Our newest home addition

This past weekend all our hard work came to an end with the insulation of your new wood brining insert. We had been talking about and planning to get this insert and it is finally here. The hearth had to be built and so this was the first time for Steve and I to do any tile or staining of wood. We are pleased with the out come but know what to do better next time we have a home project. I have loved the extra heat and look forward to lower natural gas bills this winter. If we have a cold winter with snow (I hope we do) we will be ready with the fire going all day long!

Mary Kay

This will be my first week as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. I was offered to join a Mary Kay team a few weeks back from a close friend and her mom who sell Mary Kay as well and I thought I will never do that but here I am, now selling Mary Kay. It is a lot to learn but one day I hope to work my way up to a free car perhaps. The hard thing is I’m still working full time and now adding this in, hard to meet people when they are free since I still work. Overall I’m excited for the new business adventure ahead. Wish me luck!

Labor Day Weekend

Over Labor Day weekend Steve, the boys and I went out to LaPine State Park. The weather there was much different then Portland, cold and dry. Good thing we are no longer in a tent since we woke up to 31 to 37 degrees out side when walking the boys. Around the park there were some nice trails to walk on and our site backed up to the river.

(This is a photo of the Deschutes River)

One of the days we went in to Bend to the High Desert Museum, I personally thought we would not be there very long but we spend almost 4 hours there. There was a birds of prey show we watched, so we got to see a few different birds also a porcupine and a badger. I had never seen either one in person before; I thought it was really cool. We traveled from 1800 to 1900 with a tour and learned a lot about how people, lived, traveled and survived. The tour guide loved his job and made it fun for all ages to learn, he was very animated. Mom’s favorite was seeing the working stem saw mill they have running and all the new buildings they have built. Mom said the barn they have was built within the last few years and let me tell you it was one of the nicest barns I have seen. It was not flashy at all but I would love to have it as my barn.

Overall the weekend was busy and a good getaway. We have loved our first year with the trailer, it makes camping much more enjoyable I think.

Packer Game

This past weekend Steve and I got to go up to Seattle and watch the Seahawks play our favorite team the Green Bay Packers. On our 2 day adventure we started out by hitting the Pike Place Market where we meet up with Steve’s friends. While walking though the market I was impressed with the amazing arrangements of fresh flowers. The flowers look so beautiful I for a split second thought they were fake. Chris and Amanda meet us up for dinner at a nice restaurant with in the market. I had for the first time fish and chips and I really like them, I have been thinking to try to make them here at home.
Steve and I got front row seats on the 10 yard line on the Seahawks side. It was so cool to see every thing that was going on. We got to see Guy Fieti from food network, the cheerleaders where right in front of us also the big stuffed mascot and the real hawk. I enjoyed watching every thing that was going on and off the field. The Packers ended up winning the game within the final five min with the final score of 27 to Seahawks 24.
We crashed with Chris and headed home on Sunday with a quick stop at Cabela’s which was interesting. There was a lot of stuff and nothing that we really needed. But glad to see what it was all about.

A short update

Been a long time since I last wrote. Steve, the boys and I have been staying busy with camping and yard work. This year so far we have gone 3 places thus far and are about to leave for our 4th trip. Been working hard on different yard projects but mostly the grass. Trying to patch up the back to have more grass and less holes. We have built a wood storage shed to get us ready for a wood burning insert that we are about to get. We just celebrated our second anniversary, and have tickets to go see the Packers play the Seahawks in Seattle for a pre season game. This will be my first ever football game that is not high school!
I have started a new job that is here in Gresham so much closer to home and I love it at the new clinic so much. I have my own patient load which is a very good change from my old clinic. Also I’m able to be home more and even come home at lunch to spend with Steve and the boys.
I will try to keep up with posts from now on, I had been really stressed and burned out with my old job that I did not ever feel like writing.

Our first trip

Our first camping trip was great, good weather and no problems. We took our trailer for a one night test run and all went well. Stayed at Champoeg State Park out side of Woodburn. No problems with the trailer just little thing we need to remember to get before our next trip in May like more pillows, velcro for the shower curtain and a oven thermometer. Worked a few things out of how to set up and store stuff better, and how to light the oven. So over all went well, the boys loved it (Chad the most) and they are learning that “camping” is a good word. Very pleased with the trailer and all that it has, ready to take it out more and more.

Weight and Packing

Good news for the boys. Went to the vet today for Lambeau’s checkup, Chad went for support and also to get his weight checked. Since February when Chad went in for his back he has lost two pounds due to new food and less pain, now 58 pounds (which is great, about 2 or 3 more pounds to go). Now Lambeau is getting so much better at the vet, he loves the ladies who pour love on to him and he is even eating cookies they give him now (in the past he would not even put them in his mouth). Also he has gained about 12 pounds since we got him from the shelter last year February, and that is great he is finally up in to normal body weight (53 pounds), not about to see his spine or ribs anymore.

Trailer news, we got it last week Tuesday and have had it at the house to pack it. There is a lot more space in there then I had remembered and not totally sure how I want it packed. Working on it and enjoying the future with it, minus the thought about having to remake the bed. Lets just say it was a MAJOR pain in my hind end! Our first trip is planned in April and cant wait to take it out with the boys. The boys like being in and out of it and now we are training them to know that “trailer” and “camping” are good words!

Lambeau and Chad

Today is the one year anniversary for Lambeau with us. It is hard to believe that we have only had him a year, it has been a good one. He has tested our patients and training skills. I remember when we got him we knew nothing about him and just assumed he would be great, and we lucked out that he is a good boy. We got him a new Frisbee since Steve has been working with him and he can now catch the Frisbee in the air, he will jump and have all four legs off the ground to catch it. It is a special toy so he only gets its when we are out side with him and he gets so excited, he will sit and wait for it to be thrown with his ears up and ready to play. It is so cute to see. Tomorrow he will get his cake and new toy!

This past week we got to learn some thing about dog spines, Chad’s in particular. On Tuesday Chad was crying when trying to move, unable to move for many hours. Got him to the vet and x rays were taken to show that in his thoracic spine (right between his shoulder blades) one of the disc between a vertebrae is much smaller then the rest causing pain. Also in this lumbar spine he has some bone growth and over time it will fuse his spine together. The vet said that her dog as that and is a common disc disease in dogs that goes with out symptoms and pain, we know due to the x rays. Chad got some pain meds, and has orders to rest and no ball for two weeks. He is moving around great now. We are thinking this is a flair up and will be prepared if it comes back.

Travel Trailer

Many of you may have heard that, yes, we are in the process of ordering a new travel trailer so we can do a lot more camping in the coming years. We are very excited, it is our home on wheels, has every thing we want/need and is compact. We fell in love with it at the RV show when we went to look at tent trailers, saw this first and knew this is what we wanted. Should be getting it between March and April. I have been planning how to stock it with what we need. So over all very excited to have our own trailer.

So you all can look it up and see what we are getting, it is the 2010 Lance 1685 in the white water color. Here is the link to the specs. http://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/1685/index.html