Hola! Just a quick note to say I'm back from my amazing trip! We had the most fabulous time and I wish I had more time to tell about it..but...tomorrow we leave for Disneyland!! Are we mental? I'm beginning to think yes. But I must pack and since Steve is coming down with something that seems like the swine flu, I may have to drive all 20 hours. Oh dear. Suddenly the trip..not as fun. What, I can't read and sleep the entire time. Anyway, hopefully swine is not the diagnosis, but I will post later about my trip. I truly feel lucky and blessed!

I can't wait!!

Two days until Spain. I'm not gonna lie...I'm freaking-out excited! Pictures and news...later!

Camping, Canning, Crazy

We have had a great few weeks. The weekend before Labor Day we went camping up at La Wis Wis Campground, up Mt. Rainier. It was a rainy weekend, but we had good times anyway. The highlights included s'mores by the fire followed by popcorn and a movie, hiking and playing games such as "Screaming Samari" and 1-2-3 Look and Psychiatrist. Good times! The kids and Steve also got together for a little beat-boxing, with them all making their own individual sounds for a rapping good time. Kind of cool at first, extremely annoying a very short time later. Labor Day weekend Steve took the kids to a Clement reunion in Tri-Cities with all of Dad C's bros and sisters. I stayed home to bottle peaches like a mad woman. Of course I had to take several pictures!

Why do I do it you ask? I seriously have no idea. One birthday my mom gave me a pressure cooker and my original thought was, gee, how fun. The next thing you know I'm puttin' up fruit like a pioneer. I have to admit I think they look fabulous and beautiful and I'm very proud..plus the kids eat them like crazy and I feel like I'm storing some food for the future. Yea baby, you're looking at 49 quarts! This weekend: pears!

For Labor Day we went on one of our favorite hikes: the Hobbit Hike. (Last time we did it was with Gary, Noel and kids...miss you guys!) It was so beautiful! Another rainy Washington day, but there are so many trees that we don't feel the rain. We love our little day trips up Mt. Rainier. Guess what!!! Only 8 days until Spain!!!

The sweetest find...

I am addicted to garage sales. It's true.. I think I got it from my Grandma Spaulding. I remember going with her when I was a child. Something about the hunt for the treasure makes me very excited. Usually I only find one or two small things, sometimes it's a total bust and I go home hot and grouchy, but every Saturday I get the urge again. Steve doesn't get it which is perfectly fine because I am bringing up a little garage buddy..Olivia. (Sometimes B wants to go too, but only if it gets him out of housework.) A few weeks ago we found these two pieces of furniture. Absolutely my favorite finds yet. I talked him down, he had pity on me and I fell in love!! These are what I've always looked for and I absolutely love them. The cupboard I put in the corner of my kitchen. Sometimes I keep it open just because it's so cute inside. The shelves I put in my scrapbooking area and filled with my scrapping stuff. I just think they are both adorable. I love primitive old stuff..love to think about who used it and what it has seen and where it's been. Gosh, can you be in love with furniture? Looks like it!

September is here!

I keep waiting to post until I have my camera ready to post pictures too, but today I decided, what the heck...I need to do this! We have had a busy week at the Clement household with school starting up: Austen is in 10th grade... oh my gosh.. and taking horrible subjects like College-Prep Chemistry. Why you ask? No clue! How that will help him in the movie making field I have no idea..maybe special effects? Anyway, he's being busy with cross country, band and student leadership plus he FINALLY chose an Eagle Project. If it ever gets done it will be a miracle, and I'm starting to see why mothers get a special pin.. cause we have to ride them like crazy to get them to do it! Gee, I want that eagle court of honor myself! Anyway, Cass is in 7th and started..gasp..wearing makeup! Just mascara and lip gloss but seriously! She is looking grown up..oh and she got just a few highlights too. What up with my tomboy now!! Braden is in 5th and just as crazy about school as he always was. "Forgets" every day to tell me about his homework..oops, gee mom, sorry! And until I ask him the morning its due then remembers. Will this boy ever change!? And Olivia in 2nd grade. I'm gonna cry. She's in Mr. James class and everyone gets a nickname in his class. Hers? Clementine. Adorable. Have to say I sang a very joyous tune when I drove off from the school..I'm free at last!! I know it's horrible, but I can no longer be in charge of their (esp. B's) entertainment. Oh how I love my silent house, at least for a few hours...then I get lonely and they come home just in time. I could so never homeschool...what is that about?!!