Pretty Toes

Katie and Madison enjoyed an afternoon of pampering.  Pink toe nail polish, flowers (hand painted) on the big toes and don't forget the sparkles!!!  I don't think I've ever seen Katie so excited!

For Rent

Yes, Linus (the neighborhood cat) is included in our house rental.  :o)

It has been interesting trying to pack while also having the house up for rent.  Packing is a messy task.  So trying to keep the house "presentable" for possible renters has been challenging!! 

One More Time...

We just returned from enjoying 3 fun-filled days at Rockaway with Erin and her kids.  I am so glad that we had the chance to visit the Oregon Coast one more time before our move. 

Erin found us a great beach house to rent.  It had beach front access... it just didn't have much of an ocean view!

One morning we visited the Tillamok Cheese Factory.  Carson was all about the free cheese samples.  Katie was more excited about the ice-cream!

Most of our time was spent on the beach!

Please note it isn't a beer in Erin's hand!  :o)

We had some tired kids on the ride home!

Introducing our new rental house...

This is the house we'll be moving into next month.  Most of the houses out there are one-story with day light basements.  The kids are overly excited about having a basement.  They have always thought their cousin's house was "fancy" because it went "down under the ground".   It was always odd to have to remind my kids that the under ground area was actually called a basement!! :o)

How Can I Say, "Thank You"?

Yesterday Carson said to me, “Mom, we sure are spoiled”.  He said this as we brought in another gift bag that had been left at our door.  Since Al has been gone, we have randomly been left goodies at our door step.  However in the past couple of weeks it has been an almost daily occurrence. 

We usually have no idea who the gift-giver is.  The gifts just randomly appear…  some with cards (but with no signature) and many without.

My kids are really getting a kick out of it.  One morning when I reached for cereal in the pantry I found myself face to face with an envelope full of goodies!  Sometimes I receive a random, cryptic text from Shawna (who appears to be working as the middle man).  Or we see a package by our door when returning home. 

I know at least one of you reads my blog.  We received a gift of WINE and CHEESE (a long with crackers and chocolate) that seemed to mirror my previous blog post title.   I laughed out loud.

I must admit I am feeling a little guilty and very undeserving of all this attention.  Spoiled doesn’t even begin to describe the thoughtfulness and generosity of everyone.  I really am at a loss for words.   I know there are many of you at work here.   You have helped make our last few weeks in Vancouver special and that means a lot.  Carson especially is having a tough time with our move.  He has teared up just watching me fill a moving box.  So these little surprises have meant a lot.

So thank you everyone.  You should stop though.  Really.  :o)  I love you and thank you beyond words, but the guilt of receiving so much is starting to weigh on me.  I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends (and heart broken at the same time because I have to leave you all).  At the risk of sounding overly sappy I just want to thank you all again.  I am going to miss my monthly bunco games, the play dates with our kids, meeting at Starbucks for a Chai, and pretending we are 20 again and hitting the club scene in Portland.  :o).  You are a special group of ladies.

Yes, I Will Take Some Cheese With My Whine

Yes, I would like some cheese with my whine wine. :o)

It has been a hectic and tense few months to say the least. Al left in mid-May for Minnesota. I was left with the task of painting 3 rooms to make them more “renter friendly”. I pushed myself to get it done before the kids got out of school for the summer.

Summer arrived and with that came the kids on summer break, and yard work was added to my list of must-dos.

Now in mid-July I find myself packing the house. I have removed all the pictures on the walls and have done the patching. I am also attempting to keep the house "presentable" at all times (in preparation for possible renter walk-throughs).

I would of been lost if it wasn't for the support of my amazing friends who have helped in countless of ways. 

I guess we are really moving. It is a little hard to deny it now.  I promise this will be my last "poor me" post.  I know I do have a lot to be thankful for.

Wings & Waves

Today we spent 8.5 hours going up and down water slides and riding the waves at Wings and Waves in McMinnville.

The kids and I drove down with our neighbor Helen and her kids. We arrived when they opened (10:00 am) and didn't leave until 6:45!!! I am one of the few people from Vancouver who has not been to Great Wolf Lodge, so I can't give a comparison. I will say it is expensive and I think it is more geared for children 7 years and up. On the positive side, there was a lot of things to do (even a fun interactive water museum upstairs, which was a great break from the water after lunch). It was very clean and very well run. Our children (7, 9 and 11) didn't want to leave at the end of the day. My household gives it 3 thumbs up! :o)

Family Bobcat

It was crazy hair day at camp today.  The girls also performed their skit called "Family Bobcat". 

Katie was one of the "Dads", proudly wearing her snake tie (a craft made earlier this week) and mustache. 

The boys also did a short skit. What are boys scared of?


Apparently Girl Scouts! :o)

One More Day...

Girl Scout Camp is almost over!!  Here are just a few of the many pictures I took over this fun-filled week.



Our Unit came up with camp names.  Katie is known as Banana, and you can call me Snowflake.  :o)



Here Flipper (Laurie) is helping the girls during craft time.



We went on daily hikes.



The girls exchanged letters with the camp fairies and on our walks we'd sometimes see one of their homes!!



Fairy House



The girls had a lot of time to play and have fun.

Twin Day

The Bobcats!

This picture was taken today (Pajama Day).  The girls are practicing their skit for Friday's camp performances. 

I have had a ton of fun working with these girls.  I am really going to miss them.  I won't be missing my sore muscles and the feeling of complete exhaustion each night though!  :o)