Our Amazing Vacation to Oregon

I would do this post in parts like I've seen others do with their vacations, but let's face it--if I don't post it all now, it could be a month and a half before you get the rest. So consequently I'm about to put up a ton of pictures. You WILL scan through them all, and you'll LIKE it.

First of all, I've got to say, this is a funny story: Allan and I took the train from Portland Airport, and our stop was just a few blocks from our rental car place. Or so we thought, I don't know if the blocks in Oregon are just astronomically long, or if our luggage was just astronomically heavy. BUT WE WERE DYING. On our second breather, I was feeling desperate. I couldn't go on like this. Too hard. Too heavy. Too far. My eyes wandered and suddenly, to my utmost surprise and delight, I saw an abandoned shopping cart. Some poor homeless person had left it there just for us, I was sure. We piled up the cart, and happily walked the rest of the way with ease. We looked so homeless. Allan and I were ghetto from our early flight and I was packing Josie in a hiking pack. It turns out that our car place "always pick you up!" I hadn't remembered that, but it doesn't matter. I wouldn't trade our homeless moment for the world.

On the coast:

At the beach:

In the water:

At the Lighthouse:

At the dock:

Hiking around:

Cool tree. It reminds me of a the yoga pose

Collin, Jos, and Luke

At the tide pools:
Luke, my bro Merritt, his wife April, Collin, and us

The "stargy"
Afterward we were TIRED:(and dirty)

Fun. That's what we had. A lot of it, too. Thanks so much Merritt and April for treating us so right, and showing us such a good time. You guys win the hosts of year award. We love you, and Oregon!

Grandma Margaret's Art Work

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Catch up

Man, it's been a while. There's a ton I could talk about, and about a kazillion photos I want to show, but it's all been piling up worse than my dishes. Well actually, I've been really busy. Seriously. So let me just sum up.
We went to Aberdeen Idaho with Allan's family for a family reunion. It really was a lot of fun. I mean, that family knows how to have a reunion. You name it, we did it. BESIDES the tiny little two hour episodes BOTH nights that woke everyone and their dogs and their neighbor's dogs AND their relatives' neigbor's dogs up, it was a rockin' good time.

Allan's bro David

Melissa

the beach really does take it out of you

And also you should know that I just finished sewing my cousin Laura's wedding dress. Yep, that's right--her wedding dress. Didn't know I had it in me? Me neither. Of course I can't show you pictures of it just yet just in case that sneaky fiance of hers might take a peeky. And also it would ruin the general razzle dazzle of the day if everyone (or everyone who reads my blog) has already seen the beautiful bride in her beautiful dress. I will say this: it is gggggorgeous, and Laura looks ssssssssssmokin' in it. (Stuttering for emphasis). So look forward to those photos. For now you'll have to be satisfied with our (prize winning) paper dress that we (Eirene, Shauna, Marseille and I) created at her bridal shower. Marseille was our beautiful model--note her lovely girlish figure! I would show you the lingerie I made Laura too, but unfortunately, I couldn't get her to model it;)
This summer Eirene and I have both been in charge of several reading programs at the library, and I finished my last one this past week. It really was so much fun, but I'm SOOOO glad it's over. I spent WAY too much time making this puppet for a puppet-show we did.


We also had a little baby shower for Eirene on Saturday. Instead of playing games, we had a bit of a crafternoon. We had all the supplies and pre-made templates to make some pretty amazing aplique clothing. Check out these handsome little numbers:



As far as our little family goes, Jos and I have been having a super time. When I say super, I mean, super-fun-and-frustrating. I had that first "I must be doing something really wrong" moment today in Sacrament meeting when she threw a huge, FAT tantrum in the foyer. In my same line-of-view was another baby that was born within a month or so of Josie, and as my child screamed and kicked and writhed about, this little girl just sat there playing with her little cheerios like a perfect angel. I wanted to punch her. Who? The perfect angel, or Josie? Everyone. Ok, ok, not really. But the more personality she gets, and the more capable she gets, the funner it is, but also the more difficult it is to deal with the FLIP side of personality and capability if you know what I mean.

We went to the park last night, and it was a dream. She LOVED it. She's a really into the park scene lately, my Joe. She really digs all those slidy, swingy, tunnely sort of things. And I think having her Poppy there just made it ten times funner. Anyway, as I carried her back to the car, she slowly went in for a long and juicy kiss. And then she leaned over to give Allan one too. And then, she sweetly nuzzled her little head into my shoulder. It was like she was saying thank you in so many words. Touch my heart why don't you. I LIVE for little moments like that.

Can you tell I hi-lighted my hair? Nope, not really in this photo...

Ok, so I had to put in these fellows. They provided a LOT of quality entertainment for us. What a treasure, right?
Well, on that note, see you soon:)