astoria column

We took this stunningly beautiful drive to the Astoria Column.

There are stairs up to the tower....

but I don't do heights.

I found out that Johnna doesn't either. 

sweet

 The view from down at the bottom of the tower...

was good enough for me.

Oregon is such a beautiful state.

(warning: heavy & sappy subject ahead)

As we drove up through the mountains & saw the evergreen trees my heart was sad- sad that I don't live amongst these beautiful trees anymore. I love the Northwest. I love the beauty & the rain.

okay okay- I admit it-

I cried.

It was just so beautiful.

 And

 I could BREATH the air.

 I'm talkin' fresh, sweet, moist, clean air--- it's so hot & dry in Utah.

 Do you know what I mean?

I love green & clean air-- is that a crime?!

 Honestly though- I do love my Utah home.

 I don't think I could move back now?

(Don't tempt me though!)

 It's so pretty there & there are good people where ever you live- Still.

 We have a good life here & I am afraid that we could not match it anywhere else?

I guess we just need to go on vacation more?

Being Gargoyles in Astoria:

Astoria Bowpickers

This is the view from our room at the beautiful Seaside Wyndham Resort- at night.

Oh how I love the beach-- especially a cool beach-- as in a not hot- meaning NOT HOT beach.

The cool Oregon Coast weather was absolutely amazing coming from the dry, high Utah 90's & recent 100's.

It didn't even hit 75 degrees- the whole week!

 It was mostly in the 60's. Misty fog in the morning, sun in the afternoon & cool breezes at night-- mid 50's. I'm in love with cool weather.

Lucky for us- my sister is a "Platinum" member (inside joke) and she got us the in on the room.

We celebrated Johnna's birthday Saturday after getting there- went shopping for the week's groceries. 

We went to church on Sunday & swimming in the resort pool. 

so nice.

Monday we drove up to Astoria & ate the world's best (my humble opinion) fish & chips at the Bowpicker.

I read about the Bowpicker online while looking for places to eat. I knew immediately this was a place for us.

Known for selling out some days before 3:00PM-- we got there early for lunch.

This is it- a boat in a parking lot with a fryer & a couple of gals dipping tuna fillets & fries.

It was fantastic- There are two picnic tables & people eating in their cars all around. Drinks are in the cooler down below- and you can order small/large fish, chips, drinks- that's it. YUM

The owner came by with more fish at one point- ya it's fresh.

Afterwards Brett taught Cole (my niece's son) how to feed the seagulls.

He was so delighted!

Then he grabbed his hand & they chased them away.

It was adorable.

(it's hard to see all the birds because they are camouflaged by the white RV.

We love Astoria-

It's picture- perfect- beautiful.

We spent most of the day there

more to come.

oregon coast or bust

 Last Friday about 1:00 in the afternoon-

We got in the car & headed to Idaho!

It was five hours to by Brother's house- Jim & Beth had an amazing dinner waiting for us & BONUS: my Uncle Fred, Uncle Tom, Uncle Wayne & Aunt Lucille were there waiting for us!

We visited - ate yummy dinner & even yummier dessert- watched their totally cool 3D TV- slept- ate an amazing breakfast that my brother made- played with their cute doggies- then took off.

But what?

I have no pictures of that?

I swear I took some??

more to come

45

On July 15

I turned 45.

~weird~

There was A Lot of celebrating!

While Brett & Trent were still at camp- the rest of us went to dinner at one of my favorites- The Desert Edge  in Trolley Square.

I went to lunch with the blogger moms on the 16th- Loads & loads... and LOADS of GREAT presents- 

OH MY GOSH IT WAS so much fun. I am almost excited for school to start up again so we can start meeting on a regular basis- again! Man I miss those guys....

I also went to lunch on the 17th with my dear friend- Karen. She gave me the most perfect present & I can't wait to show you that soon - so funny- she knows me so well.

Lunch & Friends- what more can a girls ask for?

WEll- dinner with the fam of course!?

We had some of my favorite foods & 

CAKE

Sweet WEnde brought me this cake the day before my birthday (my birthday was on a Sunday) from one of my many favorite bakeries- Gourmandise!

YES

it tasted as good as it looks

 This year I felt loved on my birthday.

That's huge & a very big deal for me.

Thank you so much to so many of you people out there - who did that.

It's an issue- my birthday & me.

 I think, the older I get- the better I'm getting about it though? I think? This year was great. 

NOw- an apology. I love sending birthday mail. I usually am so good at it. This year & most of last I just dropped off. NO excuses- just life got in the way & I want to do better.

Thank you for loving me on my birthday- even when I forget (I never forget I just didn't acknowledge) yours.

It's a good life.

 (p.s. we just got back last night from a week long vacation on the Oregon Coast- can't wait to get it blogged!)

your not going to believe this...

But last week-

Trent went to scout camp!

Not cub scout day camp---- REAL Scout camp.

He's 12 now & will be 13 in less than a month.

He was really excited & I was

 really nervous.

We worked it out (months ago) that one of the boys or Brett would be up there (the camp was near Wyoming) most of the time. We just didn't think Trent was ready for a week long overnight camp with out family. Now that it's over- we were probably wrong- I think he would have been fine.

 I guess it's easy to tell who's really not ready? 

I had ginormous plans for the week.

I was going to get so much done.

I put my list on a big dry erase board so that I could cross off the multitude of projects.

blah

It didn't happen.

I tried, really I did... but I just couldn't do it all.

Chloe picked the first of our tomatoes.

We enjoyed Slurpee's at 7-11 on 7-11.

I took this photo on the way home from work one day.

Can you see the smoky haze from all the wild fires?

It was hot- it hit 106 degrees on this day!

I did work on a new quilt-

this one is a project for one of my friend's mother.

 It is to go over her bed.

sigh

kind of bummed I didn't get more done-

but isn't that life? When I'm busy I get more done than when I have more free time. Crazy - I know.

Trent had a blast at camp!

He's been telling wild stories about it ever since.

When I got home Saturday after work he was here- it was so great to see him after a long week. 

Hailey told me he answered the phone all day- 

"Hello- this is Trent, just got home from scout camp."

awesome