Vacation Days~

Well we are heading out of town until school starts. Going to CA to visit family and soak up the sun. We haven't had much of a summer this year so I'm looking forward to some heat, swimming in the warm ocean, taking long beach walks and wiggling my toes in the sand.

But recently we went camping at our Oregon coast and on the way, we ran across a the new Tillamook Forest Center. If you are any where near ...I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

It is 100% interactive for every age level, sited on the Wilson River in the Tillamook Forest and FREE!! There is a movie on the run of forest fires they had way back when and how they recovered and re-planted the forest to make it the beauty it is today. My favorite part was the message board that anyone can leave a message on if they know of anyone or if they themselves participated in the fire fighting or rebuilding of the forest. Things to do: Hike along the river, walk over the bridge, sit on balcony over looking river, climb replica of look out tower, watch movie, learn about plant & animal life that inhabit different stages of forest growth, hear talks on insects, learn about people who experienced the Tillamook Forest burns and their stories. GO!!

Another Girl conversation~

I took care of my nephews kids Saturday night. 3 kids 7 and under plus my 7 & 9 year old. I haven't seen two of the 3 kids in two years and the 3rd I see maybe twice a year so I wasn't too sure how they were going to do in 'strangers' house even though technically we're family. Well all went well. LOTS of trampoline jumping. The trampoline is a God sent. Free and I would buy one tomorrow if this one broke.

Well the nephews kids were a little tired and a little bickering was taking place about turns on the trampoline so I commissioned Maya to 'watch' over the little ones and to try and keep the peace. The right role for this girl and she embraced it whole heartedly. Couldn't always hear what she was saying but the body language was priceless. (She talks with her body as well as her mouth.) This conversation took place while the kids were putting on pajamas and brushing their teeth.

Me: Maya thanks so much for helping out with the kids. You did a great job!

Maya: You're welcome. It was soooo much work.

Me: Yes I know.

Maya: Nooooo you don't. It was really hard.

Me: Yes, I KNOW.

Maya: Nooooo you don't. They didn't always listen and sometimes I had to keep repeating myself until they listened to me.

Me: Blank stare at the girl.

Maya: It was a lot of work.

Me: Welcome to my world. This is how you and your brother are EVERYDAY so yes.... I DO know how much work it is and how you &Ben don't always listen and I have to repeat myself until you listen. Don't tell me I don't know how hard it is.

Maya: Mooooooom. (Punches me in the arm)

Why I love Oregon ~

Being a recent transplant from California, what I love about Oregon is its natural beauty. Carlsbad has wonderful sunshine, beaches and palm trees but everything is brought in and maintained with lots of effort. The only natural thing about Carlsbad is scrub brush and rattlesnakes. Well of course the beaches too. They weren't brought in. But everything else you see is not from Carlsbad. Including most of the people. Ha!

Here in Oregon we have seasons. A reason to slow down, snuggle in and breath a little. For me that was hard to do when the sun was shining and there was no physical reason not to be out and about 'doing'. Here there's Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. There's new growth, sunshine, leaves changing colors and snow! There's also LOTS of rain. Not as much as some of the surrounding areas in the Pacific NW but way more than I was used to in CA. This is where the natural beauty comes in.

If there's a grain of dirt, something will grown on it. Plant life grows ON trees, IN fallen logs, THRU the concrete, IN the water and just about anywhere you can think of. NOTHING stops something from growing.

There are beautiful streams, rivers, lakes, waterfalls on the side of everyday traveled roads, freeways thru a forest, tunnels thru mountains, wild roses, wild sweet peas, trees, trees and more trees. I never tire of the natural beauty here. There's a postcard scene around every corner. I highly recommend Oregon.