Silver Falls State Park

Tyson has been reading a book on Teddy Roosevelt and often tells me bits and pieces of all of his accomplishments (all before he was 30), like fixing the corruption of the Police Department when they all had deals/payouts with the mob, or creating/designating all our National Parks.

It got me thinking about all of my own accomplishments and to be frank, that list isn't long. I'm financially stable. I found myself a good partner/spouse. My career thus far has been . . . fine. For a second I felt disappointed with myself in comparison, and on the next breath, I realized that I actually, don't give a shit.

I'm happy to live simply. I'm happy to breathe fresh air, sleep every night next to a man I love, enjoy the foliage of my home state, enjoy good food and fill my time with simple hobbies. I'm in love with my life, every moment of it, and that's success to me.

Here's a few quick pics from a hike we did on Valentine's Day. Silver Falls State Park near Salem. Easy hike, 8.4 miles, crowded trail but amazing waterfalls. 

Hiking behind the falls 

Foliage at Silver Falls State Park

Smith Rock State Park

I used to live in central California and I love the ocean.

I now live in Portland, OR and I love the forest, foliage, and greenery.

I have never lived in the desert or intend to, because I don't love the dryness, the extreme temperatures, or the scenery.

But Bend, OR and Smith Rock State Park is a playground for the outdoorsman/rock climber and because it makes my husband, Tyson, so happy, it's become one of my favorite places to visit. The rock formations are so majestic and the views are pretty unbeatable. There are several thousand climbs in the park and more than a thousand are bolted routes. It's on our bucket list to climb Monkey Face as soon as possible! 

Sorry to those avid skiers who were hoping for snow this winter, but I certainly have no complaints about this mild January weather. We camped this last weekend with a few friends and rock climbed. 

Tyson and I at Smith Rock State Park

Winter outdoor climbing in January at The Peanut 

Fun weekend crew / Tyson and I, Kim, Parker & Denny (their Blue Heeler)

 All of these pictures by Kim Pridgen: http://instagram.com/kimberly_pridgen