OMG!!! What am I doing?

It is 230 in the morning and I can't sleep.  There are so many things going on in the next two and a half weeks and so many things that I need to do in order for all of it to go smoothly that I can't get my head to turn off.  I am tired, I know I am I can feel it but I can not sleep cause I keep thinking about everything that I need to do.  I know in my heart that in the end everything will work out and be great but I am such a perfectionist that I tend to drive myself nuts.  I am uber organized and overly critical of so many stupid things.  I worry that I did everything correctly and I stress about whether I did everything I was supposed to.  I pack and unpack and then repack my suitcase a number of different times, because I am afraid I have forgotten something or that i will miss count and only bring things for six days instead of the seven that I need.  Jesse thinks that I have OCD.  I think that I need someone to hit me over the head with a baseball bat and knock my ass out so that I can sleep for the next two days totally uninterrupted. In the last 48 hours I have slept a grand total of maybe 5-6 hours and that was not even all at once.  I am hoping that by writing this all down, that I myself will truly realize how ridiculous it is and will be able to then clear my head and sleep at least 4 hours before I have to get up at 7am because I have a big day ahead of me.  And I don't think that walking around like a zombie cause I'm so exhausted will do anyone any good.

Ouch Update

So, here's the update. I have a cracked bone in my foot. That's why it hurts so stinkin bad. Unfortunately because I waited for so long and have been walking on it for the whole time the dr. says that there is little that can be done and that it will just need a few more weeks to heal. So vacation here i come and I am not allowed to were any cute shoes I have to wear my tennies or something else that has great support. So she says. We will see how long that lasts.

Ouch!!

So I think I have a broken bone in my foot.  Someone stepped on it while I was riding Trimet one day and it has hurt since.  I have been trying to ignore it, but since I have been sick and needed to go to the dr's anyway I am going to have it looked at and the dr ordered an x-ray that I am supposed to get before my apt today.  I probably doesn't help that Jesse exacerbated it yesterday.  He decided to throw me in the pool and i grabbed hold of the metal stairwell to stop myself.  Little did I know, the metal staircase is not cemented in.  It came out of the ground and into the pool with me.  I hit my heel on the bottom of the pool and then kicked the metal rail with the top of my foot when i was trying to get back to the top of the pool for air.  Now it really hurts.  And he's in the dog house.  Guess I will find later, my apt is at 4pm.  Hope it's nothing serious, my vacation in in 17 days.

Astoria Trip

On Wednesday July 14th, Jesse and I went to Astoria for our day trip.  Our first stop was Fort Clatsop.  It's where Lewis and Clark settled for the winter on there long journey. 

Our next stop was Astoria.  We decided to Climb all 170 steps of the Astoria Column.

170 steps up.

The Astoria Column

This is the view from the top.  

We drove across that huge bridge and went over to Fort Columbia next.  It's the fort that played a pivotal role in protecting the west coast during the WWII.  Fort Stevens was the other fort which is more famous, but we didn't go there.  This is one of the batteries that is at the Fort.  

And this is one of the giant cannons that were used to defend the Fort. 

After a day of lots of walking and hiking, we were hungry and wanted to see more of Astoria so we headed back over the river.  After eating we decided to take a trolley ride on the Historic Astoria Trolley.

Then before leaving town we just had to due the touristy things and see two of Astoria's most famous places.  The first was the house where the Goonies was filmed.  

And the second was the elementary school where Kindergarten Cop was filmed. 

We had so much fun and actually learned a few things about Oregon's history.  

Coast Trip

On this Wednesday trip, we went to the coast.  We started out in Newport at the Oregon State University Marine Science Center.  We learned a lot about what OSU is doing to help marine life and track the underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  They also have an exhibit where you can touch some of the sea life and learn about the creatures.

Then we headed up the coast and drove across the Newport Bridge.

And headed up to Depoe Bay.  Where we sat and ate caramel corn and fed some birds.

Our next stop was Beverly Beach, where we played in the water.  Jesse lost one of his water shoes and I had to go in and get it cause he didn't want to get to far into the cold water.  

One of the other stops we made was for lunch at Pronto Pups.  Jesse says they have the best corn dogs around.  They are even better than the ones at the fair.  And they claim to be the original.  

When we were done playing at the beach, we headed home and decided to stop at the casino.  Jesse did well he won, I was not so lucky.  But dinner was devine.  We had all you can eat crab at the buffet. 

Happy Independence Day!!!

Uncle Paul doing a fire dance around the fireworks. 

Everyone sitting around watching the
fireworks.

This year for the 4th Jesse and I hosted a BBQ at our house.  We had a lot of fun and there was a ton of food.  We ate, we laughed and we blew some stuff up.

The spread.  

Dissipating  fireworks.

Multnomah Falls and Bonneville Dam

On Wednesday June 30th, Jesse and I decided to go to Multnomah falls and Bonneville Dam.  The falls were beautiful, but there were so many people there that we decided not to hike the trail.

Then we headed over to Bonneville Dam.  All the water flowing through the spill gate looked amazing.

Then we were able to go on a guided tour of the powerhouse where the actual electricity is made.

As part of the tour they did a short presentation on how the electricity is made here and used audience members and props.  Jesse got to be the light bulb at the end.  

When we left the Dam we headed over to the fish hatchery to feed some fish.  

The way they fight for the food is crazy.  But I did get one really good pic of Jesse.  I love this photo of him under the shade tree next to one of the fish ponds.  

Mt. St. Helens and the Ape Caves.

On June 23rd Jesse and I drove up to Mt. St. Helen's and went to the Ape Caves.  The drive was really beautiful.

Jesse is also a bridge fanatic.  This bridge was built in 1932, it is a single lane suspension bridge and it was a huge advance in technology for it's time.  

The Lewis River Bridge at Yale Lake. 

The Ape caves are lava flow tubes that were formed when the Mt. erupted.  They are really awesome inside and I would recommend that anyone go see it.  There are also some structures inside that formed during the process.  

Now dat's a meataballa.   

Exiting the cave. 

Then we drove around to the other side and were able to see the Mt. as a whole and we also saw some lahars.  It's amazing to see new growth in some spots and then to see these big gouges and valleys were the lava did so much damage that nothing has started growing there.  You can literally see the layers in the sides of these lahars where there is old dirt way on the bottom and then this huge thick layer of lava and then a new smaller layer of dirt and new growth.  

A closer view of the layers.

Mt. St. Helen's and the lahar.  

Zoo take Two

Jesse and I decided to take another trip to the zoo today ( 6-12).  It was a beautiful day for it and we were able to see parts of the zoo that we had missed on the first trip.  Like the rhino, I didn't even know we had a rhino in our zoo I had never seen him.  His habitat is on this weird little trail that's kinda hidden in the back.  I also love going to the zoo for the activity, just being able to be outside and walking around in the fresh air is great.

We also saw the black bears who were sleeping the last time we came. 

Then we went to the elephant habitat.  Woo..  No fresh air there.  

But so cute.  Mom and baby snuggling.  

Then we finished out the day with a ride on the Washington Park Zoo Train.  Jesse loves trains and although you can't see any animals from the train the foliage is really pretty.

My Birthday

This year for my birthday I decided to have a reverse birthday.  NO I didn't tell everyone I was a year younger.  Since I am getting older and didn't ask for or expect any gifts I decided to give gifts.  Working on the labor and delivery floor of the hospital allowed me access to many people who share my birthday.  So I bought ten newborn gifts and wrapped them up all nice and pretty like and gave them out to the first ten babies that were born on our shared day.  It was a lot of fun and I felt good knowing that I helped some people.  And then when I got off work Jesse surprised me by setting up a birthday dinner at his grandmas house.  We all had so much fun talking and laughing, eating and playing cards and I even got a few gifts.  I loved my birthday this year it will be one that I never forget.

Grandma in her bandanna

Jack manning the BBQ

Aww..  What a loving family. 

Everyone at the dinner table after eating.  

Jesse and I 

Uncle Paul laughing

Seattle

Our next Wednesday Adventure was to Seattle, toward the end of May.  We left first thing in the morning and drove up there.  We decided to take the ferry across Puget Sound to see Seattle in a way that we never have before.  While on the ferry we also saw a baby orca in the water which was really amazing.

J on the bow of the ferry, I missed the orca he went underwater.  

 Next we walked around Pike Place Market. 

And went to the first Starbucks ever!  

We also walked around the main part of Seattle for a while and went to the Space Needle.  

Then we finished off our wonderful day with a dinner at the Crab Pot, as featured on the Food Network. 

They make you wear bibs and pour all your food
in the middle of the table and everyone just digs in!!!!