Wordless Wednesday Web Hairstyle & Gymnastics 4 U End of the Season Show

My first time doing the Web Hairstyle. I think Zari's hair turned out pretty cute for her show!

Stills from Zari's floor routine on April 27th, 2018.

Zari's gymnastics classmates and her awards ceremony.

Wordless Wednesday Gymnastics 4 U Easter Egg Hunt 2018

Gymnastics 4 U Easter Egg Hunt 3/31/2018.

Wordless Wednesday Zari Gymnastics Rings and Rope

Zari using the rings for her first time in Gymnastics.

Zari climbing the rope (also first time). She almost got to the top every time! Such a little monkey.

Wordless Wednesday Sunkist Mountain and the Lewis and Clark Bridge

I captured this sunset and St. Helen's looks aflame.

Wordless Wednesday #BODYARMORMom #contest

Teela re-hydrating after a run with BodyArmor SuperDrink we got free from @DrinkBODYARMOR @Influenster.

Wordless Wednesday Model T

We see this Model T strolling up and down Rainier Oregon occasionally. My husband and I got a picture with it at the local park.

Wordless Wednesday Eagle's Nest

As you cross the Lewis and Clark Bridge going to Longview, WA look on your right, there is a large Eagle's Nest high in a tree.

Look closely and you will see the Eagle.

Wordless Wednesday Sunrise Over Lewis and Clark Bridge

Sunrise Over Lewis and Clark Bridge, taken on March 13, 2015.

Wordless Wednesday National History Bee and Bowl 2015

Jaedan and his 7th grade Middle School Team strategizing before the tourny.

National History Bowl Oregon tournament, Saturday, February 7th 2015 at Rainier Jr Sr High School: 19 teams in three divisions from 8 different schools getting ready.

Jaedan and his 7th grade Middle School History Bowl Team who qualified for the Nationals in Kentucky in May!

From The Chief (a newspaper in Oregon) posted on Thursday, February 12, 2015 8:14 pm "National History Bee Bowl organized its first nationwide series of National History Bowl tournament for the middle school age level. In all, 19 teams from around the northwest competed at this event. Rainier High School’s seventh and eighth grade History Bowl Teams qualified for the nationals final competition, which is taking place in Kentucky on the weekend of May 22-24. Tyler Brackin and William Carver will represent the eighth grade. Regan Zelinski, Jaedan Abel, Robert DuPlessis, Jack Bauguess, Josiah Jones, with student coach, Rocky Hein, will represent seventh grade. The History Bowl advisor is Mr. Andrew Demko of Rainier High School. Efforts are now underway to raise money for these teams."

Other related articles: Rainier hosts Oregon History Bowl and Bee for fourth consecutive year

Pony Feathers - My Shameless Plug For My Husband

My husband owns a business called Pony Feathers. He has a CNC (computer controlled) router (ShopBot) with which he can make you beautiful custom woodworking: signs, doors, boats, cabinetry, furniture, etc. His specialty are signs and plaques, but in the past he has made other things like: doors, a medallion for a wood floor, a partitioned bowl all cut in one piece, fireplace mantel, a rocking chair, burl mirrors and tables, trivets, custom fencing, etc. He loves thinking outside the box and working with his clients to make something truly special and unique for them.

Here are some pictures of some signs he has done. Most of these signs are located in and around Reedsport, Oregon because we lived there for a while. If you have visited Reedsport you probably would have seen at least one of these signs. From left to right and top to bottom: Thai sign in Winchester Bay (we made both top and bottom portions), Rainier Days in the Park sign for our local Chevron gas station, Portland General Electric Beaver Generating Station plaque made for a retiring friend at his work (the top lettering is raised, the metal is inset and the bottom lettering is carved out), Rowan's Apothecary & Cafe sign (again the leaf pattern and larger words are raised and the smaller words at the bottom are inset), Kidz Place sign (a transitional sign for a children's consignment and resale shop in Rainier Oregon. The bear and the block letters are raised and the letters at the bottom are inset. Then it was painted by hand), Beartown Carvings sign (made for a good friend of ours, Brad Sharp, that is a chainsaw carver for his shop), Pepa and Preston's House sign (a simple sign in different fonts), Mr. Beans sign (except for the letters this sign is cut out of a single piece of plywood. This was a fun one for him to design and watch his machine cut!), lighthouse sign made by my husband and I for the L.U.H. Home Health Hospice in Reedsport Oregon, large Hahn Memorial Park sign in Reedsport Oregon (did in conjunction with our friend Brad Sharp: Brian did the lettering and Brad did the faces on it), Jim Barrone Memorial Fields sign in Reedsport Oregon (also did in partnership with our friend Brad Sharp: Brian did the lettering and Brad did the faces on it), Flag and Blanket  People sign (we made in trade for some dolphin/whale blankets).

Here are some pictures of other woodworking projects he has done. From left to right and top to bottom: trivet with the tiles set into a piece of wood and the design of the tiles continuing into the wood as a carved design, a Myrtle wood saddle for the a Radio Flyer rocking horse (this is unfinished), the saddle again now on the horse and finished, a burl mirror, a dolphin carved out of a gorgeous piece of Myrtle wood, an eagle engraved into a beautiful piece of Burly Maple, our son's derby cars for Boy Scouts: a serpent and an alligator, a rocking chair, a burl, a church door in Reedsport Oregon for the local Episcopal Church, and part of a dolphin fence gate. Unfortunately we do not have pictures of some of the things he has made, among them are: the fireplace mantel, partitioned bowl and the medallion for a wood floor.

Right now we only have a Facebook page for our business and would love some more likes. Please if you like what you see here give us some Facebook love. Thank you!

Rainier, Oregon Giving Tree 2012

Rainier, Oregon, where I live, is having their Community Giving Tree again. I was one of the families blessed by the giving tree last year. It was wonderful! I feel so blessed living in a community that cares so much. I feel that getting the word out about this awesome program is important!

There are 8 trees total. Trees are located at Cornerstone Cafe, El Tapatio, Chevron, Cole's Coffee, Deli Store and More (Mini Mart), Hometown Pizza, Rainier Community Church of God and Riverside Community Church.

We need your help! If you live in or around Rainier, Oregon and have not already done so, please think about adopting a family or a child in need this year for Christmas. Please go take a "Giving Tree Tag" off the trees and bless a child from our little town of Rainier, Oregon. These are done anonymously. We have over 280 tags that need to be taken which is a total of over 30 families.

The deadline for those that are getting gifts for people off the trees (wrapped or unwrapped with gift tag attached) is December 18th. They need to be dropped off at either of the two churches involved. Drop off dates and times are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30am-12:30pm at both churches, Wednesday evenings from 5-8pm at Rainier Community Church of God and Tuesday & Wednesday evenings at 6-8pm at Riverside Community Church.

For more information click on the above image to make it larger and then you will be able to read it. Thank you!!

Rainier, Oregon Christmas Toy and Gift Exchange

This is my friend's son's Eagle scout project. They've collected an amazing amount of toys, books, games and other gifts. Anyone you who is struggling this Christmas is invited to come and pick out some of the items for your child(ren). It is today at my church chapel! Also, they will be having the exchange again on Tuesday December 18th from 4-7:30pm at the LDS church chapel. Although they are requesting donations for the foodbank, no one will be turned away for lack of ability to make a donation.

For more information click on the above image to make it larger and then you will be able to read it. Thank you!!

Festival of Nativities - Free Events

While I was at church this past Sunday I heard about an free event for the public for the holidays and ever advancing Christmas season. The Longview LDS Stake Center is having their very first annual Community Festival of Nativities. I have been to one of these festivals when I was living in Ohio and it is really something to behold. People donate their unique nativities to be displayed for the time of the festival. Longview hopes to have literally hundreds of different Christmas nativities from around the world on display for people to come and view. They will also have music from talented local performers.

• What: 1st Annual Community Festival of Nativities (FREE Event)
• Date: Friday through Sunday, November 30th-December 2nd, 2012
• Time: 4-9pm (OPEN HOUSE)
• Place: 900 11th Ave. Longview, WA, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• Are You Going? Let Them Know: FB Events Page

If you don't live in my neck of the woods there is also one located in Vancouver Washington and Gladstone Oregon that is closer to Portland. Both Vancouver and Gladstone will also have a live Nativity and a room with activities for the kids to do.

• What: 12th Annual Festival of Nativities (FREE Event)
• Date: Thursday through Sunday, November 29th-December 2nd, 2012. The live nativity will be held outside the building on Saturday, December 1st, at 6pm and then again at 8pm on the northeast lawn.
• Time: 12-9pm (OPEN HOUSE)
• Place: 10509 S.E. 5th Street Vancouver, WA, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

• What: Joy to the World, Festival of Nativities (FREE Event)
• Date: Thursday through Monday, December 6th-10th, 2012
• Time: Thurs-Sat 1pm-9pm Sun-Mon 4:30pm-9pm
• Place: 8331 Cason Road, Gladstone, Oregon, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• Other Info: FB Page

These events are a great way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with your nearby community. If you do not live nearby one of these churches just inquire of an LDS church close by you to see if they know of a Festival of Nativities that you can visit in your area.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I became aware of these events and was also given more information by email about this. Thanks to everyone involved for these events. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for posting about this event. The above art is used with permission by Longview LDS Stake Center to advertise their event. It is ©Joseph F. Brickey and is called "A Savior is Born".

Rainier's 3rd Annual Harvest Festival

In my town of Rainier, Oregon the 3rd Annual Harvest Festival (previous years it was called the Pumpkin Festival) is happening at the City Park on Saturday, October 27th from noon until dark (around 6:30 pm). This is put on by the Rainier Chamber of Commerce and admission is FREE!

This event is family and kid friendly. Activities include: hay rides, carnival games (25 cents per game), crafts, food, venders, costume contest, pumpkin carving contest, Trunk or Treat and Willow Grove (a band from Longview, Washington) will be playing.

Bring a carved pumpkin for the contest. Really great prizes will be given away for the best pumpkin, costume and trunk or treat-er. There will also be a raffle for some neat stuff to win. At dark there will be a pumpkin lighting ceremony. Costume contest is for all ages including pets. If you are interested in being in the trunk or treat please stop by city hall to pick up an application. Game tickets are 5/$1.00 and raffle tickets will be 5/$1.00.

Like Rainier's Harvest Festival on Facebook for updates and more information.