Cutie Patootie, Miss Gregson!

She is FINALLY here! And they named her Bailey Ann as I wrote this.

She arrived this morning at 2:59 AM PST, and weighted 9# 14 oz.

I think we'll keep her! She's a keeper! Looks a lot like her mom did at that age! (SIGH)

Wedding pages for Scrap Girl challenges...

Mischief Week at Scrap Girls has me scrapping the wedding pages for the album, lickity split!
This is a two page set!

You can see the comments online for these pages at the following links;
Flower girl angel
Grooms family

A Groom's view Scrap page

I enjoyed making this Groom's View scrap page for the wedding album. Though Jesse was embarrassed for his tears, we were encouraged to see his compassionate heart. This is posted online in my Scrap Girls gallery.

Groom View

Still scrapping that lovely wedding!

Ruth and Jesse were married in July and I am still enjoying putting their memories on scrap pages! These are the two most recent.

Their online links: Balcony; Attendants

60 and forward...

SURPRISE!!

Hugs all around... Grace with me here.

Honey Hugs and pictures taking pictures.

Chocolate cake! And ICE CREAM!

Grace "riding" Sally piggy-back.

Me and my girls: Joy, Ruth, Me, Alice, Charity

The HUGHES SIX.  FR: Ruth, Joy, Alice, Charity  

(reverse birth order)

Al and I behind them.

Sally puts ice cream on Savannah's nose...

... and Jesse hides behind a balloon.

Turning sixty was no big deal until the surprise event! Before the Wednesday night service, the girls brought me lovely gifts: yellow roses, pink azaleas, a Vera Bradley handbag and Cookie Lee jewelry.  Then the crowd quickly disappeared while I was "detained".  I followed the last of the crowd and found everyone "hiding" in the fellowship hall. 

What a sweet family and church family God has blessed me with! Thank you everyone!

Which one is not like the others?

  Easter cookies-- Which lamb is not like the others?

For Easter this year I found the cutest little lamb cookie cutter.  Grandson Jason was over Saturday night and helped me ice the cookies before bed. He was icing the carrots while I iced the lambs and added fluffy coconut "wool" to the lambs.

We had lots of orange icing left over, so for fun we had Jason ice one of the lambs with the orange icing. Then we started laughing about the odd looking lamb.  We started singing, "Which of these lambs is not like the others?"  Was the lamb camouflaged as a carrot? Odd man out?  Was it having a  "Bad Hair Day"?

Finally Jason asked, "ORANGE you glad I'm not a wolf?"  (maybe it WAS the wolf in a bad disguise?) Such fun!

April fools! A morning surprise!

Our bird feeder has attracted many kinds of wildlife and birds this winter, from jays, doves, and squirrels, to gold finches, the State bird.  We have enjoyed the bird feeder entertainment all winter long!


This morning held another surprise visitor... a male mallard duck dropped in for a visit. He stayed about a half hour before he flew off to the next grazing place.

All in a MONDAY...

 We spent a few hours with our friends, the Blues, today at their house. Though shorter time than we would have liked, we enjoyed our little getaway with them. The traffic was not too bad in the HOV lanes.

I was able to get a nice pic of their grand piano with one of my favorite bouquets. Included is a photo of Mrs. Blue rearranging the wheelchair when we first arrived and another of Bro. Blue just before we left.

We hope we can go again next month. We sure love these folks!

The bluest skies... in Seattle

Yesterday was a glorious and beautiful day! We spotted a bald eagle over our church parking lot and I had my camera for a change! Whew! What a majestic bird!

Last month I had been singing this song in my head ["Seattle"] from a show we used to watch about Seattle and their importing of brides for the early settlers. The words say "the bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle!" Then the song played over the radio one day while I was driving! So I found the Youtube version of the quaint song for you to enjoy it too!

Seattle area is my "HOME" since 1974, even though we spent five of those years in Vermont! This song says it well! When our skies are blue, its a stunning event to be enjoyed!

Youtube: Here Come the Brides THEME

Big FOOD!

Al poses with the "supersized" food in the grocery store!

When I noticed the supersized food boxes in the grocery cart today, I laughed out loud, thinking of my daughter Charity's large family food needs. She is expecting her twelfth child in about six weeks and the household goes through a LOT of food. Too bad they can't get these size boxes!

Cat Head Biscuits! (REALLY Kittens!)

So we finally found out the preacher CAN bake!

After finding a recipe online for "cat head biscuits" the preacher went to the store for all the supplies to make them for the Men's Breakfast at church this morning!

He even found cookie cutters with "ears" that he shaped into cat ears! How cute!

They were edible and delicious, I heard (I didn't get one, so cannot give a first hand report!)

Live and LEARN! I guess "old dogs" CAN learn "new tricks"!

Summer in March?

As I waited for my ride to "ladies night out" on Tuesday, I noticed a golden glow at the top of some of our neighborhood trees. There was a few sprinkles in the area, and the sun was peeking through the trees toward the sunset.

Suddenly we watched a rainbow materialize behind the glowing trees! Incredible and breathtaking!

A backhanded compliment?

Yesterday my 5 yo grandson, Jesse, told me I look like that lady in the movie.

I looked puzzled at his big sis, Abigail. "Oh," she explained, "that lady in 'Driving Miss Daisy'!" [WHAT???? A backhanded complement, if I ever saw one!]

Rainier scrapping...

Sure do love this new camera! Loving the results of a good shutter and glass!

It's posted online at Scrap Girls RAINIER.

Sunshine and shadows... a lovely warm day in February!

On the way to the Gregson house, I stopped to take this pastoral shot near their home. SWEET!

Last time I tried to get this shot, my memory card was not in the camera, but in the computer at home! Finally! I think this is "brothers" on the Olympic range. I love this view!

Another view of the range from Silverdale, WA.

Be mine, Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my valentines! Let's get some photos!

Grandma and Sally...

Who should wear Grandma's hat? We both wore pink today!

Let's take turns....

(Grandpa thinks it's planned, but we are always surprised to find we wore the same colors on Sundays!)

Sally's turn...

My turn!

Al wants in the picture, too!

Thank you, Roy! Good photos!

Please... FENCE ME IN.

Having a beautiful, springlike winter has been a blessing to us. The random rainfalls have been less sporadic and much lighter than our normal. January went on record as the driest on record for 88 years! We are currently setting a record of over 45 days over 45 degrees, and it continues.

During the last rainy, windy storm two panels of our rear fence fell down. After inspecting the damage, we realized the repairs could not wait for later. We set out to get a replacement fence and enlisted son-in-law Jesse to get price quotes for us.

While we waited for the quote, Al removed the old fence.

We decided to replace our fir and cedar fence with chain link, so we will not have to replace it again. They set the posts on the old fence line.

The sandy soil made quick post hole digging and the posts went in quickly by Saturday afternoon.

The dogs were fascinated with the new "see-thru" fence and the resulting "perimeter path" that was created in the process.

We will finish the last 30 or so feet in the spring, but we could not have asked for better fencing weather! While the east coast was buried in snow, we were enjoying blue skies and fluffy clouds.

Sights around us... beautiful Seattle!

During the revival meetings last week, Hubby and I were able to take Bro. Max Alderman on a mini-size "Seattle Tour" .

I LOVE the Pike Street Market, but this was the first time I was there with a "real" camera. I don't know if I have a favorite picture in the bunch (pun intended), but they all scream for me to scrap them! Enjoy!

[I MUST go again soon! Anyone up for a photo shoot?]

Flowers! I LOVE flowers! Fresh, dried, fake!

(well, maybe not fake!)

Veggies! I saw these lovely pepper hangings.

The space needle was right where I left it!

Beautiful, even after 50 years!

Miss Rainier was peeking above the clouds so we managed to get off the freeway to get some pics of her, too! This was taken with my zoom lens. I LOVE it!

And this pig sculpture was too cute to pass up!

She gives new meaning to the phrase "PIG IRON"