Celebration

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Our oldest turned 39!!  We felt like Oprah… you get a pizza and you get a pizza and you get a pizza.  Bryon introduced HIS kids to “The Last Starfighter” and we all dug into the pizza of our choice.

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Ice cream for dessert and the evening was a success.  Cards and gifts were opened and wishes made.

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Father and son…a birthday filled with laughter, fun, mugging for the camera and making good memories.

 

Birthday in the Park

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Fun and games with the birthday boy turning double digits.  Games, play, costumes, searching for gems, pulled pork sliders and picnic food.  What fun!

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The birthday boy and his “crew” prepare for battle.

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First game of Kid Kubb goes to the little ones.

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“Wind” blows

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The “Shadow” knows

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“Fire” crackles

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“Death” ….scary

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Mom and Dad still have the energy to smile after hosting such a full energy bash.

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The birthday boy dabs out.

Mother’s Day

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Felt lucky with the beautiful cards, flowers, hugs and messages for Mother’s Day.  A hanging pot bursting with colorful flowers and elegant card from my husband.

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I received a bouquet of flowers dyed with so many colors it looked like a party in itself.  Along with Bryon’s flowers, Nora added her own card – with glitter, of course.

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A beautiful plant arrived with hugs along with more lovely messages.

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fam card

The plant was huge (about four feet tall) with blooms that will live in the sun for years.  My husband has already lovingly planted the flowers where I can see them from our little deck.

Every single one of the cards made me tear up, except for the last one….which made me laugh so that I had to present it in video form.  There is just no other way to get the full impact of a child’s imagination.

Happy Mother’s Day!  I felt like a queen!

The Great Doggy Door Escape

Don’t you have those days that you just want to get away?  I sure do.  I follow Lynz Real Cooking as she shares stories about family, her life, and the beautiful landscapes around her home in Idaho.  Enjoy her story “The Great Doggy Door Escape.”

For a couple of months both Aiden and Bennett have been looking at the doggie door, watching Kenny make his exit and trying to figure out how he does it! Well the other day it happened! Bennett is the great explorer of the two boys and he was very pleased to finally make his move! […]

via The great doggie door escape — lynz real cooking

Valentine Lock

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I surprised my sweetie with a little lock for Valentine’s day.  From time to time, we enjoy a cheesy Hallmark romance.  This month we watched “Love Locks” that noted a bridge in Paris where lovers would write their names on a lock, attach it to the bridge, then together toss the key.

So on Valentine’s day we watched the movie and at the end, I handed over the lock.  I love being goofy with my sweetie.

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Christmas Bowl 2016

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Twas the day before Christmas

And all through the lanes

Came Foxes and Bowmans and some without canes.

We bowled with such gusto,

How joyful, how merry

To others we appeared to have nipped on some sherry.

We cheered for each other

How nimble, how light

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good Strike!

Curious about our Christmas tradition, I posted an explanation last year in “The Christmas Bowl”.

A year at the coast (not really)

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Dreams and goals are a funny lot.  They change or intensify as other things either move out of the way, take their place, or come true.

I once had a dream to live on the coast.  I didn’t have to live there forever….just one year.  I wanted to see all the seasons, storms and all.  My life changed and without regret, I put that dream in my back pocket.

It’s years later, and I dusted off that dream and looked at it in a different way.  What if hubs and I stayed 3 days and 2 nights at the coast each month for an entire year. That would do it!

Last month was our Ocean family reunion  Fox Fun

November, hubs and I stayed at a favorite spot in Lincoln City “The Sandcastle.”  The weather was nippy, indeed, but I saw several rainbows over the ocean.  What a hopeful image.  We also watched a seal travel north to south, popping its head up every once in a while.  Our eyes were glued to the waves when one or the other of us would call out….”there it is”……….. “there it is”…….. “there it is.”

We took some time out of our ocean watching to pop in and out of the quirky little shops downtown. Unhurried, we were able to chat with some of the store owners.  Being November, downtown looked like a ghost town.  But hubs and I were content. Some of that had to do with his favorite pizza place, Tie-Dye Pizza, being open.

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In the middle of the night I crept to the curtains and peeked out. The tide was out and above, clouds had parted enough for me to gaze at the stars.  On our last morning we saw patches of glorious blue sky.  While this picture does not show it, what looks like a speck in the center of the photo is really a half moon.

On our way home we saw that someone with time and a sense of humor had grown a smiley face on the side of a hill.  From our view it looked a little like “The Grinch that Stole Christmas” but I am sure the intent was a smiley face.

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A lovely weekend.  Goodbye ocean…..see you next month.

Oregon State Fair

The last of August and the first of September has been the traditional 11 day run of the Oregon State Fair.  It’s a friendly combination of food booths, musical shows, and critter watching during the day and bright lights, fireworks, and rides at night.

Robert, my husband, puts his hard work and love into his booth, which is part of the Artisan Village.  This unique part of the fair features artists who not only sell their work, but demonstrate it.  He brings his torches, kiln, supplies, and even sets up a special viewing area with safety glass.

As much work as there is, Robert loves the customers that drop by the booth.  Most of the year he works in the shop behind our house (a rather solitary task).  But during the fair he embraces one and all, shows them his newest marbles or turtles, and touches bases with the other artisans in the area.

The highlight of the fair is when his grandkids drop by for a hug before prancing off to visit the petting zoo or buy a special fair treat.

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This year was Robert’s 8th and last year.  Sadly, Oregon has bit by bit privatized more of its attractions, on the backs of artists who can not afford doubling or tripling booth prices. He has loved it, but it’s time to say goodbye to the Oregon Fair as it moves into its new more commercialized era.

He’ll remember the fun and all the great people he worked along side in the Artisan Village. Robert will even probably take a day and visit the fair he has been too busy to see for the last 8 years.  There’ll still be plenty of 4-H kids showing their cows, sheep, and llamas.  Music with the crazy good smells of food booths will fill the air.  There’s not a better place around to people watch.  Hope you can make it there some year.

 

 

Healing

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My knee surgery was “out patient” in that I went home after I was awakened.  Once I was open for company, my family came by with treats to cheer me.  E7 drew the above picture.  I appreciate the pink she put in my cheeks.  I might also note that she got the perfect amount of gray in my hair.

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N10 and J8 came with roses, Trader Joe’s vanilla meringues, as well as jokes to keep me laughing.

L9 drew two pictures which included a great deal of thought.

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The picture above is what NOT to do.  This is a turtle taking its time from where it is now to “done being sick.”  Don’t be like a turtle.

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The whole idea is that I was to be like a bunny or a fox (or even a bunny being chased by a fox) and get to the “done being” sick as soon as possible.

All this support for Gma could not have happened if not for my two sons and my daughter-in-laws…each precious and supportive cheerleaders as I improve.