It's October already and we are heading South

It's hard to believe that it is October and the summer has passed so quickly.  We spent our time this summer in the NW, hosting in our favorite State Parks to be close to family and friends.

After we left Idaho and Farragut State Park, we spent only one month at Champoeg State Park near Portland Oregon.   We have Daughter D'enne, her husband Mike and our grandson Matthew here. We also have some of our best friends here and it was a challenge to make time for everyone, and scheduling some needed doctor appointments.

We did manager to get in some good times with Matt, spending the day at the Family Fun Center while Matt played video games and rode the bumper spray boats.

A second outing was at the Evergreen Water Park in McMinnville Or, where Deane and Matt slid down slides from a 747 airplane into a pool.  

And another day was a "boy's" day out, with Mike, Deane and Matthew hiking to Pony Tails Falls and then Oneita Falls, out in the Columbia Gorge.  To get to Oneita Falls, a climb over an enormous log jam is required before you can hike the large stream that eventually leads to a waterfall and pool.

Log Jam

Stream up the gorge

Oneieta Falls

In August we headed North to another favorite park, Belfair State Park in Washington state.  Here we are close to daughter Stephanie and her three boys, Jonathan (we only got to see him once before he headed back to college), Jayden and Joshua.

Dinner with Jonathan and family

This year, we were pleased to have friends and family come and visit us while we are here.

With Karen, Bill Woodrow at
Mt. Washington

Karen and Bill Woodrow, dear long time friends from Tucson Az, camped in the park for a few days and we had a wonderful visit,






Labor Day weekend brought our son Joe and his family from Spokane Wa., daughter Stephanie and her family, daugher D'enne and her family from Portland and Deane's cousin Peggy and her husband Dick from Snoqualamie Falls all came to hangout and celebrate my birthday which happened to fall on that weekend.

Everyone making Wampums

Josh Geocache find

Matt Kite flying

Matt spent a week with us and Joshua spent a couple of night and Jayden spent one as well.  We flew kites, found geocaches, and enjoyed the park.

Jayden and his tent

Matt and Josh exploring the creek

Happy 15th Birthday
Joshua

Grandson Joshua turned 15 a week after me, so we celebrated his special day.

Bocce Ball

A couple of weeks later, my sister Janice and her husband Randy came to camp for a long weekend.  Taught them how to play Farkle and Bocce Ball.  Had to make an impromptu court, we still had fun!










We did manage to get away twice, once a ferry ride into Seattle to the Seattle Center to see the Chihuly glass museum and the Space Needle.

Second trip was a whale watching excursion out of Anacortes Wa.  Was a spectacular day seeing many killer whales and ending the tour with seeing the breech of a humpback whale, of which we did NOT get a picture!

Killer whale

 But the end of September has arrived and we departed Belfair State Park on the 28th and our destination is Albuquerque NM for the balloon Fiesta.  Last year we were headed to the Fiesta, but mechanical problems with our RV delayed us so we did not make it.

Hopefully we will make it......we are NOT headed through California which I feel was the jinx!