Grandpa's house...or peaceful oasis......

Jeff and I are in San Diego at Grandpa Vern's house. Jeff comes every 2-3 months to help out around the house, visit Grandpa, and soak up some San Diego sunshine (albeit often on the rooftop while sweeping away raccoon poop). Every once in a while, we find a screamin' deal on plane tickets and I join him.

I like Grandpa's house, for a variety of reasons:
1. It's REALLY clean and neat. Everything in its place.
2. It's like a museum - around every corner there is something interesting and/or antique to look at.
3. It's quiet. SO quiet. Ahhhhh........
4. "Our" bedroom is huge - as is the bathroom - and it's like staying in a hotel, even though the surroundings are more 1980's than The Ritz.
5. The routine - grandpa gets up early, has cereal, tea and toast, goes to read his paper or watch the news, sits outside to feed "Old Blue" and the other jays, watches TV, has lunch at noon, naps or reads or watches some more TV, has dinner at 5:30, watches some more TV, and goes to bed. It's calm and predictable and it's nice to jump off the crazy bandwagon once in a while and enjoy a quiet routine with simple pleasures (Sara Lee snack cakes, anyone?), even though I tend to rise later since I'm "on vacation" and grandpa questions me about it every time. Bless his heart.
6. The stories. Grandpa has a story every minute and his mind and memory for details is still pretty sharp. He's had some amazing experiences, as anyone who has enjoyed 93 years on this Earth is bound to have, and his stories never cease to amaze me.
7. The generation gap. He is roughly twice my age and the differences in generational beliefs are apparent. He has mentioned how our girls might become "legal secretaries" and how in order to get ahead in life, girls need to go to college, while boys have it easier and can just go to work. LOL, grandpa. You're funny!
8. The dedication of my husband. It never ceases to amaze me how dedicated Jeff is to helping his grandpa, how his strong emotional ties to this house and property motivate him because of the memories he holds dear, and how he spends hours in the hot sun laboring away (or swinging from tree branches, depending on the day) and never complains or gets tired. He loves being here, he loves his grandpa, and he loves working around a home that holds his fondest childhood memories.
9. Grandpa has WiFi now. Praise Jesus!
10. The surroundings. Mt. Helix is in the distance, the beach is not far away, the sun almost always shines, and even though the landscape is depressingly brown for my Washington heart, the casual comfort of California is enough to cheer anyone up. It's nice here.
11. Grandpa likes his sweets as much as I do, so there's never a lack of treats around here.

So, while I only get to experience it once in a while (it's been a year and a half since I last visited), I am appreciating the quiet, no-stress vacation. We've already done the major tourist attractions, so there's rarely a need to feel rushed or like we need to fit something in. We'll drive up to Oceanside to visit Jeff's grandma and aunt, make a trip to the beach so he can surf on his longboard he acquired on his last trip here, and just enjoy some long, lazy days. The perfect prescription for relaxation before we head back to start up a new school year with a new job (me), a house full of teenagers, and all the busy-ness and chaos our life brings. So, for now..........ahhhhhh!

Back to school..........

All the moms are, like "Yay! Back to school!" and I'm over here, like "NO! Summer is OVER!" because when the kids go back to school, so do I.

Working for the school district has it's perks. And they are called S-U-M-M-E-R. Because it's a lovely thing to be an adult and on a "school" schedule that allows you to enjoy a whole ten-ish weeks or so of....not working. I was going to say "freedom" but let's be serious - there's no freedom when you have kids at home. Oh, sure, mine are teenagers, but that just means the work is DIFFERENT - not harder, not easier - instead of hauling them to outdoor concerts where adults dressed like cowboys sing songs about brushing your teeth, I'm hauling them, two kayaks, a paddle board, a cooler full of food (teenagers), several large beach towels that require their own huge tote bag, a bag full of frisbees, trackball and footballs, and some large beach blankets to the beach or lake for an afternoon or evening of paddling and FUN! It's all about the FUN!

So, we've had a pretty amazing summer. We kicked it off with a wonderful trip to Montana, followed by a stop on the way home, in Coeur d' Alene to see family. We were home a few days and then we headed to Boise for some more family fun (and a chalk-art festival where our entry, if not spectacular, was the result of a lot of hard work in 100 degree weather!) I got offered my new job (at another elementary school - it's a dynamic business, people, they need warm bodies everywhere), met friends for coffee, enjoyed free Slurpee day, hit up several local parks and beaches, went to a festival, and got to cuddle a newborn baby. I went to a blogging convention with my daughter, which was a blast, enjoyed a relatively peaceful week when most of the kids worked at camp, saw Styx live in concert (33 years after I first saw them!), saw the Blue Angels perform, went to Madison Park for the first time and discovered it was a wonderland for hot, gay men, saw Us the Duo in concert at The Vera Project with my daughter, saw Book of Mormon at the Paramount, spent four lovely days in San Francisco with my husband, watched my son perform in an outdoor concert with his band, AND in the musical "Legally Blonde" which was amazing, enjoyed a nice visit with my parents, and just generally wrung the hell out of summer. Which was my goal. Mission accomplished. I also still have a trip to San Diego coming up in a couple days before I dive head-first into the new school year with a new job, new colleagues, new kids, new experiences.

Oh, and we also moved two more teenagers into our home. Friends we've known for ages who were homeless. We scrambled and in a weekend managed to pull together a bedroom with two beds for them, and somehow managed to cram all of their belongings into my tiny (former, sniff!) office. So, instead of three teens at home, we now have five. And a huge grocery bill!

And yet.......I'm kind of bummed I have to go back. There are still a lot of things on my summer "to-do" list I haven't done. I barely had any time to myself, almost no time to write, and not much peace and quiet. What I wouldn't give for some quiet days of just me, alone in the house, writing, dog at my feet, sipping hot tea from an ironic mug. Wait, that's retirement. Ok, back to reality - I'd still love to have some quiet time to write and explore my true passion. There's always something to do, someone who needs something, and urgency around every corner. I know one day (soon) the house will fall quiet as the kids go off to their own corners of the world to live their own lives. And I'll huddle up in a ball on the couch and cry and sip tea out of an ironic mug that I won't find funny.

For now, chaos reigns. As it has year after year in our jumbled household. I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. But going back to work just adds one really long chore to my day. I'm excited about my new position and hope it's fulfilling, but honestly? It's always just been a job to me. I work for money, to help us get by, to buy cereal and granola bars. My days will fill up so quickly, my quiet writing time will be almost non-existent. What I wouldn't give to stay home and make a living writing. But, alas, not yet.

So, it's back to schedules and chore lists and making the kids pack their own lunches, and taking their electronics away every night. They hate that, but it encourages sleep. And they have to catch the bus at 6:37 a.m. Which is horrendous. But we'll all adapt and get used to it. Things will fall into place. It will all be o.k.

I'll just keep telling myself that.............

Vacation's all I ever wanted........

Remember that song? "Vacation" by the....the....the....Go Go girls? Bananarama? I don't know.....one of those girly groups. I could Google it but why? Anyway.

We're on a sort of "vacation" in Portland. Jeff had another volunteer speaking engagement with the ACS so we jumped on the free hotel room. However, "free" is relative, because it's cost us big in restaurant food and entertainment. We spent the first day at the science museum, which was fun, and I got to reconnect with an old friend. I had carefully planned a few destinations to visit while in Portland - OMSI, the zoo, Pittock Mansion, Finnegan's toys, Powell's books.......but so far we've only made it to one of those. The second full day here, the kids just wanted to swim. Which is cool. Because the hotel had a nice pool. But since I didn't really feel the urge to stuff my ample self into my swimsuit and frolic in the chlorine-laced water, and Hannah had her fill of swimming the night before, we pretty much did nothing. Except watched a few episodes of "16 and Pregnant" and lazy-ed around. We sat by the pool for a while and made a lunch run to Burger King. And I was antsy because we weren't DOING anything, and so many people had told me I MUST visit Voodoo Donuts while in Portland and now we were WASTING a whole day..........but then again, it's vacation, right?

I'm always torn between DOING stuff and doing NOTHING on vacation. I mean, the whole point of a vacation is to relax, right? And when we take destination vacations, we rarely relax. We try to stuff so much into a precious few days, and feel bad for not making the most of the day, or sleeping in and missing the free breakfast, or just not having an agenda at all. Yesterday, I was feeling guilty for just wanting to take a nap in the middle of the day. I'm pretty sure I was tired because I was just bored, but then I thought, why NOT sleep? It's not like I get the luxury of napping every day.......why not take advantage of a time when there is no laundry, no cooking, no carting kids around to various destinations, no extra kids running through my house......and just nap?

So, here we are on our last day in Portland and we're heading to the zoo. We won't knock everything off our "list" but who cares? What about you? Do you like to fill up your vacations with doing, going, seeing or do you like to just relax and have no agenda?

Road trippin'...........

Today we're going on a road trip. But first, we have a graduation party to attend. So, I made sure everyone knew that bags were supposed to be packed and ready as if we were walking out the door first thing in the morning. Did that happen? I'll let you guess........

At the moment, someone is doing laundry. Yesterday, I mentioned to the entire clan TWICE that the washer was empty and NOW would be a good time to do any laundry needed for the trip. The washer sat empty all night. And now someone is banging around in the laundry room, opening and shutting the dryer, in what I surmise is a frantic attempt to collect some coveted clothing item for the trip. Perhaps an essential item like underwear or a swimsuit.........

The house is a mess. What else is new? But I enjoy coming home to a house that, if not truly clean (because, really, when is it EVER truly clean), is at least picked up and somewhat orderly. Not to mention I enjoy leaving my house in some semblance of order for the poor souls I pay to feed my dogs. Who cares if it's a teenage boy? The point is, they're coming into my house and do I really want them spreading the word to the neighborhood that my girls leave their underwear all over the bathroom floor or there are ten empty soda cans scattered throughout the house? Besides, they inevitably bring their moms over at some point - likely to help them clean up a doggie mess or assist with the growling Shade, who's bark really is worse than his bite. Is it too much to ask that my family keep things picked up for a few days? Never mind........

Also, Hayley will be here for part of the time we're gone so there is inevitably going to be a mess I don't even know about yet left behind. I imagine it in my mind......a bowl with cupcake batter adhered to the sides, empty cupcake wrappers all over the counter, frosting smears and sprinkles adorning the tile, and, likely, a perishable or two left out on the counter to spoil. Yes, my girl likes to bake. My girl does not like to clean up.

Because it's the world's biggest clusterf*ck getting out of the house on time around here, I steel myself for the inevitable "late start" and find myself being lackadaisical in the process. For example, I am currently in my pajamas, blogging, just over an hour before the graduation party starts. I know I can get ready on time (and even run an errand in the process......guess who forgot to tell me they needed a refill on their medicine?). But can THEY get ready on time? This is what haunts me.

I don't know how people leave their house for extended periods of time and have things in order. I've only "held" my mail once in my life and never remember to cancel the paper while we're gone. On the rare occasions I've managed to clean the house before leaving, I've been bitterly disappointed by the chaos that ensues when six people, six (or nine or ten) bags and the various other detritus from a road/camping/vacation trip gets deposited on the floor and I know it's going to take me two days just to get it all sorted out. I think we have some indoor plants that are real (as opposed to the plastic ones that came into the house when I asked Jeff to "buy something that won't die so fast"), but I don't remember to ask anyone to water them. I do, occasionally, ask a neighbor to "keep an eye" on our house, but, really, who wants to mess with 2700 square feet of clutter, dog hair and an unpleasant old dog baring his teeth?

So, it begins. I hear a shower running. That means T-minus four hours until we can actually leave this place. My family........always late but worth the wait?

Good things that happened on our vacation......

- Some honest person returned my debit card that Hayley dropped at Sea Tac airport (dropped! My debit card!)
- We got to spend Sunday at the park with Hannah's best friend Tiffany. Rochelle. Riquee. Whatever we're calling her these days! LOL!
- We got to have dinner with Jeff's mom, stepdad and grandpa on Sunday. The kids LOVED Grandpa Vern and his stories. He's going to be 90 in June!
- We spent Sunday at the park with some very enthusiastic, crazy Disney fans (friends of Jeff's mom's) who knew the park inside and out. These people even had Mickey wedding rings!
- Single rider tickets. The best thing to happen to California Screamin' ever, allowing Max and Harrison to ride the ride ten times.
- I got to experience California Adventure with Jeff (he had never been). Loved Soarin' Over California, Tower of Terror and watching Jeff laughing hysterically at the Bug's Life attraction.
- Eating Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream.
- Repeating the safety instructions in Spanish and watching Max crack up.
- Looking for hidden Mickeys.
- Jeff's mom gave me copies of tons of old photos to keep.
- We had a really nice flight attendant on our commuter flight from LAX to SFO.
- The crowds were not bad at all - we never waited in a line longer than 45 minutes, and most lines were 5-15 minutes.
- Watching the kids scream on scary rides, laugh on fun rides and run around like little kids chasing Disney princesses!

Yeah, it was a good vacation!

Why I hate air travel............

We just took a fabulous vacation to Disneyland and it was amazing except for the fact that we had to fly on an airplane to get there. I absolutely loathe air travel. Here are the many reasons:

- Security. Our first encounter with security resulted in Hayley "forgetting" the 3 ounce rule and bringing two full-sized products in her suitcase which was a carry-on. The TSA associate very snottily told her to throw them away, stat. She freaked (how is a girl to live without her Pond's Face Cream and Twilight Woods spray?) and I told her to just go check her luggage. $20 later. For products that probably cost the equivalent of......well......$20. Sigh. Then, I said to Jeff  "I should probably take my belt off, huh?" and he said "nah, it won't set off the metal detectors" but he was wrong and I had to go back through a second time. Next, I was asked by a stout TSA agent who barely spoke English to put my bag in the little "does your bag fit?" contraption, AFTER I had already flown on two flights. DUH! Of course it fits! Or else I would not have been able to take it with me on the two previous flights. Then, there was the matter of being faced with paying TWICE for Hayley's bag to be checked on the way back, but she was still unwilling to part with her beloved products so I spent fifteen minutes in the airport bathroom dumping out cheap Suave shampoo and conditioner to refill the 3 ounce bottles with face cream and body spray. Good times. I used a ballpoint pen as a tool to transfer said products. It was messy. And ridiculous. Then, four out of the six of us got the full body scan. And when we arrived at the gate, again, after taking three previous flights with the same luggage set up, I was told my purse would have to go into my luggage because I was carrying "three" items on the plane. I explained I had taken two previous flights with this same set up, but they said it was "FAA regulations" and so now I know "FAA regulations" only means "if you feel like enforcing them". GAH! I hate it.
- Interminably long terminals, gate changes, and idiot agents who don't know that their airline, Delta, also operates Sky West.
- Alaska Airlines for not making it crystal clear that we were going to make part of our trip on a commuter airline operated by another carrier.
- Alaska Airlines for upholding their "20 minute rule" for luggage not arriving promptly with a voucher for "$20 off" your next flight - that you can't use unless you have a computer and printer to print the voucher for the next leg of your trip.
- The absurdly close proximity to other people in the plane. I cannot stand the cramped quarters and feeling trapped when I'm in a plane. I much prefer my minivan, my blankie and pillow, my plethora of activities and snacks, my Starbucks in the cupholder and my husband driving.
- The laughingly small back of "snack mix" offered to you during the drink brigade. 1/2 ounce of crackery goodness stuffed into a miniscule bag. But hey! Eat them one at a time and they seem like more.
- Cups with no lids on planes with turbulence.
- Turbulence. HATE IT.
- Snippy flight attendants who say things like "put your bag in an open overhead bin". Duh.  I've tried putting it in a closed one and try as I might, it NEVER goes in. Imagine that.
- Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
- Cattle lines to get on the plane.
- Consistently poor intercom systems on planes. So that "we're starting our descent into Seattle" sounds like "mmsta..scen...le".
- The general feeling of not having control over anything from the time the plane leaves to whether the pilot manages to keep the plane in the air.
- Prices. It's sickeningly expensive for a family of six to fly anywhere at any time. And the prices change by the minute.

Basically, I hate everything about air travel. Give me a good, long road trip anytime.

Vacation!!!

My sweet sixteen year old Hayley!

Arlie at the Blue Heron Cheese petting zoo!
I LOVE this picture of my kids!

And I LOVE this picture of my girls!

Harrison's first ocean fish! Yay!

Beautiful Arlie!

Jump Arlie, jump!

Whee!!!

Flying!

Look at that air!

Flying girl.....

Love this one!

Hayley building a sandcastle.....

Baby and more!

Seals. Or are they sea lions?

Arlie running terrified from the crazy ocean.....

Jeff catches some early morning rays with his book and Diet Pepsi.

Jeff's brother Greg, dad Dennis and Jeff

Fireside photo

Heaven. Really, it's right there, can't you see it?

More Heaven!

Seagull soaring over the hills near the ocean.

Our flag, handpainted by Hayley!

The photographer steps in FRONT of the camera for once......

Beautiful girl!

Haystack Rock and Arlie

Harrison and his ocean fish - caught right from the shore!

Harrison casting into the surf.......

Jeff surf casting......

The boys surf casting and hoping for a perch.......

Sunset in Pacific City.......

Jeff, our own Betsy Ross, sewing our flag!

Love this pic of Hannah on the beach!

The guys after their chartered Dory boat fishing trip - we feasted!

My sweet boy!

Jumping in the waves - a timeless childhood favorite!

Jumping with cousins Makayla and Maiya

A Haystack Rock of kids!

Haystack Rock

View down the beach toward the huge dune!

You climb to the top of the dune and run down! FUN!

Dory boat returning from a day of fishing

Another Dory boat - this is one of my favorite pics.......

Someone built this driftwood "fence"

Beauty of the beach

The beachhouse we stayed in. Jeff and I enjoyed the master suite, with windows overlooking the ocean, private bath and two decks!

Arlie skimboarding

Hannah and Harrison boogie-boarding

Another favorite - my little ones.......not so little anymore!

We spent a week in Pacific City, OR in a beautiful, newly built beach house. This year we spanned two beach houses and enjoyed the vacation with Dennis and Mary Anne (Jeff's dad and stepmom), Greg and Heather and their two girls, Makayla and Maiya (Jeff's brother and his family) and Ben, Wendy, Rose and Felicity (Jeff's stepbrother, his girlfriend, her daughter and their new baby). Sue and Rich (Mary Anne's best friends) also came for a couple of nights.

Every day was great and felt like a real vacation because there is not much to do in Pacific City. Just a few gift shops, a pub, grocery store, and an awesome bakery, The Grateful Bread, from which we purchased bread almost daily! Most of our days we woke to a sweeping view of the ocean, got up when we felt like it, had coffee, pastries, cereal, pancakes or other breakfast fare, and then did some beachcombing, playing in the surf, building sandcastles, or just hanging out at the house watching movies or doing crafts. Very low-key. We all gathered for dinner, which one night was crock pot chicken prepared by Hannah, another night clam chowder courtesy of Jeff, a memorable night of feasting on freshly caught crab and salmon, topped off by almost daily baking by Hayley (brownies, cupcakes, cake). Jeff kegged a beer for the event, "Moorehook ESBeach" which was flowing freely all week, as well as many "adult" beverages and wine.

The kids had their own "dorm room" painted to look like under the sea, but after a couple of nights (and a few daddy long-legs later), they opted for other sleeping arrangements. Hayley had her own room (and TV!) all week, so she was in heaven. Our beach house also had a "kid room" with their own TV so Hannah and Arlie stayed there most of the week and Harrison bounced around between there and Hayley's room.

We drove home up the coast (Hannah's request as it was her birthday) and stopped at a few places along the way - Blue Heron Cheese, Tillamook Cheese Factory, Ft. Stevens, Astoria and finally made our way home. It was a wonderful, calm, restorative vacation. The only problem? A week was not long enough!