tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324347212024-03-15T22:57:11.243-07:00Collecting the Moments...one by oneVal in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.comBlogger1659125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-83852520285371930222022-09-05T16:51:00.004-07:002022-09-05T16:52:21.207-07:00A follow-up on my allergy journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PdVcX7wi_uD-L4GrVPRgYmTWT3V11RlQ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PdVcX7wi_uD-L4GrVPRgYmTWT3V11RlQ" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></div><div></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>A follow up on my allergy journey.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">It has been 20 weeks and 4 days since I gave up:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Eggs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Duck eggs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Almonds</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Hazelnuts</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Black beans</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Kidney beans</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Pinto beans</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Whey protein</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Mushrooms</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Coffee</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Black tea</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">This shift was due to allergy tests after being told I may have an autoimmune disease. Nope. Just turns out I’m allergic to stuff. Which you can read about in my first </span><a class="qi72231t nu7423ey n3hqoq4p r86q59rh b3qcqh3k fq87ekyn bdao358l fsf7x5fv rse6dlih s5oniofx m8h3af8h l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk srn514ro oxkhqvkx rl78xhln nch0832m cr00lzj9 rn8ck1ys s3jn8y49 icdlwmnq _aa9_ _a6hd" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/roseymugshot/" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#roseymugshot</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"> post.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">20 weeks in and how do I feel?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">I feel fricken fantastic. I don’t hardly have any caffeine anymore. And best of all, I haven’t had a migraine in… you guessed it, 20 weeks! Which is so wild.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">There are so many more changes but let’s just focus on this one today.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">I used to get a migraine once a week or every two weeks. It would cause a weird optical illusion in my eye called “ocular hallucination”. It basically looked like I was looking through water at something very bright. I could see, but not well. And it would precursor a horrific headache if I didn’t head it off. Like one of those migraines that hurt so bad you vomit and end up in bed for a day then the next day you feel as though you are completely hung over, without any of the fun of getting that way. Yeah. Once a month to once a week this would happen to me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Now?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">20 weeks and counting.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">If you have ever had any thoughts about getting allergy testing done, maybe consider it. Especially if you already live in a bit of pain all the time or have reoccurring pain.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Just check it out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">See where that road takes you.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">You have to ask for it, but most willing drs will help you obtain the tests and see if you have anything that is causing a huge amount of inflammation in your body.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">It hasn’t easy at first, my body was used to having these things and this level of inflame every day, so the adjustment period wasn’t fun. But after about 8 weeks it started to change my world, and I couldn’t be happier now to have put in the effort. ❤️ ✌️</span>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-26603234513417757772022-08-15T14:42:00.004-07:002022-08-15T14:42:37.203-07:00Summer Flowers <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1GrpZN8apO1hu3tcI6oQBCbTvzdk15d_z" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1GrpZN8apO1hu3tcI6oQBCbTvzdk15d_z" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Goodness, I’m in love with these beautiful blooms. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1U97-2ygqHYb02DoM-BW3rJ4W3rkELueU" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1U97-2ygqHYb02DoM-BW3rJ4W3rkELueU" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1a8zIb3ltz6NwsH_vtmdvIfkeCQFpKJVG" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1a8zIb3ltz6NwsH_vtmdvIfkeCQFpKJVG" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Last year I spent quite a bit of time researching dahlias and this spring I set about prepping my soil and getting everything ready. About two weeks ago I got my first blooms and I couldn't be happier with this summer sunset color range and gorgeous big, healthy blooms. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cA9VrpbRolPNu6A0zzkNzgEV7EBmkrwE" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cA9VrpbRolPNu6A0zzkNzgEV7EBmkrwE" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-45803165265513242722022-07-24T13:59:00.001-07:002023-01-02T15:17:53.215-08:00Magical Realms Birthday Party <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1IiCBSd-PxyaVAWmqYwlfgXoNpUBIW8hJgY-jeOh92c9bGmttpjObz9fOjqWjEu-pUdNucwGxV6tVtP8fhZOsa3ve4nMOwiH2RYIOrrsl8aT_adFtRPerO62QPW1caDXez83mdW9FQ_q0q5VpgMEIYxCZvV7pk-FtR3R6F354guGxmetxWjg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2815" data-original-width="3753" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1IiCBSd-PxyaVAWmqYwlfgXoNpUBIW8hJgY-jeOh92c9bGmttpjObz9fOjqWjEu-pUdNucwGxV6tVtP8fhZOsa3ve4nMOwiH2RYIOrrsl8aT_adFtRPerO62QPW1caDXez83mdW9FQ_q0q5VpgMEIYxCZvV7pk-FtR3R6F354guGxmetxWjg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;">There is so</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;">mething very magical about my daughter getting old enough to be able to help plan her own parties. I’m sure her wedding will be the stuff of legends. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Treaty and story</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYplp8oqqF7Pjt1rCZWJk1bXT8CetHsd2z9lbCGHEMyvBBcyn2cVBkc9G7g4gZlfn5pXPm4xN07yMIw1hYOAaBx7V-J47OjBLEXaaKyiqEk71_YlzCcyr2y2iPDWNFMt0GVqADF3LXssMXi0PnOosyUObZ6Pqd-qa2ThKJ6lwyCpEphU3NzO8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYplp8oqqF7Pjt1rCZWJk1bXT8CetHsd2z9lbCGHEMyvBBcyn2cVBkc9G7g4gZlfn5pXPm4xN07yMIw1hYOAaBx7V-J47OjBLEXaaKyiqEk71_YlzCcyr2y2iPDWNFMt0GVqADF3LXssMXi0PnOosyUObZ6Pqd-qa2ThKJ6lwyCpEphU3NzO8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCeHj6kydNRbrvo89dRCSTxVuO2faGg_O24yHhV7Z0xQoKTmXk6nC0FMsQtBvwW9bDXey3e0Ma_KWq-KVID6inlOgx-lk8gLWeb2-UeGdLbW7s8pol4VUrs9ST7NKPeJKah4cZiVmWuIxT9VSM1ByueEyK_XJekXht4Q_1hCdpWEi-Q-6R8DQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCeHj6kydNRbrvo89dRCSTxVuO2faGg_O24yHhV7Z0xQoKTmXk6nC0FMsQtBvwW9bDXey3e0Ma_KWq-KVID6inlOgx-lk8gLWeb2-UeGdLbW7s8pol4VUrs9ST7NKPeJKah4cZiVmWuIxT9VSM1ByueEyK_XJekXht4Q_1hCdpWEi-Q-6R8DQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This party started out with a story idea. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AUBvRfxgNXkDXxqkVMTlXTHfY4ouM2Dp" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AUBvRfxgNXkDXxqkVMTlXTHfY4ouM2Dp" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Cyan and her best friend, Abbie, made a story about two realms of magical beings, the </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Food</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAkZXQ1NikmSitkQ29KY2n4tVjA7Q4AWylyTHhKUWDT1El62xrg53R2jZLduxclQP7xX8dOSZxZ-tUpqSVaGNzE7xNWEgsG2wcufNtJFMd57AGK4G_JnyP3Um0O2n2XVh3kLCpRmETDMF2l6MFJOuu3XHBzUaMNHRk8DmfMwwDX7S_8ukx2Tc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAkZXQ1NikmSitkQ29KY2n4tVjA7Q4AWylyTHhKUWDT1El62xrg53R2jZLduxclQP7xX8dOSZxZ-tUpqSVaGNzE7xNWEgsG2wcufNtJFMd57AGK4G_JnyP3Um0O2n2XVh3kLCpRmETDMF2l6MFJOuu3XHBzUaMNHRk8DmfMwwDX7S_8ukx2Tc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNGo2kPgSQFgikr5FecDrN23fvbzXrebzZdjT7gFtGVIzh3ewJ9s8J8ItaIefMr7uEve1-_ch_T3EmkFXJdtvuSwaarTz052TY5ttvTGsG4O5tovVLZeLJqU_6azlqW3-Q50hcsldKPC2bQ1BCYet7fUE33KEEo5pRZ_evYqOuYR-nzgz53Ns" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNGo2kPgSQFgikr5FecDrN23fvbzXrebzZdjT7gFtGVIzh3ewJ9s8J8ItaIefMr7uEve1-_ch_T3EmkFXJdtvuSwaarTz052TY5ttvTGsG4O5tovVLZeLJqU_6azlqW3-Q50hcsldKPC2bQ1BCYet7fUE33KEEo5pRZ_evYqOuYR-nzgz53Ns=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKMv5WtBn9oPGZpkrv3e_0GYg2c8a9JH_Saeqa3cpqA8V0GkV-yd0tWnJ0MZtvC-57QkDq_UDHEDasnHliMe_i5obZBz2uRY4qRytIUOLv2IsLAJ9HcmIDyYLAtmhYO9vh8SLRSKJOfc5dGGLoesxPz8wDPuwrqYF67XbXxZeAuJUlPWAELJ0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKMv5WtBn9oPGZpkrv3e_0GYg2c8a9JH_Saeqa3cpqA8V0GkV-yd0tWnJ0MZtvC-57QkDq_UDHEDasnHliMe_i5obZBz2uRY4qRytIUOLv2IsLAJ9HcmIDyYLAtmhYO9vh8SLRSKJOfc5dGGLoesxPz8wDPuwrqYF67XbXxZeAuJUlPWAELJ0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJElSVHesNNvARJBRIgCIY3E3Hozk1UnVI6udGtVXvs3qZEhkTdejWp8cFdzaJxbHf-bUG1npjFhALtdrxcVbO_c7wqB4U8HheyQrTULaQZmjhJ4assmDnu5RcJpiKbins2LqRXPdYnRIA2-aopT8gl131wf9qkWcIzwiJWslBfRm6_ALAdNk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJElSVHesNNvARJBRIgCIY3E3Hozk1UnVI6udGtVXvs3qZEhkTdejWp8cFdzaJxbHf-bUG1npjFhALtdrxcVbO_c7wqB4U8HheyQrTULaQZmjhJ4assmDnu5RcJpiKbins2LqRXPdYnRIA2-aopT8gl131wf9qkWcIzwiJWslBfRm6_ALAdNk=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">favors</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGBPoKDI-WgtcX1M0dm_WftSIxLTuRQX19WDvDeH4QSrSctKy0mJJoPDm903P7MQ3_hyUvj5La7F64WHZSnC6hbleVpO6GYRNGkFVIS2yngFwIO8GpQFCJlsUeYvm0QqCWkt4tK7Z8EWC2Z53blLB27HWPEAdend3uDeodMSGyA7ddHMyLohc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3400" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGBPoKDI-WgtcX1M0dm_WftSIxLTuRQX19WDvDeH4QSrSctKy0mJJoPDm903P7MQ3_hyUvj5La7F64WHZSnC6hbleVpO6GYRNGkFVIS2yngFwIO8GpQFCJlsUeYvm0QqCWkt4tK7Z8EWC2Z53blLB27HWPEAdend3uDeodMSGyA7ddHMyLohc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Photo Backdrop wall</span></div></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAG6RIvTwzmsiotM4-3955coevLYGzzvdYpBTpT7XKeSW6_jRvgL0jnpaguAL4_VG9df3lSw6J-rSkxcA0bgM93jacGu_zWEH8djWb_rNbnC8gA-D3PgqLJ-qKnezPYhhi9giIAhH7_MCS62YPHUsCbBgYhJT161dxbSVu1j0gUz4YJ4ZBr1U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2777" data-original-width="2083" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAG6RIvTwzmsiotM4-3955coevLYGzzvdYpBTpT7XKeSW6_jRvgL0jnpaguAL4_VG9df3lSw6J-rSkxcA0bgM93jacGu_zWEH8djWb_rNbnC8gA-D3PgqLJ-qKnezPYhhi9giIAhH7_MCS62YPHUsCbBgYhJT161dxbSVu1j0gUz4YJ4ZBr1U=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGPSzdUiG0aUYrTgbuwcIDSfOeu7j1sNHHLy8Ft8LdOHXkTZ7bqbI06mwZTQTAvhkpCXiypM_BMg2-bX6JxwKdvEhsWguXWHPd-Rh7-nEOlb3rDMjmOPeQ78zMnCRvYe9dkqhH-1NuV-BhOERJBaS3loaH1WmlxzZZSFM_zU4-blBubIg8qUI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2890" data-original-width="2168" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGPSzdUiG0aUYrTgbuwcIDSfOeu7j1sNHHLy8Ft8LdOHXkTZ7bqbI06mwZTQTAvhkpCXiypM_BMg2-bX6JxwKdvEhsWguXWHPd-Rh7-nEOlb3rDMjmOPeQ78zMnCRvYe9dkqhH-1NuV-BhOERJBaS3loaH1WmlxzZZSFM_zU4-blBubIg8qUI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div>Decor</span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmBNe84KyyL7pqlDesMLQjviviCjFM7eL3CdGXZUIFBosXnH8_Y4afh0lFQh4HDdfpnONmLIl5dxSrfAPPd_4PgNl-flapCtk_L2En4C5ADiq4GyE9HIudsaT4SlML1vcLcXlXEeDt2dkjsR5yHKh2Fw_ediz5uOiwPHhrBqy9WKpncN57Dbw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmBNe84KyyL7pqlDesMLQjviviCjFM7eL3CdGXZUIFBosXnH8_Y4afh0lFQh4HDdfpnONmLIl5dxSrfAPPd_4PgNl-flapCtk_L2En4C5ADiq4GyE9HIudsaT4SlML1vcLcXlXEeDt2dkjsR5yHKh2Fw_ediz5uOiwPHhrBqy9WKpncN57Dbw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaBGWEf-egGE_Ft4nq1GtLY-ynVubvyBXYcoV6S1Hwr-PufM5eiuKDz9eh1pRToPbXCBOtOQ5ocQoBvFqFe4uU02Hbx9buiqaYVAPjfuKuXhpe25G4RVstEQoaHK2wVUKnu_Qq1fi-HDpJB-2vCKVnWP8GCHwiNOm-Yya7Pkrjtl7GJHlkaco" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5187" data-original-width="3458" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaBGWEf-egGE_Ft4nq1GtLY-ynVubvyBXYcoV6S1Hwr-PufM5eiuKDz9eh1pRToPbXCBOtOQ5ocQoBvFqFe4uU02Hbx9buiqaYVAPjfuKuXhpe25G4RVstEQoaHK2wVUKnu_Qq1fi-HDpJB-2vCKVnWP8GCHwiNOm-Yya7Pkrjtl7GJHlkaco=w427-h640" width="427" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-6d545rAg5eTJ9oiWddeA6a-d5l546uGYGLKWxETe3bs9b8Aomd5uCwiIZMMGHUKAYm_1DAmPneqjj2I-qKJeZ4jF1CskaMcTUkPa7zURYq_trCyfo2f5niSTew5H5cPkUj9s8Z5oTN0aW9Ws8vAJxR-_8pMdUwkJleOEMDVsOTMH6_HEVZI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4727" data-original-width="3151" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-6d545rAg5eTJ9oiWddeA6a-d5l546uGYGLKWxETe3bs9b8Aomd5uCwiIZMMGHUKAYm_1DAmPneqjj2I-qKJeZ4jF1CskaMcTUkPa7zURYq_trCyfo2f5niSTew5H5cPkUj9s8Z5oTN0aW9Ws8vAJxR-_8pMdUwkJleOEMDVsOTMH6_HEVZI=w427-h640" width="427" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1OQWyWdbFgRpzzptGVjEKZTeYcM2bmSBH" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1OQWyWdbFgRpzzptGVjEKZTeYcM2bmSBH" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">dancing</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihaG6yUbUcPmCuezFxCiGF0YiVUYYdMb61XiqS5aB9w0uDirt2Wo2_Lf3Fwz7HMgN3Bt_8fuk140_zgHSNx7PjsCWjUuIshzc0Ajk_MNCq8FUAUtpCRiPEQ4fGyl0ii0xhfViIfkIPLJa8N7LIeinhox8Xv9jxVfe39d43OoEF9aBUODGAQaI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2908" data-original-width="3877" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihaG6yUbUcPmCuezFxCiGF0YiVUYYdMb61XiqS5aB9w0uDirt2Wo2_Lf3Fwz7HMgN3Bt_8fuk140_zgHSNx7PjsCWjUuIshzc0Ajk_MNCq8FUAUtpCRiPEQ4fGyl0ii0xhfViIfkIPLJa8N7LIeinhox8Xv9jxVfe39d43OoEF9aBUODGAQaI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc4PFIshOl70Hbara54DP4CzFCLI_QRaW72vDGPNmLqQeyyF8l44q9Sm-OP6v6qmWk1ry26TBs24UYmM1J9B7JZwYPMMB2CaNj6Ar2LnO4aaUHqihW4vt7ptDmMF7rSbxbXjWxYh99j_x8gkCf-aOFcpv0mygDyhJvNiwgczeiXdLL2EqMvyc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc4PFIshOl70Hbara54DP4CzFCLI_QRaW72vDGPNmLqQeyyF8l44q9Sm-OP6v6qmWk1ry26TBs24UYmM1J9B7JZwYPMMB2CaNj6Ar2LnO4aaUHqihW4vt7ptDmMF7rSbxbXjWxYh99j_x8gkCf-aOFcpv0mygDyhJvNiwgczeiXdLL2EqMvyc=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-24643058019429942142022-07-22T14:03:00.001-07:002022-08-15T14:06:27.422-07:00Being slowly poisoned by healthy food<div class="separator"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1bFXYioZUIfa0_gS98ShFcieqqC-8Nw2V" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1bFXYioZUIfa0_gS98ShFcieqqC-8Nw2V" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;">A few mug shots ago, I posted about how this can never be coffee and I missed the coffee culture and how my food allergies have taken over my life. Well, my friends, a lot has changed since then. </span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It has been 16 weeks since I found out I was allergic to:</div><div>Eggs</div><div>Egg whites</div><div>Almonds</div><div>Hazelnuts</div><div>Whey</div><div>Beans</div><div>Coffee</div><div>Black tea</div><div><br /></div><div>And in those 16 weeks I have had a fundamental shift in my health and I want to tell you all about it because unknowingly I was poisoning myself for the last 16 years with things I “knew” were good for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nearly every morning I would have a whey protein smoothie with almond milk and yogurt or eggs from our pampered backyard hens with bread (sometimes homemade). Sounds like a really sound diet, right? Turns out the only one of those things that doesn’t send my histamine count into a tailspin is the yogurt! </div><div><br /></div><div>To tell you what has changed requires me to say what my symptoms were, so here it goes. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was always chemically very weird. I couldn’t have normal things, like a glass of wine, or a cup of coffee because I would break out in hives or get a headache very quickly and spend the rest of my day feeling sick. </div><div><br /></div><div>I never sweated. I know! Might be a blessing for some but for me, I work out hard and enjoy being warm. But if I were to over heat at all, I’d end up with a roaring headache. Pushing through for CrossFit only worked if I had a set routine like drinking 2 quarts of water (equal to everyone else’s daily allowance) and taking a warm shower as soon as I was done… and even then it was a crapshoot between if I’d feel like garbage for the rest of the day or not. I was told that it was a transition but it lasted a year and eventually I gave up CrossFit. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would get these huge red blotches out of no where. They would just show up. My face would feel like it was on fire and my chest, arms, and neck would turn blotchy and bright red. Randomly. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had ocular hallucinations, which is a type of migraine headache, about twice a month. My body would just stop one of my eyes from working for a few hours. It would look as though I was looking through a pool of water with a light on the other side of it. These would last until I fell asleep. Didn’t matter what time of day they happened and I definitely couldn’t drive while they were going on so sometimes I would get stuck at a job, or a homeschool club, and have to find a dark space and try to shut my eyes for as long as possible. If I couldn’t find that space, I’d end up with a migraine so awful that it occasionally made me vomit from the pain. </div><div><br /></div><div>My stomach hurt whenever I ate. I just got used to it. Food never really felt good to eat. Ever. </div><div><br /></div><div>My cycles were hell. Not in the crappy, painful way… but in the “sneeze and half my uterus comes out for nearly a week” type way (sorry, guys). </div><div><br /></div><div>I started losing hair. Every time I would have stress in my life, my hair would fall out. This was actually the last straw for me that sent me to the doctor asking for these tests. My hair was thinning, and it just wasn’t ok with me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now I wonder how I lived that way for so damn long, seriously. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I am sure you are, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>My restrictions were already many. My stomach doesn’t handle any fruit, most cucurbits (cucumbers to melons), or several other things. </div><div><br /></div><div>But it wasn’t until I got a blood and urine and body composition test that it finally started clicking…. </div><div><br /></div><div>It took 10 weeks to really feel the progress. And for about 6-8 of those, things got worse. Not ☝️ those things. Everything ☝️ there got better immediately upon eliminating all of those things completely from my diet, but other things got worse. </div><div><br /></div><div>I called it “weird bad” because it wasn’t my normal bad but it wasn’t fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, I trusted what the tests were saying and I kept going. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now? </div><div>Now I sweat. </div><div>For the first time in literally my adult life. Not a ton, because I don’t think my body’s a super sweater, but I sweat. On my stomach and my back. It is absolutely strange to me as I don’t EVER remember doing it before, but i don’t get a headache when I work out. I can physically handle heat. That part’s been wild. (My armpits smell different when I sweat, too! This one is the most wild and the most unexpected for me. I didn’t even know toxins could stop you from sweating!?)</div><div><br /></div><div>I can drink alcohol. I have never been a heavy drinker and I doubt I’ll start now, but if I want to have a margarita with my SIL over tacos, I can. And I can just, magically, go on with my day. </div><div><br /></div><div>My cycles have calmed down to what others have said is more normal. I am hoping this trend continues. </div><div><br /></div><div>I haven’t had an ocular migraine in 16 weeks. Last one was in March, right before I stopped eating all my trigger foods. </div><div><br /></div><div>The only time I got the huge blotchy patches was when I tried to eat eggs. My body had a HARD pass on that protein. It just said no. It took two days to recover from a 2 egg omelette. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hurting and bloating and pain is no longer normal for me. It happens. I think it happens to us all, but it’s not anything like what I have experienced previously. </div><div><br /></div><div>My hair has completely stopped falling out. I no longer roll down my car window to throw out the clump of hair because I decided to take my ponytail down. It’s one or two hairs at most. And this one has stayed consistent for 2 months now. </div><div><br /></div><div>My skin looks consistently brighter. This one could just be summer, or it could be this chemical change in my system. I’ll be able to tell you that by November. 😉</div><div><br /></div><div>Last of all, and least important in my mind, but I have lost 7lbs. All that inflammation I was carrying around is consistently gone. My body is starting to regulate differently. Even my PMS is completely different.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why do I tell you this? </div><div><br /></div><div>Because I thought I knew my body. </div><div><br /></div><div>I spent the last 5 years playing whack-a-mole with what I could and couldn’t put into my body so it wouldn’t hate me. I have actually eliminated all of the trigger foods at one time or another…. But never all of them at once. </div><div><br /></div><div>I felt like I had tried everything. And it did take me a while to figure out what I could eat and an even longer while to figure out how to get more protein in my meat-light diet without eggs, almonds, soy, beans/rice, or whey protein. </div><div><br /></div><div>I felt like I was failing at the whole food change thing too…. </div><div><br /></div><div>Until I realized my back was sweaty one day during a hard yoga class. And then I realized I still felt energized when I got home and didn’t get a headache. And then I hadn’t had a migraine in 8 weeks, then 10, and now 16 weeks migraine free…. </div><div><br /></div><div>Small changes made a huge difference. And I feel like I have gotten a whole new lease on life. Some of it is wild. I actually need to change after I workout hard. That was never an issue for me before. But other parts are just filled with sweet relief for what I have spent my life trying to figure out. </div><div><br /></div><div>That. And a whole lot of hope.</div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-26794888146469257252022-04-10T20:48:00.083-07:002022-09-05T17:37:08.129-07:00Nature Study Resources for the Charlotte Mason Homeschooler<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1mVxVw5qWySVgy4K9sxeKH5AuHnJUeQMp" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1mVxVw5qWySVgy4K9sxeKH5AuHnJUeQMp" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For the last 16 years I have homeschooled my children with an eclectic tilt towards Charlotte Mason education and a heavy bent towards the constant study of nature. In that time I have come across some of the very best nature study, living book reading material and I wanted to share that with you. It has many vintage choices, but no worries, I found most of them on Amazon and put the links up just for you!</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TaOCT23Zl9KyVzO1ejgw-z7B9Aum9Ntr" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TaOCT23Zl9KyVzO1ejgw-z7B9Aum9Ntr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1tPsWu6J367BLHcKGCG62lm6ExMM_nXZS" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1tPsWu6J367BLHcKGCG62lm6ExMM_nXZS" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">According to simplyCharlotteMason.com, 'Living Books' are:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "calluna" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 20px;">Living books are usually written by one person who has a passion for the subject and writes in conversational or narrative style. The books pull you into the subject and involve your emotions, so it’s easy to remember the events and facts. Living books make the subject “come alive.” They can be contrasted to dry writing, like what is found in most encyclopedias or textbooks, which basically lists informational facts in summary form. You might be surprised to find that living books are available for most school subjects — even math, geography, and science! </span></blockquote>
I search constantly for books that fit these credentials because it really does bring life to the Nature Study for my kids. My kids wait for the next chapter or book with enthusiasm, and remember so many of the facts that they constantly shock people with the facts they know about these wonderful animals.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AHTAAFZBEMABtHPY9kBdfHeZgamGGmf6" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AHTAAFZBEMABtHPY9kBdfHeZgamGGmf6" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">First up, the baby animal series written by Berneice Freschet, illustrated Jim Arnosky</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>
To anyone who is familiar with nature study knows Jim Arnosky. If they don't, they should. ;) He is an incredible naturalist that has styled and yet accurate drawings of all the amazing nature experiences he has. All of his books are packed with information! I tend to trust anything that has his name on it. If you have never heard of him, try anything that has the word "Crinkleroot" in the title.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1wgMDaMQ9T4SPeA_bDUjAta_9gVztIDV0" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1wgMDaMQ9T4SPeA_bDUjAta_9gVztIDV0" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1G5Ue1wJcjsVZx-nMjlERFzu6R6c87ud4" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1G5Ue1wJcjsVZx-nMjlERFzu6R6c87ud4" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%;">
These books are for preschool - 4th grade. They are adorable! They follow a baby animal while adding true facts about how they grow and interesting facts about their life-cycles.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%;" /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Hzn_i3o7_JUHqLLu4dyy-CfgC1CiOu_E" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Hzn_i3o7_JUHqLLu4dyy-CfgC1CiOu_E" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1OOm2lgnEyZN-Ha1crZHSRPrIPd7Fz6Um" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1OOm2lgnEyZN-Ha1crZHSRPrIPd7Fz6Um" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><br />
Next up, Shirley Woods books. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Shirley Woods is a Canadian nature writer who captures the essence of each story about an animal with the enthusiasm and interest of a season of Meerkat Manor. The topics vary, each book containing the first year (usually) of a particular species. He follows anything from a deer mouse to a fox to a beaver. The books contain one life cycle, from birth to having their own cubs/kits/pups. The author brings the topics to life by writing in the narrative style of the animals, as if they themselves are telling about their experiences. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1lUTTUuOURX2cknaWzFvp9TPJKb9gxzlu" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1lUTTUuOURX2cknaWzFvp9TPJKb9gxzlu" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><br />
Last up for living books, Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This book (or book series, depending on how you buy it) has more of an 'informative' style. But it falls into the "living book" category because it has stories about each subject as well as lists of facts. The book even goes so far as to prepare the reader with questions to think about each subject as well as places they may be found and information that helps the reader study the subject more effectively. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TXhaFKzW1OjLkVm_KVGrgPesivvjOLNJ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TXhaFKzW1OjLkVm_KVGrgPesivvjOLNJ" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>
Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-56771186175214495722022-04-10T15:40:00.029-07:002022-04-10T16:03:03.545-07:00How To Save A Life<div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1rFA1QXD4T2_tZh00LkIEOXViiv4Nf7vf" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1rFA1QXD4T2_tZh00LkIEOXViiv4Nf7vf" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">“Mama. You can go home and rest easy now. He is in good hands and he’s not going anywhere. Your shift is done. We have him.”</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">•</div></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">•</div></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">•</div></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">•</div></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">•</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">After one of the worst months of my entire life, I found myself on a red-eye last Saturday.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">My oldest son has been homeless for over a year. And three weeks ago he called me and told me he was going to kill himself.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And then he went radio silent.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I knew that he had been robbed many times and I knew that it was a distinct possibility that his phone had been stolen, but I also knew that these couldn’t be the last words I heard from him.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #262626;">So I took the week off, made all the plans for childcare (because my husband can’t take time off work right now </span><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl _9_qj _a6hd" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/bluelinefamily/" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">#bluelinefamily</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #262626;">), printed out everything my boys needed, went on an extra grocery shopping trip for easy-to-make food, and took a red eye with my daughter to find my oldest son in a homeless camp 3500 miles away.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">The only thing I had to go on was a Wendy’s that I bought him food at regularly, that, and a hundred prayers.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I had told my pastor before I left that I wasn’t sure what to do and he connected me with a pastor in a church in the next city.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">So armed with prayer, I left. Not having any idea what I would find.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">We got there at 6am. We got settled in. We slept a bit. Then we went to sit at the Wendy’s and wait.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And he came.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Dressed in holy pj bottoms and a woman’s sweater, he looked terrible, but he didn’t run. He just hugged me and cried.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I was right. His phone was stolen. Along with absolutely everything he owned.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">So.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">First things first, dignity and communication.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">We got him clothes, shoes, and a few simple supplies to shower with. We had him put them on as soon as we bought them.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He came out and looked human.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Dignity is absolutely invaluable.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Then communication. Next stop was Best Buy to purchase a phone and some prepaid Mint Mobile cards. (They are the best value, and the easiest to use.)</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And now I had checked off all of the boxes I had for the trip. On day two.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">If only I had had some idea of what God had in store. Because, my friends, God works in mysterious ways.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">No.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">God works.</div></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #262626;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AOadVE7GO8rBvLoJR5NapfwLbu8AcVNj" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AOadVE7GO8rBvLoJR5NapfwLbu8AcVNj" style="font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">The next day I went to visit the pastor.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He just wanted to connect.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And after all, my son was still homeless… dignity only takes you so far.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">My ‘loaves and fishes’ moments were just beginning.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Although we gave him dignity and communication (and my daughter bought him a used bike so he had transportation, too) he would be in a very similar spot when we left there and flew home.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I was just hoping for a few resources that he could lean on to help ease his way.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I met with the pastor for 20 minutes. In that amount of time he set me up with a woman who’s son had been in a similar situation and ended up dying of a drug overdose 4 years ago in May.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">To say this woman had a thumb on this part of the population is a gross understatement.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">She asked the right questions, had intimate knowledge of the area and the population I found my son in, a no-bullshit attitude, and a huge heart for him as well as the things I had gone through. “Does he have insurance?” “Yes. But only for 4 more months”. “Well we should use those wisely then.”</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">She had a room in a private rehab facility for him within hours.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">The speed of it made my head spin.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">She was an absolute force to be reckoned with and she had friends.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Then he failed intake.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He “didn’t need help”. He “was fine”. He “Wasn’t a danger to himself”.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">They saw right through it.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">But I didn’t.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Thinking he was going to a rehab facility, I decided to help get him ready. Having no idea I was being lied to.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">The next morning we went to his camp and got all of the clothing items he had left to take to the laundry mat to be sanitized. And I was humbled and terrified by what I saw at the homeless camp.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I thought it was all buttoned up. Until she called me and said he said he wouldn’t go.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">She connected me with two other contacts. Steven and Mark. Both former addicts that had found salvation and spent the last few years dealing with the addict and homeless population.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">They started texting me asking for his whereabouts and asking for more history. They had another spot, if only he would answer questions honestly about what he was dealing with.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He failed intake again.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I was now in the loop, though….</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1FTLw5I-mpn8H-FqMQqRV9iaNwjp_8Fk6" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1FTLw5I-mpn8H-FqMQqRV9iaNwjp_8Fk6" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Me being in the loop he came upon some hard realities.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I wasn’t taking him home.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">First off: He is on probation and has to stay in FL.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Second: I have younger kids still living in my house. There was no way I was adding the chaos of mental illness and addiction back into that mix.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Third: Boundaries save your damn life. They are SO important. The only way that *I* was going to get through this is if I had clear and consistent boundaries. I knew it when I decided to come.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">So I held firm.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And slowly he started to break.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He admitted he needed help.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He admitted how dark his mind was.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He admitted where his dealer and ex girlfriend (also an addict) were and they were just blocks away from the cabin I rented. So close to him that the only thing between him and using was a phone.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And I had just handed him that.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">But, by God’s grace he had just failed the intake at both of the local places. The only one left that we KNEW had a room was 4 hours away.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">This time, he didn’t fail intake. And they sent a car 4 hours to pick him up.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">The drivers name was also Marc.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">(God bless the Mark/c’s of the world my friends. That name will forever be in my good graces.)</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">At 8:30 Wednesday night, Marc comes with the car from the rehab facility - 4 hours from my son's troubled past and current pitfalls - and took him to a place filled with therapists, medical professionals, and HOPE.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">……………</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Yesterday morning I got a call. After reviewing as much medical and mental health history as was needed, the therapist said:</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">“Mama. You can go home and rest easy now. He is in good hands and he’s not going anywhere. Your shift is done. We have him.”</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">It’s the only time the whole trip I cried.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1DIGkQUmRdzfe_tdgF11QT36QwtCtfera" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1DIGkQUmRdzfe_tdgF11QT36QwtCtfera" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">But wait! There’s more.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">The successful ending of the trip had not even truly dawned on me yet where we had to go to the airport. I was still in the heavy work of processing processing processing… it had only been an hour since I had spoken to the therapist.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I had done a great job of not falling into my more detrimental patterns of self-soothing while we were gone, but with the end looming and relief coming, I wanted a coffee, badly. Even though I knew it would hurt me.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Bad habits don’t always have to ruin your life. Some just ruin your day.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I am walking towards the Starbuck’s line, kinda like a zombie… but trying to convince myself to walk past when I see a familiar face.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Guys.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">When I say that God’s hands were on this trip… that the obviousness of miracles was so near that I could feel the beauty of the grace right next to me like the gentlest welcome touch…. I can’t even express my shock and awe at the “coincidence” of it.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Because here I was, at the Tampa airport, 3500 miles from home and I see one of my best friends.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">We have raised our kids together. Gone through tragedy and divorce and (yes) her brother’s addiction together.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">We had drifted apart due to our kids being in college these last few years, but not in a bad way. In a “we can pick this up next time we have time” kind of way.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And she was right in front of me.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Then the absolutely unbelievable happened.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">We were seated together on the plane.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">I kid you not.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">We had assigned seats SIDE BY SIDE.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#262626" face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1nnUl396EEEwon698YysP6VOEnYfRqxM0" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1nnUl396EEEwon698YysP6VOEnYfRqxM0" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#262626" face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></font></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">She being the only one of my close circle that didn’t know about this because we hadn’t talked recently. And also being the only one who would truly understand what we had just accomplished. She was next to me for 7 hours and 14 minutes.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">My mind was blown. My “loaves and fishes” moment had happened.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">God had spoken.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">And he said that it was good.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">God works in mysterious ways.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">No. </div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Wait.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">God works.</div></span></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-15091445845501776802022-04-06T16:05:00.001-07:002022-04-10T16:08:23.643-07:00I thank you, God, for this most amazing day….<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ePs87Fgjd-JXmbH4fqG4zseYkskABFlg" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ePs87Fgjd-JXmbH4fqG4zseYkskABFlg" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I thank You, God for most this amazing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">day:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">for the leaping greenly spirits of trees</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and a blue true dream of sky;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and for everything</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">which is natural</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">which is infinite</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">which is yes.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I who have died am alive again today,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and this is the sun’s birthday;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">this is the birth</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">day of life and of love and wings:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and of the gay</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">great happening illimitably earth</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">how should tasting touching hearing seeing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">breathing any — lifted from the no</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">of all nothing — human merely being</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">doubt unimaginable You?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(now the ears of my ears awake and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">now the eyes of my eyes are opened)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">- E. E. Cummings</span></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-32017020462458252472022-04-05T16:12:00.001-07:002022-04-10T16:15:32.730-07:00The extraordinary will take care of itself.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1etsa37SXficYjVlM2QY2dzfS6Dc239fN" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1etsa37SXficYjVlM2QY2dzfS6Dc239fN" style="color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" title="Drawing in the Florida sunshine" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">“Do not ask your children</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">to strive for extraordinary lives.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Such striving may seem admirable,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">but it is the way of foolishness.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Help them instead to find the wonder</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">and the marvel of an ordinary life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Show them the joy of tasting</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">tomatoes, apples and pears.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Show them how to cry</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">when pets and people die.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Show them the infinite pleasure</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">in the touch of a hand.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">And make the ordinary come alive for them.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">The extraordinary will take care of itself.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">- William Martin</span>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-78198715175778666372022-03-06T17:31:00.001-08:002022-04-10T19:23:31.262-07:00Fantastic Beasts Party<div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;">Fantastic Beasts party in the books. ❤️</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cqsvMlTJbgqwDVncYH7qMTxw7D8oCF2y" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cqsvMlTJbgqwDVncYH7qMTxw7D8oCF2y" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">First up, decorations. I went all out creating the inside of Newt Schemander's magical suitcase. Outside the door I put up an Owlry, giant spiders, and all sorts of fun things that Newt would need for his magical creatures. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8aA3g23fntWqRAoPslltzHlkxQ2u8FHax6b1Ybxw1eVDVMPLULZIb8edl1qKRwNkfmKX9m0o9_owFtCHwJwyv47b3UjBulX99LbaeZF6Zysq5gO65CXAP9bufXcEHraWxCeb9ML3ra_vexwSxcwK-dVWgFuTgc2Vg6JN-P98jwXoISsN3cU/s4032/IMG_6148.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8aA3g23fntWqRAoPslltzHlkxQ2u8FHax6b1Ybxw1eVDVMPLULZIb8edl1qKRwNkfmKX9m0o9_owFtCHwJwyv47b3UjBulX99LbaeZF6Zysq5gO65CXAP9bufXcEHraWxCeb9ML3ra_vexwSxcwK-dVWgFuTgc2Vg6JN-P98jwXoISsN3cU/w480-h640/IMG_6148.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQfaX4ceyspgC9FACZ4et72affWDS9enQQk1hxxKpxm_kiX1rAoKD7YqX9W--ZuRmxwrpeaKttfCw8papmGAksQ_o28EAj0tjtFRIyGmDFPBFX5ch_xfMb-LVJCZzjGF4UGsEMxugHQiA4tixNr0FxuIvV2hz1WwExnunVRO9DF-Vzln4yHY/s4032/IMG_6087.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQfaX4ceyspgC9FACZ4et72affWDS9enQQk1hxxKpxm_kiX1rAoKD7YqX9W--ZuRmxwrpeaKttfCw8papmGAksQ_o28EAj0tjtFRIyGmDFPBFX5ch_xfMb-LVJCZzjGF4UGsEMxugHQiA4tixNr0FxuIvV2hz1WwExnunVRO9DF-Vzln4yHY/w480-h640/IMG_6087.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The party table was filled with giant plants, Newt's Magical Creatures book, the Monsterous Book of Monsters, a Niffler with his pile of gold, and Jacob Kowalski's suitcase filled with his amazing pastries. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=14D0jvGCTdmq2wQv-WZpYDnpAmscLcDBA" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=14D0jvGCTdmq2wQv-WZpYDnpAmscLcDBA" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jYjx9XvmITWTl_enKJrwFcfkByklNikT" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jYjx9XvmITWTl_enKJrwFcfkByklNikT" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-align: left; width: auto;" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1I5JA-WTsxCpu8H5a_Z0pXwo60bdUZlMm" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1I5JA-WTsxCpu8H5a_Z0pXwo60bdUZlMm" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1nKiOlZqgQ7XK6AciATwGutM8Yo3_-OSo" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1nKiOlZqgQ7XK6AciATwGutM8Yo3_-OSo" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I even made a "Muggle Worthy" suitcase for our friends at Ellis Island.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=18rSW43K_rctAAWiky0Pl4XyNy7DVtjKj" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=18rSW43K_rctAAWiky0Pl4XyNy7DVtjKj" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We had two games to play. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">First one was a pigmy puff hunt. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1dTH8HZMSMs3ksFhR7Gcgqo7jQmTh1ghf" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1dTH8HZMSMs3ksFhR7Gcgqo7jQmTh1ghf" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;">Newt Scamander accidentally released 36 Pygmy Puffs and we needed help to round them up in Central Park. The pigmy puffs were placed around the entire 4 acres and the kids were tasked with bringing them all home. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=19AzBLeXuFv_CBwXwJjeGAWNOwWRTrayl" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=19AzBLeXuFv_CBwXwJjeGAWNOwWRTrayl" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Luke's outfit was a mix of Newt's outfits in the first two Fantastic Beasts movies. The long grey coat was made from a man's wool sport coat I found at a thrift store.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1F7pt7yiu6i2fW7ppjLCXc-Bg5ZOsZBi6" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1F7pt7yiu6i2fW7ppjLCXc-Bg5ZOsZBi6" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This little guy in his pocket is a Bowtruckle. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=12jlmp9FkrqdQV-sjLQXHftZ7Qmfyvzyw" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=12jlmp9FkrqdQV-sjLQXHftZ7Qmfyvzyw" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gD9bgPbYt_BX2mGMVtsLmVy2AUQiiyRO" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gD9bgPbYt_BX2mGMVtsLmVy2AUQiiyRO" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My favorite scene in the movie:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1HJph_H993XFSWBZd220S0nr5fimSoo5p" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1HJph_H993XFSWBZd220S0nr5fimSoo5p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I thought this scene was so wonderful that I asked the kids to recreate it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cqsvMlTJbgqwDVncYH7qMTxw7D8oCF2y" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cqsvMlTJbgqwDVncYH7qMTxw7D8oCF2y" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Favors:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Three of these:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1suG0he9AumDECZWklLFW5yhAMWfQoXqJ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1suG0he9AumDECZWklLFW5yhAMWfQoXqJ" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And a box of these:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=11xJYAfx5sRCTu6U7y6zwZxANnOdANqXz" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=11xJYAfx5sRCTu6U7y6zwZxANnOdANqXz" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-68663408814362544602022-02-23T15:58:00.001-08:002022-04-11T16:00:18.020-07:00Here's to Eleven<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1k3DsRgauHwFTa2TRddznAFR2eg10TSL-" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1k3DsRgauHwFTa2TRddznAFR2eg10TSL-" style="color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;">Give me the loud giggles. The one that tells me a too-long story in the middle of school that is sort-of-almost related to what I was teaching him. The one that can’t sit still. The one that love so deeply that I feel unworthy. The one that is so grateful he inspires generosity. The one that hugs me for 10 minutes before going to bed. The cuddler. The one that calls me to his room because the cat did something cute. The messy hair. The sheepish grins. The space cadet.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;">And please, Lord, make me worthy of his time with me. Let me always see what a gift he is.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;">Here’s to 11.</span>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-1232112111809720792022-01-30T16:38:00.001-08:002022-04-10T16:45:13.705-07:00The end of an era.<div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ut0QCG86YVl1RMgk4rcI5xiMOe6pmVR4" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ut0QCG86YVl1RMgk4rcI5xiMOe6pmVR4" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">His parties were always the biggest and most elaborate. I didn’t realize that this was over. I am in a sort of mourning right now of all the things the pandemic has taken. Which includes my son’s extreme extroverted personality.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1O3x74XLAsY6pgPjraZmPVCeP24QvKhHv" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1O3x74XLAsY6pgPjraZmPVCeP24QvKhHv" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">He told me last week that he feels more like an ambivert now, he says that big groups now freak him out. That he feels he has to watch everyone and everything and feels responsible for people. Not only that but he has gained a lot of empath qualities because when others do something dumb or feel embarrassed, he feels embarrassed and frustrated, even if they don’t. They don’t care but he takes on all of those feelings for them.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1taShYu2tCJL6QxNFK4W-rX8dXtumWzHs" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1taShYu2tCJL6QxNFK4W-rX8dXtumWzHs" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">It’s a huge change from last year or two years ago when he couldn’t wait to be the center of attention.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qjy2pPUxlnwcwAdYBV7BXw7HP35wTi6-" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qjy2pPUxlnwcwAdYBV7BXw7HP35wTi6-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">My heart hurts for what this time is doing to our kids. These types of changes in the world really do shape our lives. Just like the Spanish flu, the Great Depression, or any large war - just like that changed history, it also changed the people living through it. There are things that they went through that changed them at a fundamental level. Shifted their thinking and adjusted their personality. It isn’t new. But the things that are taken hurt just the same.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1H6Y8A12p7DduQB1F404XHGx8uZKqbcXN" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1H6Y8A12p7DduQB1F404XHGx8uZKqbcXN" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pwBQc-GBPBzj1-ec5qUVPQCr5Xdj7Ms8" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pwBQc-GBPBzj1-ec5qUVPQCr5Xdj7Ms8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;">(Logan at parties from past years- medieval plague, Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, mad science, ninjas, super spy, Star Wars, and my favorite party of all time, the Monster Adoption party.)</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1m3cnmggFmC1T1wYlpcl-RU5vGxFATSy8" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1m3cnmggFmC1T1wYlpcl-RU5vGxFATSy8" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-cRfPNqBMHQCGRP5c1Xe04aSt5iKnHqj" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-cRfPNqBMHQCGRP5c1Xe04aSt5iKnHqj" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1t1YMJsf27J5utlijRuvc54Sgcm68kA6U" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1t1YMJsf27J5utlijRuvc54Sgcm68kA6U" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jae6GJ7Q8__8uhCVtqVh3w7thy4XCiKH" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jae6GJ7Q8__8uhCVtqVh3w7thy4XCiKH" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #262626; font-size: 14px; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-40086342792101726392021-12-26T16:04:00.003-08:002022-04-11T16:07:23.415-07:00Winter Nature Walk<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"> </span><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TemUhrAibPVQb1iQyp6Rm3LTxRmH80z6" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TemUhrAibPVQb1iQyp6Rm3LTxRmH80z6" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #455154; font-family: HelveticaNeue; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #455154; font-family: HelveticaNeue;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><div style="text-align: center;">“If we had a keen vision of all that is ordinary in human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which is the other side of silence.”</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><div style="text-align: center;">- George Elliot</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1m6XViWnMA2F91XcPqsBYaaLj3D1B-PZo" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1m6XViWnMA2F91XcPqsBYaaLj3D1B-PZo" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #455154; font-family: HelveticaNeue; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1DqnggYoBcBh-bJipDSMxnnWTvBtvwgvG" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1DqnggYoBcBh-bJipDSMxnnWTvBtvwgvG" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #455154; font-family: HelveticaNeue; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qGN63bM9JPbtwcVFStvV0mwiUY9JF0o-" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qGN63bM9JPbtwcVFStvV0mwiUY9JF0o-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #455154; font-family: HelveticaNeue; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-40137517909173560992021-02-18T21:33:00.002-08:002021-02-18T21:33:33.578-08:00A snowy nature day<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: courier;">Snow makes the most mundane landscapes beautiful, and it makes the beautiful landscapes magical.</span><div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ojnhIOdCISGkn-GuYgAeKnGI5rez0Ch7" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ojnhIOdCISGkn-GuYgAeKnGI5rez0Ch7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-family: courier; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">We just got the most snow we have gotten for over 2 years. We were joking that we got the entire winter in one weekend. Currently, it’s still snowing! </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hvmkqzq6-2wsme7zmjaX_MpWknTWJbmU" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hvmkqzq6-2wsme7zmjaX_MpWknTWJbmU" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">This sweet little bird was picking bugs off the underside of whatever branches were not frozen. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jq-b-F8H4cOpBFlh43TbTYV02JC-nOdQ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jq-b-F8H4cOpBFlh43TbTYV02JC-nOdQ" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Could this look any more like Narnia?!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1VQo4VEykc6FW4_dOtxK7ym0wuSHPDUDz" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1VQo4VEykc6FW4_dOtxK7ym0wuSHPDUDz" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">This mama deer was going around the thickets of brush with her two doelings and they were so very sweet. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1KvIIUkcspNHIlLbmnhtQhQ8uSIGcjgdd" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1KvIIUkcspNHIlLbmnhtQhQ8uSIGcjgdd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Baby number one:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ojnhIOdCISGkn-GuYgAeKnGI5rez0Ch7" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ojnhIOdCISGkn-GuYgAeKnGI5rez0Ch7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Baby number two:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1NIG4wcHxFn1lvlhdZHrz7ufuVHH_NmFX" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1NIG4wcHxFn1lvlhdZHrz7ufuVHH_NmFX" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">And the snow was so beautiful on all of the maples with their moss and little helicopters. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pjktZ96MFveWyHUboJ470VJnId72gOF_" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pjktZ96MFveWyHUboJ470VJnId72gOF_" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;">This spotted Towhee was following its friend from bush to bush, looking to see what he could dug up. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1YliieoVAdO8--Gpt12AsU6gk5TaOnQWb" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1YliieoVAdO8--Gpt12AsU6gk5TaOnQWb" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ujHyNip_QDHGaRJTkOyXHIKdNmL5rwpj" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ujHyNip_QDHGaRJTkOyXHIKdNmL5rwpj" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">Can you see it?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WH47r24F8ExnIezhUrLzr5gFY4TQJnlL" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WH47r24F8ExnIezhUrLzr5gFY4TQJnlL" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">How about now? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">This young eagle was calling to another eagle.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I would like to say I know what animals are thinking, but often I feel that even the personification of animals falls far short. Their motivations are so different from ours that I doubt we can possibly ever know their thought process. However, if I were to personify this wildlife encounter, I’d say, I just interrupted a fight between a mom and her dirty teenage son and she is giving me the appropriate look:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kgcda80vvwPr3J5NXZYBMx71VUnzf0U5" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kgcda80vvwPr3J5NXZYBMx71VUnzf0U5" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></span></div></div></div></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-20962562389059120962021-02-03T19:36:00.000-08:002022-04-10T19:37:11.502-07:00Beaver Unit Study<div style="text-align: center;">In winter, nature study takes a turn of the colder variety. Especially this year, when masks are mandatory and groups are illegal. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hcWz9eR3HXgZyop9X-T1dwa3-z6WjG0t" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hcWz9eR3HXgZyop9X-T1dwa3-z6WjG0t" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qnlpqjbVTlHUsmqvJNGGB5Mwg2HaBY6z" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qnlpqjbVTlHUsmqvJNGGB5Mwg2HaBY6z" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed a beautiful but cold walk to try to find some evidence of beavers.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=14joZvIJd7LzaaquZxHNqsF9T0nL-ZDB2" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=14joZvIJd7LzaaquZxHNqsF9T0nL-ZDB2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-KyDlcuUc70FvRvxy9EGc-J847EVeq4Z" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-KyDlcuUc70FvRvxy9EGc-J847EVeq4Z" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then we headed to North West Trek, and were able to watch the sweet beaver family who are still hanging out in their den for winter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cV0qCyAMaWb-89gYsSKZZ53JKwMmxXWd" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cV0qCyAMaWb-89gYsSKZZ53JKwMmxXWd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TqtE5ZVqtYC_ID0CegOIGQRvBf4PNCEw" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1TqtE5ZVqtYC_ID0CegOIGQRvBf4PNCEw" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then we jumped into our bookshelf and pulled out the Beaver book from my favorite nature study author, Shirley Woods. These books are incredible. We paired Jack the Beaver book up with the Beaver lapbook from <a href="https://www.homeschoolshare.com/beavers-lapbook/">HomeSchoolShare.com</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-PIyh0Y9PBQHdJN2q7JGKCmJ_bzY-KET" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-PIyh0Y9PBQHdJN2q7JGKCmJ_bzY-KET" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-58747624934898113892021-02-01T17:49:00.003-08:002021-02-01T17:56:58.885-08:00A beautiful friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqwg8ZgwZKG6Cy69EeT0uHqKcFtytSDJIRPexx9GaIoAS_bh8kMWMJmdZ1UBst98l38OVuQeR0xPPCP_QZdMSjvvrR77MnzxMXvFdZ-GKWSlb769N8CRWuHWW8u0xQIhvCXKQ4Q/s2048/IMG_2628-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="2048" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqwg8ZgwZKG6Cy69EeT0uHqKcFtytSDJIRPexx9GaIoAS_bh8kMWMJmdZ1UBst98l38OVuQeR0xPPCP_QZdMSjvvrR77MnzxMXvFdZ-GKWSlb769N8CRWuHWW8u0xQIhvCXKQ4Q/w640-h490/IMG_2628-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;">― </span><span class="authorOrTitle" face="Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">Albert Camus</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1CDsf3M3f8s-Jqc9-7vl8B7zJoXjga1snhb3TlT3qnW0p7R98QcKFe6nh5CFKCydzY7UIeFo9R2ocyRC__cnW22e1z-clHI0EU-tR3f4z32mI04uW7RDcYsTCl2MC0OzsOQwpA/s2048/IMG_2628-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1CDsf3M3f8s-Jqc9-7vl8B7zJoXjga1snhb3TlT3qnW0p7R98QcKFe6nh5CFKCydzY7UIeFo9R2ocyRC__cnW22e1z-clHI0EU-tR3f4z32mI04uW7RDcYsTCl2MC0OzsOQwpA/w427-h640/IMG_2628-2.jpg" width="427" /></a></div></h1><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-9034428307805668052021-02-01T15:10:00.055-08:002021-02-03T14:37:41.492-08:00Medieval Plague Dinner Party <div style="text-align: center;">A plague party in the middle of a pandemic... too soon? Maybe... but 14 year old boys have a dark sense of humor and so I decided to bank on that and just fall, head first, into the theme of the year... which apparently is plagues. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLfr1yhtIo6BHCYLG8iBulG4r3tbqFpCuB5b7LG0SkBCwjy9oYIEepgEBhpUOggoU0Bhxd5KYE48AhskapLOj-Ql61-ueCkqdZcdLqCpMntoX19ClERaBq_KiGviTva_a3Vd3QA/s2048/IMG_3585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1697" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLfr1yhtIo6BHCYLG8iBulG4r3tbqFpCuB5b7LG0SkBCwjy9oYIEepgEBhpUOggoU0Bhxd5KYE48AhskapLOj-Ql61-ueCkqdZcdLqCpMntoX19ClERaBq_KiGviTva_a3Vd3QA/w530-h640/IMG_3585.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you have been following my blog for any amount of years, you have probably seen the HUGE parties I usually throw my incredibly extroverted son, Logan. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1c2iDusro6wKYQ078h7Y--v6oelzyzjVV" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1c2iDusro6wKYQ078h7Y--v6oelzyzjVV" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Forced to painfully tame his guest list, we decided to go all out with a sit down dinner. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10AH67jtn_HL9a3X76N_zTcipUyMGZoH1" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10AH67jtn_HL9a3X76N_zTcipUyMGZoH1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Everyone got plague masks to wear and rats to have as pets (not really, they were plastic) and a huge medieval feast!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Hv4ufirNUMEd7FNyieP7azgprLfbQoC4" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Hv4ufirNUMEd7FNyieP7azgprLfbQoC4" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13nBGp19Li3pBPk2SPbpta_yw5v_wLfWN" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13nBGp19Li3pBPk2SPbpta_yw5v_wLfWN" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I created a medieval ambiance with a cardboard and tissue paper stained glass wall that I tucked into my window to create a upscale but macabre kind of vibe.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pCCQbeSl1gYw2rf5n5w1Dxc2I1iVRKSg" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pCCQbeSl1gYw2rf5n5w1Dxc2I1iVRKSg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1BryZj7zKQ8EXY8KDqqEbkskD-o86buEj" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1BryZj7zKQ8EXY8KDqqEbkskD-o86buEj" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The "feast" was a full table charcuterie board with bread and 4 kinds of meat, 7 types of cheese, two types of grapes, two types of figs, dried fruit, jelly beans, salmon spread, nuts, chocolate candies, and any other decadence I could fit in.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1NogYd1armxgJ0O8X2h6WbaX1ESfkEE35" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1NogYd1armxgJ0O8X2h6WbaX1ESfkEE35" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1k8U8pjBgQLJwHD-Y4Ib2_DUxsYmdeKIY" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1k8U8pjBgQLJwHD-Y4Ib2_DUxsYmdeKIY" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The activities were this Madlib I made up special for the event and then we all sat on the couch with our snacks and watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Always a crowd pleaser!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kUThe2m3HjgU7nrEHdpKCaeKEBWFVzkj" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kUThe2m3HjgU7nrEHdpKCaeKEBWFVzkj" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-86864350309560368922021-01-30T14:00:00.001-08:002021-02-03T14:22:42.446-08:00Encounters with Nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBKKpBxW4CpkMmv7hh8sE0raqiqIAOq1cHarcxe4pf_Z4_6-v3s9Au4G_050Laxd8tYDAmQ__1C8Drft5IPNrVJIWsB6UpYrIdUFDK9nYvFtyeIsIjMScw-G0cgXUEOKNASmUmg/s2048/IMG_2600-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBKKpBxW4CpkMmv7hh8sE0raqiqIAOq1cHarcxe4pf_Z4_6-v3s9Au4G_050Laxd8tYDAmQ__1C8Drft5IPNrVJIWsB6UpYrIdUFDK9nYvFtyeIsIjMScw-G0cgXUEOKNASmUmg/w640-h426/IMG_2600-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got a new lens for Christmas..... I am not sure I need say more. (Such fun!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSIvM40p1pCLzdixn925HHzq2K8jsfdNK3747GHF0g0w4ommi5cterl7RO6aVLZZqKW3nq72i5L7xB39n6aOZKsZOEC7r-C0d5ekXBlGtvExIZjihaqU5uiwOejDtulFfXsSltA/s2048/IMG_2637-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSIvM40p1pCLzdixn925HHzq2K8jsfdNK3747GHF0g0w4ommi5cterl7RO6aVLZZqKW3nq72i5L7xB39n6aOZKsZOEC7r-C0d5ekXBlGtvExIZjihaqU5uiwOejDtulFfXsSltA/w640-h426/IMG_2637-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy__w8dWRMKmE5OE5GaAn4pkzbRAeMQO2xy5vGJxvfRueeJe7l9sBPDGXOrsvcuzot2dpdK1wCL2VziUKpLiVAXL5VC5KK_bV4klQx1B5REcvw0X5KXmx_vksiLzT65KJZL9R2tg/s2048/IMG_2663-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy__w8dWRMKmE5OE5GaAn4pkzbRAeMQO2xy5vGJxvfRueeJe7l9sBPDGXOrsvcuzot2dpdK1wCL2VziUKpLiVAXL5VC5KK_bV4klQx1B5REcvw0X5KXmx_vksiLzT65KJZL9R2tg/w640-h426/IMG_2663-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYExc88WVOH_KuybwSp2ukg29d1G4X9j6ogojg9T5x6jUCtRAqx67Nbpg1jR9rr35YPg4wElZIzL5995xmqiQmHoOEP69gCkgmgbLt3zp3ETEnoWVeQieX-Gej4jlkjtwXRLEtQ/s2048/IMG_2475-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYExc88WVOH_KuybwSp2ukg29d1G4X9j6ogojg9T5x6jUCtRAqx67Nbpg1jR9rr35YPg4wElZIzL5995xmqiQmHoOEP69gCkgmgbLt3zp3ETEnoWVeQieX-Gej4jlkjtwXRLEtQ/w426-h640/IMG_2475-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJy6hUm2uLS7wNW6zkele-lqaHmg66QYucdqyfYM-quBMl77piY5bq4WWlvirQXb-ZxFmZgp1J7lEJEknss4g4Yc_8lYNea-6qObSw7-00hc9SlW-T_iR7Y37P3gQ9BoSBwwPgA/s2048/IMG_1621-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJy6hUm2uLS7wNW6zkele-lqaHmg66QYucdqyfYM-quBMl77piY5bq4WWlvirQXb-ZxFmZgp1J7lEJEknss4g4Yc_8lYNea-6qObSw7-00hc9SlW-T_iR7Y37P3gQ9BoSBwwPgA/w640-h426/IMG_1621-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV3jReBWqwb1I8uYsRWiY9p84MioklqoyJXqLUo6ArcrTMK2UME-3R0rYJTJ5aeDXX15_VEyPo35shySICjadbTH5hoOMmdDR_jm-7HvuNVuG5hZ9hfMqXFQMiqC4JpNzgm6kjg/s2048/IMG_1730-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV3jReBWqwb1I8uYsRWiY9p84MioklqoyJXqLUo6ArcrTMK2UME-3R0rYJTJ5aeDXX15_VEyPo35shySICjadbTH5hoOMmdDR_jm-7HvuNVuG5hZ9hfMqXFQMiqC4JpNzgm6kjg/w640-h426/IMG_1730-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-91046928577688483962021-01-18T20:47:00.003-08:002021-06-05T18:26:42.743-07:00Winter Nature Study
<div style="text-align: center;">Winter nature study</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1bvMSBObYzu4syBdCvf6nKQAo3h_lNA0H" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1bvMSBObYzu4syBdCvf6nKQAo3h_lNA0H" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lots of masked field trips or going to less crowded areas like lakes and walks. 2020 winter nature study has been an exercise in finding things close by to go to and making up our own field trips. No Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts.... no nature clubs or co-op field trips. This year has been a whole new animal. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One thing we did do was take the drive-through trip through NW Trek. This year they opened it up to personal vehicles to do the tour. It was a wonderful day to watch for wildlife! </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gARE1LVNdTOghykMxDPS1oCE751cWfLQ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gARE1LVNdTOghykMxDPS1oCE751cWfLQ" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Afterwards we got to go into the park, masked, and do the walk through things. Less animals out this time of year but we got to watch the black bears poke out of their cave under a tree, and that was thrilling. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=19G_qSL9hGLq26Jk-yvZIofupCkuDsB9R" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=19G_qSL9hGLq26Jk-yvZIofupCkuDsB9R" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We also followed quite a bit of the Handbook of Nature Study for our Nature Study books. I hear they are coming out with a new version with color photos and I can't wait! This is our most used book in our library by quite a bit. Getting a version with color would be incredible!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1L4kK-1ZpTIMVkNqMyGNCfJzCmW_hIktc" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1L4kK-1ZpTIMVkNqMyGNCfJzCmW_hIktc" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1plL7cDQM0L7CVMWKwUIrtKDHmj7l00BH" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1plL7cDQM0L7CVMWKwUIrtKDHmj7l00BH" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div></div></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-27063923420042596142020-12-27T19:49:00.002-08:002021-02-01T17:27:24.139-08:00Advent List 2020This year started just like any other... <div><br /></div><div>In the attempt to make things as normal for my children as possible, I have decided to go all out with Advent Activities this year, COVID style. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1d97on9JDrqv3Hs_r-OEXEK9gjyYr38mI" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1d97on9JDrqv3Hs_r-OEXEK9gjyYr38mI" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ykyB2YVe-WCBKeV4XCabIXs4JzOqS8VO" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ykyB2YVe-WCBKeV4XCabIXs4JzOqS8VO" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>The Advent Activities are a prized tradition in our household. They are waited for all year and even my adult children like to get in on the action. This year proved to be a bit of a challange when coming up with 24 family activities. My daughter has a full time job, my husbands job is more stressful than ever, and most of the activities that we usually enjoy are canceled... but I decided to rise to the occasion and see if I couldn't finish out this year as good as it started (instead of all the garbage in the middle).</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Advent Activities 2020</span></div><div><br /></div><div>12/1 Getting our chocolate calendars and watching Elf (a December 1st Tradition!)</div><div>12/2 Getting our tree and making our yearly ornament</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1xlH7A2lWGptN_8XOoRRNcRYwtqqRd46J" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1xlH7A2lWGptN_8XOoRRNcRYwtqqRd46J" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/3 Making Cocoa Bombs</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AsbPfxLQHXNKab1c7QufJyckLl1q6-fn" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1AsbPfxLQHXNKab1c7QufJyckLl1q6-fn" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/4 Making some ornaments for the birds</div><div>12/5 Put out your shoes for St Nick</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1d768_Ag5Bv8AhPr1zluvFgzxh08qFoci" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1d768_Ag5Bv8AhPr1zluvFgzxh08qFoci" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/6 St Nicholas Day!</div><div>12/7 Winter Lantern craft</div><div>12/8 Making personal pizza and watching It's a Wonderful Life</div><div>12/9 Salt Crystal Snowflake </div><div>12/10 Special Chocolate (mom teaches this day)</div><div>12/11 Waldorf style stained glass window stars</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1J5i4cfRdmUPPjAbZEm3U9lbTiKEuofGQ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1J5i4cfRdmUPPjAbZEm3U9lbTiKEuofGQ" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=15Umqt8e_1VLdzNPH2x7qgLYahhbWEqcu" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=15Umqt8e_1VLdzNPH2x7qgLYahhbWEqcu" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/12 Gingerbread Houses</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PMysV-F5DayI9YPda5af0pLsfcEhmU2_" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PMysV-F5DayI9YPda5af0pLsfcEhmU2_" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1i4PB5VI2hCFRDagQo7W2lE-EE09_Gduv" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1i4PB5VI2hCFRDagQo7W2lE-EE09_Gduv" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WRktSfldO7DQh2Ks_Tjl96yiv6Hgp50p" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WRktSfldO7DQh2Ks_Tjl96yiv6Hgp50p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1oPvyki2fO6vOx-dPieyrV5S8jcjOip_P" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1oPvyki2fO6vOx-dPieyrV5S8jcjOip_P" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/13 Fantasy Lights</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cwjGrzfwIIA4pkETMbf_a8Ci1GsrswEr" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cwjGrzfwIIA4pkETMbf_a8Ci1GsrswEr" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/14 Baking Orange Bread (For Saint Lucia's Day)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1uw9eg3sFt2pK5ovYaLdaWRY5WyYXuAwp" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1uw9eg3sFt2pK5ovYaLdaWRY5WyYXuAwp" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/15 Shopping for siblings</div><div>12/16 Zoo Lights with Hot Cocoa</div><div>12/17 Grow A Tree activity</div><div>12/18 Game Night!</div><div>12/19 Drive-Through Nativity</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1o3QgMqHCPfSxiTCh3dKXe65BqokmqAk7" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1o3QgMqHCPfSxiTCh3dKXe65BqokmqAk7" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12/20 Shop for mom & Dad</div><div>12/21 Christmas Light Scavneger Hunt</div><div>12/22 Caroling!</div><div>12/23 Cookies and gifts for neighbors</div><div>12/24 Create an Advent Tree</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes we don’t do them all but it’s always fun to try! </div><div><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-37243409883698826592020-11-20T14:04:00.001-08:002021-02-03T14:13:51.944-08:00Family Photos 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCBnLXwZr6tnxFnxQKnvASF34q44CgsKSDnYkb7hGB0aMxnIvdrJUt_PBiszzAarZbLSbAErX5e7PTBY4QGNEU1l0rTalCZmkQX0HW_7rbQaCq5DcmXJBa2vQwRDkE9Xve-8R8w/s2048/IMG_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCBnLXwZr6tnxFnxQKnvASF34q44CgsKSDnYkb7hGB0aMxnIvdrJUt_PBiszzAarZbLSbAErX5e7PTBY4QGNEU1l0rTalCZmkQX0HW_7rbQaCq5DcmXJBa2vQwRDkE9Xve-8R8w/w640-h426/IMG_0501.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the first time we have had professional pictures taken of our family. It was so sweet to work with my friend Abbi Rhodes for these beautiful captures. <3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZdTAALtxxBDaNnddZVX3NjecwQfBQIpnk3E3q8A0tv4qnhYEtmvVsLocTsRIawIRl25e7ei5b8pNN0FcHXgLep7DLjXcrttsStQtH2nMbUYf26I1IWN4jZl0r_i9_pC1Uv70aw/s2048/IMG_0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZdTAALtxxBDaNnddZVX3NjecwQfBQIpnk3E3q8A0tv4qnhYEtmvVsLocTsRIawIRl25e7ei5b8pNN0FcHXgLep7DLjXcrttsStQtH2nMbUYf26I1IWN4jZl0r_i9_pC1Uv70aw/w640-h426/IMG_0510.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xWq7-9jSL7au9-AjxUzEHPYFOm1wZicVze_0Mo-l52BrhEIUZXohFWwrgqyvndyh1Cybt6yrN4w2CSbQHqR5NJReyw4oqgGcWPuQPrqVyH4DnlnkNZEofFEvj0m2zqwXdrESHA/s2048/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xWq7-9jSL7au9-AjxUzEHPYFOm1wZicVze_0Mo-l52BrhEIUZXohFWwrgqyvndyh1Cybt6yrN4w2CSbQHqR5NJReyw4oqgGcWPuQPrqVyH4DnlnkNZEofFEvj0m2zqwXdrESHA/w426-h640/IMG_0505.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKnTMC9No-dslt5wjjWJLh24-m_IKZRbdVzz4evsntGUIB4qlSP_2Kj02-tDJZIS5NbIc1Kcr6OmoWyajBScc6fA3Y6h9CeMuJu-0zGLF_ALa1KHMDQxezskqgGu6xisK_qig6Q/s2048/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKnTMC9No-dslt5wjjWJLh24-m_IKZRbdVzz4evsntGUIB4qlSP_2Kj02-tDJZIS5NbIc1Kcr6OmoWyajBScc6fA3Y6h9CeMuJu-0zGLF_ALa1KHMDQxezskqgGu6xisK_qig6Q/w426-h640/IMG_0509.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFONx6TxaBfmtGKykL8Dh9sb0BbpZ84J_gSAkyfnOttAGzLhk7cbE1RWWAjycjK1IFbJWFqPALyZD9BOKboxZ0Ee6faxO_irWwbvyWZ1-lIFWcT4ZkMkSRbxOj2fZqHAFp0DQqJQ/s2048/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFONx6TxaBfmtGKykL8Dh9sb0BbpZ84J_gSAkyfnOttAGzLhk7cbE1RWWAjycjK1IFbJWFqPALyZD9BOKboxZ0Ee6faxO_irWwbvyWZ1-lIFWcT4ZkMkSRbxOj2fZqHAFp0DQqJQ/w426-h640/IMG_0506.JPG" width="426" /></a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This one is not my favorite picture of me, but I just thought it was SO funny that Luke and I have the exact same smirk!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmGbGzalJchltDfIqLu13QtFWFgcZH3Q7n-c0O7rDGg8l3v8Lj8mEzGWygojkGaINu5CBwzmZ425TIfi6m8SL-FuG9SnYJOeTUWMzVoPn_JKpjh5sQlIulhUjdxvP9FLFdGq7ug/s2048/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmGbGzalJchltDfIqLu13QtFWFgcZH3Q7n-c0O7rDGg8l3v8Lj8mEzGWygojkGaINu5CBwzmZ425TIfi6m8SL-FuG9SnYJOeTUWMzVoPn_JKpjh5sQlIulhUjdxvP9FLFdGq7ug/w640-h426/IMG_0502.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-84824700546959155172020-09-14T13:59:00.001-07:002021-06-05T18:17:58.668-07:00School Interviews 2020-2021<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Back to school interviews are still one of my very favorite traditions of the year...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnOBNOjqrOK0nlRab_xk3k9iHRUIzGQPGj6tJHBXTjKf9gWchjjjd9mvm2BVPSmfpCSI5ikQ6N6m9YIFPp8U4bU3HWKtDHUm06yIb1FP8YDhjFmtjM2tJ5ih0c-o0DO_1MItgqw/s2048/IMG_4166.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnOBNOjqrOK0nlRab_xk3k9iHRUIzGQPGj6tJHBXTjKf9gWchjjjd9mvm2BVPSmfpCSI5ikQ6N6m9YIFPp8U4bU3HWKtDHUm06yIb1FP8YDhjFmtjM2tJ5ih0c-o0DO_1MItgqw/w480-h640/IMG_4166.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Logan: Age 13, Grade 8th</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Clothing size: Men's small shirt, youth 12 pants, shoes 9 1/2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Favorites-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Food: Sushi. Anything with crab, crawfish, oysters, clams, muscles, etc. I loved the Boiling Crawfish with the seafood boil and potatoes! Yum!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Color: Purple</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Animal: Ducks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Season: Winter. Because Christmas Time, I really like going to Mt Rainier and snow and all that stuff. The world seems calmer when its cold outside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Music: Good rap, not mumble rapping, that annoys me. Minecraft parodies which I play to laugh at and annoy my friends, because that is also fun.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC5q3sN8EZE-BP2yXAIsT_D1gp13pPBaBj8ZQSyzjly7Mv6nClF-G1zLHPmXmzEaGyeDvmC20Xn5TQLOmMXcSftLeymVmvmVWhh9OrxDTIebAbSX2AUN90v3HmHzeKUwo4_pU8A/s2048/IMG_4174-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC5q3sN8EZE-BP2yXAIsT_D1gp13pPBaBj8ZQSyzjly7Mv6nClF-G1zLHPmXmzEaGyeDvmC20Xn5TQLOmMXcSftLeymVmvmVWhh9OrxDTIebAbSX2AUN90v3HmHzeKUwo4_pU8A/w480-h640/IMG_4174-2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What do you want to learn this year?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would love to learn how to build a computer. That sounds like a lot of fun. I'd have to save up like a thousand dollars to do it but then dad and I could build a computer together and that would be fun. I want to get better at bike riding. It sounds fun and it's a hobby that takes some muscles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What are your Boy Scout goals? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Life Scout. For sure. Bunch of Merit Badges towards Eagle. I'd love to be the youngest Boy Scout to in 216 to get Eagle. That would be so cool!</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ZfwEBZaIxxD7OwFs69KapHPmArq1-iWYw82F9Mgn8ZVfidwfQh_l-npztlQ6AyXmQ15LzKn1z71eRadaG9at7ErkuD40nmbl-4W5Zz-hrw8A-zIpfUb2ebiedu8Q_iidFP6YfQ/s2048/IMG_4186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ZfwEBZaIxxD7OwFs69KapHPmArq1-iWYw82F9Mgn8ZVfidwfQh_l-npztlQ6AyXmQ15LzKn1z71eRadaG9at7ErkuD40nmbl-4W5Zz-hrw8A-zIpfUb2ebiedu8Q_iidFP6YfQ/w480-h640/IMG_4186.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtE6nuR5zE_pQ6LEP0UPQGtXbIjxdoACq1Q2TDM-LGiaqEmRVNrRhoiB9uque8B2uvDxqspLB7hC1Fw6lEq4QxNTvhe9qD2563KaNYSn-l2ITUz8JfifJHGCJ9jFOyrPdkgzx-Q/s2048/IMG_4193.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtE6nuR5zE_pQ6LEP0UPQGtXbIjxdoACq1Q2TDM-LGiaqEmRVNrRhoiB9uque8B2uvDxqspLB7hC1Fw6lEq4QxNTvhe9qD2563KaNYSn-l2ITUz8JfifJHGCJ9jFOyrPdkgzx-Q/w480-h640/IMG_4193.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Luke: Age 9, grade 4th</div><div><br /></div><div>Clothing size: Youth med shirts, size 8 pants, shoes 2 1/2</div><div><br /></div><div>Favorites-</div><div>Food: Thin Oreos like at SarahJean's house last night.</div><div><br /></div><div>Color: Blue-ish purple, I forget what it's called, Periwinkle! Yes! That's it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Animal: Wolf. Wolves are very smart. They could even beat a Cheetah. They have stamina but they don't use it much because they will wait for the animal to tire and slow down and then they go in for the kill.</div><div><br /></div>Season: I am stuck between summer and winter because in summer you can go in the pool but in winter you can build snowmen and stuff but pools are really amazing to me!<div><br /></div><div>Music: Spiderman into the Spiderverse soundtrack. It hasn't changed.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapnV8z2U-SrhqFWV4ecnS8erialzQ57tT-IcHVGVS3EALQHJAWt25E2z1WwutXtfutam7dGFiwIWljBbeEBscZc5Hf5gxDlNY4gXJa07gyYh7W9d3enwp8upvjYlE-mh4n7nVoQ/s2048/IMG_4203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapnV8z2U-SrhqFWV4ecnS8erialzQ57tT-IcHVGVS3EALQHJAWt25E2z1WwutXtfutam7dGFiwIWljBbeEBscZc5Hf5gxDlNY4gXJa07gyYh7W9d3enwp8upvjYlE-mh4n7nVoQ/w480-h640/IMG_4203.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What do you want to learn this year?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I want to learn a lot about the constellations because I know they are made up of stars but I want to know more of them. I also want to learn about different places and different countries. And I hope we discover a new planet soon. I want to learn about other moons. I bet they found thousands upon thousands. Jupiter has like probably 77 or 78.... to learn about new bugs and new animals, and many new things like salamanders or something.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhsP41Qc3iAj_iKDhisN83W_-YIQ6wG4gf9oqgpRjJ_Lb_Q03XXpLDvr8KxpYe6VqRwonR-eKKiDGtjVRzhiIkeClKWCzAljLJwgqMapjChtWcJ6q_mKhhjt-IAzSVd5yPD97xQ/s2048/IMG_4197.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhsP41Qc3iAj_iKDhisN83W_-YIQ6wG4gf9oqgpRjJ_Lb_Q03XXpLDvr8KxpYe6VqRwonR-eKKiDGtjVRzhiIkeClKWCzAljLJwgqMapjChtWcJ6q_mKhhjt-IAzSVd5yPD97xQ/w480-h640/IMG_4197.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-58730349397470006542020-08-06T17:40:00.006-07:002021-02-02T20:47:27.904-08:00The Wildflower Wedding - The Bridal Bouquet<div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">I always find the bride bouquet to be the most personal piece of wedding flowers. And this time I got to make one for a girl I’ve known her whole life.</span></div><div><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnE8RIfoFk4-87gVv9cZB93pSqjknOaxIpROxJmtTiOldNJeK2L6_H3voMg13gQxmQp0NGUYWxfcbyDL3NtJedNnIAKmMy9_f3EuXb5-jByar8X4BaHNVwTKtRI8saxWeRaOoyQ/s2048/IMG_3203-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1739" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnE8RIfoFk4-87gVv9cZB93pSqjknOaxIpROxJmtTiOldNJeK2L6_H3voMg13gQxmQp0NGUYWxfcbyDL3NtJedNnIAKmMy9_f3EuXb5-jByar8X4BaHNVwTKtRI8saxWeRaOoyQ/w543-h640/IMG_3203-2.jpg" width="543" /></a></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>It isn't the flashiest of stories. But like the first drink of a good cup of coffee, it is one of the best of the normal stories:</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1tXvfEupJ0G5zJ3utftQ4lcct0UAtghTJ" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1tXvfEupJ0G5zJ3utftQ4lcct0UAtghTJ" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">We went driving on the San Juan Islands on the way home from Cyan’s senior photo shoot and I stopped to pick some flowers as we waited for the ferry. And she said “could you do that for my wedding?”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">And I was all “yeah. sure.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">And then she said “No really. Would you do the flowers for my wedding?”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">And I looked into her completely serious face... And I said yes, in my van, with a handful of lavender from the field we were just at and Queen Anne’s Lace from the side of the road in my hand.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">If only she knew how close to bittersweet tears she took me in that moment... (it’s not hard to do. I’m a sap.)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">So when I said yes, I was in. Dedicated. All completely in.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1eQkhMHAPX77JSwg3Tkqyw57f7UNbpqO7" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1eQkhMHAPX77JSwg3Tkqyw57f7UNbpqO7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">In this bouquet are dahlias from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/connellsdahlias/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@connellsdahlias</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">, flowers I got through </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/teressajohnson/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@teressajohnson</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">, and even a few from </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/larchefarm/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@larchefarm</a><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">, who was so wonderful in helping me find the last few bits I needed for this event... but many, many of these flowers were from my garden, planted and cultivated with this exact bride in mind.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">She asked for crazy. She asked for fun, and wild, and muted rainbow. And I did everything in my power to give her just what she asked for and a tiny bit more.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1uigjb0pF3_NxuiVkgezm-HceIV-OPLRR" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1uigjb0pF3_NxuiVkgezm-HceIV-OPLRR" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">See, hidden in this bouquet was her first kiss as a bride. A thimble to give her Peter Pan (her favorite book, which has a subtle theme throughout my flower-work for the wedding). </span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzSnZ9PXpDSL9Lrv0zni5ymaIpgw2BUWwJIw01VygpLVlN__adSCuVmAqmfZIzhF5O845mcK5Y6zb2bMfJriEikzFoum2cT5geOIATUyKH0Xtd38MA3ll9tXZUIQzdMkHDfAB0w/s1239/IMG_2619-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzSnZ9PXpDSL9Lrv0zni5ymaIpgw2BUWwJIw01VygpLVlN__adSCuVmAqmfZIzhF5O845mcK5Y6zb2bMfJriEikzFoum2cT5geOIATUyKH0Xtd38MA3ll9tXZUIQzdMkHDfAB0w/s320/IMG_2619-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Can you see the thimble?</span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">The thimble was 100 years old, gotten from my great aunt’s sewing table my mother left to me. It is a tiny treasure, meant to be given away. The first of many tiny treasures you give away to your partner to create a life together. ❤️ Because it really is all about the little things. Those little things make a life (and a damn good story).</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAIwGm2ZW8Q0KiQL-hADmfiaY0qitUx7bN_tO7dmM0MhRdZUYzuYLvjRkSUQmFtj6fmS6P-HMP1XfdcmaBM0HGPN3fey3T9NXKAG0gyfuYA02yfy4FPrNUNQEIVKyZGwbFf56Ow/s2048/IMG_3203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAIwGm2ZW8Q0KiQL-hADmfiaY0qitUx7bN_tO7dmM0MhRdZUYzuYLvjRkSUQmFtj6fmS6P-HMP1XfdcmaBM0HGPN3fey3T9NXKAG0gyfuYA02yfy4FPrNUNQEIVKyZGwbFf56Ow/w426-h640/IMG_3203.jpg" width="426" /></a></div></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-24560220497947000722020-08-03T13:16:00.008-07:002021-02-03T14:38:30.896-08:00The Wildflower Wedding - Bridesmaid's Flowers<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI2mCAFFXIiJrHO8F0ycwrLogX5_KiK8jbtSP_Gn4hEN3__f5FxmgHV5hPDwRf1sZcSeHcNCFykeCTkM_zOZC_nC_WOK9ebxy-0mOj5cML5dl-ZelW7Fs0pD6sIv6H2hh3NHrTg/s2048/IMG_3204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI2mCAFFXIiJrHO8F0ycwrLogX5_KiK8jbtSP_Gn4hEN3__f5FxmgHV5hPDwRf1sZcSeHcNCFykeCTkM_zOZC_nC_WOK9ebxy-0mOj5cML5dl-ZelW7Fs0pD6sIv6H2hh3NHrTg/w426-h640/IMG_3204.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It would be hard to imagine the blessing it is to watch these girls grow up and start their lives together unless you had been part of it. They have been close friends for the entirety of their school careers as most of them met when they were in Preschool or Kindergarten. Now the first one of them is getting married, three more are in college, and one is headed to nursing school. Their lives are truly beautiful and so are they!</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlInBx64sm93TuBnfN3I1twPumnqT4FlRSmyrCHJqy8favjbj0ox1t87YNQBeWlB5Mv1W75AVkLw_wMnIvFqT_uCJC_xf_sHqHhwEGHwzmw7UyXFNJArsMJQ4CqNtKL8O374UfTg/s2048/IMG_3594-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlInBx64sm93TuBnfN3I1twPumnqT4FlRSmyrCHJqy8favjbj0ox1t87YNQBeWlB5Mv1W75AVkLw_wMnIvFqT_uCJC_xf_sHqHhwEGHwzmw7UyXFNJArsMJQ4CqNtKL8O374UfTg/w426-h640/IMG_3594-2.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flower crowns are easy to make if you know the trick of it. <span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; text-align: left;">The easiest way to make one is to make a ton of mini bouquets, called posies, and put them in water until the day of the event. I had learned this over much trial and error in the last couple months. My dear friend at </span><a class="notranslate" href="https://www.instagram.com/sheholdsdearly/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0">@sheholdsdearly</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; text-align: left;"> helped me make more than 100 posies for these crowns the day before the wedding. At one point, sending me to the venue so I could measure the space for the floral backdrop and working on them herself for hours! She blessed me far more than she knows that day.</span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjb8X3eXYipfwYWM9HcUCJ88yg7j-iKIfXdFiwT52Hk1XEGiwvNxVamZHi8_BY0H721Gyaf7I0LjT28uka33NTcBIBpxQABpoOU0BDNtKkXHkN8mBV70UXphEH-oSXiWmONZIfw/s2048/IMG_2640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjb8X3eXYipfwYWM9HcUCJ88yg7j-iKIfXdFiwT52Hk1XEGiwvNxVamZHi8_BY0H721Gyaf7I0LjT28uka33NTcBIBpxQABpoOU0BDNtKkXHkN8mBV70UXphEH-oSXiWmONZIfw/w480-h640/IMG_2640.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Inspired by the theme of "wild", most of these are things we found on our properties or in the creek near our house. The blackberries and Hawthorn were dethorned by hand before we made the posies so nothing poked the bridesmaids at the event. The bachelor buttons and straw flowers were gathered from my own yard and the roses and carnations were purchased. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoknmV3jp88l-t0w5M4SYWh0h8oJacVAEUBEzyIXvMLt7Dcq7nWwFd_H-PALiB-LN4xb5Db2Nr27xlhtNcVxlJ78IKwHWT40xjzPwswEaxidZlmc5ljBwEpRJWYfGMxJJlbX0gw/s2048/IMG_2706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoknmV3jp88l-t0w5M4SYWh0h8oJacVAEUBEzyIXvMLt7Dcq7nWwFd_H-PALiB-LN4xb5Db2Nr27xlhtNcVxlJ78IKwHWT40xjzPwswEaxidZlmc5ljBwEpRJWYfGMxJJlbX0gw/w640-h480/IMG_2706.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The bouquets mirrored the elements of the bride's bouquet but smaller and less elaborate. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej_6WITNaE01ogS1ZRkLN0cxPR2_8ReFh2rNB3WlvlUE73RvMUHXjjxQb-Ik46PAeXBvXCjVDpSvQifXV2GmYmRtI8FRGlCtavCTabZxvIZvBKV4BfEIsWA8cla6CzlRcMLG4RA/s2048/IMG_3204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej_6WITNaE01ogS1ZRkLN0cxPR2_8ReFh2rNB3WlvlUE73RvMUHXjjxQb-Ik46PAeXBvXCjVDpSvQifXV2GmYmRtI8FRGlCtavCTabZxvIZvBKV4BfEIsWA8cla6CzlRcMLG4RA/w426-h640/IMG_3204.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-66363878283768113242020-08-02T07:10:00.136-07:002021-02-03T12:46:17.340-08:00The Wildflower Wedding - Cake Flowers<div style="text-align: center;">The cake is such a wedding statement piece! The bride and I discussed the cake decorations ahead of time and I wanted to create a beautiful pastel rainbow on the cake that echoed her bouquet. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3G1raBpfO5MfozOE3LvTyL3PX9EJenh7JdLq-Bv4jozOHLNojL5C9qneMIyuUwrWoQsVPTotincBwSMpmlGqdOdIaATAET3IuoCvLdYaWA6fqaNFtW0xbRNAKwz_blzIXR-_77A/s2048/IMG_3605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3G1raBpfO5MfozOE3LvTyL3PX9EJenh7JdLq-Bv4jozOHLNojL5C9qneMIyuUwrWoQsVPTotincBwSMpmlGqdOdIaATAET3IuoCvLdYaWA6fqaNFtW0xbRNAKwz_blzIXR-_77A/w472-h640/IMG_3605.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got done with the backdrop and all of the bouquets and touch ups on all the floral headbands I went to the tent and was completely shocked by the color of the frosting ferns that garnished the cakes! We had talked about deep forest green ferns, but the color was very different than I was expecting and did not match with the brides "pastely" cake flower choices...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDKOz6reX79G0mNu-_heRvPQllNoFFZZgpB3OMUhyphenhyphenfvw7iGHRzKyPM5I_hvWAOyZp5afluyCufQuGHwuH-bAD1JVBZRjKm35tl0YDeHLghmUp-LM9XTgZYLDe6tBtdUPHvlAOng/s2048/IMG_2698-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDKOz6reX79G0mNu-_heRvPQllNoFFZZgpB3OMUhyphenhyphenfvw7iGHRzKyPM5I_hvWAOyZp5afluyCufQuGHwuH-bAD1JVBZRjKm35tl0YDeHLghmUp-LM9XTgZYLDe6tBtdUPHvlAOng/w480-h640/IMG_2698-2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I believe that it turned out just beautiful and unique anyway, though, didn't it? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qkhId6anq0myV4kqkIM17s5ng6RWDLmd" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qkhId6anq0myV4kqkIM17s5ng6RWDLmd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">All my plans went out the window and I had to reinvent what I was doing on the fly! This is when having buckets full of flowers and willing hosts comes in very handy. I asked ushers to help me move all the buckets to the dinner tent and I started to dig in. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10jIHX50htN3io_9slPTA7KZKfk7N-_Ws" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10jIHX50htN3io_9slPTA7KZKfk7N-_Ws" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pastels were out with this deep green and bright chartreuse frosting. But as the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention." and I had many beautiful things left over.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1iQOXQFo6uFp9kEWpj3AeWF8oIXm5AO0V" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1iQOXQFo6uFp9kEWpj3AeWF8oIXm5AO0V" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>For the cake, I used white sweet peas, burgundy and Ferncliff copper dahlias from @connelsdahlias, chocolate cosmos, peach petunias (from the organic hanging baskets at the venue, I mean, I got creative), and then green hazelnuts from my tree, calendula blossoms, rose buds, burgundy bachelor buttons, white roses, pineapple sage, sweet pea greens, and mint sprigs.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-B-TLMps_wFT-jZHNQeFGKvqAKO4BuSIU7TDtC5Dz4D4AmrJXHZgH5pkdx47tGUzhYZo_0ojd2qy5e0OLCU1wXufrA7KXjLGMrS6uxQI1ayTTUNEA-JLYee_h3iiBUAQxhM_sw/s2048/IMG_2703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-B-TLMps_wFT-jZHNQeFGKvqAKO4BuSIU7TDtC5Dz4D4AmrJXHZgH5pkdx47tGUzhYZo_0ojd2qy5e0OLCU1wXufrA7KXjLGMrS6uxQI1ayTTUNEA-JLYee_h3iiBUAQxhM_sw/w480-h640/IMG_2703.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">After all the confusion, it really did turn out stunning and each piece made quite a statement!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Elb5hFcg_bKhaTasl8zSiYmI6rVEuLvd" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Elb5hFcg_bKhaTasl8zSiYmI6rVEuLvd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32434721.post-84509820913182453112020-06-28T21:56:00.085-07:002021-02-01T17:22:58.874-08:00Hannah's Bachelorette Weekend<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNWXUkNwHRO5Xd0VGSH6UBI9L096wtJOOlFDMJ5zxIEjm2eH5HCyBENHZCqspsmsBqR2Qu-1REX4ojAQASMNFCmPVHO5oQez1lLRvSB5C89M76Dmj_r5Ob99WbfSDLNivjbLs8A/s2048/IMG_1467-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1946" data-original-width="2048" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNWXUkNwHRO5Xd0VGSH6UBI9L096wtJOOlFDMJ5zxIEjm2eH5HCyBENHZCqspsmsBqR2Qu-1REX4ojAQASMNFCmPVHO5oQez1lLRvSB5C89M76Dmj_r5Ob99WbfSDLNivjbLs8A/w640-h608/IMG_1467-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As the girls were growing up, we always joked that they would all be in each others weddings... well it finally happened. 14 years of friendship, through everything, thick and thin, and this August one of them is finally getting married! My daughter and her friend planned out the Bachelorette Weekend and they and I traveled to the beach house with them to help with all the setting up. On my way, I grabbed some sweet treats to welcome the girls into the house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVpT9ep7k-qXMuz96o8BIznsDctIuH9Mdcrj2dnYTyhkKRnTGhmKk97-M7AExbUMpu_qpLhyt9CNpVqApj3twBP__z45u49cjVgW1Wf4cX7ri3tJ3JQYeh5PrvjhX3diJWeMGxQ/s2048/IMG_1497.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVpT9ep7k-qXMuz96o8BIznsDctIuH9Mdcrj2dnYTyhkKRnTGhmKk97-M7AExbUMpu_qpLhyt9CNpVqApj3twBP__z45u49cjVgW1Wf4cX7ri3tJ3JQYeh5PrvjhX3diJWeMGxQ/w480-h640/IMG_1497.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We decorated the beach house with all shades of peach, pink, and white. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZfpzjwQelqAqsQFH0UPYMCR2AciBrxDC4N2dXwNI4FQse1y8357Er4TWS9UDUKijH5ahOE4386VZNr_qGYkYWXBCSGVThJACQdyKZrA25a_a74LJ0Gm9f0ELvFRUdDZ9I6ll1w/s2048/IMG_1500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZfpzjwQelqAqsQFH0UPYMCR2AciBrxDC4N2dXwNI4FQse1y8357Er4TWS9UDUKijH5ahOE4386VZNr_qGYkYWXBCSGVThJACQdyKZrA25a_a74LJ0Gm9f0ELvFRUdDZ9I6ll1w/w480-h640/IMG_1500.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Of course, I had to bring a bunch of flowers from the garden brighten up the the sweet spaces like the master bathroom, master bedroom, and the tables.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLyt8wFmXtznFsHt2Gxeia8Kz2R7CLWGRK_w3EcZex7BOSnN6jTV59vlpLj2IyzrME6kSxoLBMf-v8NQ3gICWIDBkRJTzbXlTBlfDB-BKrPkuLWqhhJgpDbb8BxztVb6yBgjlEQ/s2048/IMG_1472.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLyt8wFmXtznFsHt2Gxeia8Kz2R7CLWGRK_w3EcZex7BOSnN6jTV59vlpLj2IyzrME6kSxoLBMf-v8NQ3gICWIDBkRJTzbXlTBlfDB-BKrPkuLWqhhJgpDbb8BxztVb6yBgjlEQ/w480-h640/IMG_1472.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEqfSJHzq_jgxxyP4GtJ0NGx4cyI6lKfbSguMzbR-nh22tils9v68B61cxMtWWYgr6EhizzG6TdgBIHyN1RFQFlOCCC-b8FGtRRJntphrfl1LHAMw-IMULFn8Tuf6rjc2bvLBDQ/s2048/IMG_1483.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEqfSJHzq_jgxxyP4GtJ0NGx4cyI6lKfbSguMzbR-nh22tils9v68B61cxMtWWYgr6EhizzG6TdgBIHyN1RFQFlOCCC-b8FGtRRJntphrfl1LHAMw-IMULFn8Tuf6rjc2bvLBDQ/w480-h640/IMG_1483.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then we created a photo wall for the girls to have fun with. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT7mkj4usTXgBo-pOLZZpCJd0R-YdcCLOcdgLc2rfLZXf0aDAecY3yiFcyDx32xjjVNsoMjCioJrPsj1_FfTfI1wIZeiQNQMTqCRJ7hEjDbYZt-RnonHmuJwlVpe42ARpr8HAgQ/s2048/IMG_1480.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT7mkj4usTXgBo-pOLZZpCJd0R-YdcCLOcdgLc2rfLZXf0aDAecY3yiFcyDx32xjjVNsoMjCioJrPsj1_FfTfI1wIZeiQNQMTqCRJ7hEjDbYZt-RnonHmuJwlVpe42ARpr8HAgQ/w480-h640/IMG_1480.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And Cyan, the Maid of Honor, brought a bunch of balloons!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQMb1mNYDsgSabEc1NqY7ZmWS1paVtIRul61WR26n-Zm9Vqh8AwIrisZcK3huT8J-Kl6v6vcctY28VWSKqtoHnCngSZpDNtBEv6TxCzunMuOecGcEPvzUT89hJe5kWM1HsgDWTw/s2048/IMG_1473.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQMb1mNYDsgSabEc1NqY7ZmWS1paVtIRul61WR26n-Zm9Vqh8AwIrisZcK3huT8J-Kl6v6vcctY28VWSKqtoHnCngSZpDNtBEv6TxCzunMuOecGcEPvzUT89hJe5kWM1HsgDWTw/w480-h640/IMG_1473.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">These sweet, huge tissue paper flowers were placed everywhere along with some beautiful greenery to make the entire place lively and bright!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPE-ESUK_MolOPbyuB242tRlMRUo5ONmCRalGd4q7ANgNz7UMC6VOknMZ05iLs9d5L8dTOZk1ngkV2-oQyQLGZXsO112B1zn8ucNKD1ZzQxArcyPG_PZTAlU8DuqpVkZidv0fRA/s2048/IMG_1466.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPE-ESUK_MolOPbyuB242tRlMRUo5ONmCRalGd4q7ANgNz7UMC6VOknMZ05iLs9d5L8dTOZk1ngkV2-oQyQLGZXsO112B1zn8ucNKD1ZzQxArcyPG_PZTAlU8DuqpVkZidv0fRA/w480-h640/IMG_1466.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANIFwJPHwQiRuw1E1GNL_Lwkgnbt85EiJyw5_UPJOEc7F3GxpxQyg9OOWgUIhOg66ggBLAq8JuNUo0dFbOvVgcZ3NldW4pbFSxudt5VdlUPveXS2zyaRpjuoDqzIRu-NtiRg40Q/s2048/IMG_1461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANIFwJPHwQiRuw1E1GNL_Lwkgnbt85EiJyw5_UPJOEc7F3GxpxQyg9OOWgUIhOg66ggBLAq8JuNUo0dFbOvVgcZ3NldW4pbFSxudt5VdlUPveXS2zyaRpjuoDqzIRu-NtiRg40Q/w480-h640/IMG_1461.jpg" width="480" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The bride got her own room, of course, and we got to spend a while making it a splendid spot for her </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to stay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkuRJFTcJmhPThej9DxVOx7ahgQcB5Ubf2xlv4f-SColOtp4LPvkNMWjqo1ufE6cDk85ooJAWsvR74Qg0szEcpGACoQlG-xjx0CesyAKJbRsyMqXOmqBhrPYKStP-T33T5ANPyQ/s2048/IMG_1451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkuRJFTcJmhPThej9DxVOx7ahgQcB5Ubf2xlv4f-SColOtp4LPvkNMWjqo1ufE6cDk85ooJAWsvR74Qg0szEcpGACoQlG-xjx0CesyAKJbRsyMqXOmqBhrPYKStP-T33T5ANPyQ/w480-h640/IMG_1451.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLwv00GrV4J7lrZ6P4uuniFr5WIPDTribiBxr4DRhVFMtHL1CGBIIwNQKS5n0_crCyGyPIhx1YF5ff57FWmQMxr9iStaLizB9JhOgaybPODnB1ZSryLd_Qqq6JUY6YD8xZUhrMQ/s2048/IMG_1456.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLwv00GrV4J7lrZ6P4uuniFr5WIPDTribiBxr4DRhVFMtHL1CGBIIwNQKS5n0_crCyGyPIhx1YF5ff57FWmQMxr9iStaLizB9JhOgaybPODnB1ZSryLd_Qqq6JUY6YD8xZUhrMQ/w480-h640/IMG_1456.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Val in the Rose Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891260349692305609noreply@blogger.com0