As you are all well aware, one of the three fold missions of this blog is to declare our unfailing love to the world. For all you doubters out there, I present you with this. It speaks for itself.
Sacred Love
As you are all well aware, one of the three fold missions of this blog is to declare our unfailing love to the world. For all you doubters out there, I present you with this. It speaks for itself.
Our wonderful weekend in Tri-Cities
We went to the Tri-Cities this weekend to be with my brother Landon and his family and to be able to see the blessing of William. The blessing was so beautiful and being with family was wonderful. It was also my dad's birthday and it was so nice to celebrate with him. In this picture and below we took a few family pictures before church.
This is my nephew Bretton. I loved being with him and being with him further confirmed how much I love 3 year olds. Just a few reasons why I love 3 year olds.
1) They are passed the terrible two's. 2) They can talk really well and they are constantly saying and doing the funniest things. 3) They are socially still at a place where they can do, say, sing anything at any time and any where and not be embarrassed.4) They desperately want your attention so they are not to good for you. 5) They are always excited to see you and you never get old to them especially if you give them candy or tickle their arm and back. 6) They can't say your name right but every time they do it comes out as some ridiculously cute ( way cuter) version of my name. I loved it when Bretton walked around in his underwear with the long church socks he put on of his dads and would clench his fists and shake them and his entire body with utter excitement, with a smile so big every time I would kiss him and gently tickle his ear, arms and back.
Nathan and Alli, so cute.
Sweet Cara played and sang for Papa for his birthday. She did such a good job.
Nathan and Baby William. He is such a good, peaceful beautiful baby. And I must mention that William smelled so good.
Heidi and Landon got this phone for my Dad and he was so excited. So I guess this is the new thing. It is an old fashion phone that plugs into your cell phone. My dad couldn't get enough of it and I couldn't stop laughing about it.
We went to this really nice restaurant on my dads birthday. He is reading the card we gave him and he is laughing so hard because of what Nathan wrote. He wrote " I know your birthday will be great because you are spending it with me."
It was so wonderful to see and spend time with my Mom and Dad. I love them and miss them so much!
Gonzaga Intramural Flag football Champs
This was such an exciting win! It was a great way to end their last time playing flag football together. All of the guys played so well and really put a smack down on every team they played this season( except for that one game which doesn't need to be mentioned). They mercy ruled the the team they beat to win it all. The final score was 35 to 14. Adam and I were the loyal fans with them every step of the way so I fully take partial responsibility for the win.
That's SCARY!
Happy Halloween! We had a Halloween Party with some of our friends this week. I went as one of my personal heroes...Sir Richard Simmons. Polly was my beautiful assistant. Here are some shots from our pre-party photoshoot. Richard, I hope I did you proud. Your perspiration is my inspiration. Rest in peace old friend.
This pose is so awkwardly nasty,every time I look at it I die with laughter. Once again you will see why Nathan is a natural when it comes to these photo shoots. We put on Richard Simmons youtube clips so Nathan could find his inner Richard. Nathan you definently made him proud and me too. Adam once again did great as our photographer, thank you. And to our friends at the party, nice costumes! And Bryce and Caleb nice shots, impressive.
This pose is so awkwardly nasty,every time I look at it I die with laughter. Once again you will see why Nathan is a natural when it comes to these photo shoots. We put on Richard Simmons youtube clips so Nathan could find his inner Richard. Nathan you definently made him proud and me too. Adam once again did great as our photographer, thank you. And to our friends at the party, nice costumes! And Bryce and Caleb nice shots, impressive.
Happy Birthday Nathan THE BIG 2 9 !!!!
This is a special blog for my very Special Birthday Man! Nathan is very special in so many ways to so many people. He lights up my life with incredible happiness and laughter. Below are some of my favorite pictures of Nathan as well as some of my favorite things he says, calls me, does and has taught me. Nathan is such a character and one of the things I love most is how he fills my life with constant laughter. With Nathan I never know what he is going to do our say. I am always amazed how he comes up with what he does. My life in never boring with Nathan around because he is always doing something to make me laugh or to get a reaction out of me. I love this about him! For example he was being a rascal one day so I stuck my finger in his ear and twisted. Then he said "ouch, don't you know that a dry willy is way worse than a wet willy? Dry ones are too scratchy in your ear. Wet ones create a nice lubrication for a smooth clean twist in the ear". I laughed really hard. Or the Morning I woke up and my hair was kinda crazy. This shocked Nathan because I usually wake up with normal looking hair. So I sit down next to him and he says " Um I think I see a rat in your hair and some twigs too" I guess my hair was a rats nest.
This is one one my favorite faces of Nathan. He has many faces but this one has to be at the top of my list. So a few funny things he has said recently are "I love you like a fat kid loves cake". (he has a slight obsession with fat kids and chocolate cake, probably because he wishes he was a fat kid that ate chocolate cake all day). "Football is the only thing that isn't allowing our marriage to get to the next level because you won't embrace it". Funny, however I don't agree.
Nathan is a natural when it comes to taking funny pictures. Everything about this picture makes me laugh. So Nathan likes to call me all sorts of names. I never know what he is going to call me next. Here are a few of the things he calls me. And when I say a few it's because he has a never ending flow of names for me. Sometimes he comes up with nice names and sometimes they are gross. These are just a few, " Gus, rufus, cheezy, boomer, squeezy, desert flower, peach blossom, shnooks, babe, snugger, etc. etc.
Nathan playing softball. I love going to watch him play sports. So Nathan is very into his sports, and I barley come in first to his second love of sports. I am grateful I am still his #1. He likes to keep his footballs and basketball by the side of our bed, then he likes to throw them up and down before he goes to bed. On many occasions he brings the balls into our clean bed. Under our covers, snuggled in between Nathan and I in which he says that I need to love his football or basketball and I need to kiss them. I don't want to kiss his nasty, dirty basketball, football and baseballs and I don't want them in our clean bed. Then he says they are our babies and that I need to embrace them in our bed. OH man we really need some kids.
Nathan playing basketball and very sweaty. Nathan likes to teach me all sorts of things. He has taught me to throw a football and how to get a hand off and run the football. In our house he sets up a little course. He is very serious about this. He has me get behind him and gives me the directions. I must look at which heel he lifts and run that way to get the pass off of the football, then dodge the obstacles and run down the hall. If I do it bad and without total commitment and passion he has me do it again and again until I get it right. He has also taught me to fold our laundry to perfection and precision. My way was way to messy and he taught me how to evenly cut cheese for his sandwich so it covers every square inch of his bread. I am now a professional at that skill. But in all seriousness Nathan has taught me so many things that has made me become so much more of a Christlike person. I couldn't ask for a better husband, partner and best friend.
This is Nathan right before he was about to go to school. He got this new back pack that he was so excited about and proud of. So I decided to take a picture and this is the pose he gave me, it made me laugh.
Nathan was not liking that I was taking pictures of him so he made this face.
Nathan's smile is so cute and his bangs in this picture are awesome and funny.
I love this picture of Nathan as a baby. His face was so round and his lips are a perfect heart shape.
This is one one my favorite faces of Nathan. He has many faces but this one has to be at the top of my list. So a few funny things he has said recently are "I love you like a fat kid loves cake". (he has a slight obsession with fat kids and chocolate cake, probably because he wishes he was a fat kid that ate chocolate cake all day). "Football is the only thing that isn't allowing our marriage to get to the next level because you won't embrace it". Funny, however I don't agree.
Nathan is a natural when it comes to taking funny pictures. Everything about this picture makes me laugh. So Nathan likes to call me all sorts of names. I never know what he is going to call me next. Here are a few of the things he calls me. And when I say a few it's because he has a never ending flow of names for me. Sometimes he comes up with nice names and sometimes they are gross. These are just a few, " Gus, rufus, cheezy, boomer, squeezy, desert flower, peach blossom, shnooks, babe, snugger, etc. etc.
Nathan playing softball. I love going to watch him play sports. So Nathan is very into his sports, and I barley come in first to his second love of sports. I am grateful I am still his #1. He likes to keep his footballs and basketball by the side of our bed, then he likes to throw them up and down before he goes to bed. On many occasions he brings the balls into our clean bed. Under our covers, snuggled in between Nathan and I in which he says that I need to love his football or basketball and I need to kiss them. I don't want to kiss his nasty, dirty basketball, football and baseballs and I don't want them in our clean bed. Then he says they are our babies and that I need to embrace them in our bed. OH man we really need some kids.
Nathan playing basketball and very sweaty. Nathan likes to teach me all sorts of things. He has taught me to throw a football and how to get a hand off and run the football. In our house he sets up a little course. He is very serious about this. He has me get behind him and gives me the directions. I must look at which heel he lifts and run that way to get the pass off of the football, then dodge the obstacles and run down the hall. If I do it bad and without total commitment and passion he has me do it again and again until I get it right. He has also taught me to fold our laundry to perfection and precision. My way was way to messy and he taught me how to evenly cut cheese for his sandwich so it covers every square inch of his bread. I am now a professional at that skill. But in all seriousness Nathan has taught me so many things that has made me become so much more of a Christlike person. I couldn't ask for a better husband, partner and best friend.
This is Nathan right before he was about to go to school. He got this new back pack that he was so excited about and proud of. So I decided to take a picture and this is the pose he gave me, it made me laugh.
Nathan was not liking that I was taking pictures of him so he made this face.
Nathan's smile is so cute and his bangs in this picture are awesome and funny.
I love this picture of Nathan as a baby. His face was so round and his lips are a perfect heart shape.
A few nice pics
This is our friends Levi and Becca's little girl Audrey. She is the sweetest little girl and we love her. I really love that she always wants me to tickle her back. I hadn't seen her in a few days so when I saw her I said "hi Audrey do you remember me?" and this picture was her reaction to me. I about died. It was so sweet and cute and it made me so happy. When she saw me she wanted to give me a big kiss. So precious. Her little pucker is quite the pucker.
Nathan and Abby. Levi's and Becca's blog reminded us about these pictures. We went to Couer D'Alene Lake and had a picnic with Levi and Becca. We had such a great night with them.
My brother Landon and Ally came into town for her diabetes appointment. We spent some time at Manito park. It is always so wonderful to see them.
Me and Ally dancing. We were walking around the park and heard this lady playing on the violin. She was so good, just sitting on the bench fiddling up a storm, and of course it made me want to dance, and of course Ally wouldn't say no. So we danced.
My mom came up when Landon and Heidi had their baby. She was able to spend a little time with me. This is us at Manito Park. This park is so beautiful that I take everyone there. Being with my Mom is always so wonderful, she is such an angel.
Nathan and I at the Couer d'Alene Lake.
Fun with the Young Women
This is at our ugly pajama party. Doin some dancing. I must say that Jessica committed to her dance moves and was awesome.
We got partners and then tried to put lipstick on each other the best we could while blind folded. One of my Beehives Samantha did this job. Ya she didn't win.
The whole group.(A lot of the girls are missing) My get up was nasty but my yw and I liked it. We had a great time together. I love being with the YW.
Only a few girls showed up to mutual so I took them to get ice cream then we went to Manito Park and took pictures. We had such a great time. This is Reilly a very sweet girl.
Me and Stephanie lounging in the flower pedals.
Husky Game
Me and my Dad at the game. The Huskies won after scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes. It was awesome. Thanks for the tickets Dad.
The guys.
The pregame scrimmage between friends.
While I was home, I went for a little spin through the old neighborhood. Why is this bike at my parents house?
Seattle
Here are some pics of our trip to Seattle. Polly had continuing education in Bellevue, but we still managed to have some fun over the weekend.
Road Trip: Grand Canyon
P: These are the last pictures of our trip that we took going back to Spokane. We have liked reliving our trip even though these pics are a little outdated. This trip with Nathan had to be one of the best trips of our lives. I marvel at how much beauty we saw in the matter of a week. The grand canyon was.. well GRAND! We both agreed the best part of our trip was Yosemite. However every thing else comes in a close second. Being in Nature with Nathan, no cell phones, tv,(Sports Center)was such a refreshing, wonderful time. Enjoy all the funny things Nathan wrote!
P: If your wondering why I am wearing this ugly hat in every picture let me explain. We camped for almost our entire trip and my hair.... well lets just say it is a lot better to look at this hat than my nasty hair.
N: As most of you know, my life revolves around model trains, the classic American game Connect Four ("Go for the glory, go for one more! Go for it! Connect Four!), and the intoxicating world of high fashion. That being said, I consider myself more than qualified to make some observations on the fashion faux pas Polly and I were tortured with in Grand Canyon National Park. Here is just a small sampling of the debauchery that is "eurofashion".
N: I love this. Me, relaxing on a bench, taking in some of the most scenic vistas this great country has to offer, pretending to review the pictures I have taken of those vistas, while in reality snapping shots of these two Euros. The dude is proudly displaying a murse (man purse), which I didn't get in the shot so you will have to trust me, and some man capris. Every man was wearing capris. If you are hot, just go with the shorts! If you are seeking coverage, then go with the pants. The capris bring nothing to the table and are a complete fashion disaster. That is all.
P: We had a lot of fun at the grand canyon but what really made the whole experience especially grand was when we decided to secretly take pictures of euros in all their fashion glory. Nathan was pulling the funniest things and I could not stop laughing. He got so into this and it was his mission to find the best offenders. We sneakily did this for about 45 minutes and it was great. People have got to be some of the best entertainment.It is know so clear to why my dad always just wanted to sit on the bench at the mall and watch people while we shopped.
N: Man capris? Check. Obscure brand of shoes with an Italian name that no one has ever heard of? Check. Fly fishing vest filled to the brim with anything but soap and deodorant? Check. He's got the trifecta.
N: I like this shot cause I caught her adjusting. This guy thought he would shake things up and strut it in the more rare jean capris but the real disaster here is the shoes and socks combos. Naturally, if you wear black shoes, you got to go with white socks. Wait a second...what if you only have white shoes? Easy, black socks.
N: Bless his heart this guy tried to blend in by putting on an American cowboy hat. He even hemmed up his capris to make bona fide shorts, but to no avail. The pink flannel and brown dress shoes with black socks were a dead giveaway. What at first glance appeared to be your good ol' American cowboy, turned out to be just another eurofashion train wreck.
Honorable Mention
N: Polly liked this one.
P: We kept on running into this girl, so I took a picture of her. Little does she know that her amazing fashion will now be see by even more people. However I don't believe her fashion statement will create followers just a few "what in the world was she thinking." If any of you have red tights with designs on them retire them NOW and make sure to not wear them in my presence.
N: Sticking with the tights theme. I am sure this is a good look in Hong Kong.
p: You can't see that this lady is wearing black dress shoes to match her black purse. So fashion forward, the black nicely off sets the all white outfit. Her shirt/dress is puffy, has lace tights and is ready for hiking around the grand canyon. Yes she definitely has the right attire on.
P: If your wondering why I am wearing this ugly hat in every picture let me explain. We camped for almost our entire trip and my hair.... well lets just say it is a lot better to look at this hat than my nasty hair.
N: As most of you know, my life revolves around model trains, the classic American game Connect Four ("Go for the glory, go for one more! Go for it! Connect Four!), and the intoxicating world of high fashion. That being said, I consider myself more than qualified to make some observations on the fashion faux pas Polly and I were tortured with in Grand Canyon National Park. Here is just a small sampling of the debauchery that is "eurofashion".
N: I love this. Me, relaxing on a bench, taking in some of the most scenic vistas this great country has to offer, pretending to review the pictures I have taken of those vistas, while in reality snapping shots of these two Euros. The dude is proudly displaying a murse (man purse), which I didn't get in the shot so you will have to trust me, and some man capris. Every man was wearing capris. If you are hot, just go with the shorts! If you are seeking coverage, then go with the pants. The capris bring nothing to the table and are a complete fashion disaster. That is all.
P: We had a lot of fun at the grand canyon but what really made the whole experience especially grand was when we decided to secretly take pictures of euros in all their fashion glory. Nathan was pulling the funniest things and I could not stop laughing. He got so into this and it was his mission to find the best offenders. We sneakily did this for about 45 minutes and it was great. People have got to be some of the best entertainment.It is know so clear to why my dad always just wanted to sit on the bench at the mall and watch people while we shopped.
N: Man capris? Check. Obscure brand of shoes with an Italian name that no one has ever heard of? Check. Fly fishing vest filled to the brim with anything but soap and deodorant? Check. He's got the trifecta.
N: I like this shot cause I caught her adjusting. This guy thought he would shake things up and strut it in the more rare jean capris but the real disaster here is the shoes and socks combos. Naturally, if you wear black shoes, you got to go with white socks. Wait a second...what if you only have white shoes? Easy, black socks.
N: Bless his heart this guy tried to blend in by putting on an American cowboy hat. He even hemmed up his capris to make bona fide shorts, but to no avail. The pink flannel and brown dress shoes with black socks were a dead giveaway. What at first glance appeared to be your good ol' American cowboy, turned out to be just another eurofashion train wreck. Honorable Mention
N: Polly liked this one.P: We kept on running into this girl, so I took a picture of her. Little does she know that her amazing fashion will now be see by even more people. However I don't believe her fashion statement will create followers just a few "what in the world was she thinking." If any of you have red tights with designs on them retire them NOW and make sure to not wear them in my presence.
N: Sticking with the tights theme. I am sure this is a good look in Hong Kong.p: You can't see that this lady is wearing black dress shoes to match her black purse. So fashion forward, the black nicely off sets the all white outfit. Her shirt/dress is puffy, has lace tights and is ready for hiking around the grand canyon. Yes she definitely has the right attire on.
Road Trip: Vegas
N: The Hoover. It pretty much speaks for itself. I am glad I had the chance to drive over it before they finish the new bridge. See below.p: It was amazing.
N: Here is my list of top five things I wish I had to throw off of here. 5) An older television set, 4) an inflated tire and wheel 3) Paris Hilton, 2) an exercise ball filled with ketchup, and 1) a huge watermelon
N: This is the suspension bridge they are building for the highway to bypass the dam. It really is a dam shame. That is proper usage right?p: Your funny Nathan.
p: When we go to Vegas we always go to the mall in Caesars Palace and eat at The Cheese Cake Factory, one of our favorites.
N: Vegas is good for a short time and perfect for one of Polly and I's favorite hobbies, People Watching. We sat near a fountain at Caesars and watched people walk by for about an hour, confirming once again that everyone else is weird.P: I like going to Vegas for about ah.. a few hours then the whole wonder and excitement wears off and you start to feel dirty and like a sinner. How ever We did have fun for a while. The guy that took this picture was standing there in a suit with a fake badge acting like he worked for some hotel. After he took this picture which took 2 seconds he blatantly asked for money. It kinda caught me off guard, but hey at least he's makin his money. The people-watching was hilarious, I couldn't get enough of all the girls in their prom dresses/ nasty/ thinking they are hot/ too high of heels trying to walk all sexy down the strip. And then it did get old because I could no longer handle all the scandalous girls I and Nathan kept on seeing. Vegas.... what a crazy place. My mom says Vegas will be the first place swallowed up in the earth when the world is coming to an end. I always used to kind of laugh when she would say that. I can now definitely confirm she is 100% correct. Honestly I am surprised a massive tornado hasn't hit that place yet and destroyed the whole of it.
N: Paul Blart got promoted to Caesar's Palace. The most important part of operating a Segway is to stay properly hydrated...you know, in case you have to chase someone down.P: Right when I saw this guy I started taking pictures of him because I knew this pic was priceless. Nathan got really embarrassed and said it was rude. That is why the shot isn't that great, he made me stop. For all we know this could have been the guy that inspired the movie in the first place. I have a good feeling this guy likes his new found celebrity. What really does it for me in this picture is the helmet and the sipping of the water. I guess you can never take to much precaution on one of those wheely things, what ever their called.
N: I have never really thought that if my car broke down someplace that I would probably die, but I actually thought that driving from Vegas to Yosemite. I drove down the middle of this highway for 20 miles and never saw another car. It was a complete wasteland out there...105 degrees, no cell service, no gas stations, and no shade. Luckily, our Passatt did just fine and after getting lost for a little while, we found our campground at June Lake. P: Yeah... um got a little nervous when Nathan didn't know exactly where we were going, thank goodness he pulled through. He thought he was really cool driving down the middle of the street.
Road Trip: Yosemite National Park
N: Buckle up world cause you are about to go on a thrilling ride into one of this nations most majestic natural playgrounds. Sit back and relax while you take in stunning vistas, cascading waterfalls, magnificent valleys and massive trees, all from the comfort of your living room. And of course those two lovable troublemakers, Polly and Nathan will be right there with you every step of the way. THIS...IS...YOSEMITE!P: Nathan is experimenting with blog teasers to try and increase our number of readers and comments.
N: Yes, the water felt great, and Yes, those are my shorts on the rock. What a liberating swim.P: Sick. Um... no he is not having a swim in his b-day suit. Only liberating because the water was freezing and of course the beauty that surrounded us.
N: This picture sums up Yosemite. Emerald pool, waterfalls, and half dome. This was an awesome hike.
P: This hike up to the falls was one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on. What was so amazing about this waterfall was the rainbow that just stayed right under it. WOW!
N: This is a Sequoia tree. They only grow in parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains and are thicker than a Redwood, but shorter. The name of the tree also has four vowels in a row while Redwood only has two vowels in a row, so it has that over Redwoods as well. I really don't know who I would take in a no holds barred tree fight. A Redwood clearly has the reach advantage, but a Sequoia's girth is nothing to laugh at. 
N: "Excuse me, I thought I ordered the large pine cone?" 
N: Polly sometimes refers to Sequoias as Sycamores, but you know Potato, Pot-ah-to. Or maybe it would be more like potato, tom-ah-to since they are two completely different trees? P: Well, I don't know what to say. He didn't mention that I also called them a spruce or a syracuse (I know that isn't even a tree... mercy what was i thinking) You know, if my dumb moments can make Nathan and apparently now a lot of people laugh then I am ok with that. I'm not going to pretend to be all smart like Nathan.
N: I am not pretending. Ouch!
N: We biked all over Yosemite Valley. This is absolutely the way to go. The bike trails make a big loop and let you see everything.P: Biking around yosemite was the bomb! We got off and did the hikes when we got to them.
N: This was a squirrel that Polly insisted looked like Snoopy. This was one of about 40 squirrel shots she took in a matter of about five minutes when we were eating lunch. I told her she was treating them like her nieces and nephews, but she just kept taking pictures. The really weird part is that we now have a three foot tall poster of this squirrel on our bedroom wall.P: I am not going to defend my squirrel obsession for one minute but I will say that squirrel is a little snoopy and I love that poster on our wall.
N: El Capitan.
P: I took this picture as the sun was setting and I was amazed how it made the trees sparkle. Being here I was always in constant awe of the Lord's creations.
N: This deer was loose in the village area. I thought it was going to go nuts on all these tourists who were surrounding it, but a Ranger scared the deer out of the populated area before it could gore anyone. 
P: This is a picture of Half Dome from the upper part of Yosemite. Next time we go we will hike it. It takes all day and is a pretty grueling hike from what we heard.
N: I summitted this peak in just over 17 hours. Then I base jumped without a shoot off the back side. I guess I am just extreme like that. P: Nathan is like a big monkey always trying to climb everything. He is like a kid, "Hey Polly watch me climb this rock and take a picture of how cool I am". Yes, I am so proud of him.
N: Everything in Yosemite was amazing. It was hard to pick which pics to put on here.
N: This was June Lake where we camped near Yosemite.
Road trip: Redwoods and Coast
N: Polly and I enjoyed watching the sun set on the Pacific Ocean. So romantic.
P: This was another perfect ending to our day. Being with Nathan in such a beautiful place was perfect.
N: Polly took this "sacred grove" shot. Well done.
P: I took this picture in the morning at our campsite. When I saw all of the rays coming through the trees I couldn't believe the beauty. I had never seen any thing quite like this before.
N: We did some biking in the Redwoods. It went much better than our McKenzie River Trail biking.
P: This is me picking black berries. It is one of Nathan and I's favorite hobbies. Yes I said hobbies. Any time we find black berry bushes we pull over and pick and eat to our hearts content. In Oregon we picked blueberries and I ate the entire bag in about 10 minutes, it was so wonderful. Makes me smile just thinking about it.
N: Fern Canyon was a really cool hike because it went right up the middle of the canyon along the stream.
P: we hiked though the Fern Canyon and through the red woods old growth forest and it was incredible.
N: This was Polly's first sand castle. We used the standard three tiered line of defense approach to protect it from the incoming tide. First, a sand retainer wall on the ocean side of the castle. Second, a four inch deep moat surrounding all four sides. And third, a castle wall to stop any waves that breach the first two lines. Needless to say, it still stands as a symbol of our everlasting love for each other.
P: We camped on the beach this night and it was so wonderful to walk along it, build my first sandcastle with Nathan and just enjoy the beauty of the ocean. We collected all of these really great basalt rocks that I use for hot stone massage. The rocks were incredible. I couldn't believe that I could find so many that were so perfect, because buying rocks like this are really expensive. It was the best ending to our day.
N: Polly found these two snails in our campsite and played snail matchmaker. It sounds like a premise for a great reality tv show. She was so happy to see them together and kept checking in on them to make sure they were still friends. I think it was the highlight of our trip for her.
P: Hey every little animal needs a true lover and best friend. So I have to admit that when I checked on them before we left our campsite and they were still next to each other just slime-in along(much to my surprise) I was so happy and had to take a picture of them. They probably lived happily ever after thanks to me.
N: These are Redwoods and they are really big. Usually, I physically impose my will on anything in my path, but not these giants.
P: Yep they really were big. They were stunningly beautiful and magnificent. Looking up into the sky at them was quite a site because they went on forever. We biked and hiked through them and we loved it.
Road Trippin': McKenzie River, Oregon
Our last stop on our trip was the McKenzie River in central Oregon. We came here to do some mountain biking but found a ton of other great reasons to visit.
N: We camped at Paradise Campground right on the river. It was awesome except at night when this bug would start making this really annoying noise while I was trying to sleep. When I heard it, I would grab the flashlight and creep over to the sound with the light off. Then when I thought I knew exactly where he was, I would flip on the light and try to spot it. When I didn't see him, I grabbed my hatchet and went straight ax murderer on the entire area. After completely demolishing his entire habitat, I went back to bed only to have him start buzzing again. I hate that bug. Eventually, I just stuffed my ears with TP and fell asleep.
P: You did want that bugs life. Poor little ugly bug. You knew it was ugly by the sound it was making. You just needed to embrace his annoying little noise and envision it a little chime putting you to sleep like I did. I didn't mind the bug. Anyway, when we got to our camp and first saw the river it was honestly the most incredible blue color I have ever seen in a river. Not even crayola could make a color like that. I loved just staring at it and didn't want to leave.
N: This is the McKenzie River Trail, which is a 30 mile hiking and biking trail that follows the river. This trail was the reason we came here. Polly is on her bike in this shot, but soon after this bridge, the trail turned to nobby, rough lava rock. She had to ditch her bike and hike to the Blue Pool. Only a few small parts of the trail are lava rock, everything else is nice dirt single track through old growth forest.
P: Yeah, I need to work on my mountain biking skills. Nathan was real patient with me because he is a real pro and I am a real beginner, lets just say I am a lot better on a road bike. However it was so much fun and the single track is really fun; well until we got to the lava rock. I said hasta la vista to my bike at that point. At least the old people I passed on the trail thought I was smart.
N: This was the Blue Pool. The river went underground for about a mile and this pool is where it reappears. Just another one of the really cool features on the McKenzie River.
P: Hiking through all the lava rock was totally worth it when I saw this little wonder.
N: This was Deer Creek Hot Springs right on the river's edge. We were the only one's there and it was a nice 85 degrees.
P: Ahhhh! The hot springs, it was glorious. A real gem.
N: This was our river guide Chachy. He lives on the McKenzie, works as a river guide in the summer and is on ski patrol in the winter. That sounds like the life. What am I doing in law school!
P:Chachy was a real funny dude who kept on telling Nathan to get out of the raft because he was a lawyer but that I could stay in because I am a massage therapist. He made the whole experience really great!
N: We rafted the river which was definitely one of the highlights of our whole trip. It was a little expensive but worth every dime. I highly recommend it if you get the chance.
P: Chachy challenged us to try whats called Riding The Bull. Right before we went down some big class 3 rapids we went and sat on the front of the raft, with our legs hanging over. Our only chance at staying on the raft was holding onto a single rope on the front of the raft. It was a little crazy! Nathan got bucked off pretty fast into the raft but I did pretty darn good. Then Nathan was some what of a beached whale on the floor of the raft, it was hilarious. This was my first time rafting and I loved it.
N: These were the falls on the river. The top one was about 70 feet tall and the lower one was about 60 feet tall. The falls rage even in August because the river is mostly spring fed rather than from snow melt. The middle picture is the section of river in between the two falls.
P: Hiking around the falls was awesome and quite a site. The guide from our river rafting trip told us that both of these falls have been kayaked over... crazy.
N: This was a little restaurant on Clear Lake. It had a great view but really it was all about the Marionberry Pie. It was unbelievable! The story is that an old grandma has made pies for the restaurant for the past 20 years, and delivers fresh ones everyday. Sadly, I have to admit that if I ran into that Grandma I would water board her for the recipe if needs be.
P: Yeah, I shnooked a bite of that pie and I was in heaven, wishing I could eat more. Nathan told me to take a picture of him so he could remember this amazing moment in time with his pie forever!
N: This is Clear Lake. It is the headwaters for the McKenzie River and is almost entirely spring fed from water that comes from a huge underground aquifer. Because the water is filtered by the aquifer, it is completely clear and really cold. The water temp never gets above 36 degrees in the lake.
P: The Beauty of the lake was incredible. The picture is pretty great but it doesn't do it justice.
N: We camped at Paradise Campground right on the river. It was awesome except at night when this bug would start making this really annoying noise while I was trying to sleep. When I heard it, I would grab the flashlight and creep over to the sound with the light off. Then when I thought I knew exactly where he was, I would flip on the light and try to spot it. When I didn't see him, I grabbed my hatchet and went straight ax murderer on the entire area. After completely demolishing his entire habitat, I went back to bed only to have him start buzzing again. I hate that bug. Eventually, I just stuffed my ears with TP and fell asleep.
P: You did want that bugs life. Poor little ugly bug. You knew it was ugly by the sound it was making. You just needed to embrace his annoying little noise and envision it a little chime putting you to sleep like I did. I didn't mind the bug. Anyway, when we got to our camp and first saw the river it was honestly the most incredible blue color I have ever seen in a river. Not even crayola could make a color like that. I loved just staring at it and didn't want to leave.
N: This is the McKenzie River Trail, which is a 30 mile hiking and biking trail that follows the river. This trail was the reason we came here. Polly is on her bike in this shot, but soon after this bridge, the trail turned to nobby, rough lava rock. She had to ditch her bike and hike to the Blue Pool. Only a few small parts of the trail are lava rock, everything else is nice dirt single track through old growth forest.
P: Yeah, I need to work on my mountain biking skills. Nathan was real patient with me because he is a real pro and I am a real beginner, lets just say I am a lot better on a road bike. However it was so much fun and the single track is really fun; well until we got to the lava rock. I said hasta la vista to my bike at that point. At least the old people I passed on the trail thought I was smart.
N: This was the Blue Pool. The river went underground for about a mile and this pool is where it reappears. Just another one of the really cool features on the McKenzie River.
P: Hiking through all the lava rock was totally worth it when I saw this little wonder.
N: This was Deer Creek Hot Springs right on the river's edge. We were the only one's there and it was a nice 85 degrees.
P: Ahhhh! The hot springs, it was glorious. A real gem.
N: This was our river guide Chachy. He lives on the McKenzie, works as a river guide in the summer and is on ski patrol in the winter. That sounds like the life. What am I doing in law school!
P:Chachy was a real funny dude who kept on telling Nathan to get out of the raft because he was a lawyer but that I could stay in because I am a massage therapist. He made the whole experience really great!
N: We rafted the river which was definitely one of the highlights of our whole trip. It was a little expensive but worth every dime. I highly recommend it if you get the chance.
P: Chachy challenged us to try whats called Riding The Bull. Right before we went down some big class 3 rapids we went and sat on the front of the raft, with our legs hanging over. Our only chance at staying on the raft was holding onto a single rope on the front of the raft. It was a little crazy! Nathan got bucked off pretty fast into the raft but I did pretty darn good. Then Nathan was some what of a beached whale on the floor of the raft, it was hilarious. This was my first time rafting and I loved it.
N: These were the falls on the river. The top one was about 70 feet tall and the lower one was about 60 feet tall. The falls rage even in August because the river is mostly spring fed rather than from snow melt. The middle picture is the section of river in between the two falls.
P: Hiking around the falls was awesome and quite a site. The guide from our river rafting trip told us that both of these falls have been kayaked over... crazy.
N: This was a little restaurant on Clear Lake. It had a great view but really it was all about the Marionberry Pie. It was unbelievable! The story is that an old grandma has made pies for the restaurant for the past 20 years, and delivers fresh ones everyday. Sadly, I have to admit that if I ran into that Grandma I would water board her for the recipe if needs be.
P: Yeah, I shnooked a bite of that pie and I was in heaven, wishing I could eat more. Nathan told me to take a picture of him so he could remember this amazing moment in time with his pie forever!
N: This is Clear Lake. It is the headwaters for the McKenzie River and is almost entirely spring fed from water that comes from a huge underground aquifer. Because the water is filtered by the aquifer, it is completely clear and really cold. The water temp never gets above 36 degrees in the lake.
P: The Beauty of the lake was incredible. The picture is pretty great but it doesn't do it justice.
The best weekend with our friends
We started off our trip by going mustanging to the top of the Sandia Mountains. Of course it was so much fun. My dad took us, Adam and one of his friends out and then we went to the Frontier to eat breakfast. I am so greatful to my Dad who creates a lot of fun in my life.
It was the perfect morning for mustanging.
At the top of Sandia peak.
Then we went up to Colorado to the family cabin. We hiked up to duck lake with Adam right when we got to the cabin. The beauty speaks for itself.
It was so nice of my dad to take us up 4 wheeling. Always super fun.
Nathan found a nice little spot in the rock. We climbed these rocks and had lunch there.
This rock speaks for itself. I couldn't believe it when I saw it.
A view from the top of the mountain were we go 4 wheeling. Very beautiful!
After we were done 4 wheeling we were covered in so much dirt. Take a good look at Nathan and you can tell somthin's a little wrong with the way he looks.
Lindsey and her husband Aaron hiking up to the falls. We have the greatest time with them, and enjoy every minute we're with them.
We hiked the falls that are right by our cabin and ate lunch. I love coming here because I grew up hiking to these falls.
We ended our trip by floating down the river. It was freezing but really fun. Oh yes and we also had some ping pong tournaments and some serious mice chasing in our cabin. At night all the mice would come out, and that ment for Adam and Nathan it was on! I couldn't stop laughing, just picture these two big boys running around like crazy, making schemes and traps. Later on Adam told me that it was like one of the funnest nights he has had in a long time. They stayed up untill 2 in the morning and they killed 3 rats. I was real proud. I won't go into detail about how they killed them for all you animal lovers out there. And for the record our cabin isn't that nasty. Just kinda right now because the mice have gotten used to the traps we have had out for the last 5 years and they aren't working, so we are having to hunt them ourselves.
Probably one of the best summers of my life.
This summer has been a dream. The fact that I have had a break from work and my church duties for 7 weeks has been, well, a dream come true. For the past weeks all I have done is play really hard. Nathan and I have gone up to the cabin in Colorado multiple weekends. It has been so wonderful to be with my family and not have to worry about a single thing. All I have been thinking about is what next fun thing I am going to do. That in itself is a miracle, and I have not taken one minute for granted. Here are a few things we have done since I have been here. We just got back from the cabin with our friends so those pics will be coming. And Nathan and I are leaving to go back to Spokane on Friday and have a big trip planned on our way home. We are going to go to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Redwoods, Crater Lake, and some mountain biking in Oregon. I have felt so much sadness thinking about leaving my family but I know that nine more months will go by very quickly.
Nathan went to Canyon De Chelly because he went out that way to do work on the reservations.
Nathan has had an incredible internship and has loved working doing personal injury on the reservations. He has been doing some traveling out to the reservations doing depositions. He also has taken out the Law Mobile. He goes from city to city and just waits. He has tons of people come in and talk to them to see if there is a potential case they want to take on. This is how their firm gets some of their cases. I am so happy that Nathan has found a type of law that he enjoys doing.
My sisters come over to moms house, bring the pool and let the kids swim. We just talk and hang out. It's the perfect day. This is Abby and Jakey pooh bear, so sweet.
Me and sweet Lydia just hanging out at the house.
We had a girls night out. We went to Casa de Beneviedez and had some great Mexican food. Then we went bowling. Muffy had the highest score of 140 and my mom came in second with a 130. Who knew my sweet lil' skinny momma could bowl so good. Here Annie and Sarah are showing off their nasty lizard bowling shoes. I love being with all the girls.
Just a little bed wrestling with the kids. Nathan has done a lot of wrestling this summer, and all of the kids love him for it. Here Sammy is hanging onto Nathan's booty for dear life. Nathan was bucking like wild bull.He plays so hard with the kids and it usually ends when one starts crying because they got hurt. It is pretty funny to watch.
Our first triathlon together. I was really proud of his swimming since he has never swam before. He actually did pretty good.
We did a triathlon in Socorro and it was so much fun. This picture was taken after the triathlon. I was so proud of Nathan and am excited to do many more of these. Also being with Muff was awesome and we hope to get more family to do it with us next time. Oh yes I cannot leave out the most important fact about our triathlon, I beat Nathan by one minute. Booyah!!!
This is one of my greatest friends Sara Klatt. We have been friends since the 2nd grade. For her work she travels into Albuquerque, so we have been able to get together for a few hours and eat at my favorite restaurant, Flying Star. I am so grateful for Sara and to have a friendship like hers. Even though we have been away, when we come together it is thought we have never been apart.
Landon and me. After we go mustanging (driving my dads mustangs) we always go to breakfast at the Frontier. They have the best green chile omelets. This day was awesome. After we took the mustangs out we went to the Aquatic Center in Rio Rancho and swam with all the kids. Then we ate dinner at Fudruckers with all the Fam. And to top it off the Bachelorette Finale which was of course amazing.
Me and my Dad at the top of the Sandia Mountains. We woke up early and Landon my dad and I went mustanging. We drive fast and furious. Ok not furious, but fast, yes. If my mom were in the car she would probably cry.
Nathan went to Canyon De Chelly because he went out that way to do work on the reservations.
Nathan has had an incredible internship and has loved working doing personal injury on the reservations. He has been doing some traveling out to the reservations doing depositions. He also has taken out the Law Mobile. He goes from city to city and just waits. He has tons of people come in and talk to them to see if there is a potential case they want to take on. This is how their firm gets some of their cases. I am so happy that Nathan has found a type of law that he enjoys doing.
My sisters come over to moms house, bring the pool and let the kids swim. We just talk and hang out. It's the perfect day. This is Abby and Jakey pooh bear, so sweet.
Me and sweet Lydia just hanging out at the house.
We had a girls night out. We went to Casa de Beneviedez and had some great Mexican food. Then we went bowling. Muffy had the highest score of 140 and my mom came in second with a 130. Who knew my sweet lil' skinny momma could bowl so good. Here Annie and Sarah are showing off their nasty lizard bowling shoes. I love being with all the girls.
Just a little bed wrestling with the kids. Nathan has done a lot of wrestling this summer, and all of the kids love him for it. Here Sammy is hanging onto Nathan's booty for dear life. Nathan was bucking like wild bull.He plays so hard with the kids and it usually ends when one starts crying because they got hurt. It is pretty funny to watch.
Our first triathlon together. I was really proud of his swimming since he has never swam before. He actually did pretty good.
We did a triathlon in Socorro and it was so much fun. This picture was taken after the triathlon. I was so proud of Nathan and am excited to do many more of these. Also being with Muff was awesome and we hope to get more family to do it with us next time. Oh yes I cannot leave out the most important fact about our triathlon, I beat Nathan by one minute. Booyah!!!
This is one of my greatest friends Sara Klatt. We have been friends since the 2nd grade. For her work she travels into Albuquerque, so we have been able to get together for a few hours and eat at my favorite restaurant, Flying Star. I am so grateful for Sara and to have a friendship like hers. Even though we have been away, when we come together it is thought we have never been apart.
Landon and me. After we go mustanging (driving my dads mustangs) we always go to breakfast at the Frontier. They have the best green chile omelets. This day was awesome. After we took the mustangs out we went to the Aquatic Center in Rio Rancho and swam with all the kids. Then we ate dinner at Fudruckers with all the Fam. And to top it off the Bachelorette Finale which was of course amazing.
Me and my Dad at the top of the Sandia Mountains. We woke up early and Landon my dad and I went mustanging. We drive fast and furious. Ok not furious, but fast, yes. If my mom were in the car she would probably cry.
24th Pioneer Celebration
For the Pioneer Celebration every year we go up to our cabin and then to Manassa Colorado. My dad took Nathan and I up to the top of Chama pass to go 4 wheeling. It was awsome. And so great to spend some time with just Nathan and my Dad.
Me and Lydia dancing. I can't get enough of her. I love it when she looks at me. And I could be perfectly content watching her do all of her knew tricks, folding her arms and waving and saying HI, all day. I also love how her legs have a mind of their own and bend in every direction, how she is always smiling, her little grunt like laugh, how she sticks her bottom high up in the air(it's a great trick) and how her soft little body just conforms right to you.
We had a family dance that we invited all of our cousins to. It was so much fun. We did a limbo contest and me Muff and Landon tied. I was impressed by my brothers back bending skills.
One of my favorite floats.
The fam at the parade.
This is our float that Boo put together. She is so creative and it turned out so great. I loved seeing the kids on the float, they did such a good job. Abe had his speakers hooked up to the float and was playing the music and the kids were dancing on the float, it was so awsome. Most of the kids on the other floats just did a weak little wave and not even a smile. So when you saw our float coming down it was quite the site with all the kids dancing. Good job Boo, you made our family real proud!
For the pioneer celebration we go to Mannasa for the Parade, 5k run, food and playing on the toys, well not me, the kids. This year me, Muff, Nathan, Abe, and Mike ran the 5k together. It was really fun.
One day we hiked to tabacco lake and then up to Conejos Peak which is one of the highest peaks in Colorado. It was so beautiful. This has always been one of my favorite hikes growing up.
Girls Night Out
I love being with my neices, they are so sweet and funny. Me and my mom took them to see the Hannah Montanna Movie, dinner at Chick Filet and then back to grams house for a fashion show. I paint their nails, I let them do their make up and then they pick out their dress which are all the old dresses me and my sisters wore growing up. Then the fashion show begins. We put on some jammin music and I announce each girl as they walk down the stairs and pose. They all come up with their model names. Avalie: Ammattasai, Mia: Shauntell, Olivia: Princess Ciara, Emma: Genevive, Abby:Aliena, and Sophie: Fairy Topia. These fashion shows are honestly the highlight of the week. My dad can't get enough of them. You may want to click on the picture to get a closer look at the girls!
4th of July
We went to Alamosa, CO for the Fireworks show. Polly was working real hard to get some good fireworks pics with our new camera.
We got poured on during the show. Fireworks shows aren't that great when you are trying to look straight up into the downpour.
Lydia enjoyed the fireworks show despite the rain.
For this portion of the post, just sit back, put on some Kenny G and enjoy some of the finest scenery Colorado has to offer.
Four Wheelin' on top of the mountain.
We almost got rained out. But we went straight trash bags and just waited out the rain while we ate lunch.
The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad in Antonito, CO. We actually drove to the cabin without the right key to get in. So after we realized that, we drove down to Antonito about 15 miles away and got a cheap hotel room. The next morning we checked out the train yard while we waited for more family and the key.
We got poured on during the show. Fireworks shows aren't that great when you are trying to look straight up into the downpour. 
Lydia enjoyed the fireworks show despite the rain.
For this portion of the post, just sit back, put on some Kenny G and enjoy some of the finest scenery Colorado has to offer. 
Four Wheelin' on top of the mountain. 
We almost got rained out. But we went straight trash bags and just waited out the rain while we ate lunch. 
The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad in Antonito, CO. We actually drove to the cabin without the right key to get in. So after we realized that, we drove down to Antonito about 15 miles away and got a cheap hotel room. The next morning we checked out the train yard while we waited for more family and the key.
After the Wedding
We spent most of the time in Seattle doing wedding stuff, but on Sunday afternoon we went for a little hike with my family. This is the Meadowdale Beach trail. It is just a couple miles long but it goes through some old growth forest down to the beach. It took us a while though because our nephew kept stopping to eat all these nasty salmon berries.
This was a cool tree along the trail down to the beach.
Contrary to popular belief, the sun does shine in Seattle. We had really great weather the whole time we were in town. If the sun is out and we are at the beach, Polly demands a kissing picture. It's just how it is. I'm not complaining.
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