Life at a "Swell's" pace

Road Trip: Hiking at Silver Creek Falls

We decided to jump in the car and take off again. This time to Silver Creek Falls in Silverton, Oregon. The day was perfect and with just a $5 parking fee, beautiful day, and hiking through a beautiful area, we couldn't resist.

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The trail down to the falls.

The South Falls is a waterfall that allows visitors to walk behind the falls. It's such a great experience.

Behind the falls gives you a different view of the land.

The Bean loved the small caves and rocks carved out by the water.

The wild raspberry bushes along the creek were blooming brilliantly this time of year.

It was a wonderful hike and a beautiful day to do it. You can check out more about Silver Creek Falls here and take advantage of the area anytime from now until October to see it on full display.

What happened this time last year?

Celebrate Earth Day with Honest

This post is sponsored by The Honest Company.Thank you so much for supporting this brand, which also supports this blog and our family.

In honor of Earth Day, Honest is having a Buy More, Save More event!

Earth Day is a great event that gives attention to being respectful for the environment and happens every year on April 22. This year marks 46 years that it's been a recognized event. Most people get together to recycle, compost, or plant a tree to honor mother earth and the great ways we can change our damage.

The Honest Company, with its values toward the planet, have created an event on their own to help drive you to practice a better way to live in your own home, office, and everyday life. Their products are geared toward a better living for you and your family. This year they have helped make that process a bit easier with their Buy More, Save More for Earth Day savings. Enjoy up to $40 off plus FREE shipping on qualifying orders between 4/19 and 4/24!*

The Honest Company has products that will help your family live healthier and with less impact on the planet. A few highlighted products that are my favorite are:

1. Honest Healing Balm

2. Honest Bathroom Cleaner

3. Honest Bamboo Dish Brush

Buy More, Save More event:

While you're enjoying the savings for Earth Day check out the Honest essentials for your little one.

Are you having a baby soon? If your birth plan includes a hospital delivery, here are four Honest essentials to bring that will help you have a better birth experience:

• Honest Diapers

Honest Diapers are eco-friendly, ultra absorbent and free of lotions, fragrances and latex. These diapers are also gentle, safe, and non-irritating for baby's sensitive skin. As if that wasn't wonderful enough, you'll also be able to choose from dozens of fun, colorful prints!

• Baby Arrival Gift Set

This gift set includes seven essential items made with safe and natural ingredients to make those first days even more delightful for both baby and mom. The set is wrapped in a beautiful lightweight reusable wooden box made from sustainable paulownia wood — perfect for art and crafts, diaper storage, photos, toys, and more!

• Honest organic healing balm

Hospitals can be very dry, so Honest's Healing Balm is a must-have for both mom and baby. Made with certified organic, plant-based botanicals, including coconut, olive, sunflower oils and shea butter, this salve will soothe, calm, nourish and moisturize even the most sensitive baby skin.

• Everything Tote

New parents not only need everything, they also need something to carry it all in. With over nine, thoughtfully-placed pockets, this classic handbag-style tote will keep all of her delivery day essentials organized. This tote is also very stylish, so when mom's back home, it's a great bag for transitioning from busy parent during the day to fashionista at night.

If you can't decide which product is best for yourself, or for someone else, The Honest Company also carries gift cards.

*Terms and Conditions: *$20 off $50+ purchase, $30 off $75+ purchase, and $40 off $100+ purchase on Honest.com. Limit 1 Promo Code per customer/household; family members or friends with the same address may not use this code again. Limit 2 new Bundles per customer in a single transaction with the following restrictions: if customer has 2 or more existing Bundles, promo codes are not valid toward new Bundle purchases; if customer has 1 existing Bundle, promo codes are only valid toward 1 new Bundle purchase. Excludes Gift Bundles, Gift Cards, Existing Bundles and Free Trials. Free shipping applies to standard ground shipping of eligible orders shipped within the contiguous U.S.only. Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. (PST) on 4/24/2016. Applicable promo code must be entered at checkout. Order total before taxes and shipping charges cannot exceed $1,000. Discount applied before International Surcharge, taxes and shipping charges. Cannot be combined with any other promotion. Terms subject to change at any time.

What happened this time last year?

Five simple things

Yay, it's the weekend! Well, the end of the weekend. I planned on posting on Saturday, but we got back from our road trip to Crater Lake pretty late-1:30 a.m., a road trip well worth it! So here we are, on Sunday. We have had some rain this week and today the sun is shining a little bit brighter. Crater Lake looked absolutely amazing yesterday and I can't wait to post the pictures from that trip. I have to remind myself that April showers bring May flowers here in the Valley, but we've had a lot of flowers already, so I am not sure what this rain is for. Ha! Just happy to see the sun peek out here and there. Here are the things that made this week awesome!

FYI: National Pet Day was April 11 and I just want to show some love for these great critters.

Meia, Baz, and PITA

1. This House

We are on the house hunt, still. We have looked at houses until we are blue in the face. We have determined things we don't like, though, so I guess that's a start toward the right direction. Baseboard heaters, unfinished bathrooms, basements with no windows, close neighbors that share a driveway, no duplexes, houses without porches, etc. We do have choices and will wait until we find the perfect space for us. The house in the image above is my perfect setting in my head (no idea where the image came from). I am holding out hope that the perfect house will fall into our laps one day while searching and the future will come together.

2. This Little Machine

Because it's perfect for removing small pills. It was perfect for what I needed to do to the Mr.'s fire department hat. After using the lint remover his hat got a new life. The Mr. was happy that he could wear his hat without all of the little lint balls on it, too. You can get one here.

3. This Surprise Moment

My son is all boy, that's for sure, but in his boy-ness there are subtle hints of sweetness. Upon asking him for a small bucket of potting soil from the garden he brings me a snail surprise on the handle, but little flowers to show he cares. I love how even in small efforts he is so creative with his thinking.

4. These Bluebells and Tulips

Watching them grow and bloom for the spring is always a treat to see each year. They are the highlight of my front flowerbed in the spring season and I am glad to see them each year.

5. These Chocolates

They weren't what I expected, but were perfect for the moment. The Chuao Firecracker chocolate was a taste explosion in my mouth. I was expecting pop rocks only, but the hint of pepper was nice. There are so many different varies of chocolate bars from Chuao Chocolates, but my favorite is the Pop Corn Pop Bar. The coffee chocolates from Coffee Thins were interesting, but as a non-coffee drinker they weren't really my thing. The Mr. loved them though and he drinks coffee by the bucket-load.

In honor of National Library Week (April 10 - 16, 2016) The Bean and I visited the local library and also visited all of the local Free Little Libraries.

Don't forget to check out April's book reading selection. You can see this selection at the top of the home page under SNS Library. You can also check out the other suggested reads for the month and what was the selections from previous months, too.