Meet Me Monday & Memorial Day!!

Well its a new week! Here we go. I first wanted to start by saying today is Memorial Day...a day to remember our fallen soldiers and an opportunity to thank the ones who are currently serving our country. Our US military, and their families, make me so incredibly proud and humbled by their service.

My family is touched by the military and the honor we feel that makes such a big impact on each and everyone of us. My Grandpa Elmer who lived in Hawaii during the times of pearl Harbor, My dad Frank & husband Chris are all Merchant Marine's, the most under appreciated part of the military but lets not forget the Merchant Marine's that have died supplying our troops. In World War || 9,300 gave their lives. Merchant Marine's are all signed up to go at a moments notice with the coast guard to bring support to a war if they are needed. Yes even ferry workers are signed up for this they do know this when they sign up for the Merchant mariners document. 


My Grandpa BoBo who past away when I was 5 was in the Navy and a part of the Korean War. I have heard many wonderful stories and how much he gave to his country, family & Community.  I wish he would have been the one that could have told me these stories himself. 


My Father in Law "Dewey" Was also in the Navy and last year on Memorial day he invited us to join him at the VFW and had us help serve the service men/women. When we were done serving they had each of the service members stand up while I never had experienced the feeling of being proud and thankful to these men and women like that before, all along were so selfless that they would lay down their lives for the country. I felt very lucky, honored and proud that my father in law served during the war and I felt so amazed and overwhelmed that it brought me to tears. 

I am an incredibly grateful and myself & my family appreciates the men and women, and their families. To the children who get left behind and to the spouse that become a single parent, in absence of their loved one. To the people who sacrifice so much to protect our freedoms and what America still stands for even when it seems like most people have forgotten. Well we haven't, we are blessed to have people that still  volunteer. I am amazed at all their dedication to our great country. We are blessed to have all of those that are so brave.



So, with that...thank you. Thank you all SO much for what you do and how very much you give.

On to meet me Monday! ...........

1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet? I would very much like to try to sky dive, I would like to have enough courage to also start to sing in front of people again.

2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on? At this moment I would buy stuff for our house, especially for the outside. If I didn't do that I would buy soap making stuff! :) Or scrapbooking items for the scrapbooking retreat I am going on in July!

3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child? The swing's!

4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast? Sweet! :)

5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy? Complete neat freak 99.9% of the time!

A trip to Seattle.... The Inn at the Market.

I parked the car at the Washington State Ferry dock on Bainbridge Island Rode across on the MV Tacoma. I was welcomed by the very friendly ferry worker & dock attendant as I walked on the over head walk way. I love the women’s restrooms on the Bainbridge ferryboats, the lovely ferry employee “lady” Nelly B put’s flowers in made up vases of old water bottles and brings flowers from her garden at home, going above and beyond she has even  bought fake flowers for when they are not in season. It just makes it welcoming and that added touch to brighten the riders already long days, making it feel a little more special.

 

When “Hubs” & I got off the ferry we walked up to 1st Ave in Seattle where we got our first coffee of the weekend. At the Starbucks on the corner. It is a super easy walk to the Inn even in the down poor of rain that we ran into. I know I am a true Seattle girl because I don’t need an Umbrella to keep me dry.
 

The Inn at the market, is beautiful you are welcomed warmly by the bellhops at this  boutique hotel. (even in the rain they had smiles on their faces) It is the only hotel located in the beautiful tourist destination of The Pike Place Market. The Sign to point you to the inn at the front makes you know instantly that you are about to enter something great. When we followed the bell hop into the courtyard of our hotel I felt like we had just been handed a pass to a secret and secluded little world where we were the only two invited. With their own Restaurant one of Seattle's most acclaimed restaurants, campagne cafe & Campagne. The cafe is where we got many more coffees over our stay.  There are also two cute shops that even they had hand picked details that I have never seen anywhere else.

The hospitality begins with the attentive staff happy to oversee every detail of our stay. The Lovely Lady that checked us in asked us what she could do for our stay to make sure that it was just perfect for us. Being early like always, they got us checked in earlier then the check in time & we asked her a few questions on where we should eat after making the hard choice of where to go she made us reservations at The Pink Door, which was wonderful, but your have to wait because I will tell you more about that later in a review all on its own. The Bell hop showed us to our room, taking us to the 6th floor to room 608, one of the 70 rooms on the property. 

When we walked in we were awe struck by the amazing view, At that moment I could have stayed and never left the room, for the 24 hours we were there for. The Bathroom was  with an extra large shower & tub combo, beautiful lighted crown molding with a raised ceiling. Both bright and crisp without even noticing there was no natural light.  The Mini bar was above my expectations thinking of every detail one might crave during their midnight munchies. An added bonus for me was that they stocked diet coke in the fridge for a small fee.  There has been many times I have paid an arm and leg for this amenity.  A Queen size bed with a memory foam mattress that was very comfortable to sleep in. A flat screen TV with all the channels that you would need. Complementary wifi. (love this) A table & two chairs placed perfectly  in the bay window making it easy to relax, sit back and watch the views of Pudget Sound and all it has to offer. Being right on top of Pike Place you could open the window and smell the baked good, and the smell of coffee that crept in.

What made it even more special is the rooftop deck they offer for their guests to use & enjoy. Here is where you can lay in an out door lounge chair and enjoy one of the best views of downtown Seattle, & Elliott Bay. Grab some wine, a good book ( on a sunny & warm day) We will be coming back to enjoy it on a hot Seattle summer day.


The hotel thinks of everything one might need down to the detail of a complementary umbrella for us to use while we explored Seattle and all it has to offer. Which really came in handy for us when we did. The rain couldn’t stop us with our sight seeing & It did make it feel romantic when we were able to snuggle even closer under it to save us from the rain. We made our way up Pine Street, taking in the sites and sounds of the city we went to Nordies.
 

We then walked over the sky bridge and strolled from top to bottom of Pacific Place where we had lunch at Gordon Biersch. Got my shopping sweet tooth on at whitehouse/blackmarket, where the store manager Sherilynn Prichard made me feel like I was Julia Robert’s in Pretty women.  The new spring line was amazing and I can’t wait to go back for more. Its nice to have such great quality with reasonable prices. Sherilynn told me they do fundraising events that they will even put together a fashion show for you that a percentage will go towards your charity! Now that is what I call a great retail therapy for a great cause! 

On our way back to the hotel we got cheese cake from The Cheese Cake Factory & we stopped into a underground grocery store where we were able to grab some stuff and eagerly headed back to our cozy hotel room.


In the morning we had room service deliver our breakfast at 9:00 AM so we could take advantage of the hotels noon check out time. Making it so relaxing to have the extra time. Where I took full advantage of relaxing & snuck in a long hot bath before checking out. They do offer in room couples and solo massages. I will be doing this when I go back in December to have some extra special holiday romance with the “hubs” where we can take in some Seattle holiday magic. 

Our room we stayed in was $375.00 a night.  Some might think that this is a bit much but is it way worth it for the experience of the magic this hotel has to offer. Plus with a staycation like this for a local you don’t have to pay the air fare and right there makes so of a difference.

I can not wait to go back again!

Lynn Hammond...Harbor Hair design.

When do local become locals here in our little town?  How long do most of us have to live in a town before they are considered to be a local? What do the old timers  say about it?  I asked this question a while ago to my grandpa Elmer “Longmate”  Who was born in his parent’s farm house in South Kingston he replied “we are local, the others are not  Then he went on to say, if your family is in the Kingston cemetery then you are a local. When I asked my Dad Frank (Longmate) the same question he said a few names and then I asked him if Lynn Hammond is a local & he said “Oh yeah she is a local, when someone’s been in this town for as many years as she has then you are considered to be a local for sure. “

So with that I decided that she would be my next women business that I would highlight. I didn’t know her like one might think, but I did go to school with her daughter Vanessa and hearing stories of the bus rides she use to take going to school with my Dad & being in a small community like Kingston even when you don’t know someone well, you still “know them”, and what I know of Lynn is she is an amazing women that works hard and loves her clients and thinks of them as an extension of her family.

Lynn  moved to Jefferson beach in Kingston, June 1967, She had just finished the 7th grade in Seattle when her parents decided that Kingston would be a great place to raise a family. Thinking that Seattle was too wild, for them, “but Little did they know they were moving me to party central, but that is a different story for another time.” Moving to the country must have been a real shock considering that Lynn had never been camping had moved into a tent for the summer while thier house was being built. They didn’t even have any running water or power.  At the time Lynn’s father was a civilian working in VietNam.

In 1972, Lynn graduated from North Kitsap High School. Directly following, she started beauty school in Bremerton and by that time her family had moved to Hansville, There were no freeway’s then, so Lynn had to drive a very long way six days a week for  a year. Completing it in 1973.

After Beauty school Lynn found herself with a job in Edmonds lasting for only three months she couldn’t take the commute any longer so she quit. Floating around  to a few different salons  & having life speeding past her Lynn married,became a Mom to two Children, divorced. Leading her to look at finding a place to work in down town Kingston so she could do the single mom thing and be closer to her home & kids.  Lynn found a place in  Kingston  in the building where the sheriff’s office is now. In no time at all, she had bought the business from the owner. Soon realizing  that the hardest part of owning her business is the fact that she  knew absolutely nothing about running a business.

In 1989 Sue Newman joined her at the salon, brining lots of talent. They have now worked together for 20 years. Twelve years after they started to work together, they moved to the place in which Lynn fondly refers to as the hole. After four years there Lynn and Sue moved to the location where they are at still to this day.  “I am very proud of the people I work with and of the way my salon has grown. We take pride in the fact that our work is very good.”  Lynn considers the people that she works with her best friends, three of them were raised here, and raised their own families here, making it that much more special to work in Kingston.

Over the years Lynn has taken many business  & hair classes, even becoming a Redken Certified Hair colorist, now leading her down the road to begin teaching other hairstylists.  Lynn thanks her husband David, of fourteen years for being very supportive of all her adventures in business. Lynn says “It is a great feeling to be in business for 25 years in Kingston”. I don’t think being a single mother is ever easy, but the support I have received from my clients and friends has been amazing. Growing up, Lynn’s poor kids could never get away with anything because   “I usually knew about it first  by someone either calling me or stopping by the salon telling me all about it. Being in a small town at that time had its advantages.”

Lynn decided to stay here & raise her family.  Loving the small town atmosphere and to feel like her children would feel as if they truly belonged to the community.  She hopes that feeling never change’s. Sadly she feels like it  isn’t a very small town anymore. But,   Luckily there are people in Kingston who really feel the same way and have tried to keep that feeling of a small town alive.  Being so close to the big city and yet being far enough away is the best of both worlds.

When I asked Lynn If there was one thing she would change about our town it was that when Lynn goes  to the grocery store that she would actually like to know someone there besides the clerks! That part of Kingston really has changed. “Not knowing everyone anymore makes me sad” Lynn is really glad that she didn’t leave. Lynn would like to say  A great big THANK YOU to KINGSTON for many years of wonderful memories and a fantastic life for her and her family, for the great support they have been given “ I tend to get pretty emotional when I think about it. “ Lynn said.  I am glad that I got to meet this wonderful lady in person, after years of hearing about what amazing lady that still does my Grandma’s hair is, I am truly honored to have been given the privilege to interview and do this article on.

At press time I found out that My Grandma gets her done by Sue. So I am sorry for the mistake in the article & That Sue is Lynn's Associate not her business partner.  Sorry for the mistake's. 

Sex and the City 2.......

Last night I went and watched the 7pm Sex and the City 2 and I have to say that it was a wonderful movie. I am even thinking of going again. The funny thing is we all have these women in our real lives that we are friends with. We all see ourselves in one of the characters. The characters that I see myself most like ( with out the heals and trendy clothes) would have to be Carrie.  I have never related to a movie as much as I did with this one. The entire Carrie & Big thing was really how I feel with "Hub's"we are perfectly happy being just the two of us for the most part, but deep down I feel like we have pushed that feeling up to the surface to protect us, for not having a third wheel. I love being the "aunite" like Carrie does but is it really enough? 

The Fashion in Sex and the City 2 is what it always is but why are we bringing back hammer pants. It died with MC hammer why are we bringing these things back?  If I wanted to look like I wore a diaper I would slap on some depends. I did love  the fact in the last scene of the film that "Big" & Carrie were huddled on the couch and he was in his business suit and she was in an evening gown.... I think "Hub's" would shit himself if I laid down in an evening gown on the couch to watch a movie.

The film opens with a gay wedding - a gay best friend of one of the girls is marrying a gay best friend of another. "How did this happen?" asks Miranda. "I thought they hated each other!" THE Best part of the entire movie for me was seeing Liza Sing all the single ladies & being the officiant in the Gay wedding. Made my heart swells with love! Might I add that I would die for her legs......

The films' appeal lie in something grand living on the nostalgia of a once-good show, a show that managed to redefine sexual roles, and a film franchise that couldn't have done more to set them back. Now every tick and trademark of the show has become a commodity. They were into fashion? Now they change every two minutes (at one point, they change in the middle of the desert, yet they look like they've each been given 60 seconds in a Salvation Army store). Again the Hammer pants!?! What the heck?

This movie was everything Sex and the City is.. Amazing.... and I love a movie that I can laugh till I cry and cry till I laugh.  I love my girlfriends that I am lucky enough to have in my life the girlfriends that I have, make me a better person. I hope you all know how much I love you!

Yet as any Sex and the City fan will tell you - after they've told you how it's about them, and about their life and their friends,  they will tell you it's all about the message of it. The message. Yes. And the message is this: everything will be okay. That's always the Sex and the City message. Because when you have girlfriends like I do its always going to be okay. 

You may have walked into the theater wearing clearance sandals and a Target handbag, smuggling in your own popcorn and soda.... but you leave feeling like one of Carrie’s friends. Michael Patrick King empowers the characters and audience by embracing womanhood and the magic of escapism. I look forward in another two years to watch sex and the city 3.. maybe by then Carrie and I will be ready for babies.

Sometimes....Somebody. Thankful Thursday.

Sometimes you think about the friends and people that are in your life. My Grandma Aggie told me one time when I had lost a friendship that meant everything to me in my playground world and imaginary life of being a child , she got down to my level looked into my dark brown tear filled eyes and said " God, brings friends to you that come in your life for what you need them to be. Some will last a moment and some will last forever, but they are all for you to learn things from. With every friendship even the ones that sadly will end. You will walk away learning something from them all. I find this to be true for many of my friendships from then to now. I do think one thing is for sure, I am lucky to have my Mom she was my first friend and truly my best friend. I just wish that the girl that at times treated her mom like a punching bag for my emotional outbursts could go back in time and show the younger me just how much better it is to get along and treat her well, because she does so much for me. Always have and always will. 

I started to think about what makes somebody a friend?  How do you decide if someone is a best  friend,a good friend, an acquaintance, a friend by default, or convenience. You know those friends, a friend by default is a friend who your only really friends with because you were always hanging out with the same people. Truth be told you would never be friends outside in the real world. That you are really just friend because its the "click" you are a part of. 

When I was a young girl we lived in the very rural town of Hansville. There was one bus stop for all the kids in area because there was only a few of us that they didn't want to waste the gas. The kids that lived in Hansville were friends because no one else would drive their kids out for a play date.   I made friends at school very easy but the only friend I hung out with was my moms best friends kid. S & I were the best of friends and being that we were both only children only made sense that we would become a lot like sister, hair pulling, love hate relationships. Would we have been friends if our mom's hadn't been? I don't think so, but when I look back on my childhood I know it would have never been the same with out her in it. I still love her with all my heart. 

I made friends where ever I went. I am a still like that. I  had sleep overs, birthday parties, play dates. My parents made me do all kinds of activities swim team, singing, art classes, sewing classes. You name it they had me try it if I asked.  In the past I would have described a friend as somebody I liked to hang out with.  Someone I sat next to at the lunch table with at school.  Somebody I called and talked to whenever homework was done, that was when I was able to talk to them from 7 to 7:30 after homework and before bed time.

When I was in high school a friend was somebody I could talk to and spend my time with outside of school. Endless lazy days. My Mom has an illness that she has had for most of her life. Because of this I didn't stay at other people's house's very often. I would bring my friends to my house and she always allowed me to bring my friends to our house. Never asking questions and always making it fun. A friend at that point was somebody to pass notes to in class about my latest crush, asking did you think he looked at me in "this" way or "that" way?   Somebody that would double date at prom, that would ride in my car, that would dream with me about my future life. 

When I was in in my early twenties, a friend would be someone that I could tell things to about what was going on in my life, someone I worked with. someone I could go out dancing with and laugh about the things we saw. Someone who helped me color my hair, Someone that would fix me a drink after a bad date with a guy that clearly didn't appreciate a descent girl, All the while watching chick flicks & hanging out with my two favorite guys Ben & Jerry's.

Now Here I am in my early thirty's  and I'm just now finally starting to understand what being a true friend is really about.  Now someone that is a friend is someone that checks in on you when you don't even know that you need them to. A friend that knows there's nothing they can do to fix the situation but they want to do whatever it takes to hold you up.  Someone that wouldn't think twice to take time out from their own very busy life to give you the support that you need just to get through the day, the week, the month, the hard times that you are going through.  A friend is someone that shares their deepest darkest secrets regardless how chaotic, crazy, hilarious, or gross they are & you do the same thing knowing that it is safe.  Someone that laughs about life with you when nobody else gets it. Someone that loves you for who you are not for who you want to be. A friend in my 30's is someone that gives to you as much as they take.

A friend is someone you can go weeks without talking to because life gets crazy, but as soon as you pick up the phone or meet for a coffee that time that has gone by is like it has only been a day ago, It's like they were never really gone at all. A friend is someone that isn't afraid to tell you the truth, even if it's a painful truth. A true friend is someone they can tell you a whats for and they know you won't fly off the handle.  A friend is someone you can talk about all of life's mysteries and up's and down's, work, marriage, parenting, loss never feeling judged or embarrassed.  Someone you can talk to about your painful past that still haunts you, the present that challenges you and the future that gives you panic attacks, & anxiety. Someone that knows when to just listen, knows when to give advice, and knows when to cry along with you.  They stand up for you because in your 30's your friends become your family. You go from 100's of friends on your contact list to a handful of wonderful friends that you can put in the I.C.E. section  of your contact on your cell phone.

I'm blessed & thankful that I have a few close friends, a few that I grew up with, a few I have only known a while, and a few that are my best friends for all different reason. That they fit most of these descriptions of a true friend.  I look forward to meeting new friends. For me the new friends that I have made and grown to love are from my blogging world & Most of us have never met in person,  but I feel more bonded to these girls than most people I see in my daily life. They are friendships I can't wait to see grow. I love to blog not just to update people in my life but the ones that I have "met" online & the other social networks that have opened doors to many exciting and new thing. I know that this has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.  I'm so thankful for each and everyone of them....

A girl could never have to many shoes, handbags, or girlfriends. With this being said I think we girls in the PNW need to plan a day in a local park with our families and really get to know eachother. We all love one another from cyber space we mail Christmas card, birthday cards, emails and are forever sending the encouragement to each other that each and everyone of us 

truly need. We all impact one another's lives and its truly amazing. 

You all know who you are......as Betty White would say......Thank you for being a friend! <3

Wordless Wednesday's!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA


The Dough

This recipe will make four individual sized 12-inch pizzas. I generally half the recipe though without incident.

1- 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1-1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing the crust
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp salt

**You Can Mix the Dough By Hand:**
Stir the yeast and sugar into the water in a large mixing bowl; let stand until foamy about 5 minutes.
Stir in the oil. Mix the flour and salt and stir, 1 cup at a time, into the yeast mixture, beating well to get all of the lumps out.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until soft and satiny, but firm, about 8 minutes.

**Or You Can Choose to Mix the Dough in Your Mixer:**
Stir the yeast and sugar into the water in a mixer bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the oil with the paddle.
Mix the flour and salt and add to the yeast mixture.
Mix until the dough comes together.
Change to the dough hook and knead at medium speed until soft and satiny but firm, about 3 minutes. Finish kneading briefly by hand on a lightly floured surface.

At this point place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly and allow it to rise for 1 hour. Then punch the dough down, cover it again. and allow it to rise a second time for approximately 30 minutes.

Next, pre-heat the oven to 500ºF. Liberally sprinkle your baking sheets with olive oil. Divide and shape the dough. Generally, we cook one pizza per pan. For BBQ Chicken Pizza layer the below toppings in the following order: BBQ sauce, cheese, chicken, red onions, and finally pepper. Bake for 10 minutes and then immediately remove the pizzas from the pans and place them on a cutting surface or board. Slice and serve.

Toppings for One Pizza:
1 cup shredded roast chicken.
2/3 cup BBQ Sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

(We’ve also used various blends of Parmesan, Fontina, and Gouda before.
Any or all of these cheeses make a great topping).
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper