Journey

Tombstone, Arizona

2011-12-04T18:20:00.001-08:00

For Thanksgiving, Dave and I went to Tombstone, Arizona. The movie Tombstone is pretty historically accurate. Tombstone was a boom town in the 1880s because of silver mining. Now, it is a small town with many tourist. We arrived on Thanksgiving Day and the entire town was closed except for one museum at the courthouse, a gunfight, two bars, and a gas station. At least we were able to get good pictures of the town without any people in them. We really felt like we stepped back into the 1880s! Friday, all the shops, museums, and gunfights were open and the town was very busy. If you enjoy the movie, you would love visiting Tombstone. If you ever find me missing from home, I might be hiding in Tombstone waiting tables!

courthouse

The main street in Tombstone that was rebuilt to look like life in the 1880s.

We watched a funny, cheesy gunfight in Helldorado Town!

One of the highlights of our trip was going in the Bird Cage Theatre! It is one of four buildings that are orginal from the 19th century, the other buildings burned. The doors were shut in 1889 and and reopened in 1934. Everything inside was untouched and we saw the actual tables that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday gambled on! 142 bullet holes are still showing throughout the theatre. Imagine life in these times!

the original Bird Cage Theatre

Friday, we saw a second gunfight reenacting the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Dave at the O.K. Corral

Several stagecoaches are available to drive you around town.

On Friday, the restarants were open again so we had lunch and dinner at two different saloons. The servers and bartenders dress in 1880s attire. "Wyatt Earp" sat at the table behind us at dinner while we enjoyed a live band!

Big Nose Kate Saloon

The characters also walk around town in costume!

Red Ribbon Week and My Classroom

2011-11-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind, but last week was Red Ribbon Week at Anson Elementary! I think the teachers had more than the kids did dressing up! On Friday, the first grade teachers dressed as marathon runners! During our conference, we ran through all the classrooms so everyone knew what we were. At the end of the day, we had our annual Halloween Parade to say "Boo to Drugs!"

First Grade teachers ready to run!

Here we are worn out from all our running!

Mrs. Cook trying to sting us! We are such dorks!

Hippie Day

This year, our school had our first Open House. This is what my room looked like when the kids and their familes came in to see our classroom. The kids had fun drawing themselves!

Victoria Falls

2011-09-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

The last week of our trip in Africa, we traveled to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We stayed at The Kingdom Hotel four nights and went on six excursions. It was relaxing to end the trip in a nice hotel without any long, dusty roadtrips. Upon arriving the first night, we went on a river cruise. We watched the sunset while enjoying snacks and drinks, and looking out for hippos. The next day, we took a walking tour of Victoria Falls. The falls are not the widest or tallest falls in the world, but it claims to be the largest waterfalls. Because the falls are SO large, it was difficult to see the falls from the walking tour. You also get very wet from the mist. The following day, we took a helicopter ride to see the falls and we were amazed by it's beauty!

Victoria Falls from the helicopter

Victoria Falls

Helicopter ride over the falls

The gorge is a popular area for bungee jumping, swinging, and ziplining. We were not ~~stupid~~ brave enough for any of these activities!

Victoria Falls Bridge where we watched bungee jumping...just watching made me sick!

Victoria Falls Bridge and Gorge, here people (not me!) swing over the gorge

We went on one last safari before leaving Africa. The highlight was seeing this momma elephant and her baby. This baby was the smallest we saw throughout the entire trip.

Momma elephant

Baby elephant...so cute!

I tried to get a picture of the baby elephant, but it ran really fast while the momma stood guard.

Early one morning, we went waking with lions! They were cubs (one male and one female), but you can see they were still large! They were one and a half years old. When they were born, they were taken into captivity and are being raised to return to the wild. The lion population has been decreasing in Africa, so this program was created to make sure more cubs survive through the first few years.

Petting the lioness

Walking with the lions

Our last evening in Africa, we enjoyed a traditional dinner and dance. Actually, we didn't enjoy the food that much, but the overall experience was great! You can see they gave us a wrap to wear, painted our face, and passed out drums.

Face painting

Worms to eat! Yuck! Don't worry, we didn't try them.

I will have to make another post about our fun, but SCARY whitewater rafting trip!

Gameday Dress

2011-09-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

Some of you won't believe it, but I spent the afternoon making a gameday dress with a RED RAIDER! My friend, Ashton, invited me over to make these dresses that she found on Pinterest. They were fairly easy to make, but there are a few things I would like to change about mine. Ashton's turned out really cute!

Check out this blog for the tutorials. Thanks Ashton for the invite! Can't wait for our next project!

Hadza People in Africa

2011-09-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks, my life has been consumed with the beginning of a new school year. Therefore, my Africa trip blogging has been put on hold. I hope to make a few more post about our adventure in Africa. So back to Africa...While in Tanzania, we traveled well off the beaten path to visit the Hadza people. They hunt and gather all their food just like their ancestors did thousands of years ago. They are called bushmen because they truly live in the bush. The tribe we visited traveled quiet often and did not have a shelter except for branches that they bundled together to help block the wind. We joined their tribe early in the morning and it was cold. After greeting the tribe, Dave and I set out with three men and our guide to find food for the day. Remember, it was Africa's winter. We didn't see any animals except for a few birds. After a few hours of walking around trying to kill an animal with their bow and arrow, the men decided to head back. Since they didn't return with food, the women had to go gather fruit and berries. Imagine gathering fruit and berries in the winter. We did try a few berries while we were hunting. It amazed me to see people living so primitive.

Dave realized it is very difficult to start a fire with sticks.

He also shot the bow and arrow a few times.

Before we left, the tribe sang and danced for us. They grabbed my hand, danced me around the circle, and made me feel like I was apart of the family.

We had a great time visiting the tribe. Our international trips constantly remind me how fortunate I am to live in America.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

2011-08-14T10:28:00.001-07:00

After leaving Zanzibar, we flew to South Africa for one night and then onto the Okavango Delta in Bostwana. We arrived at Odd Balls Camp in this small plane. The camp is only accessible by boat or plane. This was one of three flights that we took on a small plane throughout our trip.
The plane provided a great view of the delta and we could see animals as well.
Odd Balls Camp was the most primitive camp we stayed at, but it was also one of our favorites. We spent a lot of time visiting with the other guests and the managers of the camp. The great company and peaceful setting made for a wonderful stay.
Our tent...
I thought our shower was a lot of fun! First, you would fill up the bucket using the sink faucet. Then use a pulley system to lift the bucket up higher than the shower head. A hose was connected to the bottom of the bucket and to the shower head. The water was heated by solar power. It worked great!

One afternoon, we had a visitor in the camp. I know this picture is small, but you can see an elephant in the camp while I'll putting on sunscreen. He stayed in the camp for a few hours. We had to wait for him to get off the pathway before we could go to our tent after lunch. Elephants come in the camp often to shake the palm trees for fruit.
Here he is eating leaves right above the kitchen. Soon after this picture was taken he stepped on a water line.

Several times a day, we would go out in the makoro (canoe) with our guide, Poison. That was his nickname, because he is deadly on the soccer field! He would pole us through the small channels (created by the hippos) to take us to an island. Then we would walk around looking for animals.
We mainly stayed in the shallow water, but every once in awhile we had to cross the deep water where the hippos live! This provided some excitement to the otherwise relaxing ride.
Dave tried to drive the makoro...he did pretty good!

From Odd Balls Camp we flew to another area of Botswana. I'll save that for my next post! Thanks for reading about our African adventure!

Zanzibar

2011-08-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

Not all of our time in Africa was spent in tents or driving down bumpy roads! We took a break for a few days to enjoy the island of Zanzibar. After a busy safari in Tanzania, we did nothing but relax on the beach! Oh yeah, and eat delicious food of course. I could have stayed here much longer. It was beautiful!

Our lovely room...
Path to the beach...You hang this coconut and someone will come take your food or drink order...

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

2011-07-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

After our week long safari in Tanzania, we flew to Kigali, Rwanda. We had a wonderful time in Rwanda and I plan to blog about our time there later. We drove from Rwanda into Uganda. Border crossings in Africa are very different from any I have been through. I won't go into details, but imagine being the only tourist, no one standing in line, and carbon copy paper instead of computers. After making it across the border we drove many hours down bumpy, unpaved roads to Bwindi. This was a very small town where tourist go to TREK GORILLAS!! You have to get a permit to go on these hikes and you must plan well in advance to get them. The park we were in (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park) only allowed in about thirty people a day. Gorillas are becoming increasly rare and we were very fortunate to see them. Here is how the day went...A few "trekkers" set out early in the morning to find a particular family of gorillas. Gorillas are always on the move so it is very difficult to find them. Plus, they live in very thick vegetation. We started hiking around 9am and headed in the direction the trekkers told us to go. The area we were in is ONLY HILLS! So we hiked up and down quite a few times. Most of the hike was not on a path. The guides in the front cut down vegetation as we hiked. I was constantly tripping over vines and roots. Four and a half hours later we found the gorillas!! I was pretty tired at this point and very excited to finally see the gorillas. This is what the first siting looked like...
I was thinking, I hiked 4 hard hours and paid money to barely see a gorilla!! Luckily, it got better and better. Some gorillas were hiden in the thick vegetation, but some were out in the open. It was amazing to be so close to them and to see them in their natural habitat. I particularly liked the small babies. We even saw a three week old baby, but didn't get a good picture. We were only allowed to spend an hour with the gorillas before heading back. Luckily, the hike back was much quicker. I was extremely sore the next few days, but it was well worth the pain!

Typical houseHere you can see that it was NOT a flat hike.
We started our hike by passing through a local village. The kids would run over to the trail to wave and say hello.
This guy came along just for protection.
Dave hiking over a stream.
You can see why it is called the Impenetrable Forest.
Cute little baby!
And his mad momma! She doesn't look happy with us.
His name was Trouble Maker.

Safari in Tanzania

2011-07-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

This summer, Dave and I went on an adventurous vacation to Africa! We had a wonderful time exploring Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Bostwana, and Zimbabwe. In this post I would like to share with you our first week in Tanzania. We spent the entire week with a private guide. We spent the week traveling through Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater. We saw the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino)plus many more animals. Each morning we woke up early, around 6 or so, ate breakfast and jumped in the jeep. We drove around seeing animals for six or seven hours, eating a boxed lunch in the jeep. Then we would arrive back at our lodge and relax for a few hours. At night we would have a nice dinner at our lodge. Below I have included just a few of my favorite pictures from the safari. We took a total of 3,700 pictures so it will be very difficult to post just a few!

Two male lions...Male lions are very difficult to find so we were lucky to see them.
Female lion behind me...We watched her for about an hour, because it looked like she was going to attack a zebra. It was a cold morning, that is why I have a blanket wrapped around me.
Love this little baboon!
Cape Buffalo
Dave in the safari jeep
Wildebeest and zebra like to hang out together.
There were four lioness walking amongst the jeeps. They seemed to enjoy all the attention.
We are standing at the Hippo Pool. There were about a hundred stinky hippos!
One lonely hippo
Ngorongoro Crater
There were so many impalas.
Elephants
Safari jeeps
Zebras
Hyena
We watched this leopard eat a thomson gazelle that he carried up the tree, while her cubs played down below.
Cheetah
Rhinos are VERY rare!
Giraffe
I plan to blog again soon about our next adventure in Africa!

Albany Fandangle

2011-06-25T17:20:00.001-07:00

Thursday night, we attended the 73rd Annual Albany Fandangle. The Fandangle is an outdoor musical directed and performed by only Albany citizens. My grandfather wrote a few of the songs YEARS ago, and my mom was in the show every year growing up. I love seeing an entire community coming together to continue a strong tradition. The show was fantastic! The show runs 6 nights every June, so plan to go next summer! The show started at 8:45 and by then the weather was perfect...no heat and no mosquitos! That's is rare in West Texas!

Before the show was a great parade which included the new MAYOR MAXEY! Ty and Kyleigh (Bill's grandkids) loved riding with my mom.
My mom had a fan club watching! Seated in the chairs...Natalie (our old neighbor), her daughter, Cathy (her mother), Scott, my aunt, and my uncle. After dinner we ate bbq at a park.Dave and I met in April of 2000 and spent a few days together at A&M while I was visiting and Dave was a senior. The next time I saw him was in June that summer when I went to the Fandangle with my family and we invited Dave to join us. That night, I never thought I would attend the show eleven years later with Dave as my husband!

Free time in the summer!

2011-06-18T08:58:00.001-07:00

I love summer because...

#1 I was able to go to Aggieland for four days! Meredith and Jacki are two of my great Aggie friends and we had our Second Annual Trip to The Clary House. Meredith's mom owns the B&B and she was kind enough to let us stay. The house was built in 1902. It is beautiful and so relaxing! As always, Linda prepared delicious breakfast for us. If you are going to the Bryan/College Station area you MUST stay here! I had a great time shopping, laughing, and dancing with the girls!

#2 Patty and I spent a Friday afternoon painting at Mine By Design. Patty had two gift cards, and I'm thrilled that she invited me to paint with her. It took us at least thirty minutes just to pick out our pottery. It was so relaxing to just sit and paint for hours. Thank you Patty!

Mount Rainer

2011-06-06T21:15:00.001-07:00

During Memorial weekend, I was stuck in bed with strep throat while Dave was in Washington climbing Mount Rainer. From the pictures below, you will agree my weekend was much easier. Dave has been training for months to prepare for the 14,411 foot mountain. He went with a guided group consisting of 4 guides and 8 hikers. Only two of the eight hikers attempted the summit and Dave was one of them. I'm very proud that Dave did not give up even though it was EXTREMELY TOUGH! At 13,700 feet the guides decided it was too dangerous to go any higher. The hike was three days long and he woke up at 1am the last morning to attempt the summit. The weather was pretty intense the entire three days...lots and lots of snow. While back in Texas it was 107 degrees!!

This picture was taken in the park before the hike...BEAUTIFUL!Dave before the sunburned, snow frozen face!
The first night they slept in a hut, but the next night that stayed in tents. He had to shovel away snow just to get inside. I love the snow frozen to his beard...glad I wasn't on this trip! 13,700 feetHere you can see Dave and another guy roped together in case one of them falls in a crevasse. This is why I was nervous for Dave to take this trip! Dave made it home safely with extremely sore muscles and a bad sunburn! I'm very proud of you Dave!

Progress on the house...floors!

2011-05-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

We finally have new floors! They have actually been installed for a few weeks, I'm just slow about blogging. Now that school is out for summer (Hippee!) I should have more time to blog. And yes, our living room still looks like a gym. Someday the equipment will move to the back bedroom.
New front door... Formal living room...

Have I mentioned, that I don't have a kitchen? This is it!

I'm borrowing this table from my mom until we buy one. I'm thinking maybe a little, round table would look best. Until then this table is great. What do you think?

Dining room...

I'm so thankful for all of Dave's hard work on the house! We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but for now I'm pleased with the progress. Want to see before pictures? Check out this old blog post.

Big Bend National Park

2011-05-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

In May, Dave is climbing Mt. Rainer in Washington. Therefore, he has been training for the hike. We have made two trips this month to Big Bend National Park. Each time we have stayed in Marathon and then driven into the park for the day. Big Bend is HUGE, with many beautiful trails. Dave loads his backpack up with water jugs to make his pack heavy, I just walk along (with no weight) for support. My favorite way to hike! We hike five or six miles and then come back to enjoy the small town of Marathon.

Grapevine Hills Trail...
Window Trail...
Lost Mine Trail...

One of my favorite parts of hiking is the wildlife. Between both trips, we saw mule deer, javelinas, an elk, a buffalo, road runners, and rabbits.
Our first trip, we stayed at the Marathon Hotel...

Our second trip, we stayed at the Monroe-Payne House...
Both trips we have tried to stay at the famous Gage Hotel, but it has been booked because of weddings. Luckily, we got to eat there Friday night. Dave ate a buffalo ribeye and I ate buffalo enchiladas. It was delicious and the atmosphere is even better!

Easter with the Hearne Family

2011-04-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I traveled to Graford to celebrate Easter with the Hearne family. Becuase we are all so busy, we only get together once a year. Unfortunaletly, Dave's family was getting together at the same time. Neither of us wanted to miss seeing our family, so Dave went to Gorman while I went to Graford. He is the only person missing from our annual family picture. This is the third year that we have gotten together for a picture. (I can't find the picture from '09 yet.)

Spring 2011

Spring 2010

It was so wonderful seeing everyone! I enjoyed watching the great-grandkids hunt eggs and play baseball!

It's Finally Happening...

2011-04-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting a LONG time for this...

Our house had A LOT of nasty, old carpet; and nasty, old linoleum. Even our bathrooms had carpet. Dave has been working extremely hard preparing our house for new floors. The flooring guys started installing today and they finished most of the dining room. Hopefully by Friday I will post pictures of all our new floors!

Weekend in Austin

2011-04-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Over Spring Break, I spent a weekend in Austin with two of my great friends from A&M. Jamie and Emily are dear friends and I truly miss our time together. We all met at a camp the week before our Freshman year. We were close friends all four years. Jamie now lives in Houston and Emily lives in Austin, therefore, we only get to see each other once a year.

Emily was my roommate for three years in college.

Friday, we went on a bike ride around a lake near downtown. That evening we ate outdoors at a Mexican restaurant and enjoyed the fireworks from South by Southwest. Saturday morning, we went shopping on South Congress.

Saturday afternoon, we tried something new to us all! Stand-Up-Paddle Surfing! We listened to live music while we paddled near downtown...great views!!

All weekend long, we laughed about great memories from college! What a refreshing and fun weekend!

Speaking of Aggies...our women's basketball team won the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP last night!!! Whoop! I am so proud of Coach Blair and the girls!!

Gig 'Em Aggies!!

2011-04-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a few blogs behind, but I had to stop and say...WHOOP!! Aggie girls just beat Stanford sending them to the National Championship game for the first time in school history! I'm so proud of my Aggies!

Spring Break!!

2011-03-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have been back to work for four days and I'm EXHAUSTED! It is amazing what one week of sleeping in can do to your body! My husband had to work all week and being the good wife that I am, I left him home alone for the week! :) I went to Brownwood, Albany, Cleburne, Keller, and Austin leaving me home in Abilene for one day.

I went to Brownwood for my third quilting retreat. Yes, I am 28 and I go on quilting retreats! I completed this quilt top and started a new quilt.

In Cleburne, I spent a day with my friend, Marlana. She and I taught together in Joshua 5 years ago. We go 6 months to a year without seeing each other, but when we get back together we never stop talking!! Wish I would have taken a picture of us. However, I did buy this cute bench while we were shopping at the big Cleburne mall! I need to add a seat cushion and some flowers.

In Keller, I spent the night with my friend, Sarah, and her family. Sarah and I became friends the week before our Freshman year at A&M. I got to celebrate St. Patty's Day with these cute little guys!

I ended a great week in Austin with two more Aggie friends, Emily and Jamie! I'll post another blog later about our weekend

An Unforgettable Man

2011-03-04T19:39:00.000-08:00

My grandfather has always been very involved in my life no matter my age or location. Friends from elementary school, college, and current co-workers all know and remember my grandfather, John Earl Beall. He was an unforgettable man. Once you met him, you never forgot his kind words, hugs, and kisses! He always saw something good in everyone he met. Last Saturday, he went HOME to his Heavenly Father. Luckily, he was able to live a healthy and full life up until the moment he died. I actually saw him three days before and he was making jokes as usual. Every time I saw him he sang the following to me: "Mandi girl, Mandi girl, prettiest girl in the whole wide world."

This picture was taken last June.

I love this old picture of him!

Ocean Diaper Cake

2011-02-16T17:43:00.001-08:00

My latest diaper cake for a co-worker...

Snow Days

2011-02-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

I thoroughly enjoyed my three days off this week due to this...

I relaxed A LOT, but managed to finish this quilt top...

I also made my first pillowcase dress...

The only problem with being housebound was running out of food! Since our kitchen is being remodeled, we keep very little food in our house. I mixed these cans together for a surprisingly delicious stew!

Penguins in the Galapagos

2011-01-23T18:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, there are penguins in the Galapagos Islands! This is the farthest north that you can find penguins. We were very fortunate to see these adorable little creatures! :)

Can you see the little guy in this picture?

Island Hopping in the Galapagos

2011-01-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

If you travel to the Galapagos Islands, you have the option of staying on a large cruise ship or a small yacht. We chose the smaller boat so we wouldn't be traveling in a large group. We difinetly made the right decision. Our boat, Tip Top II, held 16 passengers plus 7 crew members. We spent everyday on a new island, and traveled at night to our next destination. A few days, we were even able to see two different islands. We spent 7 days on the boat and never got seasick. However, when we got off the boat after a week of swaying, we could feel the motion for 3 or 4 more days.

This is what a typical day was like:
7am breakfast
8am hike on an island to see the animals
10am morning snack
11am swim/snorkel
12pm lunch and SIESTA!
2pm snorkel/kayak
3:30pm afternoon snack
4pm hike
6:30 pm dinner
7:30 or 8:00 we went to bed (yes I know this is early!)
We ate a lot and slept a lot!! My two favorites!

Tip Top II

We rode a banga from the yacht to the island.

Hanging out on the boat was very relaxing!

The sea lion is posing perfectly in front of our boat!

Dave is standing right outside our room. We left our door open at night to enjoy the sounds and breeze of the ocean!

Birds of the Galapagos Islands

2011-01-16T12:12:00.001-08:00

The Galapagos Islands have many unique birds that are only found on the islands. They don't have any major predators, so the birds let humans get very close to them. Some birds will even walk right up to you! I have never seen so many birds in my life!

Blue-footed boobie...

Blue-footed boobie with babies...

Immature blue-footed boobie...

Albatross...

Immature albatross...

I forgot this little guy's name, but he looked cute drying his wings...

Great blue heron...

Hawk...

Magnificent frigate bird, the males blow up their red air sack to attract females...
Mockingbird...

Brown pelican...

Red-footed boobie...

Red-footed boobie baby...

Red-footed boobie...

Swallow-tailed gull...

Yellow crowned night heron...

Yellow warblar...

God's Creation

2011-01-08T19:59:00.000-08:00

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. ~Romans 1:20

Only God could create the unique and amazing landscape of the Galapagos Islands!

Journey to the Center of the Earth

2011-01-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

Dave and I celebrated Christmas this year in Ecuador! We spent a few days on the mainland of Ecuador before spending the majority of our time in the Galapagos Islands (I will post later). If you travel to Ecuador, you must go to the "equator line." For most of our trip, we honestly didn't know which hemisphere we were in.
Equator Musuem...

Equator Monument...

New Name

2011-01-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

One of my new year's resolutions is to blog more frequently, but first I want start out with a new blog title! Dave & Mandi is too boring, so I need help. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Dave and I went to Galapagos Islands for Christmas!! We had a wonderful time and I plan to post pictures soon. I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

Weekend with old friends and babies!

2010-12-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

Dave and I spent a much needed weekend away from home! Luckily, Dave's old roommate from A&M and my good friend from A&M live fifteen minutes apart in Keller. We were able to spend one night with each of them. At Sarah's house, I got to play with her two kiddos. Cameron (2 and 1/2 years) loves reading and putting together puzzles! He will make a great student. And Trevor (13 months) is very laid back. He was happy just being held.
Dave's old roommate, Randy and his wife Mandy have a three month old baby. I got to meet Sophia for the first time. I loved holding her...she was too sweet! Did you notice that Trevor and Sophia's bellies were both showing? :) Healthy babies!

Since I'm showing off babies, here is a recent picture of Abigail. Dave and I babysit her once a week. She is 16 months old. We love spending time with her!

Wondering about the remodel? We should be getting the interior walls textured this week so we can start painting. Here is an updated picture of the exterior. We have recently had the trim painted, gutters installed, and new landscaping. It is starting to look much better.

Happy Halloween - 80's Style

2010-10-31T08:59:00.001-07:00

I love it that my school allows the kids and teachers to dress up for Halloween! At the end of the day Friday, we have a costume parade to show off all the great costumes.

Twin Diaper Cake

2010-09-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE baby showers?!! They are a great excuse for craft time. I made this diaper cake for boy/girl twins.

Cowboy Diaper Cake

2010-09-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

I'm back to blogging! I have been busy the last five weeks teaching and working on our house so I haven't had much to blog about. However this week I made a little time to make a diaper cake! This one is for a cowboy/western nursery.

Back Home

2010-08-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

This last weekend, I went "home" to visit old friends and to see my mom. Even though I consider Abilene my home, I refer to Cleburne as home. When I wasn't busy seeing old friends, I hung out with my mom and her best friend, Jan. We talked and quilted all weekend long.

I had lunch on Friday with a special young lady named Maddy. I taught Maddy when she was in the third grade, and she will soon start seventh grade. Her mother and I have stayed in touch through the years. It was so good seeing Maddy, her mom, and her brother.

Saturday, I attended my ten year high school reunion. It was fun seeing everyone and sharing old stories. Some of these girls I have been friends with since fourth grade!

On Sunday, I had lunch with my friend Marlana. Every time I go home to see my mom, I go visit Marlana. We taught together four years ago and I really miss her!! She has three adorable kids. This is her youngest playing dress up.

My friend's giveaway!

2010-08-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

Our Happily Ever After
Check out my friend's blog! Katie is having her first giveaway. She and I have worked at Lytle together for three years!!

The Clary House

2010-07-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I drove to College Station to have a girls' weekend with two fellow Aggies! I hadn't seen Jacki or Meredith since last summer. It was great sharing old stories and laughing a lot! We stayed at The Clary House. It is a bed and breakfast owned by Meredith's mom. It was built in 1902 and is located on the south side of Bryan. Anyone traveling to this area should consider staying here. Linda is an amazing host, the rooms are beautiful, and the food is delicious! Linda made us two gourmet breakfasts. She also had fresh cookies waiting for us. Look at the website and check out the rooms. I stayed in The Elizabeth Room. I felt so at home and relaxed that I didn't want to leave.

All Aggies know that you can't go into College Station without buying an Aggie t-shirt. None of us could pass up these adorable bright pink shirts (yes, you can make fun of us for matching).

Saturday's Breakfast - The crepe was filled with cream cheese and peaches! It was DELICIOUS!

Sunday's Breakfast - The waffle was filled with cream cheese and strawberries, and the quiches were in the shape of a heart! Too cute and again tasty!!

While in college, Meredith and I worked for an Accommodations Counselor in the Disability Office. We surprised our old employer, Donna, at her office! It was such a joy to see her again. She is a special lady and I will always remember her.

The rest of the weekend we did lots of shopping. We also got to enjoy some of our old favorite restaurants. Saturday for lunch, we met up with my old "church family." They adopted me in college and fed me once a week. They have three beautiful girls and I can't believe how old they have gotten! The oldest, Jessica, is going into high school! I am really mad at myself for not taking a picture with them.

We made a stop on campus at this enormous Aggie ring! This picture was taken right after I received a parking ticket. Another tradition at A&M. My freshman year I gave large amounts of money to the PTTS.

We had a great time in Aggieland and this trip really made me miss my days there!

Oberammergau

2010-07-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

Dave planned our European vacation a few years ago so that we could attend the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. In 1643, the people of Oberammergau made a promise to perform the play every 10 years if God spared them from the bubonic plaque. The town currently has 5,000 residents and over half of them are directly involved in the play. 4,700 people come to watch each night. The play is performed five days a week for six months. It was six hours long in German, but we had an English script to read. We had a two hour intermission in order to eat dinner back at our hotel. In order to double their population on a daily basis, they put guests anywhere that has a bed and bathroom. We actually stayed at a sanatorium. Six hours in a theatre chair listening to German might sound boring and long. However, the time flew by and the play was much more than I ever expected! I was extremely amazed by the message and performance. The choir, orchestra, and actors were as good as professionals. You have to live in Oberammergau for twenty years or have been born there in order to participate in the play. It is hard to explain the entire experience into words, you just have to experience it for yourself. I would love to go again some day.

We couldn't take pictures during the play, but here you can see the stage is out doors.
Last scene of the play.

We were very fortunate to be on the third row. The seating is covered even though the stage is not.

Dave before the show.

The town was beautiful and of course full of shops. We bought a hand-made cuckoo clock!

Neuschwanstein Castle

2010-07-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

Dave and I went on vacation to five European countries: Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Liechtenstein. We took 1,800 pictures so it will take me FOREVER to go through them all! I have decided to blog about a few of my favorite moments from our vacation. To begin, I would like to share our day of riding bikes to Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. One reason this castle has become a very popular tourism site is because Walt Disney used Neuschwanstein as inspiration to create Cinderella's castle. The castle was built in the 19th century for King Ludwig II. He led a controversial life and his death was very mysterious. We have toured many castles in Europe and this one has been the most impressive on the inside and out.

We made a stop at the beautiful Swan Lake. The swan is a symbol of the region so King Ludwig II had many swan decorations in his house.

We went on our second toboggan ride!

Our guide for the day graduated from magic school (seriously) so he put on a little show for us. He was really good! Random I know, but we were amazed!

After an hour and a half bus ride, two hours of bike riding, lunch, a magic show, and a toboggan ride we finally arrived at Neuschwanstein Castle. We went on a thirty minute tour of the inside. We had a great day!

This is the view from the castle. You can see King Ludwig's parents castle in the hills below.

Mesa Verde National Park

2010-06-24T21:20:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, Dave and I made a quick trip to Mesa Verde National Park in Southwest Colorado.

Before we arrived at our camp, we saw a few mule deer and these adorable baby turkeys!

We are getting a little spoiled with our camping. We rented this tent and two cots. The tent was HUGE compared to our backpacking tent.

The next few pictures show a few of the many cliff dwellings. The Anasazi Indians lived on the mesa tops around 650 A.D. Starting in the 12st Century they began to live in alcoves. Perhaps to avoid enemies or weather. They would still climb up to the mesa top for farming.

Dave and I went on three guided tours which took us into the dwellings.

You can see how they would make their houses out of wood and plaster.

Now the fun part was getting in and out of the cliff dwellings. Amazingly the Indians would use hand and toes holes to climb along the cliff! I still can't figure out how they survived. I'm sure they lost a few people to the canyon.

Throughout the weekend, we went on several short hikes.

Dave cooked some delicious meals! For breakfast, he mixed sausage, eggs, onions, and bell peppers! Yum!

During the day the weather was in the 80s. It felt great! At night it got down in the 50s so the fire felt great and made yummy roasted marshmellows.

Can't Leave My Husband Home Alone!

2010-06-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

After leaving my husband home alone for four hours this is what I am greeted with when I walk in the door.

As you can see we are demolishing the kitchen. I had already packed up the food and dishes, but I didn't know Dave was starting tonight! I'm learning with remodeling you have to make things worse before making them better.

Diaper Time!

2010-06-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended a baby shower (my favorite event) for our friends Austin and Leigh. Dave and Austin were roommates in college and we are now very close to the soon to be grandparents. I made a sock monkey quilt for Baby Reed. I only had time to finish the quilt top before the shower. I still need to have it quilted before the baby arrives.

We gave Austin a diaper changing kit. He kindly tried it all on for a quick photo. The kit included: rubber gloves, protective eyewear, pacifiers, duck tape, clothes pin, and a face mask. Oh yeah, and diapers and wipes!

I also made Dave try on the belt! You can tell he was thrilled to have his picture taken.

Blogging Friends

2010-05-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

Notice my new background? I came across a website where you can find free blogging templates.

Templates by Tenille

I think I change my background more than I blog!

Diaper Cake

2010-05-02T17:18:00.001-07:00

I love baby showers!!! Today we had a shower at school for one of our teachers. I made her a John Deere diaper cake! Check out the cute little boats on top.

Front Yard

2010-04-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

We recently had several bushes and a huge holly tree taken out of our yard. We had already cut down a few trees and crape myrtles. Last fall, we planted a chinese pistache. This is the after picture. Here is our house when we bought in August '09.

We do want to plant shrubs and something in front of the middle window. Any suggestions?

Frozen Key Lime Pie

2010-04-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

This is an EXTREMELY EASY and delicious recipe!!

Frozen Key Lime Pie

1 (8oz) container cool-whip, thawed slightly

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 prepared graham cracker pie crust

In a medium bowl whisk together the cool-whip, condensed milk, and lime juice until smooth. Spoon the mixture into graham cracker crust and smooth the surface with spatula. Set in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.I wouldn't get up and cut Dave a second piece, so he decided to eat right out of the pan. This is actually a great idea, because it would save me washing a dish or throwing away a paper bowl. Our dishwasher doesn't work so I have become creative!

If you are wondering how the house is coming, check out the studs behind me.

It's A Miracle!!

2010-04-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

It's a miracle...I have successfully prepared three delicious meals in the last eight days. For me this is a record. Since I rarely make anything worth sharing, I didn't take pictures of the first two meals. Hopefully, I will remember next time!

Last Sunday, I cooked Asian-Glazed 'Melt-in-Your-Mouth' Pork Tenderlion which was absolutely delicious. Monday night, I cooked chicken fried steak with homemade mash potatoes. Then tonight I cooked Fiery Asian Beef Kabobs with Hot Garlic Sauce. I served it over egg noodles (I needed to use them or toss them). This might be one of my favorite recipes now. We LOVED it!! Be careful though, this recipes is SPICEY HOT!!
Sorry the picture isn't better. I remembered to take a photo after we began eating. Yes, we ate it all...no leftovers!!

Hearne Family

2010-04-11T16:32:00.001-07:00

For Easter and my Papa's 86th birthday, all 28 members of the Hearne family were able to celebrate together! My dad has two older brothers. The three of them and Papa (seated in front) still spend a lot of time together. There are now 10 great-grandkids! Since my dad doesn't have any grandkids, he had to borrow one for the picture! Scott left before the big picture, but here is a great picture of us with Papa.
I am blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Birthdays

2010-03-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

Dave and I enjoyed a weekend full of birthdays! Friday night we celebrated our niece Brynn's 5th birthday! Saturday, we celebrated Cameron's (my good friend Sarah's son) 2nd birthday!

Saturday night, we stayed with our friends Mandy and Randy who are expecting their first baby in August. We are so excited for them.

Quilting

2010-03-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you my new hobby...quilting!! My mom got me started back in the fall and I am addicted. I go to Charisse's (picture below) house every Thursday with my good friend Karissa. Charisse is an excellent teacher! This weekend, my mom and I went on a quilting retreat in Brownwood. I had a great time being with my mom and I met some wonderful women. I was able to finish 3 quilt tops while at the retreat.

my mom and I out on the deck over looking the Brownwood Lake

Charisse and IJohn Deere quilt...I made two of these for my friend's two boys. baby girl quilt

Thanksgiving in Puerto Rico

2009-12-06T17:35:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving, Dave and I made a quick trip to Puerto Rico. We arrived late Wednesday night. Thursday, we spent most of the day at our hotel. We layed at the beach and played in the pool.

Even though we were on vacation for Thanksgiving I still wanted a traditional dinner. We went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, because we knew they were serving a turkey dinner. I had turkey, dressing, and sweet potato casserole, but Dave couldn't pass up their rib eye steak. Everything was delicious and we even had pecan pie! After dinner we were happy to watch the second half of the Cowboy's game and the entire Aggie game back in our hotel room.

Friday, we woke up early to walk around Old San Juan. We took a tour of Castillo San Felipe del Morro which is a fort that was built in the 1500s after Columbus discovered the island. We also went into a church were Ponce de Leon is buried.

Friday night we went on a night kayaking tour. We kayaked 30 minutes through a spooky canal of mangrove trees and arrived at a lagoon. In this lagoon are dinoflagellates - bioluminescent plankton. When you swirl your hand in the water these organisms glow! We weren't able to take pictures, but this was a once in a lifetime experience. If you travel to Puerto Rico you must check them out! We kayaked 30 minutes in the dark back to the shore.

Saturday, we went on a catamaran ride. We first stopped at an uninhabited island where I played in the water and Dave snorkeled. The second stop was in the ocean. Once again I played in the water and Dave snorkeled. Lunch, snacks, and drinks were included in the tour. Riding on the boat was very relaxing and beautiful!

Saturday night, we ate at a delicious seafood buffet at our hotel.

McKittrick Canyon

2009-11-07T19:22:00.001-08:00

Today, Dave and I enjoyed a beautiful hike through McKittrick Canyon in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The trail was 6.8 miles round trip and the weather was PERFECT!

Along the trail we stopped to see a cabin built in the 1930s.

A mule deer is the only animal we saw while hiking, but driving to the park we saw a coyote and roadrunner.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch before turning back down the trail.

As you can see, the fall leaves were GORGEOUS!!

Guadalupe Peak

2009-09-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, Dave and I climbed to the top of Guadalupe Peak...the tallest peak in Texas! Friday night we drove to Carlsbad, NM. We stayed at the Stephens Inn which is the same hotel that Dave's parents stayed at for their honeymoon. This was just a random coincidence. Saturday we got up early for our 8.5 mile round trip hike. Within the first twenty minutes of our hike, I saw a LONG black-tailed rattlesnake crossing the trail. I was walking in front and stayed calm long enough to move behind Dave. I actually stayed pretty calm until I heard the rattle. Dave, of course, wasn't scared and was able to get some great photos. We think it was a little longer than three feet and from zooming in on pictures we counted eleven rattles.

Beautiful sites along the hike

Here you can see the backside of El Capitan in the background.

We made it!!! 8,750 feet

The views along the trail and at the top were absolutely beautiful. I recommend that all Texans hike this rewarding trail!

Our New House!!

2009-07-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

In June, Dave and I bought a new house. It is only one mile away from our old house, but it is in a quieter area and it is a little bit bigger. We have been moving some things, but we haven't moved in. In the next few weeks, we will probably make the move. Dave is going to finish tiling his shower here before we put the house on the market. The new house is in great shape, but it needs a little updating. I will hopefully post pictures as we make changes. I am starting my first project at the new house tomorrow. I am taking down the popcorn on the ceiling and wallpaper. Anyone want to help?! :)

Back porch - I can't wait to sit out here in the peace and quiet!

Behind the bushes on the right is a carport and storage shed. I love that the bushes hide the shed.

Jack-n-Jill style master bath, but it doesn't have a tub. We plan to make lots of changes in order to add a tub.

Master bedroom - It has a sliding glass door opening to the back porch.

Living room - My favorite part of the house is this large window and glass doors. Great lighting and I enjoy looking out to the yard. I also like the fireplace. The paneling is coming down.

And the gun cabinet is coming out.

Front door and entry

Guest bathroom

Storage room for now

Guest bedroom

Formal living and formal dining in the back

We were amazed that all the original appliances work after 30 years

Kitchen nook

Hopefully, I will keep you updated on the changes we make. Also, I hope to post pictures from Spain soon. We took 2,000 pictures so it is taking me awhile to pick out my favorites.

Baby Shower

2009-06-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

School is out and life is great!! Dave has been working on the house (he is doing a great job), and I have been preparing for a baby shower for my friend Teri. My mom and I are hosting the shower so I have been busy making the invitations and we also made a diaper cake.

Paradise in Rapa Nui

2009-03-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Dave and I spent Spring Break on Easter Island, the most remote spot on Earth. Easter Island is owned by Chile and is located in the South Pacific Ocean - 2,500 miles from the nearest city. Easter Island is very small and in four days we traveled all over the beautiful island. The first day we took a bus tour and really learned a lot of the history. As you can see in some of the pictures it was raining most of the day. We enjoyed the day anyway and didn't mind standing in the rain to take pictures. Rano Raraku is a volcanic crater and was the quarry were the moais (statues) were built. Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu (platform) on the island. It holds 15 moais. The rain stopped right before we went to Anakena Beach. The sand was pink!

Here is a completed moai with a pukao (topknot) and eyes (these are replicas).

The second day on the island we hiked to Rano Kau - a volcano crater.

We stayed in a guest house where "Michigan" lives. He is the smartest dog I have ever met. He went hiking with us for six hours. He scared off stray dogs and made sure we didn't get lost.

Day three, we rented a quad. It rained off and on all day which made for a wet and muddy ride...it was a blast! We were able to see some new sights as well as traveling back to the spots we saw in the rain on the first day. Here I am laying on our bed and taking a photo of the ocean. With windows open, we slept to the breeze and sound of the ocean. However, we did wake up a few times to the sound of stray dogs fighting. Needless to say, we stayed at a perfect place. It was a guest house owned by Sharon from Canada. Thanks Sharon for a great time!

Weekend with Ty

2009-01-25T11:21:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, my brother and I got to hang out with Ty! My mom brought him to Abilene, while she helped out with a funeral in Albany. We had so much fun together. We went to Prime Time (bowling, games, lazer tag, bumper cars, and Nascar driving), swam at the Marriot indoor pool, and watched two movies. It was so great seeing him!

Climbing a tree behind Scott's house...
These are all the toys Ty won at Prime Time. He gave me a cool ring!Future Nascar driver...Ty began bowling without bumpers and got a spare on his first time up to bowl. Beginners luck so we had to add the bumpers soon after.

Christmas Time in New York City

2009-01-25T10:40:00.001-08:00

Better late than never...Dave, my Mom, and I went to NYC December 20th - 22nd. Dave and I headed to Egypt from NYC while my mom headed back to Texas. It was extremely cold, but fun!

Mom buying M&Ms!! These M&Ms were greatly appreciated in Egypt. White Christmas! Can you see the snow?My mom and I went to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. This will always be one of the best memories I have with my mom.The show was absolutely beautiful! My mom bought us matching rag dolls that looked like the dancers below.Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center...this is rain now, not snow!My mom and I can't go to NYC without stopping at Sabon. Dave saw his first Broadway show...Avenue Q. The show was hilarious!Carriage ride through Central ParkDave loves his steak!! Peter Luger has been voted the #1 steakhouse in NYC for 24 years in a row. Also, voted #1 steakhouse in the world.This was by far the most tender steak we have ever eaten. However, the flavor didn't come close to a Texas mesquite grilled steak. Don't worry though, Dave and I finished off the entire porterhouse. Mom thought it was too rare for her. Thanks mom for a great trip to NYC!! We had a great time.

Christmas in Egypt

2009-01-03T02:18:00.000-08:00

Next to our wedding in Australia, Dave and I just went on our favorite vacation. I highly suggest that anyone interested in international travels should go to Egypt. It was a relaxing and fun vacation, but I also learned so much. An Islamic culture, third world economics, and a 5,000 year old civilization all opened my eyes to a whole new world. We took 1,300 pictures and I am trying to cut this down in order to share pictures on Shutterfly. Until then I wanted to share a few of my favorite pictures. Everyday was packed full of great memories, so it is going to be very hard to pick the best. I could never express how amazing our time was in Egypt.

Abu Simbel - Temple of Ramses built in 1224 B.C.

Temple of Horus in Edfu - built between 237 B.C. and 57 B.C.
Temple of Philae

Hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and village
We went to the Valley of the Queens and Valley of the Kings where many tombs have been discovered and/or robbed. We went into five tombs, but the most exciting tomb was that of King Tut (discovered in 1922). Inside we saw his mummy and one of his golden sarcophagi (we saw his other two sarcophagus in a museum). King Tut died 3,300 years ago and we saw his body!!

We weren't allowed to take pictures in the tomb so I found this pictures online.

Hatshepsut's Temple in the Valley of the KingsKarnak Temple - built in the 16th century B.C. is the largest ancient religious site in the world. The temple originally had 134 columns. Luxor Temple - When the Egyptians built Karnak and Luxor they connected the two with the avenue of sphinxes which extends for 1.2 miles. You can see some of the sphinxes now, but most are buried under the city of Luxor.When Christians fled to Egypt they used some of the temples as churches. Here you can see a portion of a Last Supper painting (around 250 A.D.).We went to a Papyrus Institute and learned how the ancient Egyptians made paper out of a papyrus plant. We bought several paintings for our house!

Forty-five minutes on a camel was exciting, but painful. I was sore for days!

PYRAMIDS!!! There are actually a little over a hundred pyramids in Egypt.

We walked out of a restaurant and Dave said, "Look, a lion." He said this very calmly, because we learned that anything is possible in Egypt. The cub was four months old and was not on a leash or in a cage...just hanging out on a table.

Step Pyramid - the first pyramid ever built.

I got to see how they made silk rugs, it was difficult. I found a rug for $4,000 that was absolutely beautiful!

Mashy - Mashy!! Dave and I really enjoyed getting to know our wonderful tour guide. Thanks Vivian!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T20:38:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving week was extremely busy, yet very fun. Everyday was filled with friends and family. The week started off on Tuesday with Brian and Sarah coming to visit. Sarah is a friend of mine from college who lives in the DFW area. We were so happy to play with little Cameron who is now six months old. Wednesday, we hung out with my mom's family here in Abilene, but I didn't take any pictures.

Thursday, we went to Gorman to have lunch with Dave's family.

Brynn Sadie
Here is Garrett and Abigail - Dave's cousin's kids.

Friday, we drove to Graford to see my Dad's family. Ethan and Sophie put on a show for everyone after lunch. They were so cute!

Here is Molly - my cousin Tammy's daughter.
...and John - my cousin Dana's son.
We had more adults than kids playing football!Scott and DadSaturday, Dave and I cooked a Thanksgiving meal! My mom, Bill, Scott, Grandad, and Paula came over for lunch to enjoy our fried turkey.
In between all the family events, we got to hang out with friends Austin, Leigh, Blake, and Kristi. We don't get to see them very often so it was great watching the Aggie game with them and playing games.

Making Christmas cards

2008-11-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Saturday, I went to San Angelo with a friend to make Christmas cards. I had so much fun and came home with 10 beautiful cards. Jennifer, I knew you would appreciate this blog. I would love to come stamp with you.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T15:38:00.001-07:00

Brynn and Sadie were adorable cheerleaders for Halloween! The things teachers do for their students...Each year at Anson the kids and teachers dress up for Halloween and we have a parade through the school. I felt silly all day, but the kids loved seeing us dressed up. I also have two wonderful room-moms. They decorated my room and put together an amazing party. We had a great day, but I am exhausted!

Pumpkin patch for the second time!

2008-10-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight Dave and I went to the pumpkin patch for the second time. We went with his family so Brynn and Sadie could pick out pumpkins.

Halloween Treats!

2008-10-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

I saw the picture below in a Woman's Day magazine. I thought how cute, I want to make these. Well, I knew it would be hard, but I took on the challenge anyway. After HOURS of making a mess, I created only 3 skulls and 6 Frankensteins! Well, actually there was more, but Dave and Scott decided to decorate also. Those were eaten!

Looks pretty close to the magazine right?!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Monday night, Dave and I went to a pumpkin patch with two of our friends. I had fun picking out our pumpkins and taking pictures! Walter and Angelica are from Venezuela and this was their first trip to a pumpkin patch.

Weekend in Oregon

2008-10-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

Dave and I recently spent a relaxing weekend in Oregon. Dave had to go for work and I flew up on Friday through Sunday. When I arrived we headed directly down the Columbia River Scenic Highway. This was just one of the many beautiful views of the Columbia River. We stopped at several waterfalls on our way to Multnomah Falls. Below is Latourell Falls.
Multnomah Falls...the second tallest year-round waterfall in the states.
We continued our drive to Mt. Hood (the second most climbed mountain in the world).
Saturday, we drove into Washington to see Mount St. Helens.
Back in the Portland area, we went to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. We saw the "Spruce Goose" (the largest airplace ever made).

We also saw the "Blackbird" (the fastest plane ever).