Pend Oreille Shores Resort

This is where the Blasko/Rippee gang spent the weekend! Some of you already know this, but I bought a time share a number of years ago. It has become one of my all-time favorite purchases. The beautiful condos are located just outside of Sandpoint in a place called Hope, Idaho. We had Mom, Dad, bro, sis-n-law, the twins, my hubby and me all crammed into our two bed, two bath home away from home and we had a blast! I'll add some special pics soon as cameras were flashing left and right all weekend.


The only bad thing that happened was my back went out...so much so that I was in great need of pain pills and muscle relaxers. Luckily, a friend with the license to perscribe called in a couple of powerful pills to the local Safeway for pick-up and they helped tremendously.


We get to go here for a week each year and it's usually one of the best weeks of the whole year.

I have no excuse....

Well, I kind of have an excuse...I have not been blogging because I recently got bit by the sewing bug. I know, I know - can you spell DOMESTIC??? P - O -L - L - Y!

I will post pics soon of my masterpieces. You can probably already guess that they are inspired by the cutest set of twins I've ever met. Mom and I have signed up for a craft fair (and we hope to add another to our repertoire if all goes well this holiday season) and we have been crafting and sewing freaks lately!

For now, I will offer you my answers to an e-mail Bex sent my way last week (yes, I'm that far behind in my e-mail responses, too!)

A) Four places that I go to over and over: Life Choices Clinic, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Real Deals and Safeway

B) Four people who e-mail me (regularly): My mama, Bex, Ange, and Betty (my board chair)

C) Four of my favorite places to eat: Main St. Grille, Zany's, Southway Pizzaria and Arby's (yes, I grew up with the Finch family and my Happy Day VIP card!)

D) Four places I would rather be right now: Our timeshare(I'm going this weekend!), sleeping, my craft room or on a cruise ship going wherever it wants to go

E) Four people I think will respond: I believe my faithful followers on my blog include: Vix, Bex, Ange and, well, I really don't know if I have any other people who read it frequently...perhaps if I would WRITE more frequently I'd have a better following! :) This was originally designed to meet the needs of all of my out-of-town friends/family who want to keep in the "know" - but, as you can see, only Vicky lives out of town and everyone else is within a 10 minute drive.

F) Four TV shows you watch: Paula Dean, Oprah when it's a good one, and basically anything on DIY or HGTV or FOOD Network (seriously??? did you ever think in a million years that I would be this domestic????? ME NEITHER!)

Special thanks to a few of my Amiga/os:

Bex - thanks so much for the bow party! It was a blast to have so many women over to my new digs and see people partake in the bow-fever! I'm excited to use my HUGE bow credit earned by having my bow party. I can put bows in many girls' hair with almost $50! I'm also excited to be your neighbor at the craft fairs!

Ange M. - You are a total star for helping me out so much with my need for professionalism at the Life Choices Clinic! Your design-savvy and your heart to donate your time and talents is amazing. Thanks for the photos of me to use on future pubs and finding us stellar deals on printing!

Sheldon - (not even sure if you read my blog, or for that matter, know about my blog, but in the case you do...) thanks for your diligent work in getting some organization set up at the Clinic. Your willingness to serve with me there is an enormous blessing to your wife and I hope you know how much I appreciate you.

Okay, enough sappiness for one post...I'll be back sooner than later this time - I promise!

Madison Grace & Josie Ann

A quick update...

Hey bloggy friends! I truly have no idea where the time has gone between the last post and this one, but whatever. :)

So, I'll give you the highlights of my little world for now and plan to expound on them when I have an opportunity to do so. It may be sooner than later as currently I have a 12 hour layover in the Salt Lake City airport tonight....ugh!

But, for now, this is what I know:

• I am the new Executive Director of Life Choices Clinic - this is a pregnancy care center that is a Christian-based ministry supporting women in crisis. It's our goal to love on them, pray with them, serve them and honor them with the TRUTH of God and of life. (I don't have the Mission Statement memorized, but it's not as "real" as my spin on what it is we do anyway.) I have served on the Board of Directors for this ministry for the past couple of years and am well aware of the need and opportunity that is before me. It will indeed be fewer hours and very little travel and certainly an opportunity to literally save lives.
• My darling princess girls turned 1 on September 25. They were so cute at their birthday party (with a pink with brown polka-dot theme!). My mom made them the cutest headbands ever and they sported them and a little dress from Auntie Polly for all to see. We had to wake them from a nap for their party, but after a bit of time, they were totally into it. They each had fancy little cakes made by the one and only Danielle of Danielle's Cakes http://www.freewebs.com/danielleirby/.
• Maddie and Josie completed a perfect check-up (with shots unfortunately) just two days ago. Other than being incredibly healthy (and noisy while the poor doc was using his stethoscope) it was a clean bill of health. It's hard to believe that a year has come and gone and it's also amazing to think that they are in the 90th percentile on height and weight. They continue to amaze all of us with their brilliance and candor.
• I'm in Atlanta, Georgia! It's actually a wonderful city. I've been here for nearly a week and have been attending the Care Net Pregnancy Center Annual Conference. There were nearly 3,000 women and men here together learning from each other about best practices for the many centers and clinics across the nation and in Canada that are working to not only save lives but save souls. We heard so many incredible testimonies from so many amazing women and men who have walked before us in this fight for life. I heard too many statistics to even remotely recall which number goes with what fact; however, what I did experience was a new understanding as to why I am joining this team of people who have declared that the sanctity of life is precious and the fact that the US has declared it legal does not in anyway make it a lawful practice to murder our unborn. There's so much more to share on this, and I know that not all of my dear friends are on the same page with me regarding abortion, but one thing we can't deny is the pain and hurt and sorrow that occurs in the lives of the women who have chosen abortion in their past. Perhaps above anything else, I have such a new desire to see these particular women set free and find God's healing and restoration.

I hope you're all having a great week. I'm always amazed at how fast time goes by these days. I'm back in town sometime on Monday and then I don't leave again until I choose to! How nice indeed!

Hugs to all of you and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
~Polly