29 and Holding! **UPDATED**

Today I turn 29.

I'll tell you more how I feel about that later, but now. . .
I am off to a massage at the spa and after that, will be meeting up with my brother and sister for a fabulous day of fun in the sun.
(My poor husband has to work.)

(Picture from the party my office threw for me yesterday (6/11/2010).)

Check back later for more blogg'n and birthday weekend pictures!
Enjoy this gorgeous weather friends!

Saturday, June 12th
(the actual day of my birth)
After my relaxing morning massage, I met up with Brad and Bethany and spent a beautiful day out at Edgefield with my favorite brother and sister!Brian had to work during the day, but he was able to meet up with us for a yummy dinner that night at Nicholas' Lebanese family restaurant.

Sunday, June 13th
Family BBQ at our house

Mark's bday is June 8th, mine's the 12 and my dad's is the 23rd, so we had a big ol' birthday barbecue bash out at our house to celebrate!The birthday crew! Mark : Dad : MeWe had all sorts of yummy food! All my favorites actually!
Grilled flat-iron steak from our local meat market, boneless BBQ chicken wings that Brian fried up special. I had my mom whip up a broccoli/cauliflower salad reminiscent of my youth; Jill brought her yummy scalloped/hashbrown potatoes that I love, I made some cheesy biscuits that didn't turn out half bad, and of course, there were desserts galore! We stuffed ourselves on delicious cheesecake with raspberry sauce that Char made, I made a rhubarb jonathan and there were plenty of chocolate covered strawberries to go around!
We were glad that Brad and Char were able to join us for the afternoon, and that they brought miss Maizie! She looked precious in her summer dress that I had bought her and the peony headband that I made her! She is so gorgeous and of course, was the hit of the party!It was a wonderful (and sunny) afternoon spent with family and good friends.
Can't ask for much more for your birthday!

Monday, June 14th
Clamming in Seaside with my dad

*Story* Sunday evening at the Birthday BBQ, Lyle, Brian's dad mentioned that he and Duane Sperl were going to be heading to Seaside Monday morning to do some more clamming. As you recall, I had my first clamming experience over Memorial weekend, and since I was so successful that trip, I thought it would be fun to have another go at it. My dad's interest was also peaked, as he has lived in Oregon 35 years and had yet to try his hand at clamming. We decided to take the day off from work Monday and join Lyle and Duane in Seaside for some clamming.

I got up at 5am Monday morning and drove over to Banks, Oregon, to meet up with my dad. I transferred all my clamming gear to my dad's car, and we set off for Seaside together.

After meeting up with Duane and Lyle, my dad received a quick clamming lesson from Duane, aka The Master Clam Slayer, and we set off into the surf with our clam guns and buckets.
It was a rough day for us clam hunters. The waves were not small and the clams weren't showing all that well, meaning, they weren't as easy to spot as they sometimes are, and we REALLY had to work to find them!

In a little over three hours later, only Duane, Duane's grandson Brice and myself had snatched our limit (15 clams). My dad had found about 9-10 of the little buggers and Lyle got skunked for the day. Were were soaking wet, tired, cold and hungry and decided to call it a day and go out for some breakfast.

We trudged back to the cars, swapped out of our soaking wet clothes, transferred all our gear and clams into the rigs and set off to find a warm meal. We filled our bellies with hot pancakes and waffles, said our goodbyes to Lyle and Duane and my dad and I headed back to Banks to pick up my car.

I don't quite remember what time we got back to my car at Banks, must have been sometime around 1pm or so. We start transferring my stuff back into my car, and I stop. "Dad, where are my boots?" Oh, he says, I think put your boots and your clam shovel in the back of Lyle's truck.
Well, that was no big deal, I could get them at a later time from Lyle. But then, upon further inspection, I stop again. "Dad, where are the clams!!?"
He had left our bucket of 25 hard-earned clams on the side of the road back in Seaside.

I was tired, I was cold, and now I was more than frustrated. I decide to try and meet up with Lyle and Duane in Hillsboro to see if the clams somehow had made their way to the back of the pick-up. But deep down my dad knew they hadn't.
He knew they were still in Seaside. So, he drove BACK OUT TO Seaside and this is what he found, on the side of the road, right where he'd left them:
Our bucket of clams.