The last of Summer

So many things are pointing to the last days of summer- makes me feel like shutting my eyes. The days getting shorter, Abby's school conference for "Kindy", Labor day weekend plans, going through clothes, a few leaves on the ground, sunflowers up, cool nights again..... all things point to fall but.... just..... not... ready.. quite.. yet.

The Family

Abby, Angelina, Luke and Liam. Sweet cousins.

A recent pic of the fam sans Ben, when Anth and Jenny were here for a last weekend before the move to LaMoore Airforce base in California. Sooo sad, we are going to miss them like crazy.

So I've never really owned a vehicle that I had any mechanical trouble with. Before I got the Jetta I had a sweet little Subaru- totally dependable, totally functional. The reason we sold it- because we could still get some money for it 1, and also because we wanted to do biodiesel and get great gas mileage. I did lots of research and looked for quite awhile. So I do love the gas mileage, to drive it, and the radio but more of me hates the car now. The last 2 months I've actually been getting consistently flipped off while driving due to the black exhaust pouring out of it when I step on the gas. I finally found a good mechanic shop that ISN't the dealership and they figured out the problem. I was all excited and liking my car for approx. 2 days. Then leaving Kristy's house 1/4 mile from the shop luckily and NOT at the gorge or going 79 mph down the road the axle broke and proceeded to then punch a hole in the transmission case. *$@^&, liquid is just pouring out of the front end, not good. To make matters worse.... I was supposed to leave for the Jack Johnson concert the next day, OMG.
Thanks to everyone for helping me out....for getting me to the mechanic, home the scenic route and for telling me it was going to be fine.... for making me mojitos and playing Jack for me on Friday... for offering their car for me to take....Joe for hugging me when I was mad and crying, and for a 9pm call from the concert telling me what the gorge looked like and letting me listen to Jack in the background singing. Wa-hoo!!! Love you all.

Moments when your heart skips...

Tonight going to sleep....
Abs: "Momma what does heroic mean?"
Me: well, it usually means someone who is really strong, brave or has lots of courage. Maybe someone who saves someone or protects them.
Abs: Like a hero, right?
Me: Yeah, babe.
Abs: "You're my hero momma."

Early morning here....



















Yumm-o apricot jam- Thanks Anna.









Kali is back from California. Happy birthday- we missed you!!














Abby and Jezzie.















Hard to believe if you've seen my tea cupboard that i haven't had an herbal tea for the last while so no tea at night but tonight i found some up on the top shelf- yeah!!

Old Turtle and Hope

A story about how we all once listened and heard and saw but stopped somewhere along the way. From Old Turtle to the little girl- "Remember this also, Little One, " she said. "The Broken Truth, and life itself, will be mended only when on person meets another- someone from a different place or with a different face or different ways- and sees and hears...herself.

Tonight we read Old Turtle by Douglas Wood.

Its not often that kids books that you have read alot, over and over as kids like to do, give you goose bumps and the chills because the message is so amazing. If you haven't read it, maybe you could?

Mama Mia

Notice the Abba on the music? Ok girls, if you haven't seen Mama Mia you should grab your girlfriends and go. Meryl Streep is so amazing and it is just great, slightly cheezy but really fun.
http://www.mammamiamovie.com/
Now if I can just get that music out of my head!!

We went out today and headed for the woods with a backpack, a lunch, both of us in skirts and painted faces. Abby decided to be a tiger to scare off any cougars we might see. How amazing to have lunch in the mountains by the Dungeness River and in half an hour be at the state park in the hot sun looking for shells, oysters and anything we could find. Vacation was beautiful but home is just as amazing.

Some More Pics

Such a happy guy... a new long board.... some waves... and water.











Ahhh, I love campfires.... jiffy pop, s'mores, chocolate, yum.






Abby and Esa in one of the many driftwood forts on Long Beach














Abs in the rain while we are waiting for the Coho... for 6 hrs. Next time we are so planning this whole deal so we can make reservations for the ferry. Victoria is not a bad place to have to wait though. Horses with carriages, the bug zoo, naps in the camper.




On the way home on the Coho all tired and happy.

Some Pics

Abby, Esa, Sarah, and Mike- looks like trouble.








The view from our campsite, not bad for no reservations.


Checking out the beach right down the bank from the campsite in Ucluelet.






A hike on the Wild Pacific Trail- was so beautiful.





The sweet A quarium sign in Ucluelet




Michael and Celeste in Tofino, B.C.

Tofino, B.C.

Wow, only a few kilometers away and this place is a different as can be. Michael's bus fits right in. Joe is in surfing heaven, every 2nd car with a board on top. He got in the water with a new long board tonight, the beach here is fantastic. Pics to come as soon as I can get them up. On my way to the computer to make reservations for the way home on the ferry, campfires, bottles of wine on picnic tables, laughing and about 4 different languages. So lovely.

Hikes and Bikes

A quick one today, hoping to get some pictures up tomorrow. Woke up to fog horns and fishing boats going out. Spent the morning on the beach turning over rocks with the kids- Joe the nature man picking up countless eels, fish, and other sea life for the kids to see. Only had to move a few hundred yards away to our camp site tonight on top of a hill overlooking the bay. Went on a great hike with the kids that took us by a lighthouse, on a boardwalk and through some forest, similar to how Cape Flattery looks. It feels so Northwest up here, so beautiful and wild at the same time. After our hike we found a cute aquarium where the kids could touch almost anything and at the end of the summer all the animals go back into the water and the place closes for the winter- how cool is that? A nice dinner in town with the crew and back to the campsite for a fire, jiffy pop and marshmellows. Almost forgot.... Abby rode little Michael's bike without training wheels and did AWESOME. She kept telling me, let go mom, let go mom... wow it was hard to actually let her go but i did. So cool. Tomorrow her wheels are coming off, ughghh she is growing up.

Ucluelet, B.C.

What is that saying about making lemonade?
Leaving the RV park when we were supposed to be getting to the Pacific Rim Nationalu Park to reserve a spot for the following night, not knowing yet where we were staying for tonight- but the “park” at the RV campground and the swimming pool were awesome for the kids. Almost getting Michael’s RV stuck and having to have a front loader get him out, but the guys ended up getting it. Finally on the right road out to Tofino- 90 degrees and Abs starts screaming and hitting her belly with tears streaming down her face-my belly hurts, my belly hurts, momma saying “ do you have to throw up or poop.” On a road with no where to pull off- in my mind I was thinking sorry dad, your truck might need some cleaning either way we go here. 4 out of 8 people had stomach cramps- great, what the hell did we eat? GOOD TIMES! We did end up averting disaster however, after unbuckling her so she could lay down she thankfully fell asleep, ahhhhh.
The road was a bit stressful with the camper but the scenery was breathtaking. I was kicking myself for not paying more attention in 8th grade geology- sorry Mr. Gilbertson, because the lake we went around looked almost exactly like going around our Lake Crescent. I wonder geologically- the same thing happened at the same time to create those lakes and those hills. Next we hit the windy road crossing and following a bunch of rivers- people stopped jumping off big rocks into the river- maybe that will be us on the way home? Getting close to the ocean opens into a giant lake, listening to Bill’s voice on the CD player, it felt amazing and beautiful.
And now we are nestled into the fishing village of Ucluelet with the sun going down, fishing boats coming in and out and the kids hunting for beach glass. Its all good.

Nanaimo, B.C.

So we're all snug in the camper on our first night RV camping with the Payeskos. Had a few stress filled moments in the process of getting one large truck towing a 20ft. camper and a 26ft. motorhome towing a VW bus, trying to stay together and find our way here but all in all it went ok.
Some Greats and Not so Greats- Abby waking up all sleepy to find Esa eating cherrios in our kitchen, she was pretty excited. Abs, Sarah, and Mikie checking out the goats and having a quick ride on Sage before packing up the caravan. The top deck on the coho ferry, totally beautiful, sunny and warm. A fly by by the coast guard helicopter right over the ferry. Joe and Sarah coming back from the front after seeing porpoises. A guy barfing by the bathroom (only heard about it, a "great" because I didn't have to actually see it.) BC Days in Victoria and a detour through residential Victoria- the houses were so sweet. Passing the RV park on accident, through Nanaimo and trying to turn around- the middle fingers were flying let me tell you strangers and loved ones alike. Finally we get to Rosalyn Resort which turns out to be near a lake, has a little golf course, a park, and a little pool- who knew? This type of camping is something we've definately never experienced- we are literally 5 ft. away from the people next to us and its NOT Michael, unfortunately, although they are one site over. Turns out everyone likes to camp in B.C. in the summer and that the whole Pacific Rim National Park where were are attempting to head to tomorrow is full- hmmm interesting planning Schroeders'. There are a few sites that are first come first serve that we are hoping to get to tomorrow to reserve for the next night, unsure of where we'll land tomorrow but we have our beds, good food, happy kids, and good friends so really how bad can it be? Not bad at all.

Funny... me, too Carla. :)

You Are a Blue Crayon

Your world is colored in calm, understated, deep colors. You are a loyal person, and the truest friend anyone could hope to find. On the inside, you tend to be emotional and even a bit moody. However, you know that people depend on you. So you put on a strong front. Your color wheel opposite is orange. Orange people may be opinionated, but you feel they lack the depth to truly understand what they're saying.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorcrayonareyouquiz/">What Color Crayon Are You?

Kinkaid

Have been thinking about Kinkaid, wanting to get there. This pic last summer in those lovely woods.

The Stars

Tonight a quick trip to say bye, the kids so excited to see us over at night and with the puppy.
We went outside and watched the sky get dark and seriously it is perhaps the clearest sky with the most stars that i have ever seen. Its almost like you can touch them.
Kali told us something that Joe had told her one of the the first times he was outside at night.
He was holding her hand and 4 years old. He looks up at the sky and says, " momma, that is what we look like from up there." pointing to the stars and the sky.
Hope everyone is outside and looking up tonight.