New Favorite Beach!

Yesterday the little kiddos and I got the chance to go out to the coast. Friends who are visiting from Colorado are here for a couple of weeks and since we havent seen them for a very long time, it was the perfect chance for us to get together. We had a fun lunch at their beach house and then went and played for the afternoon.

Our first stop was to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse area. We rambled through the visitors center and got there in time to actually go into the lighthouse. I dont think I have ever been there before when it was open to go inside. There was a great tour guide there who gave us great information and history about the lighthouse. Ky & Kels were too little to be allowed up the 111 steps to the top, so we wandered outside while the others went up.
The grounds and area are so beautiful, even on an extra windy day!

Left-Right: James(7), Kelsianne(3), Jessica(12), Colton(8), Ky(5), Simon(6)

Not knowing what the weather would be like, and for how long we would be gone, I left my good camera at home. Thankfully I remembered that my new cell has a camera on it too. I wasnt holding out any hope that picts would turn out well, but I have been pleasantly surprised that they actually turned out pretty good and I could even play with them a bit. I wanted to esp get a pict from under the amazing staircase in the lighthouse. It was just a very interesting angle I was glad to capture :)

I think that we have found a new favorite beach that is definately worth the 2hr drive. Agate Beach Wayside in Newport is amazing. It is a long, wide beach with a river that runs along the East end and the coastline that runs at the other West side. I am always a bit nervous about the kids and the waves, so this little spot was ideal to let the little ones play and be completely safe and to still hear and see the waves.

There was a big sandbar in the river where we camped out. Ky & Kels had so much fun digging and splashing and playing and I didnt have to worry one ounce about them and could just relax and let them play. The sand was so soft, and very fine density. It was more than perfect for building sandcastles and held the water really well and the shapes . The kids esp loved that the water literally splashed across the surface of the sand and then stayed that way for a long time. I have never seen a beach that reacted that way.

I just couldnt decide which of these I loved more. Little toes are just so fun to photograph!

Usually when you go out to the coast you can guarantee there will be wind - and lots of it. We were about blown over when we were at the lighthouse, but when we found our little spot on the beach, the wind was barely blowing and it was warm. The boys got both the kites out and could fly them all by themselves because the wind was so ideal.

This is our first outing to the beach for the season, so all the sand toys were brand new. Kels couldnt wait to get everything out (literally) and try everything out in the sand. I think she finally decided that digging and splashing were her 2 favorite activities.

The kids were all so close in age that they all got along really well. Our friends moved away when James was very little, so Colton didnt remember him. The kids have never met Simon. They did amazingly well considering they had just met. It really made it fun to just watch them enjoy each other.

More of Kels digging....

Jessica was really sweet to take time for the little kiddos. Ky esp took a liking to her and she was so sweet with him. When Rebecca and I were chatting she noticed that Jessica had buried the 2 little boys. They thought that was great fun.

More of Kels digging.....She just really loved that sand

Colton's special treat was that he was big enough to go play in the waves with Rebecca. She took the 3 big boys to see the waves and play for a bit. When she gets me copies of the picts she took, I will be sure to post them.

Of course Kels had to get in on the same deal as the boys. She was just caked in sand in every nook and cranny, including inside Kels' diaper, even though she had several layers of clothe on. She and the boys will need another bath tonight because we still didnt get the sand out of their ears or all of her hair.

Pasta Fagioli Minus The Pasta...

So...we fed the missionaries again this week. I was at a loss as to what to feed them since we just had them here last week. I had decided that with the weather still cold and blah that soup and bread would be perfect. I am not usually one to do "big" cooking, but found this recipe and thought I would try it out. I had helpers here and there. Caiden was helping me with the carrots, until he grated his own finger, and then he was done. Kaeli helped with the beef stock and taking picts. As things started to go together, the house smelled lovely and taste tests confirmed that I was doing everything right! It was exciting to know that I was making something extra yummy and that it was working.

Dinner went off well (besides the fact that Elder T wolfed his down to fly to another appt and Preston had taken the big boys off to scouts and completely missed dinner) I got lots of good compliments about the soup ("I would have NEVER eaten stuff like this before my mission, and havent eaten it on my mission until tonight. This is REALLY good") We also treated the elders and extra guests to Italian sodas (which they had never had before and I forgot to take picts of) AND "mile high" choc cake from a local restaurant (which is so rich and yummy you almost die trying to eat the last bites :) and I also forgot to take picts of )

Something kind of funny happened concerning the soup tonight. Finally, Preston got to sit down and have a bowl after church today. He thought it was great and as we were talking Kaeli mentioned that the soup would be really good over pasta. I about dropped dead right there - in all the chaos of making the soup the other morning before all of our back-to-back appts- I had completely forgotten to add the macaroni to the soup! All I could do was to start laughing. Not only had I forgotten the pasta in the first place, I didnt remember that I had forgotten it until 5 days after I made it! Really my brain is so empty sometimes.

Even without the pasta, the soup turned out absolutely amazing and one I will defintately make again - WITH the pasta added.
Lots of slicing and dicing going on. Kaeli took lots of picts and had fun getting different angles

Before....

After....

I kind of got a light bounce off this one, but still thought it was a fun image

Springtime Kiddos

Warmer Springtime weather means that little ones are anxious to be outside and their eyes see all the wonder that we often dont see. They are content to sit in a field of wildflowers, and then come running with bouquets just for you. They will spend hours in the driveway with sidewalk chalk. They are filled with giggles while they wade through puddles and then leave their footprints on the porch. Little ones are often our best teachers. They find the simple joys in life, they see all of the little miracles in the changing of the seasons, they see through eyes that are always filled with wonder at everything around them. Oh, the things we can learn from a little one....

Springtime Beauty

Spring is doing its best to make itself known to us.... In the miniature daisies that grow in the wild places and show their faces to the sun, and to any little ones that pass by.

In the delicate jewels of dew and raindrops that cling to petals and leaves and give nourishment and health to everything great or small....

In the fact that our community, and our valley, are brimming to overflowing with more flowering trees and shrubs than you can ever begin to count......

In the vibrant colors and smells that fill us with a feeling of contentment and wonder......

In the churning clouds that are filled with ever changing layers, colors, shapes, and thickness....In breathtaking sunsets that set the skies ablaze...In black & white calves frolicking in a field of green....In seeing the soil turned over in great, long rows, showing off its rich, chocolate color awaiting the planting of a new season....In the miracle of rainbows that span the roadway, and appear in the splash of rear tires, and end on the sandbar of the river...In so many ways. Even today, when the storms have raged, the wind has blown, the rain has come down sideways, and the thunder has rumbled....even in the midst of this, Spring IS on its way. It is here, and it is beautiful.

Ky & Kels Bday Party

Our friend Elizabeth is totally amazing with cakes and cupcakes. My health has been pretty crummy for a long time, not letting me do things I have been able to do in the past. She has been our angel to make special cakes for the kids so they still have a homemade, fun cake just for them. Her gifts and talents in this area are just mind blowing. Her cakes are always hand done, and so detailed. And so very extra YUMMY! Her cakes are so moist, and sweet, and perfect!
What was even more fun was that when she brought the cake to the party and I saw it, it was the exact picture I had in my mind for her cake. I had never said a thing to Elizabeth about pict ideas. It was just wonderful! Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your wonderful gifts with us!

Kels was THRILLED with her Tinkbell cake. She was just all full of giggles and excitement about her party, but esp about her cake. She has been talking about it non-stop.

Ky decided that he wanted a "lightning" cake. When Colton turned 5 we did a CARS cut-out cake for him. It was shaped as a #5, and we built the racetrack on it. We were going to go for another try at that, but kept running into snags. Kaeli really wanted to do Ky's cake, so I just gave her free reign. She is so artistic in so many ways! She did the racetrack by hand and then filled in all around it. She used Gma Miller's brownie recipe, Gma Afton's frosting recipe, and a whole lot of extras. One of the extras included hand washing all of the CARS Ky wanted on his cake. I came home to this darling pict of all the CARS drying on the countertop. A fun, cute memory.

It was so much fun to just take TONS of picts of Ky's cake.

So many different angles and ways to take picts!

I cant wait to get all these scrapped for Ky so he will have them to look at all the time.

Ky was SO happy and excited about his cake. Spent several minutes pointing to all of the CARS characters and telling me about them. Kaeli did an amazing job, and we are all so proud of her for all of her hard work!

Ky & Kels Bday Party II

I think this is the first year that Kels has really known what was going on and what a birthday is. It was so fun to see her so excited about it.
She really got the hang of ripping all the paper. She knows exactly what presents are!

This book was absolutely perfect for her. She LOVES Tinkbell still, and this was a great addition to her little bedroom library.

It was fun to watch her enjoy her cake. She has been asking every day for weeks about her Tinkbell cake. She told everyone she could, even the missionaries who came for dinner, that Elizabeth was making her special Tinkbell cake for her birthday! She couldnt wait to dig in!

Ky had fun blowing out his candles, and then watching them melt and run down onto the cake. He thought that was the most hysterical thing.

Kaeli bought this hat for him months ago. She has hardly been able to stand it to wait for him to be able to open it. I think she, and all of us, were waiting to see what his reaction would be. He didnt disappoint - and had everyone in stitches of laughter. He knew what it was. The first thing out of his mouth was "I threw this in the garbage at Disneyland! Dad squashed it flat as a pancake and I threw it away!" That was MONTHS ago, and yet the memory was still just as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. I think kaeli was more than pleased that she had gotten it for him. I wish we would have had a video camera to capture all of the adults in hysterics as he continued to chatter about his hat that he had thrown away!

Christy knows Ky well. She just got it perfect by giving him lots of fun stuff with CARS stuff one it, even including a new pair of sunglasses and band-aids!

This awesome gift was from another friend. A big, oversized beach towel with CARS on it too. You can tell Ky REALLY likes it. Kels thinks hers is another blankie. It has been on her bed with her other Tinkbell blankies since we brought it home. Funny kid....

Ky thought he was big stuff that I let him have a piece of EACH cake. He made sure he had lots. Birthdays are the one day that I relax with the treats a bit. You only get to enjoy birthday cake 1x/year!

YES!!!! I COOKED LIKE MY BROTHER!

We have been cooking up a storm this last week because of all the extra guests we have had. I bought lots of fresh ingredients that didnt end up getting used. Tonight I got into a "real" cooking mood. I knew what I wanted to try, but was still unsure. My first job was to make a phone call to my brother. Anyone who has ever eaten at our house when my brother is visiting KNOWS what an amazing cook he is. He dumps and pours, and tweaks and twists, and pinches and plots, and always comes up with the most amazing meals.
I have never been that kind of cook, I have had to rely on recipes to the letter, and even then it is never anything "wow." I knew he would have great ideas and be able to help me make what I was picturing in my mind.

Kaeli took this pict of me on the phone with him. She snuck up on me and scared the beejeebees out of me when the flash went off right outside my peripheral. She thought that was hilarious.
With Sean's expert help and advice, I took this.....sauteed and oh, so good.
And this.....caramelized onions done to perfection that just melts in your mouth

And this.....shredded chicken slightly browned with garlic, parsley, and olive oil, amazing....

And made THIS! TA-DA! I wish I could fit one more pict on this post, the pict without the chkn is SO much more pretty! I wish a picture could include the tempting smells and the savoring of every bite. The fresh tomato gave it all just the right blend of flavors. I think next time I will also try to add something green - maybe broccoli bites, or diced green pepper.

I am really so very proud of myself. If for nothing else, but trying something that is completely outside of my comfort zone. A great big THANK YOU and HUGS to my brother for sharing his incredible gifts and talents with food across the miles. YOU ARE THE BEST! I would have never been able to do it without you! Will be sure to make it for you next time you come!

As I sit here and finish this, the house is filled with the aroma of handmade pizza smells - yummy yeast bread, sauce, spices....oh, so very yummy! Kaeli has inheirited her gifts with food from my brother. She cooks just like he does and she is VERY good at it. She is esp amazing with any kind of bread recipe. The house smells SOOOOO good. All in all, a very fun and productive night of food and fun!

Clear The Roads AND The Sidewalks :)

I took Ceana to the DMV earlier this week. We got there all ready to go, only to find out that the insurance card I had in the vehicle had not only expired, but it was the card from the company that had been cancelled. After lots of running around, and several phone calls to Preston and the new insurance company, we finally got a current card faxed to the DMV. Luckily we had an awesome gal that was helping us. Cean had gone to take the written test while I was trying to sort things out. I was a total mess. I was even more concerned when Ceana walked away from the computer and I overheard the gal at the desk tell her that she hadnt passed.
We were able to get everything all figured out and Ceana was allowed to take her driving test. She did really well with just a few minor mistakes. She was praised by her driving instructor and given extra help to answer and understand the questions that she had missed, and was encouraged to return the following day to try the written test again.
She was disappointed, but really did well considering all the misadventures.
I took her again the following morning and waited while she re-took the written exam. I was working on some things when I overheard the same driving instructor say "yea, yea, yea!" and I turned around to see Ceana beaming. She had passed! She finished up the paperwork, and got her pict taken (our friend calls it joining the "DMV picts are evil" club :)) Ceana was great at saying thank you to everyone in the office who had helped, and esp the driving instructor. She had gone out of her way to help ceana and to help her stay positive. Ceana is really awesome at sincerely showing her gratitude to others.

When we left, we made a spontaneous stop at McD's for breakfast since neither of us had eaten that morning.I am continuing to love my new phone, if for nothing else but to capture little moments like this. Ceana was so cute about us having a special breakfast just for the 2 of us. I hope that I will be able to find time for me to do things like this more often with each of the kids.
She was so happy and proud to have her license.
Today I had a giggling girl come to me in the kitchen, ready to go to her friend's house. She could barely get the words out without laughing..."mom, can I borrow the car?" - then she was laughing hysterically at herself and now being in that position to do what she has heard others say, or heard in the words of a song. Of course, being the mom, I am completely NOT doing ok with this. I followed her out to the driveway to capture this special moment of her being in the driver's seat, and no one else in the beast with her...it is a very momentous occasion!