The people I know.

While trying to come up with something AMAZING to post about, I thought of an awesome sister in law I could highlight, but then thought I have a few cool sister in laws. I wouldn't want to leave anyone out. I also have incredible sisters I could talk about. I also have really cool brothers and brother in laws. Then I just kept thinking of more and more AMAZING people I could focus a blog on. My mom, my dad, my grandparents. I'm sure they will all get their turn. My friends near and all my blogger friends. I just couldn't help but realize how many awesome people I know. I feel incredibly lucky to know all of you.

I was complaining the other day about how it took me 3 years to feel like a real part of the community here in OR. You know, til I could go to target and see someone I knew. Now I realize how lucky I am to feel a part here and in AZ. I love both places(during some seasons more than others),because of all the fabulous people I know!

I know:
teachers
volunteers
mothers
fathers
runners
walkers
sarcastic commenters
philosophers
gardeners
politicians(good ones)
scrapbookers
chefs
comedians
story tellers
farmers
hikers
world travelers
adventurers
students
artists
decoraters
spiritual giants
seamstresses
scout extrordinares
musicians
caregivers
soccer moms & dads
crafters
athletes
readers
dancers
nurses
writers
poets
history buffs
photographers
bussinessmen
bakers
friends
coaches
builders
pet lovers
rockers
neighbors
and so many more
Still humility surrounds each of you.
See, aren't I lucky!

blahs (so blah I even had to steal my title from Sheri)

I know, I know, it's been awhile. I just don't have anything to say. This reminds me of a 2 page paper I found this morning in Boston's backpack. He wrote 2 pages explaining that he couldn't think of anything to say. He got full credit too! Crazy.

I made tamales for the 1st time by myself. But I've been so noxious, the thought of eating one makes me sick. I hear they were OK though (thanks Darilyn).

I went on a cool field trip with Mason's class today. They went to Zenger farms. It is a small organic farm in the middle of the city(Portland). They have 16 acres and love their Urban Farm status. It was fun though. The kids all got to help plant. They go 3 times this year, to help keep up the children's garden. We saw a nutria. I had never seen one(other than roadkill).

So, I've had this stomach yuck for three days now. I never get sick for 3 days. That's unheard of. I think that's why I've been such a lazy blogger. blahs, blahs, and more blahs.

ps. I have been reading all ya'll's blogs. Just to blah to comment much.

This is depressing. Sorry. Maybe I just need a cherry dipped cone.

Alive & Adrenalized

I absolutely love this picture of Boston. This is why... He is showing so much emotion. Doesn't he look free? Doesn't he look uninhibited? You can see in his face that he is having a blast. Honestly, I think I would love this picture even if he was screaming out of anger. One thing I have always wished is that I would show more emotion. In front of my family is one thing, but in public is another. When I am super angry at someone I don't do or say anything to them. If I'm having a blast I don't yell out. It has always bothered me. I feel just a little bit caged,(maybe i've just been listening to too much Smashing Pumpkins) but it is my own doing. So when I saw Boston hootin' & hollerin' like this (in public) , it made me very happy. I am glad he can freely express himself. He definately gets this from his dad. Chris has been known to shout for joy down the entire length of a mountain while skiing.
I see fearlessness in Boston. He can make a new friend in an instant. He has joined every activity I'll allow, and is begging for more. He practically dances down the halls in school. He loves it so much. When I was in Jr. high I hid in every corner I could find. I really admire Bos for this. He is also setting a fabulous example for Mas and Sid. They want to be involved because they see how much He loves it. I think I am going to try to be more like Boston from now on.

Very Lucky

I'm not quite sure how I got so lucky. I married a man who I can completely trust and rely on. A few of the things he has done for me this week are:

Worked very hard every day at his very stressful job.

came home early from work to clean up a little doggy mess.

threw a blanket over me in the middle of the afternoon, knowing full well that I would fall asleep.

left church early to bring our 2 sickees home.

picked up my "products" from the store.

bought our family plane tickets to AZ for Halloween & Ty's wedding.

put all the kids to bed so I could go out with Darilyn last night.

went to school Mon & Tues to better provide for our family.

called me every morning to see how I was doing.

picked up tooth fairy money ,after work, twice this week.

set up a Mexican food night with friends because he knows it's my favorite.

planned a date night for Saturday night.

And... surprised me with a plane ticket to VT for a girls weekend.

These are just the things that came right into my brain. I'm sure there are more. I'm so thankful I married Chris. He really is the sanity in all my crazy. (see picture below)

Sorry

I'm not posting much. I'm feeling a little stuffy!

FAll- my 2 minute poem

Fall on your face,
fall on your butt
I'll laugh real hard you big ol clutz.

Fall is cold
fall makes me shiver,
while gathering firewood I got a sliver.

Fall, I grow pumpkins
fall, I get muddy
will you be my fall buddy?

Fall is amazing
fall freaking rocks
Sorry got to go put on some warm socks!



This is my test. What can I write (in poetry form) in 2 minutes. I picked the topic of Fall before I started. This was hard! I dare you to try it. Remember 2 minutes!

My Day,

My day went like this. I woke up and got Mas & Sid off to school. I started making caramel apples for my visiting teaching ladies. Boston asked me to take him to school because their were girls bugging him at the bus stop. I refused. He could easily wait for the bus to come then run out and catch it. Bos Left. I went VTing. Had a new lady(Janene). She seems super cool. Talked too long, of course, so only had a few minutes to visit Heidi. Came home to find a big huge dog terd on my carpet! Gagged repeatedly, then contemplated committing doggy homicide or filing for divorce. Decided just to clean it up and as a "Chris owes me big reward" I went shopping for the rest of the day!

Good Luck Today, Love Ya Dad!

John Robert Bogle

Watcha doin? NOTHING!

My afternoon schedule now looks something like this.....

Monday: Repare the house from the crazy weekend we just had. That includes washing Mt. Laundrest! Chris school night. Which means he does not come home until about 10:30pm.

Tues: Here we go... Boston cross country. Then all three have soccer. Then Bos & Mas have scouts. Chris school night.

Wed: Sid dance class, Mason guitar lessons.

Thurs: Bos cross country. All three soccer.

Friday: Freeeee day!

Sat: start of crazy (but fun) weekend.

Sun: Day of rest? yeah right!


My rule of one activity, per kid, at a time has officially flown out the window. I am definately a novice at this crazy after school schedule business and I know a lot of you have it much worse. Any tips? Please know that I am not complaining. I feel pretty lucky that we get to do all this! I'm just a tad frightened!

Literally

I was just remembering a little conversation I had with Sid this past weekend. I thought it was pretty funny. We were walking down the boardwalk in Seaside like we do many times a year. Chris and the boys always stop to get elephant ears and corndogs. Well, they had closed down the corndog shop so they all went for elephant ears. Sidney didn't want anything.


Sid: Actually mom, I'll have a water.

Me: Ok, you sure you don't want to share an elephant ear with the boys?

Sid: ( squishy faced) No.

So then we go sit down. Chris, Joyce, Sid, and I were sitting together. She suddenly looks up at me and says...

Sid: Mom, is that really made from an elephant? I don't want to eat or kill an elephant!

After we all calmed down from laughing, we explained that it was made from bread dough and sugar, NOT ELEPHANTS! Boy was

Sid relieved. She did eventually taste it, but I don't think she could shake the image.

Late Night Fashion

After 10:00pm, these weird people always come over. Well Saturday these weird people had a fashion show in our beach house!

Our weekend

Friday, I was seriously looking for someone to shoot me. I didn't really have a great day. On Saturday things started looking up! That morning Sid and I went to the apple farm. They have a very fun little apple bouncy thing.
so Sid bounced and I bought apples. Very fun! Then we went to the cutest little country cafe for lunch. We have to go back because they had the best tasting grapes ever!

Then that afternoon we heard it was going to be 80 degrees at the beach, so we had to go! Chris's sister Joyce and her kids Zach and Catie met us at our house and we took off. Which beach? well....

We didn't go to Cannon for all its awesome shopping. NO!

We didn't go to Pacific city to use the four-wheelers on the dunes. NO!

We didn't go to Lincoln City for the best beaches ever. NO!

We went to Seaside for the TWIRL-A-WHIRL!!!


I think everyone (except me) rode it 6 or 7 times. They all had fun and no one vomited, so that was good.
There was also a huge car show in Seaside that weekend. Almost every car that drove by was the coolest car I've ever seen! All old timer cars of course. Oh,and some hot rods but those were dumb.
We ended up renting a house for the night because all the hotels were full. The house we got was super cool though. It was the first "well built house" in Seaside. It had a gorgeous garden and the inside was all covered in wainscoating. It was built in the late 1800's, and was awesome!

We did actually spend a lot of time on the beach too. It was so warm! Not the water, but the air.
We had fun watching Boston, Zach, and Mason skim board, finding shells, catching baby crabs. That was actually pretty gross. A couple of times when a big wave came in, as it would go back out you could see thousands of these disgusting little crabs trying to bury themselves in the sand. I only had to run out of the water screaming those two times though! Ugh, that gives me the shivers just thinking about it. And for some reason I could just forget they were there if I couldn't see them.

After the beach I went shopping while the rest of the group snuck in to the Trendwest pool that is right by the beach. Then I picked them up and we went to dinner. We ended up in this cool little Italian seafood/ Pizza place. I know that sounds weird, but it's not if you see it. It's adorable and very yummy. I got one of my beach food staples, Ciopini, which is all sorts of shell fish and whatever other kinds of fish they want thrown into a spicy tomato and veggie broth. So good!
We then drove around the gorgeous little town of Gearhart. It pretty much is where the rich people put there beach houses in Oregon. All huge wood shingled amazing beach homes. Someday, in my dreams, I'll have a house in Gearhart.

Way better in real life!

I think a lot of you know ( at least my OR friends) that I pretty much do whatever Darilyn does. Yesterday she had a wonderful idea. She wanted to go on the hike that Mahina had blogged about a few days ago. So, of course I went right along. We even suckered Mahina into going again (it really didn't take much). She also brought along her 2 youngest. It was amazing! This is why I just do whatever Darilyn tells me to do. I had so much fun! It really is a short little hike, but it has so many interesting features. A log jam to climb over, a (deep) stream to walk through, long logs to test your balance as you walk across, the highway(as LaLa calls it), and a beautiful waterfall at the end. This was a fabulous way to get out and enjoy another one of OR's many perks!

My turn

The kids all were awake way before their alarms buzzed. They had there clothes all laid out ready for them to throw over their sleepy heads. Brushed their teeth without my usual reminder. They ate a big breakfast (that just means a bigger bowl of cereal). Where are they going? Back to school!! Although Sid and Mas were in agreement that "the first day of school is kind of scary." They were all very excited! Even Boston, for the first time ever, was excited for school. I think it may have something to do with starting middle school. He's feeling very grown up.

Now I am enjoying my freakishly quiet day, and my house that may actually stay clean for a few hours.

Sand in my toes

Yesterday we went to the beach. We went to Lincoln City. Other than the extra hour drive because of Labor Day weekend traffic, It was one of my favorite beach trips yet. Although I think I might say that after every beach trip.

Farmer Joe

Today I channeled the hick side of me. I went and milked blueberries. What? You say you've never heard of milking blueberries? Well that is because I just made up the term. It is super late in the blueberry season. In fact the last day the farm was open. So all the good berries are low on the bushes because the top berries are fried. So you have to squat like you're milking a cow and then you just run your hand down the clump of berries and they fall into the bucket. Wallah, milking blueberries. Very fun, but hard on the joints. I guess I'm getting old.

After I left Blueberry Hill(clever aren't they). I drove over to the apple farm and picked up some fresh picked honey crisp apples and a couple heirloom tomatoes. mmmm!

Then I got a call from Darilyn saying she had some tomatoes from her garden for me so of course I drove right over. While I was there I weaseled some fresh picked green beans out of her.

My kitchen counter looks beautiful with all my farm fresh produce sprawled across the top.