Running Down Memory Lane

Jordana's Wedding

2009-07-14T18:50:00.001-07:00

My niece, Jordana, got married on Father’s Day. It was going to be a quick little courtroom marriage while Tyler was on a 3-4 week leave from the Coast Guards, but my sister-in-law and brother-in-law talked them into getting married at their home. They invited 20 of Jordana and Tyler’s closest friends and family for the wedding. They rented tables and converted their living room/dining room into a beautiful dining hall. A friend made Jordana’s dress. She’s a tiny little thing…hard to find a size O at the last minute! My sister-in-law, Denise, made the cake and wedding bouquet. She basically put the entire wedding together in 2 short weeks, complete with a sit down steak and prawn dinner. She’s a pretty decent stepmom, don’t ya think???? My brother-in-law, Dan, is quite a gardener, so they got married under his grape arbor. We were all a little nervous when it started to thunder and lightening 2 hours before the wedding, but the sun made an appearance and it stayed away until much later that evening. It was a privilege to be a part of their special day.

Denise asked me if I would mind taking a few pictures. I was nervous at first but I actually got kind of excited about it. Why not? They weren’t expecting anything more than a few people taking snapshots. I know my photography skills aren’t even close to normal wedding standards, but they were thrilled with some of the moments I captured. I took over 300 photos and I’m as slow as a slug editing, but here are a few of my favorites. I have been trying to learn Photoshop, so I'm played around with converting some images to black and white an even tried my hand at a vintage look with some hand tinting….kinda fun! I still have to learn how to clone some distracting pots and whatnot out of a few photos but I’m taking it slow and learning as I go. Most of these images aren’t ready to be printed yet, but it will probably be forever before I’m satisfied with them, so I thought I'd share some of them as is.

P.S. Doesn’t my brother-in-law, Dan, look a lot like Mike???

One of my all time favorite pictures. Denise was trying to pull those little hanger staps down Jordana's dress. Love the way she's getting her from all angles!

Jordana's place setting

getting ready!

They converted their living room/dining room into this seating area for dinner. They rented the tables, placesettings and tableclothes. Nice Job, eh?

Dessert dishes all ready for the wedding cake.

Dan bought Jordana a peal necklace. I wish I would have used a lower fstop ...I wanted Dan to be somewhat out of focus, but this just makes him look blurry. Not quite the effect I was going for, but I still like the moment!

Denise makes beautiful (and delicious) cakes. Best butter cream frosting EVER! It's always been one of her specialties and it must have meant so much to Jordana that she made it for her!

Sweet moment between father and daughter :)

Tried a vintage edit with hand tinting on this photo

...and this one!

This was right before she went downstairs to see Tyler for the first time

Tyler's first glance at his new bride!

Doesn't she look happy?

Stupid pot....but my cloning skill suck at the moment, so it is what it is until I get it right!

Congratulations Jordana and Tyler!!!!!!!!!!!

Kauai, Our New Favorite Hawaiian Island

2009-06-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

I’m sorry Maui, but you’ve slipped a notch. Kauai is our new favorite island!!!

We made a brief trip in 1997 while island hopping, but it rained 3 out of the 5 days we were there. Our memories include pouring rain and slipping and sliding on the one and only hike we decided to brave.

We were really struggling with where to go for our 25th wedding anniversary. It had to be someplace special (and tropical). We checked into Jamaica, The Bahamas, and even Mexico, but kept coming back to Hawaii. It has a special place in our hearts. Maybe it’s because we had our honeymoon there (and promised to return on our 10th Anniversary …but had to wait until our lucky 13th due to children and finances). We’ve been fortunate enough to go several times since then and we’ve never had a bad experience yet! Maui has always been our favorite island but we have a family trip planned in November (we promised Libby while in ICU) so we wanted to go someplace different.

So, after much discussion we decided to give Kauai another shot. This time we would stay 16 days…to allow for some rainy days on The Garden Island. IT NEVER RAINED ONCE!!! It spritzed one afternoon (the day before we came home) but we were hot and ready to come in from the beach anyway. By the time we walked back to our condo it was over. Other than that, nada!!!!!

We were amazed at the beauty of the island. The North Shore is even more lush than where we were staying (we opted to stay on the South shore where it is drier). We went on several hikes: along cliffs, to secret waterfalls, along the valley ridges, and to lookout points in Waimea Canyon. Spectacular hiking areas! We went to the botanical gardens. We rented a kayak and paddled down the Wailua River. We snorkeled at several beaches (our favorite was called Hideaways). It was a steep climb to the beach but very secluded (maybe a dozen people max) and the snorkeling was fantastic. The water was crystal clear and the reefs were overflowing with coral and fish in every color imaginable! There are so many beaches on the island of Kauai, there’s no way we could have seen them all! We probably only visited 7 or 8 beaches during our stay, but we simply ran out of time. Sometimes we planned on seeing 2-3 beaches in a day but we always ended up enjoying the first beach too much and we never wanted to leave! I guess we’ll just have to come back one day!

We know we’ll have to prepare ourselves for rain the next time we visit Kauai , but as it stands, were giving it a BIG thumbs up!!!!

This is a hike along Kuilau Ridge Trail. The ridge was completely covered in ferns.

It reminded me of some sort of fairy tale...like a fantasy land

We hiked along these cliffs. Saw hundreds of turtles swimming below.

We were at a lookout point and heard this funny noise. I turned around and there was a young guy running with this little pig chasing him and crying while trying to keep up with him. He's his pet pig. His name is concho. He said he'll get to be 150-200 lbs. If he makes it that long. ...kinda sad but very common on the island.

View of the Princeville resort on the North Shore.

hiking along the cliffs.

The Hilton Resort. Beautiful grounds. For the Rich and Famous (not the Schnabel's)

I loved the way the sun was shining on the cliff. A lot of our pictures were taken while hiking along those cliffs.

Resting. Actually he's waiting for me to catch up. I tend to get sidetracked taking pictures!

Beautiful birds. I can't remember the name of this guy....

We were hiking all by ourselves when suddenly three women on horseback appeared. They asked if I would take a picture of them, then offered to take a picture of us. ummm, sure. I'm in my bathing suit and Mike has no shirt on...but ok. I'm glad she did. It's like the only pic of the two of us from the entire trip.

Secret Beach. Shhhhhh!

Is this red sand not incredible????? Such contrast between colors on this island!!!

Ok, this is where I dropped my lens cap and it fell in some rocks below. Mike to the rescue!

I have to proect my lens at all cost. It could get scratched or something....

More red sand!

Waimea Canyon

A picture of Jill with Palms growing out of her head. I like to think of them as wings!

We went to one viewpoint and it was completely covered by the clouds. We went back a few days later before going on a nearby hike. I'm glad we went back. The view was amazing.

It looked kinda cool with the cloud cover though.....

Taro Fields

Are these cattle aware of the beauty that surrounds them?? I was quite envious of these critters until I inhaled an Angus Burger.

View from our condo. Pretty huh? It was like being in the middle of rain forest (sans rain). There were birds every where. I loved listening to them in the early morning.

Shave Ice with mac nut icecream on the bottom. Quite refreshing after a day of snorkeling :)

The viewpoint at one of our hikes.

Same hike. I called it the Puffer Hike. Mike called it the Ball Buster hike! Elevation gain of 1700 ft in 3 miles. Why did I gain wt on this trip? Guess it was the mai tais!!!!!

I actually got quite good at paddling. And NO, we did not run into that bank!

We beached our kayak and hiked to the falls. Quite beautiful!

Mike's duties included making slushy mai tais as soon as returning from a hard day of snorkeling, hiking, or lazing around on the beach. He's quite a dandy bartender.

This really is our first drink of the day... although it looks like he may have already had a few at this point!!!!

So, why is it that Mike's photo with the point and shoot comes out clearer than my pictures with the fancy dancy Digital SLR???? Must have been a fluke.

I love me some sunsets. I must admit that Kauai didn't measure up to Maui's sunsets. I guess every island has it's flaws...if you want to call this a flaw.

ok, so this is a typical Mike and Jill moment. I set up the camera with the remote control (see it hiding in Mike's hand???) I thought it would be cute to hold up a "2" and a "5" (25 year anniversary...get it???) I told Mike to hold up a 5 and he said, "no. You hold up the 5 and I hold up the 2. I never argued. In 25 years he's never been wrong. Why would he be wrong now?????

That's OK. Just ask Mike...sometimes it feels like we've been married 52 years!!!!!!

I have about 235,890 more photos but I'll spare you.....

My Girl

2009-04-01T10:18:00.001-07:00

I've been feeling a little bit uneasy about Jessica lately. Wondering if she somehow feels pushed aside. I've always been accused of being overly sensitive but I can't ignore my feelings. All of my attention has been focused on Libby these past 8+ months, and although she hasn't said anything, I can't help but wonder.

I promised myself that I would scrap a love note once a month. Well, it's been years since my last love note, but I hope to get back in the swing of things. I felt the need to let Jessica know how much she means to me. She acts tough on the outside, but deep inside she's just as sensitive as I am.

I showed her this layout and her eyes filled up with tears. I wrote the love note just today, so she hasn't seen it yet, but we talked about our feelings. She needed to know how I felt, and I'm so glad that I followed my heart. This reminds me why I love this hobby. I'll be writing many more love notes in the future because it's important to me that people close to me know how I feel.

...and since I'm taking a picture each day for my 365 project, I thought this would be a perfect way to capture my day yesterday.

I love you, Jess! xox

Self-Portrait Tag

2009-03-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

This was so unfair of Sue http://snippetsofsue.blogspot.com/!!!! This is me. No make up, no editing and clearly not enough coffee. I took it about 2 hours ago...just now getting around to posting. I'm not even going to attempt to get a good picture. One Snap...done!

The rules of this tag are:
Take a picture of your self right now, no primping or preparing. Just snap a picture.
Load onto your blog.
Tag 3 people to play...remember if you are tagged on another blog we will all be heading to yours to see if you played along.

I tag Mellie http://www.melodeelangworthy.typepad.com/, Lindsay http://lindsayteague.blogspot.com/ , and Suzelle http://scraphappysuz.blogspot.com/

Our Latest Adventure...

2009-02-09T08:40:00.001-08:00

This is my brother's Lake House. Gorgeous, isn't it? It has a stunning view of the Lake and is properly equipped with both winter and summer toys. We were snowmobiling along the lake when I spotted his house nestled above. It was the perfect spot to finally get a decent photo of his place.

I also realized that it would make a PERFECT scrapbook retreat, don't ya think??? :)

Unfortunately it's for sale. He and my sil are in the middle of a divorce. He own more property in Cle Elum though so he definitely plans to build again after this one sells.

This is the site where Mark plans on building his next "cabin". The view is just as stunning as his current site. One advantage is that this road isn't as steep, so that means a vehicle will make it up to the house during the winter. Right now he has to park in his lower lot, climb all the way up to the house, then bring down a snowmobile with sleds to cart up supplies and visitors. It's kind of neat when you're the visitor, but it's also a lot of work for him!

We snowmobiled around the lake. We had so much rain this year that our riding space was limited. We usually have miles and miles of open field, but not this year. I usually hate the thought of going out in the cold, but it really is fun. 15 layers of clothes also seem to help. I look like a beached whale, but hey, I'm warm!

We had so much fun...

until this happened! We came back over to Mark's property and drove around on his lower lot. Mike was going very slow but couldn't stop the sled from sliding into a tree. I laughed SO HARD when I realized what he had done

...Until I realized how much damage was done to Mark's snowmobile. Way to ruin a good time, Mike!!!!!

The weirdest part? I think my brother is secretly delighted. He constantly brings up the fact that he now has something on Mike.

It must be a guy thing because I don't get it!

The Big Reveal....

2009-01-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

We added a little spice to our Secret Santa exchange this year. We all made handcrafted items which was such a great idea! I was so excited to be Suzelle's Secret Santa (for the second year in a row!). I made her some biscotti and created an assortment of Christmas tags. I also decorated a Making Memories clock for her. It was so much fun personalizing something just for her!

Well, my Secret Santa was Sue this year. She knows me well!!!! Sue has spent enough time with me to know how much I LOOOOOOOOVE slippers.

I got my package and I instantly recognized her handwriting. Libby was at the house making Christmas cookies with me and I squealed a little. For some reason I just KNEW that they would be comfy socks or slippers. I ripped open my gift and sure enough....

I got these babies right here...

I ask you, aren't they heavenly?????

I instantly discarded my worn out slippers (that's right people, I was wearing slippers at the time) and I replaced them with these bad boys.

Sue said they'd form to my feet. It didn't take long. At all. When I'm home, they're on my feet. I wish I could put a little tread on the bottoms so that I could wear them outside...LOL!

Sue, I love you for knowing me so well. I think of you every time I sink my tootsies into these slippers.

Thanks for being such a great friend.

The Christmas Sweater

2008-12-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

Jessica has a thing about themed sweaters....and Walmart. She and her friend Jessica faced their fears together. They went to Goodwill and snatched up some festive attire, then headed to Walmart in search of the perfect Christmas portrait.

To know her is to love her!!!!!

Meet Dave

2008-12-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

Patrick bought himself a new little puppy yesterday. His name is Dave.

He's a yellow lab but very light in color.

Is he cute, or what???

A Week of my Life

2008-11-30T09:24:00.000-08:00

This has been a project that I've been meaning to do for quite some time now. I'm so glad to have it finished! Ali Edwards posted a challenge to document a typical week in your life. I was sick nearly the entire month of October, but finally finished an entire week after three failed attempts.

I was smart enough to keep a daily journal. good thing since it took me another month to actually scrap it.

This is the first thing I've scrapped in nearly a year. I lost my desire awhile back, but have found myself wanting to create again. Since this project involved several pages, I went with a very simple design. Not completely happy with it, but it's nice to have this time in my life documented.

This was my week from October 19-October 25, 2008

Sunday

MondayTuesday
Wednesday

Wednesday got an extra page! Patrick was in one of his "let's get mom" mood (which happens several times a day). Jess happened to have the point & shoot camera next to her so she snapped a series of pictures. They're not the best quality, but it shows what I have to put up with on a daily basis. I'm so glad the kids happened to be back home when I was documenting my life....would have made for some pretty boring pages without them!

I'm gonna spruce up this page, but I'll post it as is for now.

Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Thanks for looking :)

Welcome Home Libby!

2008-10-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I made this painted pumpkin for Libby's hospital room. (I hate the way our kitchen counters always look in pictures....that's speckles in the granite. It's not crumbs...I promise!)

It's an extra special Halloween this year. It's been 3.5 months since Libby's stroke but she was finally discharged from Good Samaritan Rehab Center today! She'll continue with outpatient therapy 2-3 times a week, but we're so very happy to finally see this day arrive. I made this "Welcome Home" sign for Libby the first time she had a day pass and came to our house for the day. I brought it with me to the hospital this morning so that Libby could have it at home. Mike immediately hung it around her neck before Brad wheeled her out of the hospital.

These are the thank you notes that Libby and I worked on. She wanted to thank all of her therapists and nurses for the excellent care she received while at Good Samaritan. It was a lot of work, but she stamped and assembled each card, writing a special note inside each one.

Thanks to all of your for your prayers and well wishes. This is one Halloween we will NEVER forget!

Picking up the pieces…

2008-10-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

I look at my last blog entry and I feel numb when I notice the date. There I was, recording snapshots of a typical summer evening…searching to think of something interesting to say about my mundane life. It’s true what they say about how your life can change in an instant. My 27 year old step-daughter suffered from a massive stroke on July 16th. We’ll probably never know why it happened. I guess when you think about it; it doesn’t really matter, does it? Our story is here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/libbyschnabel

They also say that life goes on. It does. But it’s never the same. If I could, I’d change places with Libby in a heartbeat. But I can’t. I truly believe that our life’s lesson is buried somewhere in this rubble. I am determined to find that silver lining and I’m determined to understand the reason why an otherwise healthy and happy life would suddenly take this detour.

Libby‘s life has been forever changed. That ripple-down affect has also caused me to do some serious thinking about my life and my priorities. I hope to be a better person as a result of this tragedy. My wish for Libby is to find strength and courage from those of her that love her. I wonder if she understands just how much she means to me.

***********************************************************************************

A symbol
Oh, Jenny B, I hope you realize that you are responsible for this!!!!!

Hearts be still….

Jill Schnabel now has a tattoo. Quit laughing and listen to the story. I believe a tattoo should have meaning. Well, my friends, this chilly little guy has meaning like no other.

In a nutshell, it links Patrick, Jessica, and Libby together. Here’s the story:

My son Patrick is odd. Always has been, always will be. I was going through a very difficult time when he moved to California last fall. He has such a happy spirit and I was completely lost when suddenly faced with an empty nest. Before he left, he decided to get a tattoo of an emperor penguin on his ankle. Why an emperor penguin, you ask? I asked (ok pleaded and begged) but he insisted that a person can’t possibly be unhappy if they looked down and saw a tattoo of a penguin. Really, can you argue with that? There have been several occasions when my friend, Jenny, suggested that I get a penguin tattoo to help me get through my loneliness. I thought about it…..

Months later, Libby, and collector of penguins, has a massive stroke. Once again Jenny plants a bug in my ear. She had no idea that Libby collects penguins, yet once again she mentions that I should get a penguin tattoo. OK, this penguin connection was getting to be too much. I asked Mike (not a huge fan by the way) about my absurd idea and he thought it sounded nice. Libby was unable to talk, but when I mentioned the idea to her, she smiled and nodded. That’s it….done deal!

One morning I tell my plan to Jessica. She totally freaks out and INSISTS that we get matching penguins together. That day…like right now. She searches for penguins on the internet and we instantly fall in love with our fat little guy. Off we go to Class Act Tattoo Parlor (yes, that’s really the name), and a crazy tattoo artists works on me first (I was afraid I’d chicken out if I waited). He was a very strange man and he laughed hysterically while watching Family Guy. Somehow he managed to control his laughter while the needle was against my ankle but I must admit I was freaking out a little inside. Jessica was next (she spruced hers up with additional snowflakes), but now we have a special bond. Yes, that special “Mother and Daughter with matching penguin tattoos” bond. It is our symbol to Libby that we will be by her side during her recovery.

We immediately raced to the hospital to show Libby. We made her close her eyes while we propped both of our feet next to the pillow by her head. She opened her eyes (actually they popped open) and she gave us the biggest smile we’ve seen. She couldn’t believe we actually did it. She wants a matching penguin when she recovers!

So….that’s the story of my tattoo. You can’t tell me that little guy doesn’t have meaning!

Oh, and Jenny B, I still hold you responsible!

Pt Defiance Park

2008-07-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

Mike and I took a drive to Pt Defiance Park the other night. Although Mike works 2 blocks away from here, we kind of forgot about it! It really is a beautiful park; complete with a five mile drive, various lookout points, waterfront access, rose & flower gardens, as well as a wonderful zoo and aquarium. We used to bring the kids here quite a bit but we rarely visit now that they're grown. The roses were in full bloom and the garden was incredibly fragrant. I took lots of pictures but I'll only bore you with a few of my favorites.

Then we walked along the waterfront. We wanted to stop and get dinner and drinks, but the restaurants were all full. Someday we'll learn to plan ahead. Nahhhh, what am I thinking, that will never happen!!!

We also drove around through the park and we encountered a fox and a family of raccoons. I tried to get some pictures but they were merely blurrs of a sorry attempt.

By the way, if you look closely at the water/mt rainier photo you can see a tall building in the background...that's St Joseph Hospital, where my babies were born!

The Grandkiddos

2008-06-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

I had such visions of getting some wonderful group shots of the entire Schnabel Clan. I had an opportunity on Father's Day.We finally had all 5 kids and all 5 grandkids together at the same place. By the time that happened the children were running nilly willy and I ran out of energy. I did manage to get a few cute shots though: Allie (at 16!!!!), Michael hanging from a tree, Colton at his BB game, Colleen standing in a tree and Maddie and Colleen posing like only girls can pose!

Someday I'll get that family picture...

NOT a fan of scary rides!!!

2008-05-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

Sure, make me go on the Tower of Terror (or what ever the name of this sick idea of a ride is)!!! Let's shoot a person 2500 feet into the air at a gazillion miles per hour then let the floor drop down from under them. Oh, and that's not enough, let's do it about 10 times. I think I died a little that day. I had a death grip on Mike and Pat's arms, screamed my bloody head off, and begged for them to stop. They didn't stop. I didn't think it was fun AT ALL and I will NEVER go on that ride again as long as I live!

That was the day I discoverd that Disneyland is not the happiest place on earth.

Short and Sassy!

2008-05-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here's the new haircut. It does feel better to have it short again. It's called short and messy (just like me). I got highlights too:) It's nice to get the grey washed outta my hair...now if only she could work on the wrinkles. Man, it's been a long time since I've had a close-up. We won't be doing that again anytime soon!

I get no respect!

2008-04-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Gee, Thanks Tom! Talk about a boost for the old self esteem. Even my cat thinks I'm a loser! And he wonders why I make him sleep in the garage....

My New Look!

2008-04-22T20:22:00.001-07:00

I need a new hairstyle cuz I'm feeling quite frumpy these days. On my quest for that perfect new look, I stumbled upon a site where I could upload a picture of myself then try on new dos. I could even change the color, and add make up. It was quite fun except the only free hairstyles were lame ones. I look quite fancy in a few of these...don't ya think?

By the way, I usually don't have 3 chins, but that's what happens when you try holding a 500 lb camera as far away from your body as possible.

Practice Makes Perfect, Right?

2008-04-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Sheesh, I'm trying to get this Photography, Post Processing stuff all figured out. It's difficult for someone like me. I can't grasp it. But I'll keep on trying....as long as Jessica will be my subject. The poor thing pops over for a quick minute and I squeal with delight because I finally have something to photograph other than the cats! She rolls her eyes and gets irritated with me because I never have a clue as to what I'm doing.

I'm trying to learn to use my camera in something other than auto mode. Seems I'm always forgetting something. There's too much to remember. Either the white balance wasn't changed (see the blue cast in the close up?) or I forgot to change the ISO....it's always something. These are my latest favorites. I know they aren't perfect and if you have some CC for me I'd really appreciate it! I'd love to know how to get rid of the blue/green casts without losing the blue in her eyes. So much to learn....

I did get a new 50 mm lense which I think I'm going to like.....if I ever get the hang of it.

I also got Photoshop Elements 6, so I'm trying my best to learn black and white conversions, etc. I used to have photoshop CS2 but I lost it when my hard disk crashed. I didn't want to spend a ton of money upgrading and I read that PSE6 was easier to learn. yeah, right. I spent several days banging my head on the desk, then finally broke down and bought Photoshop Elements 6 for Dummies...my kinda book. Maybe (and that's a BIG maybe) I'll learn something now ...

Missing Patrick

2008-04-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

This empty nest business is for the birds. Pun intended....but true!

4 weeks from today I'll be on a jet to see my boy. I can't wait! Mike and I switch off years for planning our anniversary celebration. It's my year this year and I figured Burbank CA would be the perfect place to celebrate our 24th Anniversary. Then I figured while we were at it, let's stay until after Mother's Day....might as well, right? Jessica has to work every Sunday so I wouldn't be able to see her anyway. Maybe I can stretch it out a bit and get a day with each kid.

I'm looking forward to seeing his new digs....most importantly I'm just looking forward to hanging out with him. Oh, and please let there be sunshine. I could really use some!

I inclued a couple of my favorite headshots from Pat's portfolio. Break A Leg Patrick! xox

I've been Tagged by Ramona!

2008-02-10T09:20:00.000-08:00

Tagged by Ramona! You must post the rules before you give your answers.You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name. After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).

A-Artistic (kinda)
L-Laughs at Self
L-Lacks technology skills
I-Is always on a diet
S-Self conscious
O-Owns a forms business
N-Needs to move to a warmer climate.

Now I tag...Denise, Christie, Janel, Jessica, Mike (just to irritate him), Jenn and Wanda

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-01-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

This was kind of fun! I hope to add additional pictures at some point, but I was just messing around to see if I could actually get it to work.

The Remodel Job that almost killed us...

2008-01-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

... and it's still not completely finished. It's very bare. I need some fun accessories, but I'm not going to just "settle". The pictures really aren't that great. The walls really don't seem that bright in real life, and some of the sofa colors look blown out. Oh well, you'll get the idea! The biggest difference is in the fireplace. We cut off some of the old brick and had cultered stone installed over it. This was the one area of the remodel that we weren't able to do compeltely on our own. We started it, but it was taking forever, so we called in the professionals! Mike and his brother framed the soffets and Mike installed spot lighting against the entire wall. They also built the hearth an mantel from scrach...I'm really happy with the way it all turned out. I was the master painter. I don't care if I ever see another paint brush. EVER! We had flat paint, semi gloss paint, trim paint, primer....on every texture known to mankind. But it's done! Mike has his bose surround sound and nice pioneer flatscreen tv. I have my recliner. It's all good.

...cept for the visa bill. That was a doozie!

Comet Falls

2007-09-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post with some of my favorite pictures from our hike to Comet Falls with our friends, Rich and Sue.

This was our first time back at Mt Rainier Nat'l Park since the flooding in November. The park was closed for 6 months. It was amazing to see all the damage.....hundreds of fallen trees, evidence of landslides, and massive rocks that had eroded from the hillside, and had been pushed through the forest. We even passed over a few bridges that overlooked nothing but dry riverbeds.....they once contained streams and little rivers, but they changed course as a result of the flood. We would eventually come across the stream several hundred feet later. So much damage, yet still such a beautiful park.

We hiked to Comet falls (the largest falls in the Park - 300 ft) and then continued up another mile to Van Trump Park. It had a great view, but man, what a climb!!!! It was about 6 miles roundtrip, with an elevation climb of 2800 feet....wowza :)

Bambi made a visit to our friend's cabin right when we were getting ready to head out. It was quite the farwell!

My Problem Room

2007-08-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

I've never been a fan of laundry, so my laundry room was never a top priority. Just paint it white. A nice glossy white so that it looks clean. Add some vegetables for that extra touch...done. What an ugly room. It had been untouched for nearly 15 years. It still had some of the kid's artwork on the walls.

I figured this would be a nice little "something fun to do" activity while Mike was on his fishing trip. I usually surprise him by working on a home renovation task while he's gone. Well Mr. Mike, consider this my final solo project. Last year I constructed a raised flowerbed, along with a pathway with steps and a small patio. I thought hauling yards of sand and topsoil was difficult, not to mention loading and unloading truckloads of heavy pavers. It was a cake walk compaired to this project.

It's still not finished, but it will do. I want to bring in some accent colors but that will wait until we remodel the downstairs. The brown is going to be the accent color downstairs. I thought it would blend in nicely with the rest of the downstairs (when we get around to tackling that project). I was going to rip up the flooring, but I decided to quit while I was ahead. Wise decision. That room is evil.

I encountered just few obstacles: The room flooded at least 5 times, It took 4 coats of paint (and it still feels tacky), The 4 drawer file cabinet took a tumble off the hand truck (resulting in a nice hole in my newly painted wall), reinstalling the shelving was a complete nightmare (thank you for helping me, Daddy), my car wouldn't start while out getting supplies, and while buying storage baskets I was asked if I was over 55 (I'm sure I looked it at that point) Oh, and throw in a couple of trips to Urgent Care along with a bonus trip to the ER. It's been a real pleasure.

Wanna know the funny part? I told Mike not to expect any surprises when he gets back this year (I honestly had nothing planned). His response was, "good. I hope you relax while I'm gone. Just scrap and play with your camera all week."

Am I stupid or what?

Poor Little Hercules

2007-08-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday Mike and I heard a bunch of crows squalking like crazy. It went on and on for the longest time. A few hours later Mike went to investigate and came home with this little fella in the palm of his hand. A baby squirrel!!!!!

We have a few squirrels that hang out in the trees by our house. I love watching them run around the yard, and the way their little noses twitch while eating nuts.

Anyway, Mike spotted a nest where all the commotion was taking place, then he looked down and saw this poor baby. Either the crows had it and dropped it, or it fell out of the nest. Mike brought it in the house to show me. He said it was going to die. He felt bad for it and wanted to put it out of its misery.

I insisted on trying to keep him alive (he was a boy...yes, you can tell!) I searched online and got some information. I also contacted the Wildlife Federation and got some contacts. I found out that WA state has no contact person that specializes in Squirrels, but I did get emergency instruction from the website. I made a little incubator by using our heating pad and wrapping it around a little box. I also made a mixtue of water, salt and sugar to keep him from becoming dehydrated. I had no syringe, so I cut a tiny bit off a little zip lock bag and dripped the water mixture into his mouth. It took forever to get him to swallow anything worthwhile, and he made a little chirping sound when he got mad.

I named him Hercules. He was quite a little fighter, and he needed a strong name.

That evening we went out to dinner with a bunch of people that Mike works with. Mike's warehouse manager is dating Libby's friend, Courtney, who I've known for years. I couldn't belive my luck! She works for a pet store. She owns and rescues every type of animal under the sun. I told her about Hercules and she offered to take over. I was so relieved because I knew he would die soon without this special formula he needed.

I kept Hercules until Monday morning, then went to the Pet store where Courtney works. We made the exchange. Whew! I felt better knowing that he was with someone who knew what they were doing. My entire family kept looking at me like I had two heads. They couldn't believe that I was so wrapped up in keeping this squirrel alive.

Mike would come home from work and give me a Hercules report. I heard that he was really doing well and gulping down the formula. Mike came home with sad news yesterday. Little Hercules died Wednesday night. I guess Courtney was pretty upset. She had saved 4 other squirrels, and she really gets attached to the little critters. He did have a large bump on his side (probably from the fall) and who knows what type of internal injuries he may have had. I was so sorry to hear the news. But I also knew we did everything we could for him.

RIP Little Hercules :(

My Baby Is 21!!!!

2007-08-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Patrick!

I always drag the kids out to be photgraphed on their Birthday. Problem is, I'm always dragging someone around the yard trying to get a good shot. Why do I always decide to take pictures at the worst possible time of day???? I had no choice because we were heading out for his celebration. Next year. I'll get better shots next year.

All of a sudden he's a man. How did that happen???

Deep Sigh

It's hard to face the fact that he's no longer a little boy. I must admit that he's grown up to be a fine young man.

...and I am truly blessed to have him as a son.

A Lesson Learned

2007-08-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

Back up your photos. NOW!

Yes, I have learned my lesson. 5 years worth of photos lost in an instant. I'm still sick thinking about it. And irritated with myself. I knew better.

So, I decided to reshoot some pictures of Jessica. Look how much she's changed in the past month? Isn't her new hair color and style the cutest?????

Funny story: She called me a couple of weeks ago in a complete panic. Some friends threw her in a pool. Apparently there was an extreme amount of chlorine in the pool because her hair turned green. Jess is a drama queen and always exaggerates. I figured, "well, maybe a little green" WRONG! It was GREEN, like in St Patrick's Day Green!!!

She tried everything....tomato juice, vinegar, you name it. NOTHING worked. Thank goodness she has a good friend who has a nice sister with a kind heart. Sometimes I think things happen for a reason. I think it looks adorable! I kept telling her that she should go a little darker.

Right again!

Happy 22nd Birthday Jessica!!!!

2007-07-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turned 22 yesterday! She made my day by allowing me to finally take some photos of her. Not only are we celebrating her birthday, but the fact that she has lost 100 pounds. I'm so very proud of her. There are no words. But who needs words. Just look at that smile...it says it all!

Looking at the side by side picture of Jess and Pat makes me realize how much they resemble each other. Those Schnabel genes are really something aren't they????

Spoiled by Mellie!

2007-05-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

I love my friends at DML. I really, truly do!!!! We had so much fun with our secret santa exchange during the holidays that we decided to do a May Day Swap.

Mellie got my name and my May Day Package arrived today. I immediately sat down and tore open my package. I can't believe how she possibly managed to stuff that box so full. I guess you're used to packing, huh Mellie??? Anyway, I am beyond thrilled at my assortment of goodies. I want to go inside and scrap right this very moment! She got me such neat gifts: sunflower seeds (the real ones not the eating ones...LOL) Cool, now I can harvest my own sunflower seeds! I'm going to try to find a place to plant them tonight or tomorrow. I love those big happy blooms :) I got candles, foot lotion, candy treats, a planters stake called Ladybug lane (that put a smile on my face because it reminded me of Down Memory Lane) and so many scrapbooking goodies - from rub-ons to mini books. I also got her 31 day online kit. I'm SO excited about that!!! Gotta plan my month...that will be so much fun.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you my dear Mellie! I wish I could rush up to you right now and give you a smooch.

I love my DML friends :)

Say Cheese!!!!

2007-05-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

I had to post a pic for our self portrait day. Here ya go DML girlies. xoxox

Goodbye Maui

2007-05-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

The skies were on fire last night. It was the most amazing sunset ever!!!!! The sky kept getting brighter and brighter as the night went on. Maui, thanks for the beautiful Goodbye!

Such Beauty!

2007-05-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

The grounds of our resort are simply breathtaking. I can't stop taking pictures of the flowers...such amazing colors.

I'm a Tree Hugger!

2007-05-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Love my palm trees. Jess, you're rolling your eyes at me, aren't ya? xoxox

Sunrise from Haleakala

2007-05-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

We can finally check this little gem off our "To Do in Maui" list! We always planned on taking this trip, yet the thought of getting up at 3:00am has always put it on the back burner. Well, we did it this time. We should have been there a little earlier. It was much more brilliant before the actual sunrise. We also should have dressed warmer. Although I had my gloves, jeans, 4 shirts and 2 coats on, I was still f-f-f-f-freezing. I must admit that it was pretty cool watching the sunrise above the clouds.

We hiked around for a bit, but it was too cold to enjoy much of the scenery.

I think I like sunsets better....being warm and wide awake are much more appealing to me.

But we did it. Been There, Done That. Check.

At One With Nature

2007-05-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

We have new friends. Geckos that want to hitch a ride, and birds that enjoy a bagel or two.

That reminds me...Mike and I had a bet on who would see the first gecko. He owes me a buck.

We really didn't want to see this...

2007-05-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

So, Mike decides we should venture down to the South Maui Beaches. There's a stretch of about 3 miles of beach. We visit it often and have stayed on a condo right there on that beach a few times.

We're walking around and notice some "official types" standing along the beach. Saw a few boats patroling the waters. We thought that maybe someone was lost. Mike went into the water to get cooled off and he was called back onto the beach. Seems there was a shark attack about an hour before we got to the beach!!! About 10 minutes later they started to post signs and they closed a 4 mile strip of beach for about 24 hours or so.

A 62 or 63 year old woman was snorkeling and she was attacked. Her ankle and calf were injured. She spent the night in the hospital and was released the next day. Apparently a guy on a surfboard said he felt a thud and saw a tiger shark about an hour before the attack.

We went back to our beach.

Needless to say, I didn't swim that day.

The Road To Hana

2007-05-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

We take this drive every time we come to Maui. In my opinion, it's really the only way to experience Hawaii. Waterfalls at every turn, hiking trails, botanical gardens, black sand beach, red sand beach....it's incredible. You can't possibly see everything in one trip. Each time we come to Maui we take the Road to Hana. There are some amazing sites that we must see each time we come, yet we try to experience a few new discoveries on each trip.

We started our day of early this year. Hana is very lush and green so it's common to experience a few showers. It was a gorgeous day, and not a drop of rain.

Someday I'll figure out my camera and I'll get some better shots. Seems I'm always taking pictures at high noon, so many of them didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.

Black Sands Beach is just incredible....lava tubes and caves everywhere. I love the contrast of the colors. The aqua blue waters against the black sand is just beautiful. Add the lush greenery and it makes my heart stop. Truly the most beautiful site I have ever seen.

We also went on our favorite Maui hike, called Pipiwai Trail. It's about 4 miles round trip and it's such a beautiful hike. I love walking through the bamboo forest. The winds were really howling, and it was quite magical to walk amongst the bamboo as they clanked together....it was like being in the center of the worlds largest windchime. The trail ends at a huge waterfall. I really missed Jessica though. When we went as a family, I remember she said this was her favorite part of the trip. It just wasn't the same without her!

As always, we end our trip to Hana at the 'Ohe'o Gulch (also known as the 7 sacred pools) Mike always dives in to cool off. I always stand there and take pictures :)

23 Years

2007-05-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

May 5th was our 23rd Wedding Anniversary. It doesn't seem possible....23 years. I can't imagine life without Mike. I can't imagine life without my kids. I'm a lucky girl. Thanks for taking me, Mike :)

We used to have some pretty boring anniversaries, so we decided to spice things up about 10 years ago. We now surprise each other with an anniversary date. I have the even years, and Mike has the odd years. We plan the "big" anniversaries together, but the "little" ones are our own resposibility. This was Mike's year to surprise me.

This was our day:

a walk along the beach

breakfast at the Gazebo (they serve AMAZING mac nut pancakes) - we watched a whale while waiting for our table...that was pretty cool!

explore around the tidepools

we came back to our room and I found the most beautiful hawaiian floral arrangement waiting for me! xoxox

spent the afternoon at Napili Beach

Went to show called 'Ulalena. It's an Hawaiian opera about life in Hawaii before and after western contact. It was pretty good.

Dinner at David Paul's (quite fancy)

It was a wonderful day. I'm looking forward to the next 23 years...

Dragon's Teeth

2007-05-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

We always like to explore an area known as Dragon's Teeth. The lava here is different than most Hawaiian lavas. It's light in color and fine, not nearly as porous as the typical lava. It's been bleached white from the sun and salt spray. The years of wind and salt spray caused interesting shapes and formations known as Dragon's Teeth. It also has a beautiful view of the west shore.

Aloha from Maui

2007-05-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Life. Is. Good.

Here is the view from our room. Napili Kai Beach Resort is huge, and is spread out into several different areas. We're at the very end of the resort and our section includes 15-20 units. There are 5 pools located on the resort. This picture shows the little pool that's located in our complex. We've been known to run down there for a quick dip. It's nice since we usually have the place to ourselves.

Napili Beach is one of our favorite beaches on Maui. It's small, but it's normally not terribly crowded. The sand and water are so clean. You may ask yourself if sand can be clean. I believe that sand can be clean. It's very important to be able to dig your feet into the sand and not feel sticks and rocks. We have clean sand on our beach and I like it! The snorkeling has been great. Mike saw a turtle yesterday. It seems that when I decide not to go snorkeling, that's when the exciting creatures come out of hiding! We also have another beach directly to the north of us (within walking distance) and we saw some beautiful fish while snorkeling there.

Life. Is. Good.

Paradise at its Finest!

2006-08-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend with our friends at their vacation home in Packwood, WA. We went on a beautiful hike at Mt Rainer National Park. As we hiked through an area called Paradise, appropriately named because Mt Rainier was amazing! August is my favorite time to hike in this area because of the abundance of wildflowers. We crossed several meadows, streams, and ponds then climbed to a huge peak which overlooked Lake Louise. We then hiked down to reflection lake....3.5 miles of intense beauty!!! I took about 300 pictures, but these are a few of my favorites.

Summer is Here!

2006-07-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's official...the convertible is out from under the tarp, hard top removed, freshly washed, and polished. I surprised Mike with this car on our 19th wedding anniversary (he has yet to top this one) and although it's kind of a frivolous thing to have (especially in rainy WA state) he really does love taking it during these beautiful summer days.

My brother came rolling up in this car about 3 years ago. He did some construction work for a guy who gave him the car in exchange for payment. I've never seen Mike so into a car before. It was Mike's favorite year/model and I told Mark that if he ever wanted to sell it then to let me know because I'd like to get it for Mike. Well, Mark lasted about 2 weeks then he called me because he loved the idea of my buying it for Mike as a surprise. He said Mike "needed" this car. My brother has every toy on the planet, I think he knew how much enjoyment Mike would get from it. I had squirreled away a chunk of change in my business account (definitely before dml days...haha) so I felt quite pleased with myself that I could just buy it for him with money he didn't even know about.

So, today...after the lawn is mowed and weeds are pulled - we'll be taking a drive in our summer toy :)

(Sorry the images are so bad - seems I'm always taking pictures at high noon!)

Favorite Flowers

2006-04-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love flowers! If I were an old retired lady (with a good back, and without the means to live the remainder of my life in Hawaii) I think I'd spend a majority of my time puttering around in my flower gardens. Nothing beats the feeling of the warmth from the sun while digging around in dark, rich soil. Somehow my dreams are shattered by the fact that I'm far from being retired, and live in the swamps of WA State amongst a field of clay. Oh yea...and I also have a really, really brown thumb! For now I'll just pop outside and take a few pictures of those flowers that somehow seem to thrive with no help from me whatsoever.

The kids (aka Mike) got me a magnolia tree for Mother's Day a few years ago. It's always the first thing to bloom, and marks the beginning of Spring. Although the month of March was a wet one, I was able to dodge the rain and get a few pictures. I love my magnolia tree!

My all time favorite flower is the tulip. Every year I talk about going to the tulip fields but never quite seem to make it. I love looking out on our back deck and seeing this spash of color.

I need more tulips in my life!!!

Sheesh

2006-04-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm so bad at this blog business!!! I'm determined to keep up with it though, so I'm going to try to remind myself to update 2x a week...that's my new mission in life :)

It's been a rough few weeks for us, 3 friends ungoing breast cancer surgery, another close friend loosing his battle with cancer. It reminds me to cherish the time I have and to let go of the little things that get me down sometimes. Friends and family always feel so useless at times like this. Please keep our friends in your thoughts and prayers.

The last time I posted in my blog we were headed out for a weekend in the mountains. It was such a relaxing time. Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

The pics are out of order but the bottom one was taken right off the deck of our friend's cabin. There were as many as 16 elk in their backyard. There's a group of 6-8 elk that come every day. The females hang out for a while with the little ones then they take off for the day and come back and get them later on in the afternoon. Apparently our friends have become their babysitters....isn't that wild? This little guy on the bottom comes right up to you. Mike snapped a picture of me giving him an apple wedge...it was awesome to get that close. The other pictures were taken at a nearby elk feeding station. Volunteers from the Wildlife Federation load up a tractor and throw off bails of alfalfa for the elk. The mountains are full of snow during the winter months, so they have no food. It's really cool to see all the elk come down the hills. This was their last feeding for the season, so we felt lucky to catch it in time. There were about 250-300 elk that day, and at times they've counted well over 1000 - pretty cool, huh?

What a Week!

2006-03-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

I'm really going to try to keep up with this whole blog business but this is totally out of my comfort zone!

It's been quite a week at DML and I am so glad that Friday is finally here. We've had an awesome response to our site makeover as well as record setting sales, so it truly has been a week to remember. I have been working around the clock lately and I look forward to a little R&R with my hubby and friends this weekend. Mike constantly comes up with new nicknames for me, the most recent being W.A. I ignored him for awhile, then finally asked him what it meant...workaholic... I think that was a hint (coming from a man that works 12-14 hour days himself). I'm headed out to the wilderness where there is no internet connection. I'm going to try not to think about work and I'm going to try to catch up on my sleep...ahhhhhhh!

I'm going to test out my ability to post a few pictures then I must finish up my office work and pack for my getaway!

Chelsie Ann's BD Week!
We celebrated Chelsie's birthday all week long! This picture was taken two days before her birthday. There's a little note in the donut that says "2 days until Chelsie's Birthday." She wore the crown all day long....even to the post office when she dropped off the orders for shipping.

We love Chelsie!

See....I told you we had a busy week! These are the
orders that went to the post office on Tuesday. This doesn't include the UPS shipments, they were already gone!

ok, I'm having some technical difficulties.....I'm outta here!

I had some more pictures to post but I'll save that for another day :)

Exciting Times!

2006-03-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

What a banner day....New site make-over and now my very own Blog! I'm constantly taking deep breaths just to calm my nerves. If you haven't seen it yet, you MUST check out the changes at www.downmemorylaneco.com - My baby has grown and evolved, and I'm so excited to see what the future holds for us.

I love Lindsay Teague...She's my hero! When we decided it was time for a new face at DML she was overflowing with ideas. Creativity simply pours from her fingertips and I simply smile at the results. It's just what I wanted. It's perfect! And I am beyond thrilled with the fresh and funky look! It's been awesome having her here to share the excitement with us. Jessikah, Lindsay and I are running on pure adrenalin (along with an excessive amount of caffeine) but I'm so wound up that I know I'll be a bundle of energy all day. There's too much excitement and activity for sleep!

I've been dreaming and planning the Reference Section for so long, that it's exciting to finally see it in front of me.....Even bigger and better than I imagined! I'm so happy with the outcome. I love the endless supply of resources and inspiration to be found both in our new reference section and in Inspiration Alley. Our amazing DREAM TEAM went above and beyond this month. I love those girls.... They truly are my family... Always so supportive and helpful. We're a close group and I value their friendship so much. By the way, Happy Birthday to Jenny Benge...We Love You!

I need to get back to work. I'll try to post some pictures later on. It might be awhile before I catch on to this whole blogging world...but I'll give it a shot. I really need a picture of me running down the path, don't you think?

Thanks for sharing in my excitement!