Livin'

Egads!  Where did the time go?  I see that it's been some time since my last post, but it doesn't seem that long. Perhaps it's because instead of writing about what I've been up to, I've been so busy livin' it! 


These last couple of weeks have included lots of trips and activities.  School clothes shopping at Old Navy was easy and quick - $10 jeans can't be beat!  School supply shopping is done.  A two-night trip to the lake got camping out of our system for the year.  And for one last hoorah ... a trip to the coast with family!

The weather in Newport was spectacular!  It felt a little strange playing on the beach when on the other side of the country Hurricane Irene was wreaking havoc on several states.

 Digging in the sand, kite flying, and searching for shells provided hours of entertainment.

 We (along with family on my husband's side) stayed in a house on the bay, not far from the jetty.  This group shot of the kids in quite indicative of their personalities right now.  Funny how the girls ham it up for the camera while the boys avoid it!  The Yaquina Bay bridge (in the background) will celebrate it's 75th anniversary on September 6th.  When the tide was low, I saw people wandering underneath it, digging for clams in the sand.

So now as it is September 1st and school will start up again next week, I look back on our summer with approval. And I am now wholeheartedly ready to take on fall!

Sun Kissed

I love the time of day when the sun is going down and the yellow-orange light twinkles through the trees and casts a warm glow.  I especially love it when the sun kisses the little tootsies of my loved ones.

Strawberry Summer

I don't know about you, but to me summer tastes like a strawberry.  So vibrant and sweet!  Our summer has already kicked off with a lovely bowlful from our neighbor, and just this week we were invited over to her house to pick some more from her abundant garden.


Loaded up on sunscreen and water, the kids wasted no time searching for the red jewels.  My ears were constantly greeted with "Mama, look at this one!" and "Ooh, this is a good one!"

By the time they had collected all the berries they could find, it was getting quite hot.  So we went to chat with our neighbor for a bit and show her all of our treasures.

That evening, I was pulling some weeds in my own backyard and noticed some spots of red beneath the strawberry plant leaves.  Upon closer examination, I discovered some beautiful ripe strawberries that hadn't yet been spoiled by hungry birds!  After picking them (and trying a couple) I just had to document my "crop" with some photos.

My berries must be a different variety as our neighbor's as they are small, but red all the way through.  I am overflowing with pride since I don't have much experience in gardening.


These sweet berries reminded me of a story I've read to my kids this summer called The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR.  They love it and I do too.  Really it is more suited to younger audiences, but the illustrations are wonderful enough for anyone to enjoy.

Yup, it's shaping up to be a strawberry summer.  However, I did see some ripe raspberries starting to make an appearance in my garden ...

Springing Into Summer

We got ourselves a trampoline!  Not only is it fun and a great thing to do with the kids, but it has tremendously helped my son (who has low muscle tone) with his balance and core strength.  In fact, it's probably working too well as the other day he was caught climbing into the car ... through the WINDOW!

A Sweet Surprise

My ninety-something year-old next door neighbor dropped by this afternoon to give us a bowl full of strawberries, freshly picked from her yard.  My heart was touched. 

And my taste buds were delighted!

My Wednesday View

Today feels like early summer.  With temperatures promising to be up in the 80s, I spent some time putting away heavy clothes of winter and bringing out the soft cottons and linens.  I even opened up the back door in our bedroom to let in fresh air and the slight breeze.  I'm thinking we'll dine on the back patio this week; yup, enjoying a meal and some wine al fresco is definitely in order!

Last Days Of Summer

With today as the first day of fall (oh happy day!), I am looking back at how my kids chose to spend the last days of summer:

Hiding under an umbrella and pretending the sprinklers are autumn rain.  Well, I guess I'm not the only one who has been looking forward to wetter weather!

It's A Jeep Thing ...

 

As the weather is starting to cool down and give way to autumn, it's a must to get in those last rides in a convertible.  Grab a buddy (preferably one who has his own Jeep) and go for a cruise about the neighborhood!

Car maintenance is very important ... and as well as a group effort.

Wrangle up some fun before the Jeep will be put away for the winter.  Going off-road is optional!

My Summer 2010 Must-Haves

It is so fun to be a girl sometimes!  I thoroughly enjoy reading the fashion magazines and seeing what is in, what's out, and what are the must-haves for the season.  It got me thinking, "What are MY must-haves for this summer?"  And so, I thought I would share my top six favorites:

1.  Natural Glow by Jergens

What can I say, I am a pretty fair person - and I'm talking about my skin here.  I burn easily and I am quite prone to freckle, so I am careful about sun exposure.  Not wanting people to think that I have been spending my summer vacation in Siberia, I go to my trusty bottle of self-tanning lotion!  This Jergens moisturizer gradually adds color to my skin without making me look as orange as a Cheeto, and now no one needs to put their sunglasses on when the see me step out into the sunlight!

2.  Infallible Longwear Lip Duo Compact by L'Oreal 

Awesome, awesome stuff here.  Constantly reapplying my makeup is not on my favorite-things-to-do list.  This lip gloss goes on in the morning and lasts until bedtime.  It really does!  All I need to reapply is the clear gloss that seals in the color.  My favorite shade is "Ginger" which is a slightly frosty nude tone, perfect for everyday.

3.  Black Cherry Chutney Nail Lacquer by O.P.I

When I saw this color on the shelf at the store I couldn't resist.  I don't even really like purple all that much, but the deep, dark tone of this polish was stunning.  It's part of O.P.I.'s India Collection and looks great with anything metallic and completes an ensemble.  It just makes me wish I had big flashy rings to wear with it!

4.  Mosquito Coast Sunscreen and Repellant by Bull Frog

Much to my dismay, the mosquitoes are a big problem where I live.  And during the summer we love to camp and travel to places that often swarm with these blood suckers.  Bull Frog has worked very well in protecting from sun damage (SPF 30) and I've only been bit a few times, which was when I wasn't wearing this stuff.  It works great on kids too!

5.  Velcro Rollers

I've decided that my hair looks much better when it has body and lift ... and it certainly doesn't grow out of my head that way.  Velcro rollers in different sizes have allowed me the chance to know what it's like to have big hair.  After showering, I put some mousse at the roots and roll up sections of hair in the rollers.  I wait at least a half-hour and then pull them out to reveal a head full of luscious locks!  I feel so "Bridget Bardot" ... well, except that my hair isn't that long and certainly not blonde, but oh how it's voluminous!

6.  Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner by Pureology

I am not usually a shampoo snob and never have been ... until now that is.  The salon I go to uses Pureology products that honestly make my hair feel AMAZING, and it should for what it costs!  My hair is light, shiny and there is absolutely no filmy build-up to speak of.  This stuff is certainly spendy, and so far I have only forked over the cash for a couple of sample sizes of this luxurious potion, but I am combing the internet for great deals on buying a real sized bottle.

Never As Busy

"A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower." - Kin Hubbard

A Fruitful Gathering

It is always a joy to get together with old friends; to see how families have grown and to reminisce about the good ol' days.  And we had the opportunity to do just that this weekend!

Some friends from college had a BBQ at their home, which sits on an orchard that provided lots of things to do and plenty to see.

Cherries, nuts and figs dangled from the trees while playful kids dangled from the railing.

 Princesses of all ages were seen roaming the property.

Wheeled vehicles of different sorts were very attractive to young drivers.

And for the adults there was great food, fellowship and glorious weather.  And the sunshine and light breeze was perfect for ...

Chatting by the fire, walking amongst the trees or just kicking off my shoes!

Good times.

A Summertime Adventure

Whew, it has been a busy few days. I didn’t exactly go on vacation because I stayed in Southern Oregon and slept in my own house. I guess you could call it a “staycation” as I’ve heard it called on the radio. Basically as my family was visiting, we went to many local hotspots: the bagel shop, a BBQ restaurant, a Borders Express, and notable ranch & resort. Yep, my town is that exciting! At the resort we took some new family photos and got attacked by mosquitoes in the process. It was a beautiful day, however, and I love the way the photos came out.

Just us girls.

My boys.

Awwww!

We also went to Crater Lake which was full of visitors and tourists. It was an interesting trip because I got to ride in my dad’s Miata convertible and enjoy the journey in the open air. It was a hot day where I live, in the 90s, but it got cooler as we headed up toward the lake. The sky was overcast with threatening clouds and there was a lot of smoke in the air from the wildfires in California. In fact, on the way home it felt very much like autumn as it smelled like smoke and fir trees. The further we away we got from the lake, the more it felt like summer with the smell of mint and vegetation in the air – dead skunks too. My husband and I listened to my dad’s iPod which was filled with a variety of music. Some of it was good: Jimi Hendrix, the Guess Who, Bob Dylan and a sprinkling of Michael Jackson (Thriller) and the Charlie Daniels Band. Some of it was not so good; but all in all it was a fun experience.

Tuesday was the highlight of the weekend. We went to Grants Pass and took a jet boat excursion through Hellgate Canyon. We had a blast! And we also go very wet. Several people can fit on one of these boats and the drivers do a great job of riling up the crowd – and the water. They would do cookies with the boat and get everyone soaked in the process. My son, who is 17 months old, even got wet and he took it very well. The river was beautiful, the canyon was majestic, and we saw osprey, egrets, and water snakes; it was a great adventure. Our boat even blew one of its three engines and we had to wait for another boat to take some of us back. Something tells me this sort of thing doesn’t take place everyday.

Yes, that is a wall of water that ended up on all of the boat's passengers!

You may see from this photo that my husband and I are drying off from getting soaked - just moments before.

Having fun can be exhausting!

A lot of fun was had and I enjoyed spending time with family. I am also glad to get back into our schedule and am looking forward to autumn.

Cotton Candy and Carnival Games

My husband works for a large company that has a private picnic every August. Nearly half the town attends this big event because nothing sounds better than having your place of work foot the bill for your meal and an afternoon of fun.

When we first got to the picnic – held at a local sports park – we were a little concerned that there was only a handful of people out on the field playing carnival games. We have gone to this picnic a few years now and there were usually a lot more people. Then we found out that the food was being served in the indoor soccer facility. Upon entering the building, we realized that was where everyone was. The place was packed! Tables were set up with blue and white check tablecloths and the food line was huge. I, myself enjoyed a wonderful beef brisket sandwich and pasta salad. We even played BINGO which helped my daughter practice her numbers. We didn’t win, not even once.

Enjoying the afternoon of fun and sun.

When we were done eating we headed back outdoors. My daughter wanted to get her face painted, but first she won some bubbles by throwing a football in a carnival game. Then we went to the face painting booth. There were two teenaged boys doing the painting but they really weren’t qualified. I realize that they wouldn’t hire professionals for such a job, but come on! The easiest thing in the world is to draw a snake and this is what they came up with:

Can you tell that is a snake on my son's cheeK?

My bedazzled daughter.

My son was offered cotton candy for the first time. He obviously didn't care for it.

My daughter, however, loved it!

It was a perfect day for hanging out in the sunshine.

After creating bead necklaces and eating cotton candy we decided to call it a day. Both kids slept like babies when we got home. We’ll do it all again next year.