Where do I begin

April 22?? That's the last blog post, heck I better do something QUICKSMART or I am going to loose my dozens of fans....

I actually have approximately a bazzillion photos at home but in an effort to get a post up I'm using iphone pictures only today....its been really really busy friends. 

First - WOAH.  The tulips this year were lovely, though late.  I broke with tradition and actually went twice.  Once with Tadpole and his Mom who was on vacay - and then again the other weekend with Mr Big, Ronnie and Tadpole.  What a terrifically fun day!  First we went and picked up Ronnie and Tadpole.  Sadly the pickup took alot longer than expected because 1.  It was the first dry, sunshiney day in a long long time 2.  The tulip fest is very popular 3. The whole of King County decided to go.  What usually is about 30 minutes turned into 1 and a half hours.  But we are fortunate.  We have great friends.  They know we hate traffic.  And they have alcohol....yes yes yes - I know its not seemly to drink at 1 in the afternoon.  But when Tadpole thrusted a frosty gin and lemonade into my hand as we landed at Castle Marks (it was disguised as a 7UP bottle)...I did not shoo him away.  Neigh dear reader, I chugged that adult beverage like a woman without a drink in the Sahara desert.  Needless to say this put Feefee is a fluffier mood almost immediately, perfect for driving around in the Gleemobile looking at flowers...note evidence of fluffy mood in the DOUBLE tooth cheesy grin that ensued...

 Me and my sweetie

 Me and Tadpole at Tulip Town

 Me and Ronnie...same place

somehow during the tuliptown hilarity (a native American Indian gentleman yelling "move it Paki" to an Indian gentleman taking photos of his family in the fields.....Ron grasping tulips between his teeth....Tadpole LAYING DOWN in the fields (photo on the camera,,,I will publish at a later date)....and many more fun things to numerous to mention)....Mr Big was accused of being a hater.  Of Kites.  By Tad and Ron.  Course he couldn't be labelled as such and went missing for 15 minutes.  Upon his return...

I think in this picture he is shrieking "I'M NOT A KITE HATER"

I believe you darling.  You love kites.

Can you guess the next stop?

Kite flying...at Padilla Beach (via the gas station to pick up boxed wine)

Soon after these beauties got airborne they got into a weird spiral dance whizzing around each other to the point of almost crashing...15 minutes of untangling and they were free to fly again.  Gary, though possessing the brute strength of 17 men somehow could not hold onto the reel and his newly purchase kite sailed off into the bay....thank you Tadpole for ruining your new shoes and rescuing said kite.

The day culminated with a trip to the corner for the worlds greatest wingsies.  Good times.

Fast forward to last Friday night.  I am so fortunate to have married a man with an incredible family.  Its not often that you can have in-laws like I do...and this past Friday we got together to celebrate 25 years of marriage for Mike and Teresa.  It was beautifully organized by my other sister in law Mindy and a complete surprise for Mike and Teresa...they even had their original wedding video (long since lost and rediscovered in a friends basement).  It was spesh.  I don't know why but I was being really silly that evening and took lots of bad pictures...here is a speckling...

This one is kind of like a Seurat Painting

Its me and Mindaroo.

I interrupted a convo Teresa was having with another guest to snap this award winning photo

and here are three lovelies - Teresas daughter Mackenzie (isnt she beautiful), Gary's brother Dan (love him) and one of my top 10, Miss Evelyn. 

Evelyn really fancied a bloody mary.  She's 85.  She deserves a bloody mary.  We ordered one for her and it came cram packed full of all manner of veggies including celery and green beans.  Only trouble is it was in an ENORMOUS glass, challenging for anyone to lift.  As soon as she lifted it to take a sip a green bean did a triple flip out of the glass and onto the floor.  Fortunately Evelyn, like many of us is a 30 second person - here she is wiping off her bean...

Waste not, want not.

Saturday was spent watching 12 hours of footage of William and Kate's wedding.  So sweet.  Then a surprise visit from Mr Tadpole...we went to the garden center (yes, in Santa's little helper t-shirt) - I look so comfortable behind the trolley and its because, I am.  I love me some Lowes time

to purchase a vine for the trellis and found an INcredible clematis

and...A WONDERFUL SEEDARIUM for hungry birds

course we have all been on high alert for feasting birds.  It was very fun to do the following:

Me:  Honey - did you see the bird on the feeder

Mr Big:  Dang it, I missed it - what kind of bird was it?

Me: A bald eagle

Mr Big: Huh?

I'm so glad he gets me.  

oh, and just to brighten your day...look who brightened mine yesterday.  None other than Mr Ollie.  Love you Ollie

S.O.S

I am excited.  Very excited, as excited and happy as I am in this picture (thats me on the right hand side with my sissy Shona and my Mum circa 1974/75)

Its not very often I get visits from my beautiful family members (NZ side) but for the second time my Mum and Step Dad are coming AND as an added bonus my lovely step sissy Dee is also coming to visit! YES! Its 19 weeks away and I am in FULL excel spreadsheet/planning/panic mode.

First problem challenge
Mum dosent scale the stairs very well and we have one and a half flights to get to the boudair section so we have to set them up in the office.  Thats not the challenge.  The challenge is that the office dosent have anywhere for them to put their clothes while they are here.  Any idears peoples?

Second problem challenge
Bathroom.  Namely - there is one.  While the fam is here that will mean that we will have 6 peeps for 1 loo/shower and when the girlies are home 8 peeps for 1 loo/shower.  I wonder how much a portaloo is?

Third problem challenge
15 days.  15 days available in their 45 day stay.  YEEK> I need your help.  Here is what the plan is so far ::

Wednesday 8/24/2011 Mom and John Arrive



Thursday 8/25/2011 Stanley Park Aquarium/La Conner for lunch/Home


Friday 8/26/2011 Rest Day


Saturday 8/27/2011 SURPRISE IN Leavenworth


Sunday 8/28/2011 ***NO PLAN


Monday 8/29/2011 ***NO PLAN



Tuesday 8/30/2011 ***NO PLAN



Wednesday 8/31/2011 ***NO PLAN



Thursday 9/1/2011 Zoo visit


Friday 9/2/2011 Rest Day


Saturday 9/3/2011 Port Townsend Tour


Sunday 9/4/2011 Olympic National Game Park


Monday 9/5/2011 Denise Arrives/Pike Place Market/Dim Sum/Underground Tour


Tuesday 9/6/2011 Portland


Wednesday 9/7/2011 Portland


Thursday 9/8/2011 Mt Rainier Drive


Friday 9/9/2011 ***NO PLAN



Saturday 9/10/2011 ***NO PLAN



Sunday 9/11/2011 ***NO PLAN



Monday 9/12/2011 ***NO PLAN



Tuesday 9/13/2011 ***NO PLAN



Wednesday 9/14/2011 Rest Day


Thursday 9/15/2011 Fremont/Theos Chocolate Tour/Ballard and Ballard Locks/Paseos


Friday 9/16/2011 Birthday Festivus 


Saturday 9/17/2011 Birthday Festivus


Sunday 9/18/2011 Saint Demetrios Greek Festival 12-7


Monday 9/19/2011 Rest Day


Tuesday 9/20/2011 ***NO PLAN



Wednesday 9/21/2011 ***NO PLAN



Thursday 9/22/2011 Eastern Washington


Friday 9/23/2011 Grand Coulee Dam


Saturday 9/24/2011 Eastern Washington


Sunday 9/25/2011  ***NO PLAN



Monday 9/26/2011 Mariners vs. the Hated Oakland A's


Tuesday 9/27/2011 Rest Day


Wednesday 9/28/2011 ***NO PLAN



Thursday 9/29/2011 EMP and Duck


Friday 9/30/2011 Woodinville Wineries


Saturday 10/1/2011 Kangaroo Farm and skagit wineries


Sunday 10/2/2011 Salmon Days


Monday 10/3/2011 ***NO PLAN



Tuesday 10/4/2011 ***NO PLAN



Wednesday 10/5/2011 Rest Day


Thursday 10/6/2011 Buchart Gardens/Victoria


Friday 10/7/2011 Mom And John Leave

See all those ***NO PLAN days....most of those days I am working so they will be at home with access only to the bus to get them about.  Any thoughts???

Catch up

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am going an online course "Soul Restoration" ?  Well here is week twos accomplishments.  Ive been really enjoying the process and feel somewhat lighter through the exercises they suggest you do

This weeks task was to get in touch with your truthteller and this is symbolized by a bird in the artwork

Here are my bits

As well as working on these pieces last week there was some VERY strange weather which I was lucky enough to capture via iphone:

I didnt see it till I took a second look but you are right Faith, this does look like a giant pink arse!  When I took this photo I wasnt sure whether I should be pausing to marvel at nature OR turn the car around and speed away from it.  This front brought incredible heavy rain and hail but when you looked to the left it was bright and sunny...kind of a metaphor for life ay?  Sometimes when we turn our focus away from the storm there is calmness and beauty "just to the left"

Speaking of beauty - the daffodils are out and the tulips are trying their hardest to follow suit.  My dear friend Tadpole had his Mom in town from Wisconsin so we decided to brave the freezing weather and head out into the fields

after all that chilliness and exercise it was time for an adult beverage at one of our favorite boutique wineries - Carpenter Creek

in between times we went to La Conner and mooched around the shops for a while - and we found this amazing ring for only $6 AND, miracles - it fits my sausage sized fingers

pretty fun huh!

Nice Girl Notes

Have I ever mentioned to you that I sometimes am a blog stalker?  One of the blogs I adore is that of this wonderful woman http://www.nicegirlnotes.com/
Check out this hilarious snippet of her writing (she is describing being new to America having immigrated from the Phillipinnes:

I walked onto the playground one crisp spring morning, ready for another day of third grade to begin. It was shaping up to be a banner day. I got new sneakers the weekend before, and traded out the plain white shoelaces for some wide purple ones with metallic silver threading. It was going to be a ‘very cool’ day.


Until these words escaped my mouth: “Oh yeah, before my family moved into our house, we lived in a condom.”

Right, condom. I know I meant condo. You know I meant condo. But I said condom. Why? Because I had just a conversation with my mom that went like this:

Me: What’s a condom? (I heard this word at school. Boys had said it, and there was a lot of giggling.)

Mom: Condom is short for condominium. It’s like a house, but in a building.

Me: Oh, okay. Like our old house.

Mom: Like our old house.

Except a condom isn’t a diminutive of “condominium.” It’s a barrier method of birth control, oft used in conjunction with spermicide, so says my high school Health teacher. Regardless of my super sweet shoelace accessories, I was greeted with bursts of laughter everywhere I went that day. In fact, my misconception wasn’t cleared up until a few years later.

Me (present day): What’s the word for “condom” in the Philippines?

Mom: Condom.

Me: ….

Me: ….

Mom: What?

Me: Forget it.

Baby Animals

I have a love for baby animals.  I love petting zoos because everything there is usually tiny (including the kids).  Soooo in line with this Springtime is one of my favs.  Just look at these little gems. 

Happy day!

Eggs

With Easter fast approaching I have been scratching my head trying to work out what the heck to put in the peeps baskets.... Hailey left her eggies here at work....and I had paint...and time...so two eggsies are almost done, one more for number 3, Miss Dottie and all three peeps will have their own personalized ornaments

Life begins again

Beautiful, thank you Aurajoon

Brave Girl

This week was an interesting one, one of new beginnings even though I wasn't very consciously moving through my week with this in mind...

1.  Gary's Eldest is now permanently living with us
2.  I started a new schedule at work (4 x 10 hour days with Thurs, Sat, Sun off)
3.  I started an online workshop at www.bravegirlsclub.com

I think its perfect that all these things should be happening when you consider its springtime.  For me this has always been a time of new beginnings, of refreshing things, of starting over.

Elliott's a fabulous person but he has been going through more than a normal 16 year old should and I'm hoping that this change in living arrangements (and new school) will be a great new start for him.  So far its been such a joy having him with us - we will be getting into the flow of this properly this week with him officially starting his first full week at Everett High School so stay tuned.

My new schedule....those of you who know me well know that I'm not an early morning person.  I think in years gone by I might have actually lied and said I was, but really I'm not.  My ideal rise time is actually between 9 and 9.30 so believe me when I say that getting up at 5 effing 30.... is tough.  I'm feeling it a bit, but its not been as bad as I anticipated.  I think that it really helps that Gaz is there with me.  Mr Big IS a true morning person.  He has been getting up for years between 4:45am - 5am and never complains about it (he's such a trooper).  Normally when I have been getting up he is gone, and a little lonely with just me and the two pups.  Now its nice, the house is full - Gary, Elliott and the pups as I am fluffing around getting ready...and yesterday, my first Thursday off, was a delight.

Brave Girls Club was a site I stumbled across when I was blog stalking.  I don't even know whose blog I found it on but I loved it from the minute I found it.  They send inspirational "truth" notes on a daily basis which are incredible...just look at this from this morning

Dear Unique Girl,


Everyone has a different journey. So different, in fact, that new lessons can be learned every single day from each other's journeys. Your friend's journeys are different from yours. Your children's are different, too. Your parents also went on an entirely different journey than the one that is meant for you.

That is why it is so important not to compare, criticize, or complain. We often have the tendency to compare the worst of what we are living through with the best of what others are enjoying. Everyone has the exact path, with the exact battles and the exact joys that are meant for them. We all learn in different ways, and we can all learn so much from each other, too.


So, live YOUR life. Love YOUR life.

Make the most of YOUR life.

And whenever you have the chance to meet another fellow traveler along the road of life, lend a helping hand whenever you can. An encouraging smile or a kind word or two. Be happy when good things happen to others and show compassion when difficult things come along. Remind those you know that ALL of it is good. All of it.


All of it is meant for growth and our ultimate joy.

Keep being the fabulous YOU that YOU are.

What could be nicer?

Anyways, this week we worked on creating the cover and first 2 pages of our art journals which will illustrate the lessons we learn.  I've never decoupaged before and it was really fun to put it together.  This is the cover

The course is all about restoring your soul and recovering the original you, so I thought it was perfect to put the little girl on there - and of course,  who doesn't love a bird!  Then for the inside page

and the first project...

 which was to illustrate your "soul house".  There are also a bunch of journalling exercises that go along with this and unfortunatly I decided it would be a stellar idea to start these at work, in between calls.  They are quite deep reaching questions that really make you think about your life, your past... whats led you to this moment.  I found myself in tears on more than one question but its all good!

Moving on....I've discovered SKYPE thanks to my dear sissy in law Verna and we got to have our first conversation over the miles LOOKING at Verna, my dear sweet broski Alex and the worlds most yummy nephew Riley.  It was so fun to see Alex playing with Riley and to see them all laughing (Riley has the most musical laugh that you have to laugh with too), I cant wait to make another call to them soon and see them all again, and whats more, its free!!!

Well lovelies, time to get working.  May your weekend be blessed with every good thing
Fee
xx

Palos Verde and Terranea

HOT DOG this place was wonderful, a a touch cloudy when we got there...but OH the palm trees, the green grass...the 70 degree weather...the tease of a blue sky, and. GASP. The seeeeeea.....eye orgasam!

As if it couldnt get any better - suddenly no clouds (queue angelic choir singing).  Spectacular.

The sight of the ocean instantly lifts my spirits and makes sooo happy - lookie at the view.  No not a mill pond.  Friends, this is the pacific ocean.

This view is looking down towards "Nelsons" a bar and grill that we went to a few times at the resort.  If you find yourself there order a Bombay Sapphire Martini with olives and tell them to keep it coming till you pass out in your plate of loaded waffle fries....and then put you in a golf cart back to your casita.  Thats what a "friend" did.

Before you get carted off just wait for the sunset - and the dolpins frolicking

 

Somehow I was just in awe of the exterior of the hotel, its such a lovely shape, I loved the gentle curves of the roofing tiles, the beautiful tile work and all the gorgeous plants everywhere

and every night we came home there was a gift on the bed.  Here is the first nights "haul" gift certificates for a pair of Maui Jim Sunglasses (they had fitting stations set up the next day).  Also, because we had a rotten days worth of travel, they sent this lovely note and goodie tray to our room....how sweet!

Here's my winner AND the evidence of his mastery...

This is one of the ballrooms they set up ready for the awards ceremony....

YIP - thats a CAMERA MAN

Here's all the pretty awards, ready to be presented

***APPLAUSE*** (sending mental message to hubs...dont trip - dont trip - dont trip) ***WHOOOHOO** you didnt trip

YAY GARY ALLEN

This is one of TWO super screens that Mr Big was extra tall on

SO proud of you darling one

Mr Big

Dont worry, there will be more about California soon...I just havent had the time to sit at the computer to upload the pictures (theres like a bazillion photos to edit)...but meantime I would like to just say, Im lucky.  So lucky to be married to Mr Big

Youre the most incredible person Gary.  Thank you for taking such great care of me - i've never been so well cared for in my life and you make me feel like a princess every day.  Its the millions of tiny things you do so unconditionally that are so breathtaking.  We are nearing our 10th anniversary and it feels like we just met - but strangley like we've never been apart all at once.  Thank you for being such a spectacular human being.  I love you with all my heart!

California

We woke pretty early on Saturday morning - 5.30 to be precise.  It's incredible how blue the sky gets just prior to the sunrising.  It's like a sapphire...and its the ONLY thing thats good at that time of the morning frineds!!  Here's Mr Big (looking VERY delicious in his travelling outfit!) on the porch at Castle Allen

Onwards to the airport!  Can this trip get any better??  YES, our flight actually was leaving from the N Gates.  N GATES - that means you get to ride the train to get out there.  Lookie at how excited Mr Big is.  If you could see my face it was as excited.  We love trains...even the short ones.

Mr Big is such a wonderful man and he knows me sooo well - he knows I hate to fly so he held my hand and kept close by as it was nearing time to board

Here's our plane all set up ready to receive us

and it would stay set up for the next few hours.  We were supposed to fly out at 9am and we finally FINALLY left around 1pm.  You suck Alaska Airlines...but you wont stop us from our journey, and now we are ON OUR WAY (after 45 minutes of waiting on the tarmac while you find other people to sell seats too of course)

Someone was pretty sleepy after all the waiting excitement

but now we have a fully loaded plane, its time to fly this bird south.

Stay tuned for our arrival at the resort...



Ramblings for Friday

This weekend Mr Big and I are jetting off to California for a mini-break/business meeting/prize acceptance.  I think I mentioned a few weeks ago re this but just to remind you, the destination is Palos Verde and the resort (YAY!) is www.terranea.com which looks to be very lovely.

So lovely in fact that I realized both Mr Big and I would need new threads to step into this fancy schmancy place.  As you might imagine, its been a flurry of activity surrounding the procurement of such things...there is only 4 days to be concerned with but there are multiple costume changes in that period.  This is what we'll be doing

Saturday
Travel to LAX in clothes that are lovely enough to
A. Be picked up by a driver in a limo at the airport
B. Have your "arrival photo" taken when you get to the resort
C. Head into the product show
Quick change (think Diana Price to Wonder Woman style) into resort attire (what the heck is resort wear anyway) for the welcome reception.  I don't think I should drink too many martinis - firstly because I don't want to end up giggling too much and snorting and embarrassing Mr Big in front of his bosses PLUS guess what - the next day....

Sunday
UP AT 6am for breakfast of the terrace between 6 and 9am  (I have no clue what to wear to this)..then a general business session then off to tour the Queen Mary

apparently this is a highly haunted ship so we will certainly be on the look out for spec tors, and may wear our ghost busting outfits JUST in case.  Dinner is at our leisure - I think we are going to find somewhere on the cliffs above the pacific to watch the sunset together.

Monday
will be another early start - our limo leaves at 9:30am to take us to the happiest place on earth.  No, not a Chanel outlet store - DISNEYLAND.  Whats more my BIL and SIL are meeting us there and they are Disney aficionado's so I'm certain it will be a great time.  Monday night is the big awards ceremony and a formal evening.  Mr Big found a suit on close out and was set once he found a white shirt...I on the other hand....had quite a journey. 
It all started a couple of weeks ago at Nordstroms, I found 4 dresses I thought were awesome, came home, tried them on for Mr Big and we concluded none of them would work for the big night...so I brought out the big guns, Tad and Ronnie, to help me find the perfect choice.  After a gruelling day of shopping and returning they found dress 6.  I wasn't sure about it but Tadpole particularly was insistent on it.  With it on board we headed home for a fashion show for the hubs...and he chose the same one they liked.
Next day I STILL wasn't sure about it (it has frills, and beads and satin - allot going on!) so we went shopping and picked up black pumps and dress #7.
Last night I finally decided on a dress and this is now packed and ready for the big Monday night soiree.
Can't wait to see the hubs all suited up and looking gorgeous as he accepts his award.  So proud of you!

Tuesday is travel home day so no fanciness required. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

We actually have a really big busy week next week, we are home on Tuesday (night) and pick up Elliott (stepson) on the way home from the airport.  He is coming to Castle Allen to live permanently.  We enroll him at Everett High School next day, that evening all three kids will be home for dinner, Thursday will be more settling in and then Friday we have all three kids with us over the weekend. 

I'll be off line for a few days friends...look for a bloggy update on Wednesday (that's the aim at least)
Love
Fee
x

Spring has sprung at Castle Allen

Ok, so its no tulip festival, but behold the very first tulip of the year AKA only living thing in our garden.  Friends, Mr Big and I really really need some serious help and serious motivation to knock our jardin into luciousness.  Almost everything died in the hard frosts and winter...and now we have sticks, dead things and one tulip to show for it all.  What is fast growing, cheap to buy and looks glorious?

BEHOLD THE SUPER MOON