A walk down memory lane

13 years ago this past February Steve and I were in this very spot on this very bench when he proposed to me. My family and I were on vacation and Steve was at a funeral in California for a long time pastor friend of his family. Having planned the proposal for some time and not wanting to miss out on his plans he drove all night to come out to join our family for a few days and to propose. My parents had the skinny but I was kept in the dark. I really had no idea.

This place is absolutely gorgeous and has a spectacular view of the mountains and ocean. Later he told me that he felt like it was the perfect place because I was a lover of the woods and he of the ocean.

Calling this place a romantic spot is an understatement.

We explored the area letting the kids look over the cliffs and enjoy the view looking out for miles over the ocean. We also told once again the story of the Japanese tourists that were standing in this very spot in the picture above when Steve proposed. They had just come around the corner as Steve got down on one knee and they went crazy. They were laughing and taking pictures like they were the paparazzi. I was dying laughing trying to say yes. So much so that Steve thought that I was just laughing and hadn't answered him yet. I reassured him that my answer was yes but all I could do was laugh watching all of these cameras clicking away listening to them talk in their language having no idea what they were saying. I bet somewhere in Japan we are in a few vacation books. Ha!

There are a few trails through this spot on the coast. It is easy walking making it a great trek for the kids and the view is worth every step.

When we came back around Steve asked a passer-by if she would be willing to take a picture of our family at the same bench that started it all 13 years ago. A lot can happen in 13 years. Look at that family! That young couple had no idea what was in store for them but that same couple 13 years later wouldn't change a thing.

Coast Extravaganza

I have been quiet here on the blog because we are on vacation. We are at the coast for nine days and are having a blast. The weather has been better than any other trip we have taken here. Every day has been gorgeous and picture worthy.

The kids have been spending countless hours exploring and playing on the beach as well as up the river that feeds into the ocean where are staying.

The tide doesn't come in as far this time of year making lots of tidepools for looking at ocean life.


My parents came for the first part of vacation over the 4th of July weekend. My kids love spending time with them and Steve and I enjoy chatting with them late into the evening.


A game of memory is always more fun with Grandma.

We all said at the dinner table last night that the highlight of the trip so far has been the fireworks at the beach. The house we stay at is right on the bay. People build fires and set up camp for the evening to enjoy the festivities. Once it gets completely dark the city sets off fireworks over the ocean and it's a spectacular way to end the night.

It's that time of year again.

I love hanging clothing out on the line. I know to some it seems primitive or time consuming. For me, however, it is very relaxing. Aside from the garden, most of the work I do at home is indoors. Doing the slow and methodical job of hanging out the clothes outside is therapeutic somehow.

I pray, think and plan, decompress or sort things out. Add to that the benefit of money saved and less wear on the clothing and linens and you have worthwhile summer chore. I can do this for only 3-4 months a year where we live and I look forward to it every year. I suppose it might lose it's luster if I could do it all year round. But this way, it is something different from the norm, something simple and something very enjoyable.

I run out of clothespins by the time I get to the socks so the deck works just as well. I do go out and flip them to dry the other side at some point. You would think there wouldn't be so many socks to wash in the summer but we are in the Pacific Northwest and with seven people, well, you do the math. That's a lot of socks no matter what time of year it is.

I love those greens!

It took two tries and four bags of new soil but our salad garden is finally growing!

We have several kinds of greens including lettuces, spinach and cilantro along with green onions and radishes. Yum!

The strawberry patch is doing well also. The berries are large and sweet.


I love this time of year and I'm hoping heaven will have gardens and temps in the 70's. :-)

Today I...

sat in the garden in the sun and weeded for over an hour.

listened to the water from the soaker hose hit the tomato tent and pretended it was the roar of the ocean.

watched my kids play in the pool.

sat with my guy while we visited and laughed.

re-planted most of all our green and red peppers.

did laundry. (Dirty clothes don't recognize Sundays as a day off.)

prayed about some hard stuff.

ran errands with my oldest girl and had a great time enjoying the person she is becoming.

missed my oldest son who was having a great time with his aunt and uncle.

got to see one of my sisters.

missed my oldest daughter who left to spend time with her cousin.

worked on plans for a party.

got two spontaneous hugs from my middle girl because she just felt like it.

told my husband how much it means to me that he appreciates and gives me the freedom to be who I am.

made pico de gallo and guacamole for the first of what will be about a gazillion times this summer.

ordered a new camera.

got a sunburn.

read two books and sang a lullaby to my two youngest before I sent them off to bed.

thanked God for the place he has me right now.

Today I enjoyed my life.

The sun is coming!

Several weathermen have predicted at least ten days of either sun or partial sun.

I'm trying not to get too excited just in case but I know there are a lot of people in my life that could use a good dose of Vitamin D. I'm off to check our lettuce and tomatoes and radishes and dill and cucumbers and potatoes and, well, you get the idea. Anything that is not inside. Have a good weekend, friends!

Stream of consciousness

I am borrowing the title of this post from other bloggers. It seems to be appropriate for this post. I have been a bad blogger the last week. Our summer has had an interesting start and we have yet to hit our stride. I have been spending days gardening, working on couponing deals and getting organized. We are hosting a Thrill of the Grill House Party for Oscar Mayer, a larger family garage sale and are getting ready for upcoming vacation. Life is good but busy!!!!!!

Closets are being cleaned out, hot spots de-cluttered and the back yard is getting whipped back into shape. Steve and the kids have been working this week on cleaning out and setting up our pool for the summer. Rumor has it summer is on it's way but I am a tad skeptical at this point. I do love that the pool is ready to go should it really come.

It would seem that I owe an apology to our local bird population. It was suspected that birds were eating up our garden when in reality we have a snail and slug infestation like nothing I have ever seen. All along our northern property line across the fence is a field of ivy. Slugs in particular love ivy. Yay us. They ate all 16 of my pickling cucumber plants and 14 out of 18 pepper plants. They also ate just about every green bean plant that came up. I couldn't believe it. We have never had a problem before. We tried some organic options but in the end had to settle with slug bait. Almost three dozen slugs and one HUGE snail later we seem to have the problem under control. I have begun re-planting and so far, so good. Now if only the sun could come every now and then and we would be golden.

Our kids finished up their first round of homeschool testing for the state since we started home educating. I am relieved to report that they are learning, thriving even. All of you teachers out there understand when I say you never know how much they are retaining. You hope for it but the proof is in the pudding. Even two of mine who struggled big time with math when they came home both scored above grade level in that subject. What a relief!

Already I feel that summer break is getting away from me. I am trying to find a way to slow down and enjoy the season.The rest of the year I am focused on schooling, feeding and cleaning. During the summer its feeding, buying school supplies and gardening for food. As busy and hard work as it is I still love it. It can be frustrating, mind numbing and hard but it is also enjoyable and rewarding and I cannot imagine having it any other way.

On that note I think the dishwasher needs to be run. Happy Wednesday!