bring on spring

Hello again.  Long time.  No Blogging.  It feels like most of my favourite bloggers and myself are a little distracted with other things in their lives these days and blogging has taken a back seat for a while.  Has Pinterest, Instagram etc become the quicker easier social media fix these days?  Anyway, I'm here and if you're reading this, then you are too and that's great.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Spring is teasing us.  Two days of sun. Two days of rain.  Blossom on the trees.  Wind blowing gale.  Light jackets.  Scarves.  Heating on.  Doors and windows thrown open!  Argh!   Thursday we are supposed to hit 84 degrees, but just for one day!  Let's just get on with it and bring on Spring in full force please!

Spring Break has been and gone in a flash.  We had a wonderful family trip to Arizona (in search of sunshine of course), and it did not disappoint.  Yes, yes, we all know how bad the sun is for our skin, but it felt oh so good to feel the warmth on my skin again.  The need to wear sunglasses, sun screen and light breezy clothes, and to sip Margaritas and eat tacos sitting outside in beautifully lit terraces as the sun set.  Palm trees swaying and cacti blossoming.  Heaven after the grey wet PNW these past few months.

Six days in a fun hotel with pools and lazy river and more pools, split in the middle with a three day trip to the Grand Canyon.  And WOW!  Just WOW!  What an amazing place.  It was the first visit to the GC for myself and the kiddos.  The Huzz and been 20+ years ago.  Incredible.  Vast.  Stunning and so changeable throughout the day.  We did a 40 minute flight in an eight seater plane over the South Rim and Eastside.  I did great for 20 minutes.  The next 20 minutes were mostly spent looking into a brown paper bag!  Motion sickness I hate you!  The rest of the trip was stunning.

Back home and life has taken on that count down to the end of the school year!  Did I really say that? It's hard to believe that June 17th will be here before we know it and my kids will have finished 1st and 7th Grades!  

We've finished Basketball season (2nd place, hurrah),and we are just starting Track & Field season for the teenager.  New spiked running shoes are in the house.  Personal Bests are being discussed.  He did so great in his first season last year.  Here's hoping he loves and and does just as well this year.   I know I love watching him and yes I'll be that mum bellowing from the bleachers in my best English voice, getting looks from the other parents and daggers from the boy!

Spring Cleaning has taken a hold of me!  Trying to get stuff done before the good weather arrives and I want nothing more to do inside our home.  A repaint and rearrangement of Ruby's bedroom has long been discussed and is so overdue.  Lots of decisions on artwork to be made - the Huzz has a vast collection of photographs that we'd love to get onto large canvas.  Yard landscaping will be tackled too.  And that's just to get us going.

Here's to Springtime and warmer days.

a christmas recap

Welcome to 2016.

Ok we are 11 days in, but it's still all new isn't it.

We arrived back home in Portland on 1st January (at 11.57pm to be precise), returning from a fabulous busy family fun filled two weeks in the UK.  A trip long awaited and that of course went by in a flash of partying, feasting, drinking, feasting, gift opening, festivities, fireworks and did I mention feasting!

London looked fab, of course.  Street lights, Christmas trees, wonderfully decorated store windows.  My only regret was that we didn't have time to see more.

I really loved taking the kids to a Christmas Eve carol service gathering outside the local church.  With my mulled wine in hand and singing all carols (very) loud and clear!  My son, now 13 and full of runaway hormones, had a look caught somewhere between embrarrassment and amusement looking on at us.  My kids hadn't ever attended a carol service, so this was a totally new and wonderful experience for them.  I shall be seeking out more in their future.

Days rolled into one another.  Family, friends, cousins meeting cousins for the first time, seeing aunts and uncles that we hadn't seen for more than 4 years in some cases.  Sadly not seeing everyone we'd hoped to.  Feeling we are missing being closer to everyone.  Holding on extra long for goodbye hugs.  Tears or laughter, joy and sadness.

Lots of champagne, gin and tonics, sausage rolls, mince pies and chocolates!

It was a Christmas well spent.

Wishing you a wonderful year ahead filled with good things.

X X X

summertime blues

It's been an absolute age since I've been here.  Bloggers Block? Or a Summer Siesta?

I'm not feeling too blue about it though. This summer has been magnificent.  Talk about endless.  We have been spoilt with glorious days of blue sky, and I do believe a consecutive 19 days of 90+ degrees, with the rest not far off.  When it got a little too much (and I know I really shouldn't be complaining) and we had a couple of days of cloudy skies with a few showers and temps dropping to low 70s, it was enjoyed.  However, I wasn't quite ready for cooler days just yet.

Of course there is downside of this wonderful summer.  The lack of rain in Oregon has increased the wildfires substantially here in the Pacific Northwest I have never seen the countryside so parched.  And seeing on the news the fires that have destroyed more than a million acres of land, homes, old wooden bridges and more is frightening. Even though not on our doorstep, we could smell the smoke in the air and the smoke pollution on a few days was quite visible hanging over the city.  Thoughts always go to those in danger and those risking their lives to help.  So for this reason the rain that's arrived this past couple of days has been more than welcome.

For us it was a Staycation this year.  Lovely family came visiting from the UK and stayed with us for 10 days which meant lots of day trips, cousins getting lots of overdue time to play together, lazy dinners late into the evening, board games, movies, gin & tonics (plenty!) and a great time together.  My kids were at a few summer camps ranging from camping in the San Juan islands, to an art camp and lots of clay creations coming home every day!  A multi-sports camp and a beginners sailing camp (I love that they get to try out new stuff each year).  Plenty of sleepovers with friends, grilling outside almost every day, camping, summer movies and messing about in boats.  And of course lots of beach and pool days, keeping cool and in some cases escaping the heat of Portland for the cooler temperatures at the coast.

With just over a week to go until BTS (back-to-school) we have a camping trip, a 7th birthday celebration slumber party and school picnic to enjoy.  Fun up to the last minute and plenty of good memories of a great summer to carry us through what we know will feel like a long damp Fall and Winter.

Hope you're enjoying your last days of summer as much as we are…

sunshine state of mind

We have just returned from a family vacation in Florida.  Visiting an old favorite place, staying in the same familiar blue and white beach cottage.  Walking the same path to the beach.  Visiting tried and tested restaurants, cafes, doughnut shops and beaches.  All lovingly familiar and making us feel right at home immediately on arrival.

We've stayed at Indian Rocks Beach on the Gulf Coast 6 times now.  We vacationed in other places for  the past two years and thought we wouldn't miss our little beach cottage.  But we did. Of course.  The sun shone and we all have a healthy 'glow' to bring us into the summer and outdoor pool time once again. We are rested from lazy mornings, exercise really not much more than walking to the beach and along the beach!

The light in Florida is amazing, giving photographs that beautiful brightness that you see in magazine spreads.  Greens are greener.  Blues more azure.  White sand so soft, almost like flour, reflecting the sunlight.  

My favorite meals always include coconut shrimp and Grouper fish tacos!  Of course, a Margarita or two on the side is the perfect partner!  Some local live band playing (not always good) music and the warm air and sunset.  I could live here, without a doubt.

We're already planning a return trip next year.

H a p p y   M o n d a y.

missing mum

It is 4 years today since my mum passed away.  These days, weeks, months and now years have passed by in a flash.  Sometimes it feels like yesterday.  Sometimes it feels much longer than 4 years ago.   Life happens and here we are 4 years later.

So many times I wish I could pick up the phone and tell her about my day.  Talk about the things my kiddos are up to.  To take her on a trip.  Spend time together.

Since she passed away, a few of her friends have also lost their lives.  I like to think of them all, somewhere, enjoying each other's company again.  Drinking tea.  Smiling.  Laughing.  Free of all the pain they had to endure.

Miss you Mum.

X X X

off to kindergarten

Today was the day!  That first step out into the world of Big School.  She was so ready for this next step and all went smoothly and she came home just as happy as she did went she left.

The school bus, eating lunch in the 20 minutes they have, 3 recess breaks (quite the high-light!), music lesson, helping the teacher, writing out the month calender.  She did it all.

More than a few tears came to my eyes throughout the day thinking of her in her classroom.  Learning how it all works in class, listening, raising her hand, walking in line, waiting her turn, not burst into song every now and then (it can often feel like we live in an opera with this singing girl!).

She did great.  And I did great too!  Long may it continue!

arty party

So my little girl is 'almost six'.  Not quite there yet, but good enough!  Her birthday falls on the back to school day and with Labor Day weekend just before, its not the best time for a birthday bash.  So this past Saturday we celebrated her 'Almost 6 Birthday' with 6 of her girl friends.

Arty Party was the theme.  Freestyle canvas painting to start with, then a color-by-numbers canvas painting followed with decorating little note books and bookmarks.  Arty activities were interspersed with bashing the life out of a butterfly piñata (those girls are strong!), cake, photos and gift opening!  A fun (and not too messy!) time was had by all.

It's still beyond me that she is almost 6 and starting Kindergarten in a week's time!

summer road tripping part I

Our family really loves a road trip.  A loaded up car.  Bikes on the back.  Box on the top.  Iphones with great playlists.  Movies loaded on iPads to keep kids going (eye spy only lasts a short time these days!). Not forgetting all kinds of snacks, candy and treats to pass those hours.

This year we headed to Northern California, coastal and inland.  Then to Southern and Central Oregon.  1800 miles.  4 overnight locations = 4 mini vacations.  A great mix of tent camping, a cabin by a lake and a couple of hotels (to ease that aching back from camping and to get a super hot shower and sleep in crispy clean white sheets - bliss!).

So much to see, do, experience and enjoy.  There is nothing like a road trip in the US.  The ease of driving makes such a difference.  Endless roads, many with just us travelling on them.  Amazing scenery - trees as far as the eye can see, crystal clear rivers, mountains, lakes and wildlife.  We've been swimming in lakes, rivers, the ocean and pools. The kiddos have tried to catch fish, crawfish, toad, chipmunks, gophers and tadpoles - the most successful was the crayfish when they caught enough for lunch on two days!

The kids have enough scrapes, bruises, blisters and tan lines to show they've really lived outdoors these past two weeks. Screens only during travelling time.  The rest of their days spent cycling, playing games in grassy campsites with newly made friends until the sun has set, trying to climb rocks or jump off them, making campfires, exploring rivers and lakes, toasting way too many marshmallows.  Great memories.

I hope you'll indulge me as I post more than enough photographs ….

First up…  A little town named Cottage Grove in Oregon.  Most well know for its six 'Covered Bridges'.  A perfect stop after 2.5 hours driving.  Lunch, a drive around the town finding the 6 covered bridges.  And a few rides at the fair ground.  There's also lots of murals painted on buildings which made turning every corner a surprise.

 

   

 

And then we moved onto the Redwoods and our first camp site at the coast…

To be continued ...

Hope your summer is going great and is filled with all good things.

4th july rodeo and funfair

4th July at the St Paul Rodeo.  A real taste of Americana.  Even on the drive over, we had Bruce Springsteen on full blast and the Huzz and son were wearing their Stetsons in the car!

It's such a fun day.  The fabulous people watching opportunities, particularly the men, that wear their very best shirts, new boots, matching belts and of course a great Stetson.  Lots of rides on the fun fair for the kids.  BBQ'd pulled pork, ribs or spicy sausages.  And of course the rodeo itself, with those wild horses, brave riders, lasso skills and speed of the women riders.

Fireworks, stars and stripes everywhere and such a wonderful patriotic spirit makes this whole event such a feel good day.

We have so many photographs, that it was hard to pick which ones to post….  here's a few.

Hope you had a fabulous weekend.