Faithful Friends.

Christmas was over, kids back at school and husband back at work.  What do Andy and I do?

Well, I kept him from walking on paper thin ice on the pond.  He really, really wanted to do it too.  

We took walks went to the ocean and laughed A LOT!

Izzie is looking at me pleading me to stop Andy from walking on the ice.

"He won't make it Momma"

That would of been funny if he tried it though.  I just didn't feel like dragging a freezing cold, wet Andy up to the house while he is hypothermic.

 One of our little jaunts was to find shells for all his students.  I looked up when low tide was and off we went.  The first beach didn't work out so well.

 Second beach we ended up finding a star fish.  Andy was so grossed out/ fascinated by it.  It was still alive but we decided to take it home anyways.  He was determined to take it home to his students.

We found out how to dry it out, after we tried to boil it.  I guess that just works for lobsters.  I had Andy put it out in the garage under a heat lamp to dry it out.  Oh my heavens was that the nastiest smell!  Then we put it in Clorox water and back under the heat lamp.  When we next checked on the poor starfish it was burnt to a crisp.  He boxed the dang thing up and took it home anyway.  Oh the things Andy and I do.

 It was time for Andy to head home to Albuquerque.  We stopped and took him to Pikes Place Market Place in Seattle.  I had driven past it several times but had never walked through it.  

WOW!

Such a fun place to go.  The smells, colors, sounds.  I really want to take the kids.

I was completely sickened by all the fresh seafood sitting out.  How anyone could look at dead things and want to eat them is beyond my comprehension.  

 We had a wonderful lunch at a little cafe, not this one.  On the way back to the car we came across this little french cafe.  Next time I'm definitely going there!

Andy stayed for two weeks.  That's a long time to put up with our family and for us to put up with Andy.  I have to say though that I am so thankful that he came to visit us.  He is a faithful friend.  He accepts us for who we are.  The most important thing is that we laugh.

We laugh a lot.

We laugh hard.

Thank you Andy for your Christmas visit.  

WE love you!