In Cahoots With

I just had a bit of fun this afternoon helping a buyer of mine on Ebay with a bit of fun. They purchased a character figure from me from the animated movie Monsters Inc. His name -- Sulley.

I received a request asking if I could take some pictures of Sulley with some of Montana's landscape in the background and email it to him before I mailed his purchase. He said there is a joke going on at work about a person's Sulley that has come up missing and every so often the owner gets an email picture with Sulley showing up somewhere around the world. Kind of like a "Where's Waldo?" game going on.

Since we are experiencing days and days of overcast weather and tons of rain to the point of some flooding in Montana, I chose to use some of the pictures I took this past Saturday to Fort Benton, Montana. Pictures will be following with another blog, but here are the ones of Sulley.



I don't think I did a bad job standing him in front of my computer monitor and snapping some photos. My email has been sent and I may never hear anything further, but it was fun playing for a bit.

Fairy Tale Morning

I awoke this morning to find my youngest child (not small by any means at 6 feet tall and only 11 years old) in the middle of our bed sound asleep. I nudged him a little and asked what he was doing in such a spot and he smiled sweetly, saying "sleeping". I told him that it was a little crowded and his dad replied the same. He just said, "I am just right". I told him I was reminded of Goldilocks and the Three Bears with us being Mommy Bear, Daddy Bear and him being a combination of Baby Bear and Goldilocks. He just laughed.

When his dad vacated the bed heading to the computer and then the shower, I told Avery that there was a book I had picked out just last night for us to read titled, Sleeping Ugly. Knowing right where I had left it, we snuggled in bed and took turns reading the pages of the short story.



At the end, it is so cute to read about the prince not being well practiced in kissing as he is the youngest son of the king (with no property or fortune) and has only ever kissed his mother and his father who has a beard. So he decides to kiss the other sleeping people in the little house that have been entwined in the story -- an ugly old lady (kissed on the nose who smells like cinnamon) and Plain Jane (whose kiss smells like wild flowers) before he kisses the sleeping princess (Miserella). One can only imagine or find the book to finish the different and happy ending as I am not going to give it all away here.



But, I will conclude that my 11 year said, "we are not discussing me and kissing anything" which made me laugh. I just love children and innocence!



We then picked up another chapter book we have been reading on and he made the comment, "there is kissing in that book too". "I was reading some the other day just for fun." Now to end on this note -- I think I have another reader in my family and am thrilled to know he picks up a book (quite a bit these days) to take a break from all his modern technology (games) just for fun.


Hope your morning has a fairytale start!

In Search of a Strawberry

When I was a little girl growing up in a foster home in Tennessee, there were times when my "mother" could and would be so nice in creating special memories. One of those is the picture here. It was Christmas and she made me the long red skirt. Also, she got me a ruffled collar blouse and added some red trimmings to it. To top off the outfit, I was allowed to wear an old piece of her costume jewelry -- a strawberry with red stones in it. I felt so special, so pretty. I am beaming from ear to ear in this picture!!!

I don't know what happened to the brooch. I remember asking to wear it some time later and was told that it was lost or gone. That has stuck with me all these years and every time I have been to a yard sale or thrift store I have always looked for one.

Last weekend Savannah Rose and I went to the Rocky Mountain Craft Sale held here in town. This was the first time checking it out and also the first time one has been held in the Spring. There were several things to look at and we ended up finding something we liked at the Special Olympics booth.

Before leaving we had a wonderful time looking at gorgeous pieces of vintage costume jewelry a lady collects and sells. I happened to ask her before leaving about a strawberry brooch. She had one but it was not what I was looking for and I left still wanting to locate one.

Keeping in the spirit of things I had purchased a couple of big boxes of strawberries just that morning so we came home and had fun doing some chocolate fondue strawberries and bananas with my sons. (My husband was out of town at a work training and missed all the fun!)

Well, I am one to not let something that gets in my mind be forgotten too easily again. So while working on listing some auctions on Ebay and Etsy, I was able to find the exact strawberry brooch I have been looking for and also at a very reasonable price with free shipping. I will be anxiously awaiting the mail delivery here this next week looking for my tangible item that will be a story told to my kids and a piece of jewelry passed on to one of them.



Hope you are able to find that special something that holds a pleasant memory for you -- no matter if tangible or not. Hope it puts a smile on your face and tugs at your heart strings.

Explorers at the Portage

Last Sunday in the midst of snow/sleet/rain the family went out for a drive with me behind the wheel. After running a few errands, I didn't let anyone know of my plans to stop by Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat for my birthday. From there we headed to a statue that I had not photographed here in Great Falls, MT. This is located at the Welcome Center off 10th Avenue South. Also, found there is the large flag that can be seen from the interstate. A local radio ad says it costs over $10k yearly to maintain the flag and donations are being asked for currently.






I will have to make another trip to the Welcome Center when there is more time and better weather so I can walk a steep paved trail up to a gazebo that is part of the scenery. There is also an indian statue to photograph that I missed.




Another statue has been spotted at the new Federal Court House by the Missouri River here in Great Falls and I will have to pick a Saturday and explore it more.

On of my favorite photos was taken at Giant Springs with my 11 year old walking across the bridge with his father. He is now over a head taller than anyone in the house!!

Happy May Day

Happy May Day - maypole
Big Big Paint Book
Whitman Publishing, 1936

Isn't this a cute coloring picture! Had to send it out to celebrate today.

It is my birthday and the family and I have been outside between rain/snow/slush showers visiting parks and statues snapping pictures.

We went to Giant Springs Park to look for the owls and owlets that have been reported there, but couldn't find them again this year. They may have already flown the coop headed onward as they don't stay around long. It was fun to walk around all except for tons of gnats (bugs) that swarmed around us at one point. I think I may have swallowed one because I had a coughing fit right after we fast pace left the area. I have even had a problem finding a great horned owl to picture here in this blog. Lord willing there will be next year to fulfill the quest of sighting and photographing one from me.




I ended my day by going out to eat at Chili's in Great Falls, Montana with my husband. One other experience with Chili's in Chattanooga, Tennessee a few years back found both of us talking all this time about going to the restaurant chain again. Wish I could say our memories were held to the test again this evening, but not the case. As a matter of fact, upon departure my words were that it has been taken off my list to do again. Tasteless is a word that comes to mind in my review of the experience of the food tonight.

On a good ending note of my day -- I won at Rummy against my son and husband.