If you give a girl a Clawfoot Tub....

...She might act a little CRAZY.....

{Via}

So, I have shared many times how I've 

managed to put my foot in my mouth at the wrong time,

Or get myself in weird predicaments.....

Oh, you're new here? 

Click on the Story of Me to the right--------------------------->

And you may want to get a drink of water, it way take you awhile!

It happens A LOT.

Pinterest

Last weekend we were invited over to my husbands cousins house.

A long lost cousin who we just met a few years ago.

And, amazingly, only lives 35 minutes from us!

I'd love to tell the incredible story of how God put it together,

but it's not my story to tell.

Just trust me when I say God is always at work around us!!

Pinterest

They recently downsized from a huge, HUGE, house to

a much cozier house. 

An adorable house with breathtaking views of the water.

{Via}

After enjoying some pre-dinner appetizers, great conversation,

 and a glass of wine

I needed to use the restroom.

Here's the thing about wine...

it relaxes your tongue a little...and increases the enthusiasm.

I already have a loose tongue and too much enthusiasm.

Here's another thing...

I have a long standing love affair with claw foot tubs!

I have wanted one since I can remember.

{via}

So, I walked into the bathroom and there it was.

A gorgeous, clawfoot tub. Gorgeous.

I ran my hands along the smooth white rim.

And I must have squealed.

Loudly.

Claudia came around the corner to check on me.

"I LOVE YOUR TUB!!" I said... in very breathy tone.

"One day when we return to our Whidbey* house I'm going to get one!!"

I continued.

(We own a house on Whidbey Island that we rent out, we will retire there in a "few" years)

{via}

Then she said it.

"You can have this one, its not our style....We have another one

that we will be using when we remodel..."

YOU.CAN.HAVE.IT.

"WHAT!? OMG, REALLLLLYYYYY!!!!!??????"

And with that,  

I proceeded to climb into their/my tub with my boots on.

I laid my head back and had a "moment".

My heart swelled three times its size.

I could've laid there daydreaming for a very long time

 about how it will look and feel in my own house.

Daydreamers, you know what I mean!

{via}

BUT,

at the risk of looking like a total nut job

 in front of Claudia and my husband. 

(He had come in exclaiming "She has wanted a tub like this FOREVER" 

after hearing all my excitement.)

AND,

realizing I just climbed into their tub with my boots on...

I got out and toned down the enthusiasm.

(only on the outside!!)

{via}

We had a wonderful dinner, laughter and a fun game with their 10 year old daughter.

I can't wait to get together again!

Before we left, I had to see her one more time go to the restroom again.

I was tempted to lock myself in and rip all my clothes off...

but I restrained myself.

***

When we got home and my husband went to bed...

I went on Pinterest and continued my daydreaming!

Seriously, I am still so excited, and thankful!

(I'll post about it in a few years when we get moved back to Whidbey

but we have a big adventure in between now and then)

xoxo

Jodi

The Dress, The Spandex and Why friends don't let friends shop alone....

A few years ago I went shopping for a dress for a special occasion . It was late June and I wanted something flattering and loose since it was supposed to be a hot day.  On a whim, I also purchased a one piece shoulder-to-mid-thigh spandex undergarment to smooth "things" out. Which, by the way, totally defeated the reason to buy a loose, comfortable dress.  

When that special occasion arrived I squeezed my orange spray tanned self into the spandex, pulling it up over my undergarments.  The dress was sleeveless so I had someone safety pin my bra straps to the Spandex shoulder straps.  This would prove to be a very BAD idea.

Feeling all lovely with my orange toned skin and deep purple dress, I failed to think through the idea that eventually...sometime that day perhaps...I might need to go to the restroom.  Imagine my horror when I rushed to the restroom doing the potty dance only to be pinned (where I couldn't reach!!!) into the ONE PIECE spandex body shaping contraption. Frantically, I managed to rip open the 3" slit in the crotch avoiding what would've been a rather embarrassing moment!  Putting that day behind me, I vowed to never be so silly as to get in that predicament again.

Yesterday, I optimistically ventured out to the mall to find a dress for my husbands upcoming work party.  I wore my new knee high black leather boots so I could see how they would look with the dress.  Typically, I bring a friend along to help me decide...and zip me up...but, today I was on my own.  

I was thrilled to find the dresses on sale and quickly grabbed an armful to try on. The store was in a state of transition, and the only dressing room was in the children's section of the store.  With only two bright green juvenile wallpapered dressing rooms I started trying on the dresses. As it turns out, I would be very grateful there wasn't a line of people waiting to use the dressing rooms.

Half way through my pile, I squeezed into a black dress that felt much smaller than the others in the same size. It was snug in the shoulders and I managed to only get the side zipper up half way. Deciding that this was a DEFINITE "NO", I tried to unzip it. It wouldn't budge. My arms were trapped and with too much eagerness, I would've ripped out the shoulders.  I tried several positions to no avail. I started to break into a sweat. In a frantic effort to free myself from this Rayon trap, I wiggled it up half way over my head. Thats as far as it went, it wouldn't budge. I was stuck.

I stared at myself in the mirror... exposed black panties and thigh high black leather boots with a dress stuck on the upper part of my body and head... sweat beading on my forehead.  

I had no choice. I had to ask the lady in the next room to rescue me. Not my proudest moment, but a good laugh anyways. In the end I did find a dress. One that I can get in and out of all by myself.

On my way home I stopped at Walmart for cat food and blush. The fake eyelashes caught my attention. "Hmmmm, these might be fun!" I thought.  I quickly dismissed the idea realizing I would probably end up glueing them to my upper lip by accident.

The familiar taste of foot in my mouth.... and other embarrassing moments....

You know those moments...They go something like this...

 You are so proud of yourself,

 the star of the 3rd grade Christmas Program, dressed up as Mary in a beautiful blue veil.

Gleaming as you march off the stage with Joseph, Shepard's, sheep and 3 wise men.

Smiling as you embrace the most fulfilling moment in your 8 year old life,

and then as you scoot across the old wood bleachers....

you get a giant sliver in your butt.

Or

That moment in 6th grade when you

finally return to school 2 months after breaking your leg on your third ski lesson.

only to have your crutch slip on spilled lunchroom gravy ...
 causing your crutch to fly in the air 

and your head to fall backwards
onto the corner of the lunch bench just about knocking you out.
The entire lunch room is watching as the nurse runs in
and escorts you to the office.

Or

That awkward date in 9th grade when the boy goes to kiss you

and you don't know what to do when you feel his tongue...

so you accidentally bite it and then awkwardly start laughing so hard you can't breath.

(totally destroying his masculinity)

Or

The morning you wake up late for a nail appointment

and throw on yesterdays pants lying on the floor beside the bed...

 As you're racing into the mall via a door being held open for you by a handsome gentleman...

a lacy hot pink pair of (yesterdays) panties fall out of your pant leg

right in front of him....

Or
While at the first social outing after your husband is promoted to Officer
you are seated directly across the table from the Captain.
You eagerly squeeze your lemon into your water glass
 not realizing its squirting all the way across the table
into his FACE
(Thankfully he had a good sense of humor!)

Yes, my life is remembered by moment, after awkward moment.

Seriously, I could go on and on for DAYS!

****

So, today, when I found that familiar taste of foot in my mouth

I shouldn't have been surprised.

We were attending a memorial service at our church.

Because I didn't know many of the guests,  I tried to talk mostly to the familiar faces.

 I recognized a lady in the crowd, so I spent some time catching up with her

and congratulating her on her fairly recent wedding and also giving my 

condolences for the recent loss of her father in law a few weeks ago.

She started talking to someone else so I meandered a little and decided to talk 

to (who I thought was) her husband.

ME: Hello, I'm Jodi. Jeff's wife. He mentioned that he's met you before.

HIM: Oh, yah... um, how are you?

ME:  Oh good, thanks! So, I never got to congratulate you on your 

recent marriage! congratulations!

HIM:  Um, thanks. ( a little look of uncertainty)

ME:  (not giving him room to talk) Oh, and I am so sorry to hear

about your dad. That must be very hard.

HIM:  My dad?  What's wrong with my dad?

ME: Aren't you ***** 's husband? Your dad...he recently passed away??

HIM: Um, no, I'm ****, my wife is over there with my daughter,

she is friends with **** .

ME: But you look so familiar, I wonder why that is.

HIM:  We were at your house a few years ago playing games for New Years.

ME: OOOOH yes, thats right! (Big awkward smile) Not another word spoken....

....I quietly make my way to the refreshment table in total embarrassment.

**5 minutes later**

I am now standing next to my husband with a full plastic cup of punch

and a paper cupcake holder with a chocolate peanut butter bar.

My husband is talking with another friend and I'm listening to their conversation.

Lost in my own little world I focus on the peanut butter bar.

It is stuck in the paper.

Its a bit of a battle working through the paper, but I finally get a bit of the cookie.

As I'm tasting pure delight I realize my husband has stopped talking.

I look up and see that they are both staring at me
 in disbelief.

In my eagerness to get a bite of the cookie, I hadn't realized the cup and cookie were in the
same hand.
As I twisted my hand to get the cookie into my mouth, I managed to
slowly pour the ENTIRE contents of my cup onto the carpet...
without even noticing.

ummmmm....oops....

My husband grabs a handful of napkins and blots the floor.

They get into a discussion of how did I pour an entire cup of punch onto the floor without any of it going down my shirt!?

We are all laughing now.

His friend says I need to write a book.

I say its time to go.

Walking out to the car I begin to think about my social awkwardness....
and that time a few years back when we were at a Luau on Maui

with the entire extended family.

After having a few complimentary Mai-Tai drinks,

I kept telling the waiter "Myhola" every time he brought something to the table.

 Finally, after about 5 times, Jeff  and his brothers asked me

"What are you trying to tell the waiter?"

"Thank you in Hawaiian!", I said. (DUH)

"Honey",  Jeff said

 "its Mahalo...NOT myhola".

OH...oops!

The Boy, The Bodysuit and a Bond of Friendship...

My first recollection of having a best friend was 

when I was in 3rd grade.  

I had playmates and cousins and a little sister.

But my very first BEST friend was Lee.

Yes, a BOY.

We lived in a teenie little town in North Dakota just outside of the Air Force Base

my dad was stationed at. We spent our time laughing, riding bikes,

exploring an abandoned house, catching snakes and climbing trees.

He was my first friend that, even at 8 years old, I felt I could be completely

myself with. And he liked me anyway. 

When I was a toddler I had a medical condition that was repaired but left me prone to accidents if unable to reach the bathroom immediately.

I outgrew the problem, but

I had accidents in elementary school A LOT.

My mom, who would've held my hand all day at school if she was allowed, told

the teachers to never make me wait to use the restroom.

As kids can be, they were not very kind, and I was called

"Jodi pee pee pants", "Jodi stinky pants" and the like.

I was a beautiful little girl with long golden blond hair and my mom dressed me meticulously, often making my clothes herself.

I was NOT stinky.

I did, however, have a nervous habit of chewing pencils, eating paste and erasers and writing on my desk with pencils. 

I had the meanest teacher that had to be 100 years old in 1975.

She did not like me and made me sit with my desk pushed up against hers in front of the entire class!  One day she looked at my desk and decided I needed

to show the class how to clean a dirty desk.

She sent me to the custodian closet to get the janitors cart.

On my way I decided to use the restroom because I was scared to death to get up in front of all those kids! And having an accident then would have killed me.

On this particular day my mother had me dressed in the most adorable

brown bodysuit (circa 1975) with a cute white daisy at the neck.

For those of you who don't know what a body suit is, its a shirt you tuck in your pants and snap at the crotch.

In my hastiness to get back to class, I had forgotten one very important step...

As I pushed the custodial cart into the classroom

there was a roar of laughter.

My bodysuit was hanging over my pants...unsnapped.

I honestly don't remember one more thing about that day.

But I do remember this...

Lee never stopped being my friend.

He didn't care that I ate glue, pencils, erasers or even wet my pants sometimes.

He was my best friend.

Then, his family moved and I never heard from him again. Eventually, the Air Force moved us too.

 

*****

I am so grateful that my entire life has been filled overflowing with friendships.

Different friends at different season in my life, but all very special.

I didn't realize it until later in life, but I learned all I needed to know

about friendship from my first best friend at the tender age of 8.

1.  Don't judge someone because they eat paste! Everyone has their own burden or story to tell. Give them a chance to share it. Be compassionate and show unconditional kindness towards others obstacles. Don't crush someone's spirit.

2.  Just be yourself!  You can catch snakes even if you are a girl in a cute dress and ponytails. Be true to who you are, with a smile on your face. Don't let the unkind opinion of others drive you to chew your pencils! There are so many others who will love you just the way you are.

3.  Have fun and take a risk! Explore the abandoned building...but be home by dark so you don't come home to an empty house with a creepy oil painting staring at you while your family is out searching for you! (note from experience)

4. Invite them to your party! Let everyone else get to know the person you

enjoy so much.  Laugh, play games, sing and eat cake. 

5.  Sometimes we don't get to stay in touch and it's okay! Every friendship has a purpose and is a blessing. Some are meant to last forever, and some only last 20 minutes while you are waiting for your oil to be changed in your car.

But once that person has entered your life, you are forever different. Make those moments count!

5. People change!  I'm sure you are curious to know....I don't eat paste or erasers anymore. Give others (and yourself!) the opportunity to change. Be an encourager, but love them (and yourself!) where they are. Life is a journey that we are all traveling at our own pace.

xoxo

Jodi

 

Fort Nisqually at Pt. Defiance Park

This week my son, Jordon, and I went on a little field trip.

We packed ham sandwiches,

wheat thins, and yummy fruit pies into our little cooler.

We hopped into the car and drove about 45 minutes

over the Tacoma Narrows bridge

and into Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA.

Pt. Defiance has a wonderful Aquarium and Zoo,

beautiful flower gardens and

a 5 mile scenic road. There are bike paths

and hiking trails and it is doggy friendly

with a no leash park that is ACRES big.

Can I come with you!!??

We left Izzy at home since it was a hot day

and we were going to explore Ft. Nisqually 

(which is doggy free)

When I was little, I lived in Lacey, WA. 

One summer my grandma came to visit us from Wisconsin.
My mom, sister and I took her here. 

We loved it!
I think my elementary school came here on a field trip too.
Back then they had a Never Never Land Park next to the Fort. 

It was full of nursery rhyme characters.

Sadly, that part of the park isn't there anymore.

I really appreciate that my 19 year old son

enjoyed hanging out all day with his old mom. He was more interested

in the history than I was. 

I was into the architecture and gardens. 

He took some of these pictures,

and I think he did a great job!

This was the view from the top of the look out tower into the Fort.

And out towards Puget Sound. Beautiful.

This man is an actual iron smith who volunteers at the park.

He was making historically correct puzzle toys out of iron.

They sell the puzzles in the gift shop.

Jordon had a fun time trying to figure it out.

Eventually the man was kind enough to show us how its done.

But not until he had a good laugh at us first!

I had to think of my dad (who passed away in 2007) when I saw

some of these puzzles. He loved that sort of thing and

would've wanted to replicate it himself. I love those random moments that 

remind me of my sweet daddy. They are a gift I cherish.

This was the sale shop, where pioneers would trade/sell/buy all their supplies.

My favorite was the Factor's House. Its the only residence on the Fort.

Families would live outside the Fort in their own residences.

But the Factor's family lived on the Fort in this

four room painted house that was very high quality for the time with wallpaper

and 2 bedrooms.  When important guests came to the Fort, they stayed

in the Factor's house. The kitchen was located outside as well as the outhouses.

Factors House master bedroom

Each room of the house has wallpaper. 

The ceilings are board and batten.

The Children's room.

Fort kitchen sinks.

This is a room in the Labor's housing, they would've been single and shared the two room house.

I really liked the garden area and the chicken coop.

It was made with maple saplings.

Chicken Coop

Chicken Coop with maple sapling fencing

Raspberries

After leaving the Fort, we drove along the 5 mile drive. 

Here are a few viewpoints along the way.

Looking toward Gig Harbor, WA

Vashon Island Ferry in the distance

North towards Vashon Island

Looking west towards the Tacoma Narrows Bridges

If you are looking for a fun day trip with a lot to do and see,

I would definitely visit Pt. Defiance Park. Its free to drive the scenic route and

walk the many, many trails. There is a fee to go to the Fort or the Zoo.

Happy Travels!

xoxo

Jodi

PS. After the Park...we headed to REI to look at snowboarding stuff and then to Sonic to try the new pretzel hotdogs

with a nice cold cherry lime-aide. 

YUM :)