you can't be taking pictures..."  I must have looked a little shocked and he told me he was just joking. 
Okay...dumb joke!
Then!
He asks me a question that stumps me...
"How do you get a cougar off your front porch?" 
Well, I am clueless as to what this man is saying to me. 
All I can think is why would a cougar be on your front porch. 
And if there is one there, stay inside!!!! 
Well, this is what he says next...
"Offer to buy her a pizza and invite her in." 

Yep, you go it...

I stood there with a blank look on my face...

I'm still thinking that we are talking about an animal and wondering why on earth a cougar would be sitting on your front porch. 
Then all of a sudden,
I realize this guy is picking up on me, and I might add in a VERY RUDE sort of manner. 
I must have given him my shocked look, he kindly touched my shoulder and apologized. 
I ran back up to my hubby and stayed quite close to his side the remainder of my time there!

Not sure I could handle something like that again. 
I've not had that kind of experience in sooooo many years! 
And I really didn't even know what to think or how to handle it.
I told my hubby about it and he just smiled and held my hand, I think he was laughing inside, but didn't want me to see it.  I'm a little slow sometimes.
Anyway..moving on...

Here are some of my yummy produce photos...I hope you love them as much as I did! 

Check out the garlic...BIGGEST garlic I've ever seen!!!

That is the coolest cauliflower ever!!!

Why have I never seen these things?

Different colored carrots and giant sized radishes...I just cannot get enough of this place!

Can you see the price tag on these amazing bouquets???

$10!

I could not believe my eyes!

The most beautiful flowers...

How I wanted to buy up bundles of them...

but they would never have survived our long drive home...

so photos would just have to suffice!

My other favorite place in the market was this sweet little Chinese Man...
ADORABLE!

He was an artisan...JEWELRY...

Chad saw his work while I was off on my little picture taking adventure.

Well, Chad loved his work and wanted me to come home with something "Special",

so I am now the very happy owner of a beautiful, unique, one of a kind bracelet.

I was sold as I listened to this sweet man speak...

I kinda have something for the Chinese ~

I'm thinking it must have something to do with such wonderful experiences with Accupuncture.

I know, once again, I'm a little strange, but this man was adorable.

I think that if he had just been any old person, I may not have been as drawn to his work. 

But he just had such a sweet little way about him.

He worked and molded the bracelet and as he did, he put it on and said,

"Oh, look it was made just for you, perfect fit...copper good for you...look good on you..."

I just loved him and walked away with a little something to have as a reminder of my splendid weekend in Seattle.

Well, after our wonderful little time in the market, we went on a CRUISE!!!!

It was only a 2 hour cruise, but it was oh so beautiful!!  It was called the Locks Cruise...quite interesting...

we traveled

 (hmmm.what do you call it when you are traveling on water??? 

we didn't actually sail since we weren't on a sailboat...

I guess we cruised through the water...

sounds good to me)

So, we cruised through the Seattle area checking out all the sites...

I thought we were on a fairly large "ship"? 

Boy, I should have done a little more thinking before writing about all of this.

Anyway, as I was saying,

I thought our ship was fairly large,

but in all actuality we were mighty shrimpy comparatively speaking.

It was Fascinating to see all the huge ships and the sailboats and the house boats. 

Oh how I loved the houseboats...

so charming!

I really wanted to just jump on board one and check it out. 

Instead I just admired them from my ship. 

 Don't you like that, "my ship"? 

I took so many photos,

but I loved the way the sunshine shimmers on the water with the landscape of the city behind. 

I simply cannot wait to visit somewhere, anywhere again. 

I am finding that it doesn't matter where we go,

I am always fascinated and intrigued by the newness that each location offers.

I'm pretty easy to please...we've only traveled a very few times...

I never felt I could leave all our kids, I am too busy being the Momma.

It feels like such a treat to be able to leave for a weekend with my hubby and not worry about our kiddos (okay I did worry about them, but I knew they were okay)

The point being, it's just a good thing to be able to have a little time away, to run around having a good time, being crazy, doing anything you wish, and not having to worry about watching and making sure everyone is safe and sound and accounted for and not wandered off somewhere lost.

But no matter if my kiddos are there or not, I find I am always drawn to things that make kids smile...

I cannot pass by a carousel

without wishing to jump on and find the most magnificent horse to hoist myself upon. 

I love the lights, the music, the joy...

I feel just like a little child...giddy with excitement!

I think I need to have a date with Sleepless in Seattle...

it might just become my favorite movie!

So happy to have had this time in Seattle...LOVED EVERY SINGLE MOMENT!!!