That's a great looking BBQ! I need to get rid of Patt's old one(dump) and figure out if it's worth getting another one. Sometimes it's nice to have people over, but I was never the one who cooked. Quinn is SO handsome, and looking very grown up indeed! Those air mattresses are surprisingly comfortable. Ashley and Ryan have one in New York and it's almost better than a bed. :)

Test.

These are wonderful photos and we are indeed fortunate to have our families, different though we are, and a new group of ladies to hang out with. Camano is breath taking; the last time I was up there was for your wedding reception? I'm not enjoying my latest BC book but am forcing myself to read it. "America for Beginners"--not recommended! Poorly written and cheesy, in my humble opinion.

Yes, please. And convicted too.

So cute! I'm with Quinn; I get very dizzy on those things. But unfortunately, I also barf.

What a mess! Poor Dave, having to deal with a ton more when he thought it was going to be just adding some gravel. Yikes! I've read that crows are very intelligent and have LONG memories.

Gorgeous photos, and money for flowers is NEVER wasted! They bring such joy and peace. Those eggs are quite colorful. Do they taste a lot different from store bought?

They do look VERY angry!! Watch out as you sleep...

That's wonderful! I'm so glad it's working again. The beds look fantastic. I need some of that Preen!! I used a different version, but it's not working. :( I love that watercolor app. I need to give a try. Is it an iPhone app?

I almost always have to turn my photos so that they show up the right way on the blog, but they don't take that long to download. That's crazy! I think typepad automatically saves as you go; when I've lost posts I've been able to recover them. I agree with you about change for the sake of change; it's probably good that we have to keep adapting, yet why do they always seem to make things worse, or harder? Love the pictures! Captain Dave has a nice ring to it!

What a wonderful trip, and great news about Nate, Sandra and Quinn moving up to Everett. I know how worried you were about them going even farther away! So sorry that you're dealing with blog issues. I hate tech frustrations because it seems like it's always on THEIR end. I just want it to keep working the way it has in the past; is that too much to ask? P.S. Not sure if it's my computer or more issues, but the written words on the right side are cut off--not by much, but it's not normal on your blog at all.

I would need a couple beers before I would do so! Kids are so uninhibited and free.

I have noticed that the accents are all over the place. Steven Robertson is from Shetland, so his is probably accurate. I read that it's mostly not filmed in Shetland, which is a shame, but probably not practical. Many shows that are supposed to be set in Seattle are actually in British Columbia, where it's much cheaper to film. (but the buildings and streets are all wrong for those of us who know Seattle) John is a very nice man--such a great addition to my life!

There will be rainbows, but there will also be rain. The way of the world. I'm constantly fighting for perspective, and in that battle, I grow a lot, sometimes painfully. :)

I know, but I do have some country that I like. Johnny Cash for example. Willie Nelson. I adore bluegrass too!

Love the photos, and Nate's sense of humor! It was such a great time at lunch; I enjoy finding out all the unbloggable stuff and sharing mine as well. I've been in a reading funk too. I have several good books to read, but no motivation. I was not as huge a fan of Crawdads as the rest of my book club.

I'm coming to appreciate spring more and more as I look around at everything blooming. After looking at photos, I think Pam is correct. It's what is also called a star magnolia.

I get very absorbed in these Brit series, but boy do I need the subtitles! I also use them all the time. My flight does require a change of planes, according to American. Bah, humbug. Although stresses are a normal part of life, I get tired of dealing with them. :(

Oh, I do have lots of natural curl and wave in my hair. I dry it with a round brush to restrain it, but it comes back if I'm out in damp weather. I loved catching up over lunch--much more important than the food!!

I like lunch too or an early dinner. I thought we were going to the 2 pm movie, then a 4 pm dinner, which would have been fine on a Saturday night. 6 pm=not so fine! John had to finalize his taxes though (he owes $3,600) so I didn't want to add any more stress to his life. ;)

I'm feeling that! I don't mind having a cold, but they usually get better with lots of Vitamin C and zinc. This one is going into a nasty cough. I don't want to fly with this junk! Hope you can stay healthy!!

That's funny about the hair! :) I prefer my bangs more controlled, but I do have a lot of natural wave in my hair which creates some crazy styles. I'm not enjoying this cold at all; it's been a long time since I last had one. The cough is particularly annoying.

It takes risk, and work and effort to maintain friendships, and it isn't always easy. Some of my friends are still working, so scheduling an outing can be tricky. I bet your friends with kids would enjoy an evening out! (but it's still hard to ask, even if you do it casually, like it would be great to get dinner at x restaurant together) I love to walk! I didn't think I would, but it's very therapeutic.

I'm very glad to hear that! I don't have much time between flights, so I'm hoping that I can make it. JFK is always a mess, so I doubt that that flight will leave on time. I can't control any of it, so I'll just have to deal with whatever occurs. It's good to hear your positives about O'Hare! I needed that.

We are definitely our own worst enemies at times, aren't we? I wonder if it's a symptom of perfectionism. I've shaken most of mine, but it still crops up from time to time. I also like to imagine how people are feeling toward me or what they think of me when really I have no idea. Most people are spending 0 time thinking about me at all! They are probably fixated on their own concerns. :)