Trying my hand at painting!

As if I don't have enough things that I like to do, I decided last year that I really really really wanted to start painting. I can see in my mind what I want to paint but don't have the training to know how to use the materials or how to make it all easier but nonetheless I decided to give it a try anyway. So for the last year I have been replicating other paintings or doing slight variations of them. I have painted quite a few for family and friends to gain some (very little) experience. I did one for my mom (no pic yet) and a set for my cousin Codee (my favorites - no pic yet), one for our church (the one above with the boxes that says "freedom"), the pear (above) for an auction for the Portland Columbia Symphony (my friend's mom ended up being the buyer which is so cool) and then the top picture is actually a set of two that are going in our bedroom above our bed (inspired from a pillow I got from IKEA) and then I did one for Ben's Sister and Brother in law (no pic yet). More to come, I have promised 3 other people paintings and am really looking forward to doing it. I am thinking here and there about going back to school when the kids are both in school for some art classes. Really looking forward to that. But in the mean time, I will paint!

To the Beach We Go!!!

It's Spring Break here, which means nothing to us - yet...........but we decided to take a trip to the beach instead. Ben wanted a day off from his normal world and so did we. I always try to overplan but Ben is so good about just going and doing. So we went to Cannon Beach for the day. Left about 9:30am and arrived at our favorite little beach "Short sands," where all the surfers go. If you haven't been there, you should. You hike down from the parking lot through a wooded area where you can camp (we camped there on our first anniversary (10 years ago)) and then on to a private feeling beach. It's a cove so you're surrounded by rock cliffs. By the picture you can see that God answered our prayers and gave us and many others a beautiful day! We built a huge sandcastle while daddy tried to nap in the sun. Played a little frisbee too. Noel and I ran from the ocean waves ...............wow, that water is sooooo cold. We also had a dog (which you know how much our girls love dogs) that kept coming over begging for food. He was pretty nice and the girls did ok - they're getting a bit better. Thank goodness! Anyway we had a blast on our "family day" and the girls slept all the way home with little sunkissed faces........because momma forgot the sunblock. You can't remember everything!