Go Tigard!

I made it to a freshman game at Tigard Thursday night. 

Perfect night to enjoy some football.

The score was in our favor!

As they went in for halftime Mark needed to give a message to the guys in the crows nest. 

I was laughing at the different signals he was sending: I wish I would have taped them!

Mark loves coaching football. 

Tigard won.  All is well in the world.

Wel, at least until next week's game!

Go Tigard!!!

Dad and friends.

I love this picture: it's posted on our Relay For Life page for Beaverton and there are so many special and wonderful people in this picture.

And yeah Dad: I mean you too.

Love you.

Hey look Dad!

Hey Dad, look at your baby girl now!

Ha!

Funny Relay moments are the best!!!!!!!!!

Petey bakes a cookie

My friend Charlie gave me a new friend: Petey.  He may look like a kitchen timer to you, but to me he's a friend to hang out with while I bake.   I always take him to the RMH with me on Wednesday, and this last week he wanted to have a more active part in the baking.  I told him it wouldn't quite work out.  He was a bit upset.

He needed someone to talk to, so I suggested he go and talk with Ronald.  They talked, and Ronald assured him that timing the cookies was important.  Who wants to eat a burnt cookie?  Petey realized this was true, and he felt much better.  He had to get back to the kitchen: he had a job to do!

In the dining room Petey loves all the colors and pictures.  This is one of his favorites.  He thinkis of our friend Kathy whenever he sees ths.

He asked if I could have his name put on the board with mine: for gosh sakes, didn't they know that he was a major part of the baking?  I told him this could happen. 

Petey was so proud of how nicely the cookies came out.  He'd done his job!

When we got home he showed his friends pictures of our adventures.  I had to explain that they all couldn't go to the House.  I'll have to think of someplace to take them all.  Should be interesting!

After hearing all about it Deacon decided he needed to show his support for the House.

What a good dog he is.  Too bad he can't go help at the House!

Swifts in flight

This is when the Swifts started flying into the chimney.  They began to funnel in, and it was pretty amazing.  My camera coudn't do it justice!

Swifts and Portland are a winning combination.

Saturday night we picked up Cari at Nationale, where she's having her show. 

I love this sign from the store next door.

Cari was wrapping up the day, and getting ready to leave for Amsterdam on Sunday.  So, she asked if we would like to go and see the Swifts.  Mark and I thought it was a rock band, but it was really some birds that while migrating roost in a chimney in a local school.

I'd heard of it before, but I'd never been.

You can find information about this amazing event here:  http://audubonportland.org/local-birding/swiftwatch

I followed as Cari and Mark led the way.

There were SO many people there, but we still managed to get a good view of the chimney.  You can't believe how many birds were there!  And there's a hawk that shows up every night, looking for 'dinner', and the crowd cheers as he swoops and dives.

So glad we got to spend this evening with our best girl.

On the walk back to the car we saw this 'knit bomb' on a stop sign. So clever!

Joseph rocks!

When I went to pick up Cari at the house she was staying at, I loved the 'thank you' note she left for Tom and Andrea.

How cool is this?

When we went to Joseph the first place we went in was a quilt store. I thought of Kathy of course!

And we checked out the art.  Lots of art to be seen!

Hmmm....wonder why I like this sign?

Joseph is a nice little town.  But boy, it is little.

We drove to the lake to check it out.

And Cari found a big ole chair.

We took a tram ride.  I was a bit nervous on the way up.  I admit it.

Cari LOVED it!  She really did.

It was a beautiful view on the journey up.

Cari and I hiked.

We saw mountains.

And chipmunks.

Now I was nervous on the way up, but on the way down I was just fine.  Go figure!

A wedding filled with love.

Cari and I went to Joseph, Oregon for the wedding of her friends Erica and Tyler.

The wedding was held at Erica's parent's home.  What a wonderful, loving, lovely, peaceful setting.

One of the nicest weddings I've ever been to.

Erica was escorted by her parents.  Isn't she beautiful?  And her parents were so proud and happy/

Erica's Dad shared a story on comparing a three legged race with a burlap sack and marriage.

Funny!!  And many true points.

Me and my lovely girl.  I loved very moment spent with her.

Liked the lighting in the tree.

The wedding party.

Cari signed as a witness.

As evening fell the lights came up and the party continued on. 

Much dancing, and eating (LOTS of PIE) and drinking and laughing and happiness took place.

The tables were planks from the floor of the barn.  Tyler put a lot of work into this and it showed.

Aren't country weddings amazing?

Breaking Bad Cari Style

Doug and I went to the opening of Cari's latest show 'Breaking Bad' in downtown Portland at

Doug was a good sport about letting me take his picture admiring some of the masks Cari created.

It was so nice to attend with Doug.   I love my kids, and getting to spend some time with him was a joy.

So I tried not being too much of a dork with taking lots of pictures.

I didn't get any of Cari. She was SO busy greeting folks, and chatting with the folks attending

that I didn't want to take pictures and betray someone's privacy.

But she was glowing, enjoying the moment, and I loved that.

She was working on these chains while we were in Amsterdam.

Mark and Cari discussed ways for her to fire the chains, and I know he enjoyed talking with Cari about her work

and he LOVED that she listened to him and cared about what he had to say.

A lovely memory to hold onto.

Doug and I didn't stay long because it was hot, and Cari was so busy meeting and greeting.

I had a great time:

I got to say hello to  Juliette, the owner of Nationale. 

I got to get a hug from Suzette (and we should do lunch sometime soon....just saying....).

I got to meet some of Cari's friends.

I got to hang out with Doug, and talk on the way there, and on the way home.  Loved that.

And I got to see Cari in her element. 

Wonderful evening.  Wonderful.