Before and After

Do you ever look in the mirror and think, "Hey, that's not me!" Maybe you think with horror that you look like your mother or just a freakish version of who you think you are? 

Well, I have to admit that on occasion I have some of these thoughts but then I think through that journey called life, and all of the special people in it, and I just have to smile. 

Isn't life beautifully wonderful with just enough of reality to make it kind of funny! 

I like to think of it as BK and AK (Before Kids and After Kids).

                                                     BEFORE KIDS!

                                                      AFTER KIDS!

You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely. — Ogden Nash

It's the End of the World As We Know It...

I thought this was appropriate in light of all that is happening in the world but prepare yourself for a few moments of sensory overload. While I prefer REM's version to W's, it's still a fun video. If that wasn't enough, we have a 15 year old son who's learning how to drive! He's actually doing very well but I never thought I'd be in the passenger seat of a car yelling at the driver to, "Own the road, own it!!"



In light of all these feelings, the video below might sum up your feelings on world affairs even better - warning: Graphic Langauge.

This is Where I Grew Up...

Let's give a shout out to all the Westsider's in the house!! On March 20, 2009, on the first day of spring, MSN showcased 12 of the most beautiful places to experience spring. Beautiful Skagit County sans tourists was one of the obvious choices.

The Skagit Valley, Washington state: Springtime makes this verdant valley in northwest Washington explode with color, carpeting the land with hundreds of acres of tulips, daffodils and irises. The area is best known for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, which runs throughout April and was featured in “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.” Display gardens abound throughout the valley for you to visit, but you can also enjoy the living jewels without getting out of your car: Many of the flower fields lie right next to the road. - MSN Online

I will tell you that some of my fondest memories were of the quickly moving clouds casting shadows on my bedroom walls as the sun would shine through.

Waking up with the sun on May 1 and going into the tulip fields next to our house and picking TONS of tulips to leave on the doorstep for my mom (this was before I was old enough to realize that some may consider this theft...).

Spring was also a time when the cows would inevitably get out of the fence meaning that I would have to run through the fields at night with my dad trying to get them back home.

This was also back in the day when my dad could drive our pick-up truck over to Washington Bulb Co. and get a truckload of tulip and daffodil bulbs - FOR FREE - and feed them to our cows. This would fatten them up quickly and ease the transition from winter hay to summer grass.

Can you even imagine how many thousands of dollars they would sell those bulbs for now! You've got to love the marketing genius behind it all, the crew bosses that made it happen, Leo Roozen (this is a current photo of him but he did not look so nice when he was younger!!) in his white pickup that would strike fear in the hearts of children throughout the land, and the slave labor of young elementary school children willing to pick 200 feet of bulbs for $5.00 a row and go home only to blow a pound of dirt out of their noses. I loved the good old days!

What Did You Do at Work Yesterday?

I have to be careful when I ask my husband how his day at work was because I'm never quite sure what his response will be to this question. That is unless, of course, I get a call or see the article before he gets home. My preference is to have him arrive home on time, change his clothes, and tell me personally what a crappy day it was. It is much preferable to being at work, checking the newspaper online, and seeing the following news update. Welcome to the world of being a K-9 officer's wife...

March 17, 2009 - 10:34 AMby Staff Report

HAMILTON — A Hamilton man was robbed at knifepoint early this morning, suffering superficial injury to his face. The 31-year-old victim was walking on Cumberland Street toward Willies Hi-Lead tavern, 456 Maple St., for a cup of coffee just after midnight, said Chief Criminal Deputy Will Reichardt of the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office. When he was about a block from the tavern, he was “jumped” by two men, one wielding a knife. The two robbers knocked the victim to the ground and took his wallet, Reichardt said.

The two men then ran west laughing as they fled, and the victim walked to Willies and called 911 at 12:15 a.m. today, Reichardt said. The victim, who deputies described as unsteady on his feet, was taken to United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley where he was treated.
Deputies found the victim’s sweater in the street near the location of the assault, and Deputy Steve Dills with tracking dog Doc followed a path toward California Street, finding the victim’s wallet, Reichardt said.

A “small amount” of cash was missing but his identification remained in the wallet, Reichardt said. The dog was unable to locate the suspects. The victim told deputies that one robber was a roughly 5-foot-10-inch-tall white man in his mid-30s to early 40s. He wore camouflage pants, a sweatshirt and dark-colored beanie-style cap. The second robber was about the same height and age as the first and had dark hair and a “somewhat darker complexion” that the first, deputies said. Deputies ask anyone with information about the incident to call the sheriff’s office at 360-336-9450 or 911.

http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/hamilton_man_robbed_at_knifepoint/

Women vs. Women?

I recently came across an on-line article that describes the challenge many women face. There seems to be a struggle over doing and being the best at everything; parenting, working, being a good and attentive spouse (yeah, right!), and everything else in between.

For myself, I find that when I mention to people that I work part-time AND homeschool our two boys, I get two responses. The first response is from other homeschooling families with a stay-at-home mom who pauses briefly with a questioning raise of the eyebrow and then continues talking because you know that women love to talk. The second response is from public/private school families with or without a stay-at-home mom who pauses briefly with a questioning raise of the other eyebrow and then continues talking...

Well, I'm here to say that compared to the hours I put in as a classroom teacher for other people's children, I can unequivicabely tell you that this is a piece of cake in comparison and I love it. There is no guilt attached for what I do for my family.

So, in support of the choices you make for you and your family read the following article with a grain of salt and know that you only find love here for all that you do - go moms!!

Mom vs. Mom

When I Was a Kid...

When I was a kid I remember corn fields by the river where we crossed over from Mt. Vernon to Burlington. Then in their place they built the dueling malls - the Mt. Vernon Mall and the Skagit Valley Mall.

Then the other day as I was driving through the main thorough fares of Mt. Vernon I realized that they were widening the streets of our old stomping grounds. The very streets where my husband and I used to cruise, race, and drive to work, would be no longer. In the original sense, anyway. The old street signs will be taken down and replaced with the larger and more visible signs seen in the pictures.

Gone is the old Cinema 5, Tri-Cinema, McDonalds, Winchells, Shakey's, Herfy's, the Emporium, Maurices, and many other oldies but goodies. Instead we have the MV police department, Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Big 5, Starbucks, Dollar stores, and other urban blight. 

Gone are the cornfields, the old street signs, and the store where I bought my first pair of Star jeans and I guess the girl who fit in those jeans are gone too...but not forgotten!