Image 1 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 2 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 3 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 4 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 5 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 6 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 7 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈
Image 8 — GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈

GUYS. I’m such an untalented novice, but I did my best for my partner’s birthday cake—I think I actually like it! I’m also covered in sugar glitter 🙈

I did a 6 layer—it’s supposed to be lavender so each layer is white or purple.

For the insides I did every other layer—first I put a very light simple blackberry honey syrup down, then used mascarpone, and for every other layer I did a lemon curd mascarpone with lemon zest, and then an apricot mascarpone with heavy cream.

Did a really minimal buttercream on the outside—it’s sweet but way less sweet than many. I tried to do that “watercolor” look?? (Also I learned that the color jells for buttercream dry out real quickly! 😭

I had such extravagant ideas for the live flowers but ended up just adding to the top and blowing a ton of sugar glitter.

I really hope she likes it !!!!!!

u/elise_oisen_ — 7 days ago

Camped on Labor Day weekend for the first time—and first time camping at Silver Falls State Park! A novice review and a question

9/10 experience, we are planning to go later next spring with the kiddos. We found our two ideal sites (one of which was ours! Got lucky!)

For tent camping, we enjoyed the sites in the 50s-60s on the side with creek access. Really beautiful. They are closer together than we’re used to, but we never felt like we were camping on top of anyone. But for the love of god, the poor people in site 59 right in front of the restrooms and showers…that’s got to be the absolute worst site. Stay away! Also 60 flooded so much, it looked like a real pain.

Of course it was all booked for Labor Day, but still so fun and wasn’t insane at all. The first night they had an owl event at the amphitheater. Lots of beautiful skunks and mischievous raccoons (we kept all food in the car at night). Great that they had recycling and a trash compactor.

Beautiful and sunny two out of the three days. I only had one tarp, and a second small backpacking tent, so we strung the tarp up over that for cooking in the rain. Seemed like about 50% of tent campers had heavy duty pop-up shelters over picnic tables, the other half got real creative with their many tarps.

It was nice that the car tag for camping worked for parking all across the park. We hiked to 7/10 waterfalls. Slippery as all get out, but so so beautiful, plus it was cool to see so many intergenerational hiking groups!

I love dispersed, and smaller more remote campgrounds, but from a family-friendly perspective Silver Falls was really great.

Question: last photo—is there a better way to air out gear after heavy rains? So far all we could think of is taking advantage of my parent’s suburban backyard.

Also made this video for friends and family.

u/elise_oisen_ — 1 month ago

The eclipse out at Topaz yesterday really made the night. Feel like I was the only one totally unaware this was going to happen.

u/elise_oisen_ — 2 months ago

Should I bail? Timothy Lake 8/17-8/19

What would others do? Got a site reserved at Hoodview … what are the chances of them fully refunding due to closures? If they aren’t closed, what are everyone’s thoughts for the smoke potential?

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Edit to add update from the Zigzag Ranger Station (as of 8/10 am):

If you’re coming from Portland, you won’t be impacted by road closures. The campgrounds on Timothy are all open, however, if you’re planning on paddling or being in the water they ask that everyone stay near the shore to make room for the water helicopters since they’re pulling water from the middle of the lake.

There are three new starts to the east of Timothy, but for now the winds are blowing it towards the reservation so air quality hasn’t been impacted—but potentially could be.

All trails around there are open.

The ranger said that if you’re planning on camping on Mt Hood right now that Timothy is one of the best/safest places to be.

The park host has radio, WiFi, etc. and is there to share any changes.

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u/elise_oisen_ — 2 months ago

Two camping trips in 7 days!

I hope this sub can get some traction—because Oregon camping is SO amazing. So amazing that I’m literally going multiple times in a week.

We hit up Cloud Cap Saddle (on Mt Hood, right next to Tilly Jane), and Three Bears (on the Molalla River).

Cloud Cap is first come, first serve, with no reservations—you pay there with cash ($20 a night, plus parking if you don’t have a National Forest Tag). There’s potable water, a vault toilet well maintained by Lost Lake owners, but you pack out your trash. There are only 6 sites—four on one side of the road, and 2 on the other. A lot of through hikers doing the Timberline Trail stop for water, meals, and a few of those camp there for the night.

Apparently there is also a resident deer! It kept coming back at night and was NOT afraid of people. There is also a massive colony of chipmunks that—while adorably cute—reminded us of the raptors from Jurassic Park. They came in hot from all directions during breakfast and lunch.

The hiking around there is AMAZING. You can hike right up to the glacial snow. I have a wrangler so the drive up wasn’t a thing, but low clearance sedans may struggle a bit.

And Three Bears (Molalla) was equally amazing, but totally different terrain! There are great swimming pools in the river, the people there were friendly and well behaved, and there are a lot of trails to check out (like the huckleberry) that are right down the road. There are also massive ant colonies that form these 3-4ft high rounded mounds all along the trail.

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u/elise_oisen_ — 2 months ago

It’s never too late !!!

Just a word of encouragement—

I came out at 31. There have been a few rough relationships (e.g., one of my exs asked me to marry her so I couldn’t be asked to testify in a CPS case against her 🫠)

But life now? At 40? It is bliss.

My partner didn’t come out until her mid 30s, and had to go through what so many women here go through—ex husband, custody battles, figuring out who gets the house … all those situations that make a person want to hide themselves away. But like so many women here, my partner took that courageous leap.

I never thought I’d find a woman who grounds me so much, who supports me through everything, who is my cheerleader, my advocate, who I aspire to keep being a better version of myself for, who I melt into, who I can’t imagine not ever wanting to be a big spoon too, that I don’t want to picture not celebrating moments with—both big and small—and for the rest of our lives.

This year we’ve gone on 4 camping trips, and have 5 more planned, and work together so flawlessly it doesn’t feel real. We’ve gone to concerts, checked into incredibly questionable motels, had so many hilarious moments … yet there hasn’t been drama, or trauma, there’s just two people trying their best to be there for one another and good fucking god—this is what I’ve wanted my whole life and what I’ve waited for.

So for anyone questioning: it is possible and she is out there <3

u/elise_oisen_ — 2 months ago

Anyone know what happened—more importantly, everyone okay? Cloud Cap Saddle Campground on 7/27/26 (near Tilly Jane)

Life flight came in, and left. Sheriff said that national guard wasn’t available for lift, would have to pack those affected out along with chainsaw crew. Heard varying accounts that this person/persons hadn’t and had fallen into Elliot glacier. Looks like majority of chainsaw was on Timberline trail.

u/elise_oisen_ — 3 months ago

Seeking! A bike/or balance bike for an adorable 6 yo old girl

She’s trying to keep up with her older brothers!

Ideally a big girl’s balance bike, or a 20” girls bike.

She’s been a scooter girl, but wants to go faster.

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u/elise_oisen_ — 4 months ago

Cheap topsoil? (Mt Scott/ Arleta)

Getting a late start on raised beds, and am in need of new soil. Anyone have any recs for cheap sources? There are three beds, 3’x 6’ each. Living in Mount Scott - Arleta if relevant.

Any tips would really be appreciated!

u/elise_oisen_ — 4 months ago

LAWD WE UHAULING?!

This has never happened to me before! Help! 🆘🚨‼️

We’ve only been talking since the beginning of March! What is this!? Are there workshops to attend?!?! A 12-step program, maybe?

At the time we started talking, I was with a woman that I really love (still do)—that started in January—I was also candid about how I had never really dated before and wasn’t feeling ready to shut that down. She understood completely, we were open and honest, and this thing happened.

The new woman I’ve been talking to, since March, she’s utterly amazing. She’s a mother of three amazing young kiddos, she’s a brilliant linguist and teacher, she’s so affectionate, compassionate, easy going; for the other millennials out there, she’s even got a frickin’ mortgage.

We share so many similarities and have aligned life goals. My abs hurt every time we see each other from laughing so much (and now other things 👀), and I can’t help but be flabbergasted that she’s always grabbing for my hand, or my elbow when we’re out; that she’s telling me how beautiful she thinks I am, how attracted she is to me, how she loves my freckles, and somehow thinks I’m funny. (I’m not funny!)

She is drop dead gorgeous too, like…I can’t. How is this even a thing? She’s in amazing shape, has incredibly thick blonde hair and beautiful deep blue eyes, and a bronzed body reminiscent of a playboy supermodel.

She’s said she wants to come home to me to debrief about the day and kiss and cuddle; how she wants me to be the last person her kiddos know as her partner. And we can’t even stop planning the entire summer together. I genuinely feel like hard stop I just wanna jump all feet in and plant a veggie garden together, make our power tool wish list, build a shared life together, bury a ring in a cake and hope she doesn’t choke on it.

I’m trying not to lose it but it’s so hard! I miss her all the times we aren’t together and think about her constantly.

It’s almost painfulllllllllll!!!! Does anyone else relate?! 🆘🚨‼️

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u/elise_oisen_ — 4 months ago