Long Time No Write

It's been a while, hasn't it?

We are still here.  It seems to be kind of a one step forward, two steps back kind of summer.  Yes, I know the phrase is technically "two steps forward, one step back" but that doesn't seem to fit as well. There is so much going on in my head about life and everything else lately.  Maybe there was too much noise to focus on any one thing to make a blog post.  Maybe that's why I've been avoiding this place.  Maybe it's because I drop any non-essential activity when I get stressed, even if it's something I love, like blogging.  Maybe it's because I'm afraid that if I start talking (well, blogging) that everything will just spill out.  Maybe I just don't know where to begin, or what to leave out so things don't sound negative.  I'm not really sure of the reasons, but anytime I felt a desire to blog, I just didn't.

I'll make a long story short.  Ethan is looking for work.  And as many of you know, looking for work is not a fun process.

BUT, going to the mountains IS fun.  The mountains are always wonderful.  Here's a trip down Old Salmon River in the Mt. Hood National Forest we took in May.

It really is a lovely, easy walk for children with many places to stop near the river.

The kids are always excited to find these big fat slugs.  Which reminds me.  We went down a nature trail in town one night and saw so many slugs we decided to count them.  Not counting the previous ones we saw, we ended up counting 115 slugs!  It was like a slug party!

Any trail is fun if there is a nice spot by the river to play in the sand, right?  We spent quite a lot of time here.

Usually we find slugs, so it was fun to find a snail.

Of course, if you are already in Mt. Hood National Forest you might as well go to the top to play in the snow, am I right?  The kids are always up for a bit of snow.

You know, I was thinking about this "one step forward, two steps back" thing.  I've heard it helps to forget the frustration in going backward, call it a Cha-cha, and have fun.