WA, OR & ID

well we HAD to leave the LIFE is Good Conference, they made us! We didn't want to. It is so nice to be surrounded by people who "get it". Really get it. There were friends who we've known through yahoo groups from all over the place, TN, OR, CA, WA, WY, MT, IA, CO, & Canada, get this one of the family's live in the same co-housing as my cousin! The boys had an awesome time and Jake's new best friend is from Hawaii!!! Cyrus is his name, he and Jake were inseparable the duration of the conference. Josh made a great friend named Seth and they skateboarded almost the entire time, Seth showed Josh new tricks and Josh experimented all of them and "ate it" (his words) many times! We ate at this wonderful burger place called "Burgerville", bought more things we really don't need at a store called Fred Mayer's which had awesome prices. When we left Mon after the last good-bye picnic we drove about 4 hrs to Kennewick, WA and stayed the night with one of the family who were at the LiG conference.....the fun continued! Then yesterday we left and are staying at a beautiful state park in OR (again) for a couple nights before we can arrive at Kathy's --my best friend from high school, then we are continuing over to Yellowstone where she'll take us to all the known places to see there. We are also meeting up with the IA family in Yellowstone on their way home who were at LiG too. Then, well we'll let you know more when we do it. My tires are being replaced as I'm getting laundry done in Payette, ID which was the cheapest rate I got for all 4 tires, $ 430!! Then our shoes will be ready for another 50,000 miles of walking! :)

Monterey and more.....

we made it to Monterey 5/15/09 around 5:00 and straight away went to Fisherman's Wharf, what a wonderful walk down the pier we had and the samples of all the Clam Chowders were amazing, some were good and others were.....well, not as good. Then we headed toward the aquarium since it was a few more miles away to find a hotel near so we could go right away in the morning when they opened. Then we found Cannery Row, it wasn't all that was cracked up to be, to me. I'm not a shopper, I enjoy some History and that was the most fascinating part. I saw the world famous Sardine factory, read the history on it blah, blah and blah. Then off to the motel, I was ripped off, highway robbery at it's finest!! Not even a good sleep!
Then it was morning and we headed over to the aquarium after I was trying to be charged for parking at the motel?! I said...."Excuse me I didn't park in the parking garage, but was charged $12 for it anyway?" And didn't even get my reward points for the Best Western stay Anyway.....I'm on vacation and I don't want the aggravation I'm experiencing so we left at 10:00 for the aquarium. On the way we found the IMAX and there were 2 movies the boys wanted to see. The first was Sharks 3D and then it was SeaMonsters which was about the pre-historic sea creatures that were much much bigger than any we know of today. Finally at 12:00 we walk across the street to the aquarium, our destination! IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! The SeaHorse exhibit was by far Jake's and my favorite, but Josh of course being Josh :) liked the deep blue huge aquarium where the sharks were. Then we headed North around 5:00 to see how far we could get, but San Francisco was my goal and I passed it up! We did cross the Golden Gate and had never done that before, but ended up sleeping in a rest area just before Leggett so we could drive through the notorious tree. We didn't do that either LOL But we did make it to Founders Tree and that was a nice hike and very neat to see!! Amazing beauties. By 1:00 we were in Eureka and I was shocked to see the price of gas there, it was 2.87 after all the way up I never paid more than 2.37 for it! I found a great deal on a BBQ grill with burners on it at a sporting good place, so that made up for it. LOL Then off to our FOTR friends to visit for a couple days, The Saseks, Carolyn, Rich & Ian (10) they are currently in Manila, CA between Samoa & Arcata right next to the beach. They are staying in their friends driveway while he's attending Humboldt State University to receive his degree in Marine Biology. The family they are living near are the most awesome people, Smiles & Space, their given names. They have 3 boys also homeschooled ages 6, 8 & 10. What a fabulous, warm, inspirational, & life altering visit it was for all of us. LOVE YOU GUYS!! See you on the road, or in OH. Well.....the boys are wanting to head to the lighthouse so I will continue more later. We are just North of Bandon, OR in a beautiful state park camping with a nice camp fire going and trying to catch up on here but more will be revealed! :)

Mother's Day!

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I am currently in Oxnard, CA at my dad's house visiting with them and we all enjoyed lunch at the Olive Garden. I also was very pleased that Josh my 11 yo detailed inside and out of my car. My 13 yo sent me a nice e-mail (from the other room) My sisters car was detailed also. What a gift!! I am enjoying my time here with my dad before we head out of state. I have had many mothers in my life, to name a few who were my mothers at different times in my life are.....Thetis (who birthed me), Deborah Jones, Beaulah Upole, Betty Eisen, Joyce Parker, Inez Smith, Marcia Siegel, Nohemy Iannini and then my grandmothers Thetis Luchau, Ouida Smith, Binda Siegel & great grandmother who was affectionately known by all as "Nanny" was named Sally Knight, my aunts Jan Jennings & Zelma Lois Hubbard. I also have 21 sisters Beth, Hope, Debbie, Denise, Julie, Susan, Lydia, Elizabeth, Aimee, Angie, Amber, Amanda, Sheila, 2 Melissa's, Shelly, Brenda, Paula, Yvonne, Michelle, Becky (who's passed on). My life has been so full of so many wonderful mother's!