We got there Sunday evening after driving all day in the pouring rain and thankfully set up in relatively dry conditions. Grandma had a wonderful chili prepared for us to eat. Thank you Grandma!

Monday we played on the beach and walked through Long Beach.

Tuesday we went to the North Head Light house and then played some more on the beach.

That night it rained and rained and the wind blew pretty fiercely. Thankfully the combined weight of the family kept the tent firmly on the ground. Jessie woke up in the middle of the night a bit worried, but Doreen reassured her the tent wasn't going anywhere. We weren't so sure about Chris and Mat who choose to sleep in their own tents respectively. But all the kids woke up the next morning.

Wednesday we went to the Maritime Museum in Astoria. Cool place. They had a cool display on the Coast Guard. That afternoon just as we were finishing lunch a Coast Guard helicopter flew over head. The guy in the light house had told us that every now and then they throw dummies off the rocks for drills. It looked like this week we got to witness their drill. Only this almost turned into a real rescue. As the helicopter hovered in the air just off the rock some idiot (or do we call him a real dummy) decided to climb the rocks to where the dummies were and see if he could help them. That meant that the helicopter with trained professionals had to back off for fear of blowing the guy off the rocks.

Once that dummy was off the rocks the Guard got to work. They must have come down four or five times, checked out the dummies and then up they would go. Finally on the six or seventh time they took the dummies and left. it was pretty cool to watch them.

After that we went to the beach and played some more. It was great fun!

Speed Racer Kray

Jason and Mike

Steve

Editor's Note: The boys went to scout camp and on a super activities, but we will save that for next month since we have not photos at this time and will hopefully get some in the mean time.

Jessie's 8 and Clean!

Steve and Jessie

The last one! In some ways that hurts and in other ways it is a relief. Jessie turned 8 on the 19th and was baptized on the 23rd by her father. It was really special because Kray was able to be one of the witnesses and he saw that her hand didn't make it all the way under and she had to go under twice.

Grandma and Grandpa Blanding gave the talks and spent a little time with us that day. Uncle Dale and his family were able to join us too. Jessie had a lot of friends from our ward and stake there too. It was pretty neat for a little girl to be surrounded by those she loved. She had a smile on her face that just wouldn't come off.

At the beginning of July when Doreen and Jessie went to the fabric store to purchase some fabric for Jason's eagle project, Jessie remembered that Doreen had promised her a new baptismal dress. Some how they walked out of the store with fabric for two dresses: a white baptism dress and a pink after-the-baptism dress. Doreen knew how little time she had to get them done since cub camp was coming and then a family reunion and within days of returning from Utah shoulder surgery. Amazingly Doreen was able to get both dresses done in a weekend--yes in two days! "Boy it is good to sit and sew again," Doreen commented.

She only had some finishing work when they left for Utah. That was OK because she had a day or two between their return and surgery. Little did Doreen know that her mother would consume that time. But miracles of miracles, Doreen's shoulder healed enough for her to do the finishing work just before the baptism date.

"It was worth the pain to see a little girls face light up in two new beautiful dresses," Doreen said. "I'm pleased and honored that she would even ask me to sew something for her. I don't think she realizes how much enjoyment and satisfaction I get out of sewing something for someone I love and care so deeply about."

Jessie was beautiful both inside and out that day!

We also must recognize that Matt turned 11 while in Richland attending his Grandma Ostler's funeral. Not the birthday he wanted, but one he will never forget.

Jessie in a Long Beach sunset.

Chris

Matt & Chris

Jessie

Matt

Steve and Jessie

Matt, Chris and Jessie trying to sink a putt.

Steve

Chow time!

To reply to this issue please reply to waldsfe@hotmail.com

2008 January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - Christmas

All the names and faces are real. All the facts are real unless we embellished them to make ourselves look good. Just the adjectives and adverbs are made up. If anything resembles sanity......that was made up, too.