THIS LOVELY LASS IS A YEAR OLDER TODAY

I love her.  She's my mama.

I love that she is kind, thoughtful and loving.  

I love that she is sassy and fun.   

I love that she is talented and shares it. 

 I love that she is the head honcho at Nancy, Inc
I'm so glad she was born.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

WE LOVE YOU!

THOR'S WELL

We found Thor's Well with only 20 minutes of sunlight left and the tide was just starting to come in. I was so excited we found it but disappointed we didn't have the light and water level for a super cool photo.  We will definitely be back when the tide is right to get some fun photographs.
It is a salt water fountain driven by the the power of the ocean tide and is gorgeous.

The following two photos are my favorites.  When I saw these pictures, I knew I had to see this place for myself.

photo credit djniks

photo credit Miles Morgan

Is Thor's Well cool or what?!

HER BIRTHDAY IS FOUR DAYS AWAY

but we celebrated Mama Nanny's birth with some of the family tonight.  My dad bought her a HUGE cake, we had a candle for every year and we sang our hearts out.

It was a team effort getting the candles lit.

Happy, happy birthday Mama Nanny - we love you!

DRIFT CREEK FALLS TRAIL

I am in love with his hike. Drift Creek Falls Trail is a beautiful and easy hike, 3 miles round trip.
The highlight of the hike is a suspension bridge - a 240 foot long cable suspension bridge, which is 100 feet above the water where you have a gorgeous view of a 75 foot waterfall.

See this huge chunk of rock next to us?  In 2010, this huge chunk of the cliff cleaved off and fell down to the canyon.  Down here, there is a little picnic table and a lot of rocks to climb on.  Across from us, closer to the water fall, there were even a few menehune rock stacks.

Next time you're on your way to Lincoln City, go on this little excursion.  You'll be glad you did!

PS - There is a $5.00 National Park fee. 

MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IS BETTER THAN YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW

and today is her birthday!

Joan is:

kind

loving and very loved

thoughtful

interesting and interested

hilarious

the best story teller

is "in the know"

talented

an incredible mother
and

an even better grandmother

WE LOVE YOU JOAN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

THANKSGIVING

We spent Thanksgiving at the beach with Larry's parents. After we ate, we went down to the beach to have a little sunset bonfire.  The only thing that would have made the evening better would have been smores, but we were stuffed from our yummy Thanksgiving smorgasbord!

Before we went home, my man clan went for a little dip at the indoor community pool.  It was our first time there and we will definitely be back!

I'm so thankful for our family and extended family.  They make my heart purr.

LARRY J WOKE UP TO A FUN SURPRISE!

His leaders and some of the guys in his church class came over to wake him up for an INSANITY birthday workout.

(I know this picture is blurry, we have ridiculously horrible lighting in our living room, practically non existent)

After a hard, sweaty, kick butt 40 minute workout, they took him out for a birthday breakfast.

My boys have been blessed with amazing church youth leaders and mentors over the years.  I am so incredibly thankful that they take time to show that they truly care about them.  A little extra effort to make someone feel special goes along way.  This was a birthday wonderful morning.

WE HAVE AN 18 YEAR OLD - SAY WHAT?!?!

18 years ago, Larry J changed our lives forever.  We couldn't be more proud of our first born.  I'm thrilled about the man he is becoming but I'm also wanting to turn back time and keep him my little boy.

Larry J is:

big brother extraordinaire

fun and funny

I absolutely LOVE his laugh

caring

thoughtful

 loyal and trustworthy

an Eagle Scout

excited about his future

kind and loving

talented

and 18 - holy cow, how did that happen?!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LARRY J!

WE LOVE YOU!!

IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY TO CELEBRATE

Erica's birthday!

I'm so thankful Erica is a part of our family and the joy she brings.  She is talented, fun, whimsical, spiritual, creative and an awesome aunt who is very much loved by her nieces and nephews.  This gal is as beautiful inside as she is outside.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERICA!

WE LOVE YOU!!

IT'S OUR KIDNEY'S FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SO WE HAD A LITTLE HALLOWEEN PARTY

to celebrate.  A yummy chili feed with the family to warm our bellies before everyone went their separate ways trick or treating.

5 years down, 55 more to go!

I hope your Halloween night was as spooktacular as ours!

I HAD A DATE WITH THE WEE-EST TODAY

for a field trip with his 1st grade class.  We went to the pumpkin patch, apple orchard, corn maze and washed all the fun down with apple cider and apple cider donuts.  We had perfect autumn weather and got to snuggle on the school bus.

It was a great day to be in 1st grade!