Twilight MOMS

All ready to head up North to see what all the fuss is about! Port Angeles and Forks, where the Twilight books are all about! I loved those books!! Were gettin' all ready for the 2nd movie to come out ~ "New Moon"!Margee and I got together to make little journaling books to put all our Twilight treasures in, and our thoughts for the get-away!!This little town of Forks really revolves around this series...it's cute!!

( Me, Margee, Devon, Colleen and Jackie )
We were CRAZY~ we woke up on Saturday at 6 am...( you see, that's the crazy part...MOM's on a little getaway where we CAN sleep in but don't! ha ha )..,and we went down to First Beach to watch the sunrise...it was beautiful trying to peek through the clouds...we had sliced nectarines and even read the scriptures on the beach...then right to treasure collecting!! These ladies are alot of fun!!
We stayed at Suzie's place in Forks...such a cute little house!

We had fun checking out all the sites that were talked about in the book and the places where the filming took place. Nice to be with other Twilight lovers as well!!

And a special thanks to Kev for taking over and helping me take a night off!!

Sand Lake Dunes, Oregon

There is NOTHING like quading along side the water at the Beach!! Full throddle, free like a bird...it's the best!! This was the first time we took the new Motorhome out...Kevin bought it at the auction the first of the summer, and he's been fixin it up all summer! It's sure smooth ridin' and great to stay in!! It's amazing how much just 8 inches wider makes!! So nice!!
So we had alot of choices...ridin at the beach...hill climbin' or doin the trails!! What a great place for the quads...and their owners!!
I was pretty fond of the trails....so many to explore....but watch out for low fallen trees! Yikes!

Jaycee could have stayed on the beach all weekend!!
On the way home...just 15 miles away was the Tillamook Cheese FActory, we couldn't be that close and NOT stop by!!

Tanner wanted to be different and try Pumpkin ice-cream....but he traded it in for the good ole' root beer float ice cream instead!!

Cheese, cheese and more cheese!!

We had a great weekend. Only 4 1/2 hours each way, and we couldn't have picked a better weekend to ride....very nice! We have to get serious now and stay home for a while and get some things done!! Sure glad I married a spontaneous man who likes to travel and see the world!!

Once in a lifetime...

So at creative escape this year...Heidi Swapp talked about these once in a lifetime experiences...so the morning after I arrived home and I really wanted to sleep in all day.....(Just kiddin'! Maybe just 1/2 the day!) Kevin said that he and Len Mead and Tanner were going to fish the Puyallup at 5 am! Now mind you...Kevin has gone before with not much luck! But I thought to myself.....you have lived in Puyallup 11 1/2 years now, and YOU have never had this experience...and it is huge!!! (hence all the men lined up in the river....all up and down stream!!!) When Kevin invited me to go along....I think he though that I had lost my mind when I said...sure...I'd like to go!! So Tanner and I waited ( we didn't have wader's to go in ) And before too long, they both had their limit!! Kev said there were so many fish that they were hitting him in the leg as they swam on by! Not a bad day's catch I'd have to say!!

This is the big Daddy that Kev caught! They caught Silver and Pink Salmon. These guys get crazy...they yell FISH ON when they get on on their line so the other guys won't cast off their line....I wasn't too crazy about when they had to whack the fish on the head so they would stop flopping all around. Tanner warned me when that was about to happen :=<

Kevin said Tan...do you want to hold the big guy? Just then the fish started to squirm and just about got out of Kevin's grip...LOOK at Tan's face...he is cracking up!!

And Tanner finally stuck his hand in and had a good grip...but not for too long...he says~ "Dad...hurry take him...he's thinking of biting me!" Funny kid...can't wait till he get's waders and can really get in the action! It really was interesting watching how this all works...we have cars lined up for miles and miles on river road...fishermen just lined up in the river. Pretty amazing stuff here, and they take it pretty seriously!! So...now I can say I've done that one!! Even if I did want to go just for the photo's!! ha ha

School starts Once again~

And I still can't believe that Jaycee started Jr. High! She was really nervous, especially when she got to school and saw all the kids EVERYWHERE! But then she found her friends and she was just fine she says! When I picked her up, she said "it wasn't as bad as I expected" So that's a good thing! She got her hair cut yesterday...and she really likes this length! Her hair grows so fast! I think she is going to love 7th grade...and Jr. High. She signed up for volleyball which starts next week, that should be fun to watch! And Tanner has the best teachers this year...Mrs. Heinz and Mre Oehling...I love these teachers!! It's going to be a great year!! NO busses this year, so Tanner and I will be riding our bikes. He is beside himself...they aren't suppose to ride till 4th grade, so we are parking his bike across the street from the school, (at the Morrell's house) and he will walk across in the cross walk to school so I will go with him in the morning to see that he gets to school, and meet up with him after school...should be great excercise for us both!!
I suspect our lives are about to get pretty busy with soccer, volleyball, both kids in piano, young womens, cub scouts and LIFE!! I love it though...glad the kids like to be involved!! Sure beats video games!!

~Creative Escape~

So you are asking....what is creative escape?....well let me tell you!! It's an escape from it all..~

A place to release your creative inhibitions with other people in the world who have this same passion in common! We arrived on Thursday morining...after checking in to the resort, we headed down to the technique boutique, and trunk show. All the instructors had table displays of a sampling of their creations, and talk about inspiration!!! WOW!! Classes started bright and early at 8 am Fri morning...4 classes a day with a break for lunch...then sit down dinners in the evening!

Saturday night's dinner started off with DESSERT FIRST...that's Heidi Swapp's idea~ love it!

We all got these little purses on the sides of our dishes and were told NOT to open them till all 500 + guests had theirs.....so we patiently (well most of us!) waited, then all opened them up at once to reveal the contents. All but one had beads in them...and one lucky winner's had a bracelet in theirs which meant they had an all expense paid trip to Creative Escape next year!

We were SO hungry for some real food Thursday night...so we ate by the poolside...a juicy hamburger and some fries!!! Mmmm, it tasted so good...this is me standing with Trina and Trisha. Kole is sleeping in his stroller...as usual...being an Angel!!

I couldn't wait to swim...it was too dang hot to lay out...but still beautiful to look at!

We had the best time!!!! Talk about HOT!! It peaked at 113 the final day of our classes...luckily, we were in freezing air-conditioned rooms learning all sorts of cool techniques!! I did take a dip in the pool and felt the jets in the hot tub at 10 pm....it was very relaxing!! See, I didn't dare venture off too much on my own, because I kept getting lost getting back up to our room!!! Don't laugh!! I have NO sense of direction!!

Heidi's class was wonderful and she is the sweetest lady!! SO down to earth!! It's all about the aprons here!! Trina and I made these the week before we left!!

This is TIM HOLTZ~I do have to say that his class was the BEST!! He is sooooo talented!! This is Trina, Tim, Trisha and ME! (guess I need a name that starts with a t huh?)

Okay...this is seriously the tallest cactus I have ever standed next to!! Look at the boards holding it up....so tall!

Then here is a nice size one at the Shereton where we stayed...
I love them!

Well then...Trina and I found an empty pot and decided to fill it with ~ US!!

This is my New BEST friend ...the Glue Glider Pro...sticky tape for scrappin!!! With a handle!
Kole came with us...and he was an ANGEL!!! I got to bundle him up after his bath in our bathroom sink...such a dream baby!!

Our last night there was quite a memorable experience!!

They had some lamps that each of the teachers had made for IKEA. They sold raffle tickets and winners were chosen. Then Tim and Heidi's were auctioned off to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma society. Of course this charity is close to my heart...because of my dear friend Lisa who lost her life to cancer at such a young age. The live auction was INTENSE...with Heidi's lamp selling for $8,900 and Tim's went for $29,000....very emotional...but a neat spirit, with ALL the money raised going to the charity!!

Heidi's was beautiful pink of course with bling and jewels to boot...with a hidden message inside when it lit up...very pretty lamp!

Tim was pretty emotional as the bids increased VERY rapidly...started at $500 then immediately went to $5,000...then to $10,000 and up from there...there wasn't a dry in the house!!We learned so much...and made some new friends...that's the fun part too!!

Now back to reality!!

Summer Overload

And REALLY...I am exhausted...I think I need a vacation from all my vacationing!!! I was hoping to learn how to collage all my blog photo's before I post...but that's just now happening until I get the kids in school and back from Labor day weekend. So a little post in between!! This explains it all!! AND MIND YOU ~ I'm not complaining one bit...I had an amazingly fun filled summer!!!!

Introducing Natalie!!

This is my newest Granddaughter...born on Shaylin's birthday!! August 1st! Of course I already need to update my photo's, which is a little hard when I'm not in Ohio!! She is such a beautiful baby! And has her Daddy's dimple on her left cheek!! So sweet!

She is even cuter swarming in PINK and polka-dots!!! My favorites!!
Proud Mommy and Daddy!!

I was able to fly to Ohio and spend some much needed time with my grandbabys!! Julia...almost 6, Zachary 2 1/2, and Natalie....now 3 weeks! I love these kids, they kept me hoppin' and I loved every moment of the 5 days I was able to spend with them. Zachary was so dang cute...granted he wasn't talking last time I actually saw him...this time he would say to Ryan...when he couldn't find me in the house...."Where dat Gamma go?!"

We made some GREAT memories....their favorite was me pushing them on the swing and doing under doggie!! Man...why can't they live closer!!? This is going to kill me!!

This is me and Natalie...6 days old!!

I love being a Gramma!! It's so cool to watch your children become parent's, and watch them interact with their kids!!

Now...I'm off to Phoenix AZ for "Creative Escape", in 2 days...can't wait to bask in the sun (as you all know~ I am a sun worshipper!!!) And learn some new creative techniques...in a beautiful resort for 4 days with my dear friend Trina and her 2 month old Kole!!