Oregon

Multnomah Falls. Mike assures me that this photo is a bit of an illusion. My sweet punkin is NOT actually about to topple off to his death. There is supposedly a long ledge behind him. I was in the gift shop recovering from a long hike with some retail therapy so I am not responsible for this lovely, if terrifying, shot.




Right after this hike I decided to take up jogging.

We took a gorgeous hike in the Rogue Valley as well. Mama was huffin and puffin and vowing to take up jogging immediately if not sooner by the time we reached the top. Darn kids practically ran the entire way, and 21 year old Aunt Sarah was also making me look bad. But it was so worth it and I would love to have a spot like that near me. Right after I take up jogging.

We were so close to the coast that it seemed silly to not go. Unemployed we may be. But we have Holiday Inn points to spend, and Mo's World Famous Chowder House was calling our names. So...we took a weekend vacation.

It's the responsible thing to do.

Uhhh, yeah, there is no illusion in this one. They ARE rather close to toppling off the cliff which pretty much gave Sarah a coronary. Which made them want to get even closer to the edge. Which made her want to throw up. Which made them scoot closer. Which made her smack em and chase them back down the mountain. While I lugged my booty ever farther behind and promised myself to take up jogging.

Anna running from the icy waves.

My baby girl.

After a day of vacationing, there's only one thing to do: pass out on the hotel bed.

Yaquina Head lighthouse. 114 steps to the top.

I am taking up jogging.

A bat ray at the aquarium. A good place for Mike to sing the entire four trillion verses of the B52s Rock Lobster as we wandered through.

Muggin' for the camera.

There are also fish under the glass on the floor. So of course the proper way to view them is to throw yourself prostrate on it and graciously allow everyone else to walk over the top of you.

If anyone knows a surefire way to get a shot of three kids with smiles and open eyes and no bunny ears or sticking out tongues or fingers up their noses ALL AT THE SAME INSTANT, I am open for suggestions.

What is it with me and shots from the back? I just find them ever so artsy.

Yes, of course we all sang "Yellow Submarine."

He's special.

I was going to include a couple shots of my brothers, who I also got to spend some time with, but once again, I can not get a single shot with out bunny ears, crossed eyes, and nose picking, and they're in their 40s, not their terrible twos. Thanks, buttheads.

Back in Idaho now and if we don't have some good news, in the form of employment, soon, then I will start charging you all money to read this blog. But you wouldn't pay and then I'd get depressed and start eating too many Cheez-its and that would directly affect the stellar results I am about to see from practically, almost, thinking about taking up jogging.

Date night

Yesterday husband mine and I decided to sneak out and do some much needed, overdue, and desperate homeschool planning/scheduling. In case you haven't noticed, we have been homeless for 3 months now, and occasionally the stress of trying to educate these here chitlins have made me a little stressed. Maxed out. Frustrated. Itching to chew off some one's face. You know the feeling. Anywho, after a day of wanting to eat my young, Mike saw my frustration and despondency and also noticed that his children take about eight billion times longer to write a report than is logically necessary, seem to retain any and all knowledge of math facts for about as long as guacamole stays green, and have a strange knack for using their school supplies as forts or weapons or anything other than what they're meant for, he offered to be a love and help me plan out a better schedule. What follows is a typical date night for a dozen year married couple who are unemployed (in Greenland) and living on people's goodwill and couches, who have three offspring who are there every time they turn around, and whose names rhyme with Ike and Clarissa. Ok. Maybe it's just us. But this is how it goes for us.




Wifey is looking a little haggard. A little twitchy. A little like her face might open up to reveal a fire breathing shrew at any moment. Better take Wifey out without the company of little angels. Better do it right now. Better not even take the time to put on shoes. For the love of God, man, HURRY!

It's raining in southern Oregon, and dark. Turn the wrong direction. Wifey doesn't miss a beat and points it out. Head to a dollar store to buy a day planner with which to plan our schedule. Can't find a dollar store. Finally find a dollar store a half hour later. Doesn't have any day planners. Wife begins to snarl. Well, Walmart has everything, right? Let's go to Walmart. Found the Walmart. Can't find the school supplies/office section. Circle the entire store 3 times, while Hubby groans something about the word shopping, uttered in a lifeless, hopeless mutter. Wonders if he has been suckered. Was this all a plan of Wifey's? An evil genius plan to get Hubby to, gulp, shop? Was the bra section next? The cosmetics aisle? God forbid, the feminine products section? Hubby tries to slink away out an emergency exit. Oh good, there's the office supplies. They were right where it should have been and where we had passed it 3 times. One time we were standing right next to as we complained about the lack of it's existence. Pick out $5 day planner and a pack of forty #2 pencils (which will be misplaced in less than the time it takes to sharpen them). Pick out a checkout line. Picked out the wrong line. Oh so wrong. So very, very wrong. As Christmas came and went and we aged approximately 12 years, we slowly edged up in line. Of course the other lines moved along smoothly but every time we considered switching something (was it hope? optimism?) pulled us back in. Finally, and I do mean finally, it was our turn and we pay and head back with our walkers and canes to the parking lot which by this time is empty of everything but one lone minivan with Wyoming plates and a tumble weed. Now, we think, comes the fun part! The part where we head to a coffee shop and plan out the future of our tiny scholars. Turn the wrong direction. Get stuck in a parking lot trying to turn around but everywhere we turn we find curbs and one way streets going, of course, the wrong way. Wifey snits (that's what you do when you're in a snit) and Hubby wishes he remembered his blood pressure medication. Eventually find coffee shop. It's closed. Head back to tiny scholars with no new flawless plan to forward their education. Hope they don't mind. Hope it won't all come out on a shrink's couch someday that their parents spent minuscule amounts of time teaching them improper fractions and lots of time watching Lost and drinking.