Stars in the heavens...

I got up at 5:30 this morning. I usually look out the bedroom window to see if I can see the stars. There is something so awe inspiring about looking up in the night sky. I wasn't disappointed. The stars in the heavens this morning were brilliantly shining. It actually took my breath away. Orion was right there just outside my window. I wish the boys would have been awake to see it. Once I figured out the constellations - I have always enjoyed watching for them.

We are truly a blessed nation...

"We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."

---Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Cub Scout Pow Wow

I just got back from the most amazing fun filled informational day ever! I got to go to Cub Scout Pow Wow with my Assistant Den Leader and the Webelos Den Leader and a Committee Chair member. We carpooled over together and had such a blast visiting on the way and back home again. I took all kinds of great classes like Wood crafts, edible crafts, crafts on a budget, skits and run-ons, Cub Scout science and awards for scouts and leaders. I even won a canteen at the end of the day! Woohoo! I got some great ideas for day camp this coming summer and I am so excited!

Friday morning flood update

You are probably wondering what OneBite has to do with flooding. Well...there are three farms surrounding us. Two across the river and the other across the fields. When it floods the rats/mice become displaced. We have discovered they like to come to our garage and house. In the past three weeks we've had the unwelcome critters in the house. Ew. We've been told this stuff will get rid of them. I should hope so.

As of lunchtime today - the river is sitting just below the banks. It sure left the fields nice and green though.

Dropping the boys off at the bus stop this morning. I took a picture of the water markings on this road sign and fence pole. It's about 4 feet from the ground.

The field this morning about 7:05. Driving the boys down the road.

The other side of the road - just across from the above picture. Our neighbors yards are still waterlogged. Ours luckily didn't get that deep. We actually didn't have much at all in the front.

Got Turkey?

I made cranberry sauce today. I am all ready for Thanksgiving now!

Lunchtime update...

The seagulls have come. They like to eat the bugs in the water. The only time we see them at our house is when it floods.

The river is still breaking the banks. But - the sun is shining!

Thursday morning's update...

I woke up this morning at 5:30. From the neighbor's outdoor light all I saw was water. Now that it is finally light enough - here are some pics!

Looking from the boys' bedroom window. Our backyard is under water.

From our deck - the field in front of our house is full of water.

Looking towards another neighbor's house. Lots of water. It's about 1 1/2 feet deep at our end. That would make it about 3-4 feet deep at the end of the road.

Looking out from the living room. The water is pouring into the field rapidly.

From our living room again - looking at the barn across the river. Hope the cows are okay. Russell stayed home today. He tried driving to see how deep the water was. Then decided the water was too deep for him to wade through to get to his car parked out on the main road. Good thinking.

3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon

As of 3 p.m. yesterday it was still pouring buckets of rain. The river's level hadn't changed much from this for a long time it seemed.

Looking out from the kitchen window there is now two steady streams of water

pouring into our side of the river bank. This is the Tillamook River by the way. All the water to the left in the picture is the fields behind the barn across the river from us. Up closer. Yesterday afternoon it looked like this might be all the river was going to do.

Looking from our living room to the barn across the river. I am glad I went into town to pick the boys up earlier. Russell had to walk through all the water to get home. There has been a new development but I can't take pics until it gets lighter first...

Due to flooding issues...

I HAD to take some more pics when I had to pick up the boys from school a little while ago...

As of 12:15 or so this afternoon - the river just starting to break the bank on our side. You can barely see where. That won't last for long.

This pool of water is covering a cow pasture. The field was completely free of water at 7:15 this morning.

The river on the backside of our neighborhood.

Our mailbox/school bus stop area when we came back from picking up the boys.

Only 30 minutes earlier - this is what it looked like. All under water now.

This morning...

This morning around 7:30 when it was light enough to see the river. It's definitely higher than last night. I sent the boys off to school. I will watch the river. When it breaks the banks on our side (R) I know I have just enough time to run to town to pick them up! Now - I am off to work on their Christmas presents. Mwaaahaaahaaaa

We've upgraded to a flood watch/warning

We've been upgraded to a flood watch. We will see what things look like in the morning. Maybe we can all stay home again tomorrow! I didn't take another pic at 4 p.m. because the river appeared to be the same level as at 12 noon. Then it was too dark after that.


URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTEDFLOOD WATCHNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR257 PM PST TUE NOV 11 2008...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR AREAS IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON ANDNORTHWEST OREGON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT....A STRONG JET STREAM WILL BRING A VERY WET STORM SYSTEM TO THEPACIFIC NORTHWEST LATER TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AREAS OF GREATESTPOTENTIAL IMPACT THAT MAY HAVE THE MOST SUSTAINED PERIOD OF HEAVYRAIN INCLUDE THE WILLAPA HILLS...THE SOUTHERN WASHINGTONCASCADES...THE NORTHWEST OREGON COAST RANGE...THE NORTH OREGONCOAST...AND THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES.
ORZ001-003-005-WAZ020>022-121800-/O.NEW.KPQR.FA.A.0002.081112T1400Z-081113T1200Z//00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/NORTH OREGON COAST-COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA-WILLAPA HILLS-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ASTORIA...CANNON BEACH...TILLAMOOK...VERNONIA...JEWELL...TRASK...ST. HELENS...CLATSKANIE...FRANCES...RYDERWOOD...RAYMOND...LONG BEACH...CATHLAMET...LONGVIEW...KELSO...CASTLE ROCK257 PM PST TUE NOV 11 2008
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH LATEWEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR NORTH OREGON COAST AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWESTWASHINGTON...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN NORTHWESTOREGON...COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON...LOWER COLUMBIA ANDNORTH OREGON COAST. IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...I-5 CORRIDOR INCOWLITZ COUNTY...SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST AND WILLAPA HILLS.* FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT* SINCE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...APPROXIMATELY 1.0 TO 1.6 INCHES OFRAIN FELL IN THE COAST AND COAST RANGE. PERIODS OF MODERATE TOHEAVY RAIN LATER TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY WILL RESULT IN RAPIDRISES IN SEVERAL RIVERS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3.5 INCHES ISEXPECTED IN THE COAST AND COAST RANGE OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS.CURRENT FORECASTS INDICATE SOME RIVERS IN THE COASTAL AREAS MAYRISE TO NEAR FLOOD STAGE AROUND MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. RIVERS OFCONCERN ARE THE WILLAPA...NASELLE...GRAYS...WILSON AND TRASKRIVERS* PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN LATER TONIGHT THROUGH EARLYTHURSDAY WILL ALSO CAUSE RAPID RISES ON SEVERAL RIVERS ANDSTREAMS IN THE COWLITZ AND LEWIS RIVER BASINS. TWO TO 4.5 INCHESOF RAIN IS EXPECTED IN THE SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES AND CASCADEFOOTHILLS OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. CURRENT FORECASTS INDICATE THECOWLITZ RIVER MAY RISE TO NEAR FLOOD STAGE THURSDAY MORNING.A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ONCURRENT FORECASTS.LANDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THIS FLOOD EVENT.PEOPLE...STRUCTURES AND ROADS LOCATED BELOW STEEP SLOPES...INCANYONS AND NEAR THE MOUTHS OF CANYONS MAY BE AT SERIOUS RISKFROM RAPIDLY MOVING LANDSLIDES.YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLEFLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BEPREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.THE NEXT UPDATE FOR THIS WATCH WILL BE ISSUED BY 10 AM WED.
FLOOD ADVISORYNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR758 PM PST TUE NOV 11 2008
ORC003-007-009-041-053-057-067-071-WAC049-069-121400-/O.NEW.KPQR.FA.Y.0005.081112T0358Z-081112T1400Z//00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/LINCOLN OR-BENTON OR-TILLAMOOK OR-WASHINGTON OR-POLK OR-YAMHILL OR-COLUMBIA OR-CLATSOP OR-PACIFIC WA-WAHKIAKUM WA-758 PM PST TUE NOV 11 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED AN* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...CLATSOP COUNTY IN NORTHWEST OREGON...NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST OREGON...TILLAMOOK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST OREGON...WESTERN COLUMBIA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST OREGON...WESTERN YAMHILL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST OREGON...PACIFIC COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...WESTERN WAHKIAKUM COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...LINCOLN COUNTY IN WESTERN OREGON...WESTERN BENTON COUNTY IN WESTERN OREGON...WESTERN POLK COUNTY IN WESTERN OREGON...* UNTIL 600 AM PST WEDNESDAY.* AT 755 PM PST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERYHEAVY RAIN ALONG THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGONCOASTS...OVER THE WILLAPA HILLS OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...AND OVERTHE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST RANGE.* THIS INCLUDES COASTAL COMMUNITIES SUCH AS TILLAMOOK...ASTORIA...LINCOLN CITY...AND HIGHWAYS IN THE AREA INCLUDING HIGHWAY 101 ANDHIGHWAY 6.SPOTTERS HAVE INDICATED HEAVY RAIN THIS EVENING HAS CAUSED SOMEWATER TO BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE ALONG HIGHWAY 101 NEAR TILLAMOOK ANDALSO ALONG HIGHWAY 6 NEAR AND JUST EAST OF TILLAMOOK. THE HEAVY RAINCOULD BEGIN AFFECTING DRAINAGE IN OTHER AREAS ALONG THE COAST AND INTHE COASTAL MOUNTAINS NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON.MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTOAREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLYDEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFULENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODEDROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ONHIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES...IN URBAN AREAS WITH POOR OROVERWHELMED DRAINAGE...AND WILL ALSO CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON SMALLCREEKS AND STREAMS.

As of 12 noon today....

It's been steadily raining all night and all day so far. The winds have picked up since about 8:30 this morning. Looking from the kitchen window...the river is high. It still has a ways to go though before we are flooded in. Will take another pic later just before dark. Since we live on the coast this river is affected by the ups and downs of the swells, tides from the ocean and run-offs from the mountains.

Experience fall/winter on the Oregon Coast with me!

The latest weather alert for the North Oregon Coast....
If it floods - I will post pics cuz we will be at home.

High Wind Warning
North Oregon Coast (Oregon)URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
334 AM PST TUE NOV 11 2008
ORZ001-002-120000-
/O.CON.KPQR.HW.W.0010.000000T0000Z-081112T0000Z/
NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ASTORIA...CANNON BEACH...TILLAMOOK...
LINCOLN CITY...NEWPORT...FLORENCE
334 AM PST TUE NOV 11 2008
...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COASTS...
A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON.
SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE MUCH OF
THE DAY...WITH SPEEDS 30 TO 40 MPH AND GUSTS TO 60 MPH NEAR
COASTAL HEADLANDS AND BEACHES. WINDS IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL
INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH. THE WINDS WILL BE
PRODUCED BY A STRONG WARM FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH WESTERN OREGON
TODAY.
A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS
OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.
$$
Issuing Weather Forecast Office Homepage
Special Weather Statement
North Oregon Coast (Oregon)SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
951 PM PST MON NOV 10 2008
ORZ001-002-WAZ021-112300-
NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ASTORIA...CANNON BEACH...TILLAMOOK...
LINCOLN CITY...NEWPORT...FLORENCE...RAYMOND...LONG BEACH...
CATHLAMET
951 PM PST MON NOV 10 2008
...HIGH SURF AND TIDAL OVERFLOW POSSIBLE ALONG THE SOUTH
WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COASTS THIS WEEK...
A SERIES OF STRONG STORMS IN COMBINATIONS WITH RISING FLOWS ON
COASTAL RIVERS AND HIGH TIDES MAY LEAD TO HIGH SURF CONDITIONS AND
POSSIBLE TIDAL OVERFLOW ALONG THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND
CENTRAL OREGON COASTS THIS WEEK.
SWELLS ALONG THE COAST WILL LIKELY BUILD TO 16 TO 18 FEET TUESDAY
THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...LIKELY CAUSING BUILDING SURF ALONG THE
SURF ZONE. RISING RIVER FLOWS IN COMBINATION WITH A FULL MOON AND
THE HIGHEST TIDE OF THE MONTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS
COULD LEAD TO TIDAL OVERFLOW AND MINOR FLOODING NEAR BAYS AND
ESTUARIES.
THE LARGE WEST SWELL AND VERY STRONG EBB CURRENTS WILL ALSO
RESULT IN VERY ROUGH BAR CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY ON THE COLUMBIA
RIVER BAR WHERE 20 TO 22 FOOT SEAS AND BREAKING WAVES ARE POSSIBLE
WEDNESDAY. THE LARGE SEAS AND STRONG CURRENTS WILL ALSO INCREASE
THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE COAST.
BE SURE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS IF YOU WILL BE NEAR THE
COAST THIS WEEK.
$$
FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PORTLAND

Someone I know...

Someone I know had a birthday today. I hope her day was a special one and she got to do the things she's been wanting to do. This is a person I have not met in "real" life yet - just through recipezaar.com. We have become good friends though and I want you to know Ellie you are a really special person! Happy Birthday! Hugs :)

It's Sunday!

Just a fun time taking pics before church. Chris apparently doesn't think I'm very funny.

The boys in their new church clothes. I can't believe how big they are getting! Yikes! Nephi is into size 8, Michael size 12, Chris size 14 and Donovan size 16. Sheesh!

A really awesome deal!

We have a grocery store here called Fred Meyers. They have these reward points that accumulate over a period of 3 months or so. Then a dollar amount is sent to the customer based on the amount you spent at the store. Along with that comes coupons. This time one of them was 40% off 2 items of clothing. Which was an awesome deal because the two oldest boys really needed church pants ($22.95) and shirts ($19.99). Nephi also needed a shirt ($19.99). Well.....all of these clothing items were 40% off. AND with the 40% coupon I had for 2 items of clothing... the church pants were $8.26 each and the shirts were $11.99 each. So for $52.49 we have the three boys that needed church clothes taken care of! Whoohoo!!!! I love coupons...

Another season just about done...

Canning is just about officially done! I feel really good about what I was able to do this summer/fall. The only thing left is cranberries for homemade cranberry sauce.

Top row L-R we have tomatoes, pork, corn, beef stock, tuna, cranberry sauce, peach jelly, peach jam, peaches and blueberries.
Middle row L-R we have black beans, elk, ham, ham stock, green beans, pumpkin, potatoes, apple pie filling, unsweetened applesauce, applesauce and cherries.
Bottom row L-R is pinto beans, white beans, chicken, chicken soup, chicken stock, relish, pickles, beets and pears.
I have venison canned but the jars are put away in a box until the elk is used up.
In the freezer is strawberry jam, peach jam, and clean out the freezer jam (blueberry/peach/strawberry combo) very tasty!

Chores

We use this for our chore chart. Originally it was just the boys. I had wanted everyone to be up there. Russell informed me he wasn't going to work all day and THEN come home and do chores. So I just had a chart for the boys. Well.......
Russell thought it would be a great idea to have a job chart like he did growing up. Where EVERYONE was on the chart! O ho! I see how this works. :) Now everyone is on the job rotation. Our rotation consists of living room (dust, put toys/books away and vacuum), toy room/laundry room (sweep, put toys away, bring in firewood, do the weekly laundry), dishes (empty/fill dishwasher, sweep floor, scrub floor, wipe off counters, set table, clear table, put food away and garbage. It's the biggest chore.), family room (dust, put books/toys away and vacuum) bathrooms (notice I said "rooms". do sinks, toilets, bath tubs, sweep, scrub floors, mirrors). Originally it was just the boys' bathroom on their rotation. Russell decided to make it both. And the final job isn't really a job at all! It's the vacation slot. I got it last week. I was so excited! I still had to make meals and such but I didn't HAVE to clean up after myself. hehee I rather like this rotation a lot! But - I try to be a nice mom and help out where I can. So - I do try and keep the kitchen somewhat in order while I can/bake/cook during the day. The boys are each anticipating their own vacation weeks where they aren't responsible for anything else but themselves.
I love sharing the responsibilities!

Survival Kits...

And you thought I was referring to the backpack survival kits! Gotcha! :) These little survival kits are for our Primary teachers and music people. We are doing this as a teacher appreciation in conjunction with interviewing them to see how classes are going and any concerns they may have. We will also let them know what class to expect the next year. I had a lot of fun making these. They were pretty basic.

The list in case you are interested...

Toothpick: Pick the good qualities in everyone including yourself!

Rubberband: Be flexible. Things might not always to the way you want.

Band-Aid: To heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

Eraser: Everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our mistakes.

Candy Kiss: Everyone needs a hug or a compliment every day.

Mint: You are worth a mint to your class.

Bubble Gum: Stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

Pencil: List your blessings every day.

A tissue: For drying tears. Yours and theirs.

Lifesavers: Sometimes we all need a little help.

Happy Faces: Smiling is contagious.

Candle: You show your class a better way!

A star: To reflect your inner beauty.

Ear Plugs: When you just can't take anymore.

Marbles: To replace the ones you've lost.

Starburst: To give you a "burst" of energy when you need it.

Always....

Always check your pockets/hands before you leave the house to make sure you have your keys. I checked my bag for my church keys but that was pretty useless when I got to the car and realized I had just locked the door of the house and didn't have a way to start the car! Donovan tried picking the lock. Luckily our neighbor 2 houses down is LDS and hadn't left for church yet. She gave us a ride and I got a house key from Russell so we could get in after church. And since my boys have big mouths - I won't be forgetting this incident any time soon. :)