House update

Well we are finally moving forward, after about a month of set backs. With any luck we will be able to get our framing final this week and get this house wrapped up. Here are a couple picks.

Front of the house with the front door...finally!!!

It's still wrong, but we are working on that....Here is a shot of the Family room...hopefully you will soon see a picture with a new plasma TV hanging over the fireplace.
After a long hard day it will be nice to take a dip in our master bath...6ft long and 3ft wide...plenty of room to relax...
Sorry for such a delay in house pics and updates, but this last couple of months have been VERY frustrating and I did not want to rehash all that frustration on our blog...so there.

Stay posted...
Jim

Bass Lake 2007

I have just noticed that the formatting I am trying to do with the pictures and text is not working out too well. Sorry for the awkward read on the last two posts. I will get the hang of it soon.

Every year we try to go to Bass Lake with the Bentley/Williamson clan. We don't make it every year but this year we did and it was unlike any other year.

We always know that going in late September is a gamble. No crowds, great lake conditions for skiing, wakeboarding, etc. but we never know about the weather. We start checking the weather sites at least a week in advance, hoping that we can somehow control this factor by being aware early. This year there was to be a freak storm in the area for only about 3-4 days. Of course those were the 4 days we were to be there.

Jim and Ben on a walk.

So we started preparing for a "different kind of trip." Normally, we spend all day everyday out at the beach. We pack lunches and then we just do absolutely nothing planned. We float in the water for hours chatting, take boat rides when we feel like it, play beach games, nap--basically just enjoy the WEATHER and the water. Since we knew this year would be different we decided to lean into it and change our expectations. Allie (Jim's cousin-in-law if you don't know) and I decided to bring stuff to make cookies and Aunt Karen made all kinds of pumpkin bread. We roasted smores around a campfire every night and took long walks. It was a wonderful fall vacation. We relaxed and enjoyed the lake in a different way.

One of the guys wakeboarding. Justin, Luke, and Brian enjoying the boat ride.

The most amazing thing about it for me was experiencing the beauty of the lake in a way I didn't expect. Threatening a downpour at any moment the sky would change from ominously gray to bright blue with cotton-ball clouds. Nobody was on the lake (except for our crazy boys who still took a few runs a day on the wakeboard and skis) so it was completely calm and glassy and the gray sky made it look almost charcoal in color. On our walks we hiked around the lake on barely visible paths through tall grass and mud, sandy beaches and pine trees experiencing the beauty of God's unspoiled creation.

future wakeboarder

My favorite part was the thunderstorm that we got to watch all together through the huge windows of Duecey's grill at the Pine's Resort. The lightning would crackle and snake across the sky in the most brilliant ways and we just sat at our table eating dinner and talking while we watched. It was pretty amazing! But God didn't stop there. The next day we took a boat ride and got to enjoy two complete rainbows over the trees on the banks of the lake.

Allie, Foreman, and me on a walk. Ben liked sitting on the special "chair rock."

Needless to say it was one for the books. Next year I hope it will be hot and we can lay out and float in the river like we always do but I wouldn't trade this year at Bass Lake for anything.

The annual dock picture with the Forks Resort in the background.

Camping

We camped again this year at San Clemente. Last year, our trip was in November so the weather was much nicer this year!

Avery brought Sam's firetruck playhouse which was hours of entertainment.

Ben officially loves to camp. I asked him if he would rather camp or stay in a "vacation house" (hotel or condo) and he said camp. I guess I am out of luck.

So it is a good thing that I went and bought the big air mattress. It's huge when it is just Jim and I but it ended up being a bit cozy for three.

Can't a guy get a little privacy? Ben's makeshift potty room made for an accident-free weekend. It also saved us trying to keep him clean in the camp restrooms--yuck!

Sam felt that Ben needed a little help riding his bike and probably so since Sam can walk and even crawl faster than Ben can ride forward.

We had so much fun and the boys loved getting dirty together. It just showed us that we need to camp more. Wish us luck!

DISNEYLAND!

The Meguiar's company picnic this year was at Disneyland--good choice!

Ben didn't want anything painted on his face but loved his arm paintings of Mickey Mouse and a football.

For all of you who were worried, Ben informed us that he is no longer afraid of the hippo in the Small World because he "is a big boy now."

Thank you to Libby, a coworker of Jim's, for these light-up ears!

If you see him, ask Ben about his favorite ride. He will give you a full rundown of the Matterhorn complete with hand motions and sound effects! Did he like it--YES! Does he want to go on it again--NO!

We stayed to the very end and saw the fireworks. It's a good thing we brought bear!