An Oregon Summerlet

 While most of the country is sweltering, we here in Oregon are enjoying 60 degree temperatures!  Occasionally we get a sunny day and a couple of times we have had 2 in a row but for the most part still cloudy, still chilly, still rainy.

I really truly believed that after last year's disappointing summer we were in line to get a nice one this year.  This just goes to show that no one asks me when planning the weather.

We have had a busy month none the less.

On the 4th we went to the ward pancake breakfast, the Oak Hills Parade and the Oak Hills fireworks display.  Springville ward had it's own mini fireworks show while we waited.

On the 9th we traveled to Salem to visit our dear friends (who moved in May) for a birthday celebration.

I promise, she really has 2 perfect eyes.

 On the 14th my niece Aurora was born, she didn't want to nurse so there were 5 anxious days but now she has the knack.  We were to visit the weekend after she arrived but Moose is busy doing the work of 3+ men at work and so we postponed our Montana vacation and baby snuggling.

On the 16th we went to the Portland Highland Games and it was awesome. I love kilts!!  All of the mooselings participated but Boba Fett was particularly excited about tossing the caber.

On the 17th our ward was split and a new ward formed in our stake.  We were sad to lose some very dear ones including our entire Relief Society presidency to the "Tomahawk Ward."

Monday the 18th is the day I became mentally ill and began taking yoga classes and seriously considered joining a gym.  The gym illness has passed but I will be continuing with the yoga classes.

 

Last weekend we celebrated Pioneer Day at Fallbrooks Farm, and on Sunday La Keira was called as Relief Society President.

I'll just let that sink in for a few moments.....

Being the "besty" of the Relief Society President is weird, really weird.  We are still trying to figure out how it is going to work.  I can't imagine how she managed to keep it a secret for a week!  It is just surreal and it will take time to sink in.

And all month long I have been preparing for the 5 night, 50 mile hike that Commander C, La Keira, Jonah, myself and assorted members of the Hanna family are taking next week.  I have been planning meals, shopping for gear, borrowing gear, breaking in boots, and training.

I just have one thing to say: I am going to DIE.

Perfect Day

We hit the beach twice this week. The first day was so-so and we had to leave early but yesterday we fled the heat and went to our favorite beach.Camrock was on a mission and he set right to work building a model of the battle at Omaha Beach.

He made waves with the tip of the shovel.
Speaking of shovels we found this amazing shovel that is just about 2 feet tall and very light. I feel it will become a good friend if we can manage not to lose this one!
We played in the sand
and frolicked in the sea,
even me!
I was exceptionally brave, I played in the cold water with Boba Fett and at the tide pools I picked up 2 hermit crabs because every one else was too afraid. Not to mention posting a picture of me in a bathing suit on my blog.
And then we stacked rocks
the kids are getting pretty good at it
I asked Boba Fett to put his head close to the rocks for the picture. he is so funny!
The weather was so fine, the sky was clear, it was the perfect day at the beach.
And when we got home it was the perfect night to sit on the porch in the twilight.

More Hawaii Tales Kauai 3rd day

Tuesday, June 17 we started the day with breakfast at the Kountry Kitchen (see my pet peeves) for macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup. This particular dish was highly recommended by the stewardess with poorly matched lip liner and lipstick on our flight.

I should have taken a picture of the pancakes. I ordered 2 not knowing they were each the size of a pan and 1/2 inch thick. I took the leftovers home and ate them for breakfast for the next 3 days. They were good but I don't think they deserved the raves the flight attendant gave them.

Then I took a lei making class at our resort which led to my subsequent search for a lei needle and smuggling it on the plane in my carry on.

Then we drove up to the north shore of the island and found The Queens Bath which is this really neat basin carved into the rock on the shore. The waves wash in but not out. Below is a picture of Nicki at the bath and the dark dot with white arms is me swimming in the bath.

The people are all concentrated on the right because it was a cloudy day with high tide and big waves would come in at that spot and turn the pool into a bubbly tub for a few seconds. There are some creepy black crabs living there that scared me to death.

After the bath we went to Hanelei Bay for some beach fun but it was cloudy and a little cold so we left and went to Tunnels beach for some snorkeling.
The snorkeling was so neat, apart from being smashed onto the reef by waves and some minor equipment malfunctions we had a great time. We spent a long time just hanging out on a wave with a turtle.
I attempted some boogie boarding but the reef kept getting in the way and I am apparently to uncool to figure it out. Brian brought home a sunburn from snorkeling for too long.

That evening we went to the Lu'au Kalamakū. This was one of the highlights of our trip. I learned to Hula...
The food was so-so but the show was so good. I am hard to please preformance wise (A semester in London studying theatre will do that to you) and I though everything was really well done and very professional. The costumes were very nice, the musice was phenomenal, lights and dancing very nice.
Brian had a crush on the singer in the band (no they don't have a CD) and I had a crush on the fire dancer along with all of the other women in the place.


Brian and Nicki enjoyed the poi, I did not.

Lobstergram!

I didn't want to do it, I really didn't want to do it. The weather made me do it. Then entire month of May there were only 4 sunny days so there wasn't much opportunity to acclimate my pale skin to the suns shining rays. So this week I caved to the advice of many, many others and I went to a tanning booth. The first time though of questionable a sanitary condition was uneventful. The second time felt more hygienic and was also uneventful. The third time turned my backside into a bright red lobster. I am so mad, I wanted to avoid a sunburn by doing the tanning sessions. I didn't want a self inflicted burn. It doesn't hurt too much.