Aquatic Airborne Activity

Darla Diane : Safe Stunt Girl - Loves Water!

Nolan Ricky: Reckless & Wild in Water!!

Elijah (Above) Apparently too fast of a jumper for camera to catch airborne. BUT . . . . he is persistent & wanted to keep trying until Mama captured proof of his airborne abilities which are shown below . . .

This is just one of many lazy days at Grandpa Ricky's house (my papa). Fun Days!

Note: Payton not pictured because he is STILL at his paternal grandparents (sniffle)

BUT he will be home tomorrow thankfully. We miss the boy!

Reminder: Pursue Dream

Of course there is no guarantee that your hopes or dreams will be realized but you do have the free will to pursue them - to try. Alan is doing this in February. My husband has been hired to sing at numerous weddings & other events. He is a talented singer. He highly doubts he is one of THE BEST - thus unlikely to win this talent competition BUT I admire him for trying. He definitely is more skilled then several of this shows contestants. He will be auditioning in Portland in February 2009 for Nashville Star. I have had people suggest I try as well and my response is quite simple: NO THANKS! Oh my goodness, Alan totally LOVES performing in front of a large audience. I, on the other hand, completely choke up in fear. I have two experiences singing solo in front of a large crowd at the County Fair some years back, and at the Estacada Fireworks and GULP - my knees shook so violently - all I could think about was just wanting to walk off the stage - to quit. So, after the county fair I decided - Im content singing at small gatherings and that's it. Now if someone discovers a smoke-free, family oriented restaurant that offers karaoke contests - please sign me up. I have had really good luck at those types of competitions. . . . but they are few & far between. Usually only bars offer these contests and I cannot handle the cig smoke. Speaking of which, , , , have you heard??? The rumor that come the 1st of the year smoking will be banned from all public places (including bars). That rocks!

Our Furry Family Members

Introducing . . . . Penny

Payton's Rhodesian Ridgeback. We adopted our beloved Penny from the Humane Society 6 years ago.

She is such a good dog. The kids can sleep outside at night on the trampoline staring up at the stars & our guard dog alerts us if even a chipmunk approaches the back yard. She is trained to do all sorts of show-offy types of things and we cant wait to move to a farm where she can really get crazy.

Love you Penny!!!

Our boy Bo, also known as Bo-Bo, & Bo-Bo's . . . .

is Elijah's Cuddle Toy. Bo is also Alan's All-Time-Favorite cat!!

And finally. . . presenting Bo's sister:

Sunshine Darla Darla (goes by Sunshine):

We adopted this brother & sister duo as babies. Elijah & Darla had been begging us for a cat for a long time. When we went to adopt ONE cat - - -- we fell in love with both and just couldnt separate the brother & sister, so thus we have two cats. That was about 4 or so years ago. Well . .. . . Elijah & Darla named their cats on their own and the cats on their own knew where they each would sleep at night. Bo, since the beginning of time, has elected to sleep with Elijah . . . . and Sunshine with Darla. So cute. If I can setup a scanner - I want to scan a couple pics from back in the day when Bo was literally larger than young Elijah. Bo is a big cat and is the biggest cuddler in the world.

So Sunshine & Bo love adventuring, hunting & playing outside most of the day & eve. They usually sleep inside at night. They are quite spoiled actually. Sunshine scratches at the window when she wants in or out. Bo just mozies up to the door & waits - if you take too long he will approach you & lovingly "poke" you with a claw to let ya know.

So there you have it - - - - our furry family members.

NOTE: We are strong advocates for pets to get spayed & neutered. Often times I he ar people say things like "We just cant afford the vet bill to get them fixed", , , , all while their pets keep reproducing thus becoming more & more expensive to feed & care for them. Here is an awesome resource for people who could use assistance paying for the spay/neuter of their pet (POPPA Pet Over-Population Prevention Advocates)

http://www.poppainc.org/

Come Home Big Brother!!!

We miss you Payton!!!!

Note: Payton has been for a whole week, visiting his paternal grandparents. Although we are thrilled he gets to spend so much time with them (we adore & love them) . . . . we really do miss the boy back home.

P.S. I Love You

HIGHLY RECOMMEND RENTING THIS MOVIE!!!! TEAR JERKER FOR MEN & WOMEN - LOVE/LIFE STORY!!!

Buy a new outfit. Be a disco diva. Learn to fish. Take a chance. Travel. Laugh. Love. Sometimes all you need to start really living is a little shove in the right direction – and that’s just what Holly Kennedy gets. From the handsome, big-hearted love of her life. From a series of mysterious letters. And from gal pals who know that a friend in need is a friend in need of some laughs! Based on Cecelia Ahern’s joyful bestseller and boasting a top cast led by two-time Academy Award® winner* Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler (300), P.S. I Love You is your very own message full of fun, love, triumph and romance. Open it now. (P.S. You’ll love it!)

Quote Of The Day

"Mama . . . can I have a hairy peach?" Elijah Alan Crombie, 5.75 yrs old

Missing: 1 wooden oar & 1 flip flop

What: 2 man raft flips over in rapids

Where: Salmon River - in Welches

When: Wednesday July 16th

Casualties: 1 wooden oar & 1 flip flop

Survived By: 2 scared teenage boys; Payton & best friend Issac

Ok so our eldest son escaped quite a scare when him & his best friend Issac went rafting down our neighboring Salmon River for the 2nd day in a row. The problem THIS time? They chose to veer to the left when the River Y'd . . . rather than sticking with the safe - tried & true right side of the river. They went up over a big rock that "looked like fun" to the boys & ended up flipping the raft. Both boys OF COURSE were required to wear good life jackets but still with the strong current sucking at them - they were under water awhile till both boys were able to cling onto the raft. They finished their long rafting river road . . . . and called from our friends house to be picked up. It is going on noon now and neither boy has asked either sets of parents yet about going rafting again today. Wonder why?

Praise God for the boys safety. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

Got Hydrangeas?

Well, ours are just about blooming here in our gardens

(later than usual - thank you LONG winter).

Anyways, my mom gave me a neat tip / fun use of this particular flower

. . . and I thought I would share:

(1) Cut a bloom w/ stem
(2) Place in 1" of water
(3) Do not refill or mess with
(4) Leave flower in the vase until all the water is absorbed & gone
(5) This creates a "dried flower" HOWEVER all the flowers natural color is preserved
(6) Make a wreath or give as a gift . . . . limitless options

Crombie Campout 2008

This year's campout wasnt at a campground up here on the Mtn or up the Clackamas, but was held the Fourth of July Weekend at "The Farm", which is also known as Alan's childhood home, and now owned by Alan's oldest nephew & his adorable family. Pretty good turnout, has been better in years past, but the planning was pretty casual this year.

One of our nieces & her family suprised the group & brought a huge inflatable "bounce house" for the kids & adults to enjoy. Alan & I brought the karaoke, of course. There were BBQ's, a firepit, a blend of motor homes & tents way out in the back field. . . . . and lots of hot dogs & smores were eaten.

Darla & her papa singing their "signature song" . . . . SWEET HOME ALABAMA. This duo has been performing this hit since Darla was just a wee babe, only back then she called it "Sweet Home Bamma Bamma".

Payton & his cousin Thomas lovingly fighting. What campout is complete without a foam sword fight thingy?

Gentleman Nolan helping out his 2nd cousin Emma Renee.

The Estacada Fireworks were so nice, and we got to enjoy the ooohs & ahhhs from several of the younest Crombie's watching them for the 1st time. A family tradition since I was a child is & has always been - as each firework is exploding it rotates . . . . "Ok, next one is Papa's" . . . then the next oldest, which would be me, then "ok the next ones are Payton, etc.,. . . . . Well it is pretty cool because every now & then one of us get a dud or a big show on our turn. The ultimate objective is to see "who gets the grand finale" . . . . the final big explosion of grand fireworks at the end. This year, papa/Alan won for the 1st time. It was pretty cool.

This year I realized - it's official - every year one of the kids spill a sticky soda on the blanket just before we are packing up to walk back to the car. . . . . otherwise the blanket wouldnt have needed a washing for a while . . . at least a picnic or so later. Uggh

Well Happy Fourth To You And Yours, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

Me, myself & I escaped for a weekend

. . . . to a Women's Retreat last month, at Canby Grove.It was a wonderful time with fellow believers.

The Guest Speaker was my room-mates mother, Gloria Califf.

Speaking of room-mates . . . . what a hysterical, bubbily funtime

it was laughing so late into the night with her.

The rooms were tiny but perfect for the purpose of sleeping,

or in our case TALKING & LAUGHING! :-)

It seemed just as we both would be close to dozing off

a loud train would rumble thru the nearby town of Canby,

or fellow campers (H.S. football teams) would hollar something

outside our open window like "John! John! John!" (maybe 6 or so times?)

Ok so back to the incredible message . . . . much of it was based on a terrific

self-published book by Gloria Califf titled "Winning The Race Of Life".

She had thoughtfully prepared a wonderful message for us women.

Gloria, a triathlete, reveals insights for a successful spiritual race, and

we spent a lot of time chewing on this particular scripture:

Hebrews 12:1-2

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The book is an incredibly easy read and a powerful message.

You can buy your own copy for only $10 + $2 shipping.

Go to her website at: http://www.gloriacaliff.com/

Kids LOVED weeklong Vacation Bible School

Nolan, Darla, & Elijah (photo by papa)

Oh wow . . . The Church On The Mountain really, really went all out this year!!! It was the streets / marketplace from Jesus' time. The kids learned so much! They got to make their very own pottery for the 1st time, used weaving looms, tasted candy from those times, made bread, did woodworking, jewelry making, cared for animals, learned lots of songs, & rituals (like having their feet washed in a small basin before eating) . . . and lots of dancing. Darla, Elijah, & Nolan were all in the same tribe . . . . wore head coverings, & robes to dress the part from that period.

Yes! That IS Nolan (below) voluntarily ON STAGE

rockin' out with a tamborine!

Such Studious Young Men

Listening Intently to The Lesson

Darla Dancing For The Lord

Heaven on Earth

Better late than never. . . right? But here are a couple pics from Alan & I's wonderful wedding anniversary weekend (KID FREE) getaway to NE Washington (Spokane - up to Colville - and even Northern Idaho - Priest River area). We love love love that region. Gorgeous Heaven on Earth, , , , and priced affordably.

We stayed at this adorable total Lil' House On The Prairie style cabin . . . . called the White Tail Inn. Just the two of us out in the middle of nowhere . . . . spent a lot of time on the cabin's porch, where hummingbirds were a constant! Boy they loved that hanging fuschia. Of course I and my lifelong learyness around birds - let him sit closest to the fuschia. Of course a hummingbird literally came & stuck its hummer inside his ear. No exaggeration here. Was hilarious.

Inside the cabin it was perfect & cozy & even had a sleeping loft above, IF we want to bring the kids with us another time. And it is an affordable $65/night with all the amenities one might need. including hot tub, fishing pond, horseback riding, . . . too much to list really.

This is a pic of the Columbia River (Lake Roosevelt) which had been drained to send California a majority of their electricity. Usually this river is huge & magestic & sparkling. I did manage to capture a decent pic of the sun going down.

Here is only one example of homestead's for sale in this region. Now tell me that isnt just beautiful?!?!?

Relay for Life

Alan & I are participating in our 1st "Relay". We have lost many loved ones these past 2 years, and cancer was the culprit in many cases. Below is a link to our team's pledge page if you wish to make a small donation towards this cause. Otherwise, you can check this same website out for information on similar relays planned in your area. We challenge you to join the race in one way or the other! Love & God Bless, Amy

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeGreatWestDivision?team_id=318497&pg=team&fr_id=5610

Bring On Summer

Local skate/bike park a fav with the Crombie Kids Above: Semi-Cautious Darla & Nolan

Below: Speed Demon Elijah

LIMBO IN THE BACKYARD

Pogo sticks~Hopscotch~bubbles~sidewalk chalk

Bikes~scooters~swings~skateboards~trampoline

Bug & bird watching~digging holes in the backyard

Dodgeball~mudpies~clubs~forts~gardening

Picking flowers~picnics~wagon rides~walks~runs~sprints.

Sprinkler~swimming~dirt covered toes~sleeping outside~dripping popsicles

Stargazing~laughing.

Summer

Days

Have

Begun.

A.K.A. D.J. P.J.

Our eldest boy has been doing side jobs with his best friend Issac. Primarily yard work.

A portion of his earnings he has used to buy a $40 laptop & a $25 desktop pc. (both were incredible finds! The laptop was basically a gift from the neighbor's garage sale, and the other was from the Volcom road side store here in Welches. Payt talked him down from 50 to 25.) He is using his new laptop for his DJ computer. This is Payton's new ambition. Here are some pics of different PJ (Payton James) expressions. Gotta love the boy!

A Lite Lunch

Basking in the front lawn listening to the birds & chipmunks musical melody.

House Fire in Our Neighborhood

So sad . . . yesterday a neighbors house caught fire. Althought the fire dept was there super quick & all . . . . the large 3 story A-frame could not be salvaged. Thankfully no other homes or the 5 acre wood behind our homes caught fire. But it was soo incredibly sad. The homeowners Dave & his wife were both gone and it was difficult to reach either of them. The wife was finally contacted and she was at work all the way in Beaverton. Could you imagine the drive home from Beaverton to Welches, , , , all while knowing your home is up in flames? They are young grandparents - about my folks age, maybe younger. The men of the neighborhood, including Alan, helped Dave board up his home last night. It is believed to have been caused by the woodstove - a pipe that ran outside the home. They lost everything - except their dog. Their 1200 pine bed, all their handmade wooodworkings, expensive & sentimental drum se, photos, all gone . . . . we were amazed tho at their ability to remain calm. Please pray for our neighbors - Dave & his wife. Dave used to be our local butcher - so we have always called him Dave, the meat guy.

Our baby girl

Newborn Darla . . . . . this photo is nearly 8 years old. Sniffle.

Newborn pics of the boys - soon to come.

Establishing Mama Amy Time . . .

I just finished reading a 5 book series by Beverly Lewis called "Abrams Daughters". . . . and loved the story. Easy easy read. This coming from someone who is brand new to the whole "Curl up w/ a good book notion". I have just incorporated reading into my bedtime. Once Alan is crashed I turn on my bedside lamp & read for an hour. Fun.

I also have started walking every other day . . . . just me myself and I. Soooo nice. Rain or shine Where I walk the trees serve as a canopy from most rain drops. Smells so fresh & foresty. River rushing past. Beautiful Oregon. Just dealing with shin splints right now.

"Look Mama! No hands!"

Yikes!

Ok relief - Nolan is calling his one handed stunt "no hands".

Pop-A-Wheelie

Elijah has really been the only one interested in the phenomonen. . . . "pop-a-wheelies".

I was borrowing dear Paytons digital camera & trying to capture action-like shots of Elijah airborne but this is all I got:

Handsome serious pose before launching into fierce pedaling

action & rocky dirt packed ledge launch pad.

After the landing.

Literally running straight into mom,

the ignorant photographer directly in the path of the pop a wheelie.

I had muddy bike tread covered & lightly bruised shins to prove it.

Memorial Day 2008 . . . .

We thank you and honor you, all whom have served and are currently serving our country. Paytons paternal grandparents, great grandpa, his dad & Uncle John all have served. His Uncle Jeff is currently serving in Afghanistan and our prayers are with him.

My best friends husband's service has carried their young family all around the globe. . . . and he is currently working at the Pentagon. Their service & commitment to our country even had them in the midst of Hurricane Katrina at one point. We thank you for all you endure, all while protecting our freedoms.

Of course Alan & I prefer peace and no warbut we will always support out troops and be grateful. God Bless all of you with much love!

Roslyn Mud Bowl - Bye bye Lake

We drove around to the backside of Roslyn Lake to the bank where we have enjoyed watching Sandy's 4th of July fireworks all to ourselves shoot up over the trees - the bright colors reflecting & dancing on the lake waters. No fireworks today. No geese. No ducks. No boaters.

No water.

A couple of 4 wheelin' rigs and a motorcycle out in the center of the once filled lake.

The kids enjoyed the free "Monster Truck Show" but were all bummed to see the lake gone.

Alan grabbed a pretty rock from the lake's bottom for our family to keep in a garden. We call it our Roslyn Rock.

We had not expected the lake to stink but it did. We all theorized what we thought was making it smell - the old duck doo? Decaying fish beneath the sand? Or?? Then Alan found them . . . . TONS of dead crawdads all around the perimeter of the lake. The kids were curious what they looked like - so Alan showed them one. Nolan's face says it all here. Sad. Smelly. I think it's cute how "baby" Nolan was protecting big brother Elijah by holding his arm back.

We jokingly asked the kids, once they were buckled in their seats if they wanted to go 4 wheelin' thru the lake. I applied a little metal to the pedal for effect. Darla & Elijah screamed NOOOOO! But Nolan? YES!!!!