Try This!!

I was recently put on a strict budget. I was spending $ as if I was still working full-time AND don't have children to put through college. I am cutting back everywhere EXCEPT for my hair appointments. I refuse to go back to coloring my own hair & walking around town with patches of hair that somehow got missed. No way.

I did give up my Prescriptives & Lancome make up. They were luxury items, I'll admit it. Nas found a new product at Walmart that she loved. I purchased some too. It made the switch from 'department' store make up to 'drugstore' make up much easier.
This is it: Hard Candy Primer. $8 from Walmart. It feels like cashmere on my face. I also noticed I used much less foundation with this product. (but still got good coverage). I like that it feels luxurious and the price is within my 'beauty budget.' Try it!!

Words of Wisdom

I heard two thought provoking statements this week. Since hearing them, I have thought about them constantly & am trying to memorize them. My goal: start living these thoughts!

The first from Pooja (thanks Pooja!!):

Be present in the moment, because if you are always thinking about yesterday, or worrying about tomorrow, you will miss what is happening right now around you. And what you miss may be the best moments of your life.

The second....

Dream as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.

Family Fun!

What a fun-filled weekend we had!

Omid had family visiting from Bellevue, California & Arizona. Aunts & cousins assembling the koobideh.

Dinner! Amazing jujeh kebab, kebab barg & koobideh.

Can you guess why there is dancing in this photo? It was announced last night that my sister-in-law just got engaged!! Everyone was celebrating!

Congratulations Arezoujoon (& Evan, too)!!!

Family snapshot.

This afternoon, Omid took us all to Crown Point.


Beautiful ladies, beautiful view.

After Crown Point, we headed to Multnomah Falls.

Fariba, Jaleh & Susan

Fun fact: Faribajoon also has a daughter named Nasim. Omid & I really liked that name and filed it away for future reference. You now know it was our number one pick! We did change the spelling so Nas wouldn't have to spend her entire life correcting people. Most Americans pronounce the 'i' like in igloo. Omid deals with it all the time. Oh-mid.

We ended our Gorge tour at Skamania Lodge.

Coffee at the fire pit.

Parvin & Jaleh

Amehjan teaching Matty a card trick.

Dear Susanjoon & Faribajoon:

Thank you so much for your kindness and friendship this weekend. It means a lot to me and I appreciate both of you so very much!!

The weekend in a nutshell: Fun, delicious food, & lots of love.

Beatin' the Heat

We've had two glorious days of 95* weather here. To cool off, we decided to head to the river. We motored out to Ackerman Island (directly across from Hwy 14).

Remy knows boat safety!

Cooling off & playing fetch!

Go Remy, go!

Remy dug about 100 holes (& I stepped in at least 89 of them).

Less than 75 feet from us - we spotted this beaver. There was another one swimming in the water (close to where Remy was fetching sticks). I am so thankful Remy did not spot them!
This guy's teeth were HUGE!

Beautiful sunset!

Just about one minute after the sunset, we watched the moon rise.

Such a great day on the water! Nas - you missed out!

Make This!!

Italian Bread Salad

1 baguette - torn into pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c chopped basil
2 Tbs fresh tarragon
Salt & Pepper to taste
olive oil
basalmic vinegar

Mix baguette with olive oil. Bake in a 400* oven ten mins or until toasted. Toss toasted bread with above ingredients. Add olive oil & basalmic vinegar to taste.

Serve immediately.

**Note: I didn't have a baguette & used regular sliced sourdough bread. It worked just as well!

We Had a Blast!!!

On Saturday, my family came down from Olympia to join the four of us on a day trip to the south side of Mt. St. Helens. We started out at the Ape Cave. Grammy held back for a few minutes to stop a woman who was trying to bring her dog into the cave (inside her backpack). Grammy took no excuses & told her the sign specifically said NO DOGS or ALCOHOL. Grammy gave her the 'eyes' & the woman stayed back. Don't mess with Grammy. If Grammy's dog isn't allowed in the cave, neither is yours.

We compared ourselves to this diagram. Happy to report we were prepared cavers.

Entrance to Ape Cave

Tip: Bring gloves & a hat!

There was a lot of dripping water & our fingers were COLD (the cave is 42* year round).

The end of the cave.

Nas & the Lahar Riverbed

Matty in the riverbed.

The clouds finally parted so we could get a mountain shot.

Next we hiked down to the Lahar Canyon.

Tip: Wear sturdy tennis shoes. We saw a couple of people biff it wearing flip flops.

Danger was everywhere!

The scenery was beautiful!

Suspension bridge! Some of us liked it more than others!

If you go: Bring $5 for a day parking pass. The cave & Lahar Canyon are free. Parking is not.

Bring lanterns/flashlights. If you don't have any, lanterns are available for rent at the cave entrance.

Also: Mt. St. Helens is a 'pack it in/pack it out' park. There are no garbage cans.

To get there: Exit 21 (Woodland) off of I-5. Travel east on SR 503 to Forest Service Road 83. Turn left on FSR 8303 & follow the signs.

We came home and Omid made the most delicious shish kabobs for

dinner (as we were starving!).

Seven Minutes of Fame

Have you watched Koin Studio 6 yet? It's on weekdays at 4:00 on channel six. I have been watching this show all summer and really enjoy it. Koin Studio 6 has a link on their website asking for viewer recipes. I submitted a few and received an email this morning that one of my recipes caught the eye of a producer. I have been invited to come on the show and share my recipe. I only get 7 minutes to prepare & bake my dish. Exciting! I only hope I don't end up like Cindy Brady & get televisionitis! Watch Cindy experience televisionitis here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9HITuhLg40

The episode I will be on will air sometime in September. Stay tuned for stills & a video from that segment.

Wedding Crasher!

I kind of crashed a wedding on Saturday. Kinda sorta, but not really. Brenda & Tom were invited along with Tom's friend Eric. B suggested I tag along as Eric had responded for two to attend the wedding/reception - but was actually going alone. They didn't have to ask me twice! I drove up with Brenda and Tom rode with Eric (so I was actually B's date!). The wedding was in Belfair (near Shelton). Belfair & Shelton have the distinctive reputation for being 'scummy' towns. I was really intrigued as I wanted to know what kind of couple wanted to get married in Belfair! I was in for a surprise as the wedding was held at a beautiful home & the property = well - if it wasn't in Belfair - I would have loved to live on it! Ten landscaped acres with a huge shop (Omid's dream property!).

On our way!
When we were almost there - we saw this sign! Scary!!

*This actual photo was taken off the internet - we were driving too fast to get the sign (plus I may have been too scared to get out of the car to snap the photo!)

Reception tent. Read on to find out why there were no chairs!

Waiting for the ceremony to begin.

The ceremony was really nice! It was held outside. The minister said one thing I thought was great. He said whenever anyone in the crowd touched their wedding rings, they should remember their spouse and pray for them. I liked that!

After the ceremony, we were told to carry our chairs to the reception tent. Funny - but I am glad we didn't have to stand!

The kiss!

Tom's friend Eric told B & I go inside the house. We found lots of taxidermied animals.
This goat was a favorite.

I thought this was an interesting way to make sure no one gets your cup:

Just stick it in your pocket.

Okay-I was shocked at this man's outfit FOR A WEDDING!!!

A Harley-Davidson tank top?! Really!?

Eric, Tom, B & me.

The dance floor. B only danced to one song with me & ( had to be forcibly taken to the dance floor).

Dancing to Sweet Home Alabama

Dance B Dance!

Al in all - I had a great time and am so glad I went! Thanks for your extra ticket Eric!