Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Memorial Weekend Trip

After having a lazy day on Saturday, which was greatly needed and enjoyable, we decided that we wanted to go and see some of the things that were on our list to do while we are here in Washington! Sunday morning we packed our bags, got in the car, and headed for Oregon to drive along the Columbia Gorge! The first stop that we went to was that we went and looked at the Bridge of the Gods, which is a bridge that crosses over the Columbia River that connects Oregon to Washington. The bridge was just really awesome looking, the part that you drive was completely see through, so that is does not freeze in the winter! It was very interesting! Then we went on to the Bonneville Dam! We took a tour of the dam here, and then went down to the fish finding windows under the dam to look for fish! Then when we were heading out, we decided to stop and look at one of the locks of the dam, and they were getting ready to open the lock and let a barge and tug boat pass through the dam, it was awesome! I have never actually seen it before, and so it was a great experience! Riley loved looking down into the water!! Then after the dam, we went over to tour the Bonneville Fish Hatchery. It was very interesting! We got to see a LOT of fish, and some HUGE fish at that!!! Riley wanted to go swimming with the 'ish'!! After the fish hatchery, we went on our journey along the different water falls that are along the gorge. They were absolutely breath takingly beautiful!!! Some of the waterfalls we visible along the road and others we had to hike to, which was very interesting and challenging with a 17 month old and a stroller or dad carrying her! But in the end it was all worth it, but we were all exhausted at the end of the day. We went and saw a total of 5 waterfalls in all! After an exhausting day getting in and out of the car and hiking, etc. We decided to go to Portland to eat dinner! Scott called a friend of his to find out a good place to eat, and so we went and ate at Laurelwood Pizza and Brewery, and it was yummy! After dinner we went to Hood River to check into our hotel at the Best Western on the river...it was awesome! Outside the hotel we could see the Columbia River and Mt. Hood! It was beautiful! After a long and exhausting day we had a great nights sleep, and we did not wake up until 8am, can you believe it, Scott slept till 8am!! I am training him good!! Then on Monday we went across the river on a HUGE bridge, if you know me you know bridges are not my favorite thing, and then we went and saw the three largest mountains in Washington. We saw Mt. St. Helens, which is an active Volcano, SCARY! Then we also went and saw Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier! It was a very long day of driving, but we got to see some beautiful country and mountains! Riley was such a great trooper with all the driving and exploring!

Splish Splash at the Waterpark

Yeah! Scott did not have to work this weekend, ad so we had a GREAT weekend! Saturday he just wanted to be LAZY and do plan nothing, and just do what we wanted when we wanted! He hasn't gotten to so that in a REALLY long time! So that is what we did. We got up, lounged around for a while, and then we decided to take Riley to the HUGE park on the Columbia River. They have a huge fort play area for the kids to play in, and then they also have a water park. Yes, Riley had her first experience at the water park! It was so funny. Most of the time she just stood in one place and let it hit her, and wonder where the water was coming from? Then towards the end she would walk around in it and try to grab the water! She had a GREAT time! We are going to have to go more often!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Relaxing Weekend!!

We had a nice relaxing weekend, finally!!! We just hung around and did whatever, whenever we wanted. One of Scott's co-workers and hunting buddy, Cory, came up this past week to help Scott and work, and so he stayed with us! We had lots of fun all playing in the evenings! Saturday, Scott and Cory had to work, and so Riley and I went to the park and played, and she had a good time making new friends and going down the slide! Then on Sunday; Cory, Scott and Riley went to the Gun Show here is Pasco and then went to McDonald's for lunch! YEAH!!! They said that is was a REALLY small show, and so they did not stay long, but had fun! While they were out, I enjoyed a morning to my self around the house, and then I went and got a pedicure! WOOHOO!!! It was soooo nice! It had been a while, and it was CHEAP!!! A lot of thing are more expensive up here, but you can get a GOOD pedicure up her for $20. I may go more often! Once a week...lol....just kidding!!! Then that evening we played in the back yard and grilled steaks and had baked potatoes! It was awesome! We needed this nice relaxing weekend!
YEAH...we get to go to the park!!!!

This twirly slide was her favorite, and the hardest to get to...imagine that! LOL!
Sometimes she came out head first, feet first, side ways.....it was too funny!

Peek - A - Boo
We had to walk around and find Dandelions so that she could blow them!!

She loved this flower that was in the Water Park there!
Trying to drink and walk as we are leaving the park...fell down a few times but kept trying!
Thank you Nana & Pappy for my cute outfit and shoes!!! Darn I'm Cute!!!

Headed to the Gun Show!!

Cory and Riley

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Picture Perfect

Last week Riley wanted to color, and so I got out her GIANT Princess coloring book that Easter Bunny got her, and she spent about 30 minutes coloring Cinderella! It was so funny, I put the coloring book on the floor, and she would get a color and lay down on top of the coloring book and color a little section, and then she would stand up and get a different color from me, and then lay back done on top of the coloring book and color a different section! She knew that she had to tackle this HUGE project, and she did!! But of course it was not complete until she put her stickers on it! She absolutely LOVES to play with stickers!! I have to manage the stickers; she can only have so many at certain times; otherwise they would be EVERYWHERE!!!! We were all so proud of her beautiful picture that I taped it up on the closet door in the living room, and she tells her daddy about it every day when he gets home from work, and admires it often! Just thought I would share her picture! She did a GREAT job!!


My Mother's Day Blessings

I hope that all my mom friends and family had a wonderful Mother's Day! I had a wonderful weekend spending time with my wonderful husband and sweet blessing of a daughter! I feel so honored and blessed to be her mommy, and am enjoying every minute of it! Although there are stressful and frustrating times, there are way more happy, joyous, memorable moments that out weigh the other! Although we were in Washington for Mother's Day, and did not get to see mine or Scott's mom, we got to see them on the web cams that we got them for Mother's Day! That was so awesome....it is so neat that we get to see and talk to each other; and Riley LOVES it!!! She comes up to the computer and goes through a roll call of everyone she has seen on the web cams to see if they will just magically pop up! It is really cute! Scott and Riley pampered and spoiled me on Mother's Day, and I enjoyed every minute of it! Scott and Riley got up Saturday morning and washed my car, polished my leather, and cleaned the wheels! That gave me some much needed alone time, and they also worked very hard cleaning my car! It was great! Then that afternoon after Riley's nap we headed to Walla Walla, WA where they were having there 35Th Annual Hot Air Balloon Stampede; it was about an hour away! We had read all about it, and there was a car show, children's museum, arts and crafts show, hot air balloons, fire works, concerts, etc. We were looking forward to a fun filled afternoon.......well......things didn't turn out the way we had planned. The car show was over, and we got to see the cars driving away as we were arriving, the children's museum had closed at 3pm and it was 3:05pm, the arts and craft show was a garage sale, and there were no hot air balloons to be seen. So we decided that we would get something to eat to try and waste some time, because it was still 3 hours until the concert and fireworks. When we went to check out the food, it was a bunch of those taco stands on wheels ( the roach coaches if you will). I refused to eat at one of them, so we found one set up that looked like the knew what they were doing, and everything looked pretty clean and sanitary, so we got corn dogs and lemonade! That wasted about 30 more minutes, and I was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable about where we were, so we decided to go ahead and head home and just hang out there! As we were heading to the car we saw a bunch of hot air balloons laid out getting ready to blow up and take off. Woohoo!!! This is what we wanted to see, and there wasn't and kind of barricades at all, you could just walk right up to all the balloons. It was awesome. Riley really liked seeing all the balloons, but she got really scared when they would blow their torches and make the loud noise. So we sat around on the grass and watched all the balloons blow up and take off. It was really cool! Then we went to Baskin Robbins for Ice Cream...yummy!! Then on Sunday they took me to IHop for breakfast and I had yummy strawberry crepes! Then we went shopping at Best Buy to get my Mother's Day present....a new digital camera....YEAH...I really needed one. I am a little embarrassed carrying around my taped up camera!! LOL!!! Then we went home and took naps, and then they took me to dinner at Olive Garden!! Thank you so much Scott and Riley for the wonderful Mother's Day! I am going to enjoy my camera and really enjoyed all of the pampering! I love you both to pieces, and am so blessed to have you for my husband and daughter!!!

Riley sneaking some lemonade out of her daddy's cup!!! LOL!!!


Riley pointing to all the different balloons taking off in the sky!


Bye - Bye Bawoons!!!


Drinking MORE Lemonade!!!!




Riley had her first real drink of lemonade at the Stampede.....take a look and come to your own conclusion on whether you think she likes it or not! I think she likes it a lot....LOL!!!




Riley helping mommy open her Mother's Day cards!!!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Boyd's Visit

I have been getting a little homesick, and so it was great to have some family come and visit!!! Scott's Aunt Pat (GAP) and his Uncle Tony (GUT) came to visit us for the weekend!! YEAH!!! They arrived Thursday evening; just in time for dinner! We stayed up late visiting and catching up, and planning our adventures for the weekend. Scott had to go to work on Friday, so we went to Pendleton, OR and went shopping at the Pendleton Woolen Mill! It was a lot of fun! We took a tour of the Mill, and got to see how they make the wool and the blankets! After shopping we went to McDonald's and had a Happy Meal, and played in the play land for a little while! Riley had a great time! Then we headed home because GAP and GUT told us that they would watch Riley so that Scott and I could have a date night!! WOOHOO!!! Thank you very much GAP and GUT date nights are extinct up here since we so not know anyone! Scott and I went to dinner at PF Chang's and had some of there AWESOME Lettuce Wraps; and then we went to the movies! It was a great time!!! I think that Riley had a great time as well, because when we got home GAP was in bed....Riley must have worn her plum out! Saturday we went and took a tour of Scott's job site, and then we went and drove around the Hanford Nuclear Reservation Site. This is where the government made plutonium for atomic bombs. In the process they were releasing radio active materials in the environment! Anyways, it is still a very high security place, and there are lot of places where you can not go unless you are BADGED...which we were not. I don't know why, but I just felt like we were doing something wrong or going somewhere we shouldn't and we were going to be gunned down. I know silly!! Anyways we went to this one point where there was a guard gate and this HUGE guy stepped out of the building and he had a gun strapped to his leg, and behind him on the wall was a poster that stated the 10 reasons to apply deadly force!!!! I was FREAKING out!!! He told us that we could not go beyond that point unless we were badges, and so we turned around and came home. I was majorly STRESSED and FRAZZLED!!! We came home and let Riley take a nap, and let me calm my nerves a little; and then we went to dinner on the Columbia River at Cedars! It was DELICIOUS and had a GREAT view of the river!! Sunday morning GAP and GUT left to head back to Texas. Thank you guys so much for coming to visit us. We had a great time, and it really helped ease the homesickness a little!! Here are some pictures of the weekend!

The girls outside Pendleton Woolen Mills!

Riley enjoyed running through the rows and rows of blankets!!! GUT was not far behind her chasing her around! Thanks GUT!!!

GUT holding Riley up so that she can pet the HUGE sheep!!!

Riley helping mommy pick out the blanket that GAP and GUT got for us. Isn't is beautiful. Thank you guys....we use it all the time!!!

Gut and Riley shopping ....aren't they cute!!!

Riley loved looking at this posted of all the different blanket that they have!

Riley listening to the the lady tell us all about the Pendleton Woolen Mills history! She was concentrating pretty hard, trying to figure out where that voice was coming from. LOL!

GAP, GUT and Riley on the tour!

While GAP was here she tried to teach Riley how to blow the Dandelions!

The first day was kind of tricky, she ate more than she blew!
GAP wanted to hold the flower so that she would not get it close to her mouth and eat it, and as you can see, she wanted to do it all by herself!!!
Riley practicing her blowing!!! LOL!!!
The second day was much more successful, and she also discovered that she could shake them and they would scatter!!!
Scott and I leaving for our date night!!
GUT and Riley drinking there joo-joo in the morning!!!
GUT attempting to get Riley dressed for the day!
What part goes through this hole?
Then she decided that she wanted to play, until he figured out what body part went in what hole!! LOL!!
GUT and Riley playing with the baby doll. You are going to be such a great Grandpa!!!