Our Summer of 2009

Boy, this summer has sure gone by fast. Gideon wants to take so many accelerated classes next year and so he spent the month of June all day taking two summer school classes and no less than expected from A's for both Technical Reading and Speech. Jeremiah has spsent his time playing with friends, playing video games and watching I think every DVD we own. Me I have spent the summer working at the hospital and loving it!

Our biggest adventure was a week spent in Oregon in the middle of July. Our first day we drove from Boise to Eugene, Oregon; part of the drive was so boring I thought if something doesn't change I will drive off the next cliff I can find. But then comes Bend, OR up high in the Cascade Mtns and all the way down the mountains to Eugene was beautiful. Both the boys travel well; except of course we all get bored; from Jeremiah wanting us to smell his finger (not a good idea, not sure we it has been) to Gideon deciding that it should be time for me to teach him to drive (did not happen on this trip) to me singing and dancing for the boys (or as they put it it looks more like mom is having a siezure). Eugene sits at the base of the Cascade Mtns and is the home to the University of Oregon; so Sunday morning we walked around the campus it is a beautiful campus with lots of old buildings. While in Eugene we saw quite a diversity of people and at one point Gideon says mom I think the whole black population of Boise just went into that resturant. Definitely, more diverse than what were used to. Then it was off to Florence, Oregon.

Florence is on the coast, oh the beautiful ocean, I don't know how one could ever tire of such beauty and grace. In Florence we went to the Sea Lion Cave, you ride a elevator 12 stories down and and there is a cave we the sea lions come to get out of the rough waters; although a little on the smelly side it was amazing to see.

Next, we drove up the coast to Lincoln City, Oregon where we would be staying for the next four days. Can I just tell you again how much I love the ocean and its beuty and the next thing about driving up the Oregon coast is on one side you have the ocean and the other is moutains with tons of trees. AFter a late lunch and early dinner we hit the outlet mall to get the boys a few things for school. Then we came back and walked along sand and just took in the smell and beauty. Our condo we rented was at the South end of Lincoln City and sits right on Sitz Bay 2 low tides a day so one could walk out very far and across a little inlet right into the ocean.

Monday, we spent the day in Newport Beach, first stop was the Aquina Light House, it has a spiral staircase with 105 steps and we all climb up and were able to look out the top of the light house. It was amazing! The Oregon Coast Aquarium was next on our stop; we all just love being able to see the many different types of underwater life there is and the seals, otters, etc. The aquarium has a water tunnel (3 of them) where the fish are swimming all around you on top and underneath you it was the highlight of the aquarium. We ate our sandwiches and chips in the car as we traveled from place to place and the next stop would be the warf in Newport. Fun, crazy little shops that reminded of a smaller Fisherman's warf. Here we also had a tour of the wax musuemm and although this is not my thing it was pretty interesting to see the wax figures look so life like and the boys loved it. The evening was spent with a walk along the beach and ice cream.

Tuesday, I spent some time going to some of the shops in Lincoln City all by myself it was very enjoyable and I love the Christmas store with all its ornaments there was so many it was hard to narrow down my selection. We spent the afternoon on the beach it was foggee and the water was freezing but as you will see in the pictures it did not stop Gideon and Jeremiah. I would say they were frozen like a fudgecicles. That night we were all very tired and sad that our time in Lincoln City was coming to close.

Wednesday, we continued North on journey to Tillamock and the famous cheese factory where Tillamock cheese, ice cream and many other things are made. Of course we had to have some ice cream and then is was back in the car to head to Salem. My friend Amy, her husband Kim and their two boys Caleb and Max live there and I had not seen Amy in over 10 years and had never met her boys. We had so much fun visiting with them. Kim and my boys played video games I think that was Kim's highlight for the week. We were able to spend the night with them which was very nice of them to let us do.

Thursday, we went to the Portland Zoo. This zoo was wonderful, Gideon and Jeremiah have only been to the Boise and Salt Lake Zoo's; I have been to a few others but I was still impressed, the layout was unique in that you felt like you were walking into the animals actual habitat. We loved the zoo and I am glad we decided to do it because it top off our vacaction. From here we drove to Pendleton, Oregon heading East to go home; we drove right along the Columbia River and it was so beautiful. We spent the night in Pendleton, but it was uneventful and in the morning would head home for Boise.