Pet Parade and More
If you're in the Portland metro area, you should come to Bethany Village Center (off Hwy 26, near Tanasbourne) this evening. From 6pm to 8pm there will be live music, booths with give-aways and samples from local businesses, food, and local vendors (including me!). There will also be a pet parade! Prizes and fun with proceeds to benefit Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital and Indigo Rescue. All well behaved dogs are welcome. Register your pet at the concert stage (on NW Central Drive) at 7pm. Costumes encouraged. $5 Entry fee. Parade to start at 7:20pm.

Family Fun
Yesterday me (in the pink shirt), my mom, sis, and nieces went to the Oregon Zoo. I hadn't been there in 3 years, so I was excited to go, plus it's always (well, usually) nice to spend time with my family. It was a pretty nice day weatherwise, although it was starting to get hot when we left. We got to ride the train through gorgeous Washington Park, see dinosaurs, come almost nose-to-nose with a cougar, see the inside of an elephants mouth, and briefly see a few chimps (my favorites). Despite her serious, sullen look, Quinn did have a fun time (she was just hungry and tired by the time we took the picture- and she's a total drama queen).

Human Pincushion
And I thought I got a lot of needles stuck in me with my weekly acupuncture! This guy decided to celebrate the Olympics in China by inserting 2008 into his own body. I think I usually have about 20 or so needles in me at a time. I think that's plenty!

New Finished Projects

Who Knew?
Who would of have guessed that my high school friend and locker partner would later become a famous fashion expert?! Well, the fashion consultant part isn't a surprise- he was the best dressed guy in school (I don't think most other guys cared too much about their "image" back then). Kevin and I used to spend hours talking on the phone almost every night. We would discuss his outfit selection for the next day. I just didn't know he'd go to New York and become a contributing fashion editor for Glamour Magazine! Now he's on a Learning Channel broadband show. Crazy!!!

Super Nanny
No, I'm not talking about the tv show. I'm talking about my mom! Last weekend, while hubby and I did a vacation/craft event at the beach, my mom pet sat our 7 kids and my boss's dog. That's a total of 4 cats and 4 dogs!! Even more impressive is that she also medicated three of those fur-kids. Aron and I never go out of town. This was my first night away since Labor day of last year (when Mom also pet sat). She's the only person we trust to take care of our kids. It's not that they are ill-behaved or difficult; I just worry a lot. Yay for Mom- you're awesome and much appreciated!
The day before the show, we walked around Newport's bayfront and had lunch at our favorite restaurant, The Whale's Tale. Aron says they make the best pasta he's ever had.The craft show was a fundraiser for the Lincoln County Animal shelter. It was pretty successful- $2200 was raised and 4 puppies and 2 kittens were adopted. And, although the adoption booth was right next to my booth, I did not bring home any more fur-kids!The day after the show was a vacation day for us. We went to the Newport Aquarium. Aron had never been and I hadn't been there in a long time. Overall, we had a great time. It was crowded- with lots of noisy children. I think we both could have stayed and watched the sea otters all day!
The beach house we stayed at was wonderful. It had ocean views from the kitchen and living room. It was a quiet, peaceful, relaxing place. I can't wait to go back!

Lady Luck
Although I usually feel as if I'm jinxed, this past weekend I was lucky all around:
1. It was warm and sunny at the beach (a rarity in Oregon, especially in May)! This made for a wonderful day for the Cause 4 Paws fundraising event. And, hubby, friend, and I were able to take a late-night walk on the beach without freezing our butts off.
2. I won an auction for a pet stroller! I've been wanting one for my special terrier boy, Sandy, for a long time. He's 13 years old and has some medical issues. He loves going places and almost always accompanies me when I have a booth at outdoor venues. I have a pet sling that I carry him in during the street fairs. However, my shoulders, back, and arms get mighty sore after carrying around my 21-pound baby. So now not only do I have a super-nice stroller for him, but the money I spent on it all goes to the animals at the shelter in Lincoln county.
3. Hubby and I made an awesome new friend! We shared a beach house with another crafter. Since I had previously only met her online, who knew what we were in for? Luckily, Gloria turned out to be a really cool person. Gloria, Aron, and I hit it off and became good friends almost immediately. We quickly realized we have a lot in common: a love for dogs and reggae music. We all had a lot of fun hanging out together. The only bad part is that she lives about 4 hours from us, so we won't be able to get together very often.