Happy Mothers Day! ( the 5 ladies)

I am blessed with many wonderful women in my life.

My Grandma Mom = We didn't get to have the regular bond that most kids get with their Grandma. We started to get close about ten years ago. She makes me laugh and is easy going. Sometimes she tells me these wonderful stories of my Grandpa that past away when I was 5. I only remember a few things about him but sharing it with her makes me feel a connection to him, and for that I 'm very grateful. When she married this great guy Ed he become the grandpa we all needed. He became the man of the family that came in and took care of a broken family that was shattered at my grandpa's death. Now I have so much in common with my Grandma-Mom. We are close & its made me happier then I ever could have thought possible. She is a wonderful grandma that would give me anything if she could & she just makes me feel special & loved. I am glad I have been given this chance to be close. 

My Mother in Law Kris= We have had the regular mother in law / daughter in law relationship. It is wonderful that we have so many things in common. She is a craft queen. Can cook like no ones business, she has a creative side that is beyond any magazine on the stands. Her faith in what she believes in and her walk with God is one of the strongest I have ever had the pleasure to see.  Even with ups and downs she is my mother in law and the love she has for my husband and his Children. She is a wonderful Grandma to his boy's and there has been so many fun memories I have with her and Kris has shown and taught me so many things, The most fun I have with her is when the two of us go on a garage sale Saturday! It is truly something I look forward to doing. She is quilting now and I hope that I will be able to learn how to do that from her. I am thankful I have her in my life. 

My Grandma Aggie= What can I say about this wonderful women. She has been like the 2nd mom to me from the time I was born. I was lucky enough to be able to spend many nights with her growing up. She always loved me taking care of me the best way a grandma knows how. Still to this day when I am sick she makes me soup.  We talk many times a week on the phone and I look forward to the times when we get to visit in person. Always being a face in the crowd at anything I was ever a par of, concert, swim meets, grandparents day,  making all  my costumes for me to go trick or treating as. Even become like a grandma to most of my friends. I always loved it when she would watch me when my parents went out of town. Her and my Grandpa moved down the street when I was in the 4th grade and I couldn't have been more blessed, doing this was a big deal because of how much she loved her home on their farm in Kingston.  The one thing I have always wanted is to have "Nana" be proud of me & I think I have done that. I always hope she knows just how much she means to me & how much I love her. 

My Step-mother in law Karen= Karen married my father in law a while back and she has brought lots of joy and fun to our family. She really loves each of us kids so much. We don't have many memories or times we have spent together yet, but I do look forward to make new memories with her. When her and my father in law got married I was very touched that she asked me to stand up for her as her maid of honor.  There is one thing that her and I are alike and that is getting our family together and celebrating our family's milestones.  I am happy that now I have three new step nephews & two step sister in laws & two step brother in laws. It's fun to have more family.  

My Mommy= My Mom was my first friend, my best friend. I love her more then I can even put in to words. We are so close, I think its partly because she was so young when she had me and we kind of grew up together. Most of the time it was just me and mom because dad had to work.  She taught me how to be a travel loving girl.  My mom always put me and my dad first and every morning when I was growing up and going to school she got up and made me dinner, she knew I hated the bus so most of the time she drove me. She knew that growing up in the sticks was hard because their was nothing to do.  She didn't work until I was in highschool because she wanted to make sure someone was always home for me.  We had our share of ups and downs as most mothers and daughters do, but we have come through that and we are closer then most people are with their parents. She loves Chris and protects him and in most cases takes his side. :) She is the best thing I have in my life and I look forward to having our adult years spent full of wonderful times.  I love her she really is as corny as it sounds my bestfriend, my rock and the one constant thing in my life. 

These women all make me a better person and I am so much better because these women are a part of who I am today and who I want to become tomorrow. I love you all so much.

Happy mother's day.

Trip on a Tank The Bishop Hotel.

As you drive into Port Townsend you look down upon the beautiful bluff to the blue sky and the inlet of the water that reflects the color of the landscape that it is surrounded by. The cute ferry that can fit in and out of the slip rocks up and down in the Port Townsend ferry dock.  The neat mix of people on vacation, the wealthy, and the grunge hippies that make the culture of Port Townsend something that you have to experience for yourself to truly enjoy it. Nestled in between a triangle of Three Forts, Warden, Flagler & Casey which use to protect what they thought when they built it was going to be the “ Seattle” & where the Staights meet’s the Puget sound. Lucky for us it didn't become Seattle it became a lovely vacation destination by the sea.

You start to travel down main straight and cut back to the little alley that wraps around the back area of downtown Port Townsend, and you stumble to one of the towns jewel’s. The Bishop Hotel. You pull into the private and free parking area for the hotel and enter into the reception area and feel so welcome as soon as you walk into the hotel.  Like a guest at your Grandma's house.

The staff was so nice telling us what they thought we would need to know. Looking around the lobby that has the old victorian charm.  The rooms are through a separate entrance then the hotel lobby, The Stairs are a bit steep,  but the small hike up to your room is well worth it when you step into your own personal victorian experience. You can almost sense the victorian men and women walking around and spending time in this history rich hotel. The attention to every detail is all appointed with period furniture, historic lighting, and the special touch of whimsy that is obvious to all the guest’s that get the chance to stay here.

Our room was number 14 with a kitchenette, fully stocked with dishes, glasses, & silverware, (This is something that all 16 rooms come with) fold out couch, a beautiful dinning area, and a gas fireplace with a comfy wing back chair next to it so you can hunker down and enjoy that book you are reading. Most things that you would expect to come in a hotel went above and beyond my expectation here. The TV was a little out dated but with a room as nice as this and a town as fun as this it really didn’t matter, and I still got to watch my Thursday night TV line up and because of having basic cable the hub’s got to watch his fox’s sports net.  With there being Free wifi in the room and a guest computer to use on the same floor was just what I needed and also something I look for in all the hotels I stay in. It was nice to be able to print our directions for the next day’s venture. 

The bathroom is pretty good size, and private which is an added bonus in a hotel that is this old. I was hoping for a claw foot tub, but the stand up shower was so spacious & the bath products were a pleasant surprise with the smell & quality that were so nice that I didn’t even have to use mine from home, because of that it was hardly noticed that there wasn’t a tub. Although some suites feature soaking tubs with cozy lounging robes for the guest to enjoy. I will make sure that I ask for one of those rooms next time  I stay. The best part is that I  didn’t have to pack a hair dryer!  Let’s face it when you are on a mini vacation you need to pack as little as possible, so this helps. out ALOT! 

The garden area that we were able to enjoy was simply a joy to sit and soak up some of the sun that found its way out of the clouds.  The rhohdies were out in full bloom and the freshly cut grass made all the flowers of the victorian cottage garden’s stand out that much more. This is another perfect place to bring the fur babies, because they are welcome here. The fur babies loved the garden just as much as we did. 

During the trip to Port Townsend we were lucky to stop by the Summer house with owners Glenn & Christine  Lyons. We then stumbled in to Sirens   Where we were able to enjoy a IPA & a nice Ice tea. While we were able to enjoy where the locals hang out.   We decided to eat at The Bellmount Hub's had the Chef salad and I had the french dip. Because the weather was so nice we were lucky enough to end our evening out on the deck where we very much enjoyed watching the ferry go back and fourth and the little boats go by to the Marina. The Staff at the Bellmount were as always so great. My Mom and I go here at least once or twice a month when we do a day trip up here. We have been coming to this restaurant since I was 7 years old, so it really seems almost like its a part of my family.

So make sure you do yourself a favor and try a stay a night or two at the The Bishop hotel. 
& just an added bonus when you stay more then once you become a part of the frequent guest program earning great things like Dinner, or a free night's stay. This is with any othe rthe sister properties as well. So make your reservation and feel like you stepped back in time, at least for a night. I do hope they some day invite me to check out their sister property at the The Swan Hotel


Tell them Kingstongirl sent you!

Thursday is the day before Crazy town.....

It is that time of year! Finally sunshine was out today. Hub's & I went for a drive to Fort Flagler. Neither of us had been there for years. It was so fun to talk about all the fun things we did when we were there. Amazed that we were there at the same time, both of us went in our junior high years with Church.  Never meeting one another even when Hub's best friend and my best friend were dating. How the heck that happens is beyond me. We have talked about all our close encounters at meeting. Our friends were friends, we knew people that knew each other.  It really makes me wish that we would have met back then. That our story would have started earlier. I know things happen for a reason and the road we traveled to get to where we are right now was the journey that we were lead to live, it just would have been nice to have dated my best friend back then. 

The trust I have with Hub's is amazing I only truly trust two other people like this on earth. My parents. To love this much is beyond anything I have ever felt. Even in the times that being married has been hard it's still been the happiest time in my life. I wouldn't change any second of it. Even if it is the good, the bad, the ugly! It still has been a fun ride and we have seen so many things and done so much. We are a good team together.  My family has all felt lucky to have Hub's  become a part of our family. 

He loves my parents as much as I do. He loves both sets of Grandparents as much as I do. Loves my Aunts and Uncles and my 100's of Cousins as much as I do. I guess when my mom say's that I would have never looked twice at him back when we didn't see eachother in the crowed hall's, the hussle and bussle of Summer camps, or in the sanctuary of the church we both use to go to. She is right it wasn't our time. Thank God it is now.

Today we talked about all of that and we are happy the way things turned out because going through what we did to get to each other we are now able to never take each other for granted.  The day ended by us watching the sunset at the other Fort, at Fort Worden.   We are looking forward to what tomorrow will bring. This weekend is full of wonderful things to do, a trip up through Whidbey Island, over deception pass, through Skagit Valley to Bellingham to spend some much needed time with Hub's sister and family.  You will often here me say that I am an only child but when I married Chris I was blessed to have Two brother's and a sister in law. My sister in law's are some of my dearest friends.

Have a great Thursday and I hope you survive Friday!

Today's Baby Give away..

We are giving a Dress away for 1 lucky reader! 

Here are the Rules! 

1.   Follow me on my blog= 2 points

2.     Follow me on Twitter = 2 points

3.     Friend me on Facebook = 2 points

4.     Go to  Today's Baby and follow Linda = 5 points

5.     Go to her Esty Shop and tell me what two things you would like to buy=

6.     Blog about this giveaway = 20 points

7.      Twitter about this giveway.  20 points.

8.     Buy something at Today’s baby= 50 points.

9.     Add today’s baby to your facebook account = 10 points

CONTEST ENDS ON JUNE 1ST!!!!!!

Today's Baby Review!

When I met Linda Hall, I realized that it is a very small world.  My Hub’s family has been close family friends with Linda. Hub’s grew up with her twin daughter’s Haley & Heather.  Haley is married to a great guy that I grew up with and his family is close friends with my family.  Then when I got on facebook I got to “meet” Linda when there was a fundraising event she donated a beautiful hand made quilt that she made. Her talent and her kindness were both unbelievable.  I thought that Linda would make a good person to review and do my first giveaway with at the same time.

Linda was born and raised on Bainbridge Island. Where she raised Her twins, Hayley and Heather.  After they were grown and gone, The Island wasn’t the same place she grew up on or raised her girls on. It became over ran and Linda felt like she had Over dosed on Yuppieism and decided it was time that she moved off the Island.

Over the years she had done different jobs, like when she was a bookkeeper for Silverwood Homes, which operated out of their home/office at Apple Cove.

After retiring, she began quilting and discovered that giving them to relatives only goes so far in disposing of them. They do tend to pile up, especially when one turns the sewing machine onto "Turbo" and power sews as she does.

She learned about "Martha's Helpers" at the church across the street from my apartments. What Martha’s helpers do is that they make quilts for children attending a school in West Africa. It was founded by an old schoolmate of Linda’s.  At that time she decided to get started on making and donating her quilts to them. Word got out of her talent and what she was doing when her daughter in Oregon, Camela, asked Her to donate quilts to children on a Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. So she did that & it kept her busy.

This right here shows what a big heart and a giving spirit that Linda has. Most people don’t donate the works of art of quilting but she didn’t think twice.

Then almost a year ago, Her niece in Anacortes turned her on to "Etsy," the online store for handmade items. Linda took the information but really didn’t think to much of it except for being rather casually about it,  she then decided to give it a try and list some of her quilts.

Then to Linda’s surprise one sold.  “People found them and actually bought them”  Since then, Linda has listed and sold diaper bags, purses, swaddling blankets, and more recently, baby clothes. That are out of this world.

If you are a local in the Kitsap area you need to go to "Rock-A-Buy" Children's Consignment Shop on your way to Bainbrige on Hwy 305. They have all of Linda’s items for sale there. It was a perfect match to sell her things not only on Esty but also at the Children's Consignment Shop. Lately Linda has branched out selling her clothes that are seen on Facebook.  Word of mouth is spreading fast selling now to private parties who have seen them on someone or referred to by customers that she has had by her items already. 

Starting off as something to do to make a little spending money has turned into a growing business is much more than Linda had ever envisioned. “It’s something I was going to do anyway’s might as well make money while I am at it.” What is nicest for Linda is that she has so much flexibility and can come and go as she pleases. Never having to get up and go to work is a big bouns.

What she likes best about selling online is that it makes a way for stay at home moms to make money if they are crafters. "Etsy" even features baked goods for sale.

“At the age of 71, I'm so grateful that I have something to be excited about and a reason to get out of bed everyday. I am blessed.” Linda said

 I know one thing for sure, getting to Know Linda over the past few months I have been blessed. You should get that new baby or favorite child's gift through Linda & todays baby

           Contest rules for the giveaway for the Dress is.

1.   Follow me on my blog= 2 points

2.     Follow me on Twitter = 2 points

3.     Friend me on Facebook = 2 points

4.     Go to  Today's Baby and follow Linda = 5 points

5.     Go to her Esty Shop and tell me what two things you would like to buy=

6.     Blog about this giveaway = 20 points

7.      Twitter about this giveway.  20 points.

8.     Buy something at Today’s baby= 50 points.

9.     Add today’s baby to your facebook account = 10 points

Wordless Wednesday's!

This is a picture of myself, my nephew Quinn & Hub's. We love this guy more then words & I think he feels the same way! I might never be a Mom but I will always be his Auntie.
 He will always hold my heart.

Tempt my Tummy tuesday,

Chocolate Chip/peanut butter cookies................. ( From back of Chips package!)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) 
• Granulated sugar

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. 
COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.
DROP dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.
BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Spread dough into ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.