I'm Back

Max came home for the weekend.  His friend Austin had an accident and Max really wanted to see him.  Austin is doing much better and is hoping to come home today.  So thankful for his recovery.  They are between cuttings on the farm so Max was able to drive over on on Thursday night.

It was so good to have Max walk in the door.  I forgot that Kassie cut his hair before he left, he had gotten tan since they actually have sunshine on the east side so he looked different to me.  I forgot that the first time guys come home they look bigger and older.  Every time.

 On Friday night Max and Kassie had dinner with us.  I made guacamole for a starter and a fresh strawberry pizza for dessert and Hubby made the fajitas for main.  We had a two hour dinner with a lot of laughing.  We told Kassie what Max was like when he was between the ages of 2 and 5.  It really was not funny at the time, I'm glad we can laugh now.  My sisters will vouch for me, Max's behavior was horrid.  He had sleep apnea and we had no clue, we just thought it's our third boy and maybe it's a naughty one or a crazy cranky one.  Now he's as nice as the rest.  Whew.

Also today, a knee recovery update.  I am going to physical therapy.  It isn't with a physical terrorist, it's with Erin, who is fantastic.  I have been stretching and exercising on the off days.  I rode the stationary bike for 7 miles with a resistance of 6 this morning so I'm getting there.  I've also returned to boot camp.  I am so happy to be back with my peeps!  It's light at 5:30 a.m. and that helps.  I can't run or jump yet but I can walk pretty far.

The glitch is the swelling.  If it was winter I could ignore it but it's a little ugly for skirts and shorts in the summer time.  I showed the boot camp babes and my PT, Erin yesterday morning and they thought it looked fine until I showed them my other knee.  Then, not so much.

Some randoms bits:

*Sam is coming home on leave on July 10th for two weeks.  That makes this mama so happy.

*I think I need sunshine.  More specifically I think I need sunshine on my days off from work.

*I've been busy at the museum.  It's fun to be there right now because there is a kids' camp for two weeks.  They're working on a musical,  The  Little  Mermaid, so I'm humming and singing under the sea

constantly.

*Speaking of a broken record, I'm a bit tired of complaints about the weather, mine included.

*Friends and I are giving a bridal shower next week so I'm working on that project.  

It's going to be pretty cute!

*We got our ottoman back from Gerrit( my reupholster guru) and it looks great.  We had it upholstered to match the wing back chairs.  We found the ottoman for 10 bucks and had leftover drop cloth fabric from the original.  

I love checking things off the list!  Especially when I didn't actually have to do much.

*I'm forever grateful to Leslie for loaning me her stationary bike.  Thank you Leslie!  That said I do have to add the seat is a killer, I whine in my mind about my bum the entire time I'm pedaling.

*I really want to go to town today but I'm scared of the amount of traffic from up North.

Should I go or should I stay?

*Have a fantastic weekend!  I plan to clean up around here and read a good book.

Officially Summertime

Karen and I always celebrate the end of the school year with a trip to Seattle in June.  We take our sisters except none of them could go with us this year.  That didn't stop us.  We leave early to be at the University Village Sidewalk Sale by 9:00 a.m.  We go directly to Pottery Barn and join the mayhem.

This year we scored new lap quilts, glittery Christmas decor, cloth napkins, and more.

My big purchase was a duvet cover for our room, the shams were gone but I plan to use grey shams and linen taupe instead.  The fabric is pictured above as drapes.  In real life it has a more grey color with taupe.

I also scored a new raincoat at eddie bauer.  The Christine trench in stone.

Hello, my name is Tami and I'm addicted to raincoats.

Hubby was happy as I brought home a new salad spinner from William Sonoma.  We use a spinner a lot and just seem to wear them out.  I talked Karen into one too.

A fun day with a department store lunch at Nordstroms in Alderwood.

I always feel that Summer is official after this outing with Karen.

It will be official in two days, I wonder if the weatherman know that little fact?

Thank goodness I bought a new raincoat!

Happy Summer, if you can call it Summer.

Graduation Crafting

Karen passed on the graduation caps for candy and helped me find blue candy.  There's not a lot of blue candy but we found some.

 Besides making the 7 gypsies spinners for Max's graduation party I made a few other decorations for the party.  You can read more about the spinners HERE.  I also had a photo wall.

Right before the party I made a wreath using a wood oval shape that I use at Christmas time too.  I had a lot of wallet photos so I just put them on using glue dots.

 I made a bunting using school colors and my sister's cricut machine for the letters.  I had been watching for navy blue and white and light blue ribbons this spring and had collected a wide variety.  I cut them in 6-8 inch pieces and tied them between the flags.

ShellaFlora did the flowers, four beautiful bouquets for though out the house.  Shelly and I do flowers for each other when we have parties.  If you don't have a flower friend for entertaining, get one.

It was a fun, festive party for our graduate.  I loved every minute.

I packed up the pieces that can be reused and have a shopping bag for my sister who has a grad next year.

I'm finished!

New Routines

Max with his best buddy, Tyler and his parents after Tyler's graduation.  Because every post needs a picture!  And this is a good one.

Well folks, the party is over.  Hubby went back to work this morning.  He had 12 days off, in a row, almost unheard of, a staycation with grads and parties.  I went back to work yesterday and will go again today.  Max leaves for the farm today.  He will be working on the farm this summer and then off to college.  

It was all so much fun.  Now, I think we are all ready for work and routine.  

Hubby and I will ease back into routine.  Routine with a twist as we will be empty nesters.

I think we'll refeather the nest, have some patio time, and enjoy summertime.

Next chapter of life coming right up...

Graduation 2012

It rained yesterday so graduation was held inside the gym with a video stream into the worship and fine arts center.  It worked out fine because this is a smaller than usual class, twenty less kids and families makes a difference.  Max, Kassie and classmates were getting ready to line up as my folks arrived.

The guys with Mr. Thomas before graduation.  They were in deep conversation before I came to take a pic.

Max and Austin, church, football,and and dirt bike buddies .

Max and Kassie after graduation.

Curt, Drew congratulating Max and Collin..

Max and Chad.  Enough said!

 Max and Kassie with Jesse, who still hasn't forgiven me because I wouldn't let Max go to Bellingham one night when they were sophomores and who I never allowed to come to our house anytime in December because he always had to touch my eddie bauer snow globe collection and I just knew he was going to break one but we're still friends I think and he's family because Max and Jesse had the same great great grandparents.  Love Jesse and I'm going to miss him giving me grief!  Maybe.

Jesse's Dad jumped in for a photo too.

It was great to see the grads so happy and ready for the next step in their lives.  The graduates' plans  are announced as they receive their diplomas and I love to hear where they are going next.  Their families and the school have prepared them well and I'm sure they'll all make a difference in the world.

Congratulations Class of 2012!

Max's Graduation Party

It takes a village to bring up our children and last night the village came to our house to celebrate Max.

Max's high school graduation party was last night.

It was a successful party because...

it didn't rain,

family and friends who love Max were there,

we had enough food, whew,

ShellaFlora did the flowers and they were stunning,

Hubby took the week off from work, 

we have a successful grad,

there was tons of reminiscing and laughing,

Aunt Jodi came in the morning and wrapped 10 cans of water chestnuts with bacon which saved my bacon,

Max's Uncle John, Aunt Cherie and Aunt Laura drove for hours to be at his party,

Karen baked Max's most favorite almond cookies,

Elea offered to take my camera and get some shots, thank goodness or there wouldn't have been any pics,

Max's Mama didn't fall over,

Grandpa and Grandma from George came and spent the day,

there were tons of one biter brownies leftover which makes the Grad very happy, I assumed everyone ate a dozen because the Grad did while I was baking them,

there was a hen house and a dads' beer garden,

and mostly importantly...

the Grad was very, very happy!