Taking a Walk

It has been a very, very busy month. We've had Mother's Day, 7 family birthdays, cub scout ceremonies, school field trips and picnics, baseball games (3 times a week!), and all the other day to day stuff to squeeze in between! With all this going on, sometime 'walk' was more like a frantic 'run' but I think we're over the busiest times. Now we're looking forward to the "Lazy" (ha!) days of summer ahead...

Relay for Life~ June 1st and 2nd
The boys and I participated in the South Kitsap Relay for Life for the 4th time this year. While Carter's been pretty active in the event all along, this was really the first year that Ethan got involved. He walked with me, and asked wonderful questions while we walked around in the dark during the luminaria ceremony. I think he is still too young to appreciate all of it, but our conversations really made me realize that my baby is growing up!
These are the Luminaria bags that I made this year. On the left, my college mentor, Janet Reed, has spent the last 2 years battling a very aggressive form of breast cancer. On the right, to remember my uncle, Calvin Miller, who passed away 4 years ago May of cancer. I also walk because I am so very blessed by happy, healthy children~ and I know that not all mothers are so fortunate.

A leisurely walk...

Last weekend, we took a walk in Hansville with our dear friends, the Carlsons. The trail was absolutely beautiful, despite it's bewildering lack of tupperware to hunt. (No fear, this will be remedied this summer!) As we hiked along, we started to notice these intriguing little rock sculptures that were found all along the trail. They varied in size from quite small to rather large, but were really quite fun to find as we went. I took pictures of several. I'd LOVE to use these in some clues... but somehow I don't think they're entirely permanent. Oh well, I'm excited to see if any are still around next time I get out there!

I was busy snapping away with the camera, and soon found myself waaaaay behind the group. The forrest was so peaceful and quiet, it was almost intoxicating! Soon I started to see... well, faces in the large tree trunks along the trail. Some were quite remarkable... like big forrest gods keeping an eye on travellers. I took many pics, and this is my favorite Tree Friend:

The early summer weather has been so incredible this year... it's made getting out to walk so enjoyable! I hope I'm not jinxing the rest of the summer by admiring our weather too loudly! With only5 1/2 days of school left, I'm ready to enjoy some sun and get out there and BOX!

Spring Break

Wow, we've had a busy few weeks! It seems like we all have a bit of an energy burst when that spring sun comes out to play... here are some of our highlights!


Baseball season has officially begun! Carter's team this year, the "Glisson and Witt Crimson Eagles" are off to a terrific start! The boys have a lot of fun, and it's wonderful to see how much Carter's skills improve from year to year. He may not be destined for a baseball scholarship, but South Kitsap Western Little League.... Watch out!



Ethan and Bill got to go to the "Museum of Flight" in Renton for a field trip on March 29th. The boys got to see A LOT of airplanes, sat in a cockpit or two... and enjoyed an afternoon together. Ethan's favorite airplane? "The one that looks like a caterpillar" hmmmm... wonder which one that was?


After Carter's game on Saturday, the boys and I headed to Salem to visit Grandma and Grandpa. The weather on Sunday was so terrific, Dad and I decided to do a little letterboxing! We spent a few hours out at Willamette Mission State Park hiking and boxing. While we only found 2 out of 3 that day, we had a great time and really enjoyed the spring day. We also learned about this terrific "Ghost House"... a metal frame monument to the original mission erected in that spot a bazillion years ago. It's a really cool effect to look across the river and see the roofline. Not sure when it was put into place, but in all the years we've been visiting this local park, I'd never seen it before. Thanks Maiden... for the education :-)

The tulip is from the Deepwood Mansion garden... another letterboxing trip this week.

On Wednesday we headed to Pacific City on the Oregon Coast. While it was still a bit chilly, it didn't rain and overall the weather was quite nice. The boys L-O-V-E this beach because there is a LARGE sand dune at one end that they can climb... over, and over, and over... Carter, Ethan, and Dad are walking toward the sea and Haystack Rock in the photo above.

Right near this favorite spot, there just happens to be a delightful little park we never knew about... until (yeah, you know what's coming!) we went in search of a little bit-o-tupperware. The story goes that once upon a time, a little girl lost 2 pet bunnies near the park. Let alone, the couple founded a dynasty, which today boasts several hundred wild rabbits in this city park and surrounding area. You can buy bunny food nearby and feed them. They are pretty tame... if you are quiet enough they will come up and eat right out of your hand! The boys were enthralled with the cute little critters! I guess this will be another must-stop on all future visits to Pacific City!

After returning home on Thursday, Carter had another baseball game. And, of course, Sunday was Easter! The bunny came hopping by quite early at our house. After Bill's nap, we spent the afternoon at Irene's house eating,visiting with Great Grandma, and playing games. This shot of the boys seemed like a great way to sum up our spring break. Much fun was had by all!

Shamrocks bring Good Luck!!

I'm nearly recovered from my very busy weekend, so I thought I'd take a moment to share the highlights. Saturday was the 2nd Annual Spring Fling letterboxing event, in Chehalis, Washington. My friend Buppsters did an AMAZING job hosting this all day extravaganza, and I'd like to take a minute to thank her for all of her hard work! I had a fabulous time!! After weather reports predicting lots of rain, we really lucked out with cloudy skies that didn't actually leak until the event was over. That's about the best you can hope for in March in Washington!

That's Whispering Thunder, Whodatscifiguy (in the middle, their daughter, but I'm afraid I didn't get her name), and Bookworm exchanging at the Spring Flinger.

A Hunting we will go... for tupperware, that is!

I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time AND boxing with Hooded Falcon and the Bald Eagle. That's Nailhead scoping out boxes in the background...

And, another highlight of the event was meeting the Famous Robb and Lisascenic, from San Francisco! After chatting online with Lisa all this time, it was wonderful to finally meet face to face! It's a great feeling to be a part of this community. Everyone is so friendly and fun to hang out with. Where else can you find a group of people, so very varied in age and background, that can come together with camaraderie like old friends, all for the sake of some slabs of rubber and a little ink? Yes, we're a strange lot, but I guess it goes to show that Strange has to stick together!!

Well, after the L-O-N-G day on Saturday, and spending the night at the wonderful Olympic Club hotel in Centralia, we also had the Cubscout Pinewood Derby on Sunday. After last year's roaring victory, Carter's expectations were awfully high. I was worried that this year's car (well, not-so-much car, but rather LARGE SLUG on WHEELS) might not maintain our one-year winning streak. But, alas... IT DID!!

Ok, 1st.. Sorry but I couldn't figure out how to rotate the pic... and 2nd.. see that yellow streak way out in front? Oh yeah... that's our SLUG!!

And, here is Pack 4523 Champion, Carter, with his speedy-banana-slug!!!!

(Nope, I'm not proud at all!!) Off to districts next month!

Oh, and I had a birthday, too. It was nice, quiet, and relaxing... which was Exactly what I needed after this weekend!