Borrowed from Amber...

DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU VOTE !!!
Sorry to bother you Mr. Obama, SirExcuse me Mr. Obama, I mean Senator Obama, sir.
Um . . know you are busy and important and stuff.
I mean running for president is very important and . . . ah . . I hate to bother you.
I will only take a minute ok, sir?See, I have these missing pieces that are holding me up, and I was wondering sir, if you couldtake time out of your busy schedule and help me out.
You know, no big deal, just some looseends and things.
I can't seem to get some information I need to wrap this up.
These things seem to either be'locked' or 'not available'.
I'm sure it's just some oversight or glitch or something, so if youcould you tell me where these things are?
Could you help me please find these things, sir?
1. Occidental College records -- Not released
2. Columbia College records -- Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper -- not available, locked down by faculty
4. Harvard College records -- Not released, locked down by faculty
5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released
6. Medical records -- Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- 'not available'
8. Law practice client list -- Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate - - Not released
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published -- None
12. University of Chicago scholarly articles -- None
13. Your Record of baptism-- Not released or 'not available'
14. Your Illinois State Senate records--'not available'

You couldn't get a job at McDonalds and become district manager after 143 days of experience.
You couldn't become chief of surgery after 143 days of experience of being a surgeon.
You couldn't get a job as a teacher and be the superintendent after 143 days of experience.
You couldn't join the military and become a colonel after 143 days of experience.
You couldn't get a job as a reporter and become the nightly news anchor after 143 days of experience.
BUT....'From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee, he logged 143 days of experience in the Senate. That's how many days the Senate was actually in session and working. After143 days of work experience, Obama believed hew as ready to be Commander In Chief,Leader of the Free World .... 143 days.We all have to start somewhere. The senate is a good start, but after 143 days, that's all it is - a start.AND, strangely, a large sector of the American public is okay with this and campaigning for him. We wouldn't accept this in our own line of work, yet some are okay with this for the President of the United States of America ?

Come on folks, we are not voting for the next American Idol!

It's a Potato Soup Day

This week so far has been cold and windy, and yesterday real rainy. It's been Hot Cocoa and Potato Soup week. We just finished with dinner, I forgot to take out meat to cook up tonight so Jason had a Hungry Man that I get him for when he gets the 11:00pm hunger pangs. Jason is finally up to 197-200lbs!!! That is great! He's 6'4" and cannot put on fat. He puts on muscle and with his climbing he definitely is putting on more muscle, but I'm trying to pump the calories to him to keep up energy and weight. I just made homemade potato soup and he will be eating that like crazy! The bread is almost done too. What is homemade soup without homemade bread? I can smell it, I love that smell. Someone should make it into a glade plug in or scented candle. Do you think it would sell?

Speaking of candles, I am so excited for the Christmas season. I LOVE the Christmas scented candles. I will watch for the after Christmas sales this year to stock up on them for the year. I know that almost every post is reverting to Christmas, I just love Christmas and this weather already is like it is in Arizona right at Christmas. This year we will be having Christmas here in Oregon. Since we don't have kids, we trade off, Arizona and Oregon every other year. Last year was in Arizona with my mom, this year will be Oregon with Jason's folks and my mom is coming up too! I'm so excited! Jason's sister will be in town from Oklahoma, so it will be nice to have more family around. It's about time to put up the lights. I don't know how I will be able to wait for after Thanksgiving!!!

Update on Jason- He is back at work, on light duty after his scapula fracture. He goes to the Orthopedic Dr on Monday. His shoulder has really been hurting him tonight, I was getting pretty worried since he has such a high pain tolerance, but now I look over and he has fallen asleep on the couch. His work has been letting him do his Internet training classes in the office and run parts. He was so sweet today. The company sent him to The Dalles Auto Parts store which is just in the next block after where I work. He came strolling in my office out of no where. I hadn't seen him cross the street and didn't know he was even in town right then. It was so nice, he just wanted to come over, say hi, and give me a kiss. I thought that was so thoughtful. I'm so lucky! I'm going to put away the potato soup, get the dogs all around for bed, put the bread away when it is done, and get Jason to bed. Night Night!

Best Baby Laughs n more

This is WILD!!! Scary really!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG5rQ3D_Zrw

What a great laugh!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wIEihDAcpU

This ones way cute too!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

Kick his Ask
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

Buhlud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9yAkBSrMk0

Scared of Shadow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtpoOdcYCYU

I don't like you mommy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8aprCNnecU

Charlie Bit my finger...again

This is my favorite youtube video to date!!! I love it! The Little England boys voice is so cute!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

You have to watch it more than once! Watch his little brow scrunch up!!!

Will you go with me?

When mom and Michael were talking, they were discussing their taste in music. Michael was HUGE on Jimmy Buffett, and mom was talking about a new cd she got of Josh Turner.

Mom was trying to remember the name of his new song out and Michael said he liked Josh Turner. Mom then remembered the name of the song,

"Will you go with me"

Michael's response -- "yes".

Josh Turner Will you go with me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktsHHNS07Wc

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Josh Groban Awake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5RXwhlCLOE

"Awake"

A beautiful and blinding morning

The world outside begins to breathe

See clouds arriving without warning

I need you here to shelter me

And I know that only time will tell us how

To carry on without each other

So keep me awake to memorize you

Give me more time to feel this way

We can't stay like this forever

But I can have you next to me today

If I could make these moments endless

If I could stop the winds of change

If we just keep our eyes wide open

Then everything would stay the same

And I know that only time will tell me how

We'll carry on without each other

So keep me awake for every moment

Give us more time to be this way

We can't stay like this forever

But I can have you next to me today

We'll let tomorrow wait, you're here, right now, with me

All my fears just fall away, when you are all I see

We can't stay like this forever

But I have you here today

And I will remember

Oh I will remember

Remember all the love we shared today

I love my mom! I think she is impatiently awaiting her reunion wih her sweetheart. Can ya blame her? How would you feel if you just got a tiny taste of pure bliss, and then it was moved far far away?

You Raise Me Up

What I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be;

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,

Until you come and sit awile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up...To more than I can be.

You raise me up...To more than I can be

---------------------------------------------------------

Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton When I get where I'm going

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Zfx5qra_g.

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Brad Paisley Waitin' on a Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glYTXMMQ1Xk

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Josh Groban To where you are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baWBHZ7Fo6c

Dont forget to preheat the oven!

Breath in, Breath out, Move on

Home is where the heart is

Do you remember dreaming of your first home and what it would be like?



Do you wanna see what I imagined mine to be?



An Old home, Craftsman style, with bay windows (which is perfect for a beautiful Christmas tree), 10ft ceilings, Large mop boards and molding around door frames and windows, and all the old style charm that only comes in these old homes.



When Jason and I moved here from Arizona in November of 2007, I drove by this house. It had been for sale when I was looking online prior to our move and in October, it was pulled off the market. We had had Jason's folks drive by it and they peeked through the windows and liked it, except, from what they could see, it had a tiny tiny kitchen! Kitchens, in my mind, are probably the most expensive remodel and it sounded as if we would have to knock out walls, etc and that just wasn't in our budget. But somehow, we were never as hopeful with any other property in our price range. So when we drove by in November, there was no sign of occupancy or that it was still for sale. I contacted the county and found out the owners names and luckily, they were in the phone book and lived just a few streets over. I called the woman and she said that her husband was reflooring the house, and doing a few repairs so it was for sale, but not right now.
I was so bummed. So we looked at other properties, and were pretty unhappy with what we were coming up with. It seemed that, for the amount of money we were able to afford in a mortgage, we were going to be purchasing a home that needed TLC, yet we wouldn't have the money to do the repairs while paying a mortgage that high. Then in Mid December we get a call from the owner of the property. YEAH!!! Her husband was finished with the new flooring and paint and we could come and see it. We went right over, Jason and I and his mom and dad. These are some pictures from that day.

This is from the dining room looking out to the living room and front entryway. It was hard to capture the sizes of the rooms. From here, if you go to the entry way on the left, there is another door that goes to the first guest bedroom. It's a nice sized room and we have a hide-a-bed couch in there and will be setting up our computer desk in there too.
This is the living room still, looking at the North and East walls. I love the bay window and all the dutch windows (that's what the inspector called them). I wouldn't trade these original windows even though they are single paned, for any new vinyl window period! I love it!
So then from where I took that picture in the living room, turn around and you are in the dining room. There is a large open archway that separates the rooms, but still leaving with the feeling of openness. In the dining room on the outer wall facing east, is another bay window. The prior owners put in this Engineered Hardwood floor. Underneath it is old vinyl, but underneath that is the original wood flooring! We are thrilled to be able to restore back to original at a later time.
This is in the dining room looking along the east wall at the bay window and also on the left you can see into the living room. Behind me, on the west wall there is a doorway that leads into a hallway where you have entry to the 2nd guest bedroom, the bathroom, and the master bedroom.
This is in the dining room looking South. There is this great original built in that is accessible on the dining room side and the kitchen side. It's great! On the kitchen is nice sized!!! It wasn't what they had seen through the window. This house was PERFECT for us! It also has a full unfinished basement that we will finish which will double our square footage!

We were able to buy the house directly from the seller, without realtors and their fees. We were so excited to get such a nice house, within our budget. This is our first home! We had the inspection done and the inspector loved this house and said how well made it is. This house is in The Dalles, Oregon and we were really wanting to buy in Hood River which is about 20 minutes away, but the prices in Hood River were just out of this world! This same house in Hood River, would have been almost double what we paid for it here in The Dalles. We have a plan though. We hope to be able to live in this home, do some improvements with the down stairs, maybe finish some square footage in the attic, and then when the housing market comes back up after a few years, sell it (or rent it out) and hopefully we can find a great place in the Hood River Valley somewhere with some land.

We have been so blessed and I've heard that it takes only two things to know when looking for a house, that it is the one for you. You feel the heartbeat of the house when you come in. This house definitely is home-y feeling and had a heartbeat when you walk in. The 2nd is you know immediately where you are going to put your Christmas tree!!! I love Christmas and even though it's not even Halloween yet, I've suggested to Jason we get the lights up on the house so while the weather is good! lol

What's life without dreams?

It's 5 to Midnight

And I'm glad this day is almost over. I got a call today from Jason at 3:30 while I was at work. First words out of his mouth... Now don't worry, I'm ok. That is never good! He's trying to calm me before telling me something. He said he was on his way to the hospital to just get checked out. At work, up 300 feet in the Nacell of the Wind Turbine, he was on the ground torquing a bolt down, when a 60-70lb tool 3 feet above him, fell off where it was resting and hit him in the back!!! Instantly my stomach started hurting as if that tool had just hit me in the stomach! I met him at the ER and they took Xrays.

The Dr comes out says that the Xrays look good, ribs look good, chest looks good, but there's something "funky" with how his Scapula or shoulder blade looks. "Funky"? How much money did that Dr spend in medical schooling to be able to use funky as a med term?!?! So the Dr orders a CT scan. Jason gets back in the room and we are waiting, and then the Dr comes in and says that he looked at the films and it looks like his Scapula is cracked. He said it's a very abnormal crack in that a person doesn't generally crack a shoulder blade since it's a fairly large bone. However, the 60-70lbs of falling tool 3ft above him would persuade a large bone to crack. So we look for a Orthopedic doc tomorrow.

Jason is sleeping, comfortably I think since he is snoring like crazy, and I'm in bed typing on the laptop. I am going to try to get some sleep myself, no sense worrying, like everything we've already been through with his back, it is all somehow for our learning and growth....

Excitement in the air

So we have some changes that are upon us and it feels like we are really being moved in good directions, it's so funny how things work themselves out. How when we put our concerns and discouragements out to God, he give us back a solution and moves us right along to where we need to be. So I'm getting ready for a "moving along", and all the while it is exciting and interesting, I'm a creature of habit, and really fight change. I find comfort in the same ol same ol and that is getting ready to be disturbed and changed into something brand new, out of my comfort zone, and where I will really be in a learning position. Jason has been so supportive, loving, and encouraging in really helping me make the decisions required. The opportunity is wonderful, and I welcome it, even while I'm bummed to be moving from some things that I will miss. Change is good, God is great, and I'm not going to get much sleep tonight.

We drive a hard bargain

I am becoming more and more my mother's child and my spouse's spouse! Oh how I used to want to shrivel up and slide under a rock with embarrassment whenever we would be at a garage sale and mom would dicker on the price of things. Or when we were at a restaurant, and if the food wasn't cooked right or there was an error between what she ordered and what they brought out, she would send it back. I never did, at all.......that is until I started paying for the bill! :) Then with Jason, never paying full price when there was any room for dickering. When we were in Oklahoma, he taught me that you can even negotiate prices at the meat service case!?!?!?! Are you kidding me? That was the strangest thing! He also taught me that at restaurants, when you get free refills, you can ask for a to go cup and even take a refill to go!! Crazy, I would have never guessed.

So this weekend Jason went out to Schwabs to check out used tires for his Toyota. They had a really nice set with alot of tread left for almost $400 after mounting and balancing. Ya they were really good tires, and ya Jason really needs new tires, but we both really have a hard time paying that price for USED tires!!! We hate to put brand new tires and pay the price for them since we will be getting the Toyota ready to sell so we can buy a Diesel. So he came on home and we got on the computer and checked craigslist and we found a really great deal for a set of 4 with 50% tread on them for $60. That is a really good deal, even having to drive to Portland to get them. So we went down to Portland to meed the old boy that was selling them. We get there, and the guy had left and left his mom to show us the tires. She opened the garage and the tires were worn out!!! They were already in the wear bars! They were worse than what we were taking off of the toyota! That ol boy was pretty lucky he wasn't there, Jason was not pleased! So we left and luckily we brought the laptop so we got online and called around to some tire companies with no luck, then found another listing on craigslist. A set of 4 with 40% tread on them and mounted on stock Toyota wheels for $80. So we called the gal, and she wasn't sure how much tread is left, she was just told about 40% tread. Well it was on the way, so we stopped by to check them out. They were nice, a little less than 40% but still definitely wearable! Then she mentioned that she had a brand new set that have been worn one week that she forgot she had. We looked at them, and they were the stock size that came on the 4Runner, with stock wheels and she said she got them at cost from the tire company for $260. What a great deal! She said she'd have to get $200 out of them. Well we hummed and hawed and Jason said he just couldn't do $200 for them. She asked what we could do for them. I knew Jason was going to say $150, and just before he did, he stopped and asked her what her absolute bottom dollar was. She said $100. $100!!! Jason said we could do $100! I asked Jason if he was sure we could. See we pulled out $100 in cash to come to town to get $60 tires. Well on the way I had to go to the bathroom so I have this thing where I have to buy something at the convenient store if I stop to use their restroom. So I bought us a water and Snapple which broke one of the $20s. So I had $15 left, Jason had $80 and a crinkled $1 in his pocket. The lady said not to worry, $95 was fine. The deal got even better!!! Saved another $5! We really are blessed. Out of no where, God just gives us a break on things! The day was good, then was not great, then really great!!!

We finished the day off stopping by Jason's folks house and getting to spend some much needed time with them. It was a great day and I had such a nice time on the ride to Portland and back just getting to be with Jason and talk about random stuff. No where to be but with each other. Life is great!

Blast from the....

This is the epitome of me!!! Big, wide, open mouth and just looking at the picture you can HEAR me (regardless of what state you live in) laughing or squealing about the graduation gift I was just given! lol Hey I can admit I'm loud. My voice just carries....or something like that right?

With the new blogging thing, I've been going through some old pictures. This has been so great for me. I feel that I am getting a refresher course, so to speak, on the past. I am so grateful for the past since each road traveled-- good, bad, or indifferent-- truly has made our present and road the the future what it is. I couldn't ask for more...


The diversity of this riding area was incredible! We started off in dirt and rock, went over the desert, and through the woods, to the beach of a lake and over to the dunes. There were great jumps and we had a great time. We really look forward to saving up play money to get 4 wheelers and can go out and play as hard as we work.
Here we are stopped on the side of the road in 4/02 on our way from Phoenix to Payson. We stopped to put our coats on. I have a big picture with all 4 bikes showing. This was a trip when everyone was down for Country Thunder. Jason and I on one bike, Ben and Lindsay on one bike, and Jodie and Nevada were cruisin' solo. Oh how the temperature changed from Phoenix to Payson! The ride was great! Jason picked me up from work on the bike with a change of clothes and a rose. He even brought me appropriate shoes for the ride. The only thing he forgot was socks. lol We were off for Payson. We got to Payson, went to Walmart for warmer clothes still yet, and then went and got a hotel room. All 6 of us in one room, we had cramped quarters but it was great. Then up and at 'em first thing in the morning since it was a work day and I had to be at work at 8am. Oh the freedom! We hustled back to Phoenix via the Beeline Highway, and as we got closer, we all started going faster, towards the warmth!!! The turn off to Mesa from the Beeline has an area you have to stop and wait to cross the lane of oncoming traffic. Well we got to that point, we stopped and Jason insists that I hold on at ALL times. Well we stopped to wait for a break in traffic to get across so I took the liberty to put my hair back up in my pony tail and before I knew it, Jason was taking off and popping a wheelie!! A WHEELIE?!?!?! While I'm not holding on? If I could meet the man that made the sissy bar, I would kiss them, and let me tell you it would be one heck of a kiss!!! lol Oh my reflexes were quick and I was able to regain my grip on Jason before he let down the front tire and then put quite the GRIP on the inside of his leg! Jason HATES to be pinched. It reminds him of being in church when he was a kid and when he would be acting up, his mom would reach over and pinch the inside of his leg where the skin is so tender. OWWWEEEE! He did not like me pinching him, but never again has he popped a wheelie with me on the back so I taught him. But then again, I never again have let go of him while the bike is running....so maybe he taught me....or maybe I learned myself! lol And in Jason's defense, his intention was not to pop a wheelie. We had been on the Beeline Highway for quite a while at a good speed so the tires were nice and warm and stuck a bit when he nailed the throttle to cross the freeway. We made it back into town, I was able to quickly get ready for work and Jason gave me a ride on the bike to work. We had such a great time!
I met Jason's folks for the first time Christmas of 2003. I had been with Jason since 2/02 and had many conversations with them, but just hadn't had the chance to meet them since they lived in Oregon and in 2002 I was in Arizona and in 2003 I was with Jason in Oklahoma. This Christmas I went to my mom's house for Christmas and flew out from Phoenix to Oregon to meet up with Jason and his family right after Christmas . I was immediately welcomed into their family and treated so well. When Jason came to pick me at the airport, he met me at the security clearance (that's as far as you can go anymore without a ticket) and down to baggage claim we went. We get down to baggage claim and Jason leaves to go check on the pickup that he left running outfront. While I was waiting, up walks Ben and Jodie! They came from Idaho to surprise me. Lindsay came along too! That was so great!
Some of Jason's folk's friends came over to meet me as soon as we got home from the airport. We were so tired we kept falling asleep on eachother. Then they would chatter and say how sweet we were, etc. That was a great Christmas. I love Christmas and the temperature lets me know it's coming on quick! I need to get out my Christmas boxes and get Christmas lights up. Oh I LOVE this season!!! Merry Christmas to all...I know it's only 10/10 but this weather just gets me in the spirit!!!

Chainsaw vs. knee --- And the winner is....

CHAINSAW!!!

----CAUTION----

The following may not be suitable for children of all ages, for women who are pregnant and queasy, or the squeamish!

Before Jason got hired on with Vestas, he did some logging work over in Dufur. The guy he was working for bought him a new saw, and Jason was very happy to be working with saws again. He always enjoyed going wood cutting growing up and was happy to get back to falling trees.

Jason's first day of work, I was sick with the flu, and in spite of my tremendous dislike for doctors, I had made myself an appointment to get in ASAP in hopes of getting an antiflu medicine to reduce the time and effects. That's how Jason and those who know me really knew I was VERY sick! The day was uneventful and entirely unpleasant for me. I took myself to the doctor at about 4pm then came home. Not long after Jason comes home...with a bit of a limp. A limp?!?! He didn't leave here this morning with one? Where did it come from? What happened? He came home smiling and very nonchalantly explained that there was a slight malfunction with the chainsaw and the chain shouldn't have been still cutting with the lock on, but it was and it kicked across his kneecap and his employer took him to the ER to get stitched up and then he went back to work and fell a few more trees to finish the day off. WHAT?!?!?!

My first thoughts....

Are you ok?(Yes) Why didn't you call me? (Because if I had, you would have forgone your drs appointment and gone to the ER and you were in no health to do that) Does it hurt? (not yet...) Oh my goodness!!! How deep? (pretty deep, just missed the bone, but did get to some cartilage)

Pain definitely set in the next day and for a while after that. Have you ever tried to heal your skin and meat over your kneecap? It bends!!! Reopening the wound, more likelihood for infection, and just downright not fun! He's all healed up now, I told him I think he should get a tattoo over the scar in the design of a zipper! I'll take some pics of it after to show how good it healed. A definite scar and proof still yet that if Jason could ever meet Murphy, he would show him that his law is alive and in effect and Jason is the proof!!!

Picture below is of the wound open. When Jason was at the ER, before the Drs could sew it up, he whipped out his camera phone and said he had to get a picture of it....

Yes I know, only Jason!!!

Explicit Picture

7 to 7 and closer to Heaven

The Monday after our wedding, Jason started a brand new job and brand new career. He is a Service Technician working in Wind Turbines. The company he works for is Vestas America. He is able to use his mechanical skills from his Diesel/Automotive, hydraulics, and electrical skills just almost 300 feet up. Below is a picture from the bottom of the Turbine looking up. The picture below is a picture that Jason took climbing the ladder inside of the Turbine. He is taking a picture looking down at what he has already climbed. 284 feet via ladder with rungs that are appx 14inches wide. The company purchased all his climbing gear and strapping and riggings and seems to be of good quality which is assuring.
This next picture is a picture Jason took from on top of the Turbine looking out towards the others. He has such a view out on top! Worth the climb?
This is Jason on top of the hub. Anyone who knows Jason, knows he has always been quite the extremist and loves a challenge.
Jason pulled his 4Runner up along side of a blade of a turbine. It looks like a toy vehicle! Like a mini! HUGE!
Jason just got back tonight from his second trip for training. His 2nd week of work, the company sent him to Portland, which is only about 1 1/2 hours from us and where Vestas' Corporate training center is. He went through two weeks of training and got a huge duffel bag full of climbing and safety equipment. So many of Jason's past jobs just threw him right into work without any sort of training as to the way that particular company liked things. It's just nice to have a company formally train and invest in their employees like this. Last week Jason went back to Portland for his 2nd training trip. I was able to go up to Portland the first week, on Wednesday night, and stay until Friday morning. That was so fun to just hang out in the hotel room and not do anything. We had a buddy stay at our house with the dogs so I didn't have a care in the world. Thursday while I was up there, Jason came and picked me up for lunch and i was able to hear about how his day was going so far and have lunch with him. Then that night we went to dinner. We had a good time. Jason finished up his training today with a test that he passed with flying colors!!! One step close to a raise!! Yippee! Life is good!

If a Woodchuck could chuck wood...

As fall is right on top of us and winter is FAST approaching, we have been out cutting wood for winter. The woods have been closed due to fire hazards and there was quite the fire up on the mountain burning down towards Cooper Spur so I guess they had good reason, no one wants to see Mt Hood or it's surroundings on fire!!! But now they opened up some permits so we were good to go. We went up to Dee flat and off the beaten path towards Lost Lake we found some nice down logs, even some Red Fir!!! Would have made BEAUTIFUL lumber! Above is the view looking back from where we parked to get the logs out.

This tree is bigger around in person, not sure why it looks so thin in the picture. This was where we hooked the snatch block too (terrible name, but I guess that's what it's called). This nylon strap just squished the dickens out of the bark, and the wood underneath is just pale and wet and pretty. The bark was so pliable. This tree stood tall and made it possible to get out the down logs from in the woods and to the roadside where Jason and James could cut them up and Lauren and I moved the cut up chunks to the trailers. At least the ones we could carry or roll. Even at 16-18 inch lengths, some of those rounds were too big for us to handle and we got in BIG trouble by the guys for even trying!

Here are a couple of the logs we got. They look skinny, but they are pretty substantial and LONG!!! So you know any time you go into the woods for woodcutting, you have to bring a picnic right? We had the BEST picnic! This day was rainy and cold and Lauren and I knew that we needed more than bologna sandwiches!!! Jason and I just bought 1/4 beef and so I brought sirloin steak and a little BBQ. We had the whole fixings complete with Baked Potatoes and soup. Before we left to go wood cutting, I asked Jason to go to the basement and grab 3 steaks, one each for Jason and James and one for Lauren and I to share. He comes back with two packages of sirloin steak and we were assuming there were two steaks in each package since it was HUGE!!! Come to find out, no just one steak in each package so we had two steaks but it was plenty! They were the biggest, best looking sirloin steaks I have EVER seen! We are definitely reordering from the people we bought this beef from next year!
Between the rain, chain saw breakdowns (all three of them), and just random chit chatting since we were all just happy to be with each other, we didn't get as much wood as we would have liked, but we had a good time regardless. We loaded what we cut then put some logs on top that were 16ft long or so.
We got through loading, and night was upon us! It was cold, and still rainy but it was the first cutting in the woods for the season and it was great to be up there in the stillness away from everything. I think time moves a bit slower in the woods. We came out of the woods and went to Jason's folks' house in Hood River to pick up Boomer. We dropped him off that morning to so they could spend some time with their favorite "granddog". They don't have any grand kids mind you so they make the best of what they have! lol Boomer hopped in the 72 Ford with Jason hauling the trailer and I followed behind in my Dodge since the trailer taillights weren't working. It was about 9:30pm when we left Hood River and got on the freeway to travel the 19 miles east along the Columbia River to our home in The Dalles. I was following Jason closely almost the whole way. We were cruising along at probably 70-75mph and were about 5 miles out of The Dalles when I let out of it a bit and all of a sudden I saw Jason in the Ford and trailer in front of me start swirling "S"s across both lanes on the freeway. Sparks were flying, logs were flying everywhere, and I just knew he was going to go straight into the concrete barrier median!!! His driving skills were incredible and he finally got it safely over to the right shoulder, I stopped my truck when the first log went flying and ran as fast as I could up to his truck. He had blown a passenger front tire! Jason was so bummed! He loves this old truck, his grandpa loved this old truck and Jason has got to be one of the most sentimental man I know.
So we couldn't find a spare for the truck due to the wheel being inset or something like that so I called a tow truck. It just so happened that one of our clients just started a tow company and has two brand new rollbacks. I gave him a call and he gave us a HUGE break on the cost and towed us in truck on the rollback and trailer being pulled by the rollback for $100! That is an unheard of deal! We were so lucky! We were so lucky that the damage wasn't greater! We were so lucky that Jason and Boomer weren't hurt and that there weren't any cars in the lane next to Jason! We were so lucky that I had backed off of following so closely right before the tire blew and was able to get stopped myself! We were so lucky that the wood didn't fly into oncoming traffic and injure someone that way! Not the best day, but we were SO lucky! Needless to say, the following day - Sunday, we rested!

I am So thankful for that wood! We have been building fires for a little while now and outside it's quite chilly, but it's nice and cozy in our wonderful home! Life is good...time for some cocoa!

All the cool kids are doing it....

I am officially entering the world of Blogging! Wow! After reading blogs of my friends and families, I think I am the only one who doesn't have a blog. All that is history now.

For a recap on where we've been to bring us to today...

Jason and I met in Arizona when I was 16 and he was 20. He was a small town country boy from Hood River, Oregon....

...and I was a small town country girl from Thatcher, Arizona.

I had just started dating a friend of his and that is how we came to meet. The boys were going to school in Phoenix at the time and every weekend four of them would come down to visit me and my friends and we would cruise main street, go on dates, and go to our friends house who had a mechanical bull and the boys would practice their skills. Then some weekends we would go to Benson where they would let the guys pay an entry fee and put them on a real bull to try their luck with the sport. The guys would come to my house and of course since my mom never had boys, she just loved them all!!! She would stock up on food for when they came to town, since after all, they were starving college students who spent alot of money in their old Chevy and Ford big block pickups coming to our little town every weekend. Often the guys would campout on the living room floor with sleeping bags and it was always quite the sight to come down stairs in the morning and see all of them sprawled out. I wish I had pictures!!! Jodie was 6'3" Jason was 6'4" Nevada was 6'5" and Ben was 6'6". Sleeping bags are not one height fits all!!! I had so much fun with that group and was lucky enough to have a great connection with them all and stayed in pretty good contact with them all. Graduation for them came around in '99 so Jason was off to Oregon, then to Tulsa, and Ben and Jodie did the whole Helicopter logging in Virginia and all over for a while. Every year, we would all get back together in Arizona for the 4 day country music festival called Country Thunder USA. We had such fun! We did that from 98-02, and really need to get that going again!

So Jason was in Tulsa working for Tulsa Freightliner and I was in Phoenix. I remember many long night phone calls with Jason and he would frequently tell me that he needed a "Beth". Of course, I just thought he wanted a girl that had similar characteristics to me, country girl, laid back, just normal without all the crazy tendencies, etc. lol What he meant, and had meant for quite a while is that he wanted me. Totally didn't catch on!

Our group got together for a trip out to Tulsa in February of 2002. Ben and Jodie were both working for Williams Gas Pipeline at that time and Ben was being sent to Tulsa for snowcat training. So Jodie took off work, flew down to Phoenix, and I took of work and Jodie and I drove from Phoenix to Tulsa. Ben flew from Boise to Tulsa, and Jason and Nevada were already in Tulsa. Something just clicked in this trip with Jason and I and we've been together non stop since. I'll find pictures of that trip and post them up!

Jason and I got married June 28th, 2008 and married life is great! I totally dig it You would think after being together for almost 6 1/2 years that it wouldn't change that much after we were married, but boy howdy, I totally like being married. I love Jason. He is definately "IT" for me. We were so lucky that we both were in a position in life that we didn't want games and drama in a relationship. We went together for 6 1/2 years solid. No breaking up and getting back together, we are solid, rock solid. He just completes me. We are so fortunate that we can't stay mad for long. It's incredible! I can be just mad as the dickens at him, and decide I'm definately going to be giving him the silent treatment. He's going to wish he hadn't disagreed with me!!! Ya right. After 5 agonizing minutes, I find myself saying something to him, at random, it could be something about whats on television or asking him a question about the dogs.....and there I've ruined it!!! I broke my silence! We both have this problem. We cannot hold a grudge. In the heat of the moment, I get mad at myself and think "I was NOT supposed to talk to HIM!", but at this point, damage is done, I've said one thing, I guess we've made up and moved on! It's great actually, I totally love that!!! Tons of people say how lucky we are to have that and I believe them entirely. I've know people whose spouses have not talked to them for a week over a silly argument! A WEEK? I don't think I've gone a DAY not talking to Jason since 2/2/02, and I don't think I would like it very much so I don't intend to start now! Talking to him and loving him is a habit now, and I'm no quitter!!!

So here we are now, living in The Dalles, Oregon----Just bought our first house---Jason's working for Vestas working on the Wind Turbines---I'm working again for Farmers Insurance---We have 6 dogs---two trucks---a 4 runner---and a Harley Davidson motorcycle---and most importantly each other. Life is good.

I think what I will do is find some older pictures and post them up so there is some history here. Happy reading and we'll see how this goes!

Luvs to all!

Beth Morgan