blogging stats

My sister-in-law has quit the blogging world for a bit. When she decided to stop she got to looking at the stats page that blogger.com gives each blogger. I knew it was there but didn't know it would tell me which countries also look at my blog. She informed me of this. Some countries have readers that visited a post once or twice but I think I may have an actual reader in South Korea. I don't know why 26 different South Koreans would visit my blog. I think it must be the same person visiting 26 times, 7 times just this month. Kind of cool huh? The country that comes in second with 17 visits is the Netherlands! O, how I wish I could visit these countries, or at least the blogs of these readers.

Have you guys ever checked out your stats?

Are you an out-of-country reader of mine?

Post here if you have an answer to either question.

More information

Addendum for those who have asked:
Alicia started to loose her teeth at 4. Most of her baby teeth are gone now and the teeth most kids loose between 10-12 she is losing now. They need to make a little room for those new teeth. They said she is at a 6, and at a 7 they pull teeth. They are using braces right now to shift teeth and make room for those teeth that are loose. They still put braces on most kids in junior high but she really has a mouth of adult teeth needing some help. When they are done she will need a retainer. Probably one that looks like this rainbow thing. :)

Another first today

Alicia got 4 little braces today! She also got spacers so next week we go back and they will add bands. She will have her teeth worked on for the next 30 months and, hopefully, sometime in 5th grade have everything taken off and have beautifully straight, perfect teeth.

This was the first time at this building so they walked us through each area and what Alicia will do at each appointment. Then then took xrays, pictures and molds of her teeth. She then got the braces put on.
Can you see the little key ring thing she is holding? That is all the colors she could choose from! there were SOOOO many. I wasn't back there when she chose so I was surprised by her choice. Hot pink. They look so cute on my little girl.
It was all very fast.


She is now in a bit of pain. She is hungry but doesn't want to eat. Poor thing.

Class of 2020

I just now realized that my daughter will be the CLASS of 2020. I think that sounds really cool. And, thankfully, that sounds a long ways off.

Ethan will be the class of 2022! Yowsers.

Summer Beach Fun 2010

We were extra blessed this summer. We were able to do our normal day trips to the beach and we were also given a free weekend at Depoe Bay and one at Otter Crest. Depoe Bay was in an adorable beach house and the other in timeshare condo units. We had all kinds of weather but two weekends ago when we were at Otter Crest we lucked out and had the most amazing weather. AMAZING. The kids played so well that Ben and I got to sit and read for hours. It was truly a super weekend.
I didn't want to leave any random beach pictures out so I am putting all beach pictures together in one post. I love the one above where the shadow of my fam is picked up in the tidepool water.


Can you tell which days were good weather and which days were overcast and freezing, well at least freezing to me?

The last weekend in august

For the last 3 years Ben has taken Ethan to "hunting camp" the last weekend in August. His family hunts so they go and Ben takes Ethan and they camp. Ethan LOVES it. This year he got to shoot a BB gun and had a plastic bow and suction arrows that he used. He had a grand time.

But this post is not about that. As some of you remember I have posted over the last years about looking for fun things to do while Alicia and I are left behind. We have watched movies, did our nails, ate candy, and other girly things. This year Alicia and I headed up north with the boys on a Thursday and got dropped off at PDX. We caught a plane and headed to Disneyland!
We got there in the late afternoon. We didn't go into the parks that night but the next morning we headed out and were there at gate opening. I took Alicia on the Indiana Jones ride first off and that ruined the rest of the trip for me. She was scared to death. TO DEATH. She did not want to do any big rides after that.
I can't remember every detail but I do know Friday was very hot. We were wilting. It was miserably hot. (O, and the crowds were insane, i.n.s.a.n.e!) Come early evening Alicia was beat. That should have been a sign to me. We didn't stay for fireworks because Alicia just wanted her bed. That night she woke up sick. (puking and fever) The next morning she was still feeling pretty poor. We did head back out next morning and stayed to have our scheduled lunch at the Blue Bayou. I was impressed with the place but Alicia was clueless. After lunch we went back to the hotel for a nap. Alicia was really not feeling well. I felt so bad for her because she wanted to make me happy but she really only wanted to ride the train around and around the park. After our nap we went back and did a few rides and shopped and we made it to the fireworks show We then rushed back to our room and bed. Poor Alicia. By the end of the trip we rode the jungle cruise, the train, and Buzz Light Year numerous times. We also ate some amazing things in just two days. YUMMY things.
Sunday morning we woke up and she was feeling much better but today was the day we were taking a plane home.
As we checked in at the airport I went to take my cell out of my pocket as we we went through the scan and realized it had fallen out in the shuttle bus! I was anxious as Ben was picking us up on his way home from hunting camp. We weren't sure exactly what time he was coming so I had to borrow some cell phone and use some pay phones. It was very annoying.
Ben did finally meet up with us and we headed on home. The next day the kids started school so I was anxious to get the kids home cleaned and ready for a school day.
We didn't really have a great time. We did make some memories and we did bond but it was not fun. But Ben and I had agreed on the girls taking this trip because Alicia and I needed some time together without fighting. That was accomplished.
(Ali is her nickname down in Creswell. We took this picture for my mom.)

Horse lover

Should I state the obvious? It's been awhile since I have posted. I have so much to catch up on too, Disneyland, soccer, summer fun, etc.! Today I will post on my beautiful daughter.

Last year at our school auction Ben and I bid on horse riding lessons for Alicia. She had been asking for years and we had put her off for about as long as we could. We bid on two separate beginner packages and won both. So Alicia started two weeks ago with the 2 lesson package from a parent of her classmates. That was a great way to start. We trust Kim Cathcart and Alicia was familiar with her. Alicia loves loves loves it. Next week she starts the other package. It is 10 lessons at a place just down the road from us. I hope she loves this lady and farm as much as the Cathcarts.




Kim said Alicia has natural talent and if she sticks with this she could be really good. This is not a real surprise to me as she just has a way with animals. They don't scare her and she respects them. But it is nice to hear.

She needs to get boots so if you know anyone who has riding boots in a size 2 they have outgrown we would love to have them. :) They are expensive and we don't want to spend the money until we know exactly what we are getting ourselves into. If she want to stick with it, where she would continue to take lessons, how much it costs, etc.