Ahhh.....Spring Break!

So, it was off to the Oregon coast for Spring Break. The girls and I decided to brave the snow on Santiam Pass....Snow?!?! Isn't it supposed to be "Spring Break" not "Snow Break"?!

It was probably the worst snow driving conditions I have ever encountered since we moved over the mountain almost 11 years ago! (Photos courtesy of Ashley, by the way! Are you kidding? I had both white-knuckled hands on the wheel the whole way, thank you very much!). We headed over midweek so we would have time to go to the beach. Thankfully, the weather cooperated there and we had one good day to enjoy the beach and do a little kite flying at Bastendorff! As a former coastie, I am very thankful that we got that one good day - I was fully expecting it to rain the whole time we were there! Shawn and his folks headed over on Friday and we spent the rest of the weekend visiting Shawn's grandma in Coquille for her 89th birthday, and his aunt, Kathleen, who was out visiting from Nebraska. I also got to visit with one of my long time friends, Leah, who I have known since we were just 7th graders! My how time flies! (sorry Leah, I just had to do it! It was just too funny!) We still get to giggling, no matter how old we get! We entertained the girls with tales from our youth! Well, I think I have figured out how to add a video to my blog, so here is a slideshow I created from some of the pictures I took while we were at the coast. Enjoy!

Teen Driver Alert!

Yep, it's true! Watch out everyone - Our own Ashley Rose Crawford passed her driver's test today and is now a bona-fide Oregon driver! She took her test this morning and had a few minor errors: apparently she bumped the curb when parallel parking, signalled too early, didn't turn into the closest lane, didn't check her blind spots enough, and stopped too far forward at a stop sign and crosswalk. Wait a minute, that's stuff I do every day!! But despite all that, the instructor decided that she was a safe enough driver! She's spent a lot of time driving with us over the past year (my accumulation of grey hair and arthritis from gripping the door handle prove it!), but we know she's a responsible girl! It's one of those milestones that we are excited for but also dread! We worry more about those other crazies out there than we do her! So watch out everyone, she may be on the road in a city near you soon!

Skiing!!

Yes, the Crawdorks are at it again! Thanks to Ashley's new digital camera we were able to catch them riding the ski lift at Hoodoo over President's Day Weekend. It was a glorious day, but a little breezy at the summit! Those Crawford girls are improving in their skiing skills - they have surpassed their poor Mama which doesn't take much - she's much more of a ski bunny than anything else!






"Am I doing this right?"

Hmmm..do I detect a little attitude to the left....maybe it's the sunglasses....they tend to bring out the Paris in her... Watch out...we're hunting wabbits - hehehehehe!

Orthodontia...it's a wonderful thing!!

Go Big Green!

So, since we are a big basketball lovin' family - Shawn, with the help of Mr. Milliron, secured us tickets for some pretty sweet seats at the women's basketball Civil War battle this past weekend in Eugene!

That controversial duck was up to his usual tricks!

And the best part - was that our lady Ducks were able to secure a win against those evil Beavers - I think there's something Freudian in that comment, but I will let it pass...

And I couldn't help but add a couple photos of the Dork Family, uh, I mean Duck Family!

Happy Sweet 16 Ashley Rose!

Well, it's hard to believe that Shawn and I have been parents for 16 years! Our Miss Ashley Rose has survived our parenting techniques thus far and made it to her 16th birthday! Watch out world, she will hopefully be getting her license on March 17th - St. Patrick's Day! She'll be wearin' the green for good luck!





In honor of her "mature" status, she requested that we take her to a fancy restaurant for her birthday. She selected Staccato, a very upscale Italian restaurant in town, owned by her basketball coach, JJ Anderson. It was very yummy! Then as if we weren't stuffed enough, it was back home for cake!

Somewhere between 40 and death...!

Ah, birthdays! They make me feel so nostalgic, especially my own! 41 years! I definitely don' t feel 41, which I suppose works well in my favor! I remember my mom being 41 which doesn't seem like it has been almost 20 years ago! And shame on me, I made her a grandmother at 45! At 45, I will have an almost 20 year old hopefully still continuing her college studies and an almost 15 year old high school freshman! Grandmotherliness can wait until my 5th decade, if I get my way! Don't get me wrong, I don't dread getting older, in fact, I have enjoyed every age I have been. Some more than others I suppose. I don't think I would do my teenage years again, unless I could go back with the knowledge that I have now! Like in the movie "Peggy Sue Got Married". I think that would be great fun! But I guess I will just impart my acquired knowledge to my daughters instead so they will hopefully benefit from all I have learned thus far! Here's to another year!

It's Been Wild...!

Well, today is the last day of Christmas vacation for the girls and I. It's back to the real world!


But, we had a lot of fun! I thought I would start off with the wild weather we got that destroyed our Christmas present from a few years ago! We got some big winds a few weeks ago and came home to find our trampoline must have decided it wanted to be a frisbee while we were at school!





So, Shawn dismantled it while we figure out if we can get a part to repair it.

Christmas morning was fun as always!





Santa visited and brought fun gifts....

Papa Bob and Gramma Ronda, made the trek over the mountain from Lyons to celebrate with us as well as Papa Clinton and Gramma Linda, but they only had to travel across town!

Abby the Diva Dog got her Christmas wish too....

And my mom's new baby, Dolly, (aka Swiffer) celebrated her first Christmas with us!

And last, but not least, Shawn would like to say....

GO DUCKS!!!!