Closer Than He Thinks....

The kids & I just got back from spending 10 days with my parents, & as I was putting Asher to bed last night he got a big confused...

Asher: "Goodnight.  I love you, Gra.... Mummy!"

Me: "Grandma?  Just how old do you think I am?"

Asher: "Forty!  HA HA HA!"

He said it like 40 was outrageously old, but he's not that far off the truth!

A Walk Along the Boardwalk

Our last morning we went to the boardwalk for a stroll.

A whale skeleton washed up a few years ago, so you can see them along with a sculpture of other whales.

A nice lady took our photo so we could all be in it!

We had a few glimpses of the sun while we were here, but despite the rainy & chilly weather, we had a great time!

On the way home it's tradition to get some donuts from the bakery in Long Beach.  They were delicious as usual, & a good way to end the trip!

Rainy Days Are Par For The Course

Sunday we decided to try to sneak in a walk to the lighthouse before the rain got bad.  We did end up getting wet, but not terribly (not as bad as getting caught in the ocean!).

We came, we saw, we took some photos!

The lighthouse wasn't open (I don't think I have ever been there when it was), so we looked around, but it was pretty wet & overcast.

Can we go yet?

The wind was not conducive to going to the beach either, so we opted for the arcade & lazer-tag!

We decided it would be more fun to have lots of people for lazer-tag, so we convinced Grandpa & Grandma to play, as well as Uncle Arie, Aunt Lorene, Kelsey, Breton, Asher, Chancery & I.  I won by a long shot, & was told that my gun had probably malfunctioned to have a score that high.  I call it a win, & I won a free round of lazer-tag for the next time we go!

The Oregon Coast

Today was the day to head into Oregon.  The weather looked like it would cooperate & there was no rain in the forecast!

Reading before breakfast, & I guess Chancery was cold!

We made it to Astoria, of Goonies, Short Circuit, & Kindergarten Cop fame, but since the kids don't really know any of those movies, & the rest of us had already seen the locations, we went straight to the Astoria Column.

Will we make it to the top?

Of course!

For $1 you can buy wooden gliders from the gift shop & throw them down from the top.  The kids probably went up & down the tower 5 times because it was so much fun (& a great way to burn off energy!)

We had lunch at Fort Stevens State Park & wandered around the old bunkers a bit.

We stopped to see the 1890 shipwreck at Point Meriwether.  Pretty crazy to think that this ship has been here for the last 125 years!

Then it was off to Hug Point, a family favourite!

The kids climbed the rocks

and we looked in tide pools

and we got caught by a sneaker wave!

I told Asher to stay on that rock, but he got worried that the water was still coming & he ran off it.

Kelsey (who you can see in the little niche in the photo above) also got soaked, but she was trapped around the corner, & couldn't get back up the beach until the wave subsided.

I had a little water come over the top of my boots, but Asher had it up to his hips.  We had to dump the water out of both his boots.

We figured that since Breton & Chancery were playing above the waterfall that they would at least be dry, but Chancery had gotten into the water from the stream.

We stopped for dinner at a restaurant, & the waitress commented, "What is that smell?  It's like campfire.  Are you guys camping?"

Me: "No, we just all got soaked at the beach today!"

Long Beach!

When searching for a picnic spot, my Dad likes to find unique places...

I can check "picnic by a disused Nuclear Power plant" off my list!

This trip has been happening since the early 90's, & it has been taken with various members of my dad's family each year.  This year my Aunt & Uncle & 2 of my cousins joined us.  It was nice to have some helping hands with the kids, & Asher & Chancery enjoyed all the attention!

We made it to the hotel, & decided to walk down to the beach.  Due to some flooding on the path, we had to find an alternate route through the dunes.

Our rain boots weren't tall enough for the puddles we encountered.

Next year we should bring hip waders!

We made it to the beach!  It's a great beach to play in, it would probably be even nicer in the summer when the weather is warmer, but March is nice too.

Things to Do at Grandpa & Grandma's...

We had gone to Grandpa & Grandma's house a few days before we were leaving for Long Beach.  One of the things I did was take each kid to town with me on separate days.  We did exciting things like thrift shopping, lamenting the close of several good charity shops, ate lunch at McDonald's, and stop by my high school to chat with a few of my teachers...

...and see if my name is still up on the wall (it is!)

We also went for walks along the neighbourhood beach

not a bad view, eh?

...and climbed some rickety stairs that have seen better days!

The kids decided to check Grandpa's woodpile for bugs.  They found some, & also got to help Grandpa fix the woodpile!

Off to Grandpa & Grandma's!

The kids get 2 weeks off from school for March Break, & now that we live so close to my parents we were able to join them for their annual trip to Long Beach, Washington!

The trip to Grandpa & Grandma's house always includes a ferry ride.  These boats happen to have puzzles on them, which are a great way to spend the time.

But an even better way to spend the time is going up in the bridge of the ship.  Don't know how to get a private tour?  Just have a cute kid with you & tell them to ask someone who works on the ship to show you!

My dad has been travelling on these ferries for over 50 years, & he had never been up to the bridge before.  It was a good field trip for all of us!

House Tour -Basement Main Bedroom

Welcome to the main bedroom in the basement!  We're almost done our house tour!

We've put the futon in here as a bed with the intent of eventually getting a bed for this room & putting the futon in the living area of the basement.  We also put the desk that was in Asher's bedroom in PEI in this room since it did not fit in either of the kids' rooms in this house.  Also, since Asher has a loft bed he didn't need a nightstand, so it ended up in this room as well! 

My brothers' old dresser & a closet ready for clothes!  Small but functional!

House Tour -Basement Kitchen & Living Area

After you have survived walking through the storage room you enter the basement suite!

From the storage room door you enter the hallway.  Straight ahead is the door to the main bedroom, & you can see the living area to your left.

There is a separate entrance to the suite as well. 

I had been searching for a small rectangular table for this area & happened to stop into a charity shop.  I found this table in the back corner priced for $25, & figured that was a good price. When I got to the register there was a sign that said all furniture was 1/2 price that day!  What an awesome deal! 

There is a full kitchen... 

complete with washer & dryer!

We are hosting an international student, so she will be living in this area during the school year, but joining our family for meals & family interaction.  Furnishing this area for her has been really fun!

House Tour -Storage Room

Welcome to my basement!

  As you descend the stairs you have a direct view of the furnace since it seems they decided not to put a door on that area.  I was not a fan of that view, so I placed our photo screen in front of the furnace instead.  I never seem to be able to find a good place for the photo screen, so I was really happy to have found one!

At the bottom of the stairs directly to your left is the storage room.  It's quite a bit smaller than our storage room in PEI was, & I have gotten rid of lots of things.  It looks scary, but it's organized!

We put the deep freeze down here to free up space in the garage for PChad to work on his projects.  We also store our Christmas decorations, extra dining chairs, camping stuff, board games, & my collection of vintage Fisher Price among other things in here. 

 I love my storage racks.  Without them this room would be hopeless!  I made a curly-q out of the racks, so you can walk into the center area & access more of the shelves without them taking up all of the outside walls! 

Front Room Revisited!

Well, things have changed in the front room since I showed it to you last week...

 We got a piano!  I found a good deal on a used piano, & hired piano movers to pick it up & deliver it to my house.  Apparently this is not a 'normal upright piano'.  This is an 'extra heavy upright piano' as I was informed by the piano movers, but how was I to know that?

So I had to do a bit of rearranging, but the piano fits perfectly between the light switches & the dog kennel! 

I have also purchased a new bench for the front area that the kids can put their backpack in.  They kept leaving them in front of the door, & then when PChad came home he couldn't get in the house!  I am not sure what is happening with the other bench that is in this photo.  It might get moved somewhere else if I find a good spot for it...

What's For Dinner?

I'm having a conversation I don't understand. We are having pulled pork buns for dinner.  Asher keeps asking if we can make sloppy joes out of them...

Me: "How would we do that?"


A:  "Put it on a bun."

Me:  "We are having pulled pork buns... On buns."


A:  "I KNOW that! I'm asking if we can make sloppy joes out of them!"


Me: "well sloppy joes are different meat in a different sauce."


A: "Can we MAKE sloppy joes with them?"

Me: "If you mean put them on buns, then yes, we can do that."

A:  "No, I want to make them into sloppy joes!"

Me: "Pulled pork is pork, in BBQ sauce, on a bun.  Sloppy Joes are ground beef, in tomato sauce, on a bun.  So, no, you can't make pork into ground beef."

A: "That's not what I'm asking!"

Me:  "I don't understand what you are asking."

A:  (Speaking slowly & loudly) "I. want. to. make. them. into. sloppy joes!"

Me: "Ok, I will give you a bun with pulled pork on it, & you can do whatever you want with it.  Is that what you want me to say?"

A: "Yes!"


I am very curious to see what he does with it to make pulled pork into sloppy joes.  It was clearly beyond my comprehension!