Just a couple more

Salmon River

We had a unbelievable trip on the Salmon River with friends, Bob and Sandy Gass. They own the boat and invited us along with Dick and Darlene to steelhead fishing. We caught one steelhead (or Bob did) but the water, the scenery, the accommodations and the company was superior. Like Dick and Bob say, "We have a great boat trip and catching a fish is on top of that." This trip was east of Riggens about 30 miles very close, if not into, the Frank Church Wilderness area. We stayed at Mackay Bar on Saturday night and had the entire place to ourselves. A dark night is really understood in a place where the electricity goes off after everyone turns in -- no lights folks!! THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS FOR THE GREAT WEEK-END!

McMenamins

Rob and I took the week-end for a little get away to Portland. We stayed at the McMenamins property at Forest Grove. From their web page: Built in 1922 as a Masonic & Eastern Star home, this place has many stories to tell. Renovated and opened by McMenamins in 2000, what was once tranquil and serene is now vibrant and active. Here the walls do speak...as do the doorways, the hallways, and indeed, even the overhead pipes. Inspired by the remarkable history of the city of Forest Grove and the building itself, McMenamins' artists have infused the Grand Lodge with a living history -- original artwork and historical photographs cover the walls, the faces of overhead pipes greet visitors with a smile and a wink, and the rooms themselves are lyrical and inspired tributes to the remarkable cast of characters who've left their footprint here.
This gave us a short drive to the coast. What a beautiful week-end!
Here's a couple of pictures.

Summer Pics

So much to do.... so little time! Having fun with grandkids, picking raspberries, huckleberries and strawberries, the visit from our friends Dan and Gail, the Smackdown and winners: Ilene for the grand prize, Donna and Carol for the cocktails, still moving in to our wonderful home in Hauser (see the sunrise picture), projects on the Joe with Ilene and Doug tiling the Tiki Bar, and, of course, Dutch.

Tea Party Fun

Elise's 4th birthday party was a huge success! They drank tea, they decorated hats and she received a big surprise from her Mom and Dad. You can tell how excited she was! The table was set beautifully and the party goers were in their best behavior.

We Own It....

Signed on about 150 dotted lines this morning and it was filed about 3:00. What a trip! Thursday is moving day and we should be up and on the internet,hopefully by this week-end. This has been quite an up and down journey. Boxes are all over the house and mostly in the garage and the house is sounding hollow.

We want to pass on the good mojo this house has brought us to the new owners and take the majority with us to the new house. Changes in attitudes, changes in latitudes.

Moving, Moving, Moving!!!

We haven't had time to post material because we are moving.........! After 20+ years in this house, we finally sold to a couple moving to N. Idaho from California. Rob and I were in a bit of a panic because we have a pretty specific idea about the kind of home we wanted.
Our real estate agent, Scott Carr (by the way we highly recommend him!) found us a great house on Hauser Lake. It's equidistant from Spokane and Coeur d'Alene (18 miles to Costco in Spokane, 16 miles to CdA). It has a huge shop and a great kitchen.
The moving domino goes something like this: sign on our house in Hayden on the 30th, sign on the Hauser home on the 4th, moving starts on the 6th and we turn our keys over on the 9th.
Rob and I have been feverishly packing, sorting and tossing and feel we have good headway for us not to be in a panic on the days of the move. We are hiring movers so our friends won't be straining backs with getting furniture from one house to the next.
Here are a couple of pictures of the new house.

Brooke

Rob and I spent two days with Brooke, Krista and Darin and I was able to get some cute shots of our little 6 month old. What a happy baby! She and I got into a giggling jag and she couldn't stop. It was too cute!

Make a Smilebox scrap pages

SUN, BEACHES, BABIES and Cervazas

We had fun! The hotel was amazing, the weather was incredible, and the kids were superior. Elise says Mexico is beautiful!

Ain't She Sweet!!

Miss Brooke is pretty cute. A happy baby who really likes her voice. I had a great time in Boise getting to spend Oma time with her. Brooke has both parents head over heels! And that's the way it's supposed to be.

Valentine Dinner

Ilene and Doug came over for Valentine's dinner. Here's a picture of our chocolate martini's made with raspberry vodka and Godiva white chocolate --- yummm! Ilene and I put together a dinner better than any high end restaurant! If your adventurous try the chocolate rubbed pork loin recipe
1 tablespoon whole white peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole coriander
4 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1teaspoon ground cloves
3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
4 tablespoons sea salt
2 2lb. boneless pork tenderloin
olive oil
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, toast peppercorns and coriander until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and grind to fine powder. Mix the pepper and coriander with remaining spices, cocoa and salt. Rub generous amount of the cocoa spice rub over tenderloins. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat and sear tenderloin on all sides until rich brown color, about 2 minutes on each side. Finish tenderloins in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Let tenderloins rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before carving.
The extra cocoa spice will keep in air tight container for up to 3 months.
This was amazing!! More chocolate to celebrate Valentines 09!

Happy Valentine's Day

Make a Smilebox greeting

A day on the ICE 1/31/2009

A fine day on Lake Cocollalla: We had a great group, lots of 3 t0 5 year old kiddos, and they had a great time. So Ice Fishing can be a family event and a better child care arrangement than the TV.

Sorry Sponge Bob!

And as it turned out a lot of fish were caught and the kids loved them. Kids were seen packing fish around all day! Moms will appreciate the odor when it is bath time. (Immediate to their return home).

It is unbelievable!!

The slide show on the right is from a hike that Rob and I took this Sunday. The pictures show English Point (Hayden Lake), Coeur d'alene Lake (we tried to get Eagle pictures and none around. They must have also decided that it's too damn cold!) and a panarama of Fernan. All these lakes within about a half hour drive from our house. Predictions for this week --- you got it! More snow!

Heidi, Tony, kids and Oma and Papa will really be ready for the trip to Mexico in February.

Dominos Elise Style

January 2, 2009!