Our little conference vacation

Last Friday we drove down to Salt Lake City to take the girls to our church's General Conference. Conference is held at Temple Square every October and April and we normally visit our church building to watch it via satellite. (because they actually listen when we are in church and if we watch it on the computer at home, it is a zoo.) When Rachel turned eight, we told her that we would take her to Salt Lake to watch it in real life, but real life kind of got in the way. 2 new babies, a stroke....all sorts of things to get in the way and to make the trip a little difficult. And this year, things have calmed down enough that we decided to go for it. It was wonderful. We met Chris' sister and my nephew there and we each got to go to at least one session. There is really nothing to explain the feelings associated with being in a room (no matter how large or with how many people in it) with a prophet of God. Wow. Conference is always a good time for reevaluating your life and setting new goals so amongst my notes are a few things I am going to be working on. There were a lot of talks on motherhood that were so inspiring that one of my goals is to go back this week and listen to them again! My personal favorites from the session that I attended were by Julie Beck and M Russell Ballard. And here is a quote that I really need:

"A good woman knows that she doesn't have time to do all that her heart yearns to do." {Julie Beck}

priorities

On today's schedule?

•Presidency meeting (at the park! Who could sit inside on a day like today?)

•Entice the kiddlings to plant the peas

•Take Chloe out for a shoot in her baptism dress (Yes, I have *planned* to do this with the older 2 girls and never have...so cross your fingers for me!)

•Go to the wetlands for some bird watching (although I am pretty sure our noise level will scare away any birds that we are planning on watching.)

What I should be doing today?

•laundry (lots of it)

•overseeing the cleaning of bedrooms

•vacuum

•mop

•clean my bedroom (novel concept that is unheard of in our house)

See where my priorities lie? Off to the park! We're going to get there early and try to get some mommy exercise in.

Viva Las Vegas

Just in case you were wondering.....

You now know just how much I love Chris and my in laws.  Or I wouldn't be here. :)  It is a wonderful feeling to love your home so much that you see nothing that compares in beauty for a good 1000 miles.  But family is in Las Vegas so in Las Vegas we are.  

We are heading to see the Blue Man Group tonight, where apparently our seats are in the "poncho section".  Knowing that, I am sure the kids are going to love it.  Later on in the week, Chris and I have a date with the Phantom.  

My favorite part of our trip so far?  Sitting down with Chris' parents, looking through their old pictures and finding out more about them.  That, right there, makes this trip priceless.  Now I have a book to start on when I get home and hundreds of pictures to scan.  Ah, stories to tell.

knitting counter: 2 pairs of arm warmers and one more on the needles.  

reunion: Tunnell style

Today we are heading out to the Hood Canal for a little family gathering. You know it has been a busy summer for all parties involved because this was finalized about two weeks ago. We know what we are eating over the weekend, vaguely. We know what we will be doing over the weekend, vaguely. What do we know for sure? We all get to hang out together and relax it. There is crabbing, canoeing and general frolicking through the woods on the docket. And more importantly, there are showers, beds and a kitchen that is complete with a fridge. What more do we need? We were able to get the whole gang in one spot for the weekend. That, it itself, is an accomplishment. Pictures to be posted....when we get back and are fully recovered. (already looking more doubtful when I phrase it that way!)

Side note: I got to assist Rachel (kind of in a Vanna White sort of way. Helpful, but not so helpful) in extracting honey. Ok. Honestly? Elise helped more than I did. But I did take pictures and promise to share as the process is pretty cool.

Hannah's beach

Clarification: You are really invited to my little birthday party. I am getting everything ready for a very crafty/fun party. Come one, come all. (unless you are a crazy person of sorts, although mildly crazy is accepted so that people like myself can come. Also, sorry to be discriminatory, but no boys are allowed.)

Hannah has been struggling with water for almost a year now. (not the drinking type, but the bodies of water type. Oceans, lakes, etc...) This started the week after Chris' stroke when the family took the girls to the beach as a diversion of sorts. I am pretty sure that it was related to a certain lack of security that comes with not knowing what is going to happen to your dad. Tie that in with being old enough to suddenly realize that bad things can happen to you and you have a major fear of water. It started out with her going into this unreal crying to herself "I just want to go home. home sweet home. Take me home!" Through many run-ins with water, we have made slow progress. We bribed her to go on a canoe in a lake. (Pet Society time, ice cream AND 5 "my littlest petshop" toys) We explained high tides and low tides and eventually got her okay clamming in bays. We got her to play in the dry sand instead of crying the whole time we were at the beach. Let's just say that it has been a long summer. ;) Fast forward to this past Saturday.

A dear friend was visiting Oregon and there was need for a quick trip to see the ocean. Ironically, we went to the beach that this whole hydrophobia started. As we were coming out of the tunnel that leads to the beach, Hannah announced to me that this beach should be called "Scary Beach" because of the big waves and that she wanted to go to a bay. I told her I thought it should be called pretty beach and carried on. She kept asking if we could leave and I finally distracted her with some sand castle making. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her sneak up to the water line. Then we saw her get her toes wet and boy was she proud of herself! Before long, she was jumping waves with the bunch of them and left the beach completely soaks. I am so proud of her for overcoming this and it was such a great feeling to have her complain when it was time to leave! Since summer is coming to an end, I promised her another beach trip this week so she can really enjoy it. The bad news? Elise was scared just because Hannah was. Now I have two more kids to keep from drowning. Dang. The good news? Hannah and I decided that it is now to be known as "Hannah's beach". I personally think that has a nicer ring to it than "Lost Boy's Beach". Who came up with that?

Where are the pictures? On Jennifer's camera, probably somewhere in between Wyoming and Arkansas. Hopefully on here soon because they were cute.

fair frenzied

Here are your pictures, mom. (you know, the ones I promised to get up here a week ago? See how your patience pays off? Last week they would have been pictures of the project, but this week you get fair info, too!) Last week was the due date for fair entries. In all fairness, it has been a busier than normal summer. BUT I have ruled out staying up until 3 am to finish fair projects in the future. Here is the run down: Rachel got 4 1st place ribbons and 2 second place ones. Her embroidery and pj capris are going to the state fair. She was a very determined girly, turning down a bbq and a sleepover, all for the sake of finishing her projects. Overheard while working on a project: "I can't wait for fair to be over. I am sick of sewing straight lines and making sure my tension is right! I hate the fair!" It was great to have a high standard inflicted on them by someone else and I think she has come to understand the pay off of quality. Great fair lesson #2. (the 1st was all about procrastination. the 3rd? Mom, DON'T touch the exhibits!)

Rachel: "My first embroidery that I finished and I won first place!"

Mom: "See! You should finish more of your embroidery projects!"

Chloe and Autumn are not old enough to do official entries, but I am pretty sure they would have rocked the competition if they could have. (No motherly bias here, I tell you.) Autumn made a "sleeping fairy" that I think was her nicest fairy yet. Very nice craftsmanship and just plain stinking cute. (and completed while I wasn't even home. Go, Autumn.)

Chloe was a little bit of an over achiever, making an apron, pj capris and a zippered pouch.

I helped guide Chloe as she was sewing (mainly because I was making up the patterns as we went along) and she is such a diligent seamstress. Straight lines and good taste. I would give her two options for her pattern and she continually chose the harder (and cuter) option.

(note the hankie in her apron. She even chose it out at the antique store and bought it by herself.) She sewed every stitch on her projects, ironed everything the needed ironing and chose out all of the fabric. It was rewarding for them to see all of their hard work on display and they are already planning for next year. My favorite part? I love that the judges nicely hold them to a standard of high quality work. They expect zig zagged edges, reinforced seams and all sorts of standards that were foreign to me until a couple of years ago. My girls are going to out sew me over the next few years and I can't wait! Speaking of which, guess where we are this week! Yep. Sewing Camp, part deux. We packed up plenty of adorable fabric that will come home in lovely new forms. My biggest complaint about sewing camp? While all of the kids are sewing, Lia and I are stuck, sewing machine-less. Sigh. What is a mom to do?

a clamming we will go...

What is one of the only things that will get me

out of bed before 4 am?

You guessed it! The opportunity to dig in the sand for a food that I despise. Clamming! Chris went into work a little late and we received a little tutorial from some friends on the art of clam digging. We came home with a few under our limit, but with all of the girls helping us, our limit was a little large. (120 clams, to be exact.) The one that looks like it has an elephant trunk is a gaper. Yum. I think maybe I should change this post to : the things I will do for my family. ;)

beach trip numero dos

We are back from beach trip take 2 of this summer, although this one included a house instead of a yurt and more importantly, a washing machine and dryer. (Oh, and a mother in law cooking yummy Korean food 24/7) I haven't had time to upload pictures yet, but here is a breakdown of our trip:

Day one: tillamook cheese factory, clamming, eating seafood

Day two: Newport Aquarium, crabbing, seal watching, clamming, getting large fine for

naughty clamming activity, eating clams, sleeping very well

Day three: crabbing, blue heron cheese factory, hike/pick salmon berries, tillamook cheese

factory, home

So, as you can see from the above itinerary, this trip was pretty much all about seafood and dairy products, although mainly about seafood. I hate seafood, but I am convinced that this makes me a formidable adversary of the clams. I do not smell of seafood so they do not fear me. Sorry for betraying you, little ones, but you make my husband and my kids so very happy.

(which is why we managed to clam beyond the legal limits and not enter one antique store or flea market. Clams bring more smiles than antique stores do. Dang.)

camp recap

Yes, Chris came for his nightly visits. (I think he felt challenged after my comments about his disdain for camping.  That and he likes to play with fire.)  Our days were filled with hikes and bike rides that inevitably took us down steep trails and finding an alternative trail back up that was always just as steep. 

There were butterflies and caterpillars found, beaver sightings, a little bit of horse stalking (all for Hannah!) and scenic views.  For anyone that hasn't been to Stub Stewart: Go! (Just don't rent a cabin when we want to be there.)  When you look around you, all you see is tree covered hills as far as the eye can see.  Breathtaking, I tell you.  

The girls all rated the trip at a 9 out of 10, with their reasoning for their one point deductions varying from mosquito bites, minor injuries or the 30 minutes of rain that we had on our last day.  I think our trip was a success if that is all they can complain about.  Rachel was off bike riding for the majority of the trip, although I think she needs to learn an alternative to bribing her friend's big brother to carry her bike back up the hill.  We enjoyed identifying all of the many varieties of wild flowers and even found out (at the end of our trip) that we shouldn't be picking them.   Stub Stewart Park, we will be back.  (After I recover, that is.  Nevermind.  Star Party this Saturday night...if the weather cooperates we will be back before Stub Stewart recovers)  And we just rented a yurt for the beginning of July at the beach.  Dutch Oven, dear, we have a date.

out on another Kang adventure

After our run in with Stub Stewart state park for the lovely star party, I (on a whim) made reservations at one of their cabins for two nights.  Fast forward a month or two and our party has increased two families and we are in the process of loading our car for our little adventure.  This adventure includes my first fire starters that I made last week, my 6 year old virgin dutch oven   (that will come back nice and worn in), my new charcoal chimney and 5 (yes, you read that correctly) bags of marshmallows.  What could go wrong as long as we have those ingredients? 

Wish us luck and we will see you again on Wednesday. (or Thursday if I am completely wiped out from all of this fun!)  The only ingredient missing?  Chris.  He, conveniently, has to work. (or something lame like that!)  Chris has a love/hate relationship with camping.  He loves putting bugs on people and playing all sorts of camping related pranks on people, but he hates pretty much everything else involved. (especially the lack of indoor plumbing.  Even if they have bathrooms, his idea of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night does not include needing a flashlight.)  I digress.    Luckily, I think he can still make it to heaven because Gordon B. Hinkley's son once talked about how much his dad hated camping.  It can't be too big of a fault, right?   (I think I just heard Chris sigh in relief)

new items at our house

No, you probably won't find a ton of gap clothes for your children in near perfect condition when you are out garage sale-ing in our town.  You probably won't find the latest and greatest baby gear, either.  But if you are seeking great vintage items for your home, Forest Grove is the place to be.  Last Friday, we hit the jackpot!  We found this classic "Telephone Table", that was just a small piece of material away from being perfect for our entry way.  We came across a Country Sale, that was very much so just that.  After going further and further into the country, I was happy to see the drive pay off as we came across a whole bookshelf of vintage Little Golden Books that were priced at a quarter a piece.   On the non-vintage front, we scored two sewing machines (in great condition) for $5. (Not $5 a piece, but $5 for both of them!)  As soon as Rachel and Autumn get their room in order, we are going to start working on a sewing corner for them.  I must say that I think our garage sale day was a great success and made me love Forest Grove that much more. 

a long, fabulous day

My parents braved the potential of a flu outbreak for a visit to the Kang Compound this weekend. (thanks, mom and dad!)  We tackled various backyard projects that fell within my dad's specialties, including planting five blueberry bushes, a strawberry tower out of PVC pipe, a plum tree and a cherry tree.  We made it through the day with the girls busily making us lemonade and giving us much moral support.  As a like to say when rating behavior at church, as long as the girls' behavior ranks according to their age, I am good.  I am not completely sure if this was true today, but it was pretty close to accurate.  If anything, my parents enjoyed seeing me get a little karma in the parenting universe.  

We took an afternoon break in search of a great river to splash around in and I must say that I was thrilled with our discovery.  We found a quiet stretch of river with minimal currents that is a mere fifteen minutes from our house.  I can already see many summer days spent skipping stones,  catching crawfish and making merry in the shade, all with a relatively short drive to reach our new getaway.    On the way home, all I could do is tell Chris how much I appreciate his moving us out to Forest Grove.  What a wonderful place.  

Note that in the picture above, two of the girls are not eagerly splashing me with rocks. Elise: because she was obviously otherwise occupied.  Autumn: because she was trying to pick up a gigantic rock that probably would have been the end of my camera.  

Survived the week....

Yes, we are back from Camp Zarahemla with all 6 children in tow.  We survived the week, but I am not sure if I will survive the clean up from a week of playing in the dirt and camping in the fake wilderness. (Although I don't think it can be considered fake camping if you have to be constantly checking 6 children for ticks that may have burrowed into their skin!)  Rachel's only complaint?  That it wasn't longer.  Hannah's highlight? Being bribed with 5 "My Littlest Petshop" toys, 30 minutes on Pet Society and an ice cream cone just to go canoeing.  Lilly's highlight?  Watching the chipmunks and playing in the dirt.  I will post more tomorrow with some pictures once I have escaped the laundry abyss, planted my new blueberry bushes and made good on Hannah's bribery.  Until then, I hope everyone has a great weekend!

tromping through the tulips

We've been trying to make it to the tulip fields for the last two weeks and the stars finally aligned to make it so today.  Can I just say that it was the perfect day for enjoying the tulip fields?  The sun was shining, the wind was slight and it was a Thursday, which means that the crowd was mainly sweet grandparents and preschoolers.  (this vs. every child in the Portland area that has just about every Friday off of school!)  Beautiful.  As a mother, I couldn't have asked for a better day.  We spent a good three hours there just enjoying the scenery, playing on the bumpy slides, riding the traditional cow train (what?  you've never been on the cow train before?) and picnicking in their gardens while the girls attempted a game of badminton.  As a mother, it was 100% successful.  As a mother, I wouldn't change a thing minus giving us a few more hours there instead of rushing back for soccer.  This brings us to the *other* reason that we tromp through the tulips every April.  Pictures, of course!  The photographer in me knows that a slightly overcast day acts as the perfect diffuser for Mr. Sun, although the mother in me knows that that doesn't lend to the hours of unhurried enjoyment that a sunny day provides.  And the mother in me also doesn't allow the photographer in me to tote around a diffuser, knowing that it will only lead to chaos and one more thing to carry around for those hours of unhurried enjoyment.  So.  We had a beautiful day that my children will always remember (or they dang well better, right?) but not such a beautiful day for pictures.  I just thought of the good part of this whole thing.  No matter overcast or sunny, we can still enjoy it, eh? (or at least I can still enjoy it!)

One of the highlights?  Opting for the drive through the country instead of the highway, driving with our windows down while Rachel read us The Brownie and the Princess.  Love the cool air blowing in our car.  Love the rolling hills.  Love hearing Hannah excitely point out *every* single horse that we drove by.  Love my daughter being anxious to share a story that she loved by one of my favorite authors.  I would have been content to turn around as soon as we got there just to enjoy another drive like that through the countryside.

*this is for the folks that might, for some crazy reason, think my kids fight.  Nope.  It always looks just like this.  hugs and kisses and sweet acts of sisterly love.*  (which, I actually do think that for the amount of time they spend together, fighting takes up a very small percentage of the total time spent together but there is definitely fighting.  Oh, yes.)

chilling it at Hagg Lake

Seven months after moving out to Forest Grove and we finally went to Hagg Lake.  Yesterday was a gorgeous day that was calling us outside so we hopped in the car, threw in our blanket (and the kids) to chill it for the evening.  What I love about our girls?  That I took them somewhere with "nothing to do" and they relaxed, had a great time and put their imaginations to work.  It was a tranquil evening, complete with some very loud singing on the way home. (thus the quote from the lovely Elise: "I hate that song!  I want 2 monkeys!")  If any of you want to visit Hagg Lake, give us a call and we'll meet you there for a impromptu picnic!

Trees planted. Check.

Wow.  We got so much done today.  I ventured out with all of the girlies (minus Rachel who was off hanging pj's on a fence.  Don't ask.)  to Al's Garden Center to pick up pansies a plenty and some fruit trees.  I had originally planned to buy wood for our garden beds today also, but when my back hurt as we were leaving Al's, I thought that might be overly ambitious. Sometimes my downfall can be my brainless optimism, but today my caution paid off.  We barely finished planting the trees by 5 pm.

We had fun perusing the many flowers and trees while Lilly rode on my back (with quite the snotty nose, turns out!).  We decided on a 4 in 1 cherry tree, which has 4 varieties grafted onto one tree, and a 5 in 1 Apple Espalier, which is great for growing along our fence in our not quite so big backyard.   And, of course, we couldn't leave without the 30 pansies that some of Chris' coworkers gave us a few months back.  I let the girls choose the colors as Hannah serenaded us with "Little Purple Pansies" . (which used to be "Little Purple Panties" when Rachel was little. )

We came home and dug like crazy through our horrible clay, amended the soil and now we have our beautiful, tiny fruit trees in.  Until those decide to produce (in what, three or four years?), we will distract ourselves with our garden and some berries.  This week's plan?  I am going to get the girls growing some of our veggies from seed and will have them help build our garden beds.  Yes, the spring bug has bitten us.  I am ready to be out of the house and I can't begin to tell you how refreshing it was to hear the birds sing for me as I dug. (even if it was starting to feel a little like "The Birds" when there were 21 of them sitting on the fence watching me.  Spooky stuff.)

Crabs and tidepools and cheese, oh my!

Today we took a little day trip over to Tillamook to explore some tidepools, partake of "cream cones" a la Tillamook and of course, pick up some seafood for my starving husband who can't eat most food anymore.  

While Chris was in rehab, my family tried to get out and about with the girls quite a bit.  With us living in a somewhat new and unfamiliar place for them, they sought out what they knew.  This resulted in quite a few trips to...Tillamook.  This was quite evident this morning when I asked Elise if she wanted to go to the beach in hopes of enticing her to get dressed, which she never really wants to do.  I repeated "Do you want to go the beach and see the cows?", to which she quickly responded to by telling me that she wanted cream cones.  I guess Tillamook Cheese Factory made a little bit of an impression on her.  About 10 minutes later, Chris went to the store for a quick compact flash card run (YES, my husband can run errands again!!!) and Elise had a gigantic freak out because she was just positive that Chris was going to go see the cows, the beach and her cream cones without her!

A few hours later (can you tell that we have 6 kids?), we were off.  We made perfect time to enjoy some tidepools (which we've never really done here) near Tillamook Bay.  The girls loved finding purple crabs a plenty, fish, 2 anemones, and many, many shells which were each collected like they were the only shell that my sweet little girls had ever seen.  All of this exploring despite the slight drizzle and cold weather proves that we have become true Oregonians.  That and the fact that we held our own little beach clean up as we left.  :)  Chris maneuvered along the slippery rocks quite well, but he did have an altercation with a rebellious group of barnacles that resulted in way more blood than I personally like to see. (ask my parents about how much that is.  None.  Still not quite as gross as when Autumn got her tongue stuck to her braces the other day.  I was SO grateful that I had Chris at home to take care of that gross moment.)  

Ok.  So here is where I put in writing just how much I love my husband.  I'll preface by saying that he has been extremely diligent with his diet.  He has now lost 20 lbs since his stroke and although he is on a very low dose of cholesterol and blood pressure medication, he has lowered his blood pressure to 120/75 (from 220!!) and his Cholesterol to 139 from 270.  Ok.  Back to how much I love my husband.  I *hate* seafood.  Blah.  Gross.  Yuck.  He loves it.   Slightly allergic to it, but he loves it.  And he can actually eat seafood right now!  So we went to a little shop with very fresh and very cheap crab and oysters.  Dinner for the whole seafood eating portion of our family (everyone minus me) for less than $18.  Here was the catch: First of all, I had to go into this store that stunk to high heaven of this seafood that I hate.  Then, I had to drive in a car that stunk to high heaven of this seafood that I hate.  And last, but not least, my house smells like crab now instead of Christmas trees (which I love) after cracking open all of this seafood for my dear, seafood loving husband who cannot open it when his weak right hand.  Oh....and I haven't gone around complaining either.  I saved it all for my dear blog readers, mainly because I want to turn to this when Chris tries to say that I don't love him.  Here is the proof, honey. :)  I love you more than I love my hands not smelling like oysters. (which is a lot!)  

Sorry, got way off track there.  It was a wonderful day with lots of fun.  It doesn't seem like we have fun outings very much anymore.  It is either a therapy day or a school day.  Today was....a great little family field trip day.  Another cute kid moment from today?  I commented to Chris how crazy it was that we had this nice little haven behind the rocks, among the tidepools while the waves were crashing on the other side.   All of a sudden, Hannah was urging us to leave quickly and was almost in tears.  She was pretty sure those waves were going to come over.  I guess she isn't my dare devil in all things.  

We'll show those Doctors yet!

After Chris' stroke, we were told that we should probably just sell Chris' newly purchased civic since it is a stick.  They said it would be at least a year until he could drive it. Of course they threw in probably, which I guess means yes to Chris.  He is one determined guy.  On the way home from therapy yesterday, he asked if he could drive the rest of the way home.  I found an empty parking lot (Cornelius Theater is never that busy, right?) and asked him to practice in the parking lot for a little to see if he could make it on a road full of stop lights and traffic.  As I was putting in my little request, he was pulling out of the parking lot.  I guess Chris has never been one to lack confidence, eh?  He drove his car all the way home without stalling (until we were pulling in the driveway) and today.... (drumroll, please!) he drove to Nike all by his lonesome.  Feeling a little like a parent of a teenager, I begged him to call me when all was safe and sound.  I have to day that it gave me goosebumps to hear the garage door open when he came home.  What a warrior.  Sorry, Doctor Friedman.  Chris isn't listening to that can't stuff anymore.  Where there's a will, he finds a way.  

On a slightly different note, the Kangs have finally decked the halls.  We went to this great U-cut (or in our case, They-cut) tree farm that is a hop, a skip and a jump from our house.  Seriously.  3 minute drive.  The very kind owner gave us a flag to tie to our tree, he drove his trailer down there, chainsawed it down and got us all set up.  The best part? (Besides watching Chris take the rugged terrain pretty darn well) We found a tree that had a nest in it and we found a burrow that they think was from a nutria. (Think beaver/rat....yuck!)  Then we sat and sipped peppermint hot cocoa while Ken Parry of Parry Trees did all of the work.  It was great.  Then we had to get that big ole (I am thinking probably 10-11 ft) sucker in the house.  It shouldn't have been that different than every other year.  We always get a big tree and Chris and I carry it in together.  This would be no different, except that Chris would only use his left side.  I always help him anyway, right?  Ok.  Here is confession time.  I am a wimp.  (with a capital "W")  I normally kind of hold up my end, but I have to say our trees are normally a lot lighter. Lighter as in Chris normally does all of the heavy lifting.  I am for show.  Dang it.  Not this year.  Ok, I was still for show.  I am sure all of the neighbors got quite a laugh if they happened to be looking out their windows to see Rachel and I struggling to get our end up, with the stroke victim leading us along.  Luckily, the neighbors couldn't see when we were trying to get it in the stand.  Comedy in its best form. :)  All of the hard work is over for a while.  Anyone want to come by around the end of December to do the tree removal? 

I don't want to start a big green debate or anything, but I am trying to figure this out.  Which is worse?  Cutting down a perfectly fine tree for a month (aw....it smells so stinking good) when the farm will still plant more trees to replace that one and the old one will be mulched/recycled or buying a fake one (to avoid cutting it down) that will some day end up in a landfill and will never be recycled?  Yes, I think I have been living in Portland for too long. I don't think I would have even thought about this 5 years ago. I am inclined to think #2 is worse. 

This session of Driver's Ed is now over.

I have great news for all of those readers out there that find themselves driving around the Portland area from time to time.  Chris will no longer be running off of the road. (not that he ever did, but it sure did feel like he was about to!)  He drove to Nike the other day and drove to a Dr. Appointment (at which they said his cholesterol is looking pretty darn good!  All of that hard work is paying off.) and I didn't feel like we were about to die.  Isn't that great?  I actually felt like I was driving with the pre-stroke Chris, who has always been a much better driver than me.  Of course, Chris tends to be a little on the over confident side (which I think has attributed to his quick recovery) and now wants to drive the civic to his therapy tomorrow.  Yes, his civic is a stick.  I said a big fat no way jose to that one, but he plans on practicing around the neighborhood.  Watch out, neighbors! :) 

Tonight we went the the Light Parade in Forest Grove.  Ah, what a small town experience.  It wasn't fancy and it wasn't even that long.  It was a fun evening for the girls (Minus Elise, who refused to get dressed to leave the house and stayed home with Chris), complete with horses for Hannah.  It was so Small Town, USA and I LOVED IT!  Any more decked out and I don't think it would have worked.  It was the best and I think  I am falling in love with our new little town.

Back to the real world....

Well, we made it home safe and sound.  Physically sound, but the jury is still out on the mentally sound part.  Overall, the girls were VERY good for the 2 day drive from Las Vegas.  The problem is that: A) I still went to Joann's on Friday morning at 5 am so I was way too tired to drive from Las Vegas to Portland  B) Even if the kids are good for 75% of the time, that still leaves 5 hours of crying and craziness. (mainly on Elise and Lilly's part)  Glad to be out of the car, but I do wish we could have stayed in Las Vegas a little longer.  When we got home, Elise ran into the house exclaiming "Home! Home! Home! We're home!"  It warms my heart to see them so happy to return home.  Hannah was saying something about how she missed the smell of home.  Sweet little girls.  I was more like "Yeah!  No more driving in the car for long periods of time when all I really want to do is sleep. "  We arranged the trip around a few fun stops for the girls.  On the way down, our lunch break coincided with Lake Tahoe, which we had never seen before.  On the way back, we arranged a dinner break in Salt Lake City to see the lights on Temple Square.  We were blessed with great weather, no snow and minimal rain.  Here are a few pictures from the trip. (let's place extra emphasis on the word few.  You don't exactly take tons of pictures at a funeral, all though I think you should and I left my camera in the car at Salt Lake City.  Chris says we must not have even gone since we have no proof!)