Going on a little trip

Jamie and I are headed to Jamaica tomorrow. I wish I could say that the flight is short...it's not. I wish I could say we're flying first class...we're not. BUT, we are going to Jamaica!!!

We're in Jamaica for a week and then fly in to PA for a few days before coming home. While in Jamaica, we'll be attending the wedding of some very special friends. And then we'll be celebrating with them at their reception when we've returned to the US.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful week, relaxing in the sunshine with a cold drink in my hand. To spending some time playing in warm water or photographing the island. Or, to just sleeping in.

I will miss Makena. It's so hard for me to leave her for that amount of time. She will be in good company for a few days though.

I will also miss my blog, FB and my cell phone. Yikes...just saying that all freaks me out a bit. How did I survive before them???

See you later. Hopefully with lots of wonderful pictures!

Sauvie Island

On Saturday morning, my sister and I went on a little drive/picture taking adventure of Sauvie Island. She's been wanting to take me out there for a while and it turned out to be the perfect morning.

Our first stop was the historic Bybee-Howell House.

Then we stopped at Kruger's Farm Market for some fresh fruits and veggies. Then we headed to the Sauvie Island Lavender Farm. The daughter of the farmer was at the store that morning and didn't have change. So after searching my purse, we came up with $2.50 for a small lavender plant that my sister wanted. I think that saved us about $2.50.

This old grocery store is across the street from the lavender farm.

Our next and final stop was to go to the beach. The river was very high, the road to the beach was flooded and the beach was pretty much washed out. (Which also may have, thankfully, scared away the 'clothing-optional' group that visits this beach as well.)

But we still found a little place to sit and enjoy another wonderful Deschutes Brewery beer.

Beautiful day! I'm glad I finally made it out there with you T, thanks for the invite!!

Fort Stevens

Growing up, we spent almost every weekend, and a few weeks during the summer, camping. I have so many memories of riding our bikes from the Fort Stevens Campground to Battery Russel or Fort Merriweather. Hiding in the cold, dark barracks. Spending that days going wherever we wanted.

You don't really appreciate the history of places like these when you're young. And then things change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

The place was still cold, damp and dark. But the history was much more alive. And Jamie had never been there, so we stopped to look at as much as we could.

I don't remember climbing all these stairs when I was young. But, maybe they weren't so painful at 12 years old.

Even though it's spelled wrong, it's says "Jaime was here". Jamie didn't even notice that when he stuck his face in the window (2nd from left).

Warrenton, OR

Last weekend was again full of fun, food and family. Jamie had a customer fishing tripped planned, which included a house rented in Warrenton, OR for a few days. On the first night, 12 guys stayed in the house. On the second night, those guys were gone and my family (and family friends) arrived.

Unfortunately, the all day fishing trip only produced one (yes, 1) halibut. He was a nice sized halibut, but a very expensive one, that's for sure. When all of the boys (fishermen) returned from their trip, we had a little 'fish fry' that Rudy (and I) prepared. There were also 50+ crab caught, so that fed the group as well.

Then the guys/customers all left and it was just the 8 (and 4 dogs) of us in the 7 bedroom house. There was a lot of food and laughing and then a little poker game.

On Sunday, we all went to breakfast in Astoria. Then the family and family friends returned home while Jamie and I spent one last night at the house. On Monday, we stopped by a dog park along the river before heading home.

Where I spotted an otter. Many times when you're taking photos, you don't really notice things around you that aren't in your viewfinder. Well...this little guy wasn't in my viewfinder and scared the crap out of me when I noticed him. Jamie and Moxie just watched him swim around for a little while.

Because it was so nice out, we decided to also stop at Fort Stevens as Jamie had never been there.

Cancer Prevention Study 3 (CPS-3)

Back in September, I was asked to chair a one-time-only event that was going to be at the 2011 Relay For Life of Hillsboro. The Hillsboro Relay was selected as a Cancer Prevention Study 3 Enrollment Site, and I jumped at the chance to do it! Not only did I want to enroll in the study, but I was very excited about the opportunity to chair it. This was one more thing that I could do in the fight against cancer. One more thing that I could do to help find a cure. One more thing that I could do in honor of my aunt Tami.

I was sent a Research Volunteer tshirt, a giant training manual and then shipped off to Dallas, TX for a two day training. Now, months later, I'm training my volunteers and planning the final stages before enrollment happens on Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 11am to 3pm.



HISTORY OF CPS-3

The American Cancer Society first began conducting long-term prospective studies (also called follow-up studies) in the 1950s. For these studies, large groups of individuals were recruited through a successful partnership between the American Cancer Society researchers and volunteers. The study population provides information (e.g. lifestyle, medical, or behavioral) and then are followed over time to assess their health outcomes and to determine how those outcomes are related to the previously collected exposure data. The commitment of the study participants and the volunteers who recruited them has been vital to the success of these studies.

The American Cancer Society’s Department of Epidemiology and Surveillance Research is continuing its long history of partnership with Society volunteers to enroll individuals into a new long-term prospective follow-up study to learn how behaviors, lifestyle, and genetics combine to affect the likelihood of developing or dying from cancer. This new study, Cancer Prevention Study 3 (CPS-3) is an excellent example of the Society’s established leadership role of leveraging our scientific credibility and unique position to support innovative, high impact research. Results from this study will continue to support the Society’s leadership role of increasing prevention and early detection of cancer.

Relay For Life events and CPS-3 will enroll 500,000 cancer-free adults at Relay sites across the country. The Spring of 2006 marked the first phase of CPS-3 enrollment. Enrollees will need to be willing to make a long-term commitment to this study, be between the ages of 30 and 65 years old and have no personal history of cancer (not including squamous or basal cell skin cancers).

CPS-3 enrollment will only occur at each selected Relay event once over the multi-year enrollment process. During this time, enrollees will be asked to read and sign an informed consent form, complete a brief written survey, provide a waist measurement, and give a small blood sample. Within a few months after the Relay event, enrolled individuals will receive a full-length questionnaire to provide more detailed lifestyle, behavioral, and medical history. It is expected that enrollees will be followed for twenty to thirty years. During that time, the Society will contact them periodically for information related to their health and health behaviors, including diet, physical activity, and co-morbid conditions.

Results from previous American Cancer Society long-term follow-up studies have demonstrated:

• The link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer


• The significant impact of being overweight or obese on risk of cancer occurrence and death


• The impact of hormones, physical activity, diet, various medications and vitamins, and various other factors in relation to cancer risk


• The impact of air pollution on cardiopulmonary conditions motivating the Environmental Protection Agency to propose more stringent limits on particulate air pollution


• The link between aspirin use and reduced risk of colon cancer


• The link between postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and various gynecologic cancers (such as breast and ovarian cancer)


• The link between diabetes and cancers of the pancreas and colon


• The link between physical activity and lower risk of various cancers (including breast, colon, and aggressive prostate cancer)

If you aren't able to join us for enrollment at the Relay For Life of Hillsboro on Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 11am to 3pm, please forward this information on to others you know. You can find more information about CPS-3 and additional enrollment sites at www.cancer.org/cps3 or on our website at www.hillsbororelay.org.

Friday the 13th

Just a tip: If you happen to be staying in a house, by a lake, and hear a noise outside, don't go check it out. Especially if it's dark and you are in your underwear...

Because I've seen that movie.

P.S. Your flashlight won't work. Trust me on this one.

This little piggy...

Apparently the issue with the phone was 'operator error'. Hey...it happens...

Here is the picture of my new piggy that Makena bought for me for Mother's Day.

Mother's Day Weekend

Cell phone pictures do not look the best (at all) but they'll have to do for this post. I am still learning how to use my new phone, and I'm hoping their are some settings for the camera that I've just overlooked.

We returned home from Bend around 2pm on Friday and then headed to Garibaldi shortly after that. It was going to be our first weekend at my parent's house in quite a while and I couldn't wait. Plus, it was Mother's Day weekend and I was going to be spending it with my mom and Makena.

My mom and Rudy bought me an indoor tomato plant for my birthday. It shouldn't get much bigger than this, but will (hopefully) produced several tomatoes. Most of my tomatoes rotted last year before even getting to this size.

On Saturday, Jamie and Rudy went over to fix a few things on Gram's house while my mom, Makena and I went shopping. (Thanks again for doing that Honey, Gram really appreciates everything you do for her!)

On Day 1, I found an odd shaped platter and a 7 Up bottle opener. Makena found a sweater and Mom came home empty handed. On Day 2, I went back for the tall canister (in the photo below) and the two jars. I couldn't decide on them on Day 1 so figured I could come back if I really wanted them.

Of course the canister was not in the spot I left it on Day 1. I had the sales people looking in their receipts and around the shop for about 30 minutes. When we figured it had just been purchased and tagged wrong, it was found sitting right in the front window - next to the register. I also picked up a little, green, glass leg protector - I'm going to use it to keep my rings safe in on my nightstand.

The jars are currently holding brown rice and evaporated cane juice sugar; they are the perfect size. And the canister has a new home in our pantry holding almost 6lbs of oatmeal. Again, it's the perfect size.

My mom also gave me a couple of things that were my Aunt Tami's. The little green shelf should easily find a place in my house. I was most excited about the little doll. I have a small collection of dolls and this one is going to be a wonderful addition. It also says "I Love You" just above her heart.

I woke up early on Sunday and started reading a book. I was so involved in it that Jamie brought me breakfast in bed around 11am. And, around 1pm I was done reading the book and ready for lunch.

Makena went shopping for a Mother's Day gift for the first time on her own this year. Well...she went with Hailee...so they were really shopping on their own, together. When I saw the Made In Oregon bag I was very excited. When I found an Oregon piggy bank inside, I was even more excited! He's currently sitting on my desk until I find the perfect home for him. (And no, there wasn't any money in him. I already checked. Maybe next year?)

And there would be a picture of him here, but my cell phone didn't email that particular photo for some reason. And then it stopped cooperating with me. So I'll have to add that photo later.

Chasing Chipmunks

Jamie, Moxie and I were in Bend last week for a conference. In between the conference, socializing, dinners and more socializing, Moxie and I went for a walk. We found a small wildlife park just up the street from our hotel (which did not look like the picture by the way) and followed a path for about 4 miles. It was a gorgeous day.

Moxie quickly found out that "wildlife" runs fast in the this park. She could see all of the chipmunks (100+ of them) running around, but she just couldn't figure out where they were going. They would just disappear into the ground, and she couldn't catch them no matter how hard she tried.

So she didn't even attempt to chase after the deer across the golf course.

Or any golf balls we saw flying.

But she was happy to take a little break.

While I took pictures.

And then she saw another chipmunk.

And the chase was on again.