Little Crater Lake

If you are ever in the Mt. Hood National Forest you ought to visit Little Crater Lake.  It's a short walk through beautiful meadows from the parking lot to the pond.  

Little Crater Lake is really a small pond.  It's a spring full of super clear water.  You can see right to the bottom.  It's about 45 feet deep and stays a constant 34 degrees in temperature.

From there it's a short drive over to Timothy Lake.

I don't know what it is about mountains that I love so much.  Maybe it's because I grew up with mountains towering all around me.  Maybe it just feels like home.  Whatever the reasons, mountains are calming.  I do love a day at the beach, but a day in the mountains is so renewing for me.

More Beaching

Maria recently said that we've been going to the beach so much that she's almost getting sick of it.  She says that jokingly, of course, because, really, who could get tired of the beach?

We went back to Nehalem Bay State Park.  

We had to wait in the car for about an hour an a half due to an accident on the road.  Luckily, I have patient kids!  Especially when they know the beach is coming.

The kids love this beach because of the huge sand dunes.  They love sliding down the sand!  I don't particularly love cleaning up their sandy bums when we finally make it back to the car but I guess that's the price you pay for a fun day at the beach.

No, I don't think we'll ever truly get sick of the beach, but there are definitely times when I'd rather be in the mountains.  Don't worry.  We get over there too.

Rose Garden I

In June we were able to go visit the Portland Rose Garden.  It's official name is the International Rose Test Garden and, according to online resources, is the "oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States. Currently, the garden features over 10,000 rose bushes representing over 650 rose varieties". We were definitely not disappointed.  I was worried the kids, especially the boys, would get bored, but they all loved it and had a great time. 

There were so many beautiful roses that I couldn't decided which ones to include in a post so I made three posts.  I hope you like roses!

If I know the name of a particular rose I will post it below the picture.  Some of the pictures have been adjusted for brightness or contrast because it was a pretty overcast day when I took the pictures, but the colors are true.  They really were breathtaking!

I love this climbing rose.  It really was one of my favorites.  It's called "Super Dorothy Perkins Climber".

Maria really loved the deep red colors.  Even before we went, she already talked of having her own rose garden someday.  This visit to the Rose Garden really solidified that desire.  

Fame! Grandiflora

Twilight Zone Grandiflora

Huge, beautiful hosts with my cute girl who goes crazy over all things flower.  She was in heaven.  Her skirt was full of fallen petals that she'd picked up.

Not sure about the variety.  I remember something about "Shakespeare rose" but I'm not certain.

Didn't get the name of this one but I loved all the peachy-orangey colored roses.

Rose Garden II

More beautiful roses!

I really wish I'd gotten a name for this one.  I love the peppermint look.

I think these ones are my all time absolute favorites.  I love this color.  Sadly, I didn't get the name.  Oh well, I guess that means I have to go back next year to get it!

I love the look of this one with fewer petals.  Beautiful!

Isn't this pale purple color wonderful?

So many amazing roses to look at!

Rose Garden III

The last of my favorite roses.

Lagerfeld Grandiflora

Sorry I didn't get all the names of the roses.  Each variety had a sign posted with the name of the rose on it but it didn't occur to me to take pictures of those signs until we were about a third of the way through.  I just might take detailed notes next time I go!

There were many, many more beautiful roses, but three posts is probably enough dedicated to roses, don't you think?  

I definitely want to go back next summer.  And I definitely recommend you go if you ever get the chance.  I was amazed at how fun it was for all the kids.  But, I guess, who can't get excited when in the midst of thousands of world class roses?

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.

Camping at the Beach

In February we went camping at the beach.  It was pretty fun but a tad chilly.

We have the kids wear their boots to the beach to help keep their feet dry.  It's a nice idea, but doesn't work when the kids just walk knee deep in the river anyway.

The picture above needs a little explaining.  Hudson would step into the river to allow water into his boots, then he would lay down with his feet in the air and the water would trickle out of his boots, tickling his legs.  He thought it was pretty funny.

I think Libby is incapable of keeping her shoes on.  Never mind it's February and the water was freezing!  She'd fill up her boots and dump the water out - right next to Ethan, of course.

All the kids were soaking wet and therefore freezing.  So we took them back to the car.  They were sad we were leaving and we told them that's what happens when you get wet at the beach in February.

We got them dry and changed and snuggly warm in the car then drove to Tillamook to visit the cheese factory.  They thought that was pretty cool . . . especially the part where they each got an ice cream cone.