daily exhale

No Wind Shelter Likes 30 MPH Winds

I was unable to see the limitations of this product.  We were simply looking for a way to extend our "day at the beach" a few hours by offering shelter from breezy days and sun.  Welcome to Oregon - Nehalem Bay is beyond breezy.  They have Jr. Ranger classes just to teach the kids WHY it is SO windy on the Oregon Coast and especially in Nehalem.  We were on the beach - not the calm bay.

The day started at 9 on the sand.  My husband unfurled the "Alcove Shelter" and we basically snapped it together.  We secured it into the sand, angled it to prepare for the wind later in the day.  At this point there was a gentle breeze picking up.  We built up the sides and even dragged some logs to help break the wind at the proper angle. Really, we know this stuff.  What we didn't do is dig deep enough.

By 11:30, the wind was picking up and the side walls went up.  We thought this accessory would be helpful.  We tucked the sides into the sand and built up the outside to weigh it down. 

B-52's at the Oregon Zoo - FANTASTIC

At 3pm I was fourth in line inside the Oregon zoo waiting for the chance to run to the lawn and set up our space for 10.  It rained almost the entire wait from 3 - 5.  I had an umbrella, rain jacket and back pack.  I was set.  Tom arrived just before 5 with the children in rain gear and a tarp.  What we needed was another umbrella - a big one.  The rain continued to come down until the opening act, "The 88's" took the stage.  By then, we were soaked through all layers.  We were huddled in our sand chairs under the tiny umbrella.

While we were waiting, it was a great time to people watch. This guy and woman were too much.  I didn't get a photo of the woman with hot pink beehive hair because it was raining too hard when she was in range.

We were originally a group of ten.  At this point, we were a group of four with two more coming soon.  Ended up only two decided the weather was too much for them so the eight of us were gathered just in time for the B-52's to take the stage.  Oregonians don't whine in the rain. We cheered. When the wind kicked up we did all we could do, laugh.  Two minutes before they started playing, "Ultraviolet" the rain stopped for good.  It was amazing.

By the third song the crowd was on their feet, never to sit down again. 

We brought our children and they were laughing, singing and dancing the entire time.  I was exhausted.  The show was great and lasted for two hours.  I decided to follow the request to not record or take photos of the band. 

If you get a chance to ever see the B52's - take it!  Lawn seats - doesn't matter - just go!  They won't let you down.  The show ended with an encore of, "Planet Claire" and "Rock Lobster."  Thank you for those standards!

Pure joy on her face is the best gift

The Easter Bunny was good to our children today.  He brought minimal candy, but several things they can amuse themselves with outside.  One item was a giant bubble wand.  Not only is it a perfect compact light saber, but the bubbles are easy to launch.

It has been raining today. Our children aren't phased by this since we live in Oregon. If you wait for it not to rain, you are going outside in June. 

Following a sugar-crash nap on her dad's lap, our daughter giggled her way outside to have a parade with herself and test the bubbles.  I initially watched her from our living room window while dozing to the Masters Tournament, a family tradition - dozing during it, not playing in it.

As I saw the joy she was exuding, I wanted some.  I put on the jacket and joined her in the parade of two, plus the 8 miles of invisible musicians. They kept getting lost and were off-key, but she put them back in line through giggles and orders.  She was especially tickled with herself yelling, "April, April, April"  You know why - it's not MARCH, duh.

She couldn't believe I was actually following her in a make-believe parade in the rain.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Celebrate Spring - Roast a Peep!

I'm not sure where the animosity toward the yellow Peeps came from. I think it was the years the Easter Bunny brought stale Peeps in my baskets.  Whatever it is I loathe the yellow Peeps.  Since I was a child, the Peep people have become smarter and expanded to blue bunnies, referred to as "hops" in our family, as well as an entire line of Peep inspired toys and accessories.  This does not change my feeling towards the original yellow chickies.

Ginger turds - it's just what I feel like making

With snow outside and the very real possibility of ANOTHER school snow day I wanted to drown my boo-boos in the only thing left over from the holidays - recycled ginger bread dough.

I want to alone in the dark in the snow

Day Two - no school.  We're going a bit nuts.  My husband has the chains on the van, so we aren't housebound - but they are here - all day.  Last night I needed a break from all of them.  There was nowhere to go but outside.

And then there was one.

Our daughter had a friend over. They were in the back polishing their nails on the deck.  The birds were hanging from the gazebo as always on beautiful days.

The Haircut - Home Edition

This is in the outdoors category because we'd hate the neighbors to miss one of Austin's haircuts.  It is shared with those who are within a five house distance.

Doing usual things in unsual places

Sometimes do you ever have a task to do that you avoid because you don't want to do it where you typically would do it?  Get your minds out of the gutter - not those things. 

Nothing like a ride on a train to air out the day

Today was a day of sloppiness, frustration and spinning.  Not how I planned a Friday, but that's what it was.  By 3:30 it was time to escape and take the family to the zoo.  It was a rough start as I shook off the frustrations of my own careless work, inability to figure out how to make something work on a client's computer, etc.  I was glad to leave the confines of my 6 x 6 office space.