To live the Good Life you have to WORK WORK WORK!!!

Thanks Shauna for all the greats tips!

More fun Times in Portland!!

We didn't sit around much but instead went to the Park, the Zoo, a mini water park not far from our house, fed the ducks at a pond close by and shared my special bench as I tried to convert some more ice cream lovers.... We need to carry on all the traditions, which means "ice cream"! To me it was a week of great memories to treasure UNTIL WE PLAY AGAIN!!!

The Memories of Seaside

I have always loved Seaside. As a little girl I ran and played at this same beach. As a Mom I watched my kids run and play at this same beach. As a grown up I've walked this beach and sat and watched the fireworks many times.....BUT nothing quite compares to spending the day with your grown kids and watching the grand kids run, swim and play.

Crazy kiddo's....They don't even care that the water is freezing!


Give each one a bucket and shovel and they could play for hours!
Thank goodness for towels!...They finally realized it was really cold!

Grandma doing what she loves to do.. Sitting on the beach chair, watching everyone swim and feeding Baby Hailey

We're kind of a herd where ever we go.....but not a bad looking bunch!!

There's something about the ocean that makes you starved... Good Ole Subway was a great place for lunch....along with an elephant ear and of course the ole fashion salt water taffy with 170 DIFFERENT CHOICES!!

Downtown Portland.....

What a busy day! In the morning we picked raspberries and then decided to head downtown to the big sand festival! Thank Heavens for 2 strollers and a bunch of little ones that could out walk Grandma! We walked and walked until we felt like singing the Pioneer Primary song. The kids had so much fun. Once we found the free block of things to do and make, they played games, made bead bracelets, colored, made hats, played instruments, and on and on.... They certainly being a new perspective into life as we listened and watched them enjoy the simple things in life...

The Legacy of Jam making lives on ........

And on..... Years ago I would go to the berry fields with my mom and I then learned the art of jam making from her. Really the "ART" is a lot of sugar!!! As I grew older I took my kids to the berry fields and we made jam. My kids grew up on the best darn jam around. As the years came and went I continued to give my grown kids jam until one year the little red hen got tired!!! That hen would be me.. Last year I taught Brooke, Jen taught herself and this year we had a JAM making party with Brooke and Shauna and 6 little grand children. It was so great picking berries all together. Later that night the fun began. Within 4 hours the girls became pro jam makers...... one washed, one smashed, then stirred and I stepped in at the end and filled the jars and sealed them up tight. 72 pints later we were pretty pleased with our little selves. What a great night we had and a wonderful time I had sharing a skill I had learned so many years ago from my own mom!

Oh How I Love Our Roses!

Especially the Yellow! They always bloom first and they always are beautiful. Our rose garden isn't an ordinary one. We have about 40 rose bushes and each one is beautiful and special to us. A lot of these roses came from my sister's yard up in Tacoma and have been planted down here with a lot of tender loving care. We have a bench in our garden and we like to think of it as a special garden dedicated to her. She loved roses so very much...especially the yellow! I still think of her everyday and miss her more than anyone could ever imagine. There is nothing quite like a sister...so if you have one.....love her....treasure her and make sure she knows how special she is. When they are gone, they can't be replaced but I do have something of hers she loved dearly....her beautiful roses! The neighbors comment on their beauty and wonder what I do to make them so beautiful. I just tell them they're special roses. I really think they get a little extra angel dust to bring a special remembrance of sisterhood into my life!

My Girlfriend ....

or at least my husband thinks so-- I'm still not quite sure what he meant by that comment but I think maybe it's because ......

I'm a little anal when it comes to a clean car! Not as bad as some of you out there but I know a few of my own children have that same quirk! I just got new tires and you'd think I brought a whole new wardrobe! I'm pretty excited about my new smooth ride and also pretty impressed my old tires were the originals and lasted 66,000 miles!!! Anyway check out my pampered girlfriend, since I really don't have many real girlfriends ..