Family, Food and Gifts

A family is a gift that lasts forever.

Being in the Pacific Northwest is so, so different than being in the southern states.  The days may be quite warm but the evenings sure cool down.  We’ve had temperatures pushing 90 lately and that’s hot for this area.  When the evening comes we know the cool breezes will cool that motorhome down.

Last Saturday we found ourselves back at the garden section of Home Depot.  On beautiful weekend days that place is packed.  This time we were there picking up fuchsia hanging baskets for the girls for Mother’s Day.

Beautiful weather usually means a little bit of yard work.  Terry was pulling weeds and Lee was spreading bark dust.

We also discovered why Duchess was always trying to dig around Sabrina’s rhododendrons.  She had discovered a little garter snake hiding there.

Sunday morning Jordan and Sabrina were off to church in their new Mother’s Day attire.  I made them pose …. obviously!

Lee took it upon himself to make sure the four ATV’s hiding in his garage were still working.  He gets a kick out of terrorizing the neighborhood.

Later in the day the grill came out and the rest of us sat around just enjoying each other’s company.   The last time we celebrated Mother’s Day together …. I think it was 2003.  I’ve told that story many times before but  I’m going to tell it again since it’s absolutely amazing to me that we’re all ending up in the same place again.

Twenty-three years ago we lived in the state of Washington together.  Then, a job transfer took us to the state of Texas.  In 2003 Lee took an opportunity to move back to the state of Washington.  In the meantime we hung around Texas with Tammi and her family for quite a few more years.  Eventually we retired and Tammi transferred to New Jersey.  Last year she had an opportunity to transfer again but this time it was to Portland …. Isn’t it amazing.  We’re only missing Justin to make the circle complete …. and he’ll be here this weekend!!!!

It was a wonderful day.  I made out like a champ.  Lee feels anything after 6:00 AM is fair game and that’s about the time he and Sabrina were pounding on our motorhome door with their one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day gift.

I just love homemade stuff.  It means people took their time to make something special just for me.

Now check that out.  Did you notice that all the little flowers are actually wrapped in florist paper but they are fat quarters for quilting!!!  I was amazed.  It is so cute. 

You know how much I love new electronic toys!!

Tammi surprised me with an iPad!!  She said it was the accumulation of Mother’s Day gifts since we hadn’t had a decent place to send anything for Mother’s Day for the last few years.  I still don’t know what to say but I’m busy learning the functions!! One major thing I learned is that the iPad does not support flash websites!  UGH!!  Thus, I had to change my blog header.  However, I just haven't had the time yet to come up with something a little more original but I'll work on it eventually.  It also does not support Microsoft Word and Excel.  However, there are ways around both of these by downloading specific apps.  I've done that now too.   I'm learning ....

It was an absolutely fantastic day.  I love days like this and would much rather get together in the backyard for a barbecue than meet at a restaurant.

It was a family day and everything was perfect.

‘Tis life on the road.