WASHINGTON TRIP

My brother and his family have lived in Washington for 8 years and I have never been up to see them. Lance and I were invited to ride up with my mother and Henry and spend Conference weekend. I'm glad we did. They live in the area where Lance served a mission some 35 years ago. We were able to visit a lot of the areas where he served his mission. Mount Vernon is beautiful and the weather was perfect. A bit steamy from the humidity in the early morning as you can see from this picture. This is the front of the home the morning we loaded up to go site seeing. Thank you Brad and Trudy. We had a great time and it brought back many cherished memories from Lance's mission. I have so many pictures from this trip that it would take eons to post them all so I did just a few.

On our way up to the look out point of "The San-juan Islands" included Puget Sound, Whidbey Island, and more. I had to take pictures of the fungus that grows on everything. It is a sign that the air is very very clean. Anywhere that we saw fungus we knew we were breathing clean air. I could tell. It was so much eaiser to breathe and felt so good.

Ferns grow rampid as does the moss. The ferns were as tall as me.

Early morning haze still lingers in the air, but the view was still breath taking. The many bodies of water went forever and the many islands were incredibly beautiful.

Mom and Henry enjoying themselves.

Deception Pass was interesting. The pass is between Anacortes and Oak Harbor. The tide moves in and also out at the same time which makes a constant swirl.

Some of Puget Sound

Dylan posing just as the sun was going down.

My neice, Nina and nephews Dylan and Jordan

Catching the sun set

Deception Pass State Park. All the water in these pictures are all part of Puget Sound.

Brad and Lance

This is the biggest sea weed I have ever seen..Gross.

We took an hour and a half drive around Whidbey Island and then hoped the fairy back to the Seattle side. This is how many people commute to work everyday or to go shopping. Sometimes the line of cars to load on the fairy is several blocks long. Don't think I would like that commute.

The Mukilteo Fairy
Passing another fairy

The fairy going towards the Seattle side of the island. Cute little light house in the middle of the picture.

Part of LaConnor, one of the boat docks.

The bridge going into LaConnor. This is a view from the park .

We stopped at a park to have some lunch after crossing the bridge on our way to LaConner where Lance served most of his time during his mission. Back then it was mostly Indian reservation, where now it has built up to be a big tourist site with many shops and places to eat. While in the town we found a large oak kitchen table with a leaf for $35 in perfect shape. Since we drove a truck down we couldn't pass it up.

In the city of Sedro'woolley they have a wood carving contest on the 4th of July every year. They have it in town square for all to come and watch. They have around 18 people turn out each year who enter the contest. The carvers start out with a log around 3-4 feet in diameter and at least 8-10 feet tall. Up and down the main street of the town are lined with wood carvings that are incredable. These are just a few....

There are beautiful mureials painted on the sides of buildings

Caught the sun just before setting on our way back from Chuckanut Drive a great day seeing some more sites.

What-Matters-Most

Sometimes it seems as though my life is out of control. The days are shorter and the list of projects and things to do gets longer. I wake up each morning anticipating all the things that I will do that day. I go to bed that night with the same list thinking "Where did the day go?" I try to simplify my life yet with 5 children, 3 grandchildren, a husband, a job, a church calling, a yard , a home, a dog, an aging mother, and myself,  "SIMPLIFY " is not in the equation! With my days getting shorter and my list pretty much staying the same scratching off an item here and there, I scramble around wondering "What  am I missing out on?"I am so pre-occupied !
Did I stop to have conversation with my husband? Did I say hello to my boys as they come home from work or ask how their day went? Did I take time to pet the dog and give her any attention? Go to lunch with a friend? Take a walk?
I needed this video. I get so busy that I need something like this to put me back on track and say, "What Matters Most?"

What-Matters-Most

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