summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Thursday, November 15, 2012

taking it easy here in tacoma....

Here in Washington state, we are three hours behind the east coast. So we wake up bright and early. This morning after breakfast, we took a swim, tried out the sauna, then the hot tub. Then we went out for a walk. We went a few blocks away from all the stores and gas stations and found a park. We walked around the lake, 9/10ths of a mile, then back toward the hotel, to Winco. Winco is my new favorite grocery store. We have been there three times now. Our hotel room has a fridge and a microwave, so we have a good stock of fresh fruit and veggies so we can eat salads. We also bought a whole roasted chicken, and some bacon. Today we decided to buy a roll of paper towels so we didn't splatter up the clean little microwave.

There is always fresh hot Seattle's Best coffee in the hotel foyer, so I am happy.

Anyway, we rented our car today, then went bowling with Ben and Ashley. First time I rolled the bowl, strike! Too bad it was a fluke. We were pretty much the worst bowlers in the alley, especially because we were right next to this huge guy who kept exclaiming, "I am gonna teach you a lesson!" every time he rolled a strike.

Out to dinner...we went to a family place that Ben and Ashley had noticed...(there are millions of places out here to eat. Unbelievable. $1.00 Chinese food places, Mexican, pizza, Hooter's, Popeye's...)anyway, we went to a homestyle place. Paul had a huge taco salad in a fresh fried taco bowl, Ben and Ashley both had Mama's chicken and biscuits, and I had fried chicken. It came with salad, green beans (really good real ones, fresh), and fries. I only had two of the fries, and ate two small pieces of the chicken so I could take the rest back here for tomorrow. Every dinner came with a piece of pie. Chocolate, banana cream, or coconut cream. I opted for the coconut cream. Thankfully Paul's salad didn't include the free pie, so he didn't order any. He shared with me. Good thing. Now I only feel half as guilty.

We don't have cable tv at home, so we don't watch such shows as, "House Hunters", "Pawn Stars", and then there is all the basketball...I actually love college basketball, and we got really addicted to this show where the guys bid on houses without seeing the insides....

Being with Ben and Ashley is nice too of course. Ben is still rather tired from all the time changes he has been through. He has to go back to base tomorrow, his 48 hour leave is over. He does get the weekend off though.

Paul and I are going on a little outing tomorrow! We are driving toward Mount Ranier. It is three times higher than the high peaks in the Adirondacks.

Being away from the kids is interesting. I miss them, but also I am able to think about them and see that I am lacking in dealing with each one. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, but it also makes me want to be a better mom. I have spent alot of my time here thinking about the kids, and praying for them.

So...it is nice to be away, nice to be with Benjamin, but it will be so nice to be home again. And...I also miss the dog.


























3 comments:

baristamom said...

I miss Win-co sometimes more than my family, haha! It is THE best grocery store ever! I'm so glad you're enjoying yourself so much! The West coast is pretty nice, did you just love the mountains? Hope the rest of your time is super and have a cup of Seattle's Best for me!

Karil said...


I am in WA too, well actually I live here. Ha! At least its not down pouring. Hope you are enjoying your time. PS. I like Winco too. hehe

Cindy @ Marriedtothemilitary {dot} net said...

You know I love reading about Ben being home, but my mind is going to how things are going with the army. for the last 10 years they have been required to do a 7 day reintigration where they HAD to show up for work for 7 days to debrief. It was 7 days of crap and only half days and I will tell you more about that after not on yoru blog, but I am glad that he is being given time off and that you all Paul are also getting some time alone. Still super excited (maybe almost as much as you are) that he is home safe.