Family Fun Night

We have a new tradition in the Evans household. It is Friday Family Fun Night. My hubbie and I agreed last week that we need to put a little more effort into each other and our family. You know, trying to go out of our way to make this life better each day.

Fridays are always hard days for us. Everyone is getting off work, heading to their weekend. Now that summer is here it is extra hard since we live in a vacation spot. Everyone is driving by my house with their boat, trailer, bikes, four wheelers, you name it - they've got it! It is almost like they are mocking me, "Ha, Ha! It's my weekend and not yours!"

Dave has Sunday and Mondays off. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful that Dave has Sundays and Mondays off. It just makes Fridays a little harder. So... I decided it was time to change Fridays around here. From now on Fridays are FUN!

Every Friday our family will have a special pre-planned family date. Last week we celebrated Father's Day by my surprising Dave in Keizer after work. I had packed supplies for a picnic dinner at the park in Keizer. When we lived in Keizer we had a favorite Chinese restaurant. Nothing too fancy. But it was the real deal. I ordered our favorite meals (which we haven't had in two years) to go. When we got to the park, Dave and Ethan played on the playground and I set up dinner at a table. I brought place settings and everything. It was nice and peaceful; no one else was there. It really blessed Dave to just relax and spend time with Ethan.

Ethan has been sick all week, so I knew that this week's Family Fun Day would have to be at home. So I set up an indoor picnic in the living room. Then I spent an hour trying to fill water balloons. I got ten. That's what I get for buying water balloons at the Dollar Store. Oh, well. Dave wasn't feeling good either so I got a chair for him to sit with his feet up while Ethan and I threw water balloons at each other. What fun!

Any Family Fun Day ideas? I could use the inspiration...

Marion Lake Laughs

This one is for Joanne...

Marion Lake

So, it's been three weeks since Dave's trip to Marion Lake with our friend Eric. The pictures finally were converted and edited. Dave did a great job of recording his adventures.

They saw these beautiful swans and Eric wanted to go and chase them. They ended up chasing Eric!

The bridge to cross the river to where they camp was out from the winter storm. So they had to cross the river here!

Dave caught some good trout and had a great meal that evening.

I loved the photos he took of the view!

Dave's fishing pole broke the first time he fished. So, he taped it with tape from the first aid kit. It didn't work. Every time he caught a fish he had to hold the pole that was bent at a 40 degree angle and then reeled it in. He still caught more fish. Just like Dave...

On the way back, Dave fell through the logs over the river. He had a hand-size injury on his leg. Man it was ugly. We should of taken pictures every day since the bruise got worse every twenty four hours. But that would of been a little gross to post online. ;)

It Will Always Be Funny...

Just because I grew up in San Diego and lived most of my life in a city doesn't mean that I am what Dad calls "a city girl."

I am getting use to living in the country. I wear rubber boots into the post office - I don't care. Besides - their pink and cute.

I have come to understand that there are many-a-men in town without front teeth and it doesn't bother me anymore.

I love that people ride their horses right in front of my house.

I love being able to walk to the river from my house.

I love being able to put something outside on my driveway with a free sign and it be gone within fifteen minutes.

But, I have never seen a lamb in the back seat of a car outside the corner market. Until today. I laughed out loud with the owner in the front seat. I am sorry, I couldn't help it. That will always be funny to me.

My First

Thought I would post my very first "real" digital layout... didn't want the first to be on "Create Often" quite yet here, so you go. If you ask me, digital layouts take just as long (or longer) as traditional ones and you have nothing in your hands to show for it. ;) Oh, well.

A Little Fun in the Evans Household...

Yes... we have been actually having a bit of fun in the Evans household. Hard to believe but 'tis true.

I know that it is hard to tell from the photo, but those are sticky hands on our ceiling. We were playing a game with them. The game lasted about five minutes before Ethan and I started running through the house screaming flinging our sticky hands across every surface that we could find. Ethan was doing a good job of making his hand "fly" onto the ceiling. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. The fun continued when Dave got home and received his own sticky hand. My stomach muscles still hurt...

My Photo Shoot

I haven't had a photo shoot since my maternity shoot over two years ago! I got my hair cut yesterday and we both decided it was time. Dave took the photos (of course) and I edited them. What do you think?