hi friend

Sorry, no home tours today.

I'm off having surgery (no fun)

But, I do have something fun planned while I'm away.

I really love going through old photos.

So I thought I would share some of my memories.

As well as answer a get to know you questionnaire that I got through my friend,

 Cassie, from A Serenade For Solitude.

She recently awarded me a token of friendship.

So I wanted to thank you, Cassie, for such a lovely gesture.

And share with everyone my responses to the questions she asked.

on my way to pre-school

my mom made this costume and I won first prize!

my first art show

my best ballerina move

1.  What did you first want to be when you grew up?

A veterinarian.  Loved animals, still do, just can't deal with looking at their insides.  I have freshman year biology to thank for that one - I made my lab partner do all the dirty work for dissections.  ugh.

spying on the neighbors

we look innocent...

had to post this one for that sofa... wow!

2.  Favorite childhood game?

Hmmm...  my younger siblings and I liked to play pretend adventures.  We would pretend we were in the jungle outside and have to go through all of these obstacles to get through it (like crawl on your belly under the swings, climb the monkey bars, go around the trees).  Oh but this one time we took our cabbage patch play house, moved it to the bedroom, and decided it was in the middle of the swamp...  To create the swamp - we poured buckets of water all over the bedroom carpet, completely soaked it.  Guess we should have "pretended" a little more and not try to make it so authentic...

loved that outfit too!

you can see my cake towards the back of the table.

3.  Most favorite Birthday?

One that stands out the most was in Elementary School - A My Little Pony Party.  I remember my dad and godmother working so hard the night before on my birthday cake that they decorated.  The pin the tail on the pony (that I sooo cheated on with my "blindfold").  All of my friends came and I just remember having so much fun.

4.  Something you've always wanted to do but haven't done yet?

Just like Cassie, I would love to take a creative course/ retreat.  One that I've been drooling over lately will actually be held in the Pacific Northwest.  They are called Be Present Retreats and you can find them here.

It all just sounds wonderful to me.

got these from the book fair!!

5.  What was your first love?

Reading.  I LOVED going with my grandfather to the bookstore.  He would always buy me a book and I'd read it that night.  One of my best friends (who is a couple of years older than me) would let me borrow her books too.  I remember sitting in my bed with a 600 page book, just devouring it.  

6.  First musical idol?

Vanessa Williams, Save the best for last... ohhh that was my favorite.  I remember running to get the tape recorder when I heard it on the radio just so I could record it to play over and over and over again.

the first rose Josh gave me.

after a work holiday party.

right after he proposed, yosemite nation park.

7.  Favorite gift?

I remember my husband, back when we were first dating.  I worked at a bank and he was still in college.  One afternoon he left a single rose with a note on my windshield with a sweet little note to be dressed and ready for a date night and he would pick me up at a certain time.  It was a tiny gesture, but it will always be my favorite.

8.  If a theme song played for you everywhere you went, what would it be?

Jeez, my mind just went blank... hahaha more often than not I listen to classical music.

Vivaldi is one of my favorites, so anything by him.

Mendocino, CA

9.  Favorite city to visit?

So I have several because I can't choose just one:

Mendocino, CA

Portland, OR

Hood River, OR

Seattle, WA

Asheville, NC

10.  Just a few more pictures just for fun.

***

Hope you all had fun!  

Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow after surviving surgery.