A Little Life in Everything

(Picking the photos for this post was really hard, I might have to post again about these because they are so pretty!)

We headed north back to Roosenguard to finish the flower tour we started last month with the daffodils for my b-day, remember here?   The tulips are really the main event for the area and the highways, smoke stacks and murals in the area are well . . . all about tulips.  We decided to avoid the crowds as best we could and headed up early, we learned that maybe it was a little too early but I’ll share our breakfast adventure with you later.  We arrived to the same sign I had my photo taken at last time only the entrance was now covered in rows and rows of tulips!  It was like a mini Holland!  I was blown away by the sheer amount to see, it was incredible; all the unique kinds.  I had no idea there were so many varieties.  From the tradition tulips to many variegated colors, thin tulips, tulips that were covered in ruffles and so many colors.  Tulips that looked almost dangerous with spikes all along the edges.  Even the original tulip shape had its differences being double or triple the size of a regular store bought tulip, here’s My Mr’s hand next to the blossom to give you the idea of how totally huge some of these are.  I couldn’t believe the colors and rows and rows of flowers.  In their display garden they had created elaborate designs created in tulips.  I fell in love with this white pink and green tulips mixer tulip.  They look beautiful closed and continue to look amazing as they unfold into a beautiful full flower.  I wanted to lay down in them they look so full the perfect bed.  It was a flower explosion and after 2 and a half hours of wandering through we had our fill of tulip absorption and were ready to call it a day.  My Mr purchased a bouquet for me of one of my favorite kinds and we headed home.  This is an amazing site to see, and the largest exporter of tulips on our continent.  Perfect way to ring in May!

Over the weekend My Mr and I celebrated our 8th anniversary.  Without going into all the cheesy details of our relationship just let me say that I couldn’t have picked a better partner to spend my life with.  He is my best friend and as we have gone through the twists and turns of life I have been glad to have him by my side.  I’m so grateful that he choose to spend his life with me.

Apparently our family is just so famous this week!  But I have to give Paxton credit he was on TV first.  I entered the photo above in a pet contest on the local Fox TV Station.  Now honestly I thought if we won that we might get you know a gift card or something dog care related.  I know that’s selfish but I mean who doesn’t love free stuff.  Well anyway the prize was that the winning dog would be on the news in the weather section.  I was pretty excited to get an email saying they picked Paxtons photo to share.  So even though I didn’t win anything at least my photo and my dog made it on the news!  Hopefully this will be the end of our TV careers!

I was driving in downtown Bellevue when I saw this black board saying, Before I Die . . . . . and what looked like places to write your own line!  So My Mr. and I made a date and headed down to the wall the next day to add ours.  We crossed the street grabbed a piece of chalk and I started writing.  But maybe I forgot to mention that our local KOMO 4 news crew was there at the same time and yes they interviewed both of us and asked what we wrote!  They were interviewing someone when we go there so I figured, “feeeww they won’t ask us.”  As soon as I finish writing they came up from behind and asked us what we wrote!  I was so embarrassed and really felt flustered, but they put in on the news anyway! (video below)  My Mr. was so profound with his answer, to bad it didn’t make the segment, and his reason why his line was so important to him, ahhhh I just love him (sorry for the cheesiness).  It was a really cool interactive art piece to have in our downtown; it’s something you more expect to see in the downtown Seattle area.  For all you Bellevue dwellers out there head down and see it, it could be a really fun FHE activity!  We took some time and read the lines from other people, which were funny, inspiring and yeah odd for example; “Kiss Justin Bieber,”  “ Become a billionaire,” “Truly Happy,” “Stop War,” “Get Married,” “Swim with Elephants.”  It was really cool to see what other people wanted to do.  By that evening we were getting texts, saying that people had seen us on the news.  We checked the TV stations main page and there we were, right on the front, WHAT!!?  Not the best hair day for us with all the wind and chilly temperature that were against us that morning.   But all in all it was a pretty fun experience for us, adding our own wishes and helping to create some art for downtown.  Let’s hope we achieve them!

My Mr. and I have begun our planting season.  This year we decided to try growing from seed some of our larger plants like; tomatoes & cherry tomatoes, cauliflower and cucumbers.  We got a little seedling pots and planted.  So far only one lone tomato plant is emerging, or at least we hope it’s a tomato plant.  I’m worried its a weed.  This weekend we decided to up our game and get a little terrarium to put them in.  Maybe they need a little heat?  Ideas?  We placed them in the windowsill and we will wait to see if these are a little more successful.  Along with the seedlings My Mr. wants to try a bigger garden this year and so he made us our own little grow box out of cedar planks in our lovely back yard.  He did a really nice job on it!  And filled it with our own composted soil (this is where you ooh and ahh over our tree hugger’ness).  We have been working on it all winter!  I was going to post a photo of the insides of the compost bin but I think you might dry heave from the visual of moldy, egg-shelled soil, which is high in nutrients and high is barf educing smell.  We planted sugar snap peas a couple of weeks ago and we’re finally starting to see the beginnings of them! (way to go soil)  Thanks to the semi summer weather we have had during the past week.  We can’t wait to get our little garden going and have some fresh veggies to enjoy. 

(Special Thanks to CK for most of the photos)

While I was away My Mr. did play!  Or at least he watched some others play.  He headed with a group of guys, and Carla to the Seattle Sounders game!  They donned the Sounders scarf’s all entirely provided by CK, the one pictured in a large green hat.  Who opened the back of his car and told everyone to pick one out from packed trunk full of Sounders specific scarf’s!  (He’s a Sounders fanatic).  They ate in the Chinese district, which is a pre-game tradition before the game. It never ceases to amaze us what can be found on the menus, Crispy Pig Intestine, Boiled Pork Liver & Kidney, Beef Internal Delicacies, I’m not sure I want to know what the delicacies are!  After getting their fill they worked off a bit of their dinner with a walk down to the stadium.  They watched, decked out in their Seattle Gear, as the Sounders slaughtered their opponents the Houston Tigres.  Leaving the Stadium in the victory of a dark spring night!  Seattle is a beautiful town at night all lit up!  He had a blast, sometimes a guys night is needed.  I’m grateful that he not only enjoys what he does but the people, no friends he works with as they have really been so incredibly good to us! 

Way to go Sounders!

Do most dogs cross their legs?  I find that this is a common position for the pup, yes even in sleep.  I woke him from his rest when the flash went off.  He is always so proper, crossing his paws every time he sits or sleeps or sunbathes in the window.  It’s kinda a weird and fancy trait our dog has developed.

With our travels to Utah being very long and arduous, I mean 14 hours in one day is a little much for anyone.  Our issue however was the little fuzz ball that is an essential piece of our family, is also required in Utah by parents and nieces and nephews.  So his attendance in our time in Utah is a must.  We finally bit the bullet and took him to the pet store and tried every airline dog carrier known to man.  After the long and difficult sizing process (dogs don’t like being closed in random things go figure) found one that fit the pup comfortably and set the date for a quick trip and his maiden voyage.  We trained him to go inside with basic commands and then worked on zipping it up and caring him.  He seemed to handle this with ease.  The day of the flight, we checked him in with us, walked him through security, then he trotted down to our gate dog on his leash.  We sat down at the terminal and waited to board, the pup was so well behaved sitting quietly and looking around.  When boarding time came we pointed to his bag, zipped it up and off we went!  We placed him under our seat and soon realized that he needed to be able to see us, so we unzipped the top flap, out popped his head and the rest of the time was cake.  Though his nervous jitters would start during take off and landing eventually they would stop and he would relax into sleep.  The flight there and back was a breeze and the easiest part of our trip!  Now we can fly with the pup, 2 hours is a lot better than 14!

For those interested in dog flights, Southwest only requires that you let them know your dog will be flying with you as a carry on.  They don’t require any other paper work.  Some airlines require paperwork from your vet to fly with your dog.  Check with your airline of choice for details, but we were happy with the way Pax was treated on Southwest.

Our Christmas cards went out yesterday!  I am pretty happy with our card, I think it’s fun and different!  With so much having happened in our lives we thought it was a perfect year to do our first card.  So keep a look out in your mail box, it’s on it’s way friends!

Our Ferry night ride gave us some awesome views of the Seattle cityscape.  It’s such a beautiful view especially with the new ferris wheel, an addition this year.   The needle of course is an essential view.  We enjoyed the ride watching the city getting close and closer.  The dog enjoyed the rainy outdoor experience for a total of 2 seconds before wanting to return to the warm interior and adoring people who always fawn over him.  So much for his outdoor ferry ride.  We at least enjoyed the view.

(photo by me, Bountiful Temple)

Recently we were invited to accompany the missionaries on a discussion with a couple taking the discussions.  I was a little nervous having never served a mission and without going into the details of this spiritual and significant experience it is something that will stay with me forever.  So share my testimony with those who didn’t believe as I did and have such confidence and love in my heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ was a majestic experience.  That is the only word I can use to describe being apart of bringing the gospel into the lives of those who don’t have it.  I pray that they will feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost and if anything realize the love that their Savior has for them and his ultimate desire for them to return to him.  Hopefully I can live in a way to act as a conduit of our Saviors love.