80's

"No matter what, no matter where, it's always home if love is there"
I'm going to go all 80's on ya'll and dedicate a song to this man. Sorry you all have to witness this but...I want it in stone somewhere. And just for the record, Crystal, I would like this song played at my funeral. :) (I know it's morbid but I think of these things...)

FRIENDS {and the tree}

So I suppose this is vacation part II. Our next lil adventure was to the Olympic Rain Forest. We traveled around Lake Quinalt and ended up at the World's Largest Spruce Tree (my poor family...they are going to get so sick of traveling with a science teacher!):

Have you ever seen that movie where the tree comes alive and the roots start swallowing people up? I can't remember the name of it (and I'm waaaay too lazy to Google it) but that's what this tree reminds me of. Kinda freaky.

My boys just takin' in the view. I told JD that (if I live that long) I could totally retire here. He asked me what he would do for a living....and I said he could chop wood for the fire ;)

More picnicking ;)

Somebody...I'm not going to say who...but I'll give you a hint...it's no one in this picture...

had the great idea to hike up to this waterfall. It was only a mile or so......

uphill...in flip flops...what can I say? It's my favorite way to travel :)

This is a Salmon Berry (in case you're hungry). Rudd, you were totally right. JD doesn't know a raspberry when he sees one :) Hahahaha

Here's the great and wonderful waterfall that we hiked for DAYS to see.

ALL the boys...(boy, Maegan and I are definitely out numbered!)

If you have never been to the Olympic Rain Forest, you should! There are super sweet cabins to rent...and a LOT to see. There were a ton of attractions on the map that we will have to save for our next trip. We were too excited to get back to Rudd and Maegan's for our steak dinner. Hahhaha.

FRIENDS {and the beach}

We hopped in JD's truck on Monday and decided we'd go on a road trip. Once we got the kids loaded up, Jack noticed a{nother} flat tire. Needless to say, he all but dropped down on the road and started flopping around in a fit of rage. He.Was.Mad. So, after a lil delay (and some new tires that were 'buy three, get one FREE'), we were on the road...to Rudd and Maegan's. They live in Northern Washington (and just so you know, we have two maps of Oregon in our truck).

---
Our first excursion was the beach (after the fireworks on the Indian Reservation, of course). This is Maegan and Reid. Rudd and JD are standing in front of us (in case you were wondering). I never thought I'd turn into my parents but alas...we are picnicking. This is what you call 'pack a cooler and eat for FREE' :)

The Three Amigos:

Okay, ya'll. This is a MONSTER of an agate. How lucky of a find is that???

What's more is that at this particular moment, it was a low spring tide (an exceptionally low tide during a full or new moon phase when the moon and sun's gravity pull at Earth's fluids together). The result? Sanddollar VILLE!

Don't even think for one second that we didn't spend a considerable amount of time de-sanding Ryan! Hahahaa

Part of getting {old} is saying goodbye (or rather 'see ya later') to good friends. We lead different lives in different places and yet when we get together, it's as if we just pick up where we left off. We laugh. We live. And we love. This family is one we love very much - and wish we could spend {more} time with!

Happy Father's Day JD

As water refects a face,

so a man's heart reflects the man.

Proverbs 27:19

Happy is the man who takes refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

You are the world's light....glowing....for all to see.

Mathew 5:14

Happy Father's Day JD

You are ONE amazing dad!

Destination: Olive Lake

Travel Time: about 3 hours
Arrival Time: 3:30pm.
Maps needed: 2 (and 1 gps)
Coolers: 2 (1 for fixins and 1 for meat)
Adults: 3 (JD, myself, and my dad)
Kids: 5 (my brother's 3 kids and my 2)
2 trucks.
1 boat.
3 tents.
1 Weber grill (from a yard sale)
1 black dog (Sadie girl- from the pound)
Endless baby wipes.

And here she is in all her glory: Olive Lake

There is something about the outdoors, you know?

Little boys just belong there.

Alright, alright, maybe grown up girls do too...

Here's our campsite. Gage and I had to 'save' it while

JD and 'the crew' (not to be confused with JC crew)

parked the rigs. 'Rigs' is hillbilly slang for a truck.

By the end of this post, you'll realize that...

we're all just a bunch of hillbillies

(whether we like it or not).

Anyway, here's Gage and our campsite:

The lil ones found a bit of snow to play in:
Ryan dancin' on a boat. He gets that from me, you know. :)

JD and my nephew, Michael, settin' stuff up:

(note the straps around JD? Yeah, those are to hold

all his guns in place). Like I said, hillbillies

with a capital 'H'.

(but these hillbillies will not be 'wolfed' by bears,

I can assure you of that).

Like I said, they 'belong' outdoors...in God's country!

Here's Ryan...asking my dad (for the millionth) time

if he can unhook the trailer.

And for the (millionth) time, here he is asking

my dad if he can blow his rescue whistle.

The answer never changes...

but I doubt he'll stop asking.

I think he gets that from JD (hahahaha)

This picture just speaks for itself:

My dad and his crew making their maiden voyage:

How hysterical is this pic?

My dad is just yelling "pull....Pull...PULL!!!"

I used to fall for that too.

Like I said, grown up girls belong here as well:

My new motto is: "My hips don't lie", which is true. They don't.

They don't, for one second, lie about the

3 children they've birthed.

the 36 plus hours of labor times three.

the oreo cookie fetish

the insatiable craving of whoppers

and so, when my hubby photographs me

in my yoga pants

in God's country

and tells me I'm one hot mama

my new motto is

these hips of mine...

they do.not.lie.
(and I'm startin' to kinda like it that way)

gorgeous niece, Ashley:

See the big logs in a 'v' shape? They are in place

to keep all the smaller logs from cloggin'

up the creek. Neat, huh?

Doesn't this look like THEE perfect

place to take a dip?

Too bad it's FA-REE-Zing.

We went for a lil excursion while Ryan and my dad were on the boat:

Both my nieces: Sarah and Ashley:

As you can see, we took a little break from de-binki-ing.

I know, I know.

I was trying to look out for the best interest

of the campers around us.

I swear. I was.

Gage and his "yam":

JD caught 5 rainbows with his fly pole:Then I changed the setting. I like this picture better.

I think grown up men belong in God's country too, don't you?Here's why we left earlier than expected:

We woke up to a monsoon.We were completely soaked.

-----

JD packed the entire camp up (in the rain) by himself, so you can probably imagine how happy he was (hahahaha). What really made his day was that he ripped out the crotch in his jeans when he jumped into the boat! We met my dad at McDonald's in Pendleton for some 'grub'.

-----

Imagine this: You are eating your Big Mac and in walks a bunch of hillbillies with their trucks JAM packed full of campin' gear. You can't help but let your jaw hit the ground as you gawk. The chic you see looks like she stuck her finger in a light socket. Her hair is one great big puff of highlighted Afro (that would be me). The kids are covered in dirt from head to toe and one is still in her pajamas (that would be Ashley). Mind you, it's 1:00pm. You take in a whiff as one man walks by and retch into your meal; the scent of wet dog lingering long after he's taken his seat (that would be my dad, who slept with Sadie in the back of his truck). As you gasp in gratitude that the tribe has finally been seated, you then notice a man...a rather large man with what appears to be weaponry strapped to his sides, walking toward you with an over flowing McDonald's tray. That's not really what causes you to gather your kin and head for the door. As the man begins to walk nearer, you notice his pants...and the 8 inch hole he has in the crotch. As your eyes meet his, he must be reminded of the hole and begins to shimmy as though he's holding an aspirin between his knees. As he draws nearer, you see more and more of his SKIN. You gather your children, cover their eyes, and throw away their half-eaten meals. You will not have your family eating with hillbillies!

------

If you live in Pendleton and hear of this story, don't worry. It was just us. And, um, yeah, we didn't realize how scary we looked until we saw the reaction from onlookers. JD told me I should have announced that we were down out of the hills to get our shots!

And this one's a lil piece of proof (for Crystal). JD's pants:

All in all, it was definitely another adventure.

I hope ya'll are finding time to make some memories this summer!

(and I can't wait to hear all about 'em!)