A couple of weekends ago we packed us a lunch and headed to the beach for the day. We went to Cape Meares. Its a small, secluded, not at all busy beach.
It was foggy when we got there, but still warm and enjoyable. As always, the water was FREEZING, but that never stops the kids from wading in it a bit.
After walking a bit we found a stop to sit and chill. The kids played in the sand for awhile and we ate. Then we walked back down the beach the way we came.
The fog was starting to burn off a bit. We ended up stopping again near a little stream that fed into the ocean and the kids and I started to build a dam. Pretty soon we were all building a dam, and were having some fun. Dam dam dam dam
The kids were having tons of fun saying DAM over and over and over. We're building a DAM! Damn dam. HA!
We encourage that kind of maturity.
You should see how we handle the word FART around here.
Then Carus screamed "Eeeek, a scorpian!" And when I looked my first thought was, I don't think it's alive, it is underwater. But after another look we thought it was a lobster or crawdad. A baby one. They kept it in the dam, and I ran back to the car for the camera which Robert had taken back up after lunch.
I think lobster, because I think the stream was salt water (I think) and crawdads aren't in saltwater....right? I've never seen one so???
That's Robert's hand - see how tiny it is.
Robert decided it was a lobster because of the shape of it's tail.
LOBSTER ON A STICK! (If you've seen Jeff Dunham, you'll totally get that.)
From what I can find online - I am really not sure. I'm still leaning towards lobster but??? No not lobster butt. That's just gross. Or maybe it's good, dunno, never had lobster butt.
Oh, and we did release it back into the wild - don't know if a fishy or birdy got it; but we released it still alive and kicking.
Because Adam didn't want to go to the concert we decided to let him do something he's been wanting to do for awhile: Go-Kart racing at SyKart racing. Robert took him so it was sort of a Daddy/son thing like the concert was a Mother/daughter thing.
I sent the camera along with Robert so that he could get some pictures and video for me. Thanks for the pictures Robert!
Since he is younger than 16 and does not have a license he had to first take a class. And the classes are only on Saturdays.
Normally kids start out in their small Karts and move up to the medium size - and at a certain point, if you can do laps in a certain amount of time, you earn the big ones (Robert is working on that). Because of Adam's size (5'2") he doesn't fit in the small Karts so he got to start with the medium sized. The size is the size of the motors, and I think they are 6.5 horsepower motors, the large being 9 HP.
Robert fitted him for a helmet and then Adam had to watch the safety video to learn which pedal is gas, which is brake, the flag signals, what to do if you get stuck, how to be safe, blah blah blah.
Adam lucked out and was the only one for class that day - complete one on one instruction.
Adam did 10 laps following the instructor, then they took a break. Another 10 laps or so following the instructor and another break.
Then he got to do 10-15 laps by himself. Robert was a bit jealous he got to be on the track alone. He could have paid to do a few laps too, but it really starts to add up quickly and figured that trip was just for Adam. Now that Adam has completed this course he can go back with Robert any time.
And now the video - there is a small crash a little before the 1 minute mark. Not bad - and I think that was his worst "crash" of the day. Robert said he did great and had less trouble 'driving' than he thought he would (since it was his first time behind a wheel other than video games).
The Justin Bieber concert last Wednesday was great!
I took the day off work so we could head to the concert early and try to win some backstage passes or floor seats from a local radio station, and so we could find our seats well before the show started. We rode the Max train so we wouldn't have to deal with traffic and parking and such and we were greated at the Max station by fellow Justin Bieber fans going to the concert. These girls (probably around 14) were very sweet to Carus and offered her high fives for getting to go to the concert.
Unfortunately there were way too many girls also trying to get better seats or backstage passes that Carus didn't have much of a chance and ended up giving up before she got knocked around too much. Those girls (and one of the girls mother's) were so pushy, it's kinda sad. I had to resist the urge to smack one as she tried really hard to just walk over Carus. She probably would have too, if I hadn't have been there to stop her.
Carus decided that was enough and ended up getting a picture taken with Justin Bieber instead! Okay, okay - it is a cardboard cut out. BUT she has a chance to win it! The Rose Garden (where the concert was held) was using it as a promotion and took their own pictures of all that posed with the cutout. They posted those pictures on their Facebook profile, if you tag yourself in the photo (I tagged me since Carus doesn't have a profile) you are entered to win the cutout. Carus says when she wins it, it will be going up on her wall. Her picture is here.
A pre-show interview - sorry it's sideways...
After that we went and stood in line, luckily near the front of the line and in the shade. It was a very warm day! After doors were open we found something to eat for dinner and headed to our seats to wait for the concert.
Now, because I got sssssssssooooooooooo many pictures I will direct you to my Facebook album HERE or Flickr HERE.
Opening act was The Stunners and they were good. Then Jessica Jarrell, Sean Kingston and a guy he brought along that I didn't catch the name of - too much screaming...
There were a couple intermissions, and one last one before Justin came on stage. During that last intermission, we went out to get some water. Lots of people were in lines for food, water, and the restrooms when all of the sudden there was screaming from those that stayed in their seats - and then a mad rush from everyone in line back to their seats. They thought Justin had come on stage.
What happened was they put up a countdown on the big screens and the girls got excited that there were only 15 minutes until he came on stage.
After that, every few minutes the sounds of chatting and laughing would be broken by screams that would build. It was like one would look up see that there were 9 minutes left (or 5 or 4 or...) and start screaming in excitement and it would spread to the other girls quickly. I found it hilarious.
Wanna see Justin come on stage? Wanna hear the screaming? The screaming isn't as loud as it was in person - but I do warn ya to turn down/off the sound if you can't handle girl-y screams.
His show was great, even with all the screaming. We were singing along. Carus was dancing and screaming and enjoying the show with the many other girls there. I loved being able to see her that excited and enjoying herself that much. At one point, she leaned over and said/screamed "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!!" and hugged me so tightly.
It was a great show, and even though we left the house at 2 pm and didn't get home until 12:15 am. And food was mondo expensive. And there were lots and lots of screaming. And some rude, pushy girls (thankfully more nice girls than rude girls). And I didn't sleep well because I kept waking up to the echoes of the songs and the screaming, and still had to get up early for work. I would gladly do it again. I had fun. More importantly, she had fun. I got to take her to her first concert, just one more first for her that I got to be part of.
A post show interview - sorry I don't know how to rotate the videos.
I had planned to post some pictures of a VERY large flag we have hanging in town, but yesterday's chores and to do list kept me too busy to get it up. We had a wonderful 4th of July BBQ and firework show. Lots of good food (we're good cooks!), great company (new friends and old), and laughs shared with our new neighbors over fireworks.
Oh and some fun looking pictures according to the viewer on my camera. But I'm feeling hungover even though I didn't drink yesterday - maybe just didn't sleep well last night - so I will leave you with a story of how I entertained myself this morning. Pictures will come soon, I promise!
Hope your weekend was as good as mine!!
We’ve been getting scammer telemarketer calls for weeks and weeks and weeks – the ones asking if we want to lower our credit card debt, which we know are a scam because we do not have credit cards.
Anyhoo, we can’t get them to stop calling – probably because they are a scam and don’t care about the whole do not call list so I’ve decided to start messing with them.
Recording: “Hello this is ____ from card services, press 1 if you’d like to lower your credit card debt”
*press 1*
Them: “Hi, would you like to lower your credit card debt?”
Me: “Sure.”
Them: “Great, how much do you owe on your credit card debt?”
Me: “Sure.”
Them: “Do you know how much you owe on your credit cards?”
Me: “Sure.”
Them: “How much do you owe?”
Me: “Sure.”
*Click*
HAHAHAHA! Satisfaction!
I expect another call tomorrow morning and will be using Robert's suggestion of a line from Mrs. Doubtfire: "I am job"
