soulfulspoonful: Family Life

This is my special spot where I will be sharing some of my families life experiences with you along with some photos of my amazing, wonderful, awesome, God-given family. The Webster's Definition of the word family is: parents and their children, relatives, and all those descended from a common ancestor: a lineage. My definition of family is that they are a gift from God, an opportunity to walk out the Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. This is a perfect example of the character of God, the One who established the relationship between man and woman and then said be fruitful and multiply. I love my family with an incredible passion and we are multiplying. I just gained a son-in-law on September 9, 2012.

Here is my gift from God, my handsome husband, Marty, who retired after twenty-five years in the USMC as a Master Gunnery Sergeant, along with my new son-in-law, Wade and my beautiful daughter, Whitney.

Here is my youngest daughter Dakota. She is helping with a team that I put together for relief in Joplin after a major tornado hit them. She really has the gift of blessing others. I'm so proud of her.

~~~~~~~~March 16, 2013~~~~~~~~

Here is Whitney, Wade, and Dakota at Whitney and Wade's birthday celebration.

Our families joined together for the celebration of our amazing children's birthday. Happy Birthday Wade and Whitney! Tomorrow, they are off for a seven day adventure to North Carolina.

March 17,2013

Marty and I went out to Rick and Teresa's, Whitney's new in-laws, to visit yesterday and to look at their new home and land. Of course there were plenty of animals to see. Here are a few pictures from our visit.

Baby chicken

Maddox, Wade and Whitney's nephew, holding his baby chick.

Mr. Duck

Say hi to Bob!

We had a blast! We loved their new home and land and can't wait to see the new addition to their family... some goats.

~~~~~~March 28, 2013~~~~~~~

March the 28, 1965 there was a girl named Michele; who arrived on earth as the daughter of Joni and John Beish. Here I am today in the cycle of life with my family 48 years later celebrating this life God has given me.

You may be thinking, "I wonder what they ate for dinner???" Well, let me share my birthday with you. We started off our meal with an appetizer of one of my favorite cheeses, Brie ! It was served along side it's buddy sliced apples and of course grapes were invite to the party along with Matzo bread. As we all celebrated the event I noticed the party on the plate was all to soon a memory.

We waited patiently for our main course while conversing about our future, our plans, and our dreams. We seen the most incredible English Poodle walking his owner down on the Plaza. Soon our meal arrived looking like the Van Gogh of the culinary world, and tasting like an explosion of flavors. Through all five of my senses I explored this meal in the most authentic way. I could smell every pinch of seasoning, and every ounce of experience the chef encountered in his years of training. Okay I must confess it looked so good that we prayed and then I dug in before I realized I had not taken a picture of this masterpiece, so it does not look the same as it did when it arrived untouched, and unadorned by my knife and fork...LOL

Marty had the Bison sliders with smoked Gouda cheese. He let me have a bite. I decided right then and there I was a bison lover.

Dinner came and went. We decided it was such a gorgeous day, finally spring decided to come out of hibernation and play. We wanted to take full advantage so we walked around snapping pictures.

For a minute I got lost in the moment at the Plaza. What a beautiful sight it is for the eyes that feast upon architecture as if it they once lived among the walls of the buildings itself with the secrets of its success.

Of course you cannot visit the Plaza and not get your picture taken with the resident bunny :) I look like I don't trust the resident bunny...LOL

For those of you who don't know what Kansas City is known for let me give you a few clues...

Clue number One

Clue Two...

Clue Three:

Just kidding with clue number three. I was just trying to throw you off a bit...Kansas City is called, "City of Fountains" We tried to take a picture of the largest fountain at the Plaza but it was not running on this day.

As we were walking along the Plaza we ran across a street musician.

Marty, my Marine, seems to think there is a treasure behind the door. He knocked but no answer so he reverted to his human super powers. Did he ever get the door open???? I'll never tell

We could not go down to the Plaza and not visit Loose Park, we ended our trip here before we headed home to meet up with the family and friends for cake and ice cream.

God gave me my Marine...I still can't believe it after 25 years he is mine. I get to keep him :)

Geese... one with a head, and one without :) LOL

Family, Cake and Ice Cream Time

I love my Family and friends

My Dakota boat had to work that night...Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the most amazing tea I had at Late Land it was called a London Fog, it's a lavender tea breve'. If your ever at the Plaza and you find yourself at Late Land you must try one...Tell them it's on Michele..LOL

There it is folks another year older and another year blessed to be a blessing. Thank you for stopping by and spending some of my birthday with me.

~~~~~~April 6, 2013~~~~~~

Whitney, my oldest daughter and I decided to venture down to Good Ju Ju on Saturday to see what all the talk was about. Wow!!!! What a great experience. As we walked inside, we soon realized our bodies were being transported to another world, a time where sitting on the front porch with a mason jar of tea, a stick, and a knife where whittling was a sport qualified in the Olympics' as a time keeper, a story builder, and a masterpiece only generation of the past truly appreciated.

Whitney found this awesome table below for 95.00 she didn't buy it this time, but maybe next visit. We are going to make this a monthly daughter and mom event. Lunch, coffee, Good Ju Ju, and stepping back into the past if only for a moment to gleam from the history that has gone before us.

We bought lunch from a street vendor called Crave. This might possibly be the best tacos I have ever eaten. If your ever down there you must try one of their tacos...Seriously, the flavors were unforgettable. Seasoned chicken, spicy chipotle cold slaw, peanut sauce, avocado slices, lettuce, all wrapped around a grilled flour tortilla...Amazing!!! Sorry no pictures of the food, we smelled it then inhaled it.

It was so windy yesterday we ate behind a building that blocked the wind somewhat so we wouldn't add our hair into the mix of these incredible tacos. After about two minutes the gourmet tacos were but a memory. There were so many shops to look at beside Good Ju Ju, although it was one of our favorites. A good friend of mine, Jenny, recommended we stop by Bottoms Up. We did and it was equally a transporting experience.

We also stumbled across an outside flea market that had the best cinnamon toast kettle corn.

I bet your wondering where in the world is the kettle corn??? Well it's just behind Whitney to the left. Where all the people are congregating. I forgot to get the picture.. LOL It was right after the picture was snapped below that we had spent most of our money. So, we window shopped for a while, and day dreamed about purchasing furniture with scratches, and dents not made by us, but maybe made by a child who shouldn't have been throwing the ball in the house, or roller skating through the bedroom, or it's possible the scratches and dents were made by the owner who had to move because of the depression. None the less the scars of the past were very present and the way I see it every piece had a story and I was intrigue with the secrets they held.

We had a blast, I reminisced about some of the things my mom shared with me when we went peaking into the Antique shops filled with similar stories of their own. Memories...Priceless...I did bring home a wonderful turquoise dresser when its own story. What's very exciting to me is one day, someone will be looking at it with the same intensity that I did when my eyes fell upon it's grandeur. My story will add to the history of this piece and for generations to come the script will be added to. Our lives are still the best story tellers and our God is still the best at orchestrating our lines.

Here are a few random pics...Enjoy our journey Not sure who the girl is in the purple who looks like she's miming...call me :0

Walking away....time to go for now but we will be back...Thank you for experiencing my life with me ;)

~~~~~~April 6, 2013~~~~~~~

ON ANOTHER NOTE....update on my youngest daughter...DAKOTA

Dakota met this awesome guy named Travis, and last night they made it official; their dating. Here is a photo of their first date. I know I'm cheesy... just go with it... be cheesy with me ;)

Our Warsaw Trip April 9, 2013

Whitney and I went to Warsaw to visit a good friend of the family's and browse the Antique shops. One of my favorite antique places to go and rummage through when I'm in Warsaw is the Antique Mall, it's a place near and dear to my heart because this is a place my mom and I use to go to a lot when she was alive. Oh, how I still miss her deeply, she was one of my best friends.

Cosmic coffee won an award for best coffee in the state!!! If your ever passing by or through Warsaw Missouri you got to stop off and get a coffee there. My favorite ice coffee is the white chocolate marshmallow coffee.......I will not go there without having one of these famous coffees.

It's a beautiful place to visit, Lot's of shopping, eating, and fellowship happens here. And let's not forget about boat riding, fishing, and hunting. Like my boat?

Here is my amazing daughter, Whitney, again my other daughter , Dakota is working.

Well, we are off to Marilyn's to visit with her and see her house. Marilyn is so talented she made beams on her ceiling with water noodles. She painted them and even gave them a knotted pine look.

Marilyn has several beds that hang from the ceiling, so creative :)

When she showed us her bathroom I couldn't believe it, she painted stones on the wall of her bathroom which looked real... She inspires me spiritual and creatively. I love her so much. She is the most gentle spirited women.

Here is a picture of my friend Marilyn holding a picture that was painted by her spiritual daughter and my friend, Michelle O'Day. They took a ark class together a few weeks ago. Beautiful :)

When you first walk into the living area you are greeted with a huge wall adorned with what you would find in a Ranchers home. It is breathtaking!!!

Here is another photo of the living area...

I walked by a way in one of the rooms and it was filled with paintings Marilyn had painted herself.

Marilyn has the luckiest animals in the world, they get to live here with her. What an adventure just to experience life in this atmosphere of peace.

Oh how I love Marilyn, I've never met any one quite like her. I've known her for twenty-five years. Her house is filled wit the spirit of God, everywhere you look, everywhere your feet tread, there is evidence of His presence. I think this might be how heaven feels. If I had to describe her house in one word, the one word would be, "PEACEFUL"!!!

Whitney and Marilyn beside the hanging bed.

Breathtaking!!!

This house had so many rooms and details that I could not possibly document them all, but I did try to catch what caught my eyes the most. Old wood burning stove that her husband grew up laying beside, on the cold winter days. If this old house could write there would be a best seller on the shelves today. So many stories locked between the walls.