Memorial Day

I am so excited.. I got some free shoes! No I am not like half fast a company didn't send them to me... although I would love that if it happened! As you know I work at a gym. Well one of the couples that works out there works for a local outdoors company. Helly Hanson. My boss was tlaking about how big her feet were, so they had a pair of shoes that didn't fit a friend, so they gave them to my boss, well her feet really aren't that big (size 9) come on now - that is not that big! After I made a nice big production of how I loved the shoes (they were so cool - totally coveting the shoes!) I informed my boss that I truly had big feet! (size 11 folks!) so when she finally tried on the shoes they were huge on her little feet... as you know she gave them to me!! They are pretty cool. They aren't running shoes they are hiking shoes. Since I had the shoes well I went for a couple of hikes this weekend! Yeah!


View from the place we stayed, this is looking over the Columbia River. It is truly breathtaking!




We went down and stayed in Oregon with Derrick's sister. She works and runs a camp outside of Portland. It is a beautiful area, very green! They live in the middle of a huge hill the elevation goes from sea level to approx 750 feet in 2 miles! They are almost in the middle of the hill - very cool views from her house!




They have pretty large fishing pond right next to their house. We caught trout (and ate them) and Detrix and his cousin Brian swam in the pond. Saturday night there were around 20 teens swimming in the pond!












We stayed at the camp in a mansion. When I say mansion I mean mansion! It was a house built for a man that owned grocery store chains, when he died he gave it to the FourSquare church and they made it into a camp. I think there is 50 acres, it is a gorgeous camp and retreat center.


LavYonne and Brad (Derrick's sister and brother in law) provided food for all of us as well! We helped them to prepare the meals - here the littler kids are helping to put cheese on the pizzas. I think Lav said there were some 50 pizzas! Crazy! But with teens that can go pretty quick! I know we ate them sat night then they made more on Sat and Sun for a midnight snack!






We went down because Derrick's nephew Blake is graduating from highschool and Derrick's sister and brother in law through him a huge graduation party. Friday night there were 8 of us, then Saturday I think I counted 30+ then sunday night there were 60+ people that came - it was really nice to celebrate his accomplishment with lots of friends and family. Most of the people that came were teens, so the games and fun was on!





This is Detrix and Blake havin' some fun! Look how big the fireplace is! We had 4 people actually standing in it one night to start the fire!



They played frisbee, and capture the flag... even played dodge ball in the gym. There was so much to do that we were busy all weekend



















I wish I had a photo of all the teens, it was really fun to watch them run around.

Saturday night we had a big thunder and lightening storm roll through. I kept missing the lightening rods, they were so amazing to watch. The whole sky was lit up. I was under the porch, and didn't feel the need ot venture out into the big field holding something metal. I thought about getting a golf club and seeing if I could have lightening strike me, but alas I came to my senses and stayed under the porch! So this picture is right before or right after the lightening struck. I personally think we got a photo of a UFO... see in the corner? I kid people I kid!!

Here are all the cousins.... John, Blake, Josie, Detrix, Breck and Brian!

For those wanting to know I did do a run on Sat - went from around 450 elevation to 750 elevation in 3/4 of a mile! Ran down to a local landmark (again down a hill and back up!) the hills are great training but rough! My HR was high! I think it was 7 miles... don't know for sure....