Do you ever have those days that are so full of good times that you almost can't believe it? Our weekend was like that. Totally crammed with fun. Here are a few pictures...

Stephanie loves her some elephant ears...



Stephanie loves her some candy apples...



One of my all-time favorite Steph pictures...



Mike and Becky looking for the perfect pumpkin...



Mt. Hood from a hillside near Forest Road 48...

It's official!

I'm a CPA! Washington State License #25327.

The saga that started six years ago is finally complete. Based on my rough calculation, I've spent approximately $387,000 on exam fees, review courses, and study guides.

Please don't ask me for tax advice. If you talk to my wife, she will attest (how's that for a CPA word?) to the fact that I nearly have a brain hernia when I prepare our own tax return. And that is with the help of software.

Let's keep my lack of tax knowledge between us. Anyone who sees my fancy CPA license on the wall won't know any better.

Oh sweet! Beans!

I believe I will call this summer the "Season of Completed Endeavors." On my run last night, I was thinking about all of the fun trips I've taken and all of the long-overdue home improvements that are nearly complete. And to top it off, I finally completed the Ethics Exam and the only thing stopping me from becoming a CPA is the paperwork being lost in the mail.

Ever since I lived in Seattle and saw a picture of the Three Fingers Lookout in a book at Barnes & Noble I was anxious to go there. And this summer I did.

Ever since Eric and I did a loop hike in the Wallowas, I wanted to go back and spend more time relaxing at Moccasin Lake and peak Eagle Cap. And this summer I did.

Ever since I heard Eric and Mike tell their stories about climbing Middle Sister, I wanted to see the view from the top. And this summer I did.

Ever since I looked out my back window and saw nothing but ugly brown barkdust, I wanted to get a sod lawn installed. And this summer I did.

Ever since I realized that I could push over our fence with my pinky finger, I wanted to get the fence replaced. And this summer I did.

Ever since I sat in a large building in the Oregon State Fairgrounds for my first CPA exam (in 1999), I wanted to pass the test and become a CPA. And this summer I did.

I can't say that I ever had a desire to become a runner, but because this is the summer that all things come to completion, I did that, too.

And it looks like it will continue for the rest of the year. Stephanie and I have always talked about going to the Northeast and we're finally taking the trip in November.

I am satisfied. I haven't experienced that feeling very often in my life.

And it must be time for me to set some new goals...

Steph and I took a long weekend and went to visit my parents in Lynden, WA. We had a great time and our itinerary went something like this...Wake up, eat, talk, eat, talk, walk, eat, play cards, talk, go to bed, repeat. Could a weekend get any better than that?

My mom grew up on a dairy farm in Lynden and my parents live in a beautiful house on the border of town. This is the view out their back window...



I've been lucky enough to see a lot of beautiful places in my life and you can't beat Lynden on a clear day. There is something idyllic about the red barns against the green pastures with the rugged mountains in the background. The view is even beautiful enough to make you forget about the ever-present sweet smell of cow manure in the air.

My mom is a great cook and we took full advantage of her kitchen skills during our short visit...



She also serenaded us on their new baby grand piano...



My dad keeps himself busy with his wood-working hobby. He's added a number of pieces of furniture to the house and they are all good-looking and functional...


All pictures taken by JEM.

Hollywood...Sherwood. Have you ever noticed how much these two names have in common?

I'm pretty sure that I ran through a movie set last night. Here are the reasons why I arrived at this conclusion...

1) A number of trucks and RVs were parked along the road, all having California plates.

2) The afore-mentioned trucks and RVs had the name of a production company with "Hollywood, CA" painted on the doors.

3) A number of people with strange haircuts were milling around in a front yard.

4) One of these people was a man wearing a headset and barking orders to someone less important than himself.

5) A large area light was sitting in the driveway of the house.

6) When I ran down the sidewalk in front of the house, the man with the headset shot me a look that said "Who do you think you are?" and "What do you think you are doing on my set?" and "Don't you know that people with headsets are better than you?" all at the same time. I was listening to music on my MP3 player as all this was unfolding, so I just put my arms up in the air, as if to ask "What do you want me to do?" while I continued running down the sidewalk in front of the house. When the man realized that I was unimpressed with his headset and haircut, he just waved me through and I went about my way.

Let me just say that I'm glad I live in Sherwood and I was happy to realize that people with headsets and odd haircuts stick out like a sore thumb in my town. But, if by some chance the guy with the headset is reading this blog and wants to cast me in major blockbuster, I would love to move to Hollywood and pursue a career in acting. As Groucho Marx said, "Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others."

Remember that time we ran 25 miles down the Oregon Coast? That was awesome.

Mike, Eric, and I had a great time on our jog from Seaside to Oswald West State Park. The weather cooperated for most of the day and the only time that it really rained hard was during the 1/4 mile stretch on Highway 101. I bet everybody who drove by thought, "Those are the toughest guys I've ever seen in my entire life," or alternatively, "Those are the stupidest guys I've ever seen in my entire life."

It was great to have the girls along and they were the best support crew we could have asked for. Steph and Becky did a little cheer for me and Mike, which was very nice even though I ended up with a bit of sand in my cup-o-soup from a wild leg-flailing kick maneuver.

Eric is much faster than me and Mike. I think I actually heard an audible "zoom" as he ran by.

And as a final note, it is possible to roll-start a late model XTerra by popping the clutch in the unfortunate event that your battery dies because the lights were left on in the parking lot.