Getting rid of extra cars

It didn't take long but Chris's old truck found a new home. A lady I work with wants it to pull a horse trailer, but doesn't want the canopy. So this Sunday someone else is driving all the way from Lebanon to look at the shell. Sounds like it will sell too because the truck is the same color & I've emailed them pictures of every angle inside and out. Might work out well for all parties!

Today, Austin is still sick and now has GI problems. So I'm not sure what to do. No fever today, only a slight one yesterday. Not eating very much either, but is staying hydrated. It is so tough when kids get sick and can't tell you where it hurts or how bad they really feel. He's been following me around all day whining. I have to keep reminding myself to be patient, he's probably just as frustrated as I am.

Real estate update

Austin's cold is getting better, but now Chris and I have it. After taking DayQuil, I feel a little drowsy but better.

Okay if you ever want to sell your house....patients is the key. Again today we were told that a realtor was coming by to show the house. Sometime between 10 and 12. So as I cleaned and de-cluttered the entire house. My plan was to drive into Redmond and kill a few hours so the house would stay picked up and clean until the showing. Austin is a big help and usually goes right behind me and takes things out that I had just put away :) While we were in Redmond I get a phone call from our agent and the people cancelled! This has happened now 3 times in a row. I guess the confusion is the square footage. All buyers had big families (3-6 kids) and our house just isn't big enough. So from now on our realtor will clarify with everyone that calls that the house is 3 bedrooms, but only 1180 sq feet. Hopefully this will prevent more cancellations.

BBQ Ribs

Normally I would not post a recipe but Chris just thought these were the best. I went to allrecipe.com because he's been wanting ribs for a few days. So I decided to take a shot at it. I thought they would be really hard, but this recipe made them super easy. They cooked and flavored themselves. Chris brought left overs to work and guys coming into the break room even commented on how great they smelled.

HONEY RIBS

1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
3 T. honey mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 pounds baby back pork ribs

In a crockpot/slow cooker mix together the broth, honey mustard, honey, water, bbq sauce, soy sauce, and maple syrup. Slice ribs apart leaving an even amount of meat on each side of the bone. Place them into slow cooker so they are covered by the sauce. Add more water or broth if ribs are not submerged.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or until the meat falls easily form the bones.

KELLOGG, ID

Here's the gondola that takes you all they way up to the ski area. By the looks of the hill it doesn't look like there could be snow....but there is. I was expecting a resort similiar to Mt. Hood and snow like we have here in Central Oregon. The locals say there is never much snow in town, but the ski base was over 100". After going up there, I don't think there was that much.

CHRIS & DIANE HANGING OUT

This was taken while we were waiting for the scratches to be removed from the truck.

A BUG

This little guy was walking on the table.

He wouldn't even take a drink of beer when we offered it to him.

Sunday Sunset
This was our sunset driving home.

I took this going 65 mph, so its a little fuzzy.

Home sweet home

Greetings Friends

Chris and returned from our adventure in Idaho. We had planned a little "mini vacation" but several things got in our way. Here's a weekend breakdown (sorry its so long, I even left out lots of details.

Friday night: got home from work. Met my brother and sister-in-law in Madras for our ride to Portland. Left on time after getting the cats round up and in the garage. Destination: Brothers in-laws (Milwaukee)

Saturday a.m.: After a restless night on the air mattress, left at 6:30 for PDX. Arrived with more time to spare, we ate a healthy breakfast at Starbucks...they had my favorite cinnamon scone :) Flight was on time and we found the shuttle car in Spokane that took us to the dealer.

Kellogg, ID 11:30 a.m.....Now plans start to change.........We meet the salesman and look at the truck before test drive. There's 4 scratches on the tail gate and 3 more on the sides. He assures us the problem will be solved to our satisfaction so we test drive it, eat a free lunch there at the dealership (BBQ) and then go to our hotel to check in.

1 p.m.: It's a cheap little place but guaranteed to be clean. We go in the room and no the bed is not clean. Head down to the front where we are assigned a new non smoking room. We had at least 2 hours to kill, the town is really small so we decide to take a walk to the resort area of town (maybe 1 mile away) We find a cute little pub and have a beer in the sunshine.

Skipping some boring parts of the buying process......At 5:30 we finish the paperwork and have our truck.

5:30 p.m. Sitting in the hotel room I smell cigarette smoke. I've had enough of this place and not being satisfied with the accomidations so we check out, get a refund and head to another hotel. They are $110/night and suggest a place half the money but clean (right across the street). We go there and get a room. Very clean and nice.

7 p.m. We head out to dinner. I feel really bad. Have a headache and am very nauseated. Leave Chris at dinner because I don't feel like I can hold down the crackers. I walk back to the hotel and Chris gets things to go.

Now the party starts: Our neighbors (a bunch of unsupervised high school students) at the hotel are loud until about 10 p.m. (3 calls to the front desk to complain)

2 a.m.: drunk guy in hallway yelling (its the adult with the kids)...again wakes up the kids and they decide to party more and head to the pool. Another call to the front desk and Chris and I are ready to just load up and leave for home NOW. Drunk guy assaults front desk lady after she threatens to call the police. I'm not sure if he was arrested, but should have been.

Sunday a.m.: Plan was to ski. I forgot my coat, feel a little better, but still not great. Weather not so nice on the mountain so we decide not to ski and head home. Did have a great ride up and down the mountain in the worlds longest Gondola. Very pretty views! Nice drive home. Only had to ask for directions once in Pasco/Kennwick. Next time will print out a more detailed map from Google than what I had brought.

Monday: Great to be home. Headed into Bend to pick up Austin and find mud flaps for the truck (can't believe a new truck wouldn't come with such an important accessory) Austin is sick with a cold.

So here I am. Austin was checked out by the Dr. and doesn't have an ear infection, but is not feeling great. Hope we have a restful night tonight.

loves to all!!!! Pictures will be posted tomorrow...the camera is in the car.

"Salsa"

My very good friend Meredith was trying to get Austin to say "salsa" for his first word. Well he didn't obviously say it for his first word, but can say it now. So here it is Meredith.



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Making faces

Austin was sitting in his high chair eating a cookie and wanted to show off to the camera. Sorry it's so fuzzy, I don't know why.

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Today was absolutely gorgeous. We woke up to warm weather and it never left all day. Chris was going to paint the house, but the wind was just blowing a little too much. Afraid we'd paint the neighbors car. So we measured out the plastic for the windows in prep for the next day that's nice enough to paint.

Austin thought this was a new toy for him. He jumped right on and started "riding" the paint sprayer :) It does have a nice seat and grab handle.

New Truck

We're getting a new truck! I've never had a new car and dodge is putting new engines in the later 2007 pickups so we had to act now or never. The picture is not the exact truck because it is still up in Idaho (Dave Smith Motors) waiting for us to plan a trip up there to drive it back. The dealer will throw in a pair of free ski tickets, so we'll make a weekend out of it. The color should be close...inferno red!

Boy playing with his dog

The background noise is a saw, it was running all day yesterday and all day today. I guess the neighbors are putting in landscaping stone or pavers.

Unfortunately the very last 30 seconds is what I was trying to tape. I have no idea how to edit video so you get it all :) Dakota and Austin can play catch forever.


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