The Collins Family

2 days ago, Len and Betsy Collins (Chris' dad and his wife) came for a visit. It was great. I feel so comfortable with them. I'm not afraid to be myself. Betsy and Flannery really connect. They both love adventure and nature and together they literally 'blazed' a trail from our backyard down the bluff to the ocean. Len gave me a belated birthday gift...BINOCULARS! They are so cool! We've been sitting near the window passing them back and forth watching whales, surfers, sea lions, puffins and herons. It's revolutionized our ocean-watching! Did you know that a group of sea lions is called a "raft?" True.

Yesterday, Chris picked up Susan and Wayne Guinn (Chris' mom and her husband)from PDX - they flew in from Tennessee for our annual Cannon Beach Conference Center Collins' Family Retreat! Last night we played a couple games of Sorry, and then Chris made his signature Caramel Popcorn for everyone and we watched Journey to the Center of the Earth. (The one with Brendan Fraser.) If you have a family movie night, rent it. It's adventure, drama and humor all in one...Flannery LOVES it.

I had my first appointment with my new primary care doc...she's chubby and happy and dresses neat and hip and says "crap" sometimes, which made me really like her. ;) Her office is in Astoria, which gives me time to "take a breather" from being mom for a bit. (I listened to ENATION's album. Heard them at TOM Fest this year and was blown away...Sounds a bit like U2, Coldplay and Radiohead-ish with God at the forefront. I am smitten with this CD!) My doc gave me a complete blood work up, she took my history, Rx history and her first question was, "What do you need me to do for you first off?" I loved that...it was, of course, "perscription refills!" - nothing great, people...just some celexa, albuterol and ativan. Gotta stay sane.

I'm back on Weigh Down...or at least eating when I'm hungry and stopping short of full. I feel great just after 4 days. Today, we had planned to take Wayne and Susan to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, and so I planned, hunger-wise, for it. I knew I would want cheese samples and then an ice cream cone...in a waffle cone, of course...and so I had one slice of toast with some turkey on it...then I found out that, well, Chris didn't want to take 2 cars (us, Wayne and Susan, the kids, etc) and so I decided to stay home with Cannon. In the meantime, I've had a small cup of Doritos and some coffee. They're bringing home dinner soon, and I am beginning to feel hungry again.

Yay hunger!