Happy Birthday to Us!

My son Kelly and I celebrate our birthdays together...usually.

This year, before I take off for a mission trip to the Philippines, Kelly and I are celebrating together at the Oregon Coast. He is the master of final touches...like this one. He picked me up at PDX in this red convertible! I'm wearing the pashmina he picked out for me when serving in the military in Afghanistan last year.

He will be 42 on February 28, and I'll be 66 on February 27. He took me to my daugher's home for a quick visit and where my sister Margy met us, presenting me with this apron gift. I twirled and felt SO feminine! It is a darling apron!

And!

I got to have lunch with Dante, my grandson, Kimber and her hubby Chris.

Then we sped off to the coast.

The weather has cooperated beautifully with mild temperatures and sunny days.

We walked about four miles yesterday morning picking up shells, and inspecting dead Puffins before having lunch at The Crab Shack.
The sunset last evening was simply Divine!

The tide pools this morning were full of anemones like the green one below.

And Kelly found a Starfish before our lunch today...back at the Crab Shack where we had scallops, shrimp, and halibut.

We'll go for Clam Chowder tonight.

The weather has turned and is rainy and windy, so we are tucked up inside now as he works with his IPod and I write this. We are very happy, thank you very much!

Be End

"Be End," as Jacob says.

Everyone put on a swimsuit, gathered a towel, and planted themselves in one of two vehicles for the ride to the Super 8 motel for a celebration of swimming, especially fun for the kids. However, when we arrived there was a party going on, and the pool was full. Lovella came up with the brilliant idea for the 'little 'uns' to make painted paper, while the men took Alana to the ranch for some 4-wheeling. Alina, the Queena the Trailer, inspects her hand for paint; she's kind of picky about how she looks...darling, of course.
Marcus was the paint mixer extraordinaire!

Evan loved making all kinds of patterns before texturizing his paper.

Isabella LOVES red and pink!

Kelly loves to get the kids lined up for funniness!

This is definitely NOT funny! This was my piece de resistance!

A Rhubarb Custard Pie

made with whole wheat pastry crust, and it was delicious, if I do say so myself.

It was one of many desserts ordered up for the celebrations.

Cream Puffs, Chocolate Cake with ice cream, and Liliquoi (Passion Fruit) Cheesecake were among the treats.

We know how to eat; and we know how to celebrate, don't we?





I couldn't resist this angelic pose, below, of Dante as he napped.

...of Isabella as she slept in on the last morning,

oops, I guess he was cute enough to picture twice!

My nephew, Jake, always used to say, "Be End!" at the end of a story.

That's how this one ends too.

Don't hide; there's a zucchini coming!

Oh, sorry, these aren't zucchini plants; they are winter squash. But, never mind. Are they refreshingly lovely with those drops of dew around the edges of the leaves?

And one more winter squash plant in the dew of the morning.

I'm off on a camping vacation with my son and his family to visit other family members and to celebrate my "Little Mither's" 86th birthday in Northern Washington for the next week. This is it for a week on the blogging activity.

Happy Birthday to the Three of Us!

My Kelly (Jellybean) was nearly a birthday present 39 years ago. I went into labor on my 24th birthday and recall vividly the day fraught with excitement that this gift, already 3 weeks late, was finally willing to 'arrive'! I am happily the grandmother of Kelly's 6 children and Kimber's 1 (below) I celebrate today with panache as my husband takes me for lunch at my favorite new place called the Creme. His daughter will fix me dinner of sushi and liliquoy (a Hawaiian fruit) cheesecake out at the ranch.

Actually, today Kelly graduates in the state of Virginia at the head of his class of Chinook Helicopter Mechanics. He's been gone since early July and is suppose to come home tomorrow (his birthday). Circumstances beyond his control today will keep him there, and I lift up prayers for his heath and complete recovery from surgery! I wish I were there to see him graduate like I was in the picture below when he got his GED not too long ago.

And then, Darlin' Alana!

She's a Leap Year Baby, so it's one, two three for us (Feb. 27, 28, 29).

I praise God for her delightful presence in our family!

As this day unfolds, there is snow on the ground, the sun is shining brilliantly, and there are harbingers (I LOVE that word!) of spring everywhere. February ends well and we march forward with joy on our hearts.