Sweet home Oregon.....

It's Monday evening and our house guests {all SIX of them}

have left after their 10 day visit......it's really bittersweet.

I am completely pooped but in such a good way.

I feel blessed that our family has friends who

are like family, that despite moving a great distance, these

friends spent their precious time and resources to come

visit us.  Our children get along like cousins - with just one

lone boy in the bunch who happens to match up nicely

with my big girl - they create all sorts contests to compete

against one another in and rib each other about girlfriends and

boyfriends and growing up and being a teen and who can do the most 

push-ups and run the fastest......

We covered lots of miles in the beautiful state of Oregon.....

from the gorgeous beach to the majestic mountains......

I love watching visitors experience the Oregon coast for the first time.....

it's such a magical landscape and breathtakingly beautiful....

and on the day we were there, quite chilly!

I wish I could write a post about how to successfully have another whole big

family visit for 10 days and keep your sanity and your house clean....

but no can do..........

I learned to love every crazy, insane, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants dinner, cluttered

house, buying the 10th gallon of milk for the week moments......

watching our families enjoy one another so much was 

priceless and wonderful.  

Now, back to real life with homework {yuck!}, ortho appointments,

laundry, work and added to it - a pooch with cancer{boo, hiss!}..... this

last bit of news was delivered on Friday by our veterinarian and I sort

of put out of my mind while we were still in the midst of 

entertaining our guests.....

I have lots of stuff to show ya - just need to get projects

photographed.....be patient with me......