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Friday, November 29, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving was again a success. 

Menu

America's Test Kitchen Braised Turkey with Gravy

Americas Test Kitchen Stuffing with Dried Cherries and Sausage



Cranberry Orange Sauce

Green Bean Casserole


(I did not add 1/4 cup of bourbon, and instead substituted 1/4 more heavy cream) It was yummy, and I made a spiced rum whip cream for the top! 

Cranberry Apple Cider (Made in the Crock Pot, So YUMMY)

Lenora put on a little fashion show while I was trying to take a picture of her dress. These are all her poses.

For the table I was trying to go for a rustic theme. I think I pulled it off pretty well. 









           



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Camping 2013

This year we were lucky enough to get to go Camping on the beautiful John Day river twice! The first time we went was in June and the weather was beautiful, river was pretty cold but the camping trip was very relaxing! 

The second time we went was in August and we took my niece Hannah on her very first "Roughing it" camping trip (from hell). NEVER again will I go camping in August! It's way too hot! We moved camp sites twice, I almost fainted from heat exhaustion, got bit 2 or 3 times by horse flies! By the time we moved to the second and final camp site we were ready to jump into the river! It was so nice to just lounge on the river all day! Come evening time, while making dinner hundreds of yellow jackets showed up (had to of been a nest somewhere!) So poor Hannah spent most of the evening in her tent. There were also these big fluffy black and white striped bee like things that were BIG and kept buzzing around our ears! Of course Lenora couldn't figure out why me and Hannah were running around like saps! That many bee's and you would be too! 

Among other things, I forgot to bring one of the nights dinners (still at home frozen and marinating in the freezer) I forgot butter as well, so on Day 2 we drove into a small town and bought $4.99 Tub of Butter, $2 warm pops, and checked out the local craft/cantaloupe market.

When we got back to camp we had "Craft time" to see who could construct the best yellow jacket trap! 

We decided to go home a day early, and on the last morning made a BIG breakfast and then ate inside the tent. 

So we learned to NEVER go camping along the John Day River in August. At least not at this particular campsite. Regardless Lenora had a blast and did an amazing job with safety around the river and fire! She is definitely a camping/outdoor girl!


















Monday, November 25, 2013

Medford/Coos Bay Trip

Among many of our fun adventures this summer, Lenora and I traveled down to Medford, OR and Coos Bay, OR. We got to visit Family at the campground and do some swimming in the lake...the photos look like its cold, but it was just REALLY windy! After picking up Hannah we did some sight seeing at the Bonneville Dam!

 Lenora also got to spend time at the beach in Coos Bay. We were there for two and a half hours and she loved it! 






















Summer 2013 Recap in Photos

This summer has been one of the busiest summer's we've had in a long time! My niece came and stayed with us for about 4 weeks, we went camping twice, we went to a wedding, went to the fair, I drove down to Medford, OR twice and went to Coos Bay, OR. It flew by so fast! 

Lenora rode her first horse (to my surprise) at the Hermiston Fair. She ate her very first corn dog (EVERY last bite) and had her very first snow cone. The fair was a good experience for her but it was SO HOT! None of the event's started until 1 pm and by then it was almost 100 degrees outside! She had her first pedicure and did an amazing job being patient and sitting the whole time. We also took her to see her first movie in the theater. It was a summer of FIRSTS! 

She was able to visit with her cousins a lot during the summer, and now she talks about how they flew on the airplane to come see her and how someday she will fly on an airplane. 

Here are a few photos from the summer.