Backwoods Brewing Company in Carson, WA 

Backwoods Brewing Company in Carson, WA 

Have you ever taken a drive to the Gorge in either Washington or Oregon side? You’ll find this hidden gem in the small logging town of Carson, Wa.

We’ve actually been to Backwoods Brewery quite a few times since its opening in 2012. My husband is from Carson and that’s where most of his family resides, so we try to get up there as much as possible to visit. And since it is a small town, food options are kind of limited unless you drive a few minutes to Stevenson, WA. That is until Backwoods Brewery came along!

I love that they make their own dough and sauce for their delicious pizzas, and brew their own variety of beers. My husband dislikes IPAs which they seem to be fond of, but they do have quite a few good beers that aren’t IPA, like their blueberry wheat (seasonal draft) and the Ridge Run Stout.

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The Perfect Summer Fashion Statement for Men

The Perfect Summer Fashion Statement for Men

Watches have been around since the 16th century and for good reason; being able to easily tell time at any point of the day is crucial without fumbling around trying to find a phone or looking for a clock. One would think with today’s modern technology that the wrist watch would be dying out and ultimately one day disappearing altogether, but the wristwatch is still thriving and surviving despite technological advancement because they’re more than just a way to keep track of time, they’re also a fashion statement!

 

I stumbled across JORD Wood Watches and was intrigued by the intricate mechanical designs of some of their pieces as well as the watches being made out of 100% natural woods like maple, bamboo, zebrawood, cherry, blackwood, koa and sandalwood. You can tell that each piece had a lot of thought and time go into the designing process. They’re so classic yet industrial-looking, almost like they came out of the 19th century, especially the Dover pieces which are my husband and my faves.

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Our Independence Day 2017

Our Independence Day 2017

When I was younger, my parents/grandparents used to take us to the Fort Vancouver so we could watch the fireworks display every year for the Fourth, which is the biggest fireworks display west side of the Mississippi (or so they claim). Well, they had been canceling it, banning fireworks in the city, then reinstating the fireworks display as of recently. So I figured since they were doing the fireworks, and we had no camping plans this year, that we would take our daughter to watch the fireworks. I want to make traditions and memories with her that she can look back on with us. Plus, it would be the first time she would see fireworks and actually be aware. The last time was on the beach in Hawaii, but she was 7 months old and oblivious. lol

That late afternoon, we went to my mom’s for a BBQ and to swim. I decided to do a simple OREO Dessert treat to bring along using Red Velvet OREO’s, milk, whipped cream and added strawberries and blueberries to make it a little more festive. Surprisingly, the fruit on top wasn’t half bad with it.

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OREO Flavor I Wished Existed + OREO Creation Sweepstakes!

OREO Flavor I Wished Existed + OREO Creation Sweepstakes!

OREO cookies are a favorite around here, especially the regular OREO cookie! But, sometimes you want to try something a little different, so that’s why OREO cookie is doing the MY OREO Creation Sweepstakes.  They want YOU to come up with unique ideas for a new OREO cookie flavor and you’ll win 500,000 if your idea is chosen!

I headed over to Walmart to see the many different flavors they offered for inspiration. They had a cinnamon bun, cake batter, mint, peanut butter, red velvet cake and more! You can find many different options for a great price at Walmart stores.

I actually picked up some of the red velvet cake to make up a festive Fourth of July treat today, which is both super easy and tasty with minimal ingredients!

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Family Visit to Osborn Aquatic Center in Corvallis, Oregon

Family Visit to Osborn Aquatic Center in Corvallis, Oregon

I had plans to drive down to see one of my sisters for months in Albany, Oregon, but every time the time would roll around, something would always come up. One of the kids were sick, I was sick, kids were away with their dad, etc. So we finally decided to make a day of it last Sunday and stick to it, which ended up being one of the hottest days of the year so far at a whopping 100 degrees! We made sure that we found a place where we could get wet and cool off in the blistering sun and Osborn Aquatic Center in Corvallis, Oregon was the place.

It was a 2 hour and 8 min drive from here to there, which wasn’t too bad since it was straight freeway pretty much. I made sure to have snacks, the swim/sun essentials, a tablet for movie watching and all that good stuff for the two tots in the back seat since my other sister and niece were tagging along. We did end up forgetting the life jackets we just bought, but that was okay because they have plenty at Osborn Aquatic Center to be used.

We arrived there around 2. They seem to only be open from 1-4 pm on Sundays which kind of stinks, but I get it, people want to go home to be with their families too. But I feel like a place like this should at least stay open until 5 or 6 pm in the summer when people are looking for fun ways to cool off.

Their hours are something like this:

Closed now 

Saturday 10:30AM–4PM
Sunday 1–4PM
Monday 5:30AM–7:30PM
Tuesday

(4th of July)

5:30AM–7:30PM

Hours might differ

Wednesday 5:30AM–9PM
Thursday 5:30AM–7:30PM
Friday 5:30AM–9PM

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