Long Lake, WA


i'm back! i've ignored this little place all month. honestly, it's been kind of nice.

it's been a very busy month for us - - vacation, moving alison to college, back-to-school for madison and 2 weeks of training in virginia for lawman.  for me, that has meant lots of organization has been required in order to get everyone where they needed to go, with all that they needed, and in a timely fashion.

shall we get you up to speed? vacation was a week in and near spokane, wa visiting family - - parents & siblings. we loved that we got to spend 4 nights with lawman's sister. she and her family live on long lake. what a beautiful place. lots of good times were had, memories made and plans to get together again.

when we returned home, we had just one week to finish preparing to move alison to college. what a lot of work! a blog friend told me months ago that it would take $500 to get her into her dorm room. she wasn't kidding! thank heavens for coupons for bed bath & beyond. i've become a frequent customer! as a matter of fact, i'll be going there today with alison for what i hope to be one last purchase for dorm decorating items!

alison is happy as a clam with campus life! she went through sorority recruitment and pledged a house. she's got a great roommate and absolutely loves her suitemates; it's as if they've been friends their whole life! and, one of them pledged the same house she did so they will now be sister's forever. the one drawback to college life is that lawman and i have been bleeding money for 2 weeks! someone get a band-aid! for all you moms/dads out there who plan to send kids to college someday, plan early otherwise you will find yourself stressed to the hilt and your student saddled in debt. not good. (that is not the situation we are in; thank heavens!)

madison is back at the high school and so far so good. she's looking forward to football season, which officially begins next friday evening, and performing at half-time with the dance team. they've got some new uniform pieces and hair accessories which are very, very cute! she does miss her sister though. i knew that would be a big adjustment but they've been quite good about keeping in touch via texting! it's great to have such an easy way to keep in touch with the college girl.

lawman is in virginia for 2 weeks for training. what an experience! earthquake early this week and a text from him early this morning said "it's here!," meaning hurriane irene had made her presence. he's currently in lockdown until tomorrow. hope everyone weathers the storm out safely.

as for me, i've been busy just trying to keep all my ducks in a row. i have been sure to allow myself some time in the evening for reading. i so need that.

hope you're all doing well and i'll try to keep this spot a little more current in the coming weeks.

it was so worth it, part 2

Lawman and I have agreed that this vacation was probably the most relaxing vacation we've ever had. We're convinced it is due to the ages of our girls -- 17 and 14 (as of today).


We had asked the girls what they would want to do once we arrived at our destination.  They looked at each other and then at us and said, "Duh. Lay on the beach."  That thought had crossed our mind because it's so obvious but one never knows with children. Past vacations had included a lot of entertaining activities -- zoos, science centers, museums, etc. Lawman and I were thrilled to think that this vacation would be different than all the others we had taken.  Turns out, it was.


Our first full day in Florida brought blue skies and lots of sunshine. We found ourselves at the beach, slathered in sunscreen by 11:00.  Between spending time in the ocean, reading and people watching we had killed 2 hours before we knew it. Lunch was a quick bite at the condo followed by a couple of hours at the pool (salt water). And more slathering of sunscreen. By 4:00 we were back in the condo for snacks and showers and some quiet time. This became our routine nearly everyday with the exception of one.


The day that was the exception included a dolphin watching cruise which introduced us to those two lovely creatures in the photo above. We spent an hour and a half on a boat with a very knowledgable guide, Captain Mark. Captain Mark shared information with us about ocean wildlife and history of the area. Quite interesting. We saw 9 dolphins (one of which was a 3 mo. old baby), 3 manatees and lots of birds. There is a small island in the causeway that is a bird sanctuary. There are hundreds of birds including pelicans and osprey. Lucky for us it was baby season. Lots of newbies in the nests with nothing but fuzz rather than feathers and we even got to watch them being fed by their mamas.


Our evenings typically included dinner out followed by a walk on the beach and watching the sunset. When we returned at the condo we shared icecream cones on our balcony while we revisted the events of the day.  Shortly after that we all found our way to our rooms for some reading time. Another perfect day.


...to be continued...


Part 1

it was so worth it

This trip has been on our list of "to do's" for a long time. Like at least 14 years long. We've always wanted to be sure that we, the parents, were the ones that exposed our girls to the ocean for the first time. Not sure why we felt it was so important other than it is something one can not experience in the heartland of America where we live.

There is something special about being at the ocean.....the vastness of it, the sound of the crashing waves, the feeling of the sand between your toes, the beauty of God's creation.

We arrived in Treasure Island, Florida on Friday afternoon. We checked in to our condo, changed clothes and headed to the nearest grocery store (another story for another day). After stocking our fridge, we asked the desk clerk for a local spot for dinner. She pointed us to Sloppy Joe's where Lawman and I both ordered the grouper sandwich (what the area is famous for) and it did not disappoint. From our table we were able to watch the sun set. Amazing how quickly that occurs; something I don't think one notices unless you just sit and watch.  It was beautiful....a big fiery ball approaching the horizon and then suddenly disappearing.

After dinner we walked to the beach.  The look on our girls' faces when they stuck their toes in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time made the entire trip worth the effort and the cost. The big smiles, the anxiety of stepping in with the "creatures," and watching them take in the size of it all was all that I had hoped it would be and then some. The laughter between the two of them was joy to my ears.

...to be continued...

We made it to the sand and sun. We're playing the role of the tourists this week. And loving it!

summer....it's very nearly here

I'm still here. Just incredibly busy. Our calendar is full with year end school activities, graduations, parties, finishing up work related projects and packing. Yes, packing. (I haven't started yet but I need to get on it very shortly.) We're headed out of Dodge next week for some fun in the sun. So, given that there is no wiggle room in my schedule at the moment, posting may be a bit sporadic.

See y'all real soon.

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine

Photo Credit

We're Baaack from Vacation

Hello again. I've missed you all this week. I can't tell you how nice it has been to disconnect from reality. Honestly, it made me consider if I want to continue my blog. I enjoy sharing bits and pieces of life here with you all but sometimes it feels like "one more thing to do." Eliminating it from my to do list the past week was so freeing. I've got ideas for new posts so I know I'll continue. Besides, I couldn't eliminate my connection with you, my blog world friends!

Much to share.

First, no pictures. I've got issues. Computer issues. (Other issues too but I don't need to tell everything, right?) Our memory is nearly at full capacity which means I need to save our last year of photos to CD ~ I don't have any blank CD's and I don't want to go buy any so that means until I get this taken care of, I can't download any new photos to share. Sorry. Stay with me though and I'll have more up soon I hope. This week will be a busy one with enrollment and the first day of school.

Vacation started out a bit rough. Alison and I both had sinus infections so we were home for a couple of days while Lawman and Madison went camping/boating with friends. All I can say is thank heavens for antibiotics and the day that they kicked in!


We packed our bags and headed out of town as planned. Had a great time with our friends at Lake of the Ozarks. Lots of boating, floating, reading, sunning. Eat, sleep and repeat again and again. I managed to read one book in its entirety ~ The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingslover. I read her Animal, Vegetable, Miracle last year on vacation but hadn't read any of her fiction. I really enjoyed it.


The lake was gorgeous. And BIG. And the houses? Oh my word! I can't imagine what some people must do for a living in order to have a multi-million dollar vacation home. I personally found the older homes built in the late 60's and 70's to be the most charming. They looked like what a lake cabin should be. We did notice that there were alot of homes for sale. More than the last time we were there 4 years ago. I'm sure the economic downturn is the reason why.


On our last day there we visited Ha Ha Tonka. A beautiful place. We docked the boat and hiked up the 1/2 mile trail to see the remains of the castle, stables and water tower. There's another route to take besides the trail -- 216 steps. We did that route last time. We were hot after the hike so we found a place to anchor near the spring. We swam over to the side of the lake where you can exit and then enter into the spring and let the current carry you out to the lake (it isn't very far). The spring water is C.O.L.D. A constant 55 degrees. I sure felt cool after that little dip! It made the lake water feel like a hot tub. As I was being carried out to the lake I thought to myself, "This is what it must feel like to be packed in a bathtub full of ice."


Since returning home we've managed to pack in a couple more fun vacation activities ~ G.I. Joe and a water park. Lawman loved the movie; he's the reason we went. As for the water park? I had more fun than anyone else. I took the girls there 2 years ago and they loved it. Today it was "too little kid." I guess I'm of the age where I don't mind acting like a kid. Note to self: It's not cool when you're a teenager.

Warning: Weekend Behavior Could Be Addicting

Two weeks in a row. Does that constitute an addiction? Our last 2 weekends have been spent on the water. I'm not kidding when I tell you that it could be addicting. A boat. Good friends. Fun in the sun. Incredible weather. Making memories. What more could you ask for?

If I'm absent this week, it's due to Vacation Bible School. I'll be teaching in the crafts room each night this week.

Weekend at a Glance

If a picture is worth a thousand words, these photos speak volumes about the kind of weekend we had. The kind I'd like to repeat on a regular basis.

Open Mine Eyes

B3 spent a couple of days with a family from our church. A large family. There are ten children living at home between the ages of just a few months to 16. Quite different from our home of two children. Lawman and I told her that things in Irma's (her friend) house were probably done quite differently than they were in our home due to the number of family members. We asked her to be helpful whenever possible as we were sure that each child had a 'job' to do. Here's a synopsis of our conversation on Saturday night at bedtime.

Me - "Please be helpful when possible or if you are asked. Whatever Irma's job is, you help her if you can."

B3 - "I will. I always do what you ask me to do."

Me - "Yes you do. However, there are times where I have to ask more than once."

B3 - "So. I still do them."

Me - "Yes you do. I would imagine that the jobs in Irma's house are such that if they aren't done when expected that it may have a direct effect in how the family functions meaning that others are depending on them to be responsible."

Lawman and I were pretty sure that this little trip would be a real eye-opener for her.

Sure enough. We were right.

B3 returned home last night. I asked how things went.

B3 - "You wouldn't believe all the things that those kids have to do."

Me - "Really. Tell me. Is it more than what we ask of you at home?"

B3 - "Yeah." (Wish I could get her voice inflection here.) " Lizzy has to cook breakfast for everyone and it's not a bowl of cereal and toast. It's baked goods and things that require cooking."

Me - "Really. So would you like to do that at our house?" (I'm thinking to myself, "Wow. I'm not sure that I'd want that responsibility.")

B3 - "NO."

She went on to share a few other details about her stay and I politely listened. I didn't ask too many questions as sometimes that backfires and I don't get near the amount of information I'd like.

After dinner I was sorting some paperwork in the kitchen and B3 asked if I had a cookbook of just breakfast foods. I don't have such a cookbook but I found a couple that had a nice selection of baked goods and breakfast style dishes for her to look at. (My thoughts were, "Hmm. Wonder what this is about?")

After she'd spent some time thoroughly reading through them she asked me if I had several of the ingredients in the pantry. If I didn't have something that was called for, she'd keep reading recipes, find another one that interested her and ask again. After about 30 minutes she announced that she'd be doing some baking this weekend. She'd like to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Breakfast Cookies. OK by me, great idea!

Yep. It was a good trip.

A Strange Thing Happened (on vacation)

Lawman and I did what some might consider a strange thing on our vacation. However, we do this just about every time we're in this particular place.

We went to a grocery store.

Yes, you read that right. A grocery store. And, not just one but two. Yes, here and here.

However, they're not your typical grocery stores. Ok, maybe it is for some of you depending upon where you live but compared to what we have available for food shopping, it's anything but typical.

As a matter of fact, in my opinion, it's out of this world! If I had access to this kind of place, our grocery budget would have to grow. There was so many unusual things available.

You see, my grocery stores have the standard mix of food -- dairy, produce, meat counter, deli counter and rows and rows of boxed and canned items. And a small, teeny, tiny section of organic products. Huckleberry's and The Rocket had a multitude of products I'd never seen. Kefir - I'd read about it on several blogs but had never seen it. Some I'd never heard of - black bean flakes. What do you do with them? (If you know, please tell me.) And talk about gourmet spreads and ready-made salads. I could have had a feast right there in the aisle.

There were so many varieties of beans, grains and spices available in bulk. I probably looked like a kid in a candy store as I walked up and down the aisles.

If there's anyone out there reading this that has access to such stores on a regular basis I'd love to hear from you. Do you do all of your shopping at such stores? Purchase only select items there?

Now that I've returned home and had to go to my ever-so-mundane grocery store to gather food for my family, I've decided that next time I visit I will pack an extra carry-on bag that I will fill to the brim with these unique food items and bring them home with me.

Home Again

All good things must come to an end, right? We did have us some fun though. The photo above is from an indoor waterpark in Idaho. We all had a great time. Nothing like cuttin' loose in a swimsuit and barreling down darkened tubes at high rates of speed only to be dumped out into a large pool of water!

Lawman returned to work today and I will too if working on the homefront counts. I'll be using my day to do laundry, put away the suitcases and do some food prep for the coming week. I'll be returning to the office on Monday.

Gotta run. Duty calls.

On Vacation...at Home

Since finishing the painting of our bedroom on Friday and getting it back in order yesterday morning, Lawman and I have pretty much been on vacation. The funny thing is, we're home. With the girls out of the house this weekend, we decided to give ourselves a mini-vacation without traveling anywhere. It's been quite nice.

We went to a movie late yesterday afternoon. We saw 21. Lawman and I would both give it a thumbs-up. It's based on a true story which is probably what makes it so interesting. Sometimes real life consists of better stories than what some script writer could make up. And let me just say that I could never do in Vegas what these kids do; my brain isn't wired like theirs.

After the movie, we went to a little deli for a quick dinner. It's the tiniest of places but the food and atmosphere are great. Then we met friends for cocktails downtown. It was a good night and we were home by 9:30. How's that for a vacation schedule?

This morning was very relaxed. It's a grey day outside so we stayed in and watched CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood; one of my absolute favorite shows. I only wish I was able to watch it each week. They always have such an eclectic mix of subjects....this morning it was food, R.E.M. (love them), art, Spanx undergarments and baseball. See what I mean by quite the mix of subjects?

By this time it was definitely time for breakfast. We could hardly hear the tv over the tummy rumblings. We decided to venture downtown for breakfast. To the Friendly Cooker - - our local cafe. Now let me just say that what I'm about to tell you is almost embarassing for me to admit. The last time we ate here was at least 8 or 9 years ago. That's right. And we're in a town with very few choices for eating establishments, especially for breakfast unless you want an Egg McMuffin or a Sonic Breakfast Burrito. Get the picture?

Why so long since we'd eaten here you ask? Well, our oldest daughter got food poisoning there on the last trip. That's why. After that ordeal I wasn't overly enthusiastic about going again. And neither was she.

But Lawman and I were feeling particularly adventurous this morning so we decided to go out on a limb. And let me just say that we're glad we did. We both had the "Cooker Scrambler" and it was tasty; not low in calories or fat but it sure hit the spot. Eggs, ham, cheese and veggies scrambled together and served with hashbrowns, toast or biscuit. With drinks our total was $14. Pretty reasonable we thought. And much better than the other options available in town. We even went so far as to check out the dinner menu. Why you can get 2 pieces of fried chicken with potatoes and veggies for nearly the same price as a biggie size value mean from the golden arches. Hello....which sounds better to you? I think we'll have to take the girls to the Cooker for dinner sometime soon.

And to my local girlfriends let me just say that I know you'll find it hard to believe that it has been so long since I'd eaten at the Cooker and I don't want to hear about it. Admitting this in front of the entire internet community (which is maybe at least 5 in my case) is enough embarassment for me. Thank you very much.

Friendly Cooker, I'll be calling for reservations. Oh, that's right, none needed.