One Little Word 2014

EVOLVE

Once again instead of a resolution, I am opting for 1 little word to define my upcoming year. I choose the word evolve. My word just came to me when I read this quote. 

We are always evolving into new, better  versions of ourselves.
The comforting news is that we are never finished.
The idea of being unfinished is nice, for it always leaves room for improvement.
For trying new things, for developing new hobbies and making new friends.
Being unfinished means we can cry today, and next week or next year we won't cry for the same thing. Because we are moving,evolving, becoming better versions of ourselves. ( unknown)

Check out the One Little Word (OLW) over at Ali Edwards Blog. People are posting their words in the comments.

I have been doing this since 2009 and I some of my words have been more memorable.  I plan on putting the above quote on my magnetic board so maybe this year my word is going to be more visible.

Booking It December

I thought I would wrap up my year with one more review. Here is my Booking It Report for December.

Well, I had been waiting a long time for the book Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Newell Jr.  IT explores the mysterious life of Huguette Clark.  I thought it was an awesome look at Huguette Clark's life.

When Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Bill Dedman noticed in 2009 a grand home for sale, unoccupied for nearly sixty years, he stumbled through a surprising portal into American history. Empty Mansions is a rich mystery of wealth and loss, connecting the Gilded Age opulence of the nineteenth century with a twenty-first-century battle over a $300 million inheritance. At its heart is a reclusive heiress named Huguette Clark, a woman so secretive that, at the time of her death at age 104, no new photograph of her had been seen in decades. Though she owned palatial homes in California, New York, and Connecticut, why had she lived for twenty years in a simple hospital room, despite being in excellent health? Why were her valuables being sold off? Was she in control of her fortune, or controlled by those managing her money? - Amazon


I was intrigued by her story. Yes Huguette Clark was eccentric but not crazy.  Huguette loved privacy. I think this book did a lot to clarify that she wasn't crazy.  A lot of her behavior reminds me of my son who Asperger's - intense special interests, limited social circle.  I believe the hospital should of done more to find out what was going in her emotional world.  She lived for 20 years in a hospital but she wasn't sick. Did she have Asperger's?  I feel the hospital shouldn't of just allowed her to remain there.  I also feel bad that she felt she needed to pay everyone. There wasn't one person in her inner circle that was just a friend.  I like the quote , "Huguette was a formidable personality who lived life as she wanted, always on her own terms."

Merry Christmas

I feel so lucky to blog our family adventures.  Oh they are definitely ADVENTURES!  I wish all my readers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Linky Christmas Eve Edition

Lastly, I found a little commentary on Duck Dynasty on A Holy Experience.  The funny thing is we had basically the same discussion at breakfast with our kids.


This a local lady who has 50 different decorated Christmas Trees at her home.

The Season of Light- Dec 22

I love Christmas Lights.  It is my favorite. I blame my parents. (love ya) We would always drive around looking at the lights.  We spent Sunday evening driving around looking at the lights. We have several unique displays in our town and neighboring town.

Ferndale Fire Station
Church Rd

We printed a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt for our kids.  They really got into it.  We found everything on our list except - Noel spelled out, a lighted elf, lighted drummer boy, and lighted sled.

My favorite has to be the lighted Darth Vader, Yoda, and R2D2.

 

Whatcom County Christmas Lights

Here are some spots to view some Christmas Lights

 

Ferndale

Church Rd - Fire Station and House near Main Street. 

Shannon Ave ( Yoda) end of street closest to Heights Dr

Cresent St - Couple of houses totally decked out with lights and cutouts

 

Bellingham

James Estates (classic) drive thru mobile home park with lights - James St

Huron Dr - Lights set to music - Called Whatcom Spirit

 

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily



Dec 20th - Rare Snow Day

Looking Down Thorton

Up here in the RAINY Pacific Northwest, snow days are a rarity.  Yesterday happened to be one.  It was a double whammy because it also was the last school day of 2013.  This was every kids dream.

 

 

I am linking up to Ali Edwards December Daily.

 

Star of Wonder- December 19th

My son has art class this semester and has brought home some interesting stuff.  He has some challenges with fine motor skills.  What makes it so precious is that I know he poured his heart into it. He brought this star home and I said to him I know exactly where I am going to put that.

 

It is simply nails and string on a plywood board painted with glitter paint. I have my various manager scenes on my shelves by the fire place and I wasn't happy with the top shelf.  The Star just fit.   It is next to the bread dough manager that my husband's mom made.  

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily and Funky Junk Salvage Star Linky Party

December 17 - Snowflake Sunrise

The sunrise yesterday was all sudden.  The sun broke through the fog and cloud cover so abruptly. IT was beautiful

I am linking up to Ali Edwards December Daily.

Dec 15 - Snowman Factory

Cody and I worked together to make some PVC Snowman Ornaments.  I think they turned out really cute. 

The idea is from Ashbee Designs.  We got all the PVC pipe from the ReStore and Kevin cut it into rings.  Cody and I glued the rings together with PVC cement (smelly) and Kevin drilled holes for the hanger.  We used hot glue to secure the scarf.

I am linking up to Ali Edwards December Daily.

Christmas Tour 2013



I am linking up with Nester's Christmas Tour 2013. 

Welcome to my home. I can't decided if my Christmas Style is gaudy or sparkly. Come on in and check my house out.

The outside of our house is done in blue, white and green lights.  I put painted blue popsicle snowflakes in the windows in the front.  From afar, the flakes almost look like vinyl on the window. I strung them on a tension rod.  (for more info click here)

I love vintage Shiney Brites.  I have my husband's Grandmother's Shiney Brites and some of my Grandmother's plus some that I have picked up here and there.

I also like them in candle holders atop my China Cabinet. I need to work on better lighting up there.

I am a big fan of the movie "Elf" so in honor of that I have a Snowflake banner.  It is made up of clothespin snowflakes, dollar store snowflakes, coffee filter snowflakes, beaded snowflakes, popsicle snowflakes, garland, and LIGHTS.  

 

Lastly, new to us this year is the PVC snowflake. 

 

Lastly, one of my favorite things is my fishbowl snowman I put up.  The snow is beach glass we have collected through the years and little stuff Christmas stuff we have collected. It turns out a little different every year.

 

December 14th - All Aboard

Christmas Model Train at Railway Museum

We decided to visit Bellingham Railway Museum after running some errands.  It just so happened to be a free day, too.  What a cool place.  The kids really enjoyed looking at the model trains.  Their display is really cool. 

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the honeypot in the display

They also had the authors, Karl Kleeman and William Rink, of "Rail Trail Walking Guide- Fairhaven to Bellingham" signing their book.  Hopefully when it gets warmer we will walk the whole trail.  A lot of effort went into the guide.  I can't wait to test it out.

As a bonus, there is also a Geocache in the museum.  It is one that requires you to find some information in order to seek the cache.

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily.

December 11- Room Service

Everything is better with a donut.  Stitch surprised Cody with a donut in his room. I call that room service. It was even Cody's favorite a Cinnamon Twist.  What a nice bear!

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily.

December 10 - Snow

We got a dusting of snow.  I made some snow writing.  Note the paw prints in the above picture. Tigger not wanting to miss anything decided to help.  Tigger loved licking the snow.

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily.

December 7 - Frozen

Picture by Kevin

Saturday was a great day to hang out inside.  It was Brrrrr!  However when we did venture out, we found ice floating in the Nooksack River.  

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily. Keeping my layout simple. 

December 6- Good Mail

Today was a good mail day. We got our fused glass coasters and a live tree in the mail. The fused glass was the project we completed at The Museum of Glass. More about our Adventures at the Glass Museum click here. I think they turned out really great. The live tree was from Lowes.

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily.

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December 5 - The Booted Wonder

Well we had some excitement the evening before. Our youngest was twirling in his bare feet and fell. He fractured his left foot. So he got the BOOT!  I don't think he is cut out to be a ballerina. We are calling him the Booted Wonder.

I am linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily.

December 4- Stitch goes Rogue

Stitch did it again! He covered Charlie's bed in toilet paper. Take that Elf on the Shelf! Stitch had some help from Heather and Cody.

 

I used some left over chipboard letters I had that are glittery and punched out a few snowflakes. The journaling is from above.
I will be linking up with Ali Edwards December Daily.

December 3 - The Tough make Donuts

When it gets cold, the tough make DONUTS.  Well, that is my theory anyways. The technical term for the temperature outside has been BRRR!!!  I finally got a donut pan and so I have been working on my homemade donut technique.

Donut Beauty shot

The recipe was found at Raining Hot Coupons.  They were pretty delish. My layout is pretty simple.  I did mess around with some paint circles and printed out my blog entry from above.

I am linking up to Ali Edwards December Daily .

Odd Squirrel Moment

I don't know if this falls under squirrel moment or not.  We sat in the Emergency Room on Wednesday for 5 hours. My youngest son's twirling resulted in him fracturing his foot.  Apparently he comes from a long line of 5th grade foot fracturers - me, Pappy, Kevin. So these are my squirrel moments from the Emergency Room. 

All these people ended up here because of their choices, all be it, some of them had that choice made for them.

How a person behaves under stress can tell you a lot about them.

Yes, you can get so stinkin drunk you can't stand up. This actually caused my son to mention to me that HE IS NEVER GOING TO DRINK. Maybe a trip to the emergency room for observation purposes should be mandatory for tweens.

You REALLY shouldn't give Mountain Dew and Doritos to a toddler at 11 pm at night and not expect them to melt down.  SERIOUSLY!  I try not to judge but a wound up out of control toddler in crowded waiting room is a recipe for disaster.

I appreciate the holiday decorations even though the scotch taped garland was a little kitschy for me. However, the ER is suppose to be a safer place so the glass balls on the Christmas tree maybe not the best idea.  Did I mention there was a out of control toddler? 

Bouncing a toddler who has the potential to puke not a good idea.

This one is for Mrs EPI.  I tried desperately to NOT TOUCH anything.  That was extremely difficult. I admit it I am a toucher. There is really not enough sanitizer in the world for a ER visit on a cold night.

Lastly, there were so many times that during the night I wanted to help parent some kids.  It was extremely hard for me not to volunteer my help. 

Adventures at the Museum of Glass

Cody looking through the window of a glass house

Saturday, we ventured to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington.  I have to say the center piece of this museum is their hot shop where you can watch the pros make glass.  It is mesmerizing to say the least.  Glass making is definitely a team sport. While we were there, Paul Cunningham was making several glass vases. 

Thanks to Nonna, we got to go into the studio and make a fused glass coaster.  That was a lot of fun.  I can't wait to see the final results.  Everyone really got into it. 

Charlie working on his Glass Fuse piece

We also toured the gallery.  The art is so amazing. My kids are of the age to really get this.  It help there was this display of swords made from glass.

Stitch Mischief - December 2nd

Some people have an Elf on the Shelf but not us.  We have Stitch,a 15 year old bear, who is owned by my oldest.  Stitch loves to cause mischief.  Well yesterday he struck AGAIN.  I think Christmas is his favorite holiday.

Jingle spelled out with Post It notes - clever

Stitch totally busted with Post It notes

Well one thing is sure, you can't trust that bear.  At least, he left candy bells

****I have decided  I am going to participate in Ali Edwards December Daily .  Details here.  Below is my layout.