BIRTHDAY WEEK

After getting the party started last Friday with Teresa, Debi, Vanessa and Alexis, it continued on for an entire week.  Jay came home from hunting on Saturday so I was glad I got to spend a couple of days catching up on life with my sweetie pie.

Roy stopped by and stayed at the Tully's Bed and Breakfast on his way up north to Puyallup.  After fixing him breakfast (sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, english muffin and coffee) he was on his way to Puyallup WA.

My baby sister Carol also stayed at the Bed and Breakfast Sunday night.  We headed up north on Monday.  Our first stop was Ivars on the Seattle waterfront for lunch. 

Then we shopped and shopped at the Pike Place Market (I love this place).  Our afternoon continued as we had coffee at the flagship Starbucks store.  We headed south to Tacoma and shopped at the Brown and Haley factory outlet store (can you say yummy to almond roca?).  Andi cooked a wonderful dinner for us. 

We started with wine and a wonderful appetizer with cream cheese, sun dried tomatoes and pesto with crackers.  Salad, pasta with tomatoes, red pepper, onions, cheese and other wonderful goodies, steamed broccoli.  Brownies for dessert.  We stayed long enough to watch Dancing with the Stars with her before heading down to Olympia to stay at the Governor Hotel for the night.  It was great visiting with Andi, Lucy and Whitney (Clark's cousin).  Clark was working late (election is just in a few days) so he is extremely busy.

Tuesday morning was a lazy sleep in day.  A quick but hearty breakfast at the hotel restaurant (ham, eggs, pancakes, fresh fruit, juice, coffee) before heading out for the day.  We had a lovely drive around the capitol town of Olympia which is beautiful in fall, the leaves were wonderful colors of yellow, orange, red, brown, green.  Capitol Lake was beautiful and Tumwater Falls was a site not to be missed.  I cannot believe I have lived in the NW my entire life and have not even begun to see all that there is to enjoy.

Next was shopping at the Goodwill store in Centralia and the outlet stores (Nike, Coach, Eddie Bauer, Bath and Body Works).  On the way back to Portland we stopped in Vancouver for dinner at Joe's Crab Shack.  Neither Carol or I had ever  been there.  It was a lot of fun and oh so yummy.

When we returned to the bed and breakfast, Carol and I played beauty parlor.  We colored Carol's hair a beautiful shade of brown with lots of highlights.  She looks at least 10 years younger and my children are wondering why I cannot do this for myself.

Wednesday morning was Carol's birthday, so off to Clamity Jae's for a chicken fried steak, eggs, hashbrowns, english muffin and coffee breakfast.  No wonder I cannot lose even one single pound.  I love to eat and it shows!

Thursday was a day to catch up laundry and get refreshed.  I also got a surprise visit from my favorite granddaughter in the afternoon.

Friday, happy birthday to me.  Jay and Rod took me to one of my favorite places, Good Taste, for SUPER BOWL!  Can I just say YUM?  You will just have to go there to see for yourself.  A super bowl indeed - won ton soup with baby bok choy, egg noodles, roast pork, bbq pork, roast duck, green onions and the best soup you have ever had.  After puttering around the house while Jay cut the grass, I ended the day going to the movies with my friend Cheryl.  We saw LIFE AS WE KNOW IT. 

A good birthday indeed.

GIRLS NIGHT!

The girls, Teresa Sciaccotti, Debi Sallak, Vanessa, Alexis and I got together last night to celebrate Debi's and my birthday a week early.  Let the celebration begin lasting a week to a month?  Great drinks and food and most of all great company.  We had a wonderful time chatting and catching up.  Our host, Vanessa was wonderful!  I love that girl!

EAT PRAY LOVE

I read the book quite some time ago and finally went to see the movie, EAT PRAY LOVE.  Julia Roberts was wonderful, as usual.  I recommend both the book and the movie to see a woman on a journey of finding herself.

GOOD TO BE HOME

Bryan, Alexis and I went on a road trip to our cabin in Crescent, OR.  Bryan wanted to get a load of wood to get ready for winter.  They heat their home with a woodstove so wanted to make sure he was stocked up.  Sunday we hit the road - over Mt. Hood - stopped at Sonic in Madras - through Redmond, Bend, Sunriver, LaPine, Gilchrist and finally made it to Crescent.  We were greeted by Papa Jay and Rod Smith and a wonderful campfire.  Papa Jay has been up at the property hunting deer, bear, cougar and elk.

We spent the day Monday cutting the wood and stacking it in the utility trailer to bring home.  Alexis and I were the supervisors of this outing.  The weather was very cold at night, but beautiful and sunny during the day.  Alexis loves the outdoors.  She is quite a camper and cannot wait to go back.

Her mommy, Vanessa, severely missed her two sweetie pies and was glad for us to come back on Tuesday.

Alexis was loving the car ride as well as eating "Chicken in a Biscuit" crackers with her daddy.  We made it home safely after a few stops for diaper changes and lunch.

G-Ninnie Wednesday and Thursday

How lucky am I?  I got to have play dates with my granddaughter on Wednesday and Thursday this week because her Papa Michael decided to go on a fishing trip at the Metolius.  Hope he has fun and catches lots of fish.  A time for rest and relaxation.

Little miss Alexis is now crawling, scooting and rolling all around the floor now.  She is eating rice cereal and all kinds of fruits and veggies.  What a cutie pie.  She is saying baba, mama and has a monkey scream perfected!

Alexis is getting ready for Halloween and has many costumes to wear before the big day!  Isn't she scary?  Looks like we need to feed her more, she looks like just skin and bones!

JAY'S ADVENTURE

Jay left last week to go to our property in Crescent.  Deer hunting season in Oregon opened October 2.  He has seen many deer but not quite got the perfect shot.  They were caught roaming about the property and even seen eating some snacks along the way.  I heard they like apples.  There was also a BIG bear rummaging around his truck and trailer last week in the middle of the night, but unfortunately his guns were in the truck!

I am hoping I will have some pictures to share of his hunting adventures when he returns home.  He will also spend some time working on the property, getting some wood to bring home and mostly just enjoying the outdoors, which makes him pretty darn happy.

PUNKIN HEAD

Yesterday was G-Ninnie Wednesday of course.  You know how much I look forward to my play date with my granddaughter.  Since my last post she has learned how to crawl, scoot and get around really fast to get her toys or anything else that catches her eye.  If she wants it, she is motivated to get it.

After her morning naps, we decided to go for a walk in her little red wagon to the park and play.  It was a really nice fall day - the high was 80 for the afternoon.  The weather forecast is for rain this coming weekend.

Now you tell me how can you not fall in love with this cutie pie!  She is growing so fast, so I am grateful and honored that I can be a part of her life every week.  I love every minute and my heart is just bursting!