One Last Day with Family

Another hot, triple-digit day, but still time for fun. Besides swimming in the river to cool off, we did a few crafts to pass the time away.

The boys enjoyed staining a cigar box for which to keep treasures. They didn't want to paint them, just apply a stain. And what a nice job they did.

KL, on the other hand, is more like me and is eager to learn everything there is to know about the art of tole painting. She chose an oval box and a cute turtle design to paint for a birthday gift for a friend. She is a very attentive listener and follows instruction well.

I just taught her a few basic ways to load the paint onto her brush, and she basically did the rest herself, using the pattern book as a reference.

Jen stretched out on the lounge for a rare minute of peace and solitude before thinking about packing up and heading south. This picture was taken upon her arrival and when the weather was nice and cool when she exclaimed "This is how I want to spend my vacation!" Today she wouldn't be seen in jeans, most likely shorts and a cooler shirt!


And a trip to Oregon wouldn't be right without finding and befriending a banana slug! JD was fascinated on how they shrink up when captured on a stick.

His mom was the same way when she was his age. While camping, whenever we needed a banana slug removed from the side of our tent, we'd just holler "Jeni!"

Packing up is quite a chore. But with help from the kids, Jen was able to get the car and pod packed to the gills.

It's always great for us to enjoy our family visits. And this time, knowing we'll see them again in October, it wasn't as sad to say farewell. We all had a fun time together, and created all kinds of memories to last a lifetime. Thanks for coming!

Life is good!