Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.

I just want to scream out loud sometimes:

"I MISS MY MOTHER"

I miss her smile and warm hugs.

I miss being able to call her and and have

her tell me how much she loves me.

I miss not calling her and telling her all

about my day or the kids.

Now that I am got that out I need a kleenex.

We are kid-less this weekend.

Grace is with Grandpa doing school clothes shopping.

Michelle & Gabby went to the Gorge.

It has been quiet, peaceful, so so nice.

Amanda

Timothy Lake
Decided to go for a day trip, instead of camp in 100 degree weather.

Very pretty lake
Gabby in the boat
Grace & McKenzie in the boat
Stopping for lunch, we stayed here for a few hours

the girls and I swam and Dave fished.
What a view

The dog

The perfect camp site

Leaving our lunch site
Marshy site

Frog Lake

We ended up stopping here and having our dinner.

It is a small lake but very beautiful.

Gabby is going swimming
Cooking dinner
How pretty
Grace is out swimming
Dave fishing

I have Glads blooming right now. They are so pretty.

In the window box this morning Dave and I saw a hummingbird.

It was so tiny.

I got off work a little early last night and just did not want to go home

and sit in front of a TV.

We packed up the kids and had a BBQ, sitting on the banks of the river.

I was so nice and we were the only ones there. So quiet and peaceful.

The girls swam and took time out to eat a hot dog or 2 and I got to read my book.

I decided we needed to clean up alittle around here.

Boy do I love Craigslist. The guy was even in Sandy.

Goodbye to the Volvo, 314, 415 miles on it.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is a parodic holiday invented in 1995 by John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), of Corvallis, Oregon, who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate.^[1] For example, an observer of this holiday would greet friends not with "Hello," but with "Ahoy, me hearty!" The holiday, and its observance, springs from a romanticized view of the Golden Age of Piracy.

Find out why we need an International Talk Like a Pirate Day?

I took the kids again to Benson Park. We took some friends with us this time. I ended up taking the kayak and going around the lake. Fun.
We were all surprised when Dave showed up. Bill let him go home early and he met us at the Park. He was more than happy to get wet and clean off all the hay and dust.
Gabby is doing well with swimming. She let Michelle hold her up and float. When Michelle let go she did not freak out. She was so proud of herself.

Fun Facts:
BENSON STATE RECREATION AREA
Simon Benson was a lumber magnate, philanthropist, and one of the principal promoters of the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway. Located one mile west of Multnomah Falls on I-84 at milepost 30 (eastbound access only), picnickers love this park; there's even a disc golf course and a reservable shelter for groups.

Free Fishing Day is an annual event around the first weekend of June (call 1-800-551-6949 for details). Anyone can bring their own pole (or use equipment provided) to try their luck catching some of the thousands of rainbow trout stocked each month into the lake between March and October. This is a non-motorboat lake, so it's perfect for rowboats and swimmers.

Movies in the Park

Surf's Up

I took the girls to the Park, the movie starts at dusk. What fun.

There were lots and lots of families that came and the little kids

come in their PJs and lay on blankets or sleeping bags.

Thursday Afternoon

Benson State Park

The girls and I were tired of sitting home so we got in the car and ended

up here. What a nice relaxing day.

Wednesday night

Music in the Park

BOKA MARIMBA