Squeezing In More Camping Before Winter

This last "weekend" (I say "weekend" because our is Sun, Mon, Tues for now) Mom and Dad were still on their vacation and we decided to meet up with them at the Ohanapecosh campground in Mt. Rainier National Park which is only about 3.5 hours from us.

We did the touristy thing and drove around the park enjoying the amazing views of high mountains, deep valleys, cracking glaciers, and enormous trees.

As you can see there is no bad view from the Paradise Visitors Center. The picture above is the view of the mountain and the one below (of Ma and Pa) I took when I turned around with my back to the mountain.
There were neat views of the mountain all over. It is such a pretty park.

We stopped along the road to check out some of the sights. There are neat glacier runoff streams all over. They are an odd sort of milky color because of the silt from the glaciers. We also picked a water bottle full of huckleberries and made some jam that was SO good!

We drove around the Rainier park and saw a lot of beautiful sights. This was a neat waterfall. It is a bad picture of J and I, we are both making funny faces, but you get the idea.

We drove from the Mt. Rainier National Park to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest where we took a forest road to Walupt Lake. It is real near Mt. Adams, if you were wondering. Also if you look close there is fresh snow on them there hills. It was raining and snowing while we were there. I realized just how much I am in denial about summer being over. This is J fishing at Walupt Lake. Sadly we did not catch anything but a crawdad.I am sure we will go back to the Gifford Pinchat/Lake Walupt area. They even allow horses so we have starte scheming for next year.

Camping at Kalalock

This last "weekend" we met my folks up on the peninsula. From our camp sight in Kalalock we could watch the sun set and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. Monday we did a few small hikes and visited tide pools and beaches. Tuesday we did the trip north to the Hoh rainforest. So here are the pictures.

This is us with the sea stacks behind us. This whole beach was covered in good skipping rocks and we saw a bald eagle.

Here is Mom and Dad at the Kalalock campground where you can see Destruction Island and the lighthouse out on it. This is the view from our camp sight. We watched the sunset......then just a few minutes later we watched the moon set. I think this is the first time I have watched the moon set over the ocean. We enjoyed our visit to the Hoh rain forest. The entire time we were there it was sunny and warm. I guess we really lucked out because this place gets around 150 inches of rain each year. And for my friends that are going to ask anyway, we did made a quick run up to Forks to get gas and stop at the market. We weren't there long, but here are the pictures I took for you. Population of Forks 3175. I guess the Cullens were out of town because it was sunny all weekend so it might not be right.

The Forks sheriff station

And the Forks Thriftway. We got the best nectarines there I have had all year... who would have thought.

I Need Some Ideas

My husband is so great, I have been wanting to do something nice but different for him and could use some new ideas. So what kinds of things do you like, or wish your spouse/someone would do for you? Oh, and yes I have tried just asking him if there is something I could do for him but he always just smirks and says, "No, I can't think of anything. What can I do for you?" And he means it.

MASS EXCITEMENT

(Not My Image)

J just did his shift bid and got SWING shift with Wednesday and Thursday off! That means he leaves for work at 1pm and gets home at 10:30pm! On the same day! It is no day shift, but we will take it! Thank you graveyard shift for all you have taught and done for us, but we are ready to never see you again. (Hah, here's hoping!) Now we just have to find out when he starts these hours.
.

Not-So-Guilty Pleasures

(Not My Image)

So I was just wondering if you all could share. Since I am caught up on pretty much everything that I need to do and feel a bit drained (I even washed windows and removed spiderwebs) I have been trying to find some "feel good" activities. You know, those things that always cheer you up a bit but that you never have time for?

Mine are:
*reading favorite book
*going for a walk (exercise)
*bust out the camera
*listening to my favorite songs really loud
*watching reruns of favorite show
*eating my favorite dessert/bake
*rearranging a room (our living room is 'interesting' these days)
*create something or do handwork

So those are my "feel good" activities. I am trying to have a little fun with life while I deal with the everyday junk, and wonder what fun things others do to cheer themselves up. Also I just thought it would be really interesting to see what you say.

Also could you share what your favorite healthy snack food is? I have had the munchies while I watch my favorite show and I can only eat so many grapes!

Not Sure I Want To Know What's Next

(Not My Image)
Had one of those weeks. Geesh.