One More Time Before School Starts

I'm torn. I'm loving having most of the children back in school {just me & Peter at home}. Yet, I miss their company and our non schedule summer days, especially the days spent at Fish Lake.

We made it back to Fish Lake the first week in August. The first day John took us on a walk down to the lake and showed us where the cabin used to sit. This picture shows the exact spot. It was a small tiny wood cabin made by the Dutch owner out of wood. All the interior walls are knotty wood pine panelling. Adorable. The fireplace was made out of lava rocks adorned by a deer head with antlers. I've wondered how real hunters feel about the Hallen use of the antlers??? I'm sure they're offended. My favorite feature of the cabin is the Dutch door. Love it.

Then John's family purchased it from the Dutchman. They had to move it off the lake because the lake was getting too polluted from all the cabins along it's shores. So up it went a quarter of a mile on Vale in a little clearing surrounded by quaking aspens and pine trees. Nineteen years ago, when I first started visiting we could see the lake from the cabin's front windows. Now the trees have grown and we only see patches of blue water. John threatens that the next time he goes up he's taking along the chainsaw to take down the "dead" trees. We could use the firewood but not the hefty fine...

The famous "H" rock shows and reminds us where the old Hallen dock used to pier out over the lake. John spent many summers fishing with cousins for perch and fishing out old grandpa Melvin when he would fall into the cold lake. Grandma Rose always said that the reason they invested in this cabin was to build strong family ties. What a worthwhile and successful investment. This time up we met the Dana side of my family, minus Kenney & his family.

Memorial times with them were: the walk down by Twin Creeks, good food, another walk/hike on the trail north of the lake, making flower clips for our hair, and the endless hours watching the cousins play outside with sticks. Who needs toys when you have good old fashion sticks? And looking for the neighbors. This year it was a mother deer with two little "Bambi's".

Thank you Grandma Rose for your foresight and wanting a place for families to spend time together. Fish Lake. Hallen's Haven.

And the Winner is...?

Did I keep all eight of you in suspense?I know. I know. I'm tardy in my announcement of my give-away. Way tardy. A week over due. But I just ran out of time before we left on a get-away. Cheryl and I had to make salsa which took all morning. When the Roma's are ripe life stops for the canning of the homegrown, homemade salsa. And boy did it turn out good this year.

Seriously, this was so fun. I loved reading everybody's favorite post and why. You are all very sweet and kind. I just might make an apron for every-eight of you. I can't wait to do another give-away 'one day soon'.

So the winner is.....and I wanted you all to win but there can only be one winner...

Carmen from Washington.
I have to tell a little about Carmen so you won't hate her for winning this one and only bright cherry apron. I've know her since we were three and living in Chandler, Arizona. She is one of my hero's {for many reasons}. These are the things that come to my mind when I think of this dear friend. Her smile. Always smiling. It always brightened up my day. She never said a bad thing about anybody. Really, it's true. I just sat here thinking over all our conversations and I don't remember a single bad or negative thing she's ever said about another human being. That's amazing. She was kind to all regardless of social group. She was a cheerleader all through junior high and high school, the best one. And she's still my personal cheerleader. Everybody should have their own personal cheerleader. I could go on and on. Visit her blog and you'll see what I mean.

This is so funny. I just went to her blog to link it to this post and her last post was about how she didn't win the photo contest that she was going for. Then she said that she hasn't won anything since she was in third grade...So funny.

Well Carmen, I hope this makes your day. Not that it's the greatest thing to win. But winning something, anything, is fun.

Thanks again everybody for playing along. And so sorry for the delay in the announcement. Hope you play again next time.

Weekend get-away!

Hi there everyone. This is Cheryl! Yes, you are on Nola's blog, you haven't made a mistake. I am just doing Nola a wee favor. She has gone on a weekend get-away and when she gets back she will post her 100th post give-away. She is really sorry but things piled up and we made salsa till the very last minute before she HAD to go. The salsa turned out great too. So stay tuned for the upcoming results.

100th Post - I'm Doing a Give-Away

What an accomplishment! Some may think not...But a few weeks ago on my nineteenth wedding anniversary John brought home a very thoughtful gift for me. He had our blog all printed up and what a sweet bundle that was to receive.

How good it feels to have our life for this past year written down, never to be forgotten.

I want to celebrate this grand day in true blogger fashion by hosting a give-away. Hm mm, what to give away?

I already gave away our old deep freezer...

There is a little something that I just sewed up the other day. It might entice one of my nine followers to make a comment on my not so famous but infamous blog.

This cute bright, cheery ruffle apron:

I found the idea from this cute & fun blog.

I added the top part to "make it my own"

So here are the rules for my very own give-away:

1. You need to make a comment stating your name (that links me to your blog or email) and your favorite post that I wrote and why. IE: Martha Stewart, I just loved the post titled Bonus Buy Week. It made me laugh so hard. You're so funny. (I have a feeling that she stalks my blog and didn't I quote her accurately?)

I guess that I only have one rule.

Then on Wed., July 29Th some time in the morning I'll have Peter pick one of the comments from a glass jar. I'll be in touch with the winner and probably drive it over to your house that day, unless it's my friend or sister-n-law from WA and I'll mail it.

Good luck everybody. I know you are all just dying to win this exciting give-away.

It's Calling My Name

We're roasting in the hot Inland Empire sun. We've made our rounds to grandma's pool to cool off. We hardly turn on the stove or oven any more and still the digits don't get below 80 degrees on our thermostat. Indoor hot is not a good thing. So hot!

Once more to the beach. How could we pass it up? Sand between the toes. Moist ocean air. Cool breeze laced with warmth. Sounds of waves crashing on the shore. And delighted children playing in the overcast sun and doused in sunblock.

I think the first time I played in the ocean was a couple of weeks after John & I were married. {being an Arizona girl the only waves I had experienced were the man made waves at Big Surf in Tempe, Arizona} We drove down to a nice beach home in Mexico with John's family for a weekend. That's when I feel in love...with playing in the waves.

And every time we returned to sunny California I begged John to make time on the summer vacation itinerary for a trip to the beach and time to play in the waves. He taught me how to body surf and boogie board. So fun.

Then time went by and the babies came and I remained under the beach umbrella, happily watching the waves and people playing in them with baby in my arms.

As I sat under the beach umbrella this time, with a camera in hand to replace the baby and snapping away at my children trying to capture the sand crabs I noticed something out in the waves. No, not a dorsal fin. A father and son playing together in the waves. And then the look on Peter's face...So I put down the camera and returned to the water. First, I dug for those ever elusive sand crabs. Then, I became obsessed with Addie in collecting the broken shells.

Next, I heard it...Meagan out in the waves and wanting {needing} some company.

Thanks to the stranger who played with his son in the waves. He reminded me how fun life can be, especially while playing with your children.

No more of just sitting and watching. So long beach chair, umbrella, and presentable hair do.

I'll be out in the waves from now on.

Why We Live in So. Cal.

True story: When Duane and family was here for the 4th of July we made plans to meet them at the beach. So off they went nice and early on a holiday weekend day. All the while we waited for John to get home from a previous commitment of golfing plans with the working buddies. We left around noon, as soon as John walked through the door. We headed for Laguna Beach. Traffic was lite. Sun was shining. Kids rubbed down with sunblock. Then 7 miles left to reach the beach the traffic was at a stand still. We tried three different ways and finally we made it to Balboa. All we needed was one parking space, anywhere. Not a one. I tried my positive mental visualization. I could see our parking space in my mind. But we never found it. So sad. We were all hungry and so we stopped at the only place with a parking space...Carl's Jr. And then after our over priced burgers from the beach we headed all the way home. The good side was I didn't have to clean up any sand. Lesson learned: Never, never go to the beach on a holiday weekend unless you leave early like Duane & family did. We ended up swimming at Grandpa & Grandma's.

I felt so bad for the children that I took them back to the beach on Monday {with Laura, Rob, and baby Harry}, nice and early. Amazing. There was plenty of parking and the beach was empty.

What is it about the ocean air and why don't we go more often?

I'm Proud to be An American

I love how Redlands celebrates the 4th. Very festive. The City goes all out with activities all day and long into the night. What a great family day!

Duane and his family came from across the dessert to celebrate with us. And from John's family, Laura, Rob and baby Harry came from Utah.

Our day started at our Ward Breakfast and patriotic program. I loved hearing from Brother Shaw. He fought in WWII. He was stationed in England with the Army working with the planes flying over to Normandy on D-Day. What a hero! I always get emotional watching the young scouts raise our flag. And this year what a treat to have our own ward's 4th of July band. Meagan played her flute. Next year John promises to be ready to play his trombone and Addie her violin.

Then on to Sylvan Park for the kiddie games. This year the children won four gold fish. Grandpa always loves to get the kids to play that game. He's such a sucker for gold fish. I was relieved to hear that he snuck them over to Gary's house and dumped them into his fish tank. It heated up quick at the park so we went swimming at Grandma & Grandpa's all afternoon while the men saved a place on the field at the stadium for the fireworks show.

And what a show it was...First the skydivers came down. Then the fly over from a squad of some kind of planes - I can't remember. Then the next fly over was amazing. It was a huge cargo military plane. It flew slow and low right over our heads. It was so loud. I loved it when the announcer said, "listen for the sound of freedom." Peter was not impressed. He cried most of the night off and on. I should have left him with Grandma.

"Saturday in the Park. I think it was the 4th of July... " and other songs played in perfect sync to the fireworks. What a great show and reminder of the blessings and privilege to be American and to live in the land of the free and home of the brave.

Oh, What Do {WE} Do in the Summertime?

When all the world is green...

I love the color green. It's such a peaceful color. And that's exactly why I love summertime at Fish Lake. No phones, computers, cable, but plenty of family, free time, good food, and fresh air.

Daily activities: picking wildflowers and climbing over rocks on the shore. This is one of my all time favorite places on earth. Sometimes I sit on the park bench that is so perfectly and thoughtfully placed there and watch the children play at the shore of the lake.

A rainy hike/walk with the dads on a newly discovered trail.

I'm guessing this will be the photo that will grace the front of Grandma & Grandpa's 2009 Christmas card.
We love the matching Utah Red sweatshirts.
Thanks Grandma
Grandma giving little Harrison {Laura & Rob's baby} a bath while cousins look on.

Another Fish Lake tradition getting a tubby in the kitchen sink.

New tradition: Hallabucks and shopping at the Hallen Store.

After attending church at the Fish Lake Lodge.

Hope to be back soon Fish Lake.