Stop Growning!

Today I received photos in an email all of the kids taken over 6 years ago. Hannah was so little and both kids had chubby cheeks. I have decided they can not grow any more! I miss those little guys.

Now don't get me wrong I love the stage that our kids are currently in. Ok well I love most of what they are now...I could do without the mood swings and the back talk! The day to day stuff seems to crawl by, but when you look back at photos its amazing how fast kids really do grow. So from today forward Johnathan and Hannah must stop growing!! I know this isn't realistic and I will just have to learn to deal.

All this nostalgia comes 5 days before Johnathan goes away for the first time on his own to a Boy Scout camping trip. I am having a harder time than I thought I would about him going off by himself. I am really not looking forward to him going for an entire week by himself this summer. How will Mom ever survive? So let me repeat...the kids must stop growing, they must stay little and need Mommy 23.75 hours out of the day!

Forest Center Fun

Nice sunny weather has once again come to the area, so we made the most of it yesterday.


I loaded the kids in the car along with a picnic lunch and we headed off to the Tillamook forest. Originally we were going to hike the Gales Creek trail, however when we got to the trail head it was still closed. Since we had already gone all that way there was no way we were turning around. So plan B took us to the Tillamook Forest Center. We descended on to the picnic area upon arrival and ate our lunch among the bugs and birds. The off to the visitors center we went. Outside the doors stands a very buff looking Smokey the Bear, and yes I made the kids stand with him!


We arrived just in time to watch Legacy of Fire, a movie about the huge burns that occurred in the 30's and 40's that wiped out the Tillamook forest. It was amazing that anyone survived and even more amazing to hear about all the replanting done in the forest to make it what we see today. There is a really fun exhibit hall that holds displays about logging, fire fighting and life in the forest. The kids had fun waling along the trails and looking at all the flowers in bloom. Hannah kept pointing out all the areas she thought housed pixies. And Johnathan spent most of the hike looking at his compass and letting us know what direction we were heading.

After our hike the kids and I climbed the 40 foot fire lookout. Once up was enough for me, but the kids climbed it several times. It was a fun day in the outdoors! Makes me really long for more warm sunny days!