Best Birthday Ever

On Friday Hubby and I went to Seattle, checked into the Mayflower Park Hotel and the good times began.

After shopping in the afternoon, we changed into our evening attire.  First stop was downstairs at Oliver's.  It's our favorite spot to sip a Silver Bell and watch the world go by in Seattle.

 The hotel was decked out for Christmas with beautiful Christmas trees and fresh flowers throughout the building.  The Mayflower was built at the same time as our house so we feel at home when we're there.

 Then we took a cab to McCaw Hall in the Seattle Center.  Hubby gave me tickets to see Nutcracker Suite for my birthday.  It's the last year for the Maurice Sendak version of the Nutcracker in Seattle.  It was fun to see all of the children so excited and dressed up in their holiday dresses and suits.  There was a group of design students with amazing gowns.  One student had lights in the hem of her ball gown.

My favorite scene is the Snowflake Dance.  The picture is from PNB.  The best moment for me was after the Waltz of the Flowers, the little girl sitting in front of me spontaneously jumped to her feet and started applauding.  She was so caught up on the moment.  Then she looked around, realized she was the only one standing and sat down, but continued to cheer.

We took the monorail back to our hotel, where after sharing a fruit and cheese tray and cocktails; I had sweet dreams of sugarplum fairies.

 Saturday was my birthday and we began our day with breakfast at Andaluca's.  I had the French toast stuffed with almond cream cheese and orange butter.  Best birthday breakfast and a wonderful start to our day in downtown.

 We did some Christmas shopping and then walked to Pike Street Market.  I got fitted for new running shoes at Sound Sports.  We browsed through Watson Kennedy, Sur la Table and the antique mall.  We ran into a snow machine making the streets even more festive.  There were many Seahawk fans and a some 40whiner fans too.  Some Sea Hawks chanting going on was making it all a lot of fun.

 Now I know what to do with the rusty Tonka trucks in our back yard.

We went home Saturday evening.  It was a fun time in the city and a wonderful birthday.

 I continued to celebrate on Sunday with the children's program at our church, soup lunch at my folk's place, and a BiG Seahawk win.  In the evening, a special birthday dinner at Mark and Karen's place.

Since my birthday is in December it is usually rather hit and miss but this year was amazing.  It was 12/13/14 and I celebrated on the 12th and 13th and the 14th.  I'm feeling very spoiled and blessed.

Oh October, I Love Thee

Happy October!  I love the nonmonths.  The months with no major holidays, months where the season change is so obvious, months with nothing but everyday stretching out in front of me.

 The farmer's corn is still standing.  Last night a corn chopper drove past our place and I thought for sure they would turn in and start chopping.  No, not yet.  The night they chop corn is the night we don't get much sleep.  The corn field driveway is right next to where we lay our heads for a good night's sleep.  The trucks grinding their gears and hurrying the crop out of the field all night is a bit noisy.  I am not complaining though because overall a field of corn is a quiet neighbor.

 October is Hawley's birthday.  On October 30th he will be 13 years old or in dog years he turns 91 years old.  His first birthday involved a dog party with Shadow and Eddy, and a lot of little boys.

Hawley always looks away when I want to take his picture, he gets all shy and bashful.

 "If I don't look, she'll put down the camera."

 Eventually Hawley can't resist, sighs and gives me a cheesy dog smile.

Isn't he a distinguished, handsome old guy with his grey?

 I am trying to get myself a new pair of shoes.  Just one pair.  I have bad feet.  So in order to get one new pair of shoes many will be ordered, tried and returned.  The pile is growing...  I have returned some already. There won't be a perfect fit, so the lesser of the evil will be chosen.

First world problems.

I'm looking forward to Therapy Thursday, a quiet weekend and just enjoying a nonmonth.

Enjoy October, my friends!

Chris, au revoir!  All the French you need to know... où est le marché aux puces?

(translation, where is the flea market?)

Oh My!

We leave for NYC next Tuesday.  The sisters/cousin trip to the city!  Oh my gracious, we are a tad excited.  What to pack?  What to wear?  What will the weather do?  How much luggage?  It's tough.

I'm pretty much going with my usual black and gray wardrobe with scarves.  I wanted a gold/mustard cardigan this Fall, however; I tried one on and the color was horrible on me.  Since I still wanted the gold, I went for the "sexy Boyfriend cords"  from the Gap.  I won't be rolling them up and I doubt they'll be sexy on me, but they fit, they are comfy and so soft.  I think I'm in love.

I bought these gray metallic loafers today, they seem to be comfortable.  They are Rocket Dogs.

I bought these black flats today too.  They seem to be comfortable.  They are Naturalizers and seem a little "old lady" to me.

I started with these black flats, the Molly from Born.  I bought them in May and was so excited.  I bought them specifically for my trip to NYC and I was in love with them.  Naively, I thought they might be the only pair of shoes I'd wear in the city.  HAH!  I have tried and tried to break them in.  Impossible.  A friend has these shoes too, she showed me her scabs and scars this afternoon from wearing her pair of Molly flats.  I have put them in the stretcher, I have pads in the heels, I've worn them in the house, I've worn them to work.  They kill.  I quit.  I am feeling hate in my heart for these shoes.  The shoes from you know where.

I'm really hoping one of the pairs I purchased today can fill the void the Molly flat has left.

It's hard to know which shoes to take to NYC.  Comfortable and fashionable and they need to go with several outfits.  It's been grueling, folks.

I think I finally have it narrowed down.   I'm taking my black boots, black flats(see Naturalizers pictured above), gray flats(see metallic flats pictured above), black heels (for a Broadway Show), leopard print sneakers (for a Central Park walk), my brown Born sandals (cuz I love 'em with jeans and they're comfy), 

and flip flops for slippers.  

Seven pairs of shoes... I'm trying to pack light.

Hey, before you start judging me... Melinda is taking three pairs of boots!

Anyone want to guess how many pairs of shoes six women will take to NYC?

Anyone want to buy a pair of black Molly's?  Cheap.

No matter how many pairs of shoes we bring to NYC,

 I'm sure we'll be shopping for more while we're there...

June 2 - Favorite Shoes

A picture of my favorite shoes, that was easy. The shoes I wore when I walked down the aisle to the love of my life on my wedding day are my all time favorite shoes.

I have wide, hard to fit feet. Foot surgery kind of bad feet.

I found my wedding shoes at Nordstrom at the half yearly sale. They were the only ones in this style and they were my size. I never dreamt that I would be able to find satin beaded shoes for my wedding day that would fit my feet. Oh happy day!

They made me feel like Cinderella.

Still love the shoes and the guy!

My Poor Feet

I had some pretty shoes for the wedding. Shelly did too. That's me on the right and Shell on the left.
I did my ironing while wearing them on Saturday morning, just to break them in a bit and practice walking in them.
Miss Manners says, always leave the party before you have to take off your shoes. Shelly and I are sticklers for Miss Manners.
I almost made it to the car when without another thought I took those babies off and walked barefoot the rest of the way to the car. Technically, I had left the party. And obviously, Miss Manners has never worn hooker shoes.

Don't judge me.

My feet were killing me.

Cruise Packing

Packing for a cruise isn't easy. Especially since those mean, selfish, nasty airlines started charging moi for luggage. Let's just look at the whole evening bag issue. I have a few evening bags, I love beading and rhinestones and bling so they are a natural fit for me. Most of these came from garage sales.

I'm trying to take just one. Or two...

Why do I need an evening bag on a cruise? I mean it's not like I have to pay for dinner, or a cab home if my date gets nasty. My date is Hubby, he's nice, and if he's not I can storm off to our cabin without a cab.

It's for you! I need to take my camera to dinner, right? Cuz y'all want to go with us, right?



I've narrowed it down to seven pairs of shoes. If I take these pretties I don't think I'll be storming off anywhere. I'm practicing walking, ladylike in them in the privacy of my own home. Not sure they are keepers yet.

Advice? And don't tell me to pack light or take less shoes. Not. Gonna. Happen.

Shoes and Ribbon, Oh MY!

Yesterday Jerrie and I went to town to do some shopping for the museum. Our annual Docent Dinner is next week. Jerrie and I have been putting this dinner together for about 13 years. We like to keep costs down, appreciation for our volunteers up and we like a fresh look every year. It's a challenge and it's tons of fun for us.

As we look at color combinations, for good sales and enough supplies for a dinner for 75 we may or may not shop a bit for ourselves.

I picked up some scrapping supplies yesterday, bits and pieces. Jerrie did too. Nice things.

AND then I found this stash, bronze and golden chipboard letters, borders with bronze foil, turquoise and bees! Then the hit of the day for me. Velvet, leopard print ribbon. Shut up! I was a tad excited.

I'm not entirely sure what I am going to use the ribbon for but if I need it, I have it. This is especially groovy as I just ordered leopard print shoes. Wooo Hooo!

When I Grow Up

Beryl Cook Art

On Wednesday I had lunch with a friend and now I know what I want to be when I grow up. Finally. I want to be a lady who does lunch! We met at Giuseppe and had salads and a glass of Chardonnay, a nice long chat and then a look around at the Greenhouse. Good, fabulous fun and I am going back for more.

While I was in town I made a stop at the Paper Zone. There were many sweet Valentine papers and doo dads, and I may have bought a few. But what caught my eye was the Mod Podge.

When I was in junior high I was the queen of Mod Podge. You know, a piece of wood with a decorative edge, a Holly Hobby picture, some Mod Podge and insto facto I was a decorator. Sometimes I burned the edges of the art for a challenge. It's a miracle that my parent's house is still standing, I did some pretty edgy art back in the day.

And now, I'm not even sure when the crafty bug will bite but I have the Mod Podge in the house and I am ready. Mod Podge Rocks should be a good source. I've seen projects on their site and not had the Mod Podge at my finger tips. But now I do.

Today I will be at Sole Obsession during the lunch hour. Come visit and make me look good.
Beryl Cook Art

Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day I signed up for Smart Trips. Easy peasy! I just registered online and then when I bike to work or take my bike to the library or pick up a gallon of milk, I just add my trip. I think it will be fun to see how often I bike or walk instead of jumping in the car.

Plus, they give out prizes. I would love to WiN! I won't. But now I have a chance.

I stopped by Kelly's store today and took some pics for her. She is having camera difficulties. The question is, why isn't my sister that is a Snapsister taking pics for Kelly? Kelly gives Jodi her hand me downs. And Jodi is a photographer, I'm a point and shoot.

Anyway, more Simple shoes, totally organic and recycled materials. Just perfect for Earth Day or any day for that matter.

I'm working on Friday, so I just may earn some cute checked shoes. Come and see me!

Pretty Downtown & Pretty Uptown

We've had a short staycation this week. Hubby was off for two days, so I asked if I could have some vacation time. Gorgeous weather on Tuesday! Sam had a day off and no school for Max so we worked in the yard. Happy guys--- ;p We pressure washed, trimmed hedges, waxed a car, took a trip to the dump (got the '54 started for summer), and all the sticks got burned, whew, it was fun to work together and to see so much get finished. Patio furniture is out and clean, bring on the sunshine!

On Monday and Tuesday nights we had extra teens stay for dinner. Fun times, for sure. Blake gets a call when we grill chicken for chicken caesar salad, it's his favorite. Levi, Dylan and Dakota stayed for BBQ burgers the next evening. I'm going to need a Costco run again, they wiped me out. It's great to have them.

On Wednesday it was time for a field trip. Hubby and I went shopping in Burlington and Anacortes. Max had a soccer game against Anacortes at four, so we had a nice day to shop. We had lunch at Johnny Carino's, love their spinach and pecan chicken salad. It's nice to shop downtown Anacortes and I love the eddie bauer outlet store in Burlington. I had my quarterly rewards burning a hole in my pocket.

The game. Can I just say, it was pretty uptown. We got a program, that usually is not the case. We had bleachers to sit on, again, usually not the case. And a gorgeous view of the bay. Nice. And the kicker, LCHS JV team won. We sat with old friends and had some good laughs.



Today I am helping Kelly at Sole Obsession.

Weekend Recap

Thank you to everyone who came into Sole Obsession on Friday. It was really fun! You can read about Kelly here in today's newspaper. Really nice story about a really nice lady.
One of my friends bought these classy pumps, love them!
Another friend came in and got everything to go. Smart Wool socks and dansko clogs, so cute with her jeans, she wore everything right out the door.
A fairly regular weekend here at the Stone House, some cooking and cleaning, Hubby worked, dinner at the folks after church on Sunday, watched some movies and read. Hubby and I took a long walk on Sunday afternoon, so sunny and nice to be out.
I have the new book by Jodi Picoult, Handle with Care. I am trying to pace myself.
Today I am making Kelly's chili and Janis' rustic bread for dinner. A busy week coming right up!

Spring Shoes and a Dinner for 60

Remember to come and visit me at Sole Obsession today!

In spite of the cold temperatures I will be taking home my new, saucy Sausalito Dansko sandals. When Spring arrives I'll be ready. Will you?

*Had a lovely evening at the museum last night, our annual Docent and Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. We had a delicious Italian dinner, some Dutch themed decorations and a talented young magician, Sterling Deitz for our entertainment.

Been a busy week for me. More later!

Daily Stuff

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with Kelly at Sole Obsession training for next Friday. Of course, the longer I am there, the more shoes I want. After work I was invited to have dinner at Robb and Kelly's place. She made the best chili I've ever had. Kelly, please share the recipe. When we sat down for dinner, Riley, their youngest asked his Mom, "is the girl staying?" Love being called a GIRL! Thanks for such a nice evening! Sweet, sweet family.

The upstairs is finished!
Max's bed.

Sam's bed.

Aren't they nice and cozy? Except Max is a brat and won't sleep in his new bed. "It squeaks and he can't sleep."
I. AM. Gritting. MY. TeeTH!

Scenes of the Season

I am enjoying a Christmas book, it's what I call a gentle read. 'An Irish Country Christmas' by Patrick Taylor.

Hot chocolate with a bit of Starbuck's peppermint and whipped cream. Oh, so good. And remember, I made the Cranberry Bliss Bars-I may never have to leave my house again!

Working on the December Daily album. It's hard. I'm glad I did the album ahead of time. The photo line at Costco is the worst part.

Wearing my new Christmas shoes. Cherry red Danskos from Sole Obsession. So comfortable and and so Christmas. I told Hubby they feel like a new car, all shiney like. His comment was, 'maybe a big Buick.' Actually they feel like a little red sports car.