Lifelong FRIENDS...

FRIENDS...

my MOM {JonElla}, Sharzie, Phoebe & Sue

This group of ladies have been friends since high school! I just love that about them...they are still such close and wonderful friends after all these years! They came to Spokane to visit my mom and my whole family enjoyed seeing them too! This picture was taken at Chaps {a favorite restaurant of my mom & mine}. It was funny because the night they came to our house for dinner, Natalie commented about fun it was to listen to them and how they sounded like "high school girls"...laughing, talking & carrying on...

I have loved watching how my mom is friends with someone! It is not a relationship she takes lightly and I admire that and have learned so much of being a true friend from my sweet mom! I think it is such a rare and wonderful gift to have friends that have remained this close for so many years...

We had "the girls" for dinner on Wednesday night and of course Jim made his famous chicken fettuccine! It was so delicious!!! We had stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped green beans and salad also!!! YUM!!!

This is the beautiful SILVER salad bowl with SILVER serving spoons my mother in law {Lynda} gave Jim and me for our SILVER wedding anniversary just a couple weeks ago! I love them and just had to share this picture with you!!! THANK YOU LYNDA!!! 

Sue & Nat {new found FRIENDS...just love that}

LOVE LOVE LOVE these ladies!!!

Oh Sharzie I just love you so!!! She is like an aunt to me and let me tell you she gives the BEST hugs!!! I made sure I got plenty of those while she was here!!!

This was Saylah's first time to go to Chaps too and she LOVED it too!!!

A fun little sidenote...Phoebe and Sue met a few years ago because there sons married sisters {I think that's how it goes...} and when they were talking and getting acquainted at a family gathering one day they realized they both knew my mom!!! What a small world it is!!! 

Definitely one word to describe their friendship & this most wonderful visit...

Love spur of the moment moments...

I was reminded once again why I love that mom lives just minutes from me...

This past week I was talking to my mom and asked what she was up to that day and she told me she wanted to go to the MAC Museum which is the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture to see the Impressionism Art Exhibit as it was there until the 19th. I asked if I could go...silly question right? Of course I could and she told me to get over quickly so we could begin our fun {unplanned} adventure for the day!!!

First we had a bite to eat at the wonderful Cafe there at the MAC and I would highly recommend it! We shared a most yummy Caesar salad and pita bread with humus and also a bowl of vegetable lentil soup!!! It was super duper tasty!!! {Just like grocery shopping when hungry you should not blog about food when hungry either...}

After lunch we went a tour of the Historic Campbell House!!! I can't believe in all my years of living here this was my first time!!! It was extraordinary!!! My mom has a membership so I can go back anytime I want!!!

Inside...on the tour...

I love this dinner menu ~ and I ESPECIALLY LOVE that the Walnut & Cream Cheese Sandwiches were to have their crust removed!!! A very important detail in my world!!! As many of you know, I'm rather spoiled by Jim and when he makes me a sandwich he cuts the crust off!!! 

Their version of an intercom ~ they would laugh at us nowadays that we even use cell phones in the house as intercoms!!! Heehee!!!

This is my favorite room ~ The Calling Room ~

My pictures aren't the best because you can't use a flash inside the mansion!!!

The bedrooms were so beautiful...

and so was the dining room...

Can you even believe the inside of their car??? WOW!!!

We went into the MAC after our Campbell House tour and were both inspired and amazed by the Impressionism Art Exhibit!  The Renoir picture that is at the top of this post is one of my mom's favorites!!! It reminds her of my sister & me!!! There are other displays & exhibits going on also and it is absolutely phenomenal!!! If you live here in the Spokane area the MAC is definitely a destination worth going to!!!

OH! OH! OH! I almost forgot ~ one of my favorite parts of the day was as we were driving through the Brownes Addition to get to the museum we passed this most beautifully restored car ...

Isn't it a beauty???

the POWER of WORDS

Words and what we utter from our lips and even sometimes on paper can be so powerful. To some people words and how they are conveyed and expressed are so important. I am one of those people who's "love language" is words of affirmation primarily. {If you have never studied Love Languages I would encourage everyone to do so...it can literally transform a marriage and help in parenting and it just in general to how we relate to family and friends.} One of my mom's primary love languages is also words of affirmation. I was reminded of that this past weekend when we went over to her house...they were notes that each of us had left her taped around her kitchen! It made me smile! That is something I would do! I save notes, letter, voice messages and emails. I re-read and re-listen to them often especially if I need encouragement or am just missing that particular person who left me the messages. It just does my heart good! My mom is one of those rare people who still writes and mails letters and cards and I love that about her. I love when I re-read cards and notes she sent me through the many years. Not long ago I opened my mail box and lo and behold there was a sweet note from my sweet mama...she just said she realized that since she lives in Spokane she had not written me in a long time! I treasure that!

 Thought I would share the notes Jim, Natalie and I left my mom ~ it just brings a smile to my face and heart ~

Just a couple of the love notes taped on my mom's kitchen wall!

First, I left this note and then Jim left

this note! I already had left my mom's so I didn't realize he wrote one too! His made me laugh!

I did stop there Fri night but she changed her mind and made the casserole with these ingredients this week instead so I'm pretty certain a stop at her house on the way to or from my nail appt. tomarrow is in order! Don't you think that's a good idea? It was kind of cute ~ Natalie told me she notices Grammy gets out ingredients for certain meals and they might sit on the counter for a few days until she makes it. I asked Nat what the problem was with that...she said nothing at all she just wondered why she did it. I said I didn't know I just know she's done that my whole life. What confused Nat was the fact that there might be all the ingredients for a meal on the counter but Grammy makes a whole other meal. I asked my mom that night {because then I was curious after all these years} and she said simply she likes to make sure she has everything and then when she's hungry for it she all prepared! Sounds good to me!

Nat lives with my mom {it is going so well for both of them} so she even leaves mom notes! SWEET!

Words you see no matter how simple or elaborate are good for the soul! Take the time to drop a friend or loved one a quick note or send an email. I like reading those too! Even through facebook and texting words can be helpful and needful to someone. You just never know what somebody is going through at that very moment when they read your words of love and encouragement!

Friday with a FRIEND...

Last Friday my friend Cami had my mom and I and her aunt to her beautiful home for lunch and also so my mom could see all her Christmas decorations. It was such a wonderful afternoon...fun, fellowship & food...doesn't get any better than that!!!

Delicious...Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas...so so good! 

It really is the best having my mom live here in Spokane now and be able to do things like this together! She thoroughly enjoyed going to Cami's and seeing all her decorations and especially loved looking at the view since Cami lives on the lake...

Oh how I love this sweet lady! Sharron...she is the niece of my client {CJH} I cared for and through the last few years Sharron and I became quite close.
It was wonderful to see her...

Sharron & Cami...sure do heart these 2 ladies!!!

This pretty pink vintage Christmas decoration was Cami's grandma's and it was always one of my favorites. The last time I was at Cami's for the Cousins Lunch this sleigh was being repaired...it's styrofoam and after 50 plus years it was falling apart. I'm glad she could fix it...don't you just love the pink flocked reindeer and the pink angel hair??? They don't make things like this anymore!!! 

THANK YOU CAMI FOR SUCH A SPECIAL DAY TOGETHER...

MOM & ME

Do you even know how much I LOVE YOU MOM???

You are my moshie...

I am your girl...

FOREVER & ALWAYS...

A very Craft Christmas Eve

Nat (16) and Lauren (19)

Just love my girls soooo very much!

my GIRLS and their GRAMMY...these 3 are something else!

The CRAFT Family wishing you & yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Me & my SWEETHEART

This mama sure hearts these 2 like crazzzzyyyy!!!

DEVOTED DAD & his 2 DARLING DAUGHTERS

Some more favorite pictures of my PRECIOUS family...

 

We had fun evening just bein' together. Started out Christmas Eve with Jim, my Mom and me going to church at Life Center. It was a wonderful service and great message on NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD! Then back to our home for favorite snacky foods and playin' a game of Farkle before the girls opened a couple gifts.

I sure do LOVE LOVE LOVE having my mom live so close to us now! She spent the night with us for Christmas Eve...her first time to sleep in the PINK room...she loved it!

This sure is a fun game! Shara gave it to our family when she came to visit!

Even tho this picture is blurry...I just love her expression!

Twas the night before Christmas...