Fun Times

It was a fun time in Portland celebrating my sister turning 40 with 60+ of her closest friends.

I enjoyed all the 'me' time I had too.

A quiet drive to Portland

Listening to the songs I like on the radio

Hitting Costco and buying a new little camera

Spending the night at the Gray Inn (A wonderful bed & breakfast.)

Shopping - Shopping - Shopping

Found a cute card for Jill's Birthday

Got really lucky with a present too

Met lots of fun people who all adore my sister

Stayed up until 2 am....yawn!

Slept in until 9 am

Drove to IKEA

Ate lunch with my good friend Amie & her daughter at Red Robin

Drove home again

Went to bed - early!

A great weekend.

Trillum Lake

WHO: Cousin Camping

Anne & Jill - Taryn, Grace, Aiden, Reagan & Madeline

WHAT:Camping

WHEN: August 18-21, 2008

WHERE: Trillium Lake, Mt. Hood

(This is a 2007 photo...it didn't look like this with the smoke from the forest fire and all the rain.)

WHY: To teach the city cousins about camping fun.

Day one: I had to tear down camp at Camp Creek by myself. Marc & the Smith's headed home on Sunday evening so they could work on Monday morning...poor things. HOWEVER-I was left to tear down camp-alone-in the pouring down rain. I tucked the kids into the van w/snacks and a movie. The process only took me about one hour. We headed to Trillium Lake where I set up camp-alone-in the rain. The kids continued snacking and watching their movie. We then drove down the mountain into Hood River. I had gotten passes for us from the RAC in Pendleton to use the club in Hood River. We swam and showered! It was a much needed break from camping. Aunt Jill & the cousins pulled into camp right behind us that afternoon. I showed Jill around the lake & the campground, we ate dinner and feasted on S'mores!

The kids were all asleep in bed by 9:00. Wow-that was a big accomplishment.

Day two: Jill ran around the lake twice. I walked around the lake once. We rode bikes. We made nature prints. We played games. We ate lunch. We drove to Frog Lake and played with the frogs and went swimming. We wore ourselves out...we called it an early night...because the rain came!

Day three: Jill & I decided to ABORT the camping trip a day early. There was a total DOWNPOUR. The good news is that this time I had help tearing down camp. We got the job done and Jill headed back to Portland. She is running Hood to Coast this weekend. The kids and I headed home.

We took a quick detour at Rasmussen's Fruit Stand in Hood River.

We bought apples, fresh corn and wonderful sunflowers.

Even with all the rain, we considered our first Cousin Camp out a success.

Henley Class of 87' & '88

My OLDER sister and I got to have our 20 year reunion together. The class of '87 didn't get one put together last year, so they joined us this year. A great time was had by all...and the sister didn't wake up feeling terrible either morning.

What sisters look like after 20 years:

What cheerleaders look like after 20 years:

What three friends look like after 20 years:

What a husband at a 20 year reunion looks like:

Spring Break 2008

Sunriver, Oregon

Beaver Rig
Snow
Sledding
Indoor forts
Games
Hot tub
Grandma
Cousins
Friends
Food
Coloring
Napping

GREAT FUN!!!

Happy Birthday Jilly

My sister turns 39 today (for the first time)! It is hard to believe that she's that old. Lucky for me, I will ALWAYS be younger. Having a big sister had it's ups and downs, but I can't imagine it any other way. Jill and I were oil & vinegar growing up. She was an outside kid. She rode horses. She worked cattle. She ran with my dad. I was the inside kid. I baked. I sewed. I cried if they made me go work outside.

Jill rode a bike first. Jill got her car and her license first. Jill got grounded first. Jill got to go away to college first. I spent my days always trying to 'catch up' to my sister. Little did I know at the time that there were things about me that my sister longed for. Who knew...

Jill went to So. Oregon State College. I went to So. Oregon State College. Jill transfered to OSU. I transfered to OSU. Jill took some tumbles along the way and I took notes. I got the benefit of learning from her mistakes.

Jill and I don't get to see each other as often as I'd like...but we talk on the phone often. Now days, we compare notes...we seek each other out as sounding boards...we trade recipes...we enjoy each other as friends. If I need my sister I know where to find her.

Did you know? Jill...

1. was born February 10, 1969...she was a big baby!
2. was a Henley Honeybee Baton Twirler.
3. had a surprise party...and I kept it a secret.
4. and I used to jump on the haystacks together.
5. and I used to 'spy' on boys...we called ourselves "Valley Vice."
6. and I both kissed the same boy only twice that I know of.
7. talked me into sticking my tongue on the frozen mailbox.
   
8. was a better teacher than mom on how to drive a stick shift.
9. runs in marathons...she's training for #5 right now.
10. is a great cook, now...hasn't always been.
11. can knit a lot of really cute things. (Not that she's ever knit anything for me...hint...hint.)
12. and I made up code words for embarrassing things...PRU...SBD...OTC.
13. made me shoot milk out of my nose at the dinner table...with a BANG.
14. hid under my bunk bed and scared the daylights out of me.
15. suckered me into...the last peep. "Girls, if I hear one more peep out of you..."
16. used to chew her nails to the quick.
17. could do amazing tricks that I couldn't with pencils and cans of mousse.
18. had to call and ask me how to boil eggs in college.
19. had to wear braces on her bowed legs as a small child.
20. 'got' to wear braces on her teeth in high school.
21. fought fires as a summer job.
22. got stung by a scorpion while fighting fires.
23. has traveled to 11 States.
24. has traveled to 7 countries.
25. drove a green Horizon Meizer. We had to climb in the hatchback...the doors didn't work.
26. rear-ended my best friend on the way to school...got me out of a history test. :-)
27. stuttered as a child.
28. has beautiful brown eyes and an olive complection.
29. weighed 55 pounds in 4th grade and led her 1500 pound 4-H steer.
30. flipped me off the back of the 3 wheeler more than once.
31. was scared of my long fingernails...I used them as defense! (See #32)
32. used to pin me down and drip spit on me. She pretended to try and suck it back up, never did though.
33. would eat cold cereal for dinner on any given night if she didn't need to cook for the kids.
34. listens to talk radio A LOT.
35. is an avid reader and loves to buy books.
36. has a degree in Forestry.
37. took me to the infirmary when I had kidney stones in college.
38. is a great mom.
39. is the best sister ever!
40. NEXT YEAR DEAR SISTER.

A penny thought: Sisters are different flowers from the same garden. ~Author Unknown