Phone Dump

I was looking through some photos on my phone and thought i would do a dump. It has been a busy summer and we had some fun her and there.

my boys got to ride in a fun Corvette at a friends house. They went over to help them fix some of the deco in the front yard of their house, move rocks and such. The boys were thrilled to be able to go for a ride it was great to see them so excited. 

As usual where ever we go someone finds out about Shanes love of saws. He gets asked to cut down trees all the time. Of ten he cannot do it because the trees are too high or too dangerous to cut down. He loves to get help from the young men and he usually has a good turn out. He is a good example of hard work. He frankly makes me tired. 

One day I was sitting in the front room chilling, i look over and Jake has a coat hanger on his head looking like a dork. Basically he was just hanging out, I still dont have a reason behind this craziness so i will just leave this here. 

This is Makayla with her man friend who is going to take her to Homecoming tonight. It will be exciting for her. She wasnt interested in going but this boy Kincade asked her and now life is a wondrous place for her. There will be more to come on him and her but for now here it is. 

This is life for now. I always have more to say but today not enough time and i have to think about it for a bit. Now onto spaghetti sauce, meat balls, laundry, and general housework....

Portland, Mt St Helens, Foo Fighters

I had been waiting with such excitement since the beginning of the year to go to the Foo Fighters Concert. Brenda bought me tickets to see them in Portland, Oregon on the 14th of September. It seemed like that day would never come. Well it finally arrived and then it went so fast...i want to do it again...and possibly again.

Brenda and I drove over to Washington/Oregon on a Friday we took our sweet time getting there. I rented a car and just enjoyed the scenery. It is a lovely drive from Caldwell over there. When you hit the Gorge it gets so lush and beautiful. I felt like i was in Maine again. Made me a bit sad as i miss being home this time of year.

I didnt get a ton of photos from that drive i was excited to get to where we were going. 

Yup me driving...it was a nice car and I was excited about driving something swanky...of course i cant remember what kind of car it was. 

Portland is beautiful there is quite the amount of homeless there, a good majority of them super talented and playing music on the streets. The Saturday market was neat and really cool to hang out there. 

I loved the architecture of the city. It was green and lush and seeing the water was wonderful. Living here in Caldwell there isnt much water that isnt coming from sprinklers. 

Then we went to VooDoo Donuts, our first trip there found us a 45 min wait, we decided to return. We went back later and there was only a 15 min wait. It was fun to be there, feel the energy from the shop and the people in line. The donuts were good, i miss Dunkin Donuts though. I wish for a vanilla cream filled donut...love those things. We took them to my sisters house and my nieces were thrilled to be able to pick their own...

My pretty niece Bridget. She was so excited to get the sprinkles...

Marley is the M&M lady and all around rock star. She is not one for photos and yet she held this pose for me so I could get the right shot. I didnt get one of Abraham which makes me sad but he got the biggest donut and was happy about it. 

Brenda and I had a great time staying with them. I think Brenda learned some new things about her aunts she didnt know and some insight into life. Eileen, my youngest sister, has a very open view of life and is not religious. It was great to see Brenda and Eileen having great discussion about where she is at in her life and what Eileens thoughts on it are. I am so grateful to have siblings who are understanding of our beliefs and respecting the way we have raised our children. I enjoy having them to talk too. 

Mnt St Helens was our next stop on Sunday and what a wonderful drive that was. We got a bit lost, finally found our way and had a glorious view. 

If you ever have the chance to go...GO it was unbelievable...It amazes me that Heavenly Father has made such a gorgeous world. The astounding world we live in is so wonderful. It was fabulous. 

Monday was the FOOOOOO FIGHTERS...we had done so much walking over the weekend my feet hurt so bad but i wanted to stick it out on the floor General admission....it was exciting. 

We were at the Moda Center in Portland. So close to the stage. It was great. 

We were so close. I thought of my friend Dru and how excited he would have been to be there with us. He was the first person to catch on to me quoting Foos in a talk at church.

Still waiting on more photos from my sister (above) and my girl. It was a fantastic concert. Dave Grohl (lead singer) and Taylor Hawkins (drummer) really keep things going through the entire 3 hours. it was the best time i have had in a long time. 

Just as a side bar Krist Novaselic was there as well. He is the guitarist from Nirvana. I personally saw 2/3s of Nirvana...i peed my pants. (think of that Dru, maybe i am a bit cool). 

If they ever come again i am taking all my kids, and probably going to beg Dru to bring Melissa as well. Brenda and I talked about having them with us. We took a few videos of the concert as well maybe in the next blog i can get the ones from my sister and Brenda and post them. 

I wont lie coming home was great, sleeping in my own bed, being with my boys and girls and my  hubby. I missed them all this time. Usually when i go away i dont miss anyone much. But this time i did. I am still catching up and trying to get back into life...but i still dream bout Foos...

2 friends.

Anyone out there have a really good friend, someone who is so close to you that you can say anything to them? Be anything with them? I have one or 2 in my life who i can call anytime and they make me sane. These 2 women take me as I am, call me on my bullshit, let me talk about really private things (stuff i have a hard time talking about), they have seen me at my worst and at my best...I think about them almost daily and wish they didnt live in completely different states.

I want to say so much about them. They have been my support in times when I felt like there was nobody else there. All of the years we lived in Maine, we lived across town from one friends house, I would pack up my babies and go spend the day with this woman, just on the bed in her kitchen. Yes, she had a daybed in her kitchen. She was often home as her youngest son is disabled and required almost constant attention. She makes the best pies in the universe, some of the best soup, in fact everything she cooks is delicious. She can make something out of nothing, everything from food to clothing. This friend was raising her last few children still, she is a mother of 10 lovelies. She had a difficult time with her first husband, then divorce happened, and she found another man who was supportive and helpful. Life for her was not an easy ride for her. She started out as my seminary teacher and i was a friend of her oldest daughter. Then as time went on we became closer. She is one of the dearest friends I have. I can call on her any time. Ok not ANY time cause after 9 she kind of shuts down.

I have so much to say about her and not enough room to put it all here. She is the one who encourages me to be myself, who helped to dig me out of the a hole when I though I couldn't get out, ate Ben and Jerrys with me when I was down and made me see the joy of my children. She helped me see the problems they were having and the difficult choices I had to make to take care of them. Everything from therapy for some of my children, to my little baby in the NICU and her taking the time to come see me. That is a feat in and of itself that she could come and see me. I remember vividly her talking to me about the joy that little boy would give me as he grew older. Leaving her and moving to Idaho was one of the hardest things I had to do. She met us at the state line and I got a photo with her i miss her, i miss her tremendously. I call her as often as I can, just to hear her voice and know that i am ok.

The other friend lives in yet another state. She is a bit closer in Colorado. Over the past 7 or so years we have lived in Idaho she has made an effort to come see our family. For a few years she brought her sister. These girls have grown up with me. I remember when the youngest sister was born. In fact my friends mom is my mom, she took over for my mum when she died. I have been friends with her and her family for almost all of my life. Over the past few years we have become closer. She has had some trials in her life as have I. We have found a common ground where we can talk and become. She does not go to church but she supports me in all that i do. She encourages me to keep going, to work on myself with the gospel.She makes me know that all that I am doing with my children is right. That the path Shane and I have chosen for our children is a good path. That her feelings of the LDS church do not shroud the advice she gives me.

On my worst days i can text her usually from the bathroom at work and tell her i cant take it anymore...and i get something back that is full of love and laughter...she has become and is my sister. I think we have needed each other for a long time, finally we have each other. She just had the most beautiful baby girl and one of my regrets is not being there for her, physically. We have spoken so often by text, messenger, phone that i feel like i have been there for her as much as i can. I know how hard it is to have a baby and be alone in a house and trying to be a mom. I have such a reverence for her. I love her with all that I am. I would entrust my children to her. She struggles with life and so do I, we understand each other.

So do you have any friends like this? These 2 women make me who I am, take me as I am and encourage me to be the best I can. I love them more and more every day. Become that friend, be the one that someone turns to in the times when they cannot go on. I know I still need them, I only hope I can be that one for someone else.