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I promised Stace I would do this sometime last week and I just now remembered it. Sorry Stace! It’s been a busy few days!

7 things I plan to do before I die

1) See the Northern Lights

2) Build a log cabin where I can go to write music

3) See as many National Parks as I can

4) Tour the United Kingdom

5) Photograph elusive huckleberry gummibears in Montana

6) Buy my son a kilt in our family tartan

7) Climb some mountains and ford some streams

7 things I can do

1) Be a good mom

2) Make others smile

3) Sing

4) Take photos with passion

5) Love with all my heart

6) Make soup

7) Hit a homerun

7 things I cannot do

1) Throw a Frisbee (But I rock at all REAL sports!)

2) Anything with half my heart

3) Reach the top shelves in my kitchen

4) Cut grass (severe allergies)

5) Hide my relationship with Christ

6) Give up coffee

7) Please all of the people all of the time (not that I would EVER try, no not me)

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex

1) Sense of humor

2) Conviction in beliefs, relationship with God

3) Love of family, friends, kids

4) Gentleness

5) Soft spoken yet strong

6) Tall

7) Love of adventure, willing to travel

7 things I say most often

1) I’m just sayin

2) I don’t give a royal flyin’ flippin’ rip

3) yeah yeah yeah

4) Bite me

5) Oooooooo turn the van around! I need that picture!

6) I need coffeeeeeeeee

7) I love you

7 celebrity crushes

I honestly do not think I have ever had a celebrity crush! I don’t watch much TV or movies so maybe that’s why? Sorry Stace, this one is out for me!

7 people who need to do this

As per my usual for these, I will say, please seven friends of mine, DO IT! I don’t know who has and hasn’t, so pick yourselves and let me know if you do it so I can come read it k?!

Tags: Blog, Confessions, Friends, Me // Add Comment »

I was noticing on both my blog and my hard drives that I have lots of cow photos. Someone might easily think I have a thing for cows or something, but I really don’t. I think I take pictures of them because they are so calm and just stand there looking at me most days. I kind of find that fun I suppose.
It got me thinking of Salem Sue. I don’t recollect if I’ve ever mentioned Sue before. Some of you may know her. She’s the World’s Largest Cow and she lives in North Dakota.

The day we saw Sue, it was rainy and windy. We had read about the wonderful view from the top of the hill by Salem Sue. This is what we saw…

Never ones to let a little rain and fog get the best of us, we still found plenty to laugh about concerning Sue. You see, Sue, dear dear bovine that she is, seemed to be leaking from the utter. I mean, maybe her calf was nearby and we just couldn’t see it for the fog, but she was clearly lactating.

Don’t believe me? This photo doesn’t show it you say? Look closer! Ok ok… here’s the proof! Look I say look! She had her own little chocolate milk puddle under her! (*apparently some cows in North Dakota give chocolate milk! Is this a cool state or what?!)

My only complaint about the foggy hike up the hill to Salem Sue was that it kind of ruined my new shoes :( I remember buying these shoes before we left, and at this point in the trip they had made it about 5250 miles and stayed pretty dang clean despite numerous hikes and walks though woods, trails and even downtown Seattle. The Salem Sue hill did them in!

So, if you ever find yourself in North Dakota, do see Sue. She’s a heck of a cow. And as for my many cow posts, I have no clue why I seem to have so many really. Cows are just fun I guess. And without cows, we would not have CHEESE!!!!!

Tags: Cows, Farm Animals, Humor, Kitchy, Life's Questions, Me, Small Town, Travel // Add Comment »

We did eat other food while on The Great Cheese Adventure. We didn’t survive on cheese alone! I mean, we could have, but what kind of mothers would we have been if that was all we fed the kids ya know?! The above meal was great. I hadn’t eaten a real hamburger in probably six months. I have nothing against beef, believe me, but if I am going to eat a hamburger, it’s got to be a GOOD BURGER! We had planned ahead of time to eat at a historic tavern in a nearby town close to the canal ride. I love historic taverns! If the food is actually good, all the better! The waitress told us it was half price burger day. Now, I was not planning on ordering a burger at a place with such atmosphere. I thought I should get something more creative cause I am a culinary minded kind of girl and all, but when she said half price burgers, my son’s eyes lit up. However, he wasn’t quite hungry enough to eat a whole burger he felt. So, we ordered cheese sticks off the kid’s menu and a half price burger and shared. (Normally he would not be caught DEAD ordering off a kid’s menu, but if it has cheese sticks, it’s ok!) So let it be known, I did feed him food OTHER than plain cheese! But, part of the meal still had cheese in various forms. The burger had a lovely smoked cheddar which we enjoyed.
They also had half priced drinks from the bar, and the well meaning waitress (*Note my sarcasm- “Bless her heart!”), announced in front of the kids, that they could make them without alcohol if the kids wanted them! Don’t ya love it when a waitress says that, then sets down a menu which includes a drink called, and I am not kidding here, “Death By Chocolate!”

Guess who got a Death By Chocolate? Guess who giggled the rest of the afternoon? Guess who’s adorable but spoiled?

He was actually trying to look scary and sugared up in the above photo. He hadn’t even tasted any yet. The look on his face became reality though about a half hour later when the chocolate and sugar did kick in!

Guess who looks like his mommy? As you can see though, obviously these photos are out of order and this was BEFORE the drink ;)

I really didn’t care that he got the drink. Our whole awesome meal at this place came to about $9.50. Half priced burger day rocked. I can’t recall the last time he and I ate that good of a meal somewhere for that price.

Tags: Blessings, Cheese, Food, History, Me, MomStuff, Re, Small Town, The Boy, The Girl, Travel // 3 Comments »

I offered him five bucks to walk up to Abe and say, “Hey, I have your business card!” (And show him the five dollar bill) He wouldn’t do it. Five bucks just isn’t what it used to be I guess! I bought a freshly squeezed lemonade with that same five later and got three George’s back. I guess his shyness served me ok in the end.

Tags: History, Small Town, The Boy // Add Comment »

Yes, I know you all are eager to get back to the Great Cheese Roadtrip photos and stories. And we will, soon I assure you. But this is a matter of grave importance and I must address it. It was bound to happen and I not only saw it with my own eyes this past weekend, I photographed it as well.

You see, The Boy has a friend. This particular friend is a girl. He has grown up with said friend who is a girl. They live in towns five miles apart, but go to school together. Their mothers however are dang near best buddies and have been friends for well over twenty years, and of course he has known this girl since he was tiny because of the mom’s connection. They have always played nice. I have taught my son manners, and he does NOT torture girls, he is kind to them. He holds doors for them. He makes them giggle. He talks sweet to them. He is an all around nice little gentleman ya know. I pride myself in this fact.

That being said, things are changing and I noticed it LAST year at the big local town festival as we walked. More girls than boys said hello to my son. And as they did, they smiled shyly. This year, same thing. He of course shrugs it off. “They’re my friends mom!” Yeah yeah yeah. Ok. Whatever. But he had not seen his one particular friend who is a girl and also his good friend all summer because of busy schedules. When he walked up to her at the town festival, HE LIT UP. And guess what? So did she. Majorly! As moms, we stood back and kind of took it all in. We’ve always kind of jokingly discussed if planned marriage was that bad of a thing?! Now, I know some moms fret over this sort of thing, but maybe because it’s my friend’s daughter, it just made me smile. I loved seeing him so happy. And he sure was happy.

In the old days, it was the group of them playing. Aren’t they all cute?! Notice though, the darling little girl beside my son… she’s blushing! And I know why :)

I was trying to sneak a photo, but he saw me! “Mom, stop it! We’re just talking, leave us alone!”

Then all the sugar from the parade candy kicked in. And the music started. And they danced. They were dancing fools. He is so my son. And she is so her mother’s daughter. Heaven help the world if they ever did get together! haha

He chased her… she liked it…

He caught her… and they walked side by side ALL NIGHT! They talked and talked. It was so cute and so innocent and so precious. It reminded me of being nine and ten years old again. Of childhood crushes and the sweet innocence that is all too soon gone. I have watched these two grow from day one and I love them both dearly. I truly believe he just went two months without seeing his “friend who’s a girl,” and when he saw her, he saw her differently. But it really was the cutest thing watching them together.

They can’t wait for school to start next week. They are in the same room again this year ;)

Tags: Blessings, Friends, MomStuff, Small Town, The Boy // Add Comment »

Here I am with my Daddy and my son at the Moving Vietnam Memorial Wall, which visited our town. My father’s VFW group did the dedication ceremony and also assisted in the guarding of the Wall while it stayed in town.

My Daddy volunteered to serve proudly in the United States Marine Corp, and was stationed in Vietnam during the war. He had taken my sisters and I to DC to see the real Wall before, but having this come to our town was a special honor for him.

As part of the opening ceremony, the names of the four men from our town who were killed were read and the families were given a rose. Also, the names of all killed from our county and the neighbor county, a very long list, was also read. A wreath was them placed in their memory in front of the Wall.

My Dad reading the name of a local man killed in Vietnam.

My dad’s friend, the father of a friend of mine, taking part in the ceremony.

It was a very moving experience at the Moving Wall. I was honored to share it beside this Marine friend of my dad’s, all decked out in his dress blues.

Tags: Blessings, Family, History, Photography, Small Town // 2 Comments »

The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall has visited our town, and my father was involved in the dedication and guarding of it during it’s stay. It has provided for some wonderful and touching memories. (I will post photos of my dad in a later post, but this photo comes first because it touched me so much.) My father served in the United Stated Marine Corp in Vietnam. The Wall being here was both moving and cathartic. We had all visited the real Wall in DC, but seeing the Traveling Wall was very special. Having it in our town was downright awesome.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments was when I was finishing my photography duties after the dedication ceremony, and I noticed one of the honor guard men and his friend (above photo) doing a rubbing of a name. I asked him and the man helping him if they would mind me taking a photo of them. They smiled and seemed touched. I snapped as they worked. When they finished, the older gentleman turned to me, and a tear streamed down his face. He held up the small piece of paper and pointed to one of the names.

“That’s my best friend… my very best friend.” And with that I raised my camera again and thanked him for sharing that moment with me.

We are so blessed to have such love in this country. Such love that a we lay down our lives for not only our country but for our friends as well.

I will have more posts on the Wall coming in the next few days.

Tags: Blessings, Family, History, Photography, Small Town // 3 Comments »

We took the kids on a canal ride because part of the history of our local town is very steeped around a canal, but we don’t have a historical recreation ride locally… yet ;)

We were eager to get to the place where the canal ride was because we had seen the night before that this day was to be a TOTAL washout weather wise. It was to storm. It was to blow. It was to hail. And we wondered, why are we even attempting this?! But we had a plan, we would drive to a certain point, and if the sky looked ok, we would drive on. If not, we would cut north and onto possible indoor activities. As we drove, the sky stayed nice. In fact, all we experienced all day was a few sprinkles! The storms went south and hit the area of the canal AFTER we got there because we managed to get there ahead of schedule!

Re kept saying she felt like we were on The Amazing Race TV show because we were trying so hard to get to the place in time to safely ride the boat before the storms. We knew they would not take the people or the horses out if there was any weather danger. But I gotta tell ya, we were thrilled when we were finally sitting, on an earlier scheduled ride, and finally relaxing. The Boy captured a moment of joy between the two of us… and Amazing Race moment if you will…

Do you like split pea soup? I do. I just never imagined sailing through it! It was a pretty color though! Only sections looked like this, not the whole canal. The boat ride was very peaceful once we pushed off. We went about 3 miles per hour.

Gary, one of the canal boatmen talked most of the way, telling both history and logistics of sailing the craft. We learned quite a bit. He just had a very atmospheric look to him, so he makes my blog.

The kids watched out the front most of the trip. They could see the horse handler walking through the rails of the top deck. They kept it roped off till near the end of the trip when they let us all go up.

The Girl enjoyed spotting things over the side in the water. She saw many small fish and even a snake. The Boy looked for larger wildlife and saw a family of deer.

The kids both loved the ride. The Boy got some nice shots with his Nikon as well.

This was the view out the side for the first half of the trip. We went a certain distance then they turned the horses around. In the next canal post I will show that process and the second part of the trip. I had a ton of shots from the canal and this post was long already!

I hope I have implanted the Erie Canal song into your mind and it haunts you all day. That would please me. hahahahaahahahahahahahahaahaaaaaaa (my evil laugh) I couldn’t post about a canal and NOT sing that song though!

Tags: Blah Blah Blah, Blessings, Family, History, Humor, Me, Music, Photography, Re, Small Town, The Boy, The Girl, Travel // 6 Comments »

While the main purpose of The Great Cheese Tour of 2008 (I just made that title up) was to go to cheese houses and sample local cheeses, we did find some interesting international cheeses as well in the dairy cases. One that caught my eye right away was Drunken Goat cheese. It is billed as semi-soft goat cheese immersed in red wine. I used to have goats, so even though I am not a huge fan of goat cheese, anything that says goat on the label tends to catch my eye. And while I don’t of course think it would be morally right to intoxicate any animal, let’s face it, a drunk goat would be hilarious. Am I right? Come on, you know I am right. Laugh people, laugh. The title is funny. The Drunken Goat cheese was a product of Spain.
Beside it was Plain Chevion, from France. But perhaps my favorite, the one I would have loved to have tried was the Joan of Ark Brie du Luxe (also from France). I did try some of the other Joan of Arc varieties at this place, and I think more than anything I just love their logo. As I mentioned, I am a fan of great advertising! Stick a historical lady on a horse and use her to sell cheese and you know I am gonna want to buy it! And well… put a white goat on something and it catches my eye too ;)

Tags: Cheese, Cows, Family, Farm Animals, Food, Humor, Me, Re, The Boy, The Girl, Travel // 3 Comments »