vacay

This week we went camping in Pacific City for some desperately needed R&R.  Sarah took her friend Abby along.  Sarah and Abby had a 4 day weekend this week because of parent teacher conferences and we just couldn't let the opportunity to get away pass.   We have not had a true family vacation all year long so we needed this time, badly.  Pacific City is one of our favorite Thousand Trails campgrounds.  WE have a favorite spot *G5* and we were able to camp in it.  Our favorite spot is a very secluded, area under the cover of a beautiful canopy of evergreens.  This time when we checked in we were immediately made aware that there are bears in the campground. 

Evidently, they've always been there but have never really come out, but this year was such a bad year for the bears foodwise, that they're hungry so they've taken to raiding the garbage cans, dumpsters and camps within the campground.  It's a mommy, her baby and a grown male.  We fortunately/unfortunately never stumbled across them, although we may have been close one time when we came across an obviously looted dumpster, we were later informed that the bear was likely still inside the dumpster.  Most of the dumpsters in the park showed signs of bear tampering.  The mommy bear will sit on top of the dumpster and bounce up and down until the lid breaks, while the male bear is strong enough to simply repeatedly swipe at the lid until it gives way.  So, the bears were an exciting addition to our trip.  Another favorite aspect of this particular campground are all the bunnies it has.  According to what we've been told, somone at some point released a pet bunny or two at the park and they made many baby bunnies.  We always see a lot of bunnies when we go here.  Sarah and Abby purchased rabbit food at the camp store so that they could get close to the bunnies and feed them. 

This camping trip was full of our regularly scheduled activities, such as swimming at the swimming pool,

and playing miniature golf, John had the irritating (er, good luck) ability to have 3 holes in one while my ball bounced off of three holes that coulda *shoulda* been holes in one!!!  grrr....

but we also did other things...for instance, we went into Tillamook for a few hours, toured the Tillamook cheese factory

and ate ice cream, another day we went to Lincoln City to the Outlet Mall and went shopping for several hours, all of us came away with clothes and much lighter wallets than when we started.  We had dinner at the Pellican Brewery (in Cape Kiwanda) and saw a simply spectacular sunset over the Ocean. 

We also participated in activities at the family Center in our campground.  We had an opportunity to carve pumpkins and eat apples & caramel.  This was the camp's 'Halloween FEST".  Abby & Sarah were by far the youngest participants, as a matter of a fact, so was I. 

The other two participants in the 'fest' were in their 60's or 70's ( a very nice couple from Pennsylvania.  The girls got a kick out of the gentleman because he's a fan of old 20's and 30's horror and scary films. )  We also spent quite a bit of time at the family center putting together a 550 piece puzzle of puppies. 

We never quite finished it.  All and all we had a wonderful time.  The weather was WONDERFUL!!!   We had rain 2 nights and one day the rest of the time it was beautiful and mild, we even had a campfire one night (quite a surprise for October).

AG Luau 2010

Another LUAU has come and gone. I think this one was a success! I had so much fun, but then I always do! the Luau's started out as a bribe. Waaaay back in the early days of leading AG Melissa (my partner in all of this) and I had some really wild girls, they were a handful. So, we bribed them. We told them that if they behaved for a certain amount of time we would do something fun, something they picked. The girls were so excited and they picked (to our surprise) a LUAU. (we were thinking pizza party:) the first LUAU was such a success that it became a yearly event and eventually turned into a mother/daughter event.  Our luau usually consists of some games (this year it was hula hoop contest, girls against moms....girls universally won * I know, you're shocked!!.... we also had a tug of war...I do have funny pics of that one.... and then of course LIMBO...the girls love limbo.  Then, in between games we have dinner...Hawiian haystacks, YUMMM, followed by sherbet for desert *I think I misspelled sherbet..... anyway..... FUN, FUN!!!!

So, check out my pictures!

This is our invitation for this year. One of my co-leaders (Cheri) and I created it. I think it's darling!

Here's a collage of mother's and daughters.  I think they're oh so cute together, doncha think?

ugh!  I hate myself in pictures...ironically though, it was me who insisted on the pictures.  I don't have any pictures with my co-leaders and they are always such amazing women.  I wanted to document this latest group.  These are fabulous, talented women who are such a help to me and a blessing to the girls we serve.

Ok,  funny story.  this is Amy.  She was one of my co-leaders until a few weeks ago when she got released and gobbled up by YW :(.  Bummer.  So, Cheri was taking pics and wanted one of the two of us, so she pointed the camera at us and we smiled....then, Amy who is easily 9 inches taller than I am suddenly drops down to my level, like she was in an elevator.  I cracked up so hard!

homecoming pictures

It occurs to me that I didn't post these. So, for your viewing pleasure....it's Peekaboo's first High school Dance! She went with 4 of her best girlfriends. They all got together @ our house and got dolled up together. Not pictured is Stephanie who left early to go with her boy friend.

Britney, KJ, Carmel & Peekaboo (notice how they're color co-ordinated!)

homecoming week

just wanted to share a few pics from Peekaboo's first homecoming week.  She's having a blast.  tomorrow she goes to the homecoming dance.  the dress she has is adorable!

Wild & Wooly @ in Lincoln City

I love how unpredictable it is on the Oregon Coast.  I like the rain and the storms, the brief poetic glimpses of sun and the glorious sunsets.... I'm not quite as fond of the funky traffic, bad (read: erratic!) drivers and high cost of living (but, I digress...)

This weekend we had a lovely Andrews' family get together in Lincoln City.  JoAnn rented a lovely place for all of us called 'DeerHaven' and we all congregated there.  The only real downer about this beach house was that we could not get the internet to work, so....bummer.... we all had to talk to each other instead!

WE had a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean.

WE had lots of fun and laughter and food!!!  tons of food!!!  waaaaay too much food!!  

Peekaboo and I napped constantly.  We fell asleep @ the drop of a hat.

We definitely had fun!

John & his Mom JoAnn

Brother-in-law Jeff & our nephew Eric

Jeremy & JoAnn

Lincoln (age 1) & Mommy Jessica

Jeremy & Ken (Robynn's Fiancee)

Grandma Barb & Lincoln

Ben & Jessica

Robynn & JoAnn

Janine & son Eric

Joe & jessica (not pictured is 6 year old Braedyn who didn't feel like being photographed this weekend)

We actually got a family photograph (minus Ken and Robynn)... This is a RARE event!

The only really icky part of the weekend was the exciting event of John and I getting in a car accident.  The other driver decided to rapidly back down the street into oncoming (read US) traffic.  He was extremely apologetic but we still have a really messed up car.  Not fun!!  Thank Heavens for Car Insurance.

To cap off our weekend we stopped at the Drift Creek Covered Bridge, just outside of Lincoln City.  It's a beautiful bridge, in a beautiful setting.  All part of our little tour of covered Bridges in Oregon.  (some day we'll get to all of them!)

the creative soul

I am a creative person.  I'm not extraordinarily creative but I am a creative person.  The older I have gotten the more I have come to accept my creative nature as neccessary for my soul's survival.  I found this marvelous quote by Pearl S. Buck.  He speaks truth that I understand.

"The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive. To them... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death.
Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create -- so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, their very breath is cut off...
They must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they are creating."
-Pearl S. Buck

....By some strange, unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they are creating."  I adore this line!  To me, my creativity, such as it is...is an inherited trait from my Father in Heaven, my God...the great creator.  He created everything that we see, everything that we touch, breathe, hear, know....   God is creative and he gifted us with creativity, so we must use it in whatever form it comes to us...

Many times I have pondered those who create out of hardship.  I think about the pioneer's who crossed the plains of this great nation, who lost loved ones and toiled hard on the land, who made quilts out of seed sacks.  I think of the slaves living on the East Coast, illegally de-humainzed and yet expressing their humanity and JOY for life through simple yet poignant crafts and music.  I marvel at the simple power of persevering by creating....when we create we are not giving up we are moving on....perhaps I ramble...well, definitely I ramble.

All of us have that touch of creativity.  Mine comes out in giant spurts of thoughts and projects, of paper and paint, of organizing ideas and organizing people, through music!.  My daughter expresses hers through her hair cuts and hair dye, through music and paint and clay.  How do you access your creativity?

Mixed Emotions

So, Peekaboo started High School yesterday.  She got herself up Uber early in the morning all by herself and went to Seminary and then School.  She's so grown up.  Not ALL grown up, no matter what she may say...but, she's certainly a much more independent young woman than she was even just a few months ago.  She came home from school yesterday excited by all of her classes.  Actually excited by Academics!!  I hope it lasts....