The First Shall Be Last and The Last Shall Be First

After driving and driving and driving and almost having Kyle and Michelle run out of gas and driving some more, we arrived, out in the middle of nowhere, at a tiny little beat up sign that said, "Welcome to Oregon."  I was pretty excited and wanted to take a picture I could post for my friends back home to see I had made it.  So Dave tried to take my picture while I jumped in front of the sign.  I would get a run at my jump so I could have some air under me in my picture.

 and I jumped

 and I jumped and I jumped every time I jumped, Dave got a picture of me landing on the ground.

 So I decided to jump up and down, over and over until he finally got one of me in the air.  Finally, while Drew took the above video, Dave got the picture.

 It took a lot of work, but I think I demonstrated just how excited I was that we had arrived in Oregon.

The Classic Oregan Fall

I think you'll agree that no words are necessary . . . .

that these pictures speak for themselves . . .

Proof that Jill biffed it on the beach in Oregon

Chicken Food Part Deux

Speaking of our Oregon vacation . . . after driving for six years,  I mean 12 or so hours we finally hit Klamath Falls and our beautiful stop for the night.  We had been snacking all day, so we weren't really hungry per say, just hungry for real food.  Luckily, the only restaurant there had chicken pot pie that was to die for!  The pie had crumbled biscuits on top instead of pie crust.  I LOVED it!  So when I got home, I went searching on pinterest, and I found an pretty good duplicate. 

I'm sure you could use Bisquick for the biscuits if you were really in a hurry, but this biscuit crust is home made with garlic and Parmesan cheese and is so yummy it's worth the trouble to make it from scratch. I used half and half instead of cream in the crust and it was still very good.

 

 And since I used half and half instead of cream in the biscuit mix, I didn't feel at all guilt about using half and half instead of milk in the filling.  The filling wasn't as "soupy", as Drew called it, as the Klamath Falls pot pie was.  It was a little thicker, and we all liked it that way.  But if you don't like it as thick, just add more chicken broth.  Or milk.  Or both.  You can see the delicious carrots and peas, but not so visible are the celery and onions.  MMmmmm.

 

 We ate the whole pie, Dave, Drew and I.  Dave waddled out of here moaning on the way to his Round Table meeting tonight.  He had three helpings!  We will be making this again.  The recipe is pinned on my Foods board or here is a link directly to the sight where I found it.  http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/10/chicken-pot-pie-crumble-my-favorite-pot-pie/.  Stay tuned, there's still plenty of chicken left . . .

Chicken Food

 I'm pausing this travelog for an important announcement.  I am cooking chicken food all week.  That means food made with chicken, not food to feed the chickens.  Simple to figure out because I have no chickens to feed.  Just a cute puppy - named Gunner, by the way.

On Sunday I accidentally cooked a whole lot of chicken.  So I have been trying to use it all week.  I haven't gotten very far because there are only two of us here eating and  . . well, my life is a bit busy.  So the first thing I made was potatoes with chicken gravy.  I recently discovered this yummy dish.  It was a favorite of mine from school lunch.  I LOVED when they had potatoes with chicken gravy.  It was SO good, and we always had cinnamon rolls with it.  Double score!!  This is so easy to make, you just pour a can of chicken broth over a few chicken breasts (or whatever) and cook in the crock pot on low for 6 hours or so.  Shred the chicken, strain the pieces out of the broth, put in the strained broth in the saucepan, add a package of chicken gravy mix dissolved in a half cup or so of cold water,  add some corn starch to thicken, add the shredded chicken and serve over the potatoes you have been cooking meanwhile which are now done and mashed.

Throw together a green salad out of the lettuce, carrots, cauliflower and radishes that have been just laying around in your fridge waiting to be used, and you have a great meal you can have on the table in less than an hour.  YUM! 

First Glimpse Of The Ocean

 I always forget how incredible the first glimpse of the ocean is in Oregon.  You're driving through pine trees - which is like driving in the mountains in Utah - and suddenly you catch a glimpse of something between the pines.  Just for a few seconds, but it's something with big, crashing waves.  And you think, "Was that the ocean?  No, it couldn't be.  We're in pine trees here.  And those waves are WAY TOO big!!!  It's a thrilling experience.

 Cute, cute picture of Porter above.  I love that my grand kids are growing up comfortable with posing for their photographer mothers.  It's SO easy to get good pictures of all of them.  These boys were SO happy to get out of the car and climb something!! 

 There are several things I love about this picture.  First, we took a picture by this same tree 22 years ago when we first came to Oregon on vacation.  It was our 13th wedding anniversary. Second, Dave isn't even trying to look good.  He's squinting because the sun is in his eyes.  Again, he thinks he's smiling.  It's the best he can do :)  And third, there is a cute little squirter climbing all over the tree in the background.  Love it!!

 Doesn't this picture look like a postcard?  At first I couldn't figure out how it got on my memory card.  Then I realized, "I took this picture!!"  I think it's beautiful! I put a watercolor filter on it - again with the water color filter.  First glimpse of the ocean, first glimpse of a light house.  Happy memories of Oregon. 

Dream Big

 As I said before, I'm experimenting.  And learning a lot, I hope :)  This is two different versions of the same picture.  The bottom photo has a watercolor filter on it.  Confession:  I'm spending WAY too much time processing these pictures.  Don't tell anyone.

This picture inspired a poem.  Here it is, my first poem in many years.  It may be Aiden in the picture, but the poem is for ALL my grandkiddos.  And their Mammas and Daddies.
It's called Dream Big

                                                                 

You awaited the day

Now you're here in this life

With endless roads open and free

My word of advice

As you thoughtfully choose

Which path is the path that will be

Always dream big

Never narrow your mind

Dream as big as the ocean is blue

For the thing that you dream

What you see for yourself

If you dream it, is sure to come true

            

   

The Antics of Two Little Boys

  While some of us were completely enjoying ourselves doing this (see above :) There were two boys doing this . . . .  Let me just throw this out there, is this peer pressure, or is Chase really having this much fun?

                              Because it never seems to turn out well for Chase.  I'm just sayin' . . .

                                                    Perfecting the double sand roll

He always got up laughing - with a face full of sand, but laughing.

Although you can't tell from my processing, these pictures were all taken on the same day.  Just processed on different days.  And I'm experimenting.  Be patient with me :)