Quidditch fest/ Birch bay

 Amy: We drove for 4 hours to get to the Quidditch fest: a Harry Potter themed festival (if you don't know what that is, read the series by J. K. Rowling: book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone, book 2, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, book three, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, book four, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book five, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book six, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and book seven, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.) IMPORTANT: READ THE HARRY POTTER SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We also went to Birch Bay.

Amy: The stations at the Quidditch Fest were:  The Sorting Hat: get sorted into your Hogwarts house, Houses: house info and swag, Muggle Art: Spin wheel painting, Ministry of Magic: Potty toss bean bag game, Defense Against the Dark Arts: Villain dunk tank, Quidditch Registration: Muggles 8+ years old sign up to play Quidditch, Divination: Fortune telling with Professor Trelawney,  Whomping Willow: Get whomped by the willow (see picture), Ollivander's Wands: Get adopted by a wand, Potions: Shape shifting goo experiment, Hogsmeade: Free magical treats (peanuts present) (while supplies last), Care of Magical Creatures: Petting zoo (mammals and reptiles), Daily Prophet: Photo booth, raffles, costume contest registration, Headmaster's Booth: Hear a play-by-play of the Quidditch matches and other important announcements, Save the Burrow: Obstacle course sponsored by the Burlington Fire Department, Hogwarts: Bouncy Castle (Adult-only bounce at :45 of every hour), The Owlery: Win prizes with Skagit 911, and The Great Hall: Grown-up HP trivia from 1:15-2:15pm. There is also Merchandise, Crafts, Quidditch, and a costume Contest.

 Analise: Love Quiddich!!!!!💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

 Amy: *wham* it doesn't work.

Mom: Amy and I enjoyed going down to the beach and wading.

 Mom: Birch Bay has long been one of my family's favorite places. I remember coming with my parents- my dad enjoying sitting on a piece of driftwood and watching the sunset while I collected rocks and shells and waded in the surf.

Analise: I love the water!🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌀

 Mom: We think my longest friend Sarah looks like Voldemort in this picture. It was so great to get to hang out with her in this amazing place!

 Analise: I love collecting shells with dad!🌏👗💐💎💍👕👓👑🍭🐟🐳🍔🍕🍗🍪🍩🍦🌷

 Analise: I love the sunset!☋🌑🌙🔥🌠🌟🌞🌝🌜🌛🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌚🌐🌇🌈🌋

Mom: "Aunt" Sarah took the lead on wading and shell collecting.

 Mom: The sun sank lower over the horizon and we continued our sunset gazing and beachcombing.

 Mom: Trying to keep Analise out of the water in her sleeping clothes was a huge challenge!

 Analise: I love the beach!📘💺💰⏰⏳✂✉✏🎀👘👙💠💐💎💍💌💡💲💼💽📐📍🔏🔎

 Analise: I LOVE THE WATER! 💘💘💘💋💋💇💇💆💃🙊🙉🙈🙇🙌💫👽👾👿👼👻

 Analise: I'm good at yoga poses! 💯🔊🔌🔏🔐🔑🔱🔰🍢🐝🐔🐓🐑🐇🐒🐶🐵🐴🐪

 Analise: I love the tree! 🍮🍹🐙🐆🐑🎂🍺🐏🐏🐈🍫🎂🐾🐌🍸🍹🍺🍻🍼🍲🍱🍮

 Analise: SILLY FACE! 😁😀😄😙😎😍😘😴😵😡😏😣😣😣😣😣😣

Mom: After a lovely sleep in the tent we were back at the beach with a friend- my cousin's son. I enjoyed playing with these two. When we finally had to leave the beach for the LONG trip home, we stopped to drive by my childhood home and then to visit Sarah again and let the dog run a bit before finally making our way back to Portland.

Yurt Summit 2017: Very Wet, Very Sunny, Very Cold, Very Happy

 Last year March 2017, I headed out to the beach with 8 year old Amy, and two friends to join a Yurt Summit at Nehalem Bay State Park. Because we are adventurous and to save on costs, we decided to camp in tents. We drove on a Friday evening through the unrelenting cold rain to the coast. When we got to the camp we set up tent on the edges of the flooded campsite we had been assigned.

Three of us made it through the night semi dry. Amy's clothes got partially wet on the side of the tent. However, our fourth friend had a completely flooded tent. She ended up finding the community yurt and warming up around 2am.

Having made it through the very rainy night, the sun came out and we were able to enjoy the beach and the community at the yurt summit.

The kids and adults played a game where a group was blindfolded and followed the sound of a moving drummer through the sand as a mindfulness, sensory activity. I helped string a tarp up and the kids dug canals to drain the puddle in the fire pit which we were able to use later for a campfire.

Wearing my snow pants and jacket to stay warm and dry, I dipped my toes in the water and enjoyed the sunshine.

The spring sunshine on the beach was wonderful and warmed our spirits as well.

We enjoyed communal food and conversation and were very grateful for the offer of a yurt spot for those of us whose stuff had not dried out during the very wet night. My friend Corrine and I were able to dry tents out enough to enjoy a rather cold but clear night in our tents.

This was quite the car camping adventure, but we were glad for the time together.

Can't wait for some upcoming spring adventures. A word of wisdom- be prepared for a wet night if camping on the coast in late March in Oregon.

Indian Heaven Fall Family Camping

Last October, 2016, Amy and I got in one late season October Camping trip with our friends the McCartys. We love being with another family and hiking with their little dog Scout.

We camped in Indian Heaven at Cultus Creek and hiked up to enjoy the many little lakes around the PCT. On the way up we got a fantastic view of Mt. Adams.

We also enjoyed a little bit of fall color.

The youngest McCarty Elijah is an amazing hiker!

Amy enjoyed hanging out with Carolee at the viewpoint.

We crossed a little meadow to a lake.

We all had fun enjoying the lake.

The kids caught frogs and wanted to take them down to camp but eventually let them go.

These mushrooms were so much fun and pretty.

A bigger lake to enjoy.

Who can resist playing on a lake bed.

Scout went swimming. It was too cold for the rest of us.

Wild blueberries. This area is famous for its blueberries and huckleberries.

One last bit of playing by the lake shore.

On the way back we enjoyed seeing Mt. Adams with a halo.

I loved being so close to Mt. Adams in such a beautiful area without the bugs.

At the campsite, the kids had a great route exploring the creeks and woods. It was their playground!

The next day on the way home we visited the ice cave.

No ice, but interesting rock formations.

Amy heading up from the cave

Inside the cave looking up. I really want to go back for more exploration of Indian Heaven!

Fun for Everyone- Camping, Swimming, Hiking, and Frogs!

Mom-We were super excited for a reunion with old friends. We took a long drive to Packwood, WA and then up to White Pass. I was a little nervous about finding a labor day campsite, but we hit the jackpot with a dispersed campsite next to Rimrock Lake.

Analise- I LOVED the water!   💗💓💔💕💖💗💚💙💛💜🖤💟💟🖤💝💜💛💑💓💔💖💖💗💮♥💗💚💠💝♡

Amy- Carolee's family had a floatie that was SOOOOOO much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amy- We were sort of fighting over the floatie.

Amy- The water was SOOOO cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT as cold as Opal Creek/Opal Pool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom- We had our own private beach and took turns paddling out to the little island.

Mom- The campsite was spacious and right above a nice little lake beach.

 Analise- I caught a cute baby frog and named her Annie! The next day I caught A LOT of frogs and named one "Miss Beautiful." 💓💗💖💘💚💛💜💕💘💟💓🎔💝💖💛💜❤♥♡

Amy- We had a little ride which resulted in me "giving" Isaac the floatie.

 Analise- This is me waving my fish hook.

Mom- Enjoying the sunrise on day 2.

 Analise- I LOVED Scout the dog. We got to stay at our campsite for three days! 💗💖💘💙💚💛💜💓

Mom- We convinced the kids to head back up to White Pass and go for a hike. Here we are in a meadow. I was so proud of Analise who made it four miles, about halfway on our friend Mike's shoulders.

Amy- I swam in Deer Lake.

 Analise- 💓💖💗💘💙💚💛💜 I LOVED playing in the water at Deer Lake.

Amy- Deer Lake was SOOOOOOOOO MUCH fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom- I enjoyed hiking and seeing Deer Lake as well.

Mom- Our friends Mike and Elijah went for a float at Deer Lake.

 Analise- 💓💖💗💘💙💚💛💚💛💜😍I LOVED the mud.

Mom- Friend Janelle, Elijah, and I went a little farther to explore Sand Lake.

Mom- A beautiful high meadow near Sand Lake.

Mom- Sand Lake was very sandy.

 Analise- 💖😻💟 I hiked FOUR miles and LOVED hiking with the dog Scout and his family.

Mom- Reminder of our connection with the long trail I hope to someday hike. We hiked a tiny piece of it this day.

Mom- Back at Rimrock Lake enjoying the view.

Amy- One of those days, we kayaked to an island on our lake.

 Analise- 💖💏💟💝 Our friend Carolee let me borrow her hoodie. It was COZY!!!

Mom- I have almost given up on camping and hiking with Analise and was super pleased to have such a great adventure with both girls. I think having a lake, a dog, and friends made a big difference. We hope to see our friends again soon and were glad for this Labor Day weekend adventure.