Where we went for my birthday when I was done vedging.

It was HOT and beautiful.  Very rare to be that warm up there.  So nice.

Happy Birthday to me....Happy birthday to me.

And anyhow yeah I'm older today.

Not that I wasn't old yesterday.

My 'ils are on their way back home.

It was a mostly good weekend.  I'm just tired.

We had gorgeous weather Friday afternoon through the rest of the weekend.  I even got sunburned--which I would never normally get in September, but well we forgot to have summer this year. 

My 'ils didn't ask any awkward questions--except to Rob when I was out of hearing.  I guess that's as good as one can expect.  My mom came out and brought birthday cake Saturday night.  And my dad stopped by Sunday while we were at the beach and left me a small gift.  A beautiful 8x10 picture of my mom that he took in Oregon.

Its actually rather amazing as my mom isn't much for posing.  He even framed it...which in and of itself is rather miraculous.  LOL  I have two copies I'm supposed to get to my sis & bro.  apparently. 

I have a burning desire to cry today--its the exhaustion setting in I know.  And the fact that my thyroid meds ran out, and haven't come yet.  And Rob keeps asking me what I want to do.

I finally asked him to let me vedge for awhile--cause that's what I wanted to do!!!

We were handed 3 big bags of clothes for the little girls on Tuesday.  My girls don't need clothes for a LONG time.  ROFL  Rainee put this outfit together out of the bags, and it was just too cute not to take a picture.  And yes the boots came in the bag as well. 

And this, well God decorated it.  It never bloomed last year, so I was quite delighted to see it peeping out of the jasmine.

I had all kinds of good intentions of things I was going to get done before my 'ils came.

My house is clean.

That's about what's gonna get done.

At church this last Sunday I realized E has her birthday on the 9th, and I on the 10th.  So we're gonna take each other out to lunch today.  Its a major feet for me to initiate this.  I so hope it works. 

We went to E's house late Sunday afternoon.  She's the one with 10 kiddos.  They just recently finished a huge addition, and oh man I could covet!  There house sits right next to the ocean.  I could covet that too.  ROFL.  Its the first time we've been there and the first time in a very long time we've been invited over to someone's house.  People tend to get a bit nervous of families with 6 kids.  LOL  I've given up the hurt involved in that a LONG time ago.

Anyhow 'ils coming.  My yards not weeded, the lawn *is* mowed.  The house *is* clean.  I guess she'll have to take what she can get.

I'm terribly nervous--as I suspect some awkward questions about my dad.  Prayers would be appreciated. 

Its been a whirl-wind week.

Monday was my first day of school for the year.  It went well, and the kids forgot very little.  We are doing Beta Math u See, and a Reader as our hands on mommy-intensive stuff.  The kids really like the reader we're using, and so do I.  Its got a nice mix of "big" words, and beautiful pictures.  It was given to me by the local p/s as they recieved it as a sample from a curriculum company, and weren't currently intrested in changing curriculum. 

I believe we are going to fly through the math-u-see.  But that's good, as its set up differently, and in some ways felt like a step-backwards when we switched programs. 

Anyhow on Tuesday we left the house at 11:30 for errands, baton practice, and dinner at my moms.  We returned home at 9:30 at night to find my DSL went capoot.

Its fixed now, but I've once again had a whirlwind day.

And it ain't gonna stop this week.  LOL

Kaylin was invited to move up to a different baton class.  The coach LOVES her.  The class unfortunately meets on Wednesday.  But Samuel and Jamari were also invited to join baton classes.  Sam's on Wednesday, Jamari in Rainee's class.  They LOVE it, and have been bugging, and bugging to get to do it.

Wednesday is Awana, so we are normally in town anyhow, so we've just added a bit more time in town.  It will be a bit exhausting for me, but I believe its necessary for my kids.  And they so love baton.

Its still much less taxi driving then most mom's do.  Its ONE class for each child plus Awana.  It seems like more cause I have 6 kids.

Anyhow I need a taxi-mom gif.  Anyone got one?  Cause yeah Tuesdays and Wednesday's just got kinda full.  LOL

Okay Karla I thought I'd make you cry again.  LOL

This is also on the new Casting Crowns album.

My dad came out to visit today, and after the conversation I had with him on Wednesday night I wanted him to listen to this song.

He fell in love with it, and actually had to leave the room he was bawling so hard.  He's also headed to Walmart to buy the cd.  I think I taught him about a new group.  LOL

So here is my family checking out the local hills

The snowy hills of Lake Crescent

The snowy hills outside my window last winter

Ellis Mountain

The hills by Rimrock Lake

Cascade Range, and my daughter taking pictures of them.  It amused me somehow.

"My" mountains the Olympics

Ellis Mountain, and a faint view of the Olympics if you squint.

John Day Fossil Bed Hills

Warm Springs Reservation Hills 

Ellis Mountain again. 

Searocks (their kinda hills aren't they?) off La Push

The hills of Vancouver Island.  I loved the many layers of blue.