My Year in Status

Here is a listing of most of my Facebook status postings for 2010. For some reason January didn't come up on the app list. It's kind of a long post, but it brought back some memories while I was transcribing the list.

February: Woo Hoo! Beavers sweep the Men’s BB series for the first time in 17 years! Go Beavs! – is planning to skip the game and scrapbook today instead. – Thanks everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes. I’m finally home for the evening for a little R and R. – may not make it ‘til midnight and the end of the Opening Ceremonies. – is watching a rather lopsided women’s hockey came. Canada’s beating up on Slovakia. – spent the day hanging with Jen. – doesn’t really want to spend Saturday in class. – is watching hockey. Go USA! – should be doing homework. Think I’ll procrastinate a little longer and watch the closing ceremonies.

March: Is looking forward to a Saturday with absolutely nothing planned. – is wishing it wasn’t only the students who get a three day weekend. – just got home from a great weekend at the coast with Mom, Aunt Shirley and Traci. – attended the Taste of Home Cooking School tonight with Mom, Traci & Becky. – just finished filling out the census form. – just got home from cake & ice cream to celebrate my dad’s birthday. Happy Birthday Daddy! – spent the afternoon baby showerin’ for my sis. It was so good to see so many friends and family. – the mini calazones I made don’t look very pretty, but they taste good. – Happy spring Break! Day 1 and I’m….cleaning house. Exciting, huh? – just got home from Spring Break at the coast where I ran into several familiar faces.

April: Happy Easter! – Yeah! Saturday classes are done. – has come to the hard won conclusion that I will never, ever understand certain people. – can smell the chili cookin’. Ahhhhhhh Friday! – Sunny day and no plans. What should I do? – took on the task of sorting scrapbook supplies today. – is still very full from the sushi dinner shared with Erin. But now, I want….chocolate!

May: Woke up ready to go work out and the gym wasn’t open yet.  - is watching Avatar. – should really be working on that final assignment for ESOL class, but I just can’t get motivated. – is waiting….. – attended Shana’s baby shower were we munched on Mexican food, then helped Mom plant some more of her planter boxes. – is tired of the rain. – had a good time at Roger & Kathy’s wedding last night. – just finished watching “Lost”. Hmmmmmmm….. – spent some time cuddling my nephew tonight. – is home from a weekend of camping with family and friends.

June: Just got home from seeing “The Bounty Hunter” with Erin. – Graduation 2010 is done. – is enjoying beautiful sunny weather. YEAH! – is eating yummy pizza at Papandrea’s in Sisters. – is home from the Sisters Rodeo – got the word today that I have a full time job next year! – great….it’s hailing! – Happy Father’s Day! – Sun!!!!!!! – is at a DAR Genealogy Workshop at Newell House. – is watching the replay of the US vs Algeria World Cup game. – spent the day at a science workshop at OMSI followed by burgers & beer with Jen. It was a very good day.

July: Is practicing the Zen of fishing in the rain this morning. – Happy 4th of July everyone! – Mmmmmmmmm. Burgerville. – sippin’ Starbucks and waiting for the ferry. – had a busy day: Picked raspberries, grocery shopping and finally dinner and a movie with Erin. – is grilling steak. – just got back from a matinee of “Eclipse” with my sissy. – is really bummed that the Grind is closing at the end of July. Where will we go for coffee and smoothies? – is reading under the pear tree. Love summer!

August: Is hanging at the Jake Owen concert with the fam. It’s Benton Co. Fair time! – is home after vacation.

September: Just got home from an evening at the State Fair with Jen. – is finally caught up from the weekend at the lake. – had a great evening with Erin, Jennifer & Jennifer. Sushi with a frozen yogurt chaser! – had a great, busy day with the family and the cousins’ cousins. – glad it’s the weekend. Wish the weather was better, though. – Eating yummy sausage & sauerkraut at Oktoberfest.

October: Is wishing Greg & Tammy a Happy Wedding Day! – is at ‘Music a la Carte” at the MU. – Go Griz! – Griz beat Portland State 23-21! Now it’s time for the Beavers to beat the Huskies. – should probably do something productive today. – Happy Birthday to my Mom! – is gearing up to tackle the ballot. Don’t forget to vote! – had a great time hanging with Jen last night. – Happy Halloween!

November: Had a great time participating in the Albany Veteran’s Day Parade today. – Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful day! – just bought a Christmas tree from Mr. Warloe. – the tree is decorated and now I’m procrastinating the work I need to do for school tomorrow.

December: Had a great dinner and catch up with Jen. So glad she lives closer now. I wish her a very happy birthday tomorrow. – must finish the Christmas cards! – only has one more batch of Christmas candy to make. Whew! – has Christmas music blaring while finishing up the Christmas prep work. So glad to have some time off. – has wrapped the last present. – Merry Christmas Eve everyone. May you have a wonderful evening. – Merry Christmas to All! Have a joyous day. – is putting away the Christmas decorations, which is not nearly as much fun as putting them out. – Happy New Year everyone! Have a safe Dec. 31.

Christmas Day

Mom & Dad hosted Christmas dinner for the family this year. Mom, Dad & I opened our gifts. Kit had a field day with ribbons and paper. Then we all went to work preparing for the arrival of the rest of the family.

You would think that since there were only ten of us, we wouldn't need to cook for an army, but that's not the case. We had prime rib and ham, potatoes, stuffing, two veggies, rolls and then four kinds of pie (pumpkin, apple, raspberry-rhubarb and sour cream lemon). By the end of the day, we were all ready for a nap and personally, I didn't care if I even saw food for a few days.

Christmas Eve

This year our family gathered for Christmas Eve at my sister's house. Dinner was a buffet of finger foods. We snapped our crackers, played games, watched a movie and opened the one present we get for Christmas Eve.

Dinner with Friends

Every year a group of us from high school make it a point to get together over the holidays if we can. Luckily, we or our parents are still in or close to our hometown. This year four of us made it for dinner a few days before Christmas. We ate chicken chili, salad and cornbread while we caught up on the happenings in each others' lives.

Tornado!

This is a picture of the tornado that hit Aumsville yesterday. It set down just a few miles from where I work. The meteorologists classified it as an EF 2, which means it had wind speeds of 110-120 mph. And while there was some property damage, nobody was seriously injured. God was definitely looking out for people.

Heather & Nashelle

I met Heather a few years ago when my faux-bro introduced his new "girlfriend" to the family. In the years since, she's gotten married, become a mom three times and founded an incredible jewelry collection which she named Nashelle.

Like any seed of an idea, Nashelle is growing and showing up in magazines, on television and on the runways. Heather's latest news is that Nashelle will be publishing a catalog in 2011. I can't wait to see it.

In the meantime, if you like jewelry, check out the Nashelle website, and if you want to know more about Heather, check out this blog entry by Shine Media PR.

The Tree

Here's a picture of this year's tree.

Pies and Sports and Turkeys and Trees

And that sums up this Thanksgiving weekend.

My Thanksgiving break officially started at noon on Wednesday. Grades were done, paperwork was filed, and I was off to enjoy a few days before our next term begins. I ran a few errands: The post office was easy and sane. The credit union was horrible. Let's just say their customer service is really, really bad. As soon as I pay off my car, I'm never doing business with that particular institution again!

Anyway, I dashed home, grabbed my stuff and headed for the parents' house. I had a pecan pie to make. My luck continued to be not so great. It took three tries to get the crust just right. I felt a little like the three pigs must have felt. Luckily, things improved. Dad and I went to the OSU basketball game against UNC-Charlotte. The Beavers won! And we got to see one of my favorite past players. AC Green was sitting court side, and I wonder if it's odd for him to be back at Gill, seeing his banner hanging from the rafters.

Thanksgiving was the family dinner. My sister and brother-in-law hosted. We talked and watched football. Our number was 11 this year, and we ate very, very well. In addition to the traditional turkey feast, we had four kinds of pie. Leftovers of both turkey and pie were to follow us for days.

Mom, Traci and I made our Black Friday run. We were up and out the door by 4:45 to pick up some gifts. It was short day for us this year. We were home by 1:30, and I crashed. The rest of the day is pretty non-existent.

Saturday is our traditional "Get the Tree Day." Mom's tree has to meet specific requirements in size, shape and variety. We ended up at a u-cut place run by my 8th grade math teacher. It's always a little odd to run into my old teachers, even many years later.

Sunday evening....the tree is decorated. Wreaths are hung and I have to decide how much more of the Christmas decoration plunder to haul out of storage and unpack. But not tonight. I have homework to do.

Fire Starters

During the holidays my family goes through an abundance of candles. We like the way they smell, and how pretty they look. But not all candles are created equal, and some leave behind a lot of wax when they've finished burning up the wick.

A few years ago I had so much leftover wax and it seemed so bad to just throw it away. I know...I could go buy new candle molds and wicks and make recycled candles, but with so many scents, I just couldn't justify that plan. Instead I took some initiative, a coffee can, shredded paper (another increasing byproduct of life) and started making fire starters which we use during summer camping trips.

I spent an afternoon last weekend making a new batch. It's easy, but time consuming. Leftover wax is melted in a coffee can over low heat on the stove. White that's happening, I crumple up handfuls of shredded paper and put them in paper cupcake cups. When the wax is melted, I pour it on the paper a few at a time letting the wax begin to settle up a bit before pouring the excess onto a new cup. It's labor intensive because I haven't figured out a good way to really soak the paper without using a muffin pan, which may be something I try in the future.

Veteran's Day Parade

The Albany Veteran's Day parade is one of the largest in the United States. Many times my family has stood on a downtown sidewalk watching the parade honoring the men and women who have served our country for generations. It's a really wonderful parade.

This year, I did more than watch. The DAR chapter that I am a member of participated and I chose to join them. We had a fabulous day.

Meanwhile, my family took their usual place on the sidewalk and cheered us on.

No NaNo this November

That sounds kind of cryptic doesn't it? November is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo to writing fans and afficienados. I attempted my first NaNo in 2007, but didn't get too far with my 50,000 word goal. In 2008, I was two months into a new job, so writing was the last thing on my mind. 2009 was an awesome year. I met the goal! So, I was really excited to start this year's challenge.

And it didn't happen. I tried. I really did. But there's no story in me this year. Life is chaotic and messy feeling right now. My energy levels are dead low, and I don't know when/how that's going to change. So, no NaNo this year. Maybe, I'm only meant to tackle the challenge in odd numbered years.

Voting Day

I remember being seventeen and looking forward to my first voting experience; making that trip to the polling place and waiting my turn to stand at the booth with my ballot. Looking back on a couple (almost) decades of voting and I'm trying to remember if that ever actually happened. For those of you who are confused by that statement, yes, I vote. However, due to the timing of my 18th birthday, going off to college, and leaving my official residence at my parents' home, I spent the next few years voting absentee. Then, about the time I was back in Oregon for good, the voters chose to implement "vote by mail."

Voting by mail does have some advantages. The powers that be feel they get a greater return on ballots. You get to vote when it's convenient and in the privacy of your own home. There is no long line of waiting for a voting booth to become available. The down side is that I've had my ballot for two weeks, voted more than a week ago, and I've had to listen to the increasingly malicious candidate advertisements anyway. I really hate that. I got really tired of listening not to what candidates intend to do, but how much they needed to denigrate the opposition.

Being eligible to vote is a rite of passage. But I wonder if 18 year olds today feel it's significance since Oregon has made is so easy to vote. Do they understand the impact their choices and choices have?

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Alyssa!

Alyssa had a birthday this week! We celebrated with ice cream sundaes and banana splits. :)

Happy Birthday Mom

This weekend we celebrated my mom's birthday. She wanted low key, and that's what she got: Barbequed ribs, potato salad and birthday cake for dinner. Happy Birthday Mom!

Fast Fly-by October

Suddenly it's October 11, and I realize I haven't posted anything to the blog since September 23 and I wonder where the heck have the days gone?! It seems as if Fall just flies by and I don't take much time to really enjoy it.

This year western Oregon has had some very summerish fall weather. I mean, it's not supposed to be in the 70's, right? And where's the rain been (except for this past weekend)?

So, for the last three weeks life has been busy. It's been work; movie with Erin & Jennifer; dinner at Traci & Eric's; Dad off deer hunting (no venison this year) so Mom came spent the weekend; trip to McMinnville; work; chaparone the Homecoming Dance; DAR meeting; Rehearsal dinner; Greg & Tammy's wedding day; work...you get the picture. Not much time or energy to write.

I'll work on it.

Language

I've had language on the brain quite a bit lately. Logan is now almost five months old and when any of us are around him we make quite a spectacle of ourselves encouraging him to vocalize. And he's getting very good at it. That kid is loud!

Jump to another piece of my life: school. Here I'm taking the opposite tack; trying to get kids to vocalize less. It's not so much I mind the conversations my students have. Topics can be quite interesting; loaded with more information that I often want to hear and details I don't really need. What I do have issues with is their lack of creativity in choosing their vocabulary. It's as if name-calling, putdowns, slurs and curses have become normally accepted in society and therefore, public school.

I find it really disheartening that my students can't understand my feelings about their verbal communications. They don't seem to comprehend that you get one first impression. The most attractive person in the world quickly becomes very unattractive when all they spew from their lips is offensive garbage. And I'm more than a little disturbed that language seems to be deteriorating at an incredibly fast rate. Vocabulary, context and syntax don't seem to be important to many people any more; even among some rather well-educated individuals.

Oktoberfest Weekend

As usual, for O-Fest, the weather this weekend left much to be desired. I wasn't sure I'd even make it. Luckily things worked out for the best.

Saturday was dreary and rainy. It was a great excuse to hang out with the family at Mom & Dad's. We dressed for game day and cheered the Beavers in their victory over the Louisville Cardinals. We pigged out on one of Mom's awesome home cooked meals and marionberry crisp.

Sunday the weather dried up, so we headed out to the Oktoberfest at Mt. Angel. We spent a few hours wandering the festival and eating, which is the best reason to go. I love the food at fairs and festivals. Today's menu of choice was sausage with sauerkraut, deep fried mushrooms and onion rings followed by an elephant ear. We opted to not buy our way into the gartens, so no beer or wine, but it was yummy all the same. And I finally saw the Glockenspiel through a complete cycle.

Canadian Cousins

Well, not my cousins...exactly. Esther is my cousins' cousin. She and her husband live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and made the trip out here to see my aunt, uncle and cousins for four days before spending time with friends in British Columbia.

It was wonderful to see Esther and meet her (semi-new) husband Dino. The only (partly) bad thing about out of town visitors is that we seem to spend a great deal of time eating.

Oddly enough, I didn't take any pictures during this visit. The picture above is from 2003, the last time I saw Esther and her sister Caroline.

4 months!

The sweet boy turned four months this week. He's growing so fast, and is so easy to entertain. He loves funny faces, weird noises, being outdoors and people.

State Fair

It's been a few years since I visited the Oregon State Fair. When I was a kid and teenager, my family went frequently. We would make an entire day of it, visiting all the livestock, vendors, and displays. It also wasn't unusual to run into familiar faces.

A couple weeks ago Jen asked if I was going to the fair this year. I'd been thinking about it, waffling back and forth. The clincher was her comment that she hadn't been to the state fair since we went together in high school!. So this afternoon after work we met a prearranged place and went to the fair. It was a very good evening. We talked and walked, checking out the sights. We decided the cute award goes to miniature cows and baby pigs. The "Duh" award goes to the sign "Please keep hands away from the alligator. He's already eaten." And the yummy award...oh, fair food.

Food is one of the greatest things about the fair. I don't know why, exactly. We did our grazing backwards tonight. We started with ice cream. An hour later we went for the super nachos. The plate was huge, so we shared. And then just before leaving the fair we spilt an onion blossom. It's just not the fair if you skip the fried food.

First Day of School

Well, the first day I've had kids in the classroom, at least. Teachers in our district reported back last Monday and it's been busy, busy, busy ever since.

So there are a few changes. I have my prep period at the end of the day instead of at the beginning. I think it's going to be okay, but ask me that when winter hits, it's dark and dreary, and I'm not moving as fast in the mornings!

We also made some changes to the program, so a few more kids rolled in this morning. Orienting the new kids and integrating them into the existing class community can be a challenge. Today was controlled chaos, but I think it went really well. As for how the year will go....only time will tell.

Road Trip - Wrapup

So, we left Coeur d'Alene on the 14th, traveling south on Hwy 95 to Lewiston, Idaho where we crossed the Snake River and stayed in Clarkston, Washingtion. For those who have never been to Lewiston/Clarkston, the towns are located in a deep gulch. There are tons of signs on the road down warning about steep grades and brake failure. And it's hot. When we left on Sunday morning, it was 87 degrees at 9:30.

While we were in the area we took a little drive over to Spaulding, Idaho to the visitor's center at the Nez Perce National Historical Park. The park is huge and encompasses sites in multiple states. The visitor's center does have a nice exhibit of Nez Perce history and artifacts. We had a good visit but it got a little crowded when a huge bus pulled up with an ElderHostal tour.

On Sunday we continued south and west to Pendleton, Oregon. Pendleton is like many small towns where Sunday is a slow day. We did drive into town to see the rodeo grounds which will host the 100th Pendleton Roundup next month. And we visited Hamley & Co.. We also spent a couple hours at the http://www.wildhorseresort.com/ after dinner.

Today was a long pull home. We stopped for lunch at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles. My last trip to the center was probably ten years ago. Mom and Dad had never been, so it was good stop. Then we ran into paving on I-84, which made the trip longer than it should have been.

The bottom line is we had a good trip. In eleven days we drove 1400 miles in three states in the motorhome. We put another 700 on the car in four states doing side trips and short runs to town.

Road Trip - Coeur d'Alene, ID

Yesterday's travel took us just down the road to Coeur d'Alene. We are staying at an RV park on the Spokane River. Today we took in the sights. Our morning started at Cabela's in Post Falls. For those who haven't been to one, it's a sporting goods mega store similar to Bass Pro Shops. This was our first visit to Cabela's. And we did a good job with the shopping.

After leaving Cabela's, we drove to what used to be one of the largest outlet malls. It's sad, but today, the mall is like a ghost town. The majority of the shops are empty, which was discouraging. As a result, we headed downtown. We did a bit more shopping, but the one thing I really wanted to do was walk the "longest floating boardwalk" at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. I remember on previous trip we actually came across the lake, tied our boat to the dock and walked it then.

Road Trip - Libby, MT

Today we took a little side trip into Montana. It's been five years since I was last in Montana. At that time I returned to Missoula (where I spent my undergrad years)for a friend's wedding. Montana really is the Big Sky country, but until this trip I'd never been to the northwestern most part of the state. We stopped at Kootenei Falls, on the Kootenei River. It was a short little hike that was well worth the stop. Then we were on to Libby, which is a lumber town about twenty miles, as the crow flies, south of the Canadian border. We had a really beautiful drive.

Road Trip - Hope

And no, that's not a sentiment. It's a town in Idaho on the north shore of Pend Orielle Lake, about 18 miles from Sandpoint. It's been nineteen years since we were last here and many things have changed. Two things, however, stay constant: The lake and the deer.

Road Trip - Travel

Today was another travel day. We headed out of Twisp on Highway 20. Our day took us through Okanagan, Omak, Tonasket and Republic, where we stopped to eat our leftover lunch. We also took a couple hours to check out the town. It was nice day, and the people were so friendly.

Tonight we're staying in Kettle Falls, on Lake Roosevelt. Many years ago the family spent some time on the southern end of the lake; near Electic City. That's about a hundred miles south of where we are tonight. Lake Roosevelt is over one hundred and thirty miles long!

Road Trip - Winthrop, WA

We spent the day in Winthrop. It's a cute little Old West theme town with a few shops, restaurants and a museum. We wandered through town, ate lunch at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery and then had ice cream. It was so nice to just sit back and relax for the day. Tomorrow we continue east.

Road Trip - North Cascades

We woke up to a few sprinkles, packed up camp and hit the road. Our destination was the little town of Winthrop via North Cascades National Park. I’ve spent lots of time in the Oregon Cascades, so there were times when I felt a little déjà vu.

The weather wasn’t great today. There was some rain and clouds, so the views were a bit obscured. Plus, it’s a long trip in the motorhome, which made for a very long day. We limited our stops in the park to a few scenic outlooks and the visitor’s center.

Road Trip - Mt. Rainier

So, the parents and I took off from home yesterday for a little road trip into Washington. The first jaunt was to the Seattle area, where we spent the night. Today we got up and spent the day exploring Mt. Rainier National Park and the surrounding area.

I love the national park system. I’ve said that before, but I really mean it. Every site has something special about it. Mt. Rainier is big. Really big. And the surrounding landscape is pretty awesome. There are waterfalls, glacier paths and alpine meadows. The weather was perfect. It was the kind of day that photographers love. After a few hours in the park we headed back out the way we came. We had passed a couple interesting looking spots on the way in, and decided to visit. We had to check out the Ashford General Store. It’s got a little bit of everything. I love exploring places like that. Then we stopped at the Ex-Nihilo sculpture park just outside of Elbe, Washington. The artist, Daniel Klennert, asks that you use photos for personal use only. Check out his website. He’s got some really cool stuff and it’s all made from recycled materials.

Another interesting spot we saw was the Hobo Inn and Historic Mt. Rainier Railroad Dining Company. The entire complex is train cars. We chose to try the restaurant for dinner, eating burgers and fresh cut French fries. For dessert we had blackberry cobbler ala mode. It was yummy.

Soup! or I knew I bought those for a reason....

I know, it's kind of a weird topic for August, but I like soup. Usually, when I make soup, it's "Kitchen Soup." Whatever is in the kitchen, goes into the soup.

Last Saturday, on the way to our family reunion we stopped at E-Z Orchards Farm Market. We picked up some really nice peaches and green beans. For some reason I felt compelled to also buy some tomatillos. I've never cooked with tomatillos, but I really love salsa verde, so I thought that was probably what I would end up doing with them. Wrong!

Jump ahead two days, and I picked up a copy Sunset Magazine (August 2010 issue). As I flipped through it, a photo of what looked like salsa caught my eye. Further reading told me it was actually "Mexican tomatillo avocado soup". It looked so good, I had to try it. Of course, I made a couple of adjustments: I omitted the cucumber and cilantro (I don't really like them), added chopped fresh tomatoes and substituted red hot sauce. I was also lazy and kept my soup chunky, skipping the puree and sieve stesp. It's so yummy.

Family Reunion

Yesterday we spent the afternoon hanging out in my cousins' backyard. A few months ago we crossed paths, and Sandi said, "We should have a family reunion." So we did. We ate (sausages, salads, chips and pies), and talked (farming, family, kids and grandkids, camping, fishing, church and school) and played lawn games under the fir trees. Traci showed off Logan. Everyone asked me how teaching is going; which is not an easy question to answer during summer vacation. We sat with Aunt Vi and talked about Grams, who has been gone almost a decade now. And about the family members who couldn't make it: Aunt Charlotte wasn't feeling well, and Ashley was off registering for college. The kids bobbed for green apples - unripe, not Granny Smiths. Cows and the cat wandered by several times. It was a really great day.

Deer in the Berries

It's summer. Summer means gardens and lots of yummy growing things. The deer think so to. And so far, we don't mind their mincing through the yard, or the fact that they're eating the marionberries. They don't eat them all, and the canes are very full. My parents' neighbor Nichole, on the other hand, hates that they ate her snow peas.
Note: I know the photo is out of focus. They don't like me to get too close with the camera.

Moving Palestine Church

This is the North Palestine Church. It was built about 130 years ago on the donation land claim of my 3rd great grandparents, Tolbert and Martha Angeline Belieu Carter, in Benton Co. Oregon.

A few months ago, the decision was made by the North Palestine Cemetery Board that the church building could no longer be maintained, and with the need to increase the size of the cemetery, the building (which hasn't been in use for decades) should be torn down. I think that was a sad moment for most of us who are attached to the building and the cemetery. Three generations of my family are buried in the cemetery. My family worshiped in that church once upon a time. Luckily, some preservationists have stepped in and with the help of the county, the building was spared.

Yesterday, the church moved from it's old brick foundation about to a new home about four miles away with the hope that it can be used as a community space. My parents and I went to watch, and it feels good knowing I could witness the move, rather than a demolition.

Goodbyes

This last weekend was one of goodbyes. On Saturday our family joined the rest of the old neighborhood to say goodbye to Kathy, a neighbor of 30+ years who passed away from cancer a couple weeks ago. She'd fought for several years, and held on to meet her first grandchild before letting go. So family, friends and neighbors celebrated one last backyard party in Kathy's honor. It was good to see people who have moved on to other places, and to remember other celebrations we'd all been a part of.

The second goodbye was different. The story goes back many years. One Christmas we gave my grandmother a birdhouse. She hung it outside her kitchen window and for years would watch the house swallows arrive, raise their babies and then they would disappear. When my grandmother passed away, my parents took the birdhouse to their home and for years we've repeated the cycle. This year, we finally got to see the babies leave the nest. It was an event my grandmother never witnessed since once the birds can fly, the whole family just disappears. It was kind of cool to see this year's babies take their first flight.

Berries!

I spent part of Tuesday picking raspberries at a local farm with my mom, aunt and sister. As usual, we picked more than we really needed. On Wednesday Mom and Traci made jam with most of the. Most of the ones I brought home were frozen whole so that I can use them later. I just put them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for a couple hours, then I pack them freezer bags. I had a few left over, so I broke out the good ole' food mill and crushed them into puree. One of these days, when I have some space in the freezer I'll make some ice cream.

Grillin'

It's summer, which means food should be cooking on the grill, right? I'm ashamed to say, that I haven't done any grilling since I moved to Salem; instead I've relied on family dinners and camp outs for my grill fix...until tonight.

When I moved into my previous home, I splurged on a Weber charcoal grill. I loved it. Charcoal takes a little time, so it was common for me to grill a variety of foods on the weekends and eat all week. So, when I moved back to the Valley, my grill went into storage with most of my other things. Then last summer, Dad sort of commandeered my grill. Then the notice came from my management company: NO CHARCOAL GRILLS ALLOWED!

A couple months ago the parents bought me a new grill to replace the one they are now using. It's a Weber, but it's gas. Not my favorite grilling option. But you do what you must. Tonight I used the new grill for the first time. I love grilled steak.

July Road Trip

Sometimes I just feel the need to drive. So, last Friday I packed up the car and headed west to the Coast taking Highway 30 from Portland to Astoria. I'd never taken that route before, and while I enjoyed it, it's longer than taking Highway 26 I think. I stopped briefly in Columbia City to see the Caples House, another of the Oregon Society DAR museums. Further along the way I contemplated taking the Ferry from Westport across the Columbia just because I could, but I didn't want to wait forty-five minutes, so I just stayed on the Oregon side of the river.

In Astoria I went see Fort Clatsop, which is part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. My last trip there was in 1994, and the fort burned a couple years ago necessitating that be rebuilt. It was as I remembered, which was reassuring. I love to visit National Park Service sites.

So, spending the night in Astoria required finding a good place for dinner. Following some signs, I found the Ft. George Brewery. Good beer and good food. It was definitely a good choice. I had the homemade sausage with sauerkraut and fries, complemented with a pint of Divinity.

Saturday
morning I crossed the Columbia and hiked to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. It was cold, foggy and misting rain. Typical coastal weather, but it was a nice mile hike. Then it was back to the car, where I worked my way inland to Bremerton where I caught the ferry to Seattle.

Seattle is a great place to visit, and to all my friends and family there, I didn't call because the trip was very last minute with a very loose itinerary. I only spent a couple hours in town. Just long enough to visit the new (opened earlier this year) Hard Rock Cafe. I like to visit them, have a snack and buy a guitar pin. I have now been to the HRC's in Las Vegas, Louisville, Baltimore, Washington DC, Gatlinburg and Seattle.

It was a good trip, and nice to get away for a little while.

4th of July Vacation

Just got back from 10 days at the lake. It was a family and practically family vacation. We did a little of a lot of things: lounged around in the sun like lizards, swam like fish, rode the tubes (acquiring the usual bruises in the process) while Dad drove the boat and did some fishing.

I took no photos this trip. I have many of previous trips, and I caught no fish to brag about. The only two I managed to hook, unhooked themselves and swam away before we could get them in the boat. Regardless of the lack of photo evidence, it was a good trip. And it's good to be back.

Alyssa's Day

During the summer, when we're not quite so busy, I try to take some time to spend with the kids. Today was Alyssa's day. And since she's growing up, it's not always easy to find things that are a good fit, and fun.

So, last week when we made this date, I threw a few ideas out and the plan was to do what Alyssa wanted. Alyssa's choices took us to Riverfront Park. We began with a walk across the Union Street foot bridge that connects Riverfront and Wallace Marine Parks. We had some time to kill before going into A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village. It's a fun little museum/learning center that probably more appropriate for kids in early elementary. But we had fun playing checkers on the giant board, beating on xylophones and marimbas, climbing up and sliding down in the Erector Set tower, and blowing giant bubbles in the bubble room. For those of you not in the know, A.C. Gilbert was the inventor of many toys including the erector set. Gilbert was born in Salem, and the center is partially housed in his uncle's home.

Our next stop was a short walk away: the Riverfront Carousel. We rode several times choosing different horses for each ride.

By then it was lunch time, which was the only time I sat down all day. Alyssa chose the Best Little Roadhouse, but we opted not to play miniature golf. The next couple of hours we did some shopping: Claire's and Candy Tyme at Lancaster Mall. Then a trip to Michael's and World Market at Keizer Station. Our final stop was Baskin-Robbins for Bubblegum (Alyssa) and Oregon Blackberry (me) cones.

I know that I had a good time. I hope Alyssa did. :)

Father's Day Weekend

The last couple days have been really busy, but that's pretty much par for the course during the summer. Saturday I attended the Averill Family Reunion (I'm a "half-cousin" as one of the other attendees put it) in Brownsville before heading back the parents' for an early Father's Day Dinner. Dad grilled ribs, Mom made strawberry shortcake, and we all made pigs of ourselves. After dinner we visited some friends and it was really late when I finally got home.

So, with such a busy Saturday, I was anticipating a pretty quiet Sunday. I figured I'd just hang around the house, maybe do some chores and play with Kitter. Well, plans change. Instead, the family spent a couple hours following Dad around sporting goods stores. He had fishing supplies to buy, and a gift card to spend.

70th Annual Sisters Rodeo

We made our annual trek over to the Sisters Rodeo this weekend. (I took pictures, but click on the link to see some really great rodeo shots) The weather was incredibly beautiful with sunshine and blue skies. It actually felt like summer. And I have the sunburn to prove it!

Saturday started with the rodeo parade. This year's seemed shorter than last year's, but it was still fun. Then it was back to camp. This year we opted to attend the Saturday afternoon performance. We has a log of fun, and Logan was a real trooper. He hung out in his front pack, then slept in his basket before being passed around. Luckily that kid can sleep through noise. After the rodeo we met up some cousins, and caught up on family news. It was great to see them since everyone is always so busy.

Today was more relaxed. We cleared camp and headed into town for a few things. Lunch was really fabulous pizza at Papandrea's. They really load on the toppings and two slices fills you up. Then it was back over the mountains. It was a great summer kick-off weekend.

Last Day of School

I can remember a time when the last day of school was all about excitement. You spent the morning watching the clock hands move ever so slowly toward the final bell. Then you practically bolted from the room with, if you had one of those great elementary teachers, a quick hug to accompany the call of "Have a great summer!"

It's not really like that anymore. First, most of my students can't be bothered to even come on the last day. In fact, I haven't seen several of them since last week. Second, there is no clock watching when you're a teacher. Today I spent every moment fully engrossed in helping a senior finish those final few geometry assignments so he could get his diploma. Third, my "Have a great summer." doesn't quite end that way. I usually follow up with "Don't do something stupid!" Some kids crack a smile, some laugh, some throw me a look that screams "Get real!" And then they're gone. My classroom is silent, and I know that when I go in to finish tidying up tomorrow, I will feel a little bit lost and disconnected. And then, I will watch the clock.

Hoover-Minthorn House Museum

Today six members of Chemeketa DAR made the trip to Newberg to visit the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum. This house, now owned by the Colonial Dames of America, is where President Herbert Hoover lived with his aunt and uncle, the Minthorns, from 1885-1889. In 1889 the family moved to Salem. In 1891, Herbert entered Stanford University. He became a mining engineer, businessman, bureaucrat and eventually president of the United States.

I've lived within an easy drive of the museum most of my life, yet this was my first trip to see it. While I enjoy visiting old houses, it was the stories about the family, and "Bertie" that I enjoyed the most.

Pen Pal Project - Update

So, I promised an update on the Pen Pal Project. Since my post on May 23, I've written the first letter to H. and the first reply letter to T. I have to be honest, the reply letter was much easier to write. It's so difficult to figure out what to say when introducing yourself. I didn't want to fill pages with questions or a bunch of "memememememe". Personally, I think T. did a wonderful job with her first letter. It was a gazillion times better than mine to H.

Questioning

Some days I question my professional path. Am I doing enough? How can I engage more students? What will work as a motivator? It's part of teaching. I don't know any teachers who go into this profession for accolades or money. Both of those are few and far between. We teach because we can, and we really enjoy kids and the learning process.

This year has been tough. Most of my students are "give it to me now!" types on good days and "back stabbing pit vipers" on bad days. Being insulted by some of my students is almost a daily occurrence. And I'm worn out. Tonight, I congratulated a former student on graduating. The response to me from that student was "you're such a bitch." I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I'm used to that as a response to discipline or disappointment, but not as a response to a sincere offering. And that moment overshadowed all the positive moments this evening. And so I question...

Memorial Day Weekend

I know and understand the importance of Memorial Day, but I have to be honest, a three day weekend was the ONLY thing I was thinking about on Friday. I am so ready for the last day of school.

That being said, we took off on a family camping trip as we have every Memorial Day weekend I can remember. Due to the planned arrival of Logan this month, we didn't have elaborate plans. This year we stayed close to home, venturing over to Linn County where we stayed at Waterloo Park. Since we'd never been there before, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It turned out to be a nice weekend. The campground was full. Lots of people, dogs, kids with bikes, family games. The weather was cooperative; rain didn't start until Sunday afternoon, and it was bearable sprinkles until almost 10:00 pm. The kids, big and small, got their marshmallow's roasted and s'mores made. Dad did a little fishing (no catching) and Logan went on his very first camping trip.
*Note: I borrowed this picture from the Linn Co. Parks website. I didn't take many pictures this weekend.