Getting all political?

I am sorry, but if I don't say something I am going to have some sort of breakdown people. I believe the Bible is true... all of it. ALL OF IT! The Bible says nothing about financial planing or budget distribution on a national level. It says nothing about equal rights for everyone without distinction (in fact to be honest it talks a lot about the fact that the only real freedom you have is in Christ) or free nationalized health care. It talks pleanty about being ready for battle on a national level as well as a personal one... because you will face enemies.

You know what the Bible does say? It says that a nation (any nation) who allows homosexuality, sexual impurity and murder (whether the victim can be heard screaming as you kill them or not) will not be blessed by God and that he will destroy it. We have the only nation founded on Christianity in the world and we are the most powerful country in the world. Make no mistake, those things go hand in hand.

So don't talk to me about your health care or your beautiful vision of our country getting out of debt (if the population can't budget how can the government?). Explain to me how you support abortion when only 2%-4% are involving rape or incest out of roughly 215 performed EVERY HOUR in our country alone. Tell me how you came to believe that Sodom and Gomorrah is a fairytale and that just parts of the Bible are true! I clearly don't expect my non-christian friends to understand my passion on this subject... it is the ones who say they believe and yet are supporting the death and destruction of all that is sacred in our nation that I am questioning.

I generally keep my political opinions to myself but at this point I just don't understand. I am crying out for the ones who literally can't before they are slain. Read your Bible and show me what I say isn't the Truth!

I Never Went Out When You Were Young...

"Why do you go out so much? " This is one of my parents favorite questions for me. It is usually coupled with a healthy dose of "Your mother never went out when you kids were young, she was happy at home" and or "What do you need a break from?". I know my parents mean well and I am very blessed to have a husband who knows I need a break and is understanding and supportive of my friendships with other women. It still raises doubts in my head though... I begrudgingly admit. It's not that I don't love my family or that I want to dump my responsibilities on Ben to get "even" for being with the kids all day. I have witnessed women who use "girl's night out" in both of these circumstances and... we're no longer friends. I need time with girlfriends regularly to just be me.

When I am with Ben, I am Ben's wife. When I am with my our kids, I am their mom/teacher. When I am with my girlfriends... I am just Amy. I do not have to think about if anyone likes what I am ordering for dinner because I won't be sharing it. I don't have to count heads or stand in the bathroom for the ten minutes (right after the food comes) because my friends can take care of themselves. I can talk about my feelings and shoes (in the same sentence) and no ones eyes will glaze over before I am done. I can ask "am I crazy or would you have reacted the same way" and get more than a one word answer! LOL

I value my friendships with my girlfriends and I will want and need them even more as my children grow up. I want to set a good example for my kids that friendships take time and energy to grow. I need to have time to continue and explore the things about me that made Ben like me enough to want to share a life with me and maybe even find some new interests! I tell my kids regularly that I am a wife and a mother because I wanted to be not because it was my only option. It is important for me that they understand that they are my priority right now but my life does not revolve around them. I know first hand how much pressure that can put on a child (especially a grown one).

So... I go out. Once a week if at all possible, with my girlfriends and we laugh, talk, eat, talk, shop, talk, maybe see a movie and then talk about it. LOL Afterward I come home refreshed, and a better mom and wife.

I think I am sensing a theme here...

I went shopping yesterday and I fell in love with these green heeled loafers. After a quick call to my friend Leslie to get me through the "should I or shouldn't I buy it" blues, I did indeed purchase them. I have a hard time paying $20 for shoes for me. I have a hard time buying anything for me actually. Leslie suffers from the same disease and so if she gives me the go ahead, it is probably a good decision. Anyway, back to the point at hand... I thought that my favorite color was deeply grey blue but I am starting to wonder, due to the massive evidence that I may have crossed over to olive green! I now have a stunningly matching set (seeing as how none of these were purchased together or even at the same store) of olive green accessories. My purse, bible cover and cute new shoes will put me in the full on fashion-ista category at church for sure! This Sunday I will look like someone who should be "ushered in". LOL

The Sunne In Splendour

I had book club this week and it was really fun just to reconnect with everyone after the long summer. Our book was "The Sunne In Splendour" by Sharon Kay Penman and was based on the lives of King Edward and his brother the famous King Richard III. We selected our next book and I have ordered it from the library but they are all currently out so... it could be a week or two before I get my little hands on it. If you are in the mood to join us the selection is "A Little Trouble With The Facts" by Nina Siegal.

I read an average of 200 pages a day. My average has been down as of late because I packed all of my books a few months ago (along with almost everything else in the house) with the expectation of moving. We have still not sold the house and soon I will begin unpacking. Frustrating yes, end of the world, no. I need to read. Some people just don't feel that need and I find that so strange. I grew up in a house of readers. We were all camped out in corners from time to time with a good book. My husband has read three I think, since we have been married. We have been married for over 13 years. So I posted a poll about the last time you read for pleasure and I am truly curious what the average is.

The Whitehouse Grill

I apparently have two kinds of friends... those who have been to the Whitehouse (most of them, with me) and those who have no idea what it is... or where... or why on earth I fly out there like a homing pigeon nearly ever Friday night. So I have decided to blog the 411, give you the down low, bring ya'll up to speed, fill in the blanks, explain myself...ok, that one isn't even possible in the English language LOL!


The Whitehouse Grill is a restaurant located in Post Falls Idaho. It is owned by a wonderful Turkish man (God bless the horrible map maker who got him lost in Post Falls of all places) named Raci. He is also the head chef. The restaurant used to be in a little white house that is half a block from it's current location. That little white house is now the Oval Office Martini Bar, which Raci also owns. You can actually watch him run down the alley twice every night between them to check on the Oval Office staff. He spends most of his time in the Whitehouse however as it is his true love.


What makes this restaurant so fabulous you ask?


They are not open on Sundays(a rarity, that makes me smile). They close for the entire fourth of July weekend every year with the staff PAID because Raci feels it is so important to celebrate being an American. They close for one week a year with the staff again PAID while he travels home to visit family. If he is not there to supervise... they don't open (I should add however that although he comes to do all the prep and inspect deliveries on Mondays, he is not in the kitchen that day and sadly, you can tell). Thanks to all of these things you can count on good friendly service every time because the staff adores him. The food is top notch every time because nothing leaves that kitchen without his approval. This is the restaurant we take guest to, celebrate in, and go to to relax because we never leave disappointed. At this point there are only two things left on the menu we haven't tried and I can say that there are no bad choices. Order anything and you will leave totally happy. If you only order one thing however make sure it is the Sea Bass as I believe God actually created it just for Raci. He looked down and thought... now I will make a fish just for my little Raci and poof... Sea Bass.

So there you go... Now you know.

Sailing, Sailing, over the ocean blue...

I pulled an Amy again! LOL My husband had Labor Day off and as we were sitting around the breakfast table talking about what we wanted to do as a family for the day... it happened. I got one of those crazy ideas in my head and well, we all know how those end. I told Ben that what I really wanted to do was go sailing in the San Juans for a week. That was at 8:27 am. We called Ben's dad (who lives on a 45 foot sail boat in Poulsbo) and asked if it was alright if we came. That was at 8:35 am. Ben then called the owner of the company he works for at home and asked if he could take the week off. That was at 8:50am. By 9:24 all six of us were packed and in the car driving away. I believe we broke some kind of record by doing this and will gladly except prizes! We drove across state and took the ferry to Bainbridge, drove to Poulsbo and were on the boat by 6pm. We spent the first night in harbor and walked into Poulsbo in the morning for breakfast goodies (they are somewhat famous for their bakery) and some supplies food wise (yes, and wine... LOL) and set sail that afternoon.
Our first stop was Kingston Harbor and we stayed the night and shoved off first thing in the morning for Friday Harbor. We took some time to walk around the town and went again in the morning to have fresh beer bread and stiff coffee for breakfast and headed out to sea again.
Next we sailed out to Jones Island. This was a favorite destination for Ben as a kid and so it was extra special for the kids to get to go. We moored on a buoy and went ashore in the dingy (a few at time) and walked all over the island. The island is inhabited by many deer and they will come right up to you and let you pet them and feed them. It was so cool!

After all that nature it was time for some city... well technically Orcas is a city... LOL! We sailed up to the city of Orcas on Orcas Island and went to the ONLY restaurant in town. We dinned on fish and chips of course, some calamari and a couple cold beers and we were headed back to the boat for the night. This was my favorite night of the trip because I sat out under the stars with the kids and talked for hours.

We decided to head home by making the loop around Orcas Island and back down the other side of the San Juans. We saw dolporpises (close to a dolphin but a little darker), seals galore and even a nuclear sub! Behind Ben you can see the famed Deception Pass and I even got a glimpse of Camp Casey (where I went for sixth grade camp).
As we came into Port Townsend for our last night at sea we were surrounded by huge ships on every side. It was their wooden boat celebration weekend and the harbor looked like a scene from out of a pirate movie! There were about a hundred sail boat with their sails unfurled, some schooners with 6-8 sails each and even a few pirate ships. It was an awesome site. All good things must come to an end however and after a week on the blue, we headed back home.
This was a wonderful trip and the spontaneity of it just made it more fun. As my son BJ put it... "sometimes it is hard to live with someone as crazy as you mom but you sure are great to vacation with!" Ah, from the mouths of babes!