Saturday Day Date!

Brent and I realized since we have been in Oregon we really haven't spent much time together alone! So Brent planned a fun day date for us! Before we got to the date though I woke up early and cleaned the cars we have at the house! It took nearly and hour because of all the little tree things that stuck to the roof and hood of the car! Then I went to the gym and did a half session.

When I got home Brent had already packed our lunch and we were on our way! We drove up the Gorge and went on three hikes... they were super short. We estimated that we walked about a mile and a half total!

Here is the first trail that we went to Latourell Falls!

This was the most crowded of all three falls! we barely had any room to get pictures. It was the most crowded it did have the most cool places to walk around and get pictures!

Brent really enjoyed framing things with tree branches!

Here is us by the bridge that lead over the falls!

This is from the road! Look at how massive that is!

The second Falls was Shepherds Dell. We almost missed the trail because the stairs we hidden next to the highway. We thought the trail was originally to Brent's left but it turned out to be to the right behind the big rock!

This is on the way down. Since it is a Scenic Highway there we cool bridges everywhere! Brent wanted to get a lot more pictures but this was the best view we had everyday!

This took three different tries! But I think Brent looks really good in this one, I just wish he were lighter!

There was no one here when we got to this small falls! This looks really little but there are three more drops farther down, we just couldn't get down there to get some better pictures! I like that my shirt looks like a mu mu!

Here is the little part again!

This is the final falls, and the longest! Why are so many Water falls called Bridal Veil!

At the top there was a banister and so I had to make our mark! "B's" are really hard!

How Pretty right? I think the Bridal Veil in Utah is actually a little prettier but this one is surrounded but a lot more green so It was fun!

plus there was a another Little Mermaid Rock! Yeah!

Overall it was a REALLY REALLY fun day with Brent!

It has been a long time since I have felt to accomplished! Brent and I had a great time exploring the different trails and finding new ways to break the barriers of the trails!

Huntley Beach Trip

So I am going out of order (Meaning I am going to Blog about the Barnett Visit and Fourth of July Later!), and this is a really long post but I just got home and I wanted to blog while it is fresh in my mind! So This weekend (before Blake and Maren even left) we took off for Pacific City to met up with the Huntley Clan!

With in an hour of getting there Brent was already soaked while learning to skim boarding!

He actually got really good! I was impressed. I have no balance so I didn't even bother to try although now I wish I would have!
Brent teaching our niece Tyler how to Boogie Board. Last summer Brent tried to learn himself and it wasn't pretty but Tyler did a really great job learning how hit the waves at the right time!

Later that day we headed down to the beach! Picture moment!

This is where we are at! The rock is haystack rock, and we decided to hike the bluff (which is on the far right of the screen). To climb it there is about 100 feet of straight up hill sand, and then a few sheer cliffs, no biggie!

I was super impressed that Huntley and Tyler (as well as some of the other kids) joined us! Just us girls chatting away!

View of Haystack rock from the top

This is the "Little Mermaid" Rock we found at the top of the bluff!

Brent is owning the world!

It was super windy and my bangs were not being very helpful at all! I now feel like the little Mermaid!

There were two bluff areas and the girls and I were done on the second bluff so we headed back! I got a ton of pictures of the girls! I think they were sick of it but they will appreciate it when they are older!

Tyler was nice enough to take this wonderful picture of Huntley and I!

This is the view from the bottom! Those earlier pictures were taken on top of the cliff where the sun is!

This is a cool little cove that Christina and I found and couldn't help getting a picture! I already look a little burned!

or two! Isn't Christina adorable!

Gorgeous Panoramic of the ocean from our back porch!!!

On the second morning, I was going to get up and go for a jog on the beach, but Brent woke up so we decided to go on a bike ride to the tide pools! The tide was out so far it was amazing! Look at all those gorgeous starfish!

Look at all these wonderful muscles around! I love the secret little tunnels!

Because we were at the beach sand was EVERYWHERE! Here is Micheal (5 years old), who was busy trying to sweep it all up from the carpet.

On the Second Day, Mike bought a kite and it was super fun to learn how to fly them! Brent working hard to make the cheapy kite fly.

Here is me flying the nice kite! It was really fun and I wish I had more time to really master it! Brent and I decided it would be a great investment for any beach trip!

Overall this was a really really fun trip! It was just two days of biking, hiking, climbing, swimming, flying kites, eating (WAY WAY WAY TOO MUCH GOOD FOOD) and shopping a little bit (2 pair of nice jeans for $25?!?! I love you Old Navy Jeans!) It was a super fun weekend and I could really use more of them often! Any other fun vacation plans for anyone else?

Hardest Job in the World

So I am constantly changing jobs (mainly since Brent makes us move so often). So this summer I thought I would show you how I have the hardest job ever! First, I have a uniform that I have to wear! This uniform is simply miserable to wear. The T-shirts that I have to wear for our Friday field Trips was just Gray but I thought it would be more fun tie-dye it, cut the sides and the tie them in knots! Pretty fun right!?!

Then I have to spend all day with little kids who simply adore me! This is mainly because I am not the one who has to enforce any rules or discipline in any way possible.

Then I dragged all over various parts of Oregon. This was at Ski-Bowl up on Mt Hood. We were suppose to go on the alpine slides but it was raining so I we just went to this play park. This was the trampoline but there was also Rock Climbing, go karts and a ton of other fun activities!

Here is me doing a Back Flip. I wasn't very good at it but that is okay because it was super fun. The harness was to big so the waist strap was around my chest not to long after I started. It was short lived but the kids loved it!

Yes, my job is incredibly hard! I am sure everyone feels bad that I have to go out every Friday and have these really fun experiences! Obviously I am joking. I have it pretty easy. Even this field trip, that felt like it went all wrong was still really fun! I am hoping that all the field trips will continue to be as much fun!

WE DO HAVE FRIENDS!!!!!

Since we have been in Oregon it has been a very difficult time since we have been friendless here! Well here is the proof that WE DO HAVE FRIENDS!!!!

And here they are! We picked them up on Tuesday but because of work didn't really get to spend time with him until Friday! We took them to the local Auction. You see that huge cabinet to the right of Spencer? Yeah I bought it for $10.00! Talk about impulse buy!

On Saturday we went to the beach but I was SICK AS A DOG! I did pretty good but eventually I was just done. Luckily we were down to the beach by that time...

Before the Beach we went to the Pig n' Pancake! It was okay but we were so starving by this time that nothing really lived up to our expectations. It is kinda sad that we waited so long to eat. Brent had the huge Breakfast vs Burger Debate. He decided on the Burger but almost immediately regretted it!

Erica is hiding behind her menu to show us what their menu looks like it!

While walking around the Pier in Seaside, we found these. Chocolate covered.... EVERYTHING!!! We also found Deep-fried EVERYTHING! I was really tempted to get a chocolate covered Twinkies but not feeling well won out so I settled for ice cream.

Down at the beach we had the Boogie Boards. Erica and I decided to not go out into the waves but Brent and Spencer had a heck of a time!

There are the boys! Brent looks freezing! His motto was "You just keep running until you aren't cold anymore!" Oh hypothermia you are a deceitful little friend!

Notice how I am not in my swim suit?!? Yup, as soon as we got on the beach I laid down, covered my eyes and fell asleep. I was really having a hard day. As the result I got sunburned in all the wrong places! From my ankles down, the front of my right arm and the back side of my left arm (since it was covering my eyes!) and I had a white strip across my face from my arm!

All in all it was a fun trip but I did not bring my A game to my friendship! Erica and Spencer I am sincerely sorry and will fix that next time you come out! It was super fun and I always have a great time when they come out! We should really never live more than 10 minutes apart!

Love you guys!

Catching up: Auction, Parade, Pool and School!

Wow, I have been a lot more busy than I was expecting. With the end of school and jumping into camps next week I have been running around crazy. Honestly I haven;'t been happier since I got here! This weekend I was also able to get re certified as a lifeguard and a swim instructor! Why, you may ask? Because I just thought it would be a fun idea and it was really fun to be back in the water again and get to know the new pool staff!

Okay now to catch up on what else we have been doing since I last blogged!! I have been driving past this building since I first moved to Oregon City when I was Six! Brent decided to break me out of the box so last Friday (6/11).

As we were walking in we were greeted by the local pirate!
The Auction hall was totally run down, small town and AMAZINGLY FUN! These were the three guys who were running the show! I was never quite sure what they were going to bring up but most items when for around 7-10 dollars!

We were number 413 and I did bid on a few things but unfortunately I was always out bid!

We also went to watch Kalen in the Rose Festival Parade! We were there for about 40 minutes and I think that was the perfect amount of time!

Brent looking super tired! There were really cool amazing police brigade who would perform these amazing arrangements. In one the policeman stood on the seat and superman flew across the street about 100 yards!

When the hippo's mouth opens there is a boy playing the drums on the hippo's teeth!

And Kalen Performing in the back!

WE HAVE HAD ONE NICE DAY! SO YOU BET I SPENT IT BY THE POOL! In four days I read four books! I was just addicted to reading and Brent almost had to wrestle the book out of my hands!

Yeah for me reading the book Beach Blonds. The next book is called Tan Lines and I am looking out for it all the time!

My Kids! At Preschool, my kids are really cute! Especially the petting zoo was adorable! This is Karissa!

On the left is Hannah. She is so good natured and smart! I love her so so much! And on the right is Matayah! She has such a big personality! We did battle more than a few times but in the end she is always fun!

It has been a busy couple of weeks but have been so much fun! I am terrified tomorrow for when my camps start! Wish me luck!

Good Buy

This weekend I had the pleasure of going to a defensive driving course for my work (since I will be driving a wonderful mini bus). The class lasted four hours and it was the most pointless four hours of my life. It consisted mainly of older people who apparently had never had their drivers licenses and would ask questions like "how do you know when you can pass another car?" (the dotted line) and "If a police officer is off on the shoulder with no lights on should I still be pulling over to the side until he passes?" (Okay if you don't know the answer to that mail me your car key's right this second because YOU should not be driving).

My favorite question of the day, by far, was an old man who out of the blue asked "Lesa (teacher), what is your take on properly adjusted mirrors?". Seriously what was she going to say "Oh sir I do not believe mirrors should ever be properly adjusted! That would make sense and be safe".

So I was in a class with a bunch of people who shouldn't be sharing the road with me and a teacher who was much to willing to indulge them. When we got to the merging topic it was like no one had just been on the freeway to get here! Maybe I am being to harsh... the class was four hours and I could have received more information in about 60 minutes of well focused lecture... People are stupid I guess is my point.

After that I was pretty riled! Brent met me out (after he had been packing books at the local library because they are moving) in Clackamas. We had to return somethings at old navy, and then we went out to Olive Garden! It was really nice just having a sit down time with Brent. We both had the Soup, Salad and Bread Sticks and even splurged on a piece of Raspberry Cheesecake! This was thanks to Erica and Spencer who gave us a gift card! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU GUYS SO MUCH YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO IDEA!!! WE MAY NEVER LEAVE YOU AGAIN!

We chatted about everything but it was nice having some real time to spend and just relax not thinking about our next deadline or other work we should be doing. It was a great time to reconnect because we have both been disoriented since the move. After lunch we went to Kohl's and looked for my perfect swim suit. My favorite option is there and Brent thought it looked really good. Although I couldn't see why because after all that food I am not sure ANYTHING could have looked good on me! I still haven't committed by purchasing because I really want this swimsuit to be one I will be in love with in Europe! For some reason I took less time to chose my wedding dress! Luckily Brent's mom gave me the funds for my perfect swim suit for my Birthday so I get to take my time and buy something at (dare I say it?) SALE PRICE!!! (instead of Clearance that is, I don't think I could ever pay FULL PRICE! That would just feel wrong!)

FINALLY TO THE GOOD BUY PART! Once at home Dad, Brent and myself set out for a book store, which was closed. We stumbled into an indoor garage sale and looked around. WE FOUND SOMETHING THAT WAS A TOTAL STEAL!

A CAT TOWER!!!
These Huge towers are normally $120-$150 new and $40-$90 used... This beauty cost us a total of... $5.00. The top is no longer covered in twine which we can either saw off or re wrap for another $2.00. We are so happy with this and think Caliah will really enjoy having a tower to look down at the rest of her palace from. Plus if we ever need to sell it I am confident I can get $20.00 for it no problem! YEAH! This may be a small victory but for looking for so long I am completely satisfied! I was patient and it paid off in the end... BIG TIME!

Anyone else have a good find story? Lets hear it!