Who Is Erika Anyway?

We decided to stay at the cabin mostly today. James and I rode our bikes into town where he got a new hunting hat from a shop called Storm'n Normans and I found a cute skirt from a shop called Beachcombers.  We came back to the cabin and then we all spent the day reading it was really nice.  It is amazing to me how a book transports you to another world. I love it, I have been reading books for as long as I can remember and now I am working my way through the classics. When people ask me what my favorite book is I can never tell them, I can't even tell them what my favorite genre is. It is kinda like when someone asks me what my favorite song is and I am like "Depends on what day you ask me." I really have my family to thank for my love of books and reading, my mom taught me to read when I was young and helped me find books I was interested in. Dad and Mom both have been there when I needed a new book to read or a new type of book. Anyway back to the trip....  After...

On Thursday we decided it would be fun to go down and poke around in Seaside. So after breakfast we all loaded up into the jeep and off we went through Ilwaco over the Astoria bridge and into Seaside. After finding a parking spot we walked around, explored the crazy mirrors at the Candyman's sweet shop and got a free salt water taffy. We had a blast exploring the aquarium and feeding the seals which was my favorite part and now I desperately want a baby seal. They are just so cute with their big eyes and when the clap their hands, it just makes me so happy.                                                                James feeding the seals                                                   ...

I am tired, sun burnt and happy. The sun came out today and boy did we enjoy it. After sleeping in a bit, eating breakfast and regrouping ( as my dad always calls it) We went to explore the fun intriguing little shops here in Long Beach.  It was great fun pointing stuff out and posing for funny goofy pictures and most of all as you probably are all very tired of me saying making memories. Until looking in these shops never did I realize you can get almost anything you want with your name on it and clothing will go up if you want your current location on it. I found all sorts of neat items, but not anything I couldn't live without.                                                                                                  A must stop ...

Family vacations are one of the best because they bring you closer together, for instance the 10 hour drive from Latah to Long Beach we did today.  What I mean is, everyone is together doing adventures. Billy's not a soccer practice, Mary isn't at dance class, Mom isn't trying to shuffle kids around and still get to work on time, Dad isn't going to work every morning and then coming home and helping fix the things on the house or rush off to the recital or parent meeting. All of these great things that make our lives, adventures get put to the side for a week or however long you may be gone.  We all need time to breathe, relax, reset and forget about the stress of life for awhile. For my family this year it was escaping to the beach cabin. My great grandmother owns it and was kind enough to let us use it for our vacation since all of our other plans went up in smoke (literally my entire state is on fire)   I love the memories here the cabin was a wedding present from ...

Last week my Dad and I were able to attend the Northwest and Pioneer League all-star game at Avista stadium, we were excited ever since we decided to go and reserved the tickets. After driver's ed Dad picked me up and we headed the ballpark. We got our tickets from will call and went to get food. At the stand we ordered a hot dog, two soft drinks and I ordered a corn dog. They vendor at the stand told us we were out, but they were finishing up the next batch. We told her that it was no big deal, so we slid over to wait. I enjoyed watching the people shuffle about and do the pre - ball game activities. After some awkward silence the gentlemen working in between the two cashiers, stared at us for a moment and said " I hope this is the best corn dog you have ever had." Dad and I have been laughing about that for a while it was a great way to handle a awkward moment.  Getting our food we headed to find our seats, on the way there was a clown handing out tickets, like the on...

I have been blessed to know many people that hsve touched me in big or small ways. Some have passed and probably never known the memories I have of them. Lile the neighbor my great grandparents had who gave me stamps to play with one time, I remember when dad said she had died. As for great grandparents I have lost two, and as painful and saddening as that is, I can't help, but see how blessed I am to have known them and have them be apart of my life and to have one still living who I visit and write with. There have been others who I have known through church that have always been there that have gone and I think about. Those we meet impact us. We also have our living family that surrounds us and goes through the time with us. Family forms a wall of protection around itself and we grieve and work together. Even though the time is sad I can't help but smile, because of the memories I made and the relationships that grew because of the time. This is like  church family. A f...

This summer I have had the fun of babysitting three sweet kids, that I hsve been watching for a few years now. It was one of my first real jobs and it is so cool to see how the kid's and I's relationship has formed. I get so excited to come see them and hear what they have been up to. They tell me about their camping trip, or how Silverwood went and tell for the 100th time what grade they are going into because I forgot.....again. We have had lots of adventures this summer like scavenger hunts (the picture below is of the scavenger hunt), baked sugar cookies, colored, made clay paper weights, q-tip painting, hand print wreathes, face painting, built forts, and so many other things I have lost track of. I love it when the come up with their own game. It reminds me of playing with my brother and the things we would do. This summer the game they came up with has been an animal hospital. They created a entire hospital in the garage with beds and cages, then got all of their stu...