4 Wheels 4 Girls

June 7, we arrived in Bayview, a town my dad comes to for business. It was obvious the second we drove in that he knew the town like the back of his hand and was very proud of it.

After we settled in to our campground, Dad was eager to show us his home-away-from-home. We got down our bikes and rode to the house of Dad’s friends, Bob and Elsie. They were very nice. We saw their house and Dad chatted with them for a little while to catch up on each other’s lives.

After we said goodbye to Bob and Elsie, we got back on our bikes and rode around town. Then Dad took us to the marina and showed us all the cool boathouses and the one where he had stayed the first time he came to Bayview. We also saw an awesome one that had just been built that was huge and very complex. It’s too hard to describe so I’ll just show you a picture of it:

That is one elaborate boathouse!

Then we rode back to our campground up the big, long hill. When we got back we were exhausted.

It is good to see the place that Dad visits so often. It was great!!!

I have spent many months working in Bayview, ID over the past 15 years, and June 7 marked my first visit just for pleasure, and the first time I have ever had the opportunity to share Bayview with my family. I have been looking forward to showing Jean and the girls around my “home away from home” for a long time, introducing them to the wonderful people I have gotten to know there over the years, hiking with them around the surrounding mountains and state park, and showing them the impressive lake, Pend Oreille.

One of the first things we did in town was take a walk to a favorite spot overlooking the lake. Whenever there was enough time, this short hike was part of my daily Bayview routine, and it was fun to share it with the girls. Next, we will catch up with special friends.

I have many, many great memories in Bayview, of the places and the people. It is so nice to have a chance to create some new memories there with my family, in this little town which has become so special to me.

On June 7 we went to a Hobby Lobby in Spokane, WA, to look for pipe cleaners and hair for our wee folks. Wee folks are little dolls that we made ourselves. They look like little fairy people. They have wings made out of flower petals. To make them, you shape the pipe cleaner into their body and wrap string around their feet to make boots. You wrap string around the arms for their skin. For the girls, you cut out only the shirt and you cut bigger holes in the flower petals for their skirt. For the boys, you cut out their shirt and pants and sew them on. Then you put the hair on, but we didn’t have any hair.

Wee folks like to hang out in the garden

We looked all over until I spotted the hair. We got black, brown, orange, and blond hair. After that we went to look for pipe cleaners but they did not have any. After that we went to Joe Ann’s Fabrics, where we found the pipe cleaners. My mom found a book that showed you how to crochet stuff. She told us that she would make us each a poncho. We all got really excited about that. We all went to go pick out a color that we wanted. When we came back my mom told us that we had to find this exact same kind of yarn. We looked around and could not find it. So Mommy got a different kind of yarn. She is making Stella’s first.

After our shopping, we drove to Coeur d’Alene, ID. We picked up some groceries and then we drove to a place where we had no idea where we were, and Daddy went into a store. We waited for him for a long time until he returned carrying six big, white cups with colored straws. He handed one to each of us and named a fruit for each straw color. Mine was orange. Then we realized they were all huckleberry shakes! They were really good! It was my first huckleberry shake. We all thanked Daddy over and over for the great surprise.

June 6, we got packed up to leave Lori and Sarah’s house. We loaded up our stuff in the RV and Greta, Ellie, Ana, and I were sorting the folded clothes. We suddenly ran into one of Lori and Sarah’s dish towels. Jean asked Ana to run up and give the dish rag to Lori. ( Sarah was at work. ) So Ana walked up the hill to the house and gave it to Lori and then the next thing we knew, Ana and Lori were riding down the extremely long driveway on the scooter motorcycle. Jean and Dad were like, “Oh, that Lori.” And I laughed. Because Lori did soooo much for us and now, at the last minute, she ‘s giving Ana a ride down the driveway on the scooter? Wow, “That Lori” is right!

So we kept sorting the clothes and guess what? I came across another dish towel! I told Jean and she told me not to take it up yet; to wait to see if there were any more. There weren’t. But Jean told me to take it up to Lori. So I did. And I got a ride back down on the scooter, too.

We said good bye one last time, then we were off!

Lori and Sarah, we really miss you guys. You, too, Olive and Roxanne!

we went to loiy and searas and olive and roxane by the way roxane and olive are dogs. we had senamen rolse, DQ *cake, pineapple upsidedown cake, pumpkin pie, strawberries dipped in chocolate (though that made them yucky ’cause I don’t like chocolate- I ate plain strawberries). This is the first time in my life (and I’m 7 years old), that I had a desert, a different desert, every day. I liked it a lot and a lot. Lori made them all, except for the DQ cake, to celebrate my mommy’s birthday which isn’t even until June 8 [editor’s note: it’s June 11]. She is a really good cooker. I wish my mom could learn to cook as good as Lori.

(*I had help from my mom with the typing from here)

Making chocolate strawberries with Lori

On Sunday, June 5th, after the bike ride, we (Stella, Ana, Lori, Sarah, and I) hopped in the van to head home and make lunch. We made grilled cheese sandwiches, steamed broccoli, and fruit salad. We all contributed to the meal, and it was delicious.

After lunch, we played Wii, relaxed, and hung out with the poodles. I helped Sarah out in her garden, and we planted sunflowers. We also took pictures and played with them on iPhoto. It was really nice.

Then Sarah, Dad, Ellie, Stella, and I played Rummikub; two games. Dad won the first one and Stella won the second. Then we played more Wii and then started to prepare for dinner. We made shrimp, pasta carbonera, salad, and homemade ice cream. It was just as delicious as lunch, if not better.

Then we hung out a bit more, and then got ready for bed. It was a great day!

Another favorite activity at Lori and Sarah's: hot tub!

On the morning of June 5th, we decided to go on a bike ride. We knew it was going to be a tough, uphill ride.

We left the house and biked very downhill then very uphill for about a mile until we (Dad, Jean, Sarah, Stella, Ellie, and I) got to the trailhead, the Senator Mark O. Hatfield trailhead. Quite a mouthful, huh? 😀 We followed Lori and Ana in the van. When we reached the trailhead, we filled up our water bottles, used the restroom, and then we were off!

The trail was mostly uphill but very pretty. We had a great view of the Columbia River from the path, and we used the helmet cam to take pictures and videos while we were biking. It was really nice.

Riding the bike trail, along the Columbia River

Soon we reached some tunnels and we met Ana, Lori, Olive, and Roxanne there. Ollie was seemingly exhausted ’cause she was panting like crazy, but Roxy was still full of energy. So Stella, Ana, Sarah, and I decided to bike to the van and go home at this point, while my parents and Ellie decided to bike home.

A lookout along the trail

We drove home in the van and Lori dropped us off. Then she took the van to the bottom of the valley and picked up the biking crowd so they wouldn’t have to bike up the last steep hills. Then, once we were all home, we ate lunch. Read my next post to find out about the rest of our day!!!

On Sunday June 5th, I got to do something I wanted to do for a long time. I got to walk the poodles, Olive and Roxanne. I got to walk with both poodles on a big path at the same time and it was really fun. Lori pushed my bike while I was walking the dogs.

Me and the poodles

When we got to the top of the hill, I started to ride my bike and Lori took the dogs. We went through a dark tunnel and when we came out we saw the rest of my family and Sarah. They had ridden their bikes up the hill from the other side. We all rode through the tunnel again and took a picture. Then all of us but Ellie, my mom and my dad, all road back down the hill to the parking lot and Lori drove us home. Ellie, my mom, and my dad biked home.

At the bike trail tunnel

On June 4th, we walked to see a bike race. The bike riders had to go around the streets of Hood River, OR. We saw people riding their bikes in a race. There was an accident. We saw that a guy had run over a curb and fell off his bike. Sarah told us that she thought he had busted his chin open.

The people watching the race were noisy. The bikes made a noise that sounded like a car when they went by.

At the Hood River bike races with Lori and Sarah

We watched the guys for a long time. They went around and around. We watched the leader to see if he stayed in the front or not. The leader would switch placed sometimes with another guy, and on another round we saw that there was another guy and the leader was third out of them. We watched the leader come back to the front and lead for the rest of the race. But Dad says he didn’t win. I don’t believe him. We saw the guy that Daddy thought won. We tried to go and see him but it was to crowed. We also saw a girls race. It was the same but at the end of there race we did not know who won. We went into the art center and looked around. When we came out anther race had started. We wached for a while and then we left. I had a great time at the races. I liked seeing the girls race.

June 4th, Lori, Sarah, and my sisters and I decided to go to the pool. It’s a pool where Lori works. And it’s indoors! She and Sarah had said it was really cool and that we’d have a lot of fun. Yeah, they were right.

When we first got there, I was kind of nervous. There were so many people! Lots of them boys. Uggh. I mean, it’s not that I don’t like boys, because I do, but there were just so many! Well, I had fun anyway. First, we had to go through the changing rooms and bathrooms to get to the pool. I don’t really know why they make it like that, ( I mean, with the people having to go through the women or men’s section to get to the pool ) but I have a guess: the people that work at the pool want you to realize that you have to rinse off in the shower before you go into the pool. What would you guess? I’d love to hear what you think.

So anyway, we rinsed off in the showers. Then we grabbed our bags and headed into the main room. The one with the pool! The huge one with the three different pools! The one with the water- slide and the– actually, I didn’t notice that when we first walked in. So I’ll get on with it. OK, so I was pretty excited. We walked over to the ladder and Ellie stuck her foot in. First she said, “It’s freezing!” I said, “Is it really?” And then she said, “Nah, it’s OK.” I stepped closer and dipped my foot in. It wasn’t very cold at all! Almost warm! But not quite. I made the mistake of jumping in and got the both good and bad consequences. Good: If I hadn’t jumped in then, I probably never would’ve. And the bad? Well, that was that it was extremely cold. So, good and bad beginning.

Luciana, very happy in the pool

But it got better. Me, my sisters, and Sarah did warming-up exercises before we practiced shooting baskets. Can you believe there was even a basketball hoop and about ten balls too? Yep, there sure was. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw something moving. Swinging. I looked that direction. There was a long line of kids waiting in line for… a swinging rope! It looked really fun so I told Ana, Ellie, and Greta. Ana was too scared. But Ellie, Greta, and I were off! Pretty soon we were in line. For the first time, I looked closely at how they did it. There was a lifeguard standing next to one of those things that you dive off of to get a farther start in racing. A kid would stand on it and the lifeguard would use this long pole thingy to grab the rope. Then she would hand it to the kid and the kid would jump on and get swung across the deep end. Then they would let go and go flying over the pool and land in the water. It looked fantastic.

There I am, sailing above the pool

Finally it was my turn. I held my breath and swung as hard as I could. Then, when I was out the farthest, I let go and went soaring into the air. I tried to look around but everything was a blur. Suddenly– SPLASH!! And I went under. I came up smiling and did it over and over again. Until the lifeguard said it was everyones’ last turn and then she put the rope away. Boo.

Greta, taking off into the air

But the fun wasn’t over. Before I knew it, there was a different lifeguard opening up the slide. Ellie, Greta, and I walked as quickly as we could, without running, over to the slide. We did it a few times but stopped before everyone else did. It was a little too fast and spinny for me. Plus, it was so fast that you didn’t have time to try to take a breath before– CUPLUNK!! You hit the water.

Ellie is about to let go of the rope

We just swam for a while before the pool closed. Then we headed to the showers and we all showered with our swimming-suits on. The shampoo smelled really good, like watermelon.

We had a fun time at Lori’s pool. Thanks, Lori and Sarah! I miss you!