Peace out 2025!

 Happy Holidays!

Can’t believe it is that time of year again. Time for the annual Pederslie Christmas letter! I was talking to a coworker today as he mentioned he had to write their Christmas letter. I had said that I came across a previous one of ours and Shelby was only in first grade so…that means I have been writing these for (takes out a calculator..) 16 years! Now surely it would be cool if I had kept them all somewhere. You would think with me being a scrapbooker I would have but.. can’t say that I did! Too many computers throughout the years, no idea where I saved any of them…

Anywho.. I know they usually talk about a car or two Chad has bought, crafty things I am doing, how Shelby just keeps getting older (but I stay the same age!). This letter will not disappoint! There will be much of the same in this one!

As per usual, I’ll start at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, this year started off on a sad note. My mom, Suzi, passed away on January 6^th. It was sad but also a blessing in some way. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for the past two years. Though she always seemed to be happy, it wasn’t fun to see her forget who people were or things that had happened. I know she is glad to have her memory back and be hanging out in heaven with friends and family that have passed before her.

January also saw us taking a camping trip up in Birch Bay. It was COLD! But it was fun to bum around Bellingham. We also traded in my Sooby (2013 Legacy) for Sooby Deux (2025 Crosstrek). See what we did there?? 😊 Subaru’s are so great. I loved my Legacy but it was getting to the point where it would probably need more maintenance, and I wanted something that was a little higher off the ground. I mean my car did great in the snow..if you could get through the 2 ft drifts.

In February, Chad’s Grandma Joy passed away. Or as we always referred to her – Grandma Montana (because he had grandparents in Snohomish 😊). She was 94. We went to Montana in May for her memorial service.

Chad worked on his dad’s corvette a lot this year. It is a 1959 Corvette that his dad has had 54 years. It was up and running in time for his dad’s 75^th birthday. The older Corvettes have always been a favorite of mine. It is so cool to have this car restored and drivable.

The end of April we headed to Oahu. This was our first time on that island. We have been to  the others at least once (sometimes twice!). We enjoyed the island, but it was a bit too touristy for us. Too peoply! We had a condo right downtown. Not on the beach but within walking distance. Besides the fact that the garbage trucks came through at like 3 am EVERY morning, and the sliding door falling on me, we had a fun time. We visited Pearl Harbor and went kayaking and just enjoyed the warm weather.

May is a bit of a blur. We got back from Hawaii, went to Montana over Memorial Day weekend for Chad’s grandma’s memorial. Then at the beginning of June his dad turned 75. Chad took his dad for a cruise around the block in the corvette. I don’t know who was more excited, son or father. It’s been many years working on restoring this vehicle. It was a big milestone.

The end of June was both a happy and sad time. We took a 2-week camping trip through Montana, through Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Craters of the Moon national monument and then to Pendleton OR where we met up with some friends and then came home. We survived 2 weeks together in a tin can and are still married/alive to talk about it! Chad turned 50 in the middle of our trip! We were in Bozeman and he went on a fly-fishing tour.

Chad says I have to mention that we went to the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois WY. He says if you are visiting the Grand Tetons, you must check this out. It’s worth the drive….

A few days after his birthday we found out that our good friend Kurt had lost his battle with colon cancer. This hit a little hard because if it was not for Kurt and his wife Chad & I may have never met. They set us up on a blind date and the rest, they say, is history!

We are empty nesters again! Shelby moved out into an apartment with two of her friends and took her puppy! She is in Bothell/Mill Creek and seems to enjoy being on her own. She does visit regularly and allows us to get our puppy fix.

Let’s see… Chad bought a dune buggy in August, and we went to Ocean Shores in September for a long weekend. Whenever we are in that area we try to head to Westport to visit my Uncle Rog. We also enjoyed driving through Aberdeen where my mom and her family lived for a bit when she was around 17/18. It was kind of surreal to drive by homes/buildings where they had lived or worked.

In October we went back to Ireland! We had gone back in 2018 and have wanted to go back. Chad had to go there for work, so we tacked on a few days and I went along. I love Ireland and can’t wait to go back!

November saw us in Seaside for Shelby’s birthday. She turned 23! I am not old enough to have a daughter that is 23! I mean, I am only 29… it’s a miracle! Chad also bought himself a 1967 VW Beetle. This was the same year/model as his first car, and he had always wanted another one. Meanwhile, Shelby thinks her dad is going through a mid-life crisis… 😊

And… that brings us to the end of 2025 (and to page 3 of this letter!) Oh lordy… I hope you are still here and haven’t dozed off! I may need to go back and reduce the size of my font, but then you would all need to put on your readers to read it!

It’s been a wild and crazy year. Sad moments but a lot of fun ones with friends and family. We enjoyed more time in our trailer, reconnecting with old friends, and have gone on some great trips.

We are blessed to have the friends and family that we do. We wish you all Happy Holidays and a Happy 2026!

Chad, Steph, Shelby, Winston (dog), and Nova (cat)

Another year in the books - Merry Christmas from The Pederslies

      

         What a year 2023 has been. It’s actually been kind of a blur, and it’s hard to believe it’s almost over.

Early in the year on February 8^th, my dad Gary passed away. Something you start to expect when your parents get to be a certain age, but that still doesn’t make it any easier when you get the call. He was just shy of turning 80, which would have been on February 19^th. And this is probably where everything starts to become a blur as we had to quickly decide where my mom was going to live, and then start cleaning up their house to sell.

At the end of last year, my mom had started to see a neurologist regarding some memory issues she had. At first the doctor noticed she had some tremors, so he tested for Parkinson’s since my grandma, her mom, had had Parkinson’s. If the results came back positive, then the memory issues could be related. However, the results came back negative for Parkinson’s. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

After my dad passed, my mom didn’t want to remain in their house. She didn’t like being alone, and there was a lot of house to take care of. Due to her ongoing memory issues, we looked for a facility that allowed her to still be independent but also had people around to help her if needed. We ended up finding her a nice little apartment at Aegis Living in Marymoor. She moved there in mid-March.

Meanwhile, back at Freeman’s Folly (aka their house), Chad & I were starting the fun task of cleaning up their house and property. Imagine a 3,000 sq ft house with almost 40 years’ worth of crap, I mean treasures, inside. Add a few outbuildings and several cars that were hiding under weeds and there was A LOT of stuff to go through.

Luckily, we have wonderful friends and family. There were numerous weekends where we would have a half dozen or so people at the house helping us clean and sort through items. 5 months, 4 estate sales, 5 waste dumpsters, 2 metal dumpsters, 14 unearthed cars sold or taken away, and 35 junk trucks later, we were done! We had the house on the market in August and it sold within a week! It is currently being remodeled by a company out of Snohomish. I can’t wait to see what they do to the house! I am so thankful it is being fixed up as it is a great house, in a great location and for its age, had great bones.

In May we headed back to Tucson to bring Shelby back from college (Univ of Arizona). She decided to finish off her degree online, so this was a permanent move back to Washington. We had to somehow get her car back home and it was easier for us to just drive it instead of trying to coordinate transport of it so…Shelby flew home, and Chad & I drove her car back. We made a quick stop at Warner Bros. Studios. I think this makes it our 3^rd time going on a tour there, but it never disappoints! The good news is that we got home in 2 days, the car didn’t break down and…Chad & I didn’t kill each other! 😊

Shelby immediately began her online classes once home and is set to graduate next fall. She started working at Braithburn Academy here in Duvall. A friend of mine is a teacher there and…it is the preschool that Shelby went to back in the day! She also turned 21 this November. Where, oh where, does the time go?

In September we bought a travel trailer. After the year we had, I told Chad that it would be nice to get away on a regular basis for some long weekends just to relax. So far, we have enjoyed a weekend at his family’s property in Plain, a weekend in Anacortes, and then a weekend in Gig Harbor. It’s fun to see different parts of our state that we don’t usually see. We have a trip planned to Cannon Beach in January the weekend of my birthday (and yes, I do turn 29… again!)

Oh and…I caved and agreed to getting a puppy! Both Chad & Shelby have wanted a dog since we had to put Harley down last year. It was hard though to commit to another dog. For one, Harley was such a good dog that we feared we would get a dog that just didn’t measure up. Two, dogs are a lot of work. They want to eat 3 times a day and go outside and want to play. Cats are so much easier – you leave out food, a litterbox and they just sleep the day away! 😉But I came across a double doodle breeder in Montana. So over Labor Day weekend we met up with them and picked up Shelby’s new puppy! He is an Australian Labradoodle and Aussie doodle – so Poodle, Labrador, and Australian Shepherd. His name is Winston, and he is just the sweetest thing. Nova, our cat, still isn’t thrilled with him but maybe some day they will be friends! 😊

And that has been 2023. It’s been chaotic but it has also reminded me what a wonderful support team I have with my friends and family. I would not have been able to get through this year without you all!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays from the Pederslies - 2022 Edition

The past couple years I have foregone the whole sending of Christmas cards. I blame 2020/Covid (or it would just be plain laziness on my side, but...I prefer to blame the pandemic!). What this means though is that no one gets to receive our wonderful Christmas letter. I have realized that this is very unpatriotic of me. Oh wait, wrong holiday! It is very Bah Humbug of me to deprive you all of our spectacular Christmas letter. So...the Pederslie Holiday Christmas Letter is back!! (Cue confetti, balloons and cheers now)

Hmm, maybe I quit writing the Christmas letter because our lives are quite boring and there is nothing new to tell anyone. But I will try (or at least come up with some really believable, exciting sounding stuff so you don't think we are lame!)

This past year we have been traveling to Tucson quite a bit. As you all probably know, Shelby goes to school at the University of Arizona in Tucson. We have tried to visit her at least once a month, and since she has had a job working as a desk assistant at one of the dorms, we have been going to her instead of her coming home for long weekends.

It is great that we can work remotely as we worked from Tucson last February for a week. Then I went to visit Shelby over Easter. She was done with her first year of school in May, so we packed up her dorm, put it and her car in storage, and flew her home of the summer. 

We went down to see her the weekend of her birthday. Our baby turned 20!! She is no longer a teenager! I am still in shock that she is an adult now and that we have kept her alive these past 20 years! It was touch and go a bit during those pre-teen years! Her BFF and her parents went w/us and we rented a house with a pool and hot tub and went to a U of A/ASU hockey game. OMG, hockey games are fast paced and fun!! (But cold!). 

Then because of her work schedule, we also spent Thanksgiving with her in AZ. We ordered a meal from Whole Foods, which wasn't too bad, and vegged and watched Christmas movies. 

Back in February we had to make the very hard decision to put our beloved puppy, Harley, down. We found out she had bladder cancer prior to that. Even though she really remained a very happy puppy, you could tell she was in pain and tired of it all. We were really hoping we could have held off until Shelby was home on Spring Break so she could see her. But we called Shelby that day, asked for her opinion and let her say good-bye. Hardest...decision...ever. It's been almost a year and there are still days where I am like "Oh Harley is going to come running out to greet me!" 

Chad has been traveling quite a bit for work. He is still at Astronics. I have to say, it is kind of nice when he is gone, and Shelby is away at school - it's like I get these mini vacations where I can do what I want and watch what I want and no one judges me! 

I am still working at Spacelabs. I go in one day a week which is a nice break. I get to see other people besides my spouse and I can get away from the cat who thinks if we are home she should have our undivided attention. She addresses this by climbing up on us, walking across our desks and then taking a nap on our keyboards. Good thing she is cute and fluffy...

So, back to Shelby, since her life is probably more exciting than ours! She started her sophomore year at U of A (though I think she classifies as a senior...IDK...something like that because of her doing running start in HS). She switched her major after the first semester from Nursing to Business. She actually likes things like Statistics and Accounting! Weird kid! She made the Deans list Spring semester. She had thought about transferring to a school in WA for her second year but then made the decision to stay at U of A so as not to prolong her time at school. However, she will have all the pre-req's done after spring semester and is planning on doing the remainder of her degree online. So come May, she will probably be back in WA! (Yay!) 

So that is basically our life in a nutshell. We work, get annoyed by our cat, go see our kiddo a lot then come back home and do it all over again. 

Happy Holidays!

Steph, Chad & Shelby

To the Graduating Class of 2021

     What an exciting and daunting time in your life. No more high school but now you are venturing into adulthood and going off to college or joining the workforce. Though it is an exciting time for you, also know that this is a difficult time for your parents/guardians. We are not okay! Our emotions are probably just as all over the place as yours are! We are excited for you, but also want to stop time and to stop you from growing up and moving out.

We have had the last 18 years to help you navigate through life’s challenges. We have been there when you have been sad and just needed a hug, we were a sounding board when you had questions about school or friends or life. We were just a step away and now we are facing the challenge of you being out of our reach and possibly thousands of miles away. Though we have done a rather good job of preparing you for the “real” world there are still so many life lessons to learn, and we worry that we haven’t taught you the most important ones!

As much as you may roll your eyes at us when we say we understand, we really do. Maybe not quite on the same level because we were fortunate to NOT have social media back in the day, but we understand what you are going through. We had those tough decisions to make, we dealt with friends that quit talking to us, we dealt with heartbreak and difficult jobs or classes. So even though you do need to learn from your own experience, just know that we do have some knowledge and just take what advice we may give you and file it away for future use.

No matter if you are the first, second, or last child in your family to graduate, your parents are all still dealing with crazy emotions. We are dealing with what new our “normal” will be. We are trying to determine how we can care for you from afar, because just an FYI, we never stop wanting to protect you and watch over you.

So, enjoy this exciting time, but give us parents a break. Let us take one more picture of you in your cap and gown, let us invite friends and family over to celebrate you and your accomplishments, let us pull out pictures from kindergarten all the way to senior year and share with everyone – more than likely via a photo collage or slideshow (with inspiration music of course!)

Not only have you accomplished so much in the last 13 years of school, but you have handled the last year and a half dealing with the unknown of remote learning and a pandemic! You are rock stars! Congratulations Class of 2021!

I'm Back!!!!!!!!!!

 Did you miss me?? I know you did!

You have missed my witty, yet insightful, posts. Your life has not been complete without my little ray of humor. I know, I know and I am so sorry! But I am back and better than ever! 

Actually I have been dealing with COVID and quarantine just like everyone else. It's not easy. Most days I am like "I got this! I've been social distancing for YEARS!" But then I have to second guess everything I do. Should I have friends over? If I do, which friends, because I can have no more than 5! I have items I need but should I just order them online or go to the store? And if I go to the store, will I have to wait in line before they will allow me in, and do I want to bother with that? 

This past year has been crazy. People are crazy. I'd like to chalk that up to Covid and being quarantined and just dealing with this crazy pandemic that we aren't used to, but I am thinking people were always crazy and us being stuck at home with excessive time on the internet, has made people crazier. 

Let's talk opinions. Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. Do I want to see yours? Probably not. Do I want to hear all about it? Again, not really. Do you have one? Yes, and let's just leave it at that! Now if you want to have a civilized conversation, supported by facts and stats, about your asshole, we can do that, but again...there are a lot of other things I'd rather talk about! 

Okay...social media. It is really the root of all evil. No seriously....I have a love-hate relationship with it. I love that I can be connected with friends and family that may not live close. I love catching up with old friends from high school, or getting to know people better through their posts and pictures. But on the flip side....it gives everyone a platform to speak their thoughts and to hide behind the computer screen while doing it. It gives them the courage to say things they may not normally say to someone face to face. The best part...you can go back and delete what you said, or not allow other people to comment. How many times do we wish we could do that in real life? 

I am all for having in depth conversations on worldly events and such, but what I am not for is bashing others or ridiculing them because they have different opinions than mine. I mean...I have some pretty good thoughts and opinions so I don't quite understand why you may disagree with me, but if you do that is okay. I am disappointed in the hateful words I have seen people post, or the people that will voice their opinion, but then get after me when I may voice mine. 

As young children we learn early on that we should treat others the way we'd want to be treated, and that we are all different and that is okay. Yet somewhere along the way we forget this. So maybe we should take a queue from the kiddos of the world, I mean they are going to be running our country some day right? :) Be kind to your neighbors, realize we are all different and have different thoughts and beliefs, and know that what you see on the surface may not fully show what someone is actually going through. 

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020!

Hmm, just realized it's been over a year since I wrote anything on my blog. I also didn't sent out a yearly Christmas newsletter like I have done in the past. So I thought I would recap 2019 here on my blog instead. I mean who actually sends letters via snail mail anymore right??

So let's rewind back to January 2019. I turned 29...yet again! Let's see...that makes 14 times now? And we can't forget Snowmaggedon in February. We had at least one week where we were basically stuck at home. Good thing we have the option of working remotely, but we did start to get cabin fever. And poor Shelby had to make up a bunch of snow days.

For spring break in April we went to New York. He had gone to Germany the week before that for work so Shelby & I met with him there. Of course the day before we left I came down with a cold and then the fam caught it once we were in New York, but we made it through and got to see the typical New York sites - Bronx Zoo, Central Park, 9/11 Memorial, Lady Liberty, Time Square. I did enjoy the city and it is cool to see the buildings and places you usually only see on TV or hear about in person.

As you all know from Facebook posts and previous Christmas letters, my job at Philips came to end this year. They transitioned our jobs to Nashville. Our last day was supposed to be June 28th but then they moved it up to May 3rd. This meant I spent the summer lounging in our pool, getting tan and searching for jobs. I also spent that time getting together with other coworkers that were also affected by the transition (and were in the unemployment line with me).

But alas, all good times must come to an end. I interviewed at a company called Spacelabs. I was lucky and the hiring director had actually previously worked at Philips and knew my director there! I started work there September 2nd. The people are great, and the work is very similar to what I have done previously at Philips and Honeywell so it's been a pretty easy transition.

When I was offered the job I had made a joke to Chad that we could now afford a truck payment so he could get a new car. Well...he took me seriously and after selling his truck and the Studebaker and paying off his motorcycle, he was able to get a new truck! Of course he likes to show off and will constantly start it before leaving the house. Let's just say...that has gotten a bit old...

Chad continues to go on trips for work - France in January (left on my birthday!) Germany in April for a trade show, another trade show in September and Shelby & I joined him for the weekend in Santa Monica. We saw a few Hollywood sites, walked the pier and enjoyed sunny weather. He then went to Santiago Chile for a customer meeting. Luckily this was before the issues down there. Then in November he went to Hamburg for a customer meeting & Isle of Wight was for a visit with coworkers.

Shelby started her Junior year in high school. She still goes to Cedarcrest High School, but only for one class. Then she does running start at the CWU campus in Sammamish. She loves it and is doing well with the classes.

Besides enjoying my summer off (I even got a tan!!) I have just been crafting away, and trying to get together with friends and family as much as I can.

We did something a little different this Christmas. We went to Hawaii! This is the first time we haven't spent the holidays with our families. We went with Shelby's best friend Heidi and her parents. The girls loved it because they got to vacation together! It is so nice to wear shorts and short sleeves in December! Shelby & Chad got sick at the end but luckily we were able to travel home without any issues.

Not sure what 2020 will bring us. So far Chad already has a trip to China booked. At least he isn't leaving on my birthday this year!

Wishing everyone a Happy 2020!!

Happy Holidays from The Pederslie's

Where does the time go? Seriously?? Where?? I am pretty sure yesterday it was summer and I was in shorts and a t-shirt enjoying some leisure time by the pool. Now I am wrapped up in flannel jammies, a sweatshirt and curled up under a blankie. WHERE DOES THE TIME GO???

Someone just told me Christmas Eve is tomorrow...WHAT THE F&CK!?!?!?!

Anywho...the last few years we have not sent out Christmas cards. I apologize as I know everyone waited with baited breath for our card and annual Christmas letter to arrive in the mail. Hopefully you will enjoy our letter via the interweb and know that we appreciate and enjoy cards and letters you have sent to us.

I just asked Chad what we did this last year and he goes "Nothing?" Then he said "Let's see, what did we do this year??" Um...he is still thinking..... :)

I guess the most exciting adventure we had this year was a trip to Europe! Chad was going to Hamburg for a trade show for Astronics where he has worked since October of last year. We have always wanted to go to Ireland so we were like "Well let's just add another week and go there as well" So we spent one week in Germany, had a 24 hr layover in Paris, because when in Europe you have to see Paris right, and then a week in Ireland. So much fun!! The history of it all is just amazing. All these old buildings. I am not used to that since in America it seems if it's 10 yrs old we have to remodel or demolish and rebuild.

Shelby finished off her first year of high school on the honor roll! She must get her smarts from her daddy because I was never on any honor roll! Though he wasn't either....but I think that is just because he didn't care! What irks me is Shelby will go "I don't even study for the tests"

Right as school ended Shelby had Pneumonia. She is never sick so when she had a high fever and it lasted for more than a day we were like "Something isn't right!" Luckily school was out but we had plans for the 4th of July with friends that we had to alter a bit.

Chad enjoyed Germany SOOO much that he went back in July. Again it was for work - I think I need to find a job there! And if you are in Europe, you might as well go to London right? One of Chad's coworkers resides there so he visited there for a few days as well.

As I mentioned in last year's letter, my job is being transferred to Nashville end of June 2019. So the last half of this year as meant a lot of traveling for me to Nashville to train my replacements. Kind of bittersweet but...I get free trips out of it! I went in August, September when Chad came for the last part to spend our anniversary together, November and then again in December. The people there are great and Nashville is not what I expected. It has been called the New Vegas.

When I was in Nashville in September my coworker was like "Luke Bryan is giving a free concert on Broadway in honor of the Grand Opening of his restaurant. Wanna go?" So we decided we would check it out. OMG....SO...MUCH...FUN!! Though Chad pointed out, there was a price to pay for the concert....being extremely tired and having to work the next day! But SOOO worth it!

Oh Luke!!

During this trip Chad decided to join me for the last few days since our anniversary was that weekend. We spend a few days in Nashville then drove up to Chattanooga and then to Pigeon Forge where there is a Titanic museum! A fun way to celebrate 18 yrs of marriage!

And what would be a month without a bit more traveling? Shortly after coming back from Nashville Chad went to Boston for work. His friend Jaime joined him for the last part of that trip and they took in a Boston vs New York baseball game at Fenway Park.

 Miss Shelby turned 16 in November! She is now a licensed driver! Scariest moment of my life...EVER!!! That moment where she drives down the driveway by herself.....Luckily right now she is just driving to school and back, and makes the drive to the grandparents houses. She can't have people in the car that aren't family until she has had her license for 6 months so she isn't doing too much gallivanting yet. Maybe I can tell her in May that rules have changed and she has to wait another 6 months before having non-family passengers in the car! :) We did buy her a car, a 2005 Subura Impreza WRX. She always commented on how she liked/wanted my car when she started driving. Well since that wasn't an option (I still love my car!) we decided to look for a Subaru for her. It's sporty but we also know it's reliable and durable. Makes her driving out of the yard on her own a little less stressful :)

That is about it for 2018 I think. We are kind of a boring family. We work, come home, repeat the next day :) No new additions this year - no new half siblings, no furry critters..I am sure there has been a few car additions that have come and gone but I start to lose track of what goes on in the shop :)

It's just amazing how quickly the time goes. You have every intention of doing certain things or getting together with people and then time just slips away from you. Before you know it another year has gone by, people may have come and gone from your life, and your child suddenly has grown taller than you (though that wasn't too hard considering I am short!)

So as we swiftly slide into the New Year we just want to wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas and to have a safe & Happy New Year!

Love Steph, Chad, Shelby, Harley, Pinto, Nova and Peaches 2.0 (Shelby's fish)

If you can't laugh at yourself, Let me do it for you!

Well if I do laugh at you, I will try to do it quietly or behind your back!

Seriously though, I am a firm believer that you need a little humor in every day. You can't take life to seriously. And that includes being able to laugh at yourself when you do stupid things, or even if you make a comment that only you find funny!

So today I wanted to turn on the lights in our family room. Chad recently put in dimmer switches so today I stood there yelling at my phone "Hey Siri!". It was only after Siri turned on the lights (and then dimmed them when I asked) that I was like "OMG, I just stood RIGHT next to the light switch yelling at my phone to turn on the lights when I could just have easily leaned over and pushed the button with my finger! 

In case you don't know this about me, my mind is constantly in the gutter. Somehow my daughter has also inherited this as well. If something can be construed as dirty I will go there! This of course results in weird stares as I may burst out into random laughter while at work, or in a store, and no one will understand why. But the best part?? When your friend that you are texting or skyping responds with the same dirty comments. It's even better if you are in the vicinity of each other because then you can hear them laugh when they read your comment!

I believe the best trait you can find in a spouse (or even a forever friend) is for them to have a sense of humor. Helps if their sense of humor is as demented as yours. I have been graced with many friends who share my silliness. I am also luckily that they get my silliness and are not insulted by the sarcasm that usually goes along with it. 

I feel that it is kind of wrong of me to be proud that my daughter is as silly and sarcastic as I am. There is that small part of me that thinks this is the result of bad parenting, but then the rest of me goes "Oh my god! I am SOOOO proud of my daughter! She is a bigger smart ass than I am!" There have been many times where Chad & I will look at each other either after Shelby says something in our presence or we hear from friends what she said. We just smile, and are filled with pride and just think "My job here is done. This child will do just fine in the real world!"

Life is really too short to not enjoy it and laugh a lot. Laugh at yourself, laugh at the silly things your kids do, laugh at your friend when they trip over their own feet (and hopefully they will laugh at you when you trip over yours!)

My Child is a Little $hit and I am not Ashamed to Admit it

I love the Internet. I love how you can simply google a word and get information that you need. I love that I can keep in contact w/family and friends that don't live near by. It's a great tool HOWEVER I also hate it with a passion.

Being a parent is hard. Who am I kidding, it's harder than hard (thanks Google, wasn't sure what was worse than hard!). You kind of know going into it that it won't be too easy. You will have the sleepless nights, diaper changes, potty training issues. But what no one tells you is that those cute little babies become moody teenagers. No one tells you either that no one EVER talks about the bad stuff. It's like Fight Club....NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE BAD STUFF!!

Your little Timmy is fighting giving up his Binky? DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT! Your child isn't doing that great in school? DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT! Your teenager is a snotty, little $hit? DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT!

Well guess what...I am going to talk about it!!

I am here to tell you that children, especially my child, are not angels. Oh sure, sometimes they may seem like it but it's all a ruse so that you let your defenses down and then WHAM they become a little $hit! And then you are left there going "But all my friends post about all the great things their kids do on social media. Don't their kids ever throw tantrums like mine? What am I doing wrong??"

You are doing nothing wrong! All kids are little $hits! ALL KIDS ARE LITTLE $HITS! But back to the rules of Parent Club...NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE BAD STUFF.

Your kid have 10 different after school activities? My kid is a lazy a$s that sits on her butt until we get home from work, watching TV and playing on her phone. Your kid cleaned the whole house without you asking them to? My kid succeeded in blatantly ignoring me a record 5 times as I told her to empty the dishwasher (her ONE designated chore that she has to do regularly). Your kid is a straight A student? Well my kid...oh wait...my child has been that...but right now she does have a few B's...Let's move on....

There is nothing wrong if your kid is awesome and you should want to brag about it. But let's talk about the bad stuff too. It's hard enough being a parent and wondering if you are totally screwing up your kid (guess what...you are but they will come out okay). But we don't need to already be doubting ourselves just to have people on social media make us doubt ourselves even more.

Years ago I posted a status on Facebook that basically was along the lines of "My kid is being a little $hit" and one of my friends (the mom of one of Shelby's classmates) was like "I am so glad you posted that! I thought it was just my kid!"

So the Parent Club has a new rule - Talk about ALL of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Children may be unique but their actions, tantrums, moods are the same of every other generation. We have been there, our parents have been there. We have all gone through it - as the parent or the child.

My child is a little $hit but man do I love her! She makes me laugh, makes me smile at the smarta$s comments she makes (makes me so proud! 😊), I am really quite proud of her, even if she does make me want to pull my hair out quite often.

Stephanie's (I mean the Pederslie's!) Annual Christmas Letter

So I thought to myself…How can I jazz up the Christmas letter this year? So I took to the internet for some ideas, which makes me wonder what I did before the internet. I mean I don’t think I have had an original idea since….1999. Any who….Here are some of the ideas that are out there:

• ·       Have a child write it - Done it, though honestly I wrote it from Shelby’s perspective because well I am OCD like that!
• ·       Announce that Year’s award for various family members - Though some of the awards I would like to give out probably aren’t Christmas Letter appropriate!
• ·       Write from the perspective from a dog, cat, bird or hamster – This one intrigued me, and our pets are pretty spunky and smart so…you never know, they may interject a bit later on!
• ·       Write a Family Recipe – Here is the thing….We are not a cooking family. You want to know what I make for dinner…reservations!! Most of my recipes are passed down to me from…the internet! (It’s everywhere!)

So I think for now I will just go with what has worked in the past. I start at the beginning of the year and go month and month and write about what happened that year. Unfortunately this is not as easy as it sounds as I can’t even remember why I walked into the other room, and you all expect me to remember back to January?? That was like 11 months ago! But…I will try….

So some of the biggest news….It’s a boy!! I found out that I have a half-brother named Todd! He is about 9 years older than me and lives over in Eastern WA part of the year and Florida the other part. We have been able to meet up a few times. There is definitely a family resemblance (or what I like to call smartass-ness). It is really funny to see how genetics play into it all even when you don’t grow up together! I like to call him Brother 2.0! I always wanted more siblings, however, I would have preferred a sister! J

Fast forward to spring (OMG, seriously I do not think anything exciting happened between January and June!). Shelby graduated from 8^th grade. Yes, graduation from 8^th grade is a thing, with a moving up ceremony and everything. My friend and I chuckled as we sat together and the teachers started to go through all the academic awards because we knew our girls, who even though they are smart girls, aren’t the most academic or grade oriented. So image both of our surprise when they called out Shelby’s name for an Art award!! Once the initial shock wore off, I think we both got a little choked up, as did Chad. Our daughter got an award, a MAJOR award!

The end of 8^th grade also brought her 8^th grade dance. A few other parents and I helped plan it. Though they nixed our original 80’s theme (but don’t fear kids…I will make sure you have an 80’s themed dance before high school graduation!), they did seem to enjoy the dance. The theme was “Hollywood Nights” with a red carpet, and Oscar and everything! I never heard a bad thing about the dance and I think most of the 8^th grade class was in attendance so I think it was a job well done!

Summer involved the usual – Shelby and her friends swimming. This year Chad rigged up a heater so the pool water was actually warm! Well…warmer than it has been in years past. Pretty sure that kid of ours is a fish with the way she swims all summer long! We also took a few trips over to the property.

What would our annual Christmas letter be without a few new additions to the family? Well I already mentioned one of them, but we have added a few more! And as usual one was of the furry variety and one was of the metal variety.

We brought home a little bundle of furry, a Maine Coon kitten that we named Nova (because all of our other “kids” are named after vehicles so we couldn’t break the mold). I seriously feel like I have 4 kids!! I am constantly spouting off some name and telling someone to stop it! Sometimes I don’t even care if the name I spout off isn’t even one of theirs. It’s my tone of voice, they will know I am upset! It has taken awhile but I think the kids are all now getting along and we can hopefully all live in peace!

Then we bought a Thing. I know you will ask, what thing? And I will respond with a Thing! As in a VW Thing. We thought about getting it for Shelby’s first car but Chad wants something a bit safer (i.e. air bags and crash zones, etc.) so we will fix it up and bum around in it this summer or sell it and get something else for her.

Shelby started high school in September. So hard to believe that my baby is a high schooler! Suddenly she is noticing boys (HOT upper classman), is wanting to go to dances (her and her BFF went to Homecoming, they were so gorgeous!), and went to football games to hang out w/her friends. She didn’t make cheer this year, which was kind of sad, but we did go to cheer on her friend, or as I like to call her Daughter #2, who did make the squad. She also turned 15 in November and started Drivers Ed. WARNING: Stay off the roads! I repeat, Stay off the roads!!!

On a less than positive note I did find out my job will be moving to Nashville in June 2019. It sucks because I really do LOVE the people I work with but it is what it is and…June 2019 is still a ways a way. Plenty of time for me to determine what I want to do when I grow up! Chad also had news in the job department. He actually left Honeywell! Definitely an end to an era. He had been there almost 20 years! He works for another Aerospace company which is still close to home.

Other than that we are just up to our normal junk – working on hot rods (that would be Chad of course…. J), scrapbooking (again Chad…JK…that would be me!), dance, piano and guitar (Chad again….ha, ha…nope that would be Shelby).

And so another year is coming to an end. I look back at pictures of Shelby that aren’t that long ago, maybe 4 years, and I am just amazed at how much she has grown and it makes me realize how quickly time goes by. I try to take a step back and enjoy all the little moments as I know they will go by so quickly and that life is precious. Though there are good days and bad days I am just thankful for my loving family, a husband that spoils me and who makes me laugh, a daughter that just makes my heart swell (even though I also want to strangle her most days!), pets that are happy to see me when I come home (okay, maybe only the dog does that!) and friends that get me and are always there to led an ear when I need it most.

So here is a big Christmas hug to all of you that are reading this (all two of you – Thanks Mom and Chad!). Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

      

       

The First Year of 40 in the Books

So next Saturday will mark the end of my first year in my 40's. Since it is one of those times that people seem to fear or not look forward to I figured I would reflect on what 40 has been like for me.

First off, yes...I did fear it a bit. Not necessarily because I don't like getting older, but just for the fact that my birthday number was 40! It was what the number entails and the thoughts and comments that come with it.

So what can I say about 40? 40 is the new 20? Hmm, the new 30? Not sure about that either, because 40 is 40. I don't feel 20 or 30 anymore (I mean I was in bed by 9:30 lasts night and it was a Friday!), but I don't feel 40 either!

Yes I do have new aches and pains I didn't have before. I wake up in the mornings and have to remember to stretch first otherwise it hurts to move, and my back still hurts from Thanksgiving when I helped Chad move furniture (Obviously 40 did not bring me common sense because no I haven't gotten it checked out...I am still as stubborn as ever!).

40 brought the fun boobie squeeze - i.e a mammogram. That wasn't too bad. I mean I have had to deal with female doc visits and child birth so it was a piece of cake compared to those! And...good news...boobies are all good!

Though I wouldn't mind my 20's body back, I am glad not to be a teenager or young adult. I watch Shelby deal with school and friend issues and all the drama and I am just glad to be done with that! I am glad to be married to a wonderful man and not have to worry about finding my soul mate or dealing with the dating world.

However as you get older, your friends & family get older. In some cases, they get sicker and unfortunately pass away. Though this can happen at any age, its more common as you get older. No one lives forever and as I get older it means my parents get older. I try not to think about what may happen but the thought does creep up more than I would like.

Getting older just reminds me how short life is. It makes me realize the kind of people I want or don't want in my life. What shit I am willing to put up with, and what I just need to flush away (ha, see what I did there, hee, hee!)

So honestly being 40 is pretty great! I have wonderful friends and family, a good job, a roof over my head,  a loving husband and a beautiful, smart daughter. So bring on 41...I'm ready for ya!!

Stephanie Pederslie's A Christmas Carol

So every week at work someone will post a riddle or question on a white board. This last week it was to name the 4 ghost from A Christmas Carol. Wait, 4 ghosts you say? Right now you are probably thinking I am an idiot as there are only 3 ghosts. Ah but think about it a little harder. Uh huh, yep just think a bit more. Have you got it yet? Yep, yep there it is! You've got it! The first ghost is (drum roll please!) Scrooge's partner Jacob Marley (that one took a bit longer didn't it?), then we have the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. But I know you already knew those!

So you may be going, why write a blog post about the Christmas Carol ghosts? That seems kind of lame. In fact we all know the story so well and have seen it in a variety of formats and versions, why reincarnate it again?

Well this question got me to thinking - what if I was to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future? What would they show me and what might I learn from my adventure?

Well let's see, shall we!!??

The Ghost of Christmas Past 
She would show me a shy (but very cute!) little girl. She would probably just shake her head and if she could speak (the ghosts never did speak did they?) would say "Dude child! Just speak! What is the worst they can say?" She would push me into situations that may have been a bit uncomfortable but that would help me come out of my shell and grow a bit as a person.

She would also probably go "Really? Did you just have to be mean to that girl? Was that really necessary? How would you like it if they had treated you the same way?"

To the fun and adorable teenager she would continue to push me into those situations that freaked me out and would encourage me to be a bit more talkative to the boys.

The Ghost of Christmas Present
I think this ghost would tell or show me only a handful of things. Things that if I was really honest with myself, I would already know.

1. Don't live in the past - been there, done that, bought the t-shirt
2. Don't dwell on things you cannot control. Situations won't happen the way you want, people will be jerks. All you can do is determine how you are going to handle it and move on
3. Keep your (real) friends close and your enemies far, far away. In other words, get rid of those toxic people that don't need a place in your life. As much as you want to give them the benefit of the doubt, they just aren't going to change
4. Live each day like it was your last (well for the most part!) Enjoy the sunshine, your child's laugh, your cat playfully swatting at your shoelaces, your dog giving you that pitiful puppy dog face because she wants a bite of your dinner

The Ghost of Christmas Future 
In my version of this story I really hope this ghost isn't as depressing and frightening as the one in the other stories. I hope people aren't enjoying holiday dinners or parties laughing at my expense or that the ghost shows me my grave!

What I do hope this ghost shows me is someone who has continued to seek out good people to have in her life. Someone who works hard and is rewarded for what she does. That she is that friend that everyone knows they can go to for anything.

She is the wife who continues to let her husband go on his adventures and continue to work on his hobbies. She is the mom to a beautiful and wonderful daughter that continues to be stubborn (no matter how many gray hairs it gives her mommy!), because that stubbornness will make her a strong individual that won't let anyone push her around.

Most of all I hope that my future self is someone that takes time for herself, and knows that even though things won't always go her way that she is special and loved and has many, many people that couldn't imagine their lives without her.

Don’t cry over the past, it’s gone. Don’t stress about the future, it hasn’t arrived. Live in the present and make it beautiful.

                                                                                    ~ Unknown

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!














 

I'm Thankful For...

So I have seen so many people post what they are thankful for this month. You know, the whole Thanksgiving Holiday thing :) . Well first off...I have stayed away from doing that because 1) Shouldn't we be thankful all year? and 2) Everyone else is doing it and...I am not one to follow the crowd! But...the more I thought about it, the more I thought...Why not! I have so many things to be thankful for (year round!)

So here we go! (and I will do 30 since 1) It's a nice round number and 2) There are 30 days in November. If I was really ambitious I would do 365 items but...yeah no! :)

I am thankful for:

1) My wonderful husband and soul mate. 16 years together and 15 years of marriage and I still love him! He makes me laugh every day and totally gets me, probably more than I get me!
2) A beautiful, caring daughter who is smart and has a great sense of humor. Though we butt heads regularly I just know this makes her a strong individual that will never let anyone push her around
3) Parents and in-laws that are (mostly) healthy and are around to watch my daughter grow up
4) The fun relationship I see my daughter developing with her grandma
5) A job, even though right now it is a contract position (which equals no time off). I am just thankful to be employed and doing something I enjoy and working with some wonderful people who don't mind my endless questions!
6) That even though I was unemployed this summer that I could collect unemployment and got to spend some extra quality time with my daughter
7) All my friends and family that stood by me as I dealt with a very toxic person/situation who made me doubt myself as a person and my abilities
8) A roof over my head though there are times I just want to torch it and start fresh! I am thankful I have a house that I have to clean and that for the most part...it's in good shape!
9) For a nice newer car that I know is going to be pretty reliable (and with new snow tires should hopefully get me around pretty well if it snows!)
10) That I have been blessed with a sense of humor and have friends and family that totally get it and don't think less of me because of it!
11) That I got to co-coach a wonderful bunch of cheerleaders with a awesome partner in crime
12) Coffee! Need I say more???
13) The endless supply of books because I just love to read
14) My furry animals that make me laugh and love me unconditionally
15) Chocolate because what would a world without chocolate be?
16) People that will support my various business adventures no matter how pushy or annoying I may be trying to promote it!
17) A wood stove that my husband keeps a fire in during the winter
18) The fact that my daughter is now old enough that she is pretty self reliant (but let's face it, she is still a kid so will try to get mom and dad to do stuff for her that she is totally capable of!)
19) Thursday nights because I get to watch hot guys on my TV screen for an hour
20) That my dear husband let's me drool over said hot guys on Thursday nights!
21) Warm fuzzy socks and flannel pj bottoms for those cold days where I am just vegging around
22) Wonderful and crazy sister-in-law's that I actually like
23) A pretty decent childhood that didn't screw me up too much for adulthood!
24) New friends, old friends, and those in between friends that have all brought a little something to my life and has helped shape me into who I am today
25) Thumb holes - those things are just AWESOME!
26) Heated seats in my car. I mean whoever thought of that was a genius!! I thank you and my butt thanks you!
27) My Health. Oh sure, I have a bit of arthritis in my hands, an ache in my foot every morning but for the most part I am ready and able and have no serious ailments
28) Facebook. Yes I said it. I am thankful for Facebook. Though it can be somewhat debilitating at time it has connected me (or reconnected me) with people that have helped me through situations or made me laugh on days where I just wanted to curl up into the fetal position
29) Pinterest because I sure couldn't come up with some of this crap on my own!
30) Each day that I get to live another day, breath another breathe, see another sunrise and to love and be loved!

I'm Glad to be an 80's Kid!

I love technology as much as the next person but I have to say that I am thankful I grew up in the 80's and that all the newfangled technology was not around then!

When I was Shelby's age there was no Facebook, no Instagram, no quick and easy way to know what everyone else was doing. Nowadays they can know what their classmates and friends are doing with a click of the mouse. I am in sure in some cases this is a good thing. Want to share a picture of the fun day you and your friend had? Share it via email or Instagram (or some thing called Snapchat but that one doesn't make any sense to me!). You don't have to wait to finish your roll of film, send it in for development and then get it back. Oh and if you want you and your friend to both have a copy of a photo then...don't forget to get double copies!

 But what about the downside? If young kids are anything like I was at that age (and I am pretty sure they are!) then they are insecure about themselves, feel like they don't have friends, or feel like no one likes them or wants to hang out with them. This is easily justifiable as they peruse through their social media outlets and get to see pictures and posts from their classmates and friends. Even I scroll through them and my heart drops into my stomach a bit as I see Shelby's friends and classmates hanging out together but she isn't included. I mean at least when I was a kid I could just be naive and assume everyone else was sitting home with their mom watching The Golden Girls (in my defense, that was an AWESOME show! :)).

Hopefully as parents we encourage our kids to respect others and treat them well, but let's be realistic, they are kids and they will be mean to kids (weren't we all?) and kids will be mean to them. Back in the old days this would be done verbally and probably in the hallways during school or on the playground. I am sure it still happens there but now it also happens via the social network. Kids can easily respond to a post on one of these outlets that insults someone, makes fun of someone else, or can just be taken wrong by someone else. Oh sure, this would all still happen even if there was no internet, because kids will be kids, but the internet just makes it so much easier nowadays.

I just hope I have instilled confidence in my daughter and that even if she does see these things on social media she won't let it bug her. She will just look at it and decide not to participate in any bully like activities, that she does realize she has friends and will probably post pictures of her own that may make other people which they were hanging out with her.

I am just thankful I didn't have to worry about all this as a kid! God Bless the '80's! :)

The Only Countdown that matters....EVER!

Vampire-Diaries

Life is a Tough Mother F!cker!

Seriously I wish I had known what life would like like at 39 when I was a kid! I remember always wanting to be older than I was, and wanting to be an "adult". Oh what a naive little kid I was! Being an adult sucks a$s! Okay, okay it doesn't suck a$s all the time, but those huge life moments happen more often then I would like and are a lot tougher to get through than any "issue" I had as a kid!

I have had a chance to really re-evaluate my life these past 4 months. Being unemployed (and bored!) gives you plenty of time to do that! So what, you ask, have I come to realize or what changes have I made? Well glad you asked!

1.) I realized who are the people I want in my life. These are people that stand by me no matter what my mood may be. The ones that will curse and cry right along with me about how unfair life is. These are the friends that will drop everything at the last minute and invite me to a coffee (or drink) date because they know I need it. They are the ones that make time for me even in the midst of their busy lives

2.) Meditation REALLY does work! I was always a bit skeptical about it, but maybe that was just because I wasn't sure how to go about doing it or never felt I had the time for it. However I have learned that we need to make time for it, or at least for a few moments just to allow our body and soul to have a little siesta. It doesn't even have to take long, and you don't have to get in any weird position, and go "Ummmmmm!" It can be as quick as 2 minutes (though I prefer a good 5 minutes for those rushed days!) and it's really just about the breathing. It's also about acknowledging how you may be feeling and simply saying "Hello there anxiety! I am not going to let you get to me today!"

3.) Life can suck, but someone else's life probably sucks more than yours. Yes I have been unemployed the past 4 months. I went through some crappy accusations about my work ethic that really tore me down. I knew these words were not true but you do still stop and question it. So I was not only unemployed, but was having my unemployment benefits questioned. I was questioning my purpose on this earth in general. What was I hear for? Life sucked. But you know what...I was healthy, my family was healthy, we had family helping us out by treating us to dinner or letting them clean their house for some extra cash (Thanks mom!).  Even though people may not let you see it, everyone is struggling inside with something!

4.) I have magic powers! No I have not taken up any hallucinate drugs, I really do have magic powers! Okay, maybe not, but I have realized how the powers of positive thinking can create life-changing results. I have taken to writing in a journal again after YEARS (like 16!) and I joked to Chad that it was a magic journal because what I wrote in it came true! Granted not quite the way I wanted it to, but true non the less. I was talking about this with a friend who pointed me towards the Laws of Attraction. This is basically a philosophy used to sum up the idea that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts a person brings positive or negative experiences into their life. I started to look back on things that had happened in my life and was like "OMG, it's true!" Maybe it's pure coincidence but then again, maybe it's not! Hmm, wonder what my superhero name should be... :)
You can check out more about this here http://www.thesecret.tv/

5.) Treasure those little moments because who knows how long you will be able to. You just never know when your time on this planet will be over. We don't want to consider death of ourselves or our loved ones but it is inevitable. Hopefully it is off in the far future, but you just never know. So tell your friends and family that you love them (and yes sometimes it is okay to say "Right now you are really annoying me but I still love you!"), enjoy the little things like a sunny day (or even a rainy day when you can curl up underneath a blankie with your kitty, a cup of coffee and a good book!). Appreciate your daughter's HUGE stubborn streak because you know it will be a good trait to have in the future (but not so great when you are trying to raise her and her stubborn streak clashes with your stubborn streak!)

I am not perfect and I don't claim to be. I also know that even though I am in a better place now, that there will continue to be tough times ahead. I just hope I can continue to look past the negative and remain positive and thankful for what God has given me!

Smile Though Your Heart is Aching

I was going to try to start posting more positive posts but, well, life isn't always a barrel of fun (though it would sure be nice if it was!)

A year ago today a wonderful daughter/wife/mother/friend passed away. It sucks. There is no better word to describe it. We have had to sit back and watch as her family deals with a world full of new "firsts" that won't involve her. Well at least not in the physical sense.

It is hard to lose someone at any age (theirs or ours!). You never totally get over it. Yes I am sure the pain subsides a bit but there will always be those moments. Ones where you go to call that person and realize they are no longer with us, or you may think you see them at the grocery store for a brief second but then realize that isn't a possibility.

Some days it is hard to get out bed and to function like a normal person. We are all dealing with something. It is hard to put things in perspective when we are having an off day to realize we should be happy with what we have in front of us today. Enjoy the sunshine, or the laugh of your child. Stop and smell the roses (but be careful of the bees - especially if you are allergic!). Sit back and enjoy the rich aroma and taste of your (Starbuck's) coffee.

If nothing else, our friends passing is just a reminder to me to live each day the fullest. Life is so precious and unpredictable. I understand this isn't always possible. I mean some days we just need a good piss & moan session, but let's keep those short!

Just Smile!

Being a Tourist in Your Hometown

So I have lived in Washington my whole life. In fact I have lived in the Pacific Northwest my whole life. IN FACT...I am currently living about 14 miles from the homes I grew up in. Yep...I have not ventured far.

Needless to say...I have rarely played tourist in Seattle. Oh sure I have ventured down there once every 10-15 years but that is about it. If it hadn't been for Shelby creating a bucket list and wanting to visit some touristy places that were in Seattle, it would probably be another 10-15 years!

So the first stop on our tour was the original Starbuck's in Pike Place Market. Did you know that this is NOT the first location? The first Starbucks cafe was located at 2000 Western Avenue from 1971–1976. This cafe later moved to 1912 Pike Place, its present location

Next stop, the infamous Gum Wall! And wouldn't you know it, I left my gum in the car! Luckily Shelby had a few pieces in her pocket. This is a fairly new attraction having been created in 1993 when patrons of a nearby theater stuck gum to the wall and placed coins in the gum blobs.Theater workers scraped the gum away twice, but eventually gave up after market officials deemed the gum wall a tourist attraction around 1999.

After perusing the market we got back in the car and ventured to Fremont to find out what lives under the bridge! This is also a newer attraction. He was sculptured in 1990 by 4 artist for the Fremont Art Council. He measures 18 feet high. Hmm, that makes for some pretty big boogies!

Then we had to venture to Henry Art Gallery, because what could be more fun then walking through a room filled with over 37,000 balloons? Needless to say I got totally lost but did find my way out!

To finish off the day we stopped for yummy burgers at Dick's. This was the location in Lake City. The original one opened on January 28th (what a good day!) in 1954 in the Wallingford neighborhood. Needless to say, burgers have increased in price since then when they were only $.19!

All in all a good day playing tourist in our very own Seattle!

Thank You

I have words that I want to type out, but not quite sure how to construct my sentences. I sat here for a few minutes just contemplating on what the title of my post should be! Nothing catchy came to mind so I figured a simple thank you would do.

I want to say thank you to those people that have made me feel happier, and may not have even realized it! Those that I ran into while around town and made it a point to say that they enjoy my posts, and how I made them laugh or smile.

I want to thank those friends that just send me a quick text when they know I am feeling down to make sure I am okay or if I need to go for coffee (or something a bit stronger!) to vent/cry/scream.

I am thankful for those that may make what seems like a small gesture, but it brightens my day and reassures me I have a great support system.

So Thank You, Muchas Gracias, Merci, Danke, Grazie, Arigato and Tack!

Warning: Toxic

Honestly I wish people that were toxic had to wear signs like this. It would clue me in to the fact that I don't need them in my life, that I need to steer clear of them and that all they will do is poison my thoughts and beliefs.

I am, and I think always will be, a firm believer that people come and go in our lives for a variety of reason. Sometimes, unfortunately, I think these toxic people have to cross our paths so that we will grow as a person, or possibly correct our own imperfection. Not that I have to like it, but I am sure they all serve a purpose.

I really do try to see the best in people. If someone does not favor me (yes, it does happen, as shocking as that may be!) I just tell myself that there is something about me that makes them insecure which in turn causes them to be negative towards me. I cannot control what other people do or say. I hope people will like me but I realize not everyone will. I cannot let their negative thoughts affect how I think about myself. I know I am a good person and that is all that matters.

I think I may stock up on a few of these stickers though and just randomly go around and stick them on people that are toxic in my life! I mean I will be doing good for all man kind!