Responsibilities

I just got back from a walk around Lake Padden in south Bellingham. The sun peaked out this morning, so I decided to grab my hiking boots for the 2.6 mi trek in this beautiful park we found two years ago. Bob is recovering from a cold, so I went solo. While I was enjoying the cool, crisp air, the water lapping on the shore, and the wonderful smell of pine trees, I started thinking about how I felt when we first took this hike two years ago. We had just arrived and it felt like our only responsibility at that time was getting settled and finding our way around Bellingham. Although it was scary to be starting over again, there was also sense of excitement and wonder about our new life in retirement.

Sometimes, lately, I find that I miss that feeling that goes with being free of responsibility. We've worked real hard to "get connected" to our new community these past two years. The result is a job for me and a seeming gazillion things I'm involved with at church. Bob is so busy volunteering that he has made little progress building his model boat. The good news is that we WANT to be busy. We are young retirees and I think it would be awfully boring to not be a part of something more important than ourselves. Still, every now and then, I think back to those first few months here, when everything was fresh and new, and I get a little wistful. While I was walking today, I had that feeling, but also a very happy feeling. Happy to live within 10 minutes of a pretty hike, happy to have a sweet memory of our first hike there, and mostly happy to have landed in this most amazing spot at this time in our lives. I realize that you never truly get away from responsibility and I believe it makes your life richer. But, living in the beautiful Northwest, allows us to escape now and then to the mountains, or to the bay, or to a lake, or just a nearby park, and we continue to be grateful for that each and every day.

Babysitting Fun

Last night Steve and Angie were invited to an engagement surprise party for friends and we were asked to babysit. We've visited lots of times, of course, but this was the first REAL babysitting assignment. We left early so we could stop by the Apple store (Bob's fav new store) and walked through the mall, taking in all the enormous commercialism surrounding Christmas. After a treat at Panera's (Kathi's fav place to eat), we headed over to "report for duty"!!!

When we arrived, there was little Evan, with his cute smile that always steals away our hearts. We always ooh and aah over him and that makes him smile even more. Yesterday he was especially happy, with lots of time spent laughing away at this and that. Grandpa Bob loves to make this silly sound and Evan can't get enough of it.

Angie and Steve got all "dolled up" for their night on the town and then we got down to business. Bob picked up pizza and I started trying to get Evan to eat his peas. He ate a few, but really relished his beloved yogurt. I tried to sneak in some more peas, but he's too smart for me and it was "nothing doing"! Bob arrived with the pizza and Evan enjoyed this part of dinner immensely. We skipped the diet coke for him...didn't think that would go over well with Mom and Dad.

After playing a little more and reading a story, it was time for jammies and teeth brushing. Poor little guy had not slept well the night before and he was rubbing his eyes with tiredness. He fell asleep pretty easily, but refused to take the bottle we had for him. Steve will usually give him a bottle if Angie is away, but again "nothing doing" with the bottle and us last evening. After about an hour or so, he woke up and cried his little heart out. Steve happened to call when he was crying, so I think Mom and Dad thought that a sign to wind down their evening. It was really nice for us, though, as we sat together with Evan on the couch and tried to ease him back to sleep. We sang, massaged his back, tried the bottle again, cuddled him, but he just looked at us with the cutest eyes that said, "Your not my Mom and Dad". He wasn't crying anymore, but those eyes seem to say, "I think I'll just wait for them to come home before I go to sleep again"! Mom and Dad arrived home around 10 and he just melted in Angie's arms.

We gave him good-bye hugs and kisses and are happy we all survived. And, of course, we can't wait to be called into active duty again. One thing is for sure...you can't beat being a grandparent!

A Lovely Holiday

Thanksgiving has always been among my most favorite of holidays. And, through the years, we've experienced wonderful hospitality as we traversed across the country and were invited to join Thanksgiving feasts with friends we've met along the way. It was always an "extra" to be thankful for as we were not close enough to be with immediate family on this special day. One of our most poignant Thanksgivings was eating with my Mom in the nursing home in St. Louis. The food wasn't memorable, but now that she is gone, I am happy that we shared that day, knowing it meant so much to her.

Yesterday we spent our third Thanksgiving celebration with the Neeleman's since arriving in Bellingham. We are so grateful to be included each year. Ben always does a great job cooking the turkey and Jen is renowned for her delicious rolls. Kelsey even made collard greens, which Bob enjoyed immensely. There were lots of tasty treats, from cheese balls to zucchini appetizers to the traditional Thanksgiving Day sides. There was even 15# of potatoes, which reminded me of mashed potatoes at Bob's house when Georgette was alive. Kristi's yummy pies rounded out our great turkey dinner.

There is also the annual "weigh-in", with the "brave" ones getting on the scale pre and post feasting. Bob "cheated" by concealing a heavy book under his shirt for the post weigh-in. Others were impressed with his weight gain so he confessed and was disqualified. They go by % of weight gained and this year little Ivy won, but somehow Steve got the winning pot...he came in second and "our boy" sure knows how to eat.

We awoke to snow yesterday, but the roads cooperated and the trip to Arlington was a sight to see, with beautiful snow covered evergreen trees. We did forget our camera, however, which gives us a failing mark as grandparents, as this was Evan's first Thanksgiving. He was too excited to nap, but did so well all day. In fact all the little ones had a great day. It was especially fun to watch Felix, Robby, Owen, and Ivy sliding in the snow. Owen and Robby were very proud of their snowman, too!

Our temps finally rose last night and it melted the snow away (yeah, for Bob's back as he did not have to shovel)! We did get an extra treat yesterday, too. Angie has been meaning to give us a shoot of a jade plant that she has had since college and shared with family and friends. A local plant person had told us they were difficult to grow and this just mystified Angie, as she has found the opposite. She gave us a pretty pot to start our new jade plant in and Bob planted it when we got home. It looks so pretty on our windowsill and we are hoping it will thrive. What a nice way to end a lovely day...thanks, Angie!

Goin' To Grandma & Grandpa's in B'Ham with FIRST SNOW

Ever since I started going to a new yoga studio in town, I've wanted Angie to join me for a class on a Saturday morning. With everybody's busy schedule, it's been hard to set a date, but we finally were able to make it work yesterday. It was Steve's Friday off and after Angie was done at the office, they drove up to B'Ham, amidst the cold, wind, and rain. I worked Friday, and was excited all day because I knew that we'd soon be seeing EVAN (and Steve and Angie, too)! The greatest blessing that comes with living in the Northwest is being close to family and it's been such fun watching Evan reach each milestone this first year of his life. He's now crawling, pulling himself up, and interested in just about everything. He has the sweetest smile and it just lights up his face (and warms our hearts every time)!

After finishing dinner, we heard the wind howling and could not believe our eyes when we opened the door and saw snow coming down like crazy. Last year was quite a mild winter, with just a dusting all season, and so this was Evan's first "real" snow storm. It actually was nice, listening to the storm rage, while we were warm and comfy inside.

When I woke up this morning, it was pretty, darn cold and the wind had not let up. I checked my yoga studio's website and class had been canceled. Oh, well, all's well that ends well. It was time for Papa Bob's famous crepes and more fun playing with Evan. He adores Bob's fish and was quite interested in the kitchen drawers. Watching him brought back fun memories of Steve and Pete when they were little guys.

Bob's out shoveling away and the family is headed back home. I look forward to planning another yoga time with Angie. We've been told this is going to be an especially difficult winter, so the weather may become quite a challenge over the next few months. Next up...getting to hold Evan on Thanksgiving Day, while everyone works hard making the delicious turkey feast!

Guilty Pleasures I Don't Feel Guilty About

It makes me happy that I enjoy the following things without guilt:

My new Eco Citizen watch, which runs on solar power and never needs a battery.

Our Kitchen Aid, French Door, with freezer on the bottom refrigerator.

Buying at least one book whenever I go into any book store.

Almost daily coffee drinks at any one of the numerous coffee shops around.

Dunkin' Donut coffee at home...it's a little pricey, but love the taste.

Paying extra for yoga at 3 Oms Yoga studio, versus taking a free class at the gym.

Buying a "lifetime" guarantee, expensive yoga mat recently.

A small hamburger, small fry, & small diet coke at McDonald's.

Having half and half in my coffee everyday.

Rold Gold Honey Wheat Braided Twist pretzel treats, 10 per day=110 calories.

Auntie Annie's pretzels at the Mall.

Talking for hours on the phone with my dearest friends.

Buying pre-shredded cheese.

Retiring at age 55. (Well, that's Bob actually, I still work a little).

For most of our lives, Bob and I have lived pretty frugally, within our means, which allowed that last pleasure to be attainable. Still, it's fun to have guilty pleasures, although I know they are not really all that bad. After a life filled with tons of guilt, I'm glad I can enjoy these few things "guilt-free"...for the most part...on most days...ah, well, you get the picture.

I Got Lucky On This One

We have had a great fall season thus far, with beautiful, warm, sunny days and amazing, clear views of Mt. Baker. My work, traveling, and volunteer commitments have kept us from hiking as much as I had expected this season, so with a good forecast this past Wednesday, we headed into the Mt. Baker National Wilderness area. Our various hiking guides indicated that the season for trails in this area ends in October, but with great weather, we figured we'd take our chances. We even decided to head on up to the end of the Mt. Baker highway and try some paths off of Artist's Point. (You can imagine how picturesque that spot is, with mountain peaks all around)! We were only able to get within a mile of our destination, since we were above the snowline and they have officially closed that area for the winter/spring season. In fact, it won't open again until sometime in July, as the snow REALLY accumulates near Mt. Baker. (Interesting fact- Mt. Baker has the distinction of the most recorded snowfall in one season)!

We were hungry by this time, so we enjoyed the view and had lunch on the truck's tailgate. Bob made friends with some birds, who would not leave us alone after he gave them some bread scraps. We saw a few people enjoying this spectacular day, but for the most part, we had the beauty to ourselves. On our way down we decided to hike a trail that most books list as quite difficult. Still, time was slipping away, and I was ITCHING for a good hike and nice views. About an hour into our hike, Bob decided it was time to head back. We were both still dealing with the end of bad colds and I agreed it wasn't worth pushing it too much. So much for the views, but I just love the entire experience of being in the forest...the smell of the pines, the sound of the rushing waters, and the sight of the sun glinting through the trees.

On our way out we even spotted what may have been a bear den. It was a huge hole that Bob thought was too small for a bear, but I wasn't taking any chances. So I did my "Chatty Kathi" thing while we made our way out to civilization, hoping that my talking would keep those creatures far, far away. The good thing is that we did not see any bears, but I guess I was a bit distracted and did not see a rock on the path. Suddenly, I stumbled and was down on my knees in P A I N! Poor Bob rushed to me and later told me his first thought was "How am I gonna get her out of here"? After getting over the shock, I luckily found I was able to move and readily get to my feet. We had only about 20 minutes more to go and thank goodness I could make it on my own.

I've got a fair amount of bruising on my right knee and a little on my left. But, the pain has been minimal (thank you ice and ibuprofen). It was a little difficult on my knee in yoga today, but I'm so grateful, considering how it could have been. The big question is if I could not have walked should Bob have left me there and gone for help or tried to carry me out. I would have voted to having him leave me there (with the bear spray, of course). What good would it have done for him to have gotten hurt as well? The scary thing is that we have no cell phone service on the trails and we only saw one other couple. It is a little sobering to think how quickly one can hurt oneself. Anyway, I'm glad all is well and I know I got lucky on this one. Next time I'm sure I'll be a little more vigilant for rocks on the ground!

Time with our "Grand" girls

Last weekend we were in the midst of grandparent nirvana as we spent lots of time with Hannah and Lizzie during our fall trip to Iowa. Pete and Anne deserved some fun time at the Hawkeye game and time to discuss their IC moving plans as well. That meant grandparent duty for us and with the help at the Sullivan B&B, we had a blast. I was a little worried about the girls spending two nights away from Mom and Dad, but they did amazingly well. I know it helped immensely having so much attention from Jan, Mike, Kathleen, Nick, Michelle, Bruce and Carol. They all showered them with such care and some sweet gifts as well. Hannah and Lizzie also got to meet and play with their first friends in IC, Luke and Claire.

Grandparents who do not live nearby miss out on so much as these little ones grow so fast. It was such fun taking the girls to the Children's Museum, riding on the carousel, splurging on ice cream, having our own day with Lizzie, and taking Hannah to dance lessons. One of the best moments was them running into our arms when they first arrived in IC on Friday night. I felt so reassured that the rest of the weekend would go well and thankfully it did.

It is always great to be back in IC and now that Pete is working for the University of Iowa, that will be our destination from now on. And, knowing that Hannah and Lizzie will grow up in the same town that their Dad did makes my heart happy and content. Of course, seeing Pete relishing his new job was the icing on the cake. Anne has been such a trooper as much of the challenge of the move has fallen on her shoulders. We are so grateful to her for helping Pete realize his dream and for giving us sweet, sweet, truly, "grand" granddaughters!

Courage

I was thinking of this word today as I was getting ready to leave our gym's locker room. There was a very overweight woman who went into one of the private dressing areas to change. I can only imagine the cruel things that have been said to her over the years and getting undressed in front of others probably is not on her list of comfortable things to do. But, imagine the courage it took for her to join the gym in the first place!

I have never considered myself to be a particularly courageous person, but through many of my 56 years of life I have had to call upon whatever courage I could muster due to having an anxiety disorder. I believe I owe this to genetics (my Mom was a pretty anxious person, herself) and the deal was sealed when I lost my Dad at age 9. It's never easy to lose a parent early in life and I think any "frailties" we may have are allowed to develop due to the stress of this kind of life event. Still, I managed pretty well to keep my anxieties under control until the early 90's when three things pushed me into a tailspin. My brother suffered a major stroke, my Mom moved to Iowa City, and I had my 36th birthday...the age my Dad died. Somewhere, deep in my psyche, I believe I feared my own death and all kinds of things began to bring on panic symptoms. Along with my Dad dying and Bob getting cancer, it was one of the worst times of my life.

One of the most disconcerting issues I faced at this time was uncontrollable shaking when I had to draw blood or start an IV on a patient. This nursing "skill" had always been an issue for me. Those in the medical field know that there are those who can almost start an IV on a wood post and those that you wouldn't have come near you. Although I fell somewhere in the middle of that skill, my perception was that I was terrible. I ended up with my own personal library on anxiety and it's treatment and immersion sounded the best way to go. So, I decided to take a job working in a blood bank and pierced the veins of hundreds of people over my year there. Despite trying my best, I never really gained the comfort level I yearned for and left to become an oncology nurse. My anxieties then began to settle down and working with cancer patients has given me such a deep sense of gratitude for my life ever since.

I've come to believe that courage really comes into play when you engage in those things that you fear and continue to try, even with failure. Although I do not know this woman I saw in the club today, I admire her strength to attempt to make this healthy change in her life. To me, her ability to try, is a life lesson in courage.

Updates

This week marks two years living in our Bellingham home. What amazes me most is how fast time has flown. In a way, it is kind of scary as with each passing day, it is one less day in my life...a life that is SO good now and I never want it to end. It's even more scary to write that sentence as I know that one never knows what is around the corner. When I first started writing this blog, I posted frequently, but lately it's been hit and miss. Still, I really enjoy this process and it is a great way for me to look back and reflect on how far we've come in two short years.

These past few weeks have been fun and busy. On 10/03, we were in Saratoga Springs, NY for the wedding of Scott Garvey. I've known Scott since he was 8 months old, when we met the Garvey's on the Ped Mall in Iowa City. It's been wonderful watching him grow into the fine man he has become and it was such an honor to be a part of his and Ashley's wedding celebration. The Matthes' spent many a holiday with the Garvey's over the years and we've shared weddings, funerals, grandbabies, tears, and joys as we've traveled through life together. Being with the Garvey's for this most recent milestone was another highlight!

Since we were in New England, it was a must to stop in and see our Rhode Island family, Scott, Kristen, and Calvin. It's a long story, but we decided to take the Greyhound bus to Boston and then the train to Providence. Last Monday proved to be a fun adventure as we traveled across Massachusetts in "bus style". We could see the fall color, doze a bit, and even had WIFI access. Boy oh boy, is that progress or what? We always have such fun with Scott, Kristen and Cal and always love visiting the beautiful area in which they live.

We are settling into the fall season in the PNW. Although we keep having rainy forecasts, we are still getting lots of sunny days, with warm temps. The warm temps are keeping our deck flowers in bloom. Bob took some pics, so we hopefully can remember what to plant next year. In our little backyard, pretty potted plants add to the coziness of the spot.

The only difficult thing about retirement thus far, is not being able to be in two places at once. We are always missing Pete, Anne, Hannah, and Lizzie. My heart was aching recently when Lizzie was in the hospital for a urinary tract infection and our balloon bouquet somehow seemed inadequate. Thankfully she recovered quickly and I know that if there is something serious, we are only a plane ride away. Soon we will be visiting them and our semi-annual trips to see them are always special times for us.

Of course, we try to see Evan as much as possible. Watching him grow month by month is such a blessing and he is the happiest baby! He always seems to be smiling and Angie tells us his biggest smiles are for his Dad. Holding and cuddling him is an absolute joy for this Grandma.

My final update is that Bob surprised me this weekend with an offer to paint over the final "green" room. Now, we have a lovely light mocha color in our computer/library/boat building room. Said room is pretty packed, but now it feels warm and cozy and I'm thrilled with the result. We continue to have so much to be thankful for, so grateful for each and every day!

The Beauty of the Clouds

If one chooses to live in the Northwest, it is a good idea to accept the fact that there will be lots of cloudy days. Otherwise, you may find yourself unhappy because, guess what...there are lots of cloudy days. That said, there have been some beautiful sights to behold as clouds come and go around the mountains and hills in Bellingham.

This morning was especially pretty when I drove to my Saturday morning yoga class. Low clouds and mist hung in various shapes around the evergreens and as I was viewing this, I thought to myself that there was really no way for me to explain it well...maybe ethereal, maybe mystical...for sure it was lovely. Today was also one of those strange weather days that happen often. It started cloudy, then the sun made an appearance and decided to stay. It surprised us as it was supposed to rain all day, but it shouldn't have, as another thing we've learned about living here, is to never count on the weather forecast.

This past February, Steve and Angie gave me a birthday gift certificate for a crab cruise on Bellingham Bay. I made the reservations for August, thinking we'd have a nice summer evening. We usually don't have much rain here in August, but as luck would have it, it rained on the night of our cruise. Even though we had looked forward to a bay sunset, we ended up enjoying the cloud formations and misty fog that were pretty in their own right.

The fact that these clouds come and go make for an ever changing landscape and that enables us to never get bored with our surroundings. After we saw that the sun was going to stay shining today, we headed out to Boulevard Park, enjoyed our "requisite afternoon coffee" and had fun watching a kayak race on the water. As we drove home, Mt. Baker emerged from the clouds for a moment and then was half covered by those same clouds in another moment. I guess that is a good way to view our life here, moment to moment, in the beauty of the clouds.

At last...the PACIFIC OCEAN

Cape Flattery, no further to go!


From Cape Flattery you can see Tatoosh Island


Sea Caves formed from the relentless waves

In a few weeks we will mark our 2nd anniversary of retirement and move to the Pacific Northwest. About 6 weeks ago I was lamenting to Bob that we still had so many areas yet to explore. We then decided that an end of summer getaway to one of those areas was in order and since we had not seen the Pacific since our arrival, that became our destination. That took us to the above picture, Cape Flattery, which is the farthest northwest corner in the continental USA. It is often rainy and cloudy there, but as you can see, we were blessed with perfect weather that day.

Day number one was a travel day and with miscalculating the time it would take, we almost missed our ferry reservation. The ferry from Whidbey Island to Port Townsend is much smaller than the ones we've taken before, so it was a new experience traveling on this smaller boat. Upon arriving in Port Townsend, we ate at a cute, little cafe and then headed west about two more hours to Chito Beach Resort. The word resort is used rather loosely in this area, as there are no real resorts to speak of. We expected this area to be stunningly beautiful, which is was, but it was far more remote than I ever imagined. When we were told by our innkeepers to bring most of our food, it was good advice as there were very, very few services. The views from our cabin were breathtaking and I loved listening to the waves, especially when falling to sleep at night. I always wondered what that would be like and it was heavenly.

We were lucky to find reservations at Chito Beach as they are full most of the summer. Looking at some of the other places that we could have stayed, I'm so glad it worked out as it did. I find it amazing that this area is so under developed, mostly used for fishing. It was a pleasure to go for close to 3 hours and see no McDonald's or Subways. I guess the area is remote enough and protected enough, that development is not worthwhile. This beautiful slice of our world gets to just stay beautiful!

In addition to Cape Flattery we also visited the Makah Indian Reservation museum on day two and learned about the 11 year archaeological dig that took place in the 80's that unearthed the history of this tribe. It always saddens me to drive through the Native American reservations and see the poverty that exists. We spoke to a Native American woman at her coffee shop several times and it was interesting to hear her thoughts on life on the reservation.

Day three we took a hike to Shi Shi Beach. As we were traveling to the trail head, we could see that there was quite a bit of fog, which unfortunately never lifted. It was almost surreal as we walked along the beach, appreciating the way the fog and mist hung all around us. I'm sure on a clear day the views are magnificent, but we learned that clear days on the coast are a bonus. We were grateful for our bonus at Cape Flattery.

We drove past Crescent Lake in the Olympic National Forest on our way home and it was a gorgeous site, with clear, blue skies. By the time we reached Port Townsend, it was cloudy again and I figured it would be that way the entire trip home. As we arrived in Bellingham, however, blue skies appeared and it was great to be home. Now, my little traveling voice is already saying, "What's next"?


View from our cabin at Chito Beach Resort


Another View


Our cabin- The Wolf Den- no "real" wolves seen, however


One more pretty view from our cabin


Our first glance at Shi Shi Beach


Although no sunshine, the mist/fog had a beauty of it's own


The ocean view from Shi Shi Beach

Green, Green, Everywhere

When we first saw our current home, we immediately liked so many things about it. But, there was one thing that was a little off putting, which somewhat explained why it had not sold in 9 months...the whole house was painted GREEN. It was not the pleasant, earthy, Northwest green that one might imagine, but a BRIGHT green that I soon realized had to go. Bob is color blind and the official family painter, so he was more on board to "keep it the way it is", but Angie and her friend, Beth, backed me up and paint we (I mean, Bob)did.

The week before our furniture arrived, we moved in and Bob painted all week. I love the main color we found which is a nice, warm yellow that is cheery on cloudy days. I recently read that it is the perfect Northwest wall color with our climate. By the end of that first week, Bob was getting tired of painting and so I suggested leaving the laundry area, the computer room, and one wall in the kitchen green. The color wasn't so bad in bits and pieces, but the whole house??? What was the former owner thinking?

This summer I had hoped to do some painting to finally get rid of the rest of the green. I happen to like the one accent wall of green in the kitchen area, so that area will stay put. Summer is almost gone, but today Bob did the easy laundry room and I LOVE it. It's a color in the light brown family and blends so nice with the warm yellow. So, we have just one room left of the green and I will be so glad to see it go. This room will require a little more work as we've packed lots of things into our computer/library/boat building space. I'm not sure when I will convince Bob to get it done, but now that I've seen how nice the laundry room came out, maybe it will be sooner than later. It sure is wonderful when painting makes such a big difference!


The only green that will remain


Green that will be painted over, hopefully "sooner than later"


Laundry room: Before-Yucky GREEN


Laundry room: After-Nice warm brown

Living in Paradise

It amazes me how I continue to fall in love over and over with the Pacific Northwest. Before living here, I'd met wonderful people and seen pretty areas in all the places we've been, but I never truly understood "love of place". South Dakota was probably the prettiest place we previously lived, but the winters were awfully COLD. Iowa City has a special place in my heart because that's where we raised our children and my friends there are like family. I always thought the rolling farmlands of Iowa were a peaceful respite from the rest of the world, but the long winters and hot, humid summers could make me weary.

All through my life, I've met folks who "loved where they lived". Our relatives who live near the New Jersey shore would not live anywhere else. Our closest NJ friends, Ken, Jackie, Rose, and Glenn also have that "NJ state of mind". Scott and Kristen have always loved Rhode Island life and Roger and Marianne fell in love with Florida. AZ winters are not like winters at all for the Garvey's. And, now for us, the Northwest has captured our hearts.

I believe that how you feel about anything in life is your perception of it. I will never forget my first perceptions when I drove from the Seattle airport, viewing the beautiful evergreens that our state is known for. I was mesmerized and that feeling continued with each new beautiful place I saw. I grew to wonder, "How could anybody not love it here"? Well, certainly, if one needs lots of intense sun, this is definitely NOT the place to settle down. But, I've been pleasantly surprised by how "sun breaks" make all the difference in getting through our cloudy winters. Also, the mild winter temps are very nice indeed and, for me, more than make up for our "famous rainy weather".

The best thing about living in the PNW is that it's not just ONE thing that makes this place so spectacular...it's the Cascade range, the Olympic range, the San Juan Islands, the Chuckanut Mountains, the Puget Sound, Bellingham Bay, Lake Whatcom, Lake Padden, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, and all the cool places right here in Bellingham! Believe me, it's not possible to over estimate the beauty!

Life has so many if's for all of us. If we hadn't moved from IC ten years ago, if Steve wouldn't have gone to San Diego for his first job, if Steve had not followed his heart and Angie to the Northwest...if any of those things had not happened, we would not be here now. Even though I was very excited to settle here, it still was a scary prospect to "start all over again". I thought there would be lots of tears, but I have been pleasantly surprised that there haven't been any. It's taken effort on our part to become connected, but not anywhere near difficult. I feel incredibly blessed that we've finally found "our paradise", incredibly grateful for each and every day in it!

Proud x 2

It's a pretty much known fact that most parents love to take credit when their offspring do well, but try to blame "other factors" when trouble brews. Both Pete and Steve have had some wonderful accomplishments this year, but Bob and I can take NO credit whatsoever. They are grown men now and their successes are their own. Still, it's hard not to be proud when they work hard, with positive results.

Bob doesn't have too many career regrets, but often wished he had gotten his professional engineering certification. It probably would not have changed his work life, but it would have been a nice honor to have. When Steve became an engineer, I wonder if he internalized that story as he decided pretty early in his career to pursue his professional engineering certification. Steve is an industrial engineer and there is no PE in that field, so he taught himself what he needed to know for the mechanical engineer professional certification. Last summer and fall, we would often see his review books on the dining room table and one look at the complicated stuff he was studying would make this math adverse Mom cringe. The good news that he passed came before the holidays and Bob and I were thrilled for him. Steve and Angie took it all in stride, but Bob and I were all smiles, ear to ear.

Pete has had an interesting career path. I have always loved politics, but somehow my democratic gene was not passed down to my first born. He became involved in Republican politics in college and with a political science major and determination has always worked in the field of politics. Pete is passionate about his work and no doubt, has gotten where he is completely on his own. After working as the Director of the Iowa Republican State Senate caucus for the past few years, he just was offered and accepted the position as Director of Federal Relations for his beloved University of Iowa in Iowa City. It is his dream job and we are so excited for his new opportunity.

Yes, it has been a good year for our Hawkeye alums. Steve became a first time Dad, along with his PE and Pete will have a new home in IC to go along with his new job. And, more than anything, they are happy...which is what most parents really want after all. Way to go, Pete and Steve!

East Coast Family Visits West Coast Family

Last week at this time we were in the midst of hosting Bob's brother Scott, his wife, Kristen, and our nephew, Calvin on their first trip to the Pacific Northwest. We thoroughly enjoyed showing them places we've come to love. In fact, during our explorations over the past 1 1/2 years, we would often comment, "Scott and Kristen would love it here"! And, we were right. They love being active and outdoors, which is the mantra of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.

We kept very busy and some of the highlights included:

Walking along the Edmond's waterfront with Steve, Angie, and Evan
Having our own guided tour of the BEAUTIFUL University of Washington by the famous alumnus, Angie
Touring Seattle's Pike's Market, eating at the Sleepless in Seattle restaurant
Seeing Seattle, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker from the top of the Space Needle
Kayaking along the Chuckanuts
Hiking Goat Mountain in the rain and being amazed at barefoot Cal
Exploring downtown Bellingham, Fairhaven, and Boulevard Park
Eating lots and lots of good food at Fiamma's Pizza, The Beach Cafe, The Rumor Mill-just to name a few
Having a delicious salmon meal at home, thanks to our talented chef, Scott
Eating wonderful "Crepes by Bob"
A fun ferry ride to San Juan Island, soaking up all the beauty in this lovely part of the world
And, watching the Mariners at Safeco Field finally win, breaking their losing streak!

We had such a fun visit and wish we were not clear across the country from each other. Although we began missing them as soon as we parted, we'll reconnect this fall when we travel to Saratoga Springs for a wedding. And, we hope they will consider visiting us again...there's still so much to explore!