The Life & Times of The Christian Family...

Breaking Boards!

2010-01-28T06:13:00.000-08:00

Alex tested for his Black Belt Recommended today! He did so good! I'm so amazed at his strength. He's growing up into such a strong and confident young man...

Quarry Will Destroy Our Community

2009-12-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I felt compelled to let you know about an important issue regarding our community. You may not know how a rock quarry on Coon Hollow Road will effect you as you are not within 750 feet on the quarry site. However, it will have an impact on you as you live on their proposed route of operations.
On December 16th, the Marion County Commissioners all but approved an application to establish a 100 acre rock quarry at 16675 Coon Hollow Road in Stayton.
The quarry will have approval for up to 400 loads a day traveling on Boedigheimer, Triumph and Coon Hollow Roads - their designated route for operations. The Board of Commissioners have denied their trucks to travel through Sublimity to Cascade Highway, which is great for them but what about the rest of us? Why does Commissioner Brentano, who lives on Main Street in Sublimity, get to deny rock trucks to drive through his neighborhood but we don’t? Doesn’t seem very ethical. Isn't that a conflict of interest?
The Applicant must have these roads tested and and perform necessary improvements, if needed. Here is some food for thought: Mid-size cars and sedans have a weight range of 4,500 pounds to 5,500 pounds depending on model. An average loaded tandem truck can legally weigh up to 56,000 pounds. A loaded truck and pup, 104,000 pounds. Now times that by 400! I think our roads will deteriorate at a rapid speed. Who is going to monitor their condition and our safety? As the people who have to live and drive on these roads everyday, I think it will end up being our job.
More than the deterioration of our roads, I am concerned for all of our safety. The Public Works Department said there was “low volume” on these roads. But I know I drive them several times a day, as do my teenage son and my husband. I often see you, my neighbors, walking, running and bicycling, even horseback riding on our roads. Many of your homes sit close to the road with your children and animals in the yards. You will now have to worry about them being injured by numerous dump trucks passing all day. I don’t think the Hwy 22 and Fern Ridge Rd. entrance/exit is low volume at all. With all the sharp turns, blind hills and limited shoulders, and the number of trucks on the roads, I fear it will be a dangerous thing to take an afternoon walk down our street. It certainly won’t be enjoyable. I hope it won’t take a tragic accident for the county to realize they made a mistake.
Our peaceful way of life is about to be shattered by the incessant noise and destruction of explosives, rock crushers, excavators, bulldozers, back-up alarms, huge dump trucks, exhaust brakes and traffic. This won't be a couple of days a year, or even a couple months a year, like farming, which we all expect and appreciate out here. This is afterall, farm land (which is why it is so beautiful). This havoc will continue 5 to 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, for the next 35 to 40 years !
I understand and support being able to do what ever one wants with their own property (although living on EFU land is very prohibitive, to PROTECT it), but not at the expense of so many others. In fact, some of you have tried to make some changes to your properties that would have no effect on anyone and have been denied. Having a commercial rock quarry in the midst of so many farms is COMPLETELY contrary to the rural setting and lifestyle of those of us who live here.
I don't understand why our quality of life, not to mention, our property values, has no meaning in this process? I’ve lived here for 18 years and I don’t ever plan on selling my property, I love it too much. I know many of your homes have been in your families for generations and you probably don’t plan on selling either. But what about our children or grandchildren? Their inheritance just got a lot smaller. Is this right?
I'm sure the homes and farms surrounding the quarry and on their designated route just took a huge devaluation, something we don't need in this economy. If you live on Coon Hollow, Boedigheimer or Triumph Roads, I urge you to contact the Marion County Commissioners, The Marion County Planning Department and The Public Works Department to let them know the approval of the application to operate a rock quarry on Coon Hollow Road will have a detrimental effect not just on your family but on our community as well. Tell all of your friends and family who live in Marion County to do the same. The Commissioners will give their final approval on December 30th so please act quickly. I believe they would be the most important people to contact at this short notice. Contact information can be found below.
Thank you,

Adrienne Christian
503-930-5580

Marion County Commissioners:
PO Box 14500, Salem, OR 97309
Phone: 503-588-5212
Sam Brentano

sabrentano@co.marion.or.us

Janet Carlson

jcarlson@co.marion.or.us

Patti Milne

pmilne@co.marion.or.us

503-588-5212

The Marion County Planning Department
Sterling Anderson, Planning Director
David Epling, Senior Planner
PO Box 14500, Salem, OR 97309

Planning@co.marion.or.us

Phone: 503-588-5038

Fax: 503-589-3284

The Public Works Department
Phone: 503-588-5036
Fax: 503-588-7970
mcdpw@co.marion.or.us

Your US and State Legislators:

Federal Senator ~
Sen. Jeffery A. Merkley (DEM)

http://merkley.senate.gov/

E-Mail: http://merkley.senate.gov/contact/

Sen. Ron Wyden (DEM)

WebSite: http://wyden.senate.gov/

E-Mail: http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Federal Representative ~
Rep. Kurt Schrader (DEM)

WebSite: http://schrader.house.gov/

E-Mail: https://forms.house.gov/schrader/contact-form.shtml

State Senator ~
Sen. Fred Girod (REP)

WebSite: http://www.leg.state.or.us/girod/

E-Mail: sen.fredgirod@state.or.us

State Representative ~
Rep. Sherrie Sprenger (REP)

WebSite: http://www.leg.state.or.us/sprenger/

E-Mail: rep.sherriesprenger@state.or.us

A citizen Toolkit to help with contacting officials:
http://www.olcveducationfund.org/accontability/trainings/CitizenToolKit/index_html

My Baby!

2009-09-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

My little baby boy is now in High School! How did this happen??! Can we just start all over???

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2009-09-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we have been married for 19 years! How can it go by so fast? Look how young we are (well, I am anyway)! It's been a wonderful, crazy and sometimes scary, ride so far but were still on it!!! I love you, Joe. Now and forever...

Trip to Encinitas - for my B'day!

2009-09-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I forgot my camera so I don't have very many pictures from out trip. Thanks go to Anne (not my mom but my brother's girlfriend) for the pictures I do have. We had a lot of fun just going to the beach, seeing family, and celebrating my birthday!

We went to the Del Mar Race Track on my birthday. It was so much fun! I haven't been there for over 20 years. I forgot what a thrill it is to have the horse you bet on win! Alex enjoyed himself way too much - winning every race!

Danny took Alex for a surf lesson. Kevin did too but I didn't have my camera :-( Alex really enjoyed spending time with his Uncle's! I don't even have a picture of my mommy....or my friend Tonya. I hooked up with her on FaceBook. Tonya was my best friend in 9th grade. We haven't seen or talked to each other since high school. It was SO cool to be able to see her and catch up!

Viva Las Vegas!

2009-08-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

Alex and I went to visit our cousins in Las Vegas. We had such a great time playing in the pool at Mandalay Bay. The have a wave pool land a lzy river that was quite fun. Since it was about 107 degrees all day, every day we certainly enjoyed the water! Gotta loves those freckles on Teah, Morgan and Django - so cute! Morgan, Alex and I cruised the strip one day. I especially love NY NY and Paris. It's like you are in a little miniture city!

Me and Morgan in "Paris"!
Chris & Teah
This is the intake part of Hoover damn - very cool! I think the water gets sucked up through those towers?
Lake Mead was great. We ended up leaving there at 8:00 when the sun went down and it still was 104!

Taekwondo Tournament!

2009-08-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

Alex recently got his second brown belt (getting closer to that black!). He also got to move up in his age division at tournaments. Instead of being the oldest and biggest in the 12-14 age bracket he is now the youngest in the 14-16 division. He was still the tallest but there were more experienced boys in that group. He did well and learned a few tips too. He won one sparring match but lost the second. As always, we were very proud watching him compete and trying his best.

This guy was good! A State Champ and Red Belt too! Alex held his own though!

Mia Turns 4!!!

2009-08-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

I just can't believe that our little baby Mia is now 4!!! She has grown into quite the talker these days and loves school, playing with her babies and chasing her big sister around.

Happy Birthday Mia!

Derek & Alison's Wedding!

2009-08-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

We all traveled to St. Louis for Derek (Joe's son) & Alison's wedding! It was so great to be a part of the celebration. Alison made such a beautiful bride! And Derek was very handsome!

Me and my boys!
Derek and David especially enjoyed teasing Alex. I'm sure they are sharing something inappropriate in this picture....
We all had so much fun at the reception! My dance with Derek...I can't believe he is now a married man!
Alison has an identical twin sister, Amy.
Olivia and Mia sure enjoyed seeing their cousins and dancing at the reception.
Derek looks so much like Joe! I hope we will be getting to see more of Alison and Derek ...maybe we'll even get another grandbaby soon :-) !!!!

Camping at Suttle Lake

2009-07-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we've been camping...I forgot how much I love it. It's so nice to just get away - no TV, no computers (although, I did update my FaceBook status from my phone!) Hmmm...where to next weekend? The coast maybe?

My Mountain Man! The view from our camp spot. I love Suttle Lake because the spots are so large - you don't feel crammed in with everyone right on top of each other. The lake is so peaceful in the morning...

Fun at the Fair!

2009-07-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

Olivia, Mia and I went to the Marion County Fair with our good buddies Tracy and Jake. We had a lot of fun riding the rides, enjoying fair food (well, we never did get that Elephant Ear, Dang It!) and seeing the animals.

The kids got to go in a fire truck, ambulance and complete the fire fighters challenge. Mia was so proud of herself!
I just love my girls! We all loved the Ferris wheel!

Thanks for the fun day, Tracy and Jake!

4th of July!

2009-07-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

We had a great family-filled weekend this 4th. Derek and his bride-to-be, Alison, came out from St. Louis for a quick visit. It was wonderful to meet Alison before the wedding (which we will be going to in August!). What a beautiful, smart, and charming daughter-in-law we are going to have! Derek looks so much like Joe it kinda freaks me out! The weather was so nice we were outside all day. The boys all had fun shooting targets. It was great to see Joe with all his boys and Alex with his brothers...

Olivia FINALLY got to go up in the tree house (she's been itching to get up there for a long time). Mia got some help from her Daddy and got to go up too.

The girls love to catch salamanders! Mia was even brave enough to hold him!

Our little Sweetie, Mia.

David resurrected his old tree swing that he made when he was 16. He even climbed up the tree and jumped off the branch like he used to when he was a kid! The water is only about 7 ft or so there is not much room for error! Yes, I made sure Kelli had plenty of life insurance in place!

We finished off with fireworks in the evening. What a great weekend!

July Ya Ya's - Our 9th Anniversary!

2009-07-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, the month went quick! Why does summer always fly by? We celebrated our 9th anniversay last night. I am so blessed to have this amazing group of women in my life! I can't wait to see what the next nine years have in store for us!

Love you all! XOXOXO

Alex's 8th Grade Graduation!

2009-06-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe my baby boy has graduated from the 8th grade! It was a very special ceremony as the 7 graduated will be leaving Abiqua. It is so bittersweet...

Brandon, John, Alex, Kelsey, Savannah, Mackenzie & DakotaAll the 8th graders had a slide show with pictures from their lives. It was fun to see their baby pictures. I really enjoyed looking through all of Alex's pictures and reminiscing (shedding a few tears along the way). They were presented to the audience by a teacher who recited nice things their classmates had said about them. They also gave a speech talking about favorite times at Abiqua, their teachers, and goals for the future. Each graduate also paints a self portrait of themselves. These portraits will hang at the Middle School along with all the past graduates.

Alex's Aunt Heather came to the graduation too.
One of our most favorite teachers, Ms. Anna Von. She will be leaving Abiqua this year too...living in Mexico for a year with her husband and getting "immersed" in the language.
The kids finished off the year with a great day at the beach in Neskowin. Surprisingly, it was a nice day and we all had a lot of fun. The ceremony was to say goodbye to their guide group members who are moving on.

We are sure going to miss Abiqua but are very excited (and a little nervous) for high School!

June Ya Ya's - Kathy & Laura's B'day!

2009-06-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

Our Ya Ya's celebrated Kathy & Laura's birthdays this month with a "Strawberry Shortcake Party". We were missing our Jamie (she's working way too hard). But as usual we spoiled our girls with fun and special gifts...

We even had a pinata! I can't ever remember trying to hit a pinata...it was actually kind hard!

A Ya Ya Birthday would not be complete without the "fake blow"!!!!
Good friends, good food and good times - that's what Ya Ya's are made of!

Back To The 80's!

2009-05-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Alex's Middle School drama Production, Back to the 80's, was so much fun! The kids were absolutely amazing! I think the parents enjoyed reliving all the songs and fashions of our high school days - I know I did!

Here's a link to the whole web album: Back to the 80's Play

Yeah, No Braces!

2009-05-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

After 3 long years, Alex finally gets his braces off! Isn't he so handsome??!!!

Maui 2009!

2009-05-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am SO behind on my blog! Here are a few pictures from our trip to Maui in April. I did a few things that I hadn't done before. I went on a hike one day and saw some pretty waterfalls and a cool bamboo forest. I got to swim in a freshwater pool in a cave! It was a fun day!Lot's a huge old trees and a dip in the ocean at the black sand beach in Hana.
Alex and I went on a hike as well. We went to 5 different waterfalls and jumped off the ledges of most of them.

I sure love my time in Maui - out of all my travels it still remains my most favorite.

Lacrosse

2009-04-18T17:58:00.001-07:00

Alex had his first Lacrosse game today. It was so exciting! I've never seen the game played before and it is quite action packed and a lot of fun to watch. Out team did fantastic and we have a great coach. The kids are really enjoying themselves. Alex even got an assist! I'm really looking forward to the rest of their games! If you think your son or daughter might have an interest in playing, check out SKYLL. It's a brand new league formed by parents since the Boys & Girls Club couldn't continue funding a program. The parents have all worked really hard to get the league started so the kids would still be able to play. Hopefully, there will be enough interst and volunteers to keep it going.

Road Trip!

2009-04-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

For Spring Break we drove down to Encinitas, CA to see my family. We decided to take a few days and make some stops along the coast. One place I have wanted to visit for a while is West Coast Game Park in Bandon, Oregon. They have all kinds of animals there but the best thing about it is that you can pet them! We got to pet a baby black leopard and a baby lynx. They were both quite spunky even for just being 3 months old. I also held a white skunk. The picture is pretty bad because of the horrible face I was making! They will have baby tigers later in the summer.....I may have to go back!

Beautiful! Can you see his spots?

A growing baby! Black panthers have always been one of my favorites.

Keesa, a Siberian Lynx. It was so cool to get to touch such a wild animal. Even though she was a baby who has been handled since birth you can still feel the wildness in her. She seemed to really want to go after one of the deer that were walking around!

This baby baboon was about the cutest thing I've ever seen! So tiny! Too bad they don't stay cute though!

This is on eof my most favorite places....Nepenthe in Big Sur, Ca. It's the most realxing place you can ever be. The sun warms you as you look out at the beautiful coast line while enjoying a delicious lunch and glass of wine. I didn't want to leave.

In the garden...
The view...just a couple miles from where Joe and I were married.

We did some fun stuff while in San Diego. This in an indoor go-cart track. They are electric cars that can go up to 45 mph. Alex had fun racing!

These are Alex's 2nd cousins (my cousin's kids), Django, Morgan & Teah. They had a great time hanging out together. Even though they only get to see each other every year or so they always jump right in where they left off. I guess cousins are like that!

Alex's 14th Birthday!

2009-03-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

I took Alex and 4 of his friends to Florence to go sandboarding. We had so much fun! The weather couldn't have been any better. After a little bit of practice and experimenting with the wax...the boys got the hang of it. We rented our boards at Sand Master Sandboard Park.

They have sand in every place imaginable but it was worth it! If you haven't been to Honeyman State Park you should go check it out -beautiful! We are going to go back in the summer when the lake is warm and the sand is really dry.

We also took an exciting ride on this dunebuggy! A blast! Sandland Adventures does a great job!

American Idol....

2009-02-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

I hope Alexis Grace wins American Idol this year! I love her voice and she is just so cute! Who's your favorite?

My Baby is Growing Up!

2009-02-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

Alex had is first slow dance on Friday. No, I wasn't following him around with my camera all night! I ended up staying because no one signed up to chaperone. One of the teachers took this for me. Rachel is such a sweetie. She is the friend of one of his classmates so she doesn't go to his school. They've been texting each other for quite a while now. They only got one slow dance the whole night which was good because I think Alex enjoyed it too much!!! Ahh! I'm not ready for this!

Tracy's Birthday Night!

2009-02-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

Erin, Heather, Tracy and Jaime

Erin and Heather
Tracy and Erin

Tracy's birthdays are always a fun night out with the girls and Friday was no exception! We had fantastic sushi in the Pearl at Sinju then more wine over at Paradiso Wine Bar. There were some unhappy people at Sinju...can we help it if the tables are so close and we are having too much fun??? SORRY!

Thanks for the fun night girls and Happy Birthday Tracy!

Back to the 80's!

2009-02-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Alex is going to be in a play called Back to the 80's. His drama teacher asked all the parents to send in our pictures from this glorious time so the kids could see what great style we had! It was fun going through my old pictures and reminiscing. How did we get our hair like that???

I loved this acid wash mini skirt! The scrunchy socks and Reeboks!

I wore those harem pants out! I wish they would come back in style - so comfy!

Ohhhh...my Guess Jeans! And shoulder pads were the best!

and we can't forget the Member's Only leather jacket!

Hanging Out with My Girls!

2009-01-26T18:30:00.000-08:00

Mia in the rocket ship.
Olivia loved the electricity experiment. I wish I had got a picture of me with my hair up - scary!

I got to spend four days with my beautiful granddaughters recently. We had a lot of fun playing beauty shop, making play-dough ice cream sundaes and going to OMSI. I hadn't been there for quite a while and I was very impressed with their new exhibit for younger kids. Check it out - Science Playground at OMSI. We spent 5 hours there playing! One of their favorites exhibits though was the one that makes your hair stand up. It's all fun until you get shocked though!

Taekwondo Tournamant

2009-01-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

We were at a Taekwondo tournament most of the day today. I just love seeing the little tiny blackbelts! They are just so cute! My boy who is not so tiny anymore, did great. He got first in Form and Sparring. He learned his whole form in about 5 classes so that was a real accomplishment for him. He has such a better memory than I ever had or will ever have! I'm so proud as you can tell!

Happy Birthday, Brenda!

2009-01-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

This is my beautiful Ya Ya sister, Brenda. We finally got to celebrate her birthday on Wednesday, have our ornament exchange and delicious dinner. We were all having Ya Ya withdrawals because we missed December's get-together. Ya Ya Night is my favorite day of the month...how is it we can laugh so much????

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

It was so nice to have our family together again! We even made it through the snow up to David and Kelli's, picking up my sister Heather along the way. Her car is still buried under a mountain of snow and ice.

I love Joe in this hat...

Alex decked out in all his new paintball gear.

I got Mia a Lite-Brite and she really liked it.

Olivia being silly in the winter wear I found in New Zealand.
Me and my little Sister, Heather.

Welcome Home Joe!

2008-12-24T15:51:00.000-08:00

After 7 months at sea and barely being able to fly into PDX, Joe is finally home! No, Alex isn't taller than him now. Alex was just goofing off and wanted to pretend he was now taller than Joe. We have had a nice homecoming so far. We are all being extra nice and patient while we readjust to being together! Joe is enjoying eating all his favorite foods and watching his favorite shows that he missed while being gone. We've been sharing many stories and just catching up. I sure wish this weather would cooperate though. My poor baby sister has been trapped at her house up in NW PDX and won't be bale to get down here until it really thaws out.

We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas!

Fun in the Snow

2008-12-22T16:22:00.000-08:00

Well, Alex and I have been stuck at home (I'm kinda chicken to drive) and so it was a welcome surprise when my good buddy Jamie and her VERY handsome boyfriend, Jake, and all the kids showed up to sled!

Alex and the kids played in the snow, sledding and throwing snowballs at each other! I can't believe I got this shot!

Thanks for breaking the monotony guys!

Snowy Day!

2008-12-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

This is what I woke up to this morning....Normally, I would really be enjoying it but I feel like I have been cooped up in this house for a week already! I need to go to town!

Purple Belt for Alex!

2008-12-15T20:00:00.001-08:00

Alex continues to progress in Taekwondo earning his Purple Belt. It was a little challenging for him as we were gone for 3 weeks and he wasn't able to practice much. I think he got stronger though with all the food he was eating! He had know problem with the board breaks!

Bungy!!!!

2008-12-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

Alex and I did the Nevis Bungy Jump while we were in Queenstown! It is 440 feet off the ground, 3rd highest in the world! It was a blast! We loved it! I was nervous but excited too. I wouldn't look down while I walked out to the "meat tray", as they call it, or I think I would have become terrified. Alex has no fear - he just jumped! We tried to go skydiving the next day but the weather didn't cooperate. Funny thing, I was the oldest person jumping and Alex the youngest, out of 22 jumpers! We're going to have to go to China now if we want to jump the world's highest - 760 ft!

Christchurch and Franz Josef

2008-12-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

Christchurch is a quaint city, very English. It's also a starting point for Antarctic teams heading down to the South Pole. We went to the Antarctic Center where you can go in the "ice room" and they simulate an Arctic storm. IT WAS SO FREAKING COLD! Alex thought it was great fun but I almost ran for the door! We took the TransAlpine train from Chch which was gorgeous. These little photos don't do it justice. The color of the water in the rivers is a beautiful turquoise color. I was told it is because of silica that comes from the glaciers. I can't get over it! Beautiful!

Franz Josef is a VERY small town mostly catering to glacier tours and adventure outings. We did the Helicopter ride and landed up on Fox Glacier. It was a PERFECT day for it. I guess it is sunny about 4 days a year here and we were there for 3 of them! Lucky! It was so cool to get to see the glaciers up close. I wanted to do the heli-hike but Joe wasn't having any of that. I later talked to a girl who had done it and was glad I hadn't as a guy from her group fell off the cliff! No major injuries but, yikes! I saw some other less glamorous pics of the tour too and the people were literally holding on to a rope while walking along a cliff - no thanks!Well, this may be my last post...we are doing our bungy jump today! 440 ft, 8.5 seconds of free fall! I'm terrified thinking about it! More to follow...hopefully!

Napier, New Zealand

2008-12-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

Napier is a lovely coastal town. We've really enjoyed it here. We took a fun and interesting tour of the city yesterday in a vintage Buick. Our guide was born here and new all about the town and it's history. It was mostly destroyed in 1931 from an earthquake then rebuilt in the popular style of the time, what we now call Art Deco. The buildings were beautiful! Here is a little collage from around town. We also enjoyed the sunrise each morning (over the ocean!) from our window.

2008-12-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

After Auckland, we went on to Rotorua. A very interesting town. It smells like rotten eggs! Yes, that's right. The whole area is a hot-bed of geothermal activity. We went to this place called Wai-O-Tapu and did a walk around all these amazing pools. This one is called Artist's Palette. I don't think my camera has captured all the amazing colors though.

This one is Champagne Pool with some crystals growing around the edge.

I wish I could upload a lot more pictures but they charge by the megabyte here for Interenet and it would cost a fortune!

Today we are in Napier. A quaint beach town on Hawke Bay. It's weird to see al the Christmas decorations up and have it be summer! This area is know for it's wine and I'm trying to figure out how I can get some home without lugging it around in my suitcase (which already weighs a TON).

I'll send more updates later...gotta eat (again!).

We made it to Auckland!

2008-11-27T22:30:00.001-08:00

After a long flight (with a screaming kid in front of us that I wanted to strangle!) we made it to Auckland. Of course, Alex and I got colds right before we left so we haven't been operating at 100% but we are making the best of it. Auckland is a very cool city that I like a lot. This is the Sky Tower which is huge! It really stands out wherever you are. We went up to the top for dinner, right at sunset, in the revolving restaurant which was wonderful.

Here are some shots from around town. The Sky Tower has plate glass you can look through - it is so high!

Joe is SO tan and SO skinny! Alex is SO pale next to him! And not much shorter than Joe now either! We've been enjoying hearing all of Joe's stories and just catching up. Although the two of them in out little hotel room are starting to drive me crazy now after 3 days! :-)

Fun Family Times!

2008-11-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

The granddaughters were over for the night on Friday. I so enjoy having them over. Every year the girls and I decorate a gingerbread house. I hope this is something that we will always get to do and a tradition that the girls will always remember fondly doing with their Nana. I used to do it with Alex too when he was little so it was nice that he got to help some this year too as Mia was needing a nap...

David and Kelli stayed for dinner when they came to get the girls. Alex thought he was ready to take his big brother on in an arm wrestling match.....yeah, he got schooled! David gave him some really good pointers though!

Kevin & Hannah Come for a Visit!

2008-11-06T22:14:00.000-08:00

Adrienne's other baby brother and his beautiful girlfriend came up to Oregon to see us. It was so fun having Kevin and Hannah here for Halloween (see their cute costumes). We went to a party at our friend's house then over to the Haunted House. I of course, did not go in (along with Heather) - too scary for me!

We spent a lovely afternoon at Silver Falls. I don't think I have ever been there in the Fall. It was so beautiful with all the leaves changing colors. I just love showing off this wonderful park that is so close to my house.

Look at this leaf I found! Huge! There were leaves everywhere! So pretty!

Kevin and HannahKevin wanted to take Hannah to Pacific City too. It was surprisingly a nice day over there! Their pictures made me and Alex wish we had gone too! Although I'm probably too lazy to climb all the way up to the top of that dune! If Hannah was pooped I would have never made it!

We had a lot of fun riding the tractor, climbing trees and exploring our property. These pictures are down by the creek and over on to our neighbors. It is just the most beautiful forest down there! I'm reminded how much I love my home and know that I will NEVER leave it! They're going to have to bury me down there next to little Sur :-(

This hollow tree has been a source of enjoyment since before Alex was born. It just looks like a little hobbit's hiding spot to me. Alex always looked in there when he was little to try and find a critter of some sort. Now HE wanted to crawl in there! Hannah got the creeps though (I would have too!)

It has been so fun having my baby brothers up for a visit. We all enjoyed spending time together and getting to know Hannah and Anne better. I sure we wish we all lived closer together....

Syren Update

2008-10-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

Joe and David (his new crew mate) are in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. They plan to leave for northern New Zealand, Opua Marina on November 1st. They will then head down to Auckland. I can't wait to get down there!

Click on the image to get a better view. Download Earth to really zoom in. It is SO cool! I just love playing with it. Try it out - it's free. http://earth.google.com/

TKD Tournament

2008-10-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Making new friends...

Alex did really well at his first Taekwondo tournament! I was so proud of him! He got a 2nd in Form, 3rd in Weapons and a 1st in Sparring! All the boys and their parents were so nice. We both made new friends and hope to see them all again at the next tournament.

Alex is a Green Belt!

2008-10-18T23:27:00.000-07:00

Alex and his proud mama! He got his green belt today. I can't seem to get my videos uploaded (AHH!) but will keep working on it.

Owen Roe, Yum!

2008-10-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

My good buddy, Linda, and I stopped by my sister's new winery to do a little tasting and shopping. I love Owen Roe's wines! Delicious! Of course, we had to snap a few pics for the blog.

Girls Gone Wild - In Maui!

2008-10-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a wonderful girl's trip to Maui we had! Tracy, Kristen, myself, Heather and Tina enjoyed the sun, drinks, food and so, so many laughs!
We arrived in Maui early enough to hit the beach and watch the sunset...

We took a drive around the top part of the island. Lot's of great views, yummy banana bread and this wonderful artist. I'm too lazy to go look up the name right now....

We met some of the local characters...

Tracy, Kristin and I went on a very fun snorkel cruise to Honolua Bay. It was a perfect day for sailing. We had a great time!

We had a huge pod of spinner dolphins entertaining us there and back. The babies jumping and flipping in the air were so cute!

Me and my baby sis, Heather, out on the town!

I never get tired of the Maui sunsets...

Ok, so here's the "wild" part of the trip...Kristin and I got tattoos! Kristin already has several so she's a pro. I was a bit nervous (a couple Ativan helped that). My artist was so great, very patient and funny and made my experience a great one! I already want to get another one when we go back to Maui!

Here's Kristin's...

Here's mine...I had a very vague idea of what I wanted and Tony just drew this on and I loved it! Thanks, Tony! Check them out at Skin Deep Tattoo....

Thanks, Betches, for a VERY memorable trip!

Ya Ya Night!

2008-10-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love the first Wednesday of the month! The Ya Ya's got into the Halloween spirit by coming in face paint or a mask. Four of us were kitties! Laura had a beautiful mask and leave it to Brenda to come as a goofy skeleton - too funny with her glasses!

MEOWWWWWW.......

Brenda cracks us up!Gotta get our silly photos!

Vino!

2008-10-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

I got the privilege of helping Sandee & Pinky Piluso bottle their fabulous wine today! It was so cool to get to be a part of the process. We had a very efficient assembly line going bottling a whole case in under a minute! Of course, we had to take a few little breaks to "test" the wine...and a few "imperfects" will make it home :-). Piluso Vineyards makes wonderful wines and they are a couple of my most favorite people. Drop by their farm for a taste some weekend...you'll be glad you did.

We did the bottling at another local winery, Pudding River Wines Cellars, I love their Pinot Gris! The pictures above are from their winery.

Tracy and her mama, Sandee.

I got a workout on the Spinner (wraps the foil around the top of the bottle).

Pinky fillin' them up!

The Dynamic Duo!

Danny & Anne's Visit

2008-09-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

My little brother, Danny and his girlfriend, Anne, came up for a visit this past week. We figured he hadn't been up here since he was a kid, Alex's age. We had a great time seeing the sights, playing games every night and hanging around the farm.

Danny and Anne went over to Pacific City. We had gone there back when Danny was a boy. What perfect weather they had!

A gorgeous morning at Silver Falls. I love showing off my beautiful Oregon!

Danny especially enjoyed the tractor and the lawnmower!

It was great to have a man around the house too. Danny trimmed my huge maple tree for me. It had got so big we could barely drive under it! Thanks, Dan! We had a GREAT dinner at Andina in Portland - LOVE that place! I'm so glad they came up for a visit. Now I have to get my other little brother, Kevin, to come up too!

Taekwondo Summit Meeting

2008-09-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

Alex and I went to Ocean Shores, Washington this weekend so he could participate in a Taekwondo workshop. Even though he was one of the lowest ranked participants he did really well and learned a lot. It was so cool to see all these blackbelts there, from little kids to older folks. Alex's favorite events were board breaking and sparring. Here's a little clip of him breaking boards. He's so strong!!!

Sublimity Harvest Festival

2008-09-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Alex and I spent the afternoon with the Arntson Family out at the Harvest Festival. I hadn't been there for years and years. We enjoyed hanging out with The Arntsons' as well as seeing old friends we hadn't seen forever.Tracy, Rylee, John & Jake (a BIG monster truck fan)
Alex helped Jake through the big obstacle course.

Outlaw was my favorite! Look at that AIR!!!

This guy could do some cool wheelies...

He broke an axle and I thought he was going to tip for sure (that would have been really exciting!)

I have no idea who these people are...but check out the cool "Monster" wagon!

More Birthday Celebrations!

2008-09-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

Another fabulous Ya Ya's - the best one of the year - because it's mine and Cindy's Ya Ya Birthday Celebration! Our Ya Ya's spoil us every year with the best gifts, yummy food and delicious cake.

I received so many beautiful gifts from my Ya Ya's (thank you!!). They all know how I love my wine!

Cindy and I LOVE our Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Cake each year-sooooo good!

I love sharing my birthday with Cindy. I'm the only one aging though....

First Day of School...

2008-09-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

It seems like only yesterday Alex was starting his first day of preschool. I didn't want to leave him but he was very excited to be there. Oh, how I wish I could just go back and start all over again!

September 1998

September 2008

Alex's fist day of 8th Grade!

Ruby Tuesday...

2008-09-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

I figured this glass of RED WINE would be an appropriate picture for Ruby Tuesday as I enjoyed just a bit too much of it last night!

Girl's Night Out!

2008-08-30T08:27:00.001-07:00

My beautiful girls!

Heather, Brenda, Kathy, Tracy, Cindy, Sandee, Me & Andria

Cindy & I got to celebrate our birthdays together at DaVinci's and it was so much fun!
Tracy, Me & My little Sis, Heather
Me & Kathy

Dodi, Cindy, Brenda & Kathy

Our Son, David - The Ironman!

2008-08-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of David (even though I think he's a little crazy). He has run his third Ironman, setting personal records in all events. For those of you who don't know what an Ironman entails, here it is: A 2.4 Mile Swim, a 112 Mile Bike and then A FULL MARATHON 26.2 Mile Run. David placed 624th out of 2065 finishing participants! Pretty Dang Good! Like I said, we are proud of him. Dave has always been goal orientated and has always succeded at making that goal. His wonderful wife and girl's are are a huge part of his success too as they support him in his dedication and commitment to training.

A Fun Night at the Fair!

2008-08-28T16:47:00.001-07:00

Alex and I had a fun time at the State Fair with the Zakaib Family (minus Jane). I LOVE the fair! We played a lot of the games and won a few stuffed animals, ate greasy fair food and went on one CRAZY ride! IT WAS SO FUN!

Burn Day!

2008-08-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

THis tight down the street from my house. A regular occurrence in the late summer here in Stayton. The farmers are burning the left over straw after harvesting the grass seed. It's over in just a few minutes but it's exciting to watch!

My Poem...

2008-08-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

My wonderful son wrote this poem for me for my birthday.

Dear Mom,

My Mothers eyes are as hypnotically beautiful as the ocean under the moon on a cloudless night.

My Mothers hands are as loving and caring as a mama bear.

My Mothers smile will light up a room like the moon illuminates the night.

My Mothers laugh will make anyone smile or giggle who hears it because it sends out a good vibe of joy and happiness.

My Mothers hair is as gorgeous as a garden of stargazers in bloom.

Love,
Alex

Ruby Tuesday

2008-08-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

For Ruby Tuesday I chose one of my favorite Georgia O'Keeffe paintings, Red Canna.

If you want to participate in Ruby Tuesday, post a picture(s) of anything red and click here.

The Cook Islands

2008-08-25T19:34:00.001-07:00

Joe and Syren have made it to the Cook Islands! Never heard of them? Don't know where they are? Here's a little map for you....it's just another beautiful tropical paradise.

Check out their money! Is that cool or what??!!!

Joe and I actually have been there before, back in 1993. It is still one of my most favorite trips we have ever gone on. The island is so small (20 miles around) and the people are SO friendly. It's was so authentic. I hope it hasn't changed too much....I always wish I could have made it back there (yes, I am a bit envious Joe is there without me).

Look how young we are!

My Wonderful Trainer!

2008-08-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is Steve Chen, my personal trainer (or is it torturer?). He's been my trainer since 2003. If I didn't train with him two times a week I'm not sure what shape I'd be in (a scary thought)! Unfortunately, I'm one of his worst clients these days as I don't do a thing he tells me to do! If I did, I'd have a rockin' bod like I did back in the day. But, we all know how much I like my wine these days so don't blame Steve, he tries, he really does.....

I need a ranch hand....

2008-08-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

OK, so Joe is gone and that means I have to take care of the ranch....I've got this nasty Tansy growing all over the place and I need to kill it!

I don't suppose any of my dear friends know how to hook up this sprayerto this tractor?????

Yeah, probably not, huh? I guess I'll just have to place that add for a ranch hand ;-)

What's in a Wordle?

2008-08-23T00:32:00.000-07:00

Click on the image too see my Wordle made from my blog and to make your own!

Living Will....

2008-08-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Cindy sent this to me as she knew how much I would appreciate it...especially since I am sitting at the computer drinking wine!
MY LIVING WILL... Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug." She got up, unplugged the computer, and threw out my wine. She's such a bitch.....

Beautiful Sunsets From Bora Bora

2008-08-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

These pics were taken by Ryan on board Syren...magnificent!

A trip to Bora Bora would not be complete without a drink at Bloddy Mary's!

School Shopping...

2008-08-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

Alex is not one to shop. I practically had to drag him to the outlet mall to get some new clothes for school. If I had to look at the 3 grungy t-shirts he constantly wears again, I was going to scream! So they were having some awesome sales (10 bucks for a t-shirt and 25 for jeans! why can't I find those kinds of deals?) and he got into the swing of shopping and ended up with some cool stuff. Here he is showing off his loot! One item he wanted that I refused to purchase: men's cologne. I'm not ready for that!

Mia Turns 3!

2008-08-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Mia is already 3 years old! She is just the sweetest little thing. She's very much into her babies and playing with her dollhouse. I got her this minivan with the "Loving Family" and I don't think she put it down for the two days we were there.
Alex and I had a fun time with the girls, David & Kelli this weekend. I just LOVE being Nana. It brings back so many memories of when Alex was little but at the same time I cherish being a part of Olivia and Mia's memories (going to Nana and Papa Joe's house, reading stories, making gingerbread houses, playing games).

Alex played endless games of Hide & Seek and he nearly toppled the swing set! He's getting WAY too big too!

Olivia showing her "skills"!

But look what Uncle Alex can do!

Summer Fun!

2008-08-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Alex, Charlie & Jack having fun!Jack & Larry take a turn.

I enjoyed playing with Laura's baby boys!

The Awesome Jack!
Oh, soooooo close!

Laura, Landon & Lach (he did not like that life vest!)

"Lead Foot" Brenda as I like to call her! :-)
My buddy, Larry.
We took our first Mambo ride together!

I just love Summer...the hot sun, cool water and tubing on the lake! My wonderful Ya Ya Sistah, Brenda invited us up to Detroit Lake to play on her ski boat. Laura and her four boys were able to join us too so we had a boat full of boys! We had SOOOO much fun on the lake! It was a perfect day. The Mombo is a blast! I went on it for the first time, and although my neck muscles are not quite recovered, I really enjoyed it. Alex and Larry tried wakeboarding...not as easy as Jack made it seem! They gave it all their efforts but still need some more practice...maybe next time! We've all decided that we need to have our own boats; it's just too much fun! Thanks, Brenda for the wonderful day!

A Visit From Good Friends!

2008-08-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Alex and I got to enjoy the company of Rod, Charlotte, Kari and Morgan for a couple days. We met this wonderful family down in Puerto Vallarta. Being cruisers, we all bonded quickly (along with Dennis & Linda on S/V Rapture). They were such a big help to Joe when he was down there getting ready to "jump the puddle". They are from way, way up north in beautiful British Columbia but now live on their boat in P.V. It was our pleasure to have them take a break from their road trip (B.C. to P.V.!) and for me to get to show them my house and little town of Stayton. I look forward to being able to get down and see them in Puerto Vallarta again soon!

Syren in the South Pacific

2008-08-10T11:24:00.001-07:00

Syren at anchor in Huahine.

Ryan, Helene & Joe
Love the color of the water - Tahaa!

Tahaa

Gorgeous!
I guess Syren is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

Huahine

I finally got some pictures from the crew on Syren. Ryan and Helene are with Joe sailing the south seas. It is beautiful there....I must admit I'm a little envious now!

A Camo Belt for Alex!

2008-08-10T11:07:00.001-07:00

Alex is doing so well in Taekwondo! He now as acheived the rank of Camo Belt. He gets taller and stronger every day; now almost 4 inches taller than his mom! He'll be as tall as Joe before we know it.

Oh How I Love First Wednesday!

2008-08-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Since the first Wednesday of each month is when we Ya Ya's get together it is my favorite day of the month. We just have so much fun together! I love my girls!

Surprisingly, I was one of the winners (along with Kathy)!Oh, so sad, for the losers! Better luck next time, Jamie, Brenda, Laura and Cindy...

p.s. Thanks to Laura for the photos (I stole them from her blog!)

This Is Why I Love Oregon....

2008-08-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

I have lived here for 17 years and I've never driven on the Old Columbia Highway. Well, it was such a beautiful day today that I decided it was about time that I did. I washed my car, made a little lunch, cranked up the tunes and headed out. It's amazing to me that such beauty lies so close to my home.

I went to the Vista House and all the waterfalls along the way. One of the little ones I even had all to myself. Of course, Multnomah Falls was quite crowded but it was still fun to go up on the bridge.

I'm a Dork...

2008-08-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

"E" for Edward!

Ok, so I like teen romance novels...what's wrong with that??? I'm find them quite refreshing as a matter of fact. Thanks Laura for getting me hooked on the Twilight series. I think I want to become a vampire....yes, I'm for Team Edward. I quess you will just have to read the books if you have no idea what i'm talking about. Check them out: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilightseries.html. I hope the movie is as great as the books.....

It was great fun to attend the book release of Breaking Dawn with my best buddies, Cindy and Kathy (so sad to not have Laura there). We wish we had brought Kathy's daughter, Madison, with us as cover, but there were actually quite a few women our age there (although most of them had daughters reading the books...)! I know it's sad...I'm reliving my youth!

Nice blogging with you all but I have to go....only 200 more page to go and I'll be done with Breaking Dawn..... :-(

Off to Camp...

2008-08-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

Alex went off to camp today for the week. He really has a good time there and looks forward to going each year (I think it's just to get away from me). I sure wish I could go to camp...I never got to go when I was a kid. He'll be there with his good friend, George, but he always meets some "interesting" kids while he's there too. I miss him already!

Life is a Rollercoaster....

2008-07-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

Aftershock was AWESOME!

Yes, I LOVE rollercoasters! After our raft trip, the boys and I drove to Silverwood Theme Park in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They have some great coasters and we rode them all (several times)! Not to mention the Water Park.....

You know how they say alcohol kills your brain cells and they never grow back? Well, I think rollercoasters do the same thing. I'm certain I suffered some permanent brain damage or maybe I'm just getting old????

The boys had a great time though and that made me happy :-)

Do you love rollercoasters????

Rafting on The Snake River in Hells Canyon!

2008-07-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Alex, Brandon (Alex's buddy) and I had an incredible time rafting for 3 days on The Snake River! We went with an amazing raft company called Hells Canyon Rafting. It was a first class operation with wonderful guides who took care of everything, waiting on us hand and foot. They spoiled us so much I'll never be able to go camping on my own again! They prepared us the most delicious meals in camp, with wine, guitar serenading and lots of laughs. There were also lots of fun people on the rafts with us and we all had a great time chatting, paddling and playing Catch Phrase (I HAVE to get that game now!). The canyon was absolutely breathtaking. The air was hot, hot, hot and the water refreshingly cool but not cold. We loved paddling through the rapids, "riding the bull", kicking back in the oar boat and kayaking. The boys had great fun trying to splash me. I will have a video later of me getting my revenge!

We went on some cool hikes too. One of them was was up a hill to "Suicide Point". I had a bit of vertigo but the boys loved it. We got to see many petroglyphs from the Nez Perce Indians too. Also, old cabins from homesteaders dating back to the early 1900's. It's amazing to think how they thrived down there in that canyon.

That is our gear boat way down there! What a view it was at the top!

We had awesome campsites both nights and check out the our "bathroom"! Privacy and a view!

We had so much fun and I think I will want to go back next summer! Check out my web album for more pictures....

I've been tagged!

2008-07-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have played a Blog Game. I was tagged by Laura, Cindy & Richard. I guess I tag Kelli since these are all the people that I know that blog!

1. My hometown - I would have to say Encinitas, California, where I grew up.
2. Favorite hobby - Is drinking wine considered a hobby??? Let's call it wine TASTING!

3. Favorite vehicle - I think that would have to be the car I have now, Mercedes CLS 550! I LOVE to drive it!

4. Dream career - Hmmmmm....work? Not too sure I really want to do that but if I HAD too I guess it would be something in the travel industry? Tour Operator? Adventure Travel?
I might be able to do a job like that. Now if we are talking FANTASY career...that would have to be A Dancer (NEVER can happen!) Yeah! Maybe I could be on Dancing With The Stars! I wouldn't mind that job!

5. Favorite restaurant - DaVincis is my favorite as we have been going there for 16 years now and have celebrated so many special occasions in their cozy atmosphere.

6. Favorite guilty pleasure - The Showtime show "Weeds" - it's SO WRONG sometimes but it makes me laugh! Oh, wait, "The Tudors" may have to be on that list too!

Yummy!
7. Favorite flower - OK, well, it's clear why Cindy and I are such good friends - we're both Virgo's, we both love Stargazers and purple is both of our favorite color!

8. Favorite color - While I happen to be on a lime green kick these days, purple will be my all time favorite color.
9. Favorite vacation spot - MAUI!!!!It's the perfect place for all that I love: beaches, sun, ocean, mountains, food and fun!

Cruising...

2008-07-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have to admit I do wish I was there right now....this is a picture of Cook's Bay on Moorea taken by our new friends on S/V Destiny. The days on the boat that are like this are absolutely wonderful. However, it's the days when the generator is broken, or the watermaker won't work or the anchor won't hold that I just can't seem to handle. I

know, I admit it, I'm a fair-weathered sailor. Period.
Joe has been having all these mechanical problems of late and is frustrated. He has some new crew coming on board today and hopefully the boat will take a break from breaking and they can get some cruising in!

Yummy recipe for those summer potlucks....

2008-07-10T17:59:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd share an easy, tasty recipe. It's always a hit when I bring it to a get-together.

Confetti Rice Salad

Boil 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups rice to a boil. Cover, simmer for 20 minutes. Cool rice in a bowl. Drain and save marinade from a 14.5 oz jar of artichoke hearts, chop. Add to rice: artichokes, 3 - 5 sliced green onions, 4 oz. chopped black olives, 1 chopped red bell pepper. Set aside. in a separate bowl combine 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, artichoke marinade, 2 Tb. rice vinegar, wisk, pour over rice and stir. I think it tastes better made the day before you serve it.

A Beautiful Weekend!

2008-07-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

It was a very nice relaxing weekend around the farm. I am dog-sitting Kira and Buster so it's been a full house around here! Alex and I took the little dogs to the parade in town (which I haven't been to since Alex was 3). It was so nice outside we spent a lot of time out doors, playing in the pond (Zoey's favorite), visiting the horses, oh, I saved 2 baby barn swallows from certain death (they make tasty dog snacks) and just enjoying the sun.

Titan - we've had him for about 18 years

and Bunny we've had for 17 years

Zoey cooling off

The pond looks so pretty in summer.....

Olivia & Mia's Visit

2008-07-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughters came over to spend the night with their Nana this past weekend. We had a great time at the carousel and the park. Olivia loved the ride but Mia was not too happy with the whole up and down thing. Once we got her on the baby horse she was much happier!

Syren Sails to the South Pacific!

2008-06-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

Rangiroa.......one of the largest atolls in the world!

Syren and her crew sailed 3,300 miles to Nuka Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. It took them 18 days! Their next Stop was Rangiroa, in the Tuamoto Archipalego and then on to Tahiti. Adrienne and Alex caught up with Joe in Tahiti and spent 8 days there. We drove all around Tahiti (75 miles) and also took the ferry over to Moorea. We also drove all around the island there (36 miles). The lagoon is beautiful. We ran out of time though and would have liked to see more. Perhaps we will meet up with Joe in some other tropical location?

Alex Gets His Yellow Belt!

2008-06-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

Alex has successfully achieved the rank of yellow belt in Taekwondo. "The seed is beginning to see the sunlight." He's doing really well at his new sport. We are very proud of him!