Sounds good....

We're planning on heading here next week with Michael and Celeste + Fam, borrowing a camper and a truck- heading for Tofino, Canada with no camping reservations, should be an adventure ...

Trying to Decide

Right now I'm trying to decide what to do for the fall.... it seemed like I had the whole summer, that there was plenty of time to think about it, that the decision would be obvious when it came time. Well, its almost Aug. and the month is pretty full of action, before I know it, it'll be September and Abs to kindergarten going every day like the big kid she is. So I'm trying to decide if i should stay working for the hospital three days a week or just work 2 days and 2 days doing accounting for my parents for about the same money. Money wise its a no-brainer but flexibility wise and maybe more challenging the second choice? Usually decisions aren't really that hard for me to make.... this one isn't coming that easy.

Thousands of....

Tonight Abby and I walked for an hour and a half- well she rode in the jogger and I walked that is. I can already tell that it is getting cooler at night and the sun is lower in the sky when i go walking after dinner, weird that part of you feels you are right in the middle of summer but the light is naggingly telling you we're heading toward fall, winding down. On our way back from the walk we saw a few white butterflies flying around, kept walking and looked up in the trees. There were literally thousands of little white butterflies in the trees so when we looked up, our heads back as far as they would go all we saw was blue sky, a tree with no leaves and thousands of butterflies either perched or flying around, it was magic.
Abby whispers, "momma, its a butterfly forest, I think there are fairies in there, too."
I reply, "I think you are right Abby, I think you are right."

The many faces of 3

Happy Birthday my sweet God Boy! May you stay as sweet and wild as you are now!

Happy Birthday my dear Kristy. Thanks for making us laugh, for your 80's music, your toe touches, paranoia, yummy salads and for your love.
- Love Wendy & Anna

One of my favorite things about summer...

All of this fruit picked by hand either from our yard or the farm down the road. This was Abby's first year of really picking strawberries, of course she ate ALOT- kept having to threaten that they were going to weigh her. She was in heaven though- a field full of one of her favorite fruits.



It was a bit hard picking this time around, maybe the second time through the field? The berries were on the small side but Abs stuck with it picking away trying hard to fill up her bucket, yelling "Jackpot" when she found a great patch.

Cherry crisp, strawberry rhubarb pie, a bunch of strawberry jam and berries for the freezer- yumm-o.

Thanks Kali and Courtney for helping, for laughing, and for just being here creating with me.

Awesome

If this doesn't make you smile I don't know what will- Thanks Carla- Happy Friday!

What a Day....

The morning started out cold heading to work in a long sleeve shirt and singing really loud in the car.
Half Day of work when I thought I had a full...
Some time on the porch talking and just being...
An iced coffee at the buzz and pictures of Lavender, flowers and a beautiful orange dahlia...
Eating popcorn on mom's deck charting, while mom sat across from me and did Sudoku in the warm sun...
Home to our house to be greeted with a smooch and a smile from Joe....
Quick dinner-tortillas with leftovers, yumm...
Abby wanting ice cream, with whip cream and a cherry she from the yard to put on top....
Two phone calls from Anth in one day, so nice....
Feeling good running in the sun and some wind, the last part Abby on her bike with the dogs....
Picking pie cherries with Abs up on the ladder, teaching her to get the cherries off and leave the seeds.... sticky cherry juice but oh so yummy...

Crescent Beach

Joe and Asha in some small waves. Asha said she just wanted to stand up at least. Good job girl you did it!!

Ethan and Abs playing in the chilly water!

Joe, Asha and Kali- some surfing at Crescent Beach

Trekking in Nepal

Hannah, I am glad you are safe and sound down from the mountains and on your way back. What an amazing experience India and Nepal, a spiritual journey and pilgrimage. You are so strong, brave, and so damn tough sometimes it blows me away. We love you like crazy and can't wait to see you and hear more. Maybe a trip for us to our mountains? This northwest summer is waiting for you girl.

Happy Happy 12th Chelsea!

The week started out by wishing sweet Chelsea, our neice, a Happy 12th Birthday. We were so happy to be able to sing and hug you for your bday this year again. Sorry we didn't have any "normal" candles but it was fun watching you try and get them all out. We are proud of you, you are such a sweet girl, thanks for rockin' out with me in the hammock, for helping all the little kids with Sage, for all the hugs, and for always doing the 'performing' when we played cranium. you are awesome! We love you sooo much.

So much to say... so little time....

What an amazing week!! Will post pictures soon, too tired to function at the moment. Horray for a week of Asha's family visiting, for late nights, no sleep, cousin time, laughing, surfing, Joe's 40th birthday and more swimming..... for best friends, for all night driving to get here for the party... for phone calls... for homemade icecream and red velvet cake..... for lots and lots of hugs.... for goats... for walks and hikes... for the sunshine and even a thunderstorm... for fires on the beach... and for love... we are so fortunate.

Fort Flagler

Our campsite at Ft.Flagler was awesome, the weather was Beautifully hot. Perfect for getting in the water and sleeping outside!






Our swimming horse rider. 'Of course we need to bring the horse camping!'





Surfing 101

A great weekend of friends, good food, kids playing like crazy- at one point 6 girls under 7 yrs old- craziness!! and lots of laughing. Thanks Jill for being such a good planner, we need it. :)

A walk today and talking about life, communication, sacrifice, and love. All the things that make this life awful and beautiful at the same time. Finally, the trail from the bluffs down the spit to the sea. I love this walk.... a beach with no one on it, every color rock imaginable, the sound of the rocks in the waves, the canopy of trees, the bluff where the birds wait, Tom's bench and blue sky. Ahhh, this place where we live.