Top Decoration

Another week has passed without a single post.

I wish I could say that I was on a tropical vacation, soaking up the sun with my toes in the sand, having colorful drinks with umbrellas sticking out of them handed to me while I lay on a chaise by the pool...

Not so much.

I've been here at home.

But I do have a good excuse.

THE SUN CAME OUT!

Woohoo!
The gorgeous weather started last Thursday and has been going strong ever since. So, needless to say, we have been soaking up the sun right in our own backyard. We're outside from sun up until dinner time and then when we finally do come inside it's time to eat and begin the bedtime routine, which includes long baths for the kids because they are covered in sunscreen and dirt! By the time they're in bed it's time for me to try and tackle all of the chores that I have ignored while spending the day outside...
(You should see the mountain of dirty clothes inhabiting my laundry room right now!)
All of which leaves very little time for being on the computer.

My poor husband spent the past several days sick in bed. Poor guy. That's like torture for a guy living in the Pacific Northwest who has spent a very long winter waiting to see the sun.

Luckily, he's on the mend now though! Thank goodness!

Yesterday we finally planted our Sugar Snap Peas in our little garden in the backyard.

Last year we had more peas than we knew what to do with, but they were so good!

We feel like we've got a much better set up for them to climb this year, so we'll see!

It was a great day!

This kids decided to break out the camping chairs.

Can't wait to start camping again!

Another beautiful day for the mountain!

Today is supposed to be 72 degrees!

I love it that weeding is suddenly not such a chore when the sun is out! Any excuse to be out there works for me!

I'll be back to share this week's Cookie Recipe which includes a happy accident that resulted in even better cookies! And what became of that "Free Stuff" Headboard that I found on the side of the road! I love how it turned out and I can't wait to show you!

Have a Great day!

The view at 6pm last night...

And another gorgeous day in store for us!

This is what we woke up to this morning...

We've had a run of incredibly beautiful days up here in the Pacific Northwest!
But according to the Weather Man, today will be the last for a while...

So we're going to make sure to enjoy it!

We need to run a few errands:

Take some books back to the library,
making sure to take the very long and out-of-the-way route!
Why?
Because yesterday, on my way to take Owen to preschool, I saw a "FREE" sign on the side of the road. There was a really cool wooden full-size headboard and I am hoping that it is still there! It isn't on the way to anywhere that we're going today, but it's worth driving over to see if it's still there! I would have taken it yesterday, but I didn't have the space to fit it in the car.
Fingers crossed!

After our errands we'll head back home to work and play in the yard.
Soaking up as much sun as we possibly can!

Whatever your day may have in store for you, I hope it's a great one!

We have a massive Cedar tree in our front yard....

Or, I should say, we had a massive Cedar tree in our front yard!

Last Tuesday a crew came to our neighborhood to do some tree removal!

It was really impressive!

They showed up in our front yard at 7:02 am...

...and immediately started tossing branches into their wood chipper!

Little by little the tree was starting to disappear...

Here is where it starts to fall...

TIMBER!!

This picture was taken at 7:08am!

That's only 6 minutes after they arrived!!

Here comes the machine that chips away the stump.

7:11am...

...and now at 7:15am.

And suddenly our overgrown Cedar is gone!

Vanished!

I can look out my front window and actually see parts of the neighborhood that I couldn't see before!

They also ground out a stump for us in our backyard. The previous owner's had cut the tree down, but just left the stump...

7:22am...

...and 7:26am.

They also took out a palm in the back corner of our yard. It used to have two taller sections, but they had grown so high that they were blocking our view of Mt. Rainier, so last summer I (yes, me!) sawed off the two tallest sections. We've had so much more snow than normal this year that the palms in our neighborhood are not faring well at all. It was time for this one to go.

7:56am.

Planning their attack...

8:00am.

No problem seeing Mt. Rainier now!

That is, when she shows her face!It all happened so fast!

And, they cut down three Cedars down the street at the in-laws house, another 7 trees across the street at the neighbor's house, and an overgrown Cherry tree at another neighbors house! The crew was here and gone within an hour and they took care of 4 houses!

Impressive, indeed!

While this doesn't fall in the category of "DIY makeover", it certainly is a note worthy one!

.........

The night before the crew showed up we were telling our boys what was going to be happening...our seven year old got a worried, confused and somewhat sad look on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he said
"Well, if we're cutting down a tree, are we going to plant a new one?"
It was very sweet. My little Arborist!

As we were cleaning up the debris from the tree removal we found a small Hemlock that had started to grow under the Cedar. I think we'll pot it and watch it grow - that way, when we move from this house he can take it with him. It will be his tree. That will make him happy!

.....................................................

To see more Metamorphosis Monday Makeovers head on over to Between Naps On The Porch and feel free to join in on the fun by posting your own makeover pictures!

It happened!

Yesterday!

The sun actually came out to play!

And so did we!

The moment that the gray skies left we were outside - the kids were eating lunch on the deck at their picnic table and Will and I set up their trampoline! They played on their swing set, we surveyed the yard and it felt oh so good to be out in the fresh air and sunshine!

The weather forecast is calling for more of the same for the next few days!

And you can bet we're going to enjoy it!


I hope you all have a great weekend!

This is what we woke up to this morning.

Beautiful, isn't it?

On the night of December 13th it started to snow...

It felt like a present! It rarely snows here in mid December! Our oldest son was still awake when it started, but the other two were already asleep. I was just hoping that at least some of it would still be there in the morning for them to see it too!

We woke up to a winter wonderland! It was beautiful! The boys wanted to go out and play right away, but it was 6:30am and, out of respect for our neighbors and it being the weekend, I made them wait until 9am.

The backyard covered in snow...

Looking out our front window...

It wasn't much snow, but it was enough to go out and make some snowballs! The forecast is calling for more snow. We're keeping our fingers crossed and wishing again....