The end to a perfect day

I've decided that while the perfect end to a perfect afternoon is making a new friend, it should NOT to be done the way I did it tonight. As I pulled onto the freeway to make my way home, I pushed play on a book on CD that was just hitting the good part, and cruised along behind a fellow driver. Unfortunately, the "friend" I made was cruising along behind me at that point, and made herself known with flashing blue and red lights. After handing over my license and registration and answering the usual questions about why I was going so fast (72 in a 55) and where I was going (home after swimming all afternoon), I was rewarded upon her return to my window with a warning. Thank goodness for friends!

I've missed your old friend...

A couple of weeks into summer I got a text message from A. It was a picture of the To pool, under it said, "I miss you!"
Today Lisa To got a message "Is it okay if I come visit the pool - and you guys ;) - with A this afternoon?"
The following text was received "You are always welcome to hang at the To pool."

Today the pool and I rekindled our friendship. There was splashing, laughing, and sun bathing. A and I also enjoyed some much needed friend time over cheese, crackers, and berries. From the edge of the pool, we watched the sun descend below the hills and commented, "I love summer!"

Last Weekend

Saturday:

I worked and then went on a shopping spree (a early anniversary present).

Sunday:

Church then a killer softball game. Killer = they killed us. :) Then a trip to Portland for the tradition of seeing the Harry Potter movies with Z&A. But no fight scene??? We were a little disappointed.

Monday:

After waking up at 7 in the morning at the Banker abode, I enjoyed a leisurely morning with tea, toast and my book while I waited to Amanda to wake from her "nap" after taking Z to the airport at four in the morning. Then it was another of the great adventures of A&M! While our tube supplier was MIA, we searched around town for ANYTHING to float down the Sandy River on. Finally settling on some nice pool floats, we attacked the river. In attacked, I mean meandered, walked, and bumped our way down the river. Three hours later, we were content, a little cold, and glad to have checked one more thing off of our "to do" list. We also decided that while it was fun on our little pool floats, it would have been a little better with actual inner tubes. :)

All Around the Town

Stephanie and Corbett join us, on Sunday, for exploring McMinnville. We started with breakfast at Wild Wood. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite restaurant in town.

There were quite a few "Corbett" pictures. As in, Corbett just points the camera from whatever angle he wants and shoots. There are always some very interesting pictures resulting. :)

After breakfast we took to the streets. This weekend was "Who's on Third?". It's a traditional festival celebrating McMinnville. Third street is the main historical downtown area. The whole street was blocked for the weekend with artist booths, vendors, sidewalk sales, and musicians.

Corbett and Stephanie were entering a raffle for a new guitar.

These two little girls were "helping" one of the artists with a watercolor. I just couldn't help but take their picture.

This kiddo was just too cute with his ice cream cone. When I asked if I could take his picture he just grinned and nodded. It was when I showed him the picture that I really wished I could catch him, he had the cutest grin. As I walked away he kept saying "Thank you!" :)

We convinced Corbett to try the bull. This was the only picture I got. :)

I should have known better than to have them pose.

Random collections

A couple of years ago, Mike got some records as a gag gift. There was a Donny Osmond and a Partridge Family. They hung on the wall in our old apartment. After that when we would find fun records at garage sales we would pick them up and they would be added to the collection. Slowly added were Frank Sinatra and some Johny Cash. The collection has been growing lately. I told Mike a while back that while the random collection was fun, I really wanted to actually listen to some of these records now.

On Friday morning Mike headed to an estate sale in town to check it out. He called me with the info that there was a record player there for $20! I called him back and left a message to get it. Unfortunately he didn't get the message until he was at work, but Saturday he headed back to see if it was still there. It was! I get a message while at work that it's loaded in his car along with a record holder and all the records they had left. They had wanted to get rid of it so badly we got the whole collection for $15! His comment that he would need help unloading it from his car when he got home made me pause. This is what I found upon unloading:

It's a whole console! It works wonderfully and is positioned in the dining room. I now get some sweet music while working in the kitchen! It has a radio and...

an eight track! Crazy!!! We don't have any 8-tracks, but maybe that will be the next collection. ;)

Mike had to teach me how to use the record player, but once that was done I've LOVED listening to all of our records. Though in the collection we got with the player is a lot of organ music and polkas...not to sure I'll be listening to those anytime soon. :)

Playing Possum...

Friday night I was getting ready for bed when I heard Mike saying "Get it Oliver, get it!" I emerged from the bathroom wondering what the heck was going on. When I asked, I was informed that something ("a giant rat, raccoon, or maybe a possum") was hiding behind the grill on the patio. Oliver was too scared to go chase it out, but kept on sniffin' the front of the grill. Mike moved the grill enough to stick the camera back behind the grill and take a picture to try to figure out what it was.


At this point I couldn't tell if it was a giant rat or a possum so I went scurrying inside. I wasn't going to have some rodent jump out and bite my toes!

I decided to document the process from inside, but soon realized I had to at least open the screen. My flash was reflecting and I couldn't seen a darn thing!

Mike was trying to use the flash light to figure out what was back behind the grill. When I asked why he wasn't closer, his response was "I'm not blocking it's escape path!"

Finally Mike layed down on the ground and took a picture (from a ways away) under the grill. It WAS a possum. "Are possums dangerous?" "No, ever heard the term 'playing possum'. They play dead as their defense mechanism." "Oh, so it's okay for Oliver to be getting closer sniffing him." "Oh yeah, Oliver won't hurt him and he'll ignore Oliver." Or so Mike said. Two minutes later I hear, "Oh come on Oliver!" as they both run for the door. Apparently this Possum wasn't going to play dead any longer!

A busy weekend!

Saturday started out with work and a LARGE coffee. Once I was home from the work day, I made a salad for Sunday's church picnic and waited for Mike to get home from work. We planned to go to the Mac fireworks display. Once we were there and got settled (after waiting in half hour of traffic) we hung out for a while until the display started. They weren't that great, but Mike and I had fun together. Though, on our way out we decided that if the display is at the Evergreen Museum next year we're not going. We had to sit in traffic for over an hour to get out of the parking lot.

Sunday, after church, we had our 4th of July picnic. I made my favorite dessert type salad and a huge 5 gallon cooler of lemonade. We hung out at the park, eating and laughing.

We then rushed to the other half of the park for our softball game. We didn't win, but had fun. I even hit the ball and got on first, then got to third on the next hit. It was a lot of fun! :)

After the ball game, we came home for some naps and relaxing before our big night out.

A couple months ago I was driving to work and drove past the Drive-in theater in Newberg. I hadn't been to a drive in since high school at my grandma's house. I suddenly wanted to go again. So last night Mike and I packed up the car to spend a night at the movies. We packed a picnic supper, blankets, cards, and took off for the drive in. Playing was "Up" and "The Proposal". Both movies were spectacular! We laughed and almost cried. We even saw a Greece acting troop wondering the grounds. It was a great date night.

After not getting home till 2:00 this morning and in bed till 2:30, it's been a lazy day. I got the oil changed in my car and then been sitting on the couch. I hope your Independence Day weekend was just as exciting!

Oliver

Laying in the sun takes a lot out of you. :)

Seminary Reunion

Last spring the guys graduated seminary, the "Sugar Momas" slowly started to become real mamas, jobs were found, and slowly the group parted ways. We had all survived the last three years with the encouragement, prayers, and game nights had with our friends. We are spread all over the U.S. Only a couple of us have stayed in the area.

About a month ago we got a call from our friends, Dave and Erin, saying that our other friends, Luke and Virginia, would be in town the end of June. We commenced with planning a BBQ to get together while they are in town. As the time grew nearer it was discovered that another set of friends would also be in town that same week, hence the "Seminary Reunion."

Sunday arrived and we headed to Portland. We met up at Dave and Erin's apartment with: Luke and Virginia + Ellyann, Ford, and Zach and Amanda. We laughed, reminisced, played games, and talked about our lives at the moment. And when it was time to trek home, there were tears shed. Not everyone of our friends from seminary was there, some are still in there corner of the country, but we had a good group.

Luke and Virginia + Ellyann will head back to California and to hopefully a job. Ford and Lyndsey will head back to North Carolina and welcome baby #2 in a few months. Dave and Erin are talking about school in Scotland. And Zach and Amanda are looking forward to hearing for sure about Mali.

Mike and I will hold down the fort in Oregon. We'll keep trying to figure out what God has next for our lives. And we'll keep praying for and encouraging those seminary friends no matter where in the world they end up.

Thanks for the laughs last night friends. We'll miss you, but know that the table is always open for a game night. :)

Spirit Week

We had our annual softball game - "Duel at the Diamond" - against Cherry Wood this week. To help boost our spirit for the game (after last years slaughtering we needed a some encouragement) we had SPIRIT WEEK. Did you remember Spirit week from high school? We always had it the week of homecoming. Each day was a different theme that everyone dressed up for. Well, we had Spirit Week at work. Some days were lots of fun, while others were just plain silly. Originally I set out to capture my outfits for everyday, it didn't happen. I just got Tuesday (Tacky Day) and Thursday (Hawaiian day). Enjoy some laughter. :)

Oliver just felt the need to be included in this picture, every time Hubby tried to call him, he would just walk right back to me.

Dana and I decided that Stephanie was the winner in the tacky department. :)

We had decorated the whole dinning room for Hawaiian day, partially because we had our Luau for happy hour on Friday. Stephanie and I thought this was the best place to pose.

Monday was Wacky Hat day (I don't work Monday's, so I missed this one all together). Tuesday Tacky day. Wednesday was Blue day (our team color is blue). Thursday was Hawaiian day. And Friday was Sports day. It was a fun, but very busy, week!

June in a nutshell?

I told A the other day that my problem with blogging is the fact that interesting things only happen in my life about every other weekend. Hence the lack of posts again.

The beginning of the month started with a visit from the family. Hubby's mom, two sisters, and nephew all crowded into our place, filling it with laughter and games, and left us exhausted. :)

The day after the circus left our house I joined A at the Iris gardens in Salem. I've never seen anything like it. So much color and so peaceful. A and I had a great time wondering, photographing, playing "Marco, Polo", and talking about life. Enjoy!

*No commentary to follow, just follow the pictures*