The holidays are the time of traditions!! Our family does a lot of the local events around Camas, Washougal, Vancouver and Portland. There is a lot to choose from around here! We're lucky that we are only 15-20 minutes away from large events services..
I'd like to hear some of your favorite family traditions too!
The calendar events listed below, I copied and pasted from our local Metro Parent magazine. If you'd like to visit their webpage, please CLICK HERE!
Our family tries to dress warmly and go to the Thanksgiving Parade. My husband's grandmother used to take him to the parade every year. This year it is sponsored by Macy's. It used to be a big thing to go to the parade and also to the old Meir & Frank's store, which is no longer there! We're sad! Meir & Franks had the best holiday display up on their "13th" floor! Every year it was different. And..they had this COOL monorail type thing on the ceiling that rode around the whole big room on a track kind of system. The delightful thing about it was hearing the children riding the train yell down from the monorail windows and wave at the parents smiling up from below. It's all gone now, but not forgotten. Macy's holiday upstairs can't compete!!! We miss our tradition!
Here's a calendar that has events for your family! Enjoy!
Friday, Nov. 28
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and Santa Land Opening.
The parade, with cool new inflatable floats and lots of marching bands, starts at 8:45 am at Lincoln High School, goes North on 14th, East on Alder, South on Second, West on Taylor back to Lincoln High school. As soon as Santa is done with the parade he hustles to the Macy's downtown store (621 SW 5th Ave.) to open Santa Land for the season about noon. Santa Land is on the lower level.
Santa Land info line: 503-248-5415. www.macyssantaland.com.
Vancouver Festival of Trees.
Enjoy the decorated trees and activities. 9 am to 7 pm Nov. 28. 9 am to 3:30 pm Nov. 29. 10 am to 4 pm Nov. 30. $5 adults, $3 ages 6 to 12, free under 6. Special Teddy Bear Carnival for ages 2 to 10, 9 am to noon Sat. Nov. 29, features beanbag toss, velcro darts, face paintings, stories and more. $5 per child.
Hilton Vancouver, 301 W 6th St. 360-750-0409. www.festivaloftrees.net.
Holiday Wreath Making.
Grown-ups make wreaths; kids make pine cone bird feeders and other fun stuff. All ages. 11:30 am Nov. 28, 29 and 30. $12 for wreath makers and $3 for bird feeder makers; registration required (e-mail dberkshire@odf.state.or.us).
Tillamook Forest Center, near milepost 22 on Hwy. 6. 866-930-4646. www.tillamookforestcenter.org.
Vancouver Tree Lighting.
Vancouver's big tree will light up. All ages. 6 pm. Free. Esther Short Park, 610 Esther St. 360-750-0409. www.festivaloftrees.net.
Peter Yarrow at the Monkey & the Rat.
Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary) visits The Monkey & the Rat for a little holiday music-making. Autographed copies of Yarrow's new book/CD sets will be available. All ages. 4 pm. Free.
The Monkey & the Rat, 131 NW Davis St. 503-224-3849. www.monkeyandrat.com.
Pioneer Courthouse Tree Lighting.
The giant holiday tree comes alive in Portland's living room with entertainment, sing-a-long and Santa. All ages. 5:30 pm. Free.
701 SW 6th Ave. 503-223-1613. www.pioneercourthousesquare.org.
Holiday Gift Making Extravaganza.
Each of Portland Children's Museum's studios will feature a different keepsake project. Kids can also make holiday paper and decorations and listen to carols. All ages. 9 am to 5 pm Nov. 28, 29 and 30. Most activities free with admission of $8 ages 1 and up; small charge for some crafts.
4015 SW Canyon Road. 503-223-6500. www.portlandcm.org.
Singing Christmas Tree.
Fabulous holiday music and performances. A Portland tradition. Best for ages 6 and up. 2:30 pm Nov. 28, 29 and Dec. 6. 7:30 pm Nov. 28, 29, Dec. 4, 5, and 6. 1:30 and 6 pm Nov. 30. $12 to $75 plus service charges.
Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay. 503-557-8733. www.singingchristmastree.org.
Festival of Lights at the Grotto.
Breathtaking light displays, hourly concerts, outdoor caroling, petting zoo, puppet shows and more. All ages. 5 to 9:30 pm daily though Dec. 30 (closed Christmas Day). $7.50 adults, $3 ages 3 through 12, free 2 and under.
85th and Sandy Blvd. 503-261-2400. www.thegrotto.org.
Holly Jolly Hullabaloo!
Hansel and Gretel performed with silliness and pirates in the British pantomime tradition. All ages. 7 pm Wed. through Fri. and 2 pm Sat. and Sun. Nov. 28 through Dec. 28. $10 ages 13 and up, $5 ages 2 through 12, free 2 and under; reservations required.
Theater! Theater! 3430 SE Belmont. 503-286-3456. www.integrityproductions.org.
La Boutique Fantasque.
What happens when the toys come to life? Find out in this performance featuring young ballet dancers. All ages. 2:30 and 7:30 pm Nov. 28. 1 and 4 pm Nov. 29. $14 to $40; plus service charges.
Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway. 503-452-8448. www.theportlandballet.org.
The Jungle Book and Puppetz vs. People.
Tears of Joy puppets hit the boards with two productions this month. They explore the notion of family with Mowgli in an adaptation of The Jungle Book, based on the Rudyard Kipling novel. Best for ages 4 and up. 7:30 pm Nov. 14. 11 am Nov. 15, 22 and 29. 2 and 4 pm Nov. 16, 23 and 30. Then Nov. 28 and 29 at 8 pm, the hilariously whacky Puppetz vs. People sets the puppets against the scamps from ComedySportz for some riotous improv. Best for ages 10 and up. $16 adults, $14 children, plus service charges.
Both shows at the Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway. 503-248-0557. www.tojt.com.
The Polar Express (Mt. Hood Railroad).
Listen to the story, meet Santa, sing carols and get your own special Christmas bell. Wear your jammies. All ages. 5 pm Nov. 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 25 and 26. 8 pm Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Runs through Christmas, sells out very early. $26 adults, $18 ages 2 through 12.
110 Railroad Ave., Hood River. 800-872-4661. www.mthoodrr.com.
PIR Winter Wonderland.
Spectacular drive-through light show. All ages. 5 to 10 pm Sun. through Thurs. and until 11 pm Fri. and Sat. through Jan. 1. $15 per car (cash or check only).
Portland International Raceway, 1940 N Victory Blvd. 503-821-4354. www.globaleventsgrouppdx.com.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Christian Youth Theater presents this rambunctious musical. 7 pm Nov. 21, 22, 28 and 29. 3 pm Nov. 22 and 29. 2 pm Nov. 23 and 30. $12 adults, $9 children.
Ft. Vancouver High School, 5700 E 18th St., Vancouver. 360-750-8550. www.cytvanport.org..
Thanksgiving Break Workshops at AC Gilbert.
Fun workshops for the days off school. While kids 6 and up are in the workshops, pre-schoolers will enjoy special activities free with museum admission. Nov. 24: Lego Lab Workshop. Nov. 25: Cooking Up Culture. Nov. 26: Holiday Table. Nov. 28: Clay Workshop ($17 non-members). 10 am to noon. $15; registration required.
AC Gilbert's Discovery Village, 116 Marion St. NE, Salem. 503-371-3631. www.acgilbert.org.
Penny's Puppets at Milwaukie Grange.
Enjoy a puppet show. All ages. 10 and repeat 11 am. Nov. 15: Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? Nov. 28: The Mitten. $5 each, 4 guests for $17.
12015 SE 22nd, Milwaukie. 503-282-9207. www.pennypuppets.com.
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Nationally, home prices are down, but hopefully stabilizing. Are you seeing this where you live? Clark County, Washington must be one of the "pockets" that everyone is talking about that is still working though the equity possibilities.
Our housing market isn't hit quite as bad as everyone else in the nation. There are still buyers and sellers. I have kept track of the stats closely for the last six weeks in Clark County, WA and it seems that each week there is an average of 80-100 homes sold and about 80-100 pending. It flucuates a little each way with each week. So almost 160 people each week are happy and excited about their new home prospect. Where are you...wisely investing at this momentous time or waiting for the market to go even lower while interest rates go UP and ruin your profit margin?
This is from the National Association of Realtors website:
Home Prices Rise in Some Metros, Buyers More Active in Other Areas
WASHINGTON, November 18, 2008
Four out of five metropolitan areas recorded lower home prices in the third quarter from a year earlier, while existing-home sales fell in 32 states from the second quarter, according to the latest quarterly survey by the National Association of Realtors®.
NAR's track of metro area home prices dates back to 1979....In the third quarter, 28 out of 152 metropolitan statistical areas ¹ showed increases in median existing single-family home prices from the same quarter in 2007; four were unchanged and 120 metros experienced declines. (If you'd like to find out about your specific home area, you can CLICK HERE to contact me free of charge, no pushy sales talk!)
And later on in the article this statement will be really important to buyers: According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate on a 30-year conventional fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.32 percent in the third quarter from 6.09 percent in the second quarter; the rate was 6.55 percent in the third quarter of 2007. Last week, Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed fell to 6.14 percent.
NOW is the time to buy! Shop for that home that will be a long-term investment rental or home for your financial future. Equity still lives, slowed, but is still viable!!
I have to write a blog about my good friend Vicki Price! She is absolutely gorgeous on the inside and the outside too. I have known her for about six years and she is a Designer and also a Stager by profession. I first came to know her through the YWCA Auction. But, she has plenty of awards and achievements to her name before I ever met her.
The YWCA Auction is one of the largest Benefit Fundraisers in the Pacific Northwest. Vicki came and "rescued" us and beautified our "live" auction items area. This is the area of a benefit auction that has the most expensive items for auction such as trips to Europe or Africa, A Winery Tour by Limosuine, Queen for a Day, etc. Vicki taught us how our live items should be presented. Vicki has an unvelieveable flair and talent. We really appreciated her.
Here are some of her career achievements:
Vicki Price, of VICKI PRICE DESIGN is located in Vancouver, WA. You can reach her at 360-254-0248 for all your staging needs! I highly recommend her!
Have you tried out the new little Ice Cream shoppe downtown Washougal?? The name is "Papa's" and the ice cream is delicious. The store offers hot dogs and a few other fun food items but the best part is that it has a candy store inside too. I also love that it has a WII game inside the store for anyone to try out.
My grandson had his birthday party there earlier this fall. It's VERY economical to have a party there. They brought out a huge bowl with ten scoops of ice cream all covered in wild toppings. The cost was only about $25!
Check it out! It's fun! It stays open until 9:00 pm too! They have Hot Chocolate for the cold evenings and faint of heart.
Hint: The Licorice ice cream is fabulous but your mouth and teeth turn dark blue!!
Top 5 Things Your Plumber Would Want You to Know!
(I interviewed my Plumber husband. He's been plumbing in Camas, Washougal, Vancouver, Washington for over 30 years.)
1. Watch what you put down your drains. Coffee grounds and grease are big culprits. Hot water is your best friend when it comes to helping clean out a drain.
2. If you have an older home, don't install a garbage disposal. It's hard on the older metal pipes and it will eventually clog them up. Use garbage disposals cautiously. Only put small amounts of food bits down the drain at one time, use lots of cold water before and after as you add the food bits.
3. Toilets don't need or like additives like the tablets that turn the water blue. It's very corrosive in your tank.
4. The hot water heater is the best appliance you have. It heats water 24/7 and people take it for granted. Check it often to make sure it's not leaking.
5. Purchased drain cleaners typically don't work and are caustic. They are very dangerous for children. Also, if you happen to mix two types of drain cleaners down the drain...it can explode back in your face. We've seen this happen to a guy and he almost lost his eyes.
Realtor and Premier Partner with Keller Williams in Vancouver, WA. Would you like to know what your home is worth in today's market? Email me today!
I LOVE the Pacific Northwest with its mountains, tall fir trees, rocky craggy hillsides, great hikes, snow skiing, windsurfing, motorcross, green philosophy, great business opportunities...and our real estate is still doing o.k. compared to many areas!
I've lived here for over twenty years. I consider myself an expert in these vital communities: Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Orchards, Battle Ground and all the way out to the La Center areas.
There are many great fun things to know about our community!
Here are my favorite websites to get you started enjoying and exploring Vancouver, Ridgefield. Battle Ground, LaCenter, Portland, Oregon....and more:
(1)"Johann & Sandra's" FUN resource page: Click Here!
(2) Vancouver's City Page has Maps, Events, etc. Click Here!
(3) Check out our local School Ratings: Click Here!
(4) For FREE stuff to do in nearby Portland: Click Here!
I've spent most of my life in social justice work. I volunteer ALOT. So, this means I am blessed to know tons of people. Most of the people I know are not millionaires, so I work with people moving up to larger homes than they currently own and also first time home buyers. I worked ten years as a youth minister, so I'm happy that many of my youth group call on me now to help them in their real estate transitions. 
I'm also fond of working with adults as they downsize. It is wonderful to be a part of their journey to find time for themselves and expand their horizons. I treasure the friendships that ensue as we work together to protect their i
nvestments and enjoy their new home. Here is a picture of one of my dear friends who just downsized and moved to a new adventure in High Point, North Carolina! I sold his home for him to a lovely couple from California. He's a sweetie and will be greatly missed by me and all his neighbors!
My team: I'm fortunate to work in an office of approximately 300 agents here at Keller Williams Vancouver. I truly appreciate that our in-house network is similiar to ActiveRain in that you can put forth a question and hear back from a dozen emails of wisdom. I also have a team of people who support me to "get the job done" for all inspection, cleaning, painting, moving and remodeling requirements. One of my best friends has been a 20 year designer and stager and my daughter has become a eagle-eye virtual tour photographer for all my listings. More about all of these fabulous people who work with me to help you buy and sell! It is through their friendships, talents and skills, I am successful.
So, please CLICK HERE to email me about any real estate advice you may need! I can send you FREE REPORTS to answer your questions such as "how much is my home worth in today's market?" financing, investments, short sales, foreclosures, relocation. I would take care of you, from questions to contract! Call me or Text me at 360-852-1689.
I'm originally from the South so I believe in taking care of you, from contract to close with genuine Southern Hospitality! I understand and track the real estate stats and markets here in Clark County. I know the neighborhoods, best livable areas and schools. I will serve your real estate dreams with professionalism, honesty and integrity.
I know how hard it is to leave one home and move to another, perhaps leaving everything behind and starting a new life. Purchasing a home is scary, but exciting! I will help you with buying, selling, relocation, curb appeal, staging, moving tips, and just making your real estate transition smooth so you can worry about all the rest! That's what you really need...right? I will work to be your "concierge" for your next stage of life real estate investment.
I have a large family so I can understand that finding just the right place that fits you and yours is tantamount. Every family has certain things that make them unique, such a student will need a place to study, a gourmet cook will need that spectacular kitchen, if you love tinkering on cars, you'll need a huge garage...whatever it is that makes a house a HOME for you and your loved ones...we can do that together!
Whether seeking your dream home or creating wealth through investing in real estate...Clark County is waiting for you! Our housing market hasn't been hit quite as hard as the rest of the U.S. It's slowed considerably, but still rolling along. Check us out!
Sarah & Ben: "Jill helped us make a move from a small home in Arizona to a beautiful $400,000 home in Vancouver. We came up and did some home tours with Jill but had to go home. Jill helped us make offers on two different homes. We finally chose one from the internet KW.com, sight unseen with Jill's help. We arrived up here from Arizona and it had been inspected, cleaned and was just exactly what we expected from the pictures and videos! Our doggies love it too! Thanks Jill."
Mark and Christie: Our house sold in just 70 days! Jill was methodical and a power-house advertiser for us! Thanks! We're moving to Idaho in record time.
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