Happy Place

This is the kitchen I want.
I love the colors, I love how happy it feels.
I'm getting more and more excited about painting my cabinets white.
It turns out I will not be going with Joji to Orlando. I'm so bummed. I'm compiling a "Joji can make this up to me" list. This is what I have so far.
1. A weekend in AZ to catch an M's spring training game and visit my best friend Jenny P.
2. Build me a cabinet that will actually fit between my two kitchen windows. It will have 2 paned doors and possibly a plate rack. (The plate rack feature may require some snazzy new blue and white dishes)
I'm trying to look on the bright side, the money saved can be channeled back into the house. Every year for our anniversary, instead of getting presents for each other we do something to the house. This April is our 10th so we should make it someing really good. I'm hoping for a new sink and maybe some countertops. Isn't that romantic :0)

Groundhogs & Louden Swain

February 2nd makes me think of 2 things: Groundhogs and wrestling.
Apparently Punksatony Phil has predicted 6 more weeks of winter. If winter means snow, then bring it on (we have yet to have any snow actually stick this year), but I know it means more gray and rainy. I'm starting to get a little spring fever. I'm seeing more and more green shoots poking out of the ground. We had a cold snap last week. Everyone in W. Wa got snow but us, so I hope it didn't do too much damage.
On Friday, it was "Career Day" at Ben's school. Since I'm the "Hospitatity Chair" I was in charge of treats for the guests. Usually I whip some homemade goodies, but this time I just hit the QFC. I spent 60 bucks on fruit, muffins, bagels and juice. Geesh. I have to admit, if I was personally footing the bill I may have been a little more thrifty. But it was one of those times, I didn't care and just went shopping. As a "you give so much and ask so little" gift to myself (it has been a REALLY long week) I decided the flowers I would get for the treats table would be pale pink tulips. These are my favorite part of spring. I love them. They are just the prettiest flowers. Of course, they looked great on the treats table, but I gotta tell you, they look even better on my table (heeheehee) Spring please hurry up and get here!!

The first weekend in February is also the first round of the State qualifying tournament. Twenty-three years ago today I was at a wrestling tourney, but that is another story... Anyway, today, on cable was Vision Quest. Every wrestling tourney I have ever been to they play the soundtrack to this movie (9 years I spent keeping score for wrestling teams so I have been to quite a few). In fact, I bet it is being played right now. As far as movies go, it was okay. I could have done without the whole "love interest" portion of the film, but I think it was pretty accurate on the wrestling side. I love wrestling (NOT the WWE stuff, but REAL wrestling) I wish Ben would wrestle, but I don't think it is in him. Too bad, he could have been the next Louden Swain :0)

What the heart wants

When Joji and I first bought our house, he got me a Feng Shui consultation as a Christmas gift. I was so excited. I'm a big believer in the energy that stuff has (good and bad). She divided out house into different areas called a "bagua" and each zone had different "rules". Our kitchen fell into the "heart" zone of the bagua. Since it was the "heart" she recommended painting it red. I had just spent 6 months going through 5 different shades of yellow and was not looking forward to painting the kitchen again. Red is a tricky color (just like yellow) and I decided to go with a cranberry color (Cranberry Punch) It took 3 coats, yikes. When it was done, I liked it. It was different it was bold and my blue and white stuff really popped. When folks would come over for the first time, they always commented on how great the kitchen looked. However, I think I'm done with it. My kitchen is West facing and it is just too dark on gloomy days and unfortunately I live in the heart of Gloomvile.
My favorite blogcandy is pictures of other people's kitchens. Some of you have pretty amazingly cute kitchens. I'm always especially drawn to blue and yellow kitchens with white cabinets. They are so sunny and happy. So that got me thinking... One of the major practices of Feng shui is to surround yourself with things you love, love, love. Right now not loving my red kitchen. When I asked Joji for his input he said I could do anything I want. (Did you notice there was no "we" in that statement) Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to do.
My cabinets have kind of a gold tone to them, which up against the red make them look orange to me. Not a good look. So before I rid my kitchens of the cranberry walls (which I do like), I think I will paint my cabinets. I'm thinking a nice warm white. (If you have painted your cabinets and have "a good white" please let me know what you used.) I think the white cabinets will really lighten things up and white cabinets are just so fresh looking. Perfect for spring :0)

Miss Mina & yesteryear

Yesterday, Sammie went to a princess birthday party for her friend Zoe who was turning 3. Sammie was so excited to dress up. Of course, the "princess dresses" are not very warm so we busted out my mom's fox stole (Miss Mina). It is so soft and toasty. It has been to many proms, so why not a tea party? It was a big hit, everyone loved petting it. The dad was a little bummed it wasn't sporting the head and feet though :0)
It is funny how trends change. It used be everyone who was anyone had a fur. Now fur it a wee bit "incorrect". Speaking of days gone by, I caught another episode of "MAD MEN" and it was so funny to watch. There was a scene where the kids are playing "spaceman" and one of them is running around inside a dry cleaning bag. The kid was immediately scolded for emptying the bag, not the potential suffocation risk. There was another scene where the mom was driving and the kids are crawling all over. Even when she crashes the car and the kids are flown across the back seat it was all fun. I remember putting 12 campfire girls in my friends station wagon. We were all over the place and her mom never even raised and eyebrow. It is amazing we lived to tell :0)

Home again, home again jigity jig

I'm back from my little getaway and it was such a good time.
We stayed here and it was such a cool and funky place, I definitely want to go back. The hotel was an old "farm for the indigent" and each room is dedicated to the former residents and employees. The decor is somewhere between craftsman proper and HS art class, very funky. The rooms don't have bathrooms in them so it just like being back in the dorms. Holly had the good/bad fortune of catching some dude trying to make a quick bathroom run sans clothing, yup just like the dorms.
Since Holly and I could not find the girls we were meeting up with, we just hit the pool hall for some refreshments. It was funny to be back at a "meat market". It was pretty tame one, but still made for some good people watching. Even though we missed the concert (one of the reasons for the trip in the first place) we finally found our friends and still had a great time just sitting and talking. There were no kids to keep occupied or bored husbands, just girls and good fashioned girl talk~ slumber party quality girl talk :0)
The only bummer of the trip was that the next day was grey and dumping. We had planned to explore the grounds more, all of the outbuildings had been converted to restaurants, spas, art studios, etc, and maybe go into Portland and do a little sight seeing. I was hoping to check out some of the "cottage communities" I have read about, but no dice. We were also starting to get calls from the husbands "checking in" translation: come home.
We hit the wet road and made the drive back home. It was fun, but I'm tired and am looking forward to going to be early tonight. We are definitely going back, can't wait.

Was a sunny day...

There are just some days when you wake up and you know it is going to be a great day. Today is that kind of day.
First of all the sun is out!!! Western Washington, gray and gloomy~ not today. It is crisp cold and blue sky for miles. We live very close to the Cascade foothills, so on a clear day you can see them. Since we are also on the water, you can see the Olympic Mountains. They are bright white with fres snow and just pop off that blue sky. I had to work today for a couple of hours and I took the convertible. On my home I had the tunes cranked and when Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf came on, I had to pull over and put the top down. So much fun. I love driving when you hit a good run of songs. If that was my day, I would be pleased, but there is more...
In just a few hours, I'm getting the heck out of Dodge and me a couple of girlfriends are going down to Oregon. There is a brewery just outside of Portland. We are going to a concert and then kick back and enjoy ourselves. Best part, NO KIDS!!! Some might remember my last "girls weekend", this should be much better.
As I'm frantically getting ready to go (and take a little blogging break) I'm listening to a mix "tape" (Joji was a sweetie and burned it on CD) that we unearthed cleaning out the closet. Every year in college, my roommate and I would make a tape of all the songs that we listened to over and over during that year. Talk about a flood of memories. With the first note of each song, I'm instantly back in Ellensburg in our basement apartment. We had pretty eclectic music tastes so we have everything from B-52, Van Morrison, Go-gos even Elvis and Sinatra made the cut. So much fun, I haven't heard some of these songs in years.
Well, it is 3:00 here and the plan is to leave just after 4:00. I made a pot roast for dinner tonight so the husbands won't have to eat out. I got the recipe from the Pioneer Woman cooks. The house smells great, I hope it tastes good :0)
Wishing you all a great Friday!!!

Tagged :0)

Kellie over at Acorn Cottage had tagged me, so here it goes

1. 4 Jobs I Have Had:
· Swimming Instructor and Lifeguard: 2 of the best jobs EVER!! Where else do you get paid to tan? I spent 10 summers basically living at the pool with my friends.
· “Concessions Slime” at the mall theaters. I worked candy counter a whole year and was never promoted to the box office. The manager told me I was too flakey to work the box office. The best part of the job was the free popcorn. Everyone said you would get sick of it, but not me.
· Morrow’s Nut House. After my year at the theaters, I got a job at the candy shop that was kitty corner to the theaters. This was a GREAT job. It was prime people watching and everyone would come by and say hi while waiting for their movie. The down side was my addiction to macadamia nuts and Swedish fish. I also worked there for about a year and when “House of Almonds” bought us, the manager “forgot” to tell the new management that I worked there. I guess she didn’t like it when I called her stupid for only having 2 girls work on the day after Thanksgiving (Hello, busiest shopping day of the year????)
· Bartender. I worked at a local tavern/ card room for about a year and half after I graduated from college. It was fun, but having a front row seat to people’s addictions is kind of a downer.
2. 4 Movies I Would Watch Over and Over Again:
· Sixteen Candles: I know this movie by heart and quote is at least once a week. Classic, classic, classic John Hughes. Oh to be Samantha Baker and end up with Jake Ryan…
· Valley Girl: Young Nick Cage, great music and teen angst. Classic boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy storms the prom and gets the girl.
· Bull Durham: I love this movie. Susan Sarandon is amazing, Kevin Costner is in his prime and Tim Robbins is so clueless. This is another movie that we quote a lot, especially during baseball season.
· Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House: My favorite line is when Carey Grant asks “How do the kids just starting out who aren’t making 15, 000 a year have a chance to purchase a home?” Anyone who has ever had to deal with contractors can appreciate the Blanding family’s misadventures.
Other movies that would be on this list: Spinal Tap: When I first saw this movie I thought it was about a real band, but I just couldn’t get past the fact that one of the guys looked a lot like Lenny from Lavern and Shirley. Young Frankenstein: Best Mel Brooks movie ever. Funny from start to finish.
3. 4 Places I Have Lived:
· Federal Way, Washington
· Tacoma, Washington
· Ellensburg, Washington
4. 4 People I E-mail Daily
· I don’t really email the same folks daily, I do comment on some blogs pretty regularly.
5. 4 Favorite Things to Eat
· Fresh fruit. Strawberries, grapes, watermelon, plums, nectarines and cherries are my favorites
· Potatoes: Hard to pick my favorite way to fix them, they’re al good
· Steak: We have a friend who manages a restaurant and when we go see him I always order fillet minion. It is so good; I love how it melts in your mouth.
· Salad. I practically lived off the Pizza Hut salad bar in college. I’m a little OCD about how I make them, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cheese, ranch, bacon bits, sunflower seeds and tomatoes and I could eat these everyday. I’m also addicted to taco salad. Taco Time is my favorite.
6. 4 Places I Would Rather Be:
· On the swing on the front porch of my grandfathers house
· By the pool soaking up the sun
· Kid free with my girlfriends enjoying some cocktails
· Getting a pedicure
7. 4 Things I Look Forward To This Year:
· Going to Orlando in April. Boeing is sending Joji to some swanky hotel for a conference and I get to tag along. I’m looking forward to the pool.
· Taking the kids to Disneyland. We are going in October and I’m so excited. I’m the only one who has been before. My “musts” for Disneyland include: Submarine ride, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a small world, Jungle boat ride, Space mountain, getting a silhouette on Main Street and Mickey Mouse ears with you name sewn on the back.
· Continuing to work on getting into smaller clothes
· Hopefully painting the house this summer. Our house is a pinkish taupe and I don’t like it. I want to paint it a bluish gray, with sage shutters, white trim and a cranberry door.
Now I get to tag 4 people, lets see...
Jenny at Bits and Pieces
Kate at Our Red House
Marie at Little bit of Country on the Shore
Jessica at the Zimmermans