Sunshine in Seattle

Today was a beautiful sunny day! Seattle residents celebrate days with sun. Our summer was so short and fall is already here so when the sun is out, everyone wants to be outside, including me. I was supposed to clean my house but I wanted to outside. I think I'll have all winter to clean. Jeff and Jill gave me a rose bush from their yard last year and I transplanted it and hoped for the best. This summer I had gorgeous salmon colored roses. I love them! Tonight we went to dinner with our neighbors, Stan & Jane. We went to Luisa's for Mexican. It was yummy and we enjoyed being with them. We have great neighbors! It was such a nice day!

Random Thoughts

So, I said I was going to be a better blogger and I failed already. Where are my friends & family when I need a reminder. So, here are my thoughts of late...I'm surprisingly into "Rap" music lately. I go through many music fazes. Rock, country (I can two step and have boots & cowgirl hat), big band (love it), Neil Diamond always! Any who, Layne & I car pool each day and when I drop him off, its onto rap music. I mostly do not know all the words, but the beat is catchy and I jive all the way to work. Something about 'cribs' , Kate Moss, blah blah. Kayne West! I think he's my brother and famous in Chicago (thanks M & K). Ever watch "Jail" on tru TV? Great rap song, "Just get me out, just get me out". I love Diddy & Faith's, "every step I take"

Politics- ohhhh, scary subject here in Seattle. Actually scary subject in my family. Wanna see fireworks, bring up politics and watch things lite up. I have some very strong opinions but let me keep those to myself. Only the ballot will tell.

Layne & I have new neighbors, Brian and Kathy. Both of them work at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Brian is an oncologist and Kathy works on patient records. They were just recently married and are excited about their new house.

I've recently lost a little weight and guess where it came off? My right foot. All of a sudden my shoes keep falling off my right foot. It makes my trek to the "One Union Building" downtown from my parking spot at 7th & Pike really challenging. I've actually been known to walk through the convention center (everyday, I walk through) barefooted. I get a few stares. Oh well, its how I roll.

War in Iraq- I have mixed feelings about this but our son Ryan is unfailingly serving his country in Iraq. I do have very definite feelings about those in Ballard who gather to protest the war. It makes me think what all the young women & men serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and other warring countries would think. They have left their families, their jobs and many are imminent danger every minute to serve our country. Ryan, thanks and love to you and all the other military individuals.

I love period movies. I watched Pride & Prejudice this weekend for about the 20th time. I love that movie! The Bridget Jones movies are also my favorites. Something about Hugh Grant, I just can't resist.

Enough already! Thanks for reading and commenting if you do!

WHEW!! Where Have I Been?

My oh my, it has been awhile since I have posted to my blog. Alot has happened! Matt & Karen (Chicago) brought their 3 little gems to gramma & grampa while they vacationed in Hawaii. Thier first trip alone in ten years! They had a fabulous time. Back in Seattle, we were having alot of fun until gramma (me) decided to blow out her back with a herinated disc. It was so painful. My grandchildren saw their gramma cry alot. Luckily, they were such little warriors, they climbed on gramma & grampa's big king sized bed and played around me. GiGi, their "great gramma" (my mom) at 83 would drive over everyday at 7:30 am and stay until 6:00 pm to help me with the kids. It worked out well despite the unplanned kink in the works.

I was out of work from July 28th until September 5th. It took a lot of drugs and laying around to ease the pain in my right leg which is where most of the nerves were pinched from the disc. Kudo's to my mom, Lola, my husband Layne and to the rest of my family and friends for bringing in food, trying to keep me from going crazy and for all their patience and kind words.

I am scheduled for physicial therapy so hopefully this won't happen again.

Anywho!!! What's going on with the rest of the world? I have to say that I so admire Bop & Beep for their postings on their blog. They are the epitomy of what "good bloggers" should be. Check it out, http://bopandbeep.blogspot.com/. I need to become a better blogger! Along with being a better friend, wife, aunt, gramma, eating better, exercising more, and being more spiritual.

Well, you are all witness to my resolutions! Keep me on path. Love to all!

Eastern Medicine

This past week I was in severe pain with my lower back. So much so, that I would have pretty much done anything to get rid of it (even Layne's offer of using his Black & Decker products was looking attractive). When I got to work on Tuesday, my eye's were glazed over with pain and one of the VP of Sales could tell. He said he had back problems and that acupuncture had worked great for him. So, being desperate for relief I had him call to get me an appointment and luckily they were able to get me in that day. I was nervous and even had my mom go with me (she's a saint and never stops raising me!). I was a pin cushion and had to lie flat on my back with the needles in my feet, hands, ears, and forehead. I must say I felt better when I got up. I went in again on Wednesday and have another appointment on Friday. My back feels alot better and I'm a believer! Don't knock it till you try it! I found out they do a face lift with needles and it costs $500. Hmmmm?!?!

AHHHH! THE JOY OF SUMMER!

I love summer. I love being outdoors. I love the 4th of July. This year, I deceided to find a parade, something the West family have always done on the 4th but not since the 6 years we've been in Seattle. Edmonds City has a parade, so Jeff, Jill, Clara, Emmett, Gigi, Gramma (me) and papa (Layne) piled into a car and went to the parade. Grampa & I walked away and had breakfast and then we watched a great little hometown parade. So much candy being thrown to the kids, free plastic beach balls, bubbles and so much more. Fun! See pic's. Gramma got the privlege of getting off work early on Wednesday, July 9th and picked up Clara & Emmett at day care. Jill was swamped at work and Jeff was traveling in CA for work. I arrived at daycare and went to pick up Clara first. She was just coming in from running through the sprinklers and they were having their afternoon treat. I told her I would sit beside her. Another cute little blond girl said, "Hi, Clara's gramma!" Clara quickly held her hand up and told the little girl, THIS IS MY GRAMMA! As the next few minutes went on, I felt so wanted because the little girl wanted to show off for me and Clara wasn't having it. She didn't want to share her gramma. Emmett's face went into enormous smile mode when he saw gramma and he nearly ran me down to hug me. We went home and the kids played in Gramma's fancy swimming pool. (A molded plastic one). They thought it was so fun to splash Gramma and actually it was so much fun. We all had dinner when papa got home and it was overall one of the nicest days ever!

Seven Food to Keep You Young

MSN say;s that 1) yogurt 2)salmon 3)olive oil 4)nuts 5) dark chocolate 6) wine 7)blueberries are foods that will keep you young. Considering the list above, I figure I should be about 30 years old. The only thing keeping me from jumping back to my teens is the wine. Hmmmm. On the other hand La (Layne) should be about 32. He doesn't eat blueberries, salmon, yogurt only occasionaly, no wine, a little chocolate and tons of nuts!



I think we both better evaluate our diets. Should you? Comments are welcome.

Fathers Day, Sunday June 15, 2008

We had a very nice Sunday on Fathers Day. We attended our church meetings, the Dad's were given a huge chocolate chip cookie wrapped & ribboned. Then we picked up Mom and went to the Ballard Locks where they had a bag pipe concert. It was wonderful! Bag Pipes are one of my favorite things because it is reminiscient of my high school days (we had bag pipes and I was in the tartan drill team where we preformed the highland fling). We so enjoyed the concert. Then all of us loaded into Jeff & Jills car and went to the University Village, where Emmett and Clara played in the water fountains and had such a great time. Their little chins were just shaking from being cold, but they didn't want to stop.

Days like Sunday where the weather was so warm and we were with those we loved make all the other not so good days just fade away!