A day at the beach...

Last weekend Doug and I enjoyed a much needed little break at the beach. I forgot my camera, so phone pictures will have to do. We picked up David in Astoria so Doug enjoyed surfing with him while Isaiah and I played in the sand and shallow waves.
Silly boys excited about getting in the waves...

Isaiah thought he might like to go too...

but like running from the waves a lot more...

and digging in the sand...

After a day of beach fun, we walked around Long Beach a little. There were some clowns making balloon hats for the kids. Isaiah asked for a bat and got this...pretty cool!

I added this picture because you can see a little better how the 'bat' swings in front of him as he walks.

After that, this was the ride he chose...pretty exciting, he loved it!

and thanks to the balloon he had something to do almost the entire way home...

One last picture (sorry it is kind of fuzzy) with the guys out in the water

Puppies...

In October of last year Jasmine had her puppies...occasionally I hear from the puppies owners about how the dogs are doing. I have a couple new pictures...fun to see how they looked before and how they look now. (Mom, I know you think the dapples are ugly)
Oscar (the lone male)

Bean (she lives on a ranch)

Our Rickashey:

Fun little dogs! Everyone should have a doxie!

Time is money...

First of all...love the new templates that blogger is making available! And so easy to change! Fun times! Also, we have some updates coming on our multiplication blog so check it out too!
Secondly, a sort of update to bring our blog to a little bit more of a current state. The biggest thing going on right now is that we are planning on going on a trip for the month of October this year. We will be in India for half the month and then Portugal for the rest of it. We are super excited and are doing everything we can to ensure the tickets actually get bought so we can go on this ever anticipated trip. By 'everything we can' I mean, working extra as we can, raising money in every creative way we can think of and for the most part, praying that God will perform a modern day miracle and provide what we need for the trip!
The first month of fundraising we brought in almost $700, since then it has trickled down to $300 in May and then so far this month we have brought in $200 more...that is a total of $1,200. Pretty good right? Yah, it is accept for the fact that we need it to multiply by four in order to go. Well, ok not by four exactly but almost, we need another $2,800 to come in by the end of next month.
Think it can be done?? Any great fundraising ideas? Leave a comment if you do please!

99 things about me...

99 Things About Me (Everything that I have accomplished is in bold)


1. Started your own blog – Yes! You got me there.
2. Slept under the stars - a few times...
3. Played in a band - ha
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower - fun.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to DisneyWorld...does Disney LAND count?
8. Climbed a mountain -sort of...I made it MOSt of the way up Kili!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - maybe shouldn't have
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris...well the airport anyway
13. Watched a lightning storm -
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - isn't all art from scratch?.
15. Adopted a child...someday!
16. Had food poisoning - More than once, I'm pretty sure!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables - trying to!
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train...not sure if it was overnight...or if I slept though
21. Had a pillow fight- Is there someone who hasn't?
22. Hitch-hiked - .
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Ummmm, YES!
24. Built a snow fort- not really as fun as it looks
25. Held a lamb - Baby animals are so cute.
26. Gone skinny dipping- and in the grosses body of water ever!
27. Run a Marathon - Uhhhh, NO!
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice-
29. Seen a total eclipse-
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - Yes, many times.
31. Hit a home run..if Wii counts...
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors- couldn't that be anywhere?
35. Seen an Amish community- Does being in an Amish house count, and eating their cheese and drinking their milk?
36. Taught yourself a new language- yah right
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - money doesn't satisfy
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person -
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David -
41. Sung karaoke- again...probably shouldn't have
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa- believe it or not...
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight- with flashlights.
46. Been transported in an ambulance -
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain- living in Washington State...duh
53. Played in the mud- Again, is there someone who hasn't?
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - .
58. Taken a martial arts class- loved it
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen-
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies -
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason -
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma- they still won't let me
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check-
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy- More than I care to admit.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone -
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book -
81. Visited the Vatican-
82. Bought a brand new car - new to me...
83. Walked in Jerusalem -
84. Had your picture in the newspaper-
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve-
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox - .
89. Saved someone’s life-
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous-
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby - No, but I am trying to.
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit - Depends on how you define "involved".
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Happy Anniversary to us!!!

Doug and I had fun celebrating our 2nd anniversary yesterday! We also planned ahead and last weekend stayed in Seaside for a night and then enjoyed surfing! Yesterday, when I ran to the store, Doug hussled and moved our entire bedroom into the bigger room upstairs. I have been wanting to do this for a while so it was a fun surprise for when I got home...and a great anniversary present!

We enjoyed one of our favorite meals, shake-n-bake pork and then a game of poker! (which I won)

(it is taking forever to upload more pictures so go check out the rest on facebook!)

13 of 27...

That's right, I am posting a new list...it's only been like two months. This list is from this weekend. Doug and I went to a marriage conference in Toledo and on Sunday went water skiing...
What I learned this weekend:
1. Marriage is pretty straight forward, if you keep your focus on the right thing
2. the right thing is Christ
3. it is good to be reminded that our marriage is ment to display Christ's love for the church and lead people to Him by how they see us love each other
4. I really don't like country music
5. the speaker used country music for EVERY music/video/multimedia emphasis he did
6. on the last day he used a clip from Cinderella Man and won me over
7. Water skiing is really difficult...
8. Doug got the hang of it

9. I didn't

10. just for emphasis

11. we had a blast though...I loved riding around in the boat anyway
12. sometimes church people are the worst business people...they made us pay way more than they had told us it would be at the start of the day
13. it was worth it though
14. Toledo has a beautiful park

15. we are looking forward to spending an afternoon there sometime...anyone want to join?
16. First Baptist Toledo has a great idea for their nursery/toddler rooms...I'd love to use it someday; it is all set up like it is a garden, so cute!
17. Driving an hour to get to church is not something that we will ever choose to do on a regular basis
18. eating out in a small town like Toledo reminded me of living in Kenya...we had to wait for forever both times...the second time we got sandwiches so it would be quicker..it still took forever!
19. it's not a good idea to drink a bunch of coffee before you go to a conference...you miss a lot
20. it was really nice to go to an event at church and not have to worry about who was supposed to be in the nursery
21. or clean up after the meals
22. or restock toilet paper when it ran out
23. I look forward to going to future conferences like these with Doug...we had fun
24. next time it should be at a beach or something
25. 27 lists is way to many
26. next year I am just posting about what I did on my birthday
27. thanks for the encouragement though
the end

list 12 of 27

We are on are way to the beach, so for this list we are listing signs we see
1. Rocks
2. Slides
3. Westport
4. Wauna (shout out to k'lnn)
5. Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery
6. Eagle Sanctuary
7. John Day River
8. Columbia River Maritime Museum
9. Welcome to Astoria
10. Espresso
11. Home Bakery
12. Antiques
13. River Viewing Tower
14. Watch your head!
15. Astoria Bridge...we don't have to go over it (grin)
16. Lewis and Clark National Park
17. Fresh Seafood
18. Seaside (with an arrow telling us where to go)
19. Draw Bridge
20. Warrenton
21. Fort Stevens State Park
22. U.S.C.G. Air Station
23. Elk
24. Tsunami Hazard Zone
25. Skipanon River
26. Seaside 8 (miles)
27. Edgewater Inn (we're here!)

And another funny one "kids for sale". (Goats)
15.