Blogger Challenged

Help - I am blogger challenged!

Does anyone know how to put a picture up in the header and not have it be super huge?

Let me know.

Much appreciated!

More pics of Ocean Cove

The view from our camp site:

Gotta love that California coast!

A fun rope swing the kids found:

If you look on the rock on the right about half way up from the bottom, you can see 2 white specs laying on the rock. Those were seals. You could see them much better with your eyes. They were really cool!

Action shot of the helicopter

Can you see Cody trying to protect us from the scuba diver?

He didn't like the mask AT ALL!

Waterfall

Feeding the peacocks

Judgments

One thing Kurt and I both try really hard to do is to not pass judgments on others. It simply isn’t our job. We are not perfect and therefore have no right to judge others based on their imperfections.

There have been several occasions over the years where friends have made decisions that we think “boy, that is not what we would have chosen.” But that is just it – it wasn’t our choice to make. It was theirs and we have not walked down their road in life, we have only walked ours so therefore our choices may be different based on life experiences and we do not judge them because of that difference.

Over the last several weeks I have been involved in several conversations where someone was either judging another or they were feeling judged by others and it made me feel sad. It feels horrible to be judged by another. I am sure you have all felt judged at some point in your life – I know I have.

I felt judged in high school when I didn’t want to drink and party like all the other kids. I felt judged at 22 when I joined the church. I felt judged when (despite all my tries and appts with lactation people) breastfeeding failed and I had to bottle feed my babies. I feel judged when people find out I am a working mom. And now I feel judged about home-schooling.

But you know what? Over the years I have learned that I shouldn’t care what people think. I know I am doing the best I can with the cards that I have been dealt and I give others the benefit of the doubt that they are doing the best that they can with their cards too.

And that is what we should do in this life. We should love each other; be friendly to everyone; be supportive to each other; and definitely not judge. And don’t worry if others are judging you. You can’t control them. They are not perfect either. Just do the best you can and hope others are doing the same.

What a crazy few days!

So we made plans with friends to go camping on Memorial Day. However, we never seemed to pick a place and make reservations. Not so good on Memorial Day. So we choose a place that was first come, first serve. They said as long as we were there by Friday at noon we should be ok. Kurt didn't want to risk it so he wanted to leave on Thursday.

And that was the plan until this happened:

Yep, that is our very own sink hole. Right under a huge display we put in at a new carwash. Notice the arbor post that is hanging in the air on the right? It was just hanging there! Very scary! The display is kind of like a permanent home show for us. And unfortunately, a sink hole happened right in the middle of it. It is hard to see exactly how big this is but it is approx. 17' long x 11' wide x 10' deep. Kurt spent all day Thursday at the car wash helping the landlord figure out what to do. So we didn't get to leave until Friday morning.

Then this happened:

That would be a blown tire on our trailer. In 3 years, this was our first traveling mishap.

We went to Ocean Cove which is on the coast north of Jenner. It was a beautiful camp ground, lots of grass to keep the kids clean =), and we had a wonderful view of the ocean. Saturday morning a helicopter flew over VERY LOW right along the ocean cliff which meant it was RIGHT over us. It seemed to go over every so often so we thought it was a scenic tour or something until it landed in the campground. That's right - it landed right in the campground. We all went running down to check it out:

It turned out to be a Sheriff helicopter that was patrolling the coast. Apparently someone was injured down at the boat ramp and they flew in to assist. It turned out to be a little boy that had crashed his bike going down the boat ramp (it was very steep and all gravel). They loaded the boy into the ambulance and the helicopter took off. It got right over the ocean and turned right around and landed again. Since the nearest hospital was so far away and down very curvy roads, they decided to transport him by helicopter. We got to see it take off and land - it was very interesting. However we wished that it wasn't for a hurt little boy.

Later we hiked down to the ocean and got to see all sorts of fun things:

Isn't she cute?!

Kayla fell and got hurt and was so brave! We were so proud of her! She scraped up her wrist and cut her pants open scraping her knee.

Stump beach

Camp Fire time:

Fort Ross

We found this little one lane road that was absolutely beautiful! And the view was beautiful too!

One day we were low on gas and had to go north to find a diesel gas station. Along the way we came across a head on accident. There were only a few Sheriffs there holding peoples necks waiting for the ambulance to get there. We were the first car stopped and had a front row view of watching all the fire trucks, ambulances, sheriffs, etc. show up. Then the helicopter landed again! Then it took off and a red medic helicopter landed. We didn't see them load anyone into them but it was crazy to witness everything. It made us very appreciative for the safety we had had while traveling.

On Sunday night the dads took the kids on a night walk. They headed out before dark to explore.

They found peacocks that they got to feed!

Don't ask me what is up with that face! Funny boy! He is showing off like the peacock, I guess.

We could see them coming through the dark forest by their glowing sticks and glowing flash lights.

We had a great time and are very grateful to have made it home safe and sound.