Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Lee is Loaded

2011-07-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

Lee is loaded and ready for paint. This is getting exciting.

Countless loving hours have been spent disassembling and catologing her every part.

And now she's ready for the next critical step in her transformation.

Not sure how long this process will take, but if it takes as long as it has taken for the big guy to choose her paint color it may take a while. Oh that's right, he really hasn't exactly selected a color yet. **sigh** Stay tuned!

Let There Be...Grass??

2011-07-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

We planted...we've watered (too much??) but when will there ever be grass?

Bert's Photo Shoot

2011-07-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

So the sixteen year old is a little out of sorts missing "danger" so she spent some time with the other man in her life - Bert. They had a great little photo session together.

He gets so happy when you have time to play with him. He kinda responds like a puppy and gets right in to it with you. So fun!

This would be am "I'm happy" buck. Poor guy has been doing a lot of hangin' out lately and is desperately in need of some attention...in the form of regular exercise.

The girl picniked these last two photos btw...

Raspberry Jam - Check!

2011-07-25T20:39:00.001-07:00

Houston, We Have Sun!

2011-07-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

The sun has come...for two days in a row now...so let the real picking begin!

On Island

2011-07-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ross has some work on Vancouver Island this week so they took the opportunity to have a mini family vaca over there. Looks like they are having a wonderful time!

In The Sugar Pit

2011-07-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

Britt and Shana went to the Sugarland Concert at the Comcast Arena with Corey & Jon. Not only were they at the concert, they were in the Sugar Pit just a few rows from the stage. Sweet! (get it - haha)

Ode To My Creative Child

2011-07-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

I gave the sixteen year old a photo assignment - get a picture of you and Kevy at work. I wanted it for the blog since for the first time...drum roll...she is driving herself to work. Yesssssssss! So this is what I got - this random, artsy shot...with the pristine baby berries neatly displayed in the side mirror! Kaely...oh how I heart you!

Our Boys

2011-07-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Our boys came for a visit while mom and date had a date nite. First thing on the agenda each time is a "squishy hug" from Grandpa!

I made blue potatoes for dinner and the boys thot they were amazing! Thot it was so sweet to watch Elijah prepare for prayer. I will always treasure this picture!

Before bed there was just enough time for fresh strawberries and ice cream, and left over poffertjes with Grandpa.

Blame It On The Rain

2011-07-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

The rain really messed with us today. It cancelled Taryn's work day - again, made for an interesting Razz Festival in Lynden for Poffertjes, and threatened these rib eyes! Gary had the smoker ready to sear our steaks when a downpour hit. Before he knew it the smoker temp had dropped from over 600 degrees to 350. Not good. This through his cooking time off...but they turned out great despite!

The evening ended with a spectacular thunder storm. We opened the patio doors and just enjoyed the show!

Sadie Comes Home!

2011-07-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

Cait bot a new horse and today she borrowed our trailer to pick her up from Orcas Island.

Meet beautiful Sadie, a Rocky Mountain Horse.

Firebird Engine Update

2011-07-15T22:14:00.001-07:00

Gary got to go and hear his engine run for the first time today. He was positively giddy! It runs great...and should be ready in a few weeks.

Reporting For Duty

2011-07-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

Berry wardrobe, smartly accessorized with her "blue steel" bandanna from JH Ranch. You go girl!

Harvest Begins...

2011-07-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

The sixteen year old finally had her first day of harvest work. She was helped with wires on Monday and a few hours on Tuesday, but actual berry harvest on a picker started today. The weather...well it's borderline tragic, and the forecast looks like...continued tragic. We are praying for a lot better than tragic! Her first day crew included all friends from last year - Carmen, Trent ∧ Brett. And so the fun begins.

Grown -Up Toys

2011-07-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Ross now has his office for Big Steel Box in Canada. Today he posted this pic and described his office "like Tonka trucks and Lego Blocks for grown-ups". Indeed!

Work...FAIL

2011-07-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

The sixteen year old was suppose to start work on a raspberry picker today. Guess not.

The Big Guy's Birthday

2011-07-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

After an amazing day yesterday at Pearrygin, today was about celebrating Gary's birthday.

So thankful everyone could be together for a family dinner.

The plan was for burgers on the patio...but whatev's (as the sixteen year old would say) Gary decided to smoke streaks instead...and they were amazing!

Elijah having a little watermelon with a smile.

I got to sit by Isaiah and he said "oh that will be so nice!"

Cards, gifts and cake followed.

The boys love this part!

And Isaiah did this wonderful coloring for grandpa.

Happy birthday hon - we all love you so much!

Ride to the River

2011-07-10T22:02:00.001-07:00

Riding to the river is the new favorite of the sixteen year old. Love this pic of Bert with his ears forward as if he's enjoying the sounds of the river.

The ride includes short visits with friends along the road.

And this is the best little trail ever that takes you right down to the rivers edge. Great summer fun - for girl and horse!

Our Epic Pearrygin Adventure

2011-07-09T00:22:00.000-07:00

Left home at 6:00 AM for an adventure today. Taking the sixteen year old and her two best friends over the mountains to ski/tube at Pearrygin for the day - yes, I said day!

This is what the back seat of the pick up looked like with Danger, the sixteen year old and Frodo, Steph and Luna, her pillow pet who is off-camera at this moment.

I cannot tell you how fun and crazy these two are together.

We enjoyed several stops along the way, and the big guy even found some signs to read *sigh*

There were rocks to climb - crazy children...

and amazing lakes to gaze at.

This is Diablo lake and dam. We even saw the tour boat making it's way across the lake...and once again the big guy and I commented that we really should take that tour sometime again. Btw we've said that every time we've gone thru here since we've been married. We really should sometime.

The big guy got this quite sweet shot of his truck and boat.

Sometimes creation just shouts Jesus, doesn't it!

After a quick stop in Winthrop for some nourishment we made it to the lake around 11:00. I took these two shots with the long range lens of my camera from shore. Honestly I just hoped this was our boat...haha, and it was!

Ty was a great sport and in no time was up on a kneeboard.

Steph and Ty ready to tube.

I so love Steph's free spirit - she's another "all in" girl like the sixteen year old!

Kaely and Ty tubing.

Just a short break for more nourishment. Loved the Willow tree memory here so just had to capture that.

By 6:00 boats must be off the water so we pulled out, cleaned up...

...and headed in to Three Finger Jack's for dinner. The kids entertained themselves - and the others seated near us - by several games of ERS as we waited for our food.

My oh so pretty girl!

It was starting to get dark as we headed out of town and back over the mountain. But adventure was far from over when this luring mountain of snow taunted the children! Ok, I may have dared them a bit too!

The crazy children climbed the snow covered side of the mountain - the girls in their flip-flops! Kinda hard to see but Ty is up on the rocks.

Even the big guy had to show off his new wonder-hiking shoes and meet them up at the rock.

Our epic day ended with this glimpse of God's majesty, and then a lot of sleeping children and pillow pets in the backseat. When we got to Burlington the fireworks at Skagit Speedway began so we got to watch them while we drove back to L-town.

It's a Likkel Thing

2011-07-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

This a the very traditional Likkel version of strawberry shortcake. I realize now that this photo doesn't actually all display the components - just the finished product - but no worries, I'll explain the details.

Our traditional recipe includes those little dessert shortcakes you buy at the store - usually near the strawberries in the produce aisle - sliced berries (the big guy like a little sugar mixed with them, but that's not technically in the traditional Likkel recipe) and whipped cream whipped softly with a little powdered sugar and a drop of vanilla. Layer and serve.

We never thought there would still be strawberries in July when we got back from our trip, but they're still being sold! A bit small...but still Whatcom County delicious!

Remembering...

2011-07-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

You don't see this much anymore but driving by these irrigation sprinklers today brought a memory and a smile to me. When I grew up on our dairy farm this is how we irrigated our land - with a line of sprinklers. It was a job, and as a child for me it was part of my chores. My dad and older brother did the hard parts but it was my job to assist. First we'd shut the pump down, then the pipes would each need to be unhook. One end of the pipe would be lifted up - above my head if possible - to drain the remaining water out of the pipes.
After that each pipe in the line was moved by hand to the next dry section of the field. This was the hard part for me since I was still quite young. It was a lot of work to balance a 30 foot pipe with a sprinkler at one end. I have this memory of my daddy doing this so quickly and easily because he was so very strong. And it was wonderful to be the one who got to push the button for the pump and watch a straight line of sprinklers start up again. But that's nothing compared to the sound. To this day that is to me a wonderful sound. Great memory indeed!

Brandon & Greta 4th-ing it!

2011-07-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

Brandon & Greta were not with us on the 4th, but since they posted this pic on Facebook...and since we seldom post pics of them I thot I would take advantage of it. They were with Greta's sister Clara and her family, and this was taken out at Semiahmoo.

Last Day

2011-07-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

The big guy enjoyed his breakfast this morning outside. What a wonderful way to end our time here in Redding. We packed up quickly to get on the road as soon as we could.
Good-bye Redding!

And good-bye Lake Shasta.

We drove all the way home arriving on the 4th at nearly 1 AM. Wilson was there to greet us, and we were so thankful for our own beds.

It's All About The Water

2011-07-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

It's a chlorine day - hurray!! Another benefit of this resort is that it's right next to a water park. Gary and Taryn spent most of the day over there enjoying it all...with lots of sunscreen!

Taryn was very proud to say she tried every ride...even the ones that were quite intense. This was a fun one.

The two of them had a great time...I decided to skip the crowds and use the time to organize for our departure tomorrow. Getting the girl with all her things made for some chaos in the bbow. I was delighted to work on that in wonderful air conditioning while they were gone.

It got very hot today...110 degrees...and this is in the shade.

But don't worry about me, I spent my afternoon right here. Iced tea, a great book and swimming pool often to myself - beyond wonderful!

After dinner Gary was ready to put his feet up and read. The sixteen year old is thrilled with the wi-fi here so she can communicate with a certain someone! At the same time she wanted to play some ERS with me.

Every once in a while I had to remind her we were playing a game.

And I just had to document how brutal the game got. This is my hand, my blood, and my cards! Note two bandaids - two wounds. Luv u girl...and I forgive you too!

Random Day

2011-07-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

We found a very nice resort in Redding that we are enjoying a lot.
Hard to believe, but last week when Taryn got rained out on her wilderness journey this resort also experienced flooding with a couple of inches in their office from a near by creek.

But now it is just clean, and green, and perfect for us...so by the end of this day we settled right in.

There is a wonderful old refrigerator in the office/store that still works. I love it!

We totally slept in this morning. First thing on our agenda had to be laundry. The big guy was kind enough to agree we need the convenience of multiple washers and driers which meant locating an actual laundromat. Taryn has so many damp clothes they are going to mold quickly if not taken care of.

We got them all washing and then left for breakfast...at In-N-Out Burger. I knew this would likely be our only opportunity to go there together...and it was already 1 pm, so what the world, let's do it. Fabulously random, and fabulously delicious!!

After drying & folding all the laundry we headed back to Lake Shasta. This would also be our only moment to experience the actual lake. Again, this is so not easy in the bbow. It was not much fun finding a place. We got ourselves in some rather interesting dilemmas which nearly did me in. The water in Shasta is very high as you can see from this pic.

This little cove was one place we could find parking (at a boat launch) and walk to the water and chill...hahaha in 100 plus degrees.

The cove was quite narrow so Gary and Taryn actually swam in it. I'm not very fond of lake swimming...except in the middle of the lake where my feet are treading water not touching who-knows-what. There was slimy stuff at the waters edge so I didn't even feel compelled to get in it at all, but they had a wonderful swim.

After chilling there a few hours we did a bit more exploring around the area. Gary found this launch and got some pics of houseboats. We were kinda done after that - still quite tired, so we headed back to the resort. We saved some steaks for a special dinner with the girl so we made a celebration meal together.

Big Top Worship

2011-06-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Get The Girl - Part 2

2011-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Let me go on record to say that it is a way different experience finding JH in the Honda than finding it in the bbow - just sayin'. We parked down below by the cabins and ran up to the lodge to see what was going on...and if she would happen to be there. The lodge was buzzing with people everywhere...doing all the things you want and need to do before leaving. Most of the 270 students will leave late tonite on buses for the airport in Sacramento...only seven are actually being picked up, and the sixteen year old would be one of the seven!

Not finding her at the Lodge we headed back down to her cabin. Just as we got there she came out the door to start looking for us. The look on her face was priceless! She was so happy to see us, happy for the amazing time she's had at JH, and happy for us to meet her new friend Katy. Katy is adorable and these two had a spectacular time together. Katy is from Santa Barbara - well, at least it's on the West Coast. These two have all the same interests - music, horses, art. So thankful for their special friendship! Everyone was getting ready for their final dinner together up at the Lodge.

The hour before dinner was spent getting pictures with everyone you could possibly get your picture taken with. It was quite chaotic.

These are 14 kids in Taryn's group. Two of the girls were actually in her cabin last year so that was a lot of fun.

Taryn & Katy posing with...John Wayne??

Final dinner in the amazing dining pavilion. Gary and I had the honor of eating with the staff. Mack Ogren, development director at JH, was our host at dinner and it was such a blessing visiting with him about all that God is doing at JH.

After dinner there was a long presentation of awards.

This is one of the great little trails you can take from the dining pavilion down to the cabin area. Going down is so much fun...going back up, not so much! Of course I made this trip at least five times. Imagine do that multiple times a day for two weeks!

And here is the bbow parked among the pine trees at JH. Lovely! There was actually another rv parked down there near the creek. This family was from the Alabama and had made the trip to JH a family vacation. In hindsight we wished we had planned to stay the nite right here...but at this point we had no idea just how late this nite would become for us.

After that everyone was responsible to have their cabins cleaned out and all luggage in the proper location for departure. There was actually a very large horse trailer designated for luggage. And then everyone headed down to the Big Top. It is actually quite an amazing venue. I've heard so much about it I was beyond excited to actually be there!

In the corral next to the Big Top all these tents were set up to dry out - kind of a visual testament to God's sovereignty. Two days earlier Second Wind's three day wilderness adventure and the Shasta Trac 2 adventure were aborted due to weather. Second Wind teams had hiked, often in snow, to find a specific location using only a compass and coordinates. This can take two to ten hours depending on how well you navigate as a group. Taryn's group took six hours to find the correct location (first ones!) and set up camp there for the nite. She remembers falling asleep with the gentle patter of rain on their tent. She woke up around 3 Am with her feet and sleeping bag completely submerged in a puddle of water. This was not good. As everyone woke up in the same dilemma they were given instructions to pack up camp and head back to the ranch. This was very wise...but also very disappointing as this experience in the wilderness, that includes a 24 hr solo time, is considered the pinnacle of Second Wind. Still using this as a teachable moment they had a very special Big Top back at the ranch where Mack taught them about God changing our plans for His purpose.

Waiting for the Big Top to begin was another photo opportunity. The girls in Taryn's group had their picture taken with worship leader Ronnie Freeman.

And another group shot

Everyone waiting for the Big Top to begin.

The call to worship from the Big Top is unmistakable and every one was so anxious to worship. This was a dream come true for me. Ronnie Freeman is an amazing worship leader, and by this time the kids are so familiar with the music that the worship is uninhibited and just flows out of their passion for Christ.

A quick recap of what they had learned over the past two weeks was followed by testimonies from the students. The staff and coaches call this meeting "pay day". All the coaches work for the summer as volunteers - none are paid - so hearing how God has impacted the lives of the kids in their cabins is their "pay day". It was wonderful to witness this part of the program.

Near the end the sixteen year old in obedience got up and shared just a bit of what God was teaching her over the past two weeks. She shared that coming last year with her dad was really for her about her relationship with him, compared to this year when it was all about her relationship with the Lord. God met her here at JH and drew her heart even closer to His. At one point she looked down at one of her bracelets - a gift from her sister - that says on it "More Than Words" - that is the passion of these two weeks at JH for her - identifying her faith even more as her own, and cementing it in her heart as a faith that is "more than words". It was a grand moment!

As we left the Big Top I had this experience of stepping into the night and having the brightness of the stars completely stop me in my tracks. At this elevation the stars are so brilliant I literally thot I was walking under white Christmas lights. It was a crazy moment to realize it was actually the stars in the sky. It took my breath away!

After farewell sundae's in the dining pavilion it was time for some very tearful good-bye's as the buses loaded to leave JH. We left in the bbow shortly before they did, but well after midnite. We still have a two hour drive back to Redding. The good news was we got to hear wonderful stories from the sixteen year old about her time at JH - the bad news was it was nearly 3 AM when we fell into bed! What an amazing day in so many incredible ways...and we got the girl!

Get The Girl! - Part 1

2011-06-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Crazy excited to get the girl today, and loving this drive between Redding and Yreka - Lake Shasta, Mount Shasta, the cinder cone, Weed, Scott Valley - it's a wonderful drive. This horse's tail made me smile today too!

Every corner reveals another view Mt. Shasta that is absolutely stunning! You can't even imagine in the last two weeks how many different photos I have taken of Shasta - a book full!

This cinder cone near Shasta also fascinates me. I have been trying to research it - find a name for it, but so far no luck. It is huge and also very fun to see.

Another view of Mt. Shasta.

While driving thru Yreka towards JH last week I saw this huge bbq and commented to Taryn that this is a place the big guy would be stopping. Today as we were driving to Yreka he reminded me that I saw a bbq place there...and he's in the mood for bbq today. So we found Pat's

Ok, Pat and her husband are really nice people, but this right here was a bbq disaster on so many levels! I won't bore you with all the details why, but a main culprit was the sauce....all seven of them were, well tragic. I ended up taking some of the brisket with me and we had it the next nite with some Sweet Baby Rays and it was so much ridiculously better. We're a bit early for JH so thot we'd spend some time in the big city - Etna...the last civilization before JH.

Nestled in Scott Valley Etna CA is a kick in the pants! With a population of, oh just over 700 and dropping, it's a small town dream. JH makes regular stops here at the Scott Valley Drug for ice cream, and that is a memory for Gary from last year's father/daughter camp he did with Taryn, so since we had time he wanted to show me.

The soda fountain is actually quite wonderful...love the gorgeous oak unit.

And they have this wonderful player piano here. We didn't get to hear it, but Gary did last year and it was great. I now wonder if we had asked if they would have played it for us....hind site!

The pop served there is still syrup mixed by hand with soda water - quite charming, and they have a great selection of Breyers ice cream. We decided to go with an old fashioned strawberry soda. Watching her make this was so much fun for me...that was my high school job when I worked at the Big Scoop!

It was a most delicious memory! After the memory we drove thru town again looking at the old buildings and scouting out some old cars, and then we hit the road winding thru Scott Valley in to the Siskiyou Mountains to find our girl!

Truckee to Redding

2011-06-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

This morning was still a bit drippy but we wanted to be at the Donner Memorial State Park Emigrant Trail Museum when it opened because we have a long drive today. This is the monument in front of the museum. The pedestal is 22 ft high - the exact depth of the snow that fateful winter. From here there is a short trail to the door of the museum. The Donner story is explained in a 25 minute video. Eighty-nine westward bound pioneers were trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the winter of 1846 - 47 after making the decision to try what they were told was an easier and quicker route. It wasn't, and as a result of that decision only 49 survived. I think there is a spiritual application in there somewhere.

The museum holds some of their actual personal items...

...which was just a bit haunting.

This very unusual item is an actual horse showshoe...and I was absolutely fascinated by it. It was so heavy...and I just couldn't imagine a horse wearing four of these let alone working in them....but they sure did. With a little help from Goggle I found several types horse showshoes, and even pictures of horses working in them. Crazy!

After the lights came on in the little movie room I saw this most startling wall of butterflies and moths.

Not gonna lie...I don't do moths...but the blue butterfly was really pretty!

This picture shows how they would disassemble their wagons to get them through the mountain. How hard this must have been!

Ok, and then there was this random collection of stuffed animals. These two were my favorites - the lynx and the weasel. Goodness sakes they even had a stuffed mole!

Leaving the museum we continued on Hwy 80 beside Donner Lake, and it is quite beautiful.

We accidental took a wrong turn that ended up being one of the best parts of our day.

This is what remains of the emigrant trail. What a thrill to see this piece of it.

The bbow in another spectacular location!

Signs. Yes, it is my duty, with no children an board the bbow, to read signs with the big guy. Signs are a great source of joy for him. I do not know who wrote this particular series of signs, but they had a wonderful sense of humor and even I couldn't wait to read the next one. Note to sign makers of the world: adding just a touch of pithy humor to your writing gains results in an instant rapport with the non-sign readers. Trust me!

We made it to the summit!

On the other side of the Sierra Nevada's we were soon into incredibly productive farm country. We spotted this little mom & pop farm and stand and just had to stop.

We picked up strawberries, these amazing blackberries, small squash and zucchini for an eventual stir fry. The family growing and selling these had immigrated from Asia. They were hard working, and thankful to deal with you.

Then suddenly we were in acres of orchards - fruits and nuts. Sure wish there were signs posted so we knew what we were driving by.

By 6 pm we had made it to Redding...and starving we busted over to In-

N-Out Burger. Oh how we heart In-N-Out!

And we had to see a bit of Lake Shasta before settling in our resort. The lake is so high. Seeing a little houseboat heading down lake, and another tucked in a cove made my heart long to do that again! Tomorrow...we get the girl!

Eleven Hours Around the Lake

2011-06-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

Thot it might be nice to include a map of Lake Tahoe in this post. Today we travelled for 11 hours around the lake. It was a grand adventure of seeing parts of Lake Tahoe we had never seen before. We left Zephyr Cove around 9 AM heading South around the bottom of the lake. As you can see Nevada and California each share half of the lake. We will leave Nevada today, enter California and then swing around the top of the lake back in to Nevada for just a bit. Leaving we made a quick stop into Safeway for groceries, fuel and to find a Post Office to mail a postcard puzzle to the little boys and a birthday card to Brandon boy.

Our first official touring stop was at the Tallac Historical Site. I can't get over the amazing pine trees here. They tower above us and there is nothing quite like the smell of a pine forest - it is delightful!

We took this fun little path to the Tallac information center for trail maps and so the big guy could read signs.

This was a great pine cone display there. It is very interesting to distinguish the cones different trees produce. The ground is completely covered with pine cones. I really felt compelled to hoard some in the bbow, but in a moment of unusual self control I didn't take ANY! Gary however did put one in which we later gave to Kay.

These amazing fallen white trees were littered along our walk. They were quite intricate and interesting to me.

Ok, and there are stellar blue jays everywhere...and I love them. It was a game to try and get a close-up photo of them. After several fails this was actually quite a good shot.

In the 1870's this area around Tahoe was the playground of the rich and famous from San Fransisco. There were resorts, casinos and private homes built here. Three homes - the Pope, Baldwin and Valhalla estates are still there and open to the public.

This is the most historically preserved one and we enjoyed walking thru it.

Really loved this old piano, and wished to play it actually.

The kitchen was a lot of fun. it was set up to look as if someone was canning.

This amazing wooden refrigerator was actually working and you could get bottled water out of it.

Utility room

These quiet and pleasant paths took you from building to building
.

And there were also some cool vehicles outside.

Not gonna lie....I love this pic of a jay among the pine needles. How cool is that!

Continuing on around the lake this is on Hwy 89 heading towards Emerald Bay - a favorite spot of ours. The road gets pretty crazy around here and the drop off to the lake instant - quite an interesting drive in the bbow.

At one point you are driving along the very crest of the ridge, the sides dropping on both sides of you. Intensely crazy! Hard to get a real good photo of this experience, but this is the best one I got.

And this is beautiful Emerald Bay and Fannette Island with the Zepher Cove Tahoe Queen, an authentic Mississippi paddlewheeler, giving a lake tour. We took that tour many years ago with our three oldest and it was an amazing way to see the lake and hear the history at the same time.

At the far end of the cove is the Vikingsholm house built by Mrs. Lorna Josephine Knight in 1928 and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the U.S. Before building Mrs. Knight toured Scandinavia with her team of architect's.

And on the peak of her little island she built a unique little tea house where she would take friends over by boat for afternoon tea. On a random but interesting note, While Mrs. Knight is primarily known for building Vikingsholm, she and her husband were also primary financial backers of Charles Lindberg's non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927.

This overlook has always been a favorite stop for us every time we've been to Emerald Bay. You can see it all from here...and have a great time scaling rocks too.

The big guy got some new amazing hiking shoes at the beginning of our trip and this was his first real moment to see how they would do. They were awesome!

It's hard to capture the magnitude of this waterfall. The snow melt made it pretty spectacular today...and it sounded wonderful too!

The big guy with his amazing Honcoop determination found a parking space in this impossibly small parking lot. i was under the table as he was backing and maneuvering around other vehicles. Aughhhhh!

Leaving the outlook heading North up the West side of Lake Tahoe was a new adventure of previously untraveled road for us, and we enjoyed it so much! Meeks Bay, Tahoma, Homewood and Sunnyside were all new to us and part of our grand adventure around the lake today.

This is the Truckee Dam in Tahoe City - a great place to stretch your legs, read signs (if you're the big guy) feed monster trout and greedy ducks white bread, and find great ice cream.

Oh my word, when I spotted The Dam Cafe across the street I insisted the big guy risk life and limb crossing four lanes of traffic so I could get a picture of him under the sign. He got me back by insisting I too cross the busy street and enjoy some ice cream with him there. My kids will all "get" this!

A storm was moving into the area that day and as we continued our drive across the top of Tahoe back in to Nevada we watched the waves build on the lake. Another stop near Sand Harbor State Park let us enjoy another jaunt on the rocks near the water.

The wind and the waves gave an amazing wild sensation.

And there were all these fun little paths to wander on and explore.

We said good-bye to Lake Tahoe and headed back around the top of the lake on hwy 267 to spend the nite in Truckee. Before hitting the resort we drove thru town several different ways enjoying the old buildings and imagining the town this once was.

This is the Truckee Hotel in downtown. It was built in 1868 and still is a working bed and breakfast. Truckee was known as a rough and tough gambling town in those days, and this building likely saw a lot of that...but will never tell.

We were barely set up in our campsite when it began to rain...and hard!

Enjoying Tahoe

2011-06-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

We took a path to this little beach area which looked like a lot of fun. We know the girl would have been right on those rocks. We got too much sun yesterday so it's gonna be a shade day for the two of us.
It did look like a really nice place to hang for an afternoon. Next time!
Can you believe this view?? I am amazed at how blue the sky and the water are. The snow is still very low down on the mountains around us. At the store they told me that on first of June they had 10 inches of snow right here. My little radio told me this morning that they expect snow on the high elevations tomorrow. It is very warm during the day, but cool enough at nite that we haven't used air conditioning yet. Amazing!
Two bbq's in a row - what a treat!

Talked to the Girl

2011-06-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

We really didn't sleep well last nite but by 8 AM JH was on the phone with us letting us know that we would hear from our girl right after breakfast. I was so pleased with how quickly they responded. Between that call and her call to us an hour later I had three e-mails from people at JH. She is and was just fine...just a little sad when she tried so hard to talk to us and then missed us. She's doing great and heading for three days in the wilderness....including a 24 hr solo. She is excited for it, ready for it and we are completely relieved. Let's go seize the day!

Zephyr Cove Resort

2011-06-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day to travel over to Lake Tahoe. We haven't been here for many years so we're excited to go back there.
Our first glimpse of the lake!
We're staying at the Zephyr Cove Resort. Across from the resort is the beach...and it's kinda a party waiting to happen.
Right down the beach they were setting up for a wedding. Right in front of this they are renting paddle boats and canoes. Not sure how that works with a wedding but I guess we'll see soon enough.

Back across the street at the Resort we are very comfortable among these amazing pine trees. There are pine cones everywhere that I am trying to resist filling the bbow with.

Since we'll be staying here more than one nite we were able to really set up camp which felt so good. We have a perfect spot...except for no cell and very sketchy internet.

Got to enjoy our first bbq - steaks with a wonderful Malbec.

And this is the wonderful randomly wandering fence right behind us. I love this little fence and one day I shall have one of my own.

Can't wait to see our first sunset on Tahoe...with a little ice cream!

The sun was so low at this point it lit up the dock as if it were full day.

And here's an update on the wedding...in full swing.

The sunset was amazing and we got to enjoy it at the end of the dock seated comfortably in the little golf cart that was waiting for the paddle boat cruise to return. How gorgeous is this! Around 10 pm we missed a call from Taryn. She left a message and was upset. This sent our evening into quite an ordeal. We tried in vain to get a hold of her or JH. I sent e-mails to four people in hopes of reaching her tomorrow before she heads out to the wilderness. I do not even dare hope to talk to her but I did send an e-mail that I hope she will get and that it will encourage her...and I will pray thru this nite.

Carson City Nevada

2011-06-25T22:40:00.000-07:00

No big jaunts today. Got to sleep in and take it a bit easy after three big drive days. These sweet little mining cars were at our resort this morning and I thot they were so cute. Sunny and in the 80's...quite perfect!
Drove to Carson City today. Gary was fascinated with how they were building this new bridge. It's hard to get a good picture at 60 mph but I tried.

These metal cutouts on the overpasses where also very fun.

We were amazed at all the snow still on the mountains heading towards Lake Tahoe. We'll be heading there tomorrow. One thing we planned to do this trip was hit a car show in the Tri Cities. When we changed our plans that was cut. But guess what? We happened on a car show here in Carson City. I was so happy for the big guy. He LOVES car shows!

We spent a couple hours looking at the cars.

I'm not a car show person, but I guess these are really great.

And this one was kinda cool. You can't see it but the valve stem cap is a dice!

Ok, it really annoys me when they park cars together and the colors clash. Seriously!

And this....what is the point!

Ok, now this is kinda cute!

Now this is a car! There are only two kinds of cars here that matter to me - Nova's and Chevelle's.

These are OUR cars. When I met him Gary had a 72 Nova (which I totalled at the age of 17...but we won't go there) I loved that car. We dated in that car...till I totalled it.

But when we got married we had 70 Chevelle and THAT is the car that has my heart. We sold it when we had kids...and two weeks later the kid who bot it destroyed it. So sad. I would do anything to have a Chevelle like that again...we are dreaming and kind of looking.

After the car show we checked in to Silver City Resort. Not Gary's favorite because there is no grass, but it is out of town and very nice for the nite.

This could be our rv of the future. haha!

OR CA NV

2011-06-24T00:12:00.000-07:00

Pictures are never going to be able to convey the beauty of what we saw today. Traveling from Oregon, California to Nevada took my breath away. We started our day at the Medford Fairgrounds where a major Quarter Horse Horse Show was happening. We joined them for a wonderful cowboy breakfast hosted by the local FFA. Such sweet kids...and since the sixteen year old is also in FFA we were delighted to support them!
We walked our breakfast off looking at the stunning horses being prepared for the day.
Then we looked at some dream horse trailers. Unbelievable!
We left Medford around eleven, and then....magnificent Mt. Shasta captured us!

We saw Mt. Shasta from so many angles today...it was incredible!

Heading to Lake Tahoe we took Hwy 89 to Susanville toward Reno.

There were these amazing lakes of water and wetlands along the way.

And every once in a while the big guy would spot a car that really caught his eye. This was one - a Corvette Stingray. The only other detail the big guy could give is that it has a manual transmission. Ok, that would be random!

We encountered two rather interesting Lakes on this drive - Poison Lake, and Honey Lake, pictured above. I enjoy researching things like this but these two proved hard for me. All I could find out is that the water in Poison Lake is undrinkable - duh, and that evaporation reduces Honey Lake to an alkali flat hence the brown lake. Remarkably both seem to have fish...but can you eat them?

We found this wonderful little church in Doyle CA where we stopped trying to find a local place to eat. There isn't one.

But there is this very wonderful old grocery hotel there which we very much enjoyed discovering. Loved the gas pump, and wondered about the stories this building could tell. Since we couldn't find a place to dine we pulled off the road and made chicken quesidilla's to get us to our next stop - Reno.

We haven't been to Reno for many years. We went into town tonite and happened on their Burger, Blues & Brew Festival. It gave us a nice chance to walk uptown for a bit.

Best part was driving McCarran Blvd around the city. The light of the city are just as I remember them - beautiful!

Random Us!

2011-06-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Randomly we left Lynden last nite at 8:30 - an entire day earlier than we had planned Woot! Driving at nite isn't the big guys thing (he likes to look around while he drive...I won't even go there) however we wanted to bust out the WA I-5 part of this trip. We made it to Woodburn OR around 1:30 AM. This morning we spent quite a bit of time shopping at the outlet mall there - which rocks btw. Leaving there we took the "path less followed" off I-5 till we got to Eugene. The farther South we get the better the weather gets.
At some point in the late afternoon the big guy starts thinking about bbq, so he begins a quest to find his exact bbq preference. This can only be done verbally so he makes calls and taks bbq till he knows he's on to the right one. In this case it would be Hole In The Wall Bbq right in Eugene. This is their fleet of bbq catering vehicles. Pretty impressive. So impressive the big guy just had to get the bbow in the picture!

Hole In The Wall did not disappoint! We had a great bbq meal. The brisket and ribs were our favorites. All around us people were ordering something that the servers said they were out of for the day. Curious we asked our server and it turns out they smoke 80 burgers a day, and when they're out they're out. Today they were out by 1 pm. Something tells me they are good. We generally don't think of ordering a burger at a bbq place but this is going on the list of something we must come back and try...obviously early in the day!

Well, the day got even more random as we were working on a resort for the nite. Gary found a place near Ashland and as we were heading there when suddenly he spotted - be still my heart - a major horse show happening at the fairgrounds in Medford. What show? What horses? We just had to stop and check it out. We parked right between all the horse trailer to investigate.

Oh my word...it's a major Quarter Horse Show. That's it...we're staying right here! There were only a few events left today but we got to watch for a bit, and then wander out among all the horses settled in their stalls for the niteThis was so funny...a guy was walking by and every horse put their heads out to look at him. We are parked right next to a family from Langley BC - how random is that! Apparently the Quarter Horse show in Monroe was cancelled because of concern over the recent horse virus. There are over 600 horses at this show. The Hunter Jumper events will be on Saturday. So tonite we are camping with the horse show people at the fairgrounds. In the morning we will enjoy a cowboy breakfast with them before heading on to Reno. So much fun today!

Girls (and Frodo) Road Trip to JH

2011-06-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

So excited for our road trip to JH Ranch! This will be Taryn's second time there. Last year she and Gary went for the Father Daughter Adventure week. This year Taryn will go alone for two weeks as a part of their Second Wind program. We left around 6:30 AM...in the rain. Ugh!

First stop on any road trip is the Samish Starbucks. We got coffee and and artisan breakfast sandwich's to go. The friendly barista asked our plans for the day and we told her we were road tripping to CA, so she drew these sweet little pics on the wrappers! How fun is that? Seriously...this was what driving was like all the way thru WA & OR. It was miserable driving!

The sixteen year old humored herself trying different photo shots with my camera. Notice Frodo's nose. He traveled with us and is having his first experience at JH.

After stopping at several more Starbucks - coffee, free wifi and clean restrooms - and a 30 mile off the beaten path drive out of Eugene (oh brother) we made it to Medford OR where we stayed at a very random Ramada. Nothing sketchy, just some crazy decor that really messed with us.

The sixteen year old spent as much time as she could communicating by text with Danger.
Sunday morning we woke up to this amazing sunshine. As we left Medford we were positively giddy with joy over the sun so we busted open the sunroof waving at the sun and singing the Classic Crime chorus "My oh my what a beautiful day outside! Hey, Hey what a beautiful day!"

Mt Shasta took our breath away. We stopped at the lookout and took pictures. Not gonna post 'em cause our hair went crazy in the wind...and it's all about the hair. (It really was bad...even the sixteen year old made me promise not to post them)

Had a late lunch and time to kill in Yreka. Ok, so there really is not much happening in Yreka. Randomly we did attempt to find a ukulele - long story - and this is where the sixteen year old had her final technology fix.

We drove part way to JH and stopped at Dotty's...a little drive-in
hotspot in the last town of Etna. We still had time to kill so Taryn played with her new little camera...which she loves! She asked to drive to the ranch so I let her. Everything looked familiar which I was glad of because after the whole Eugene experience I was more than a little skeptical of the GPS. After driving quite a while she realized we were not in the right place...which the GPS confirmed. We were about 13 very rural miles in the opposite direction. Oooops! No worries as we still had time.

Taking the right turn we easily found our way to JH. So excited! After checking in Taryn took me on a tour of the ranch. It was so much fun for me to have her show me around. Pictures do not do justice. It is absolutely as wonderful as they described.

The JH beach, blob and water zip line will be a rockin' place tomorrow when the rest of the kids are here. You gotta watch the JH video to see all the fun and adventure.

This is the new pavilion that opened last year when Gary and Taryn were here. This is where meals are served and it is spectacular.
At JH they used adventure to teach foundational Biblical life principles. This how they describe their ministry:

At JH Ranch we use the motto,
"I heard and I forgot. I saw and I remembered. I did and I understood."

The content of the JH Ranch is taught primarily through the challenges of practical experiences in the great outdoors. With each challenge, our goal is to teach and model the Great Commandment: love God and love others. Therefore, our guests leave JH Ranch with practical principles for everyday life and not just more inspiration.

Every experience at JH is so intentional and transformational.

And there are horses! I think the sixteen year old spent about 10 minutes just leaning on the fence staring at them. It is an incredibly beautiful sight.

I missed including a picture of the Big Top in this group of photos but did get an interior shot. This is where the teaching and worship take place. Most of what I heard about last year happened in here. When I stepping inside the Big Top for the first time I almost felt like I was on holy ground.

One of the benefits of arriving at JH before the others was Taryn got first choice of bunks. I had asked her as we drove if she preferred a top or bottom bunk and she said "normally I would always choose a top bunk, but I learned last year that heat rises...so go for a bottom bunk". And she got it...right next to the deck where a cool breeze can flow in. She was so excited to unpack and set up.

After dinner with the staff and unpacking I left the sixteen year old for her next grand adventure at JH. I drove off VERY carefully following the GPS - not gonna lie I had a bit of a panic attack at the thot of getting lost at nite out here with no cell service or AAA. :-) It was so beautiful and I spent this amazing time in prayer thanking God for this amazing opportunity for her, and asking that He would continue His work in her life over these next two weeks.

Embrace every moment sweet girl!

That Trout

2011-06-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Gary & John spent Friday nite at Kay's parents Don & Mary Ellen Pridmore's house and were able to join them Saturday morning for a little fishing trip. Gary caught a 5 lb 12 oz rainbow trout.

John also got a huge trout!

John's Tractor

2011-06-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

John bought a tractor in Eastern WA which was a perfect excuse to hook up a trailer and head across the mountains.
This made a perfect Fathers Day trip for Gary since we were also out of town.

Isaiah's Lost Tooth Celebration

2011-06-16T14:34:00.000-07:00

Isaiah lost a front tooth so we all got to meet at Edaleen tonite for ice cream!

We kinda took over the place with the ten of us...

it was a little crazy!

Isaiah selected cotton candy ice cream to celebrate!

Elijah enjoyed his too...despite sticking his thumb thru the cone.

And Isaiah has five more loose teeth so we're planning on several more missing tooth parties this summer!

Good Bye Cuz!

2011-06-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

This morning Taryn got to spend some time with Steph at Woods. While Taryn is at JH Ranch Steph will be moving to Texas so this was their last time together for a while. I'm so grateful they could share one year of concert choir and chamber choir together this year at LC. We love you Steph. Blessings in Texas!

Her First Solo...

2011-06-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

So for her congratulatory drive the sixteen year old got to take Kevy the Chevy to Wednesday nite dinner at Grandma's. Right before leaving she said to me "I don't know why but for some reason I feel like I should put on my helmet". (that would be her Equestrian safety helmet she's referring to) Now I'm worried.

Guess What???

2011-06-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

SHE PASSED!!

Purple Hair

2011-06-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the sixteen year old has a summer dream for a purple underlayer of hair. I relented and this is what we got. Interesting...and she's so happy!

Free to Ride

2011-06-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

Bert finally got his shoe on today and Taryn got to take him for a little ride out on the property. It was so beautiful out there.

Funny Faces

2011-06-12T00:10:00.000-07:00

Taryn & Isaiah made funny faces on her CamWow today at Grandma's.

Randomness...

2011-06-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Folding this little light blue towel today I remembered that it was a wedding gift....34 yrs ago this July!

Back to St. Clair Park

2011-06-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

So here I am sitting in the Hondo (obviously a bit bored) waiting for the sixteen year old...who is late! Where am I waiting for her? St. Clair Park in Bellingham. She met her new friend Ty here so he could show her around Whatcom Falls Park.

I remember St. Clair Park. One of our first dates is connected to this park. Gary & I doubled with our good friend Scott Pitman and some girl. (I really can't remember who...but Scott sometimes reads my blog from Arkansas and he may just comment and remind me) We were all goofing off on the playground equipment which apparently is not here any more and Scott slid down a fire pole and somehow broke his ankle. So we all eneded our date at the emergency room!

Facebook Official

2011-06-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, if it's on Facebook it must be official!

Steph's Grad

2011-06-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

Taryn and I went to LC's graduation tonite for Steph. LC started a new tradition of finding former grads of the class fifty years ago to walk with related grads. It just happens that Steph's Grandma Joyce DeBeeld graduated from LC fifty years ago so she got to walk in with her. How cool is that!

This year a special tribute was given to Gary & Mary VanHulzen for their many years of service at LC. So thankful for both of them.

This is Steph getting her diploma.

The epic after grad silly string extravaganza!

And our very special ( and super cute) grad buddies for the ceremony!

An Eagle Ridge West Sunset

2011-06-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Captured this sunset out over Eagle Ridge West tonite.

Poffertjes and Danger

2011-06-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Caught the very end of Poffertjes at the Farmers Day parade. The weather was perfect, but by 2 pm everyone had left town and it was time to close up. April and her husband helped today since I was on the island.

Tyrel Danger Fast - I call him Danger - came to Lynden today to enjoy Farmers Day with Taryn. This was my first opportunity to actually meet him and he seems like a great guy. The fifteen year old sure thinks so!

Gary's 66 Trees

2011-06-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Thot it would good to reintroduce Gary's trees. My how they have grown since last year - all sixty-six of them!

Gary loves these trees and takes great care of them throughout the summer. You should see his face when he talks about them - seriously his whole face lights up. He loves caring for them and watching them grow.

Ok, I thot this was a coolio shot.

While Gary was working with his trees I was dreaming out this direction...of a little horse barn...
The sun broke out on the Canadian Rockies and they lit up perfectly,,,but hard to catch on camera.

This is how Bert greets us as we come to feed him in the evenings. After seeing us he does this little happy dance that is so cute. I gonna have to try and catch that on tape sometime. Luv you B!

San Juan Eagle Forum Chapter Begins

2011-06-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got to fly to Orcas Island to launch a new chapter of Eagle Forum in San Juan County. I was so impressed by the people I met. I described it as "finding the faithful in the land" like is talks about in Psalms. I was honored to meet each one.
One of the new board members has three cabins on his property that he rents out during summer. I was very blessed to use one of the cabins on Laughing Moon Farm...and highly recommend them!

This is the wonderful little gateway leading to the Trout House.

My flight from Eastsound was scheduled for 9 AM and my pilot was right on time to pick me up.

The weather was clear and beautiful and I actually had the presence of mind to take a few photos. I admit that on the flight over I was so absolutely stunned at how small the plane was that fear wiped every thought out of my head. I did not get any photos.

It was so clear and still we could even take a head-on landing into BIA.

This is my little plane. I was able to get in my car and back in my own garage by 9:30. Crazy considering I left Eastsound at 9:00. Flying is the ticket. I'm now a believer!

A Smokin' Memorial Day BBQ

2011-05-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

Gary fired up his smoker tonite for a Memorial Day bbq with John and Kay.

These two had a great time making...

these! ...and these were amazing!

LC's Spring Concert

2011-05-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

LC's Spring concert was amazing this year. Two highlights were Taryn having her first concert choit solo, and the Chamber Choir walking down the aisle singing Down to the River to Pray.
I'm so thankful Taryn and Steph had this year of both Concert Choir and Chamber Choir together.
Mr. Smit...well, he's awesome!

You can tell from her every expression she loves this!

The band!

Wandering To The Middle Of Nowhere And Back

2011-05-21T18:00:00.001-07:00

Woke up to rain this morning so we decided to stay in bed and listen to its gentle sound on the roof of the bbow. Felt a bit sorry for our neighbor with three little ones huddled under their canopy.
This is a wandering day. We started with a little trip thru old Maryhill where we found this wonderful old gas station. Gary loved the pump and found that gas was 38 cents per gallon, and those purchasing were also notified of that 8 cents of that was tax.

This sad sight is an aluminum plant being disassembled and sent to China. It was built right next to the dam for power, but environmental regulations have closed it down. China will now benefit from the aluminum and the jobs.

We took I-84 on the North side of the river heading East and then inland a bit to visit the Columbia Crest Winery in Plymouth WA. I didn't even know there was a Plymouth WA. It was still raining so the picture doesn't look as beautiful as it really was.

There were an enormous amount of barrels being aged there.

After that we opted for a road less traveled for a reason I do not know. This led to an adventure where Gary busts over a hill in the bbow and right onto a gravel road...at 50 mph. The gravel was a shock to us...and we were a shock to a flock of sheep pasturing next to the gravel road. They bolted in every direction and I was shrieking about the gravel road (such a bbow no no) We could have seriously been in a scene of a Chevy Chase Vacation movie.

It really was the middle of know where. I was speechless that Gary drove the bbow on gravel by choice for nearly 10 miles.

We have become quite good at finding local dives for the very best burgers. We found this gem across the river in Umatilla OR and it did not disappoint!

This was rich...watching cattle grazing between the windmills.

Ah yes, we also found a dam for Gary to ogle. Now on to the Dalles.

Wind & Wine in Maryhill

2011-05-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is a really great place to wake up. Maryhill State Park is a very lovely resort on the banks of the mighty Columbia. The wind here is always blowing!

We started our morning with a walk thru the park enjoying the river. Later we noticed this very large barge making it's way up river. Pretty cool.

After a mid-morning breakfast we were off to explore the community of Maryhill...starting with the winery! With views of Mt Hood and the Columbia river Maryhill Winery has a superb location.
Built on the existing slope is a 4,000 seat amphitheater right next to the winery and tasting room. I can only imagine how incredible it would be as a concert venue. What a great idea!

To enter the tasting room you walk through this lovely, expansive arbor designed for you to enjoy your lunch featuring their wine. It was a quiet day there and if we had known we may have skipped our late breakfast and enjoyed a meal out there. Note for next time for sure!

This is Max the Maryhill Wine Dog. He greets you at the entrance and pretty much has the run of the place from there. At different times we saw him inside the tasting room. He pretty much goes where he wills and everyone accommodates him. For Whatever reason my interior shots of the tasting room were all blurry so I have none to post.

All the hills around the community of Maryhill are filled with the sight and sound of these windmills. At night they dot the sky with their red flashing lights as far as the eye can see on both sides of the river.

On a lonely bluff overlooking the Columbia River and the town of Maryhill is a full-size replica Stonehenge built by Sam Hill, a road builder, as a memorial to those who died in World War I. Something you just have to see when you are here. Again, it was quiet and peaceful here and we spent a lot of time simply gazing out over the bluff.

This has to be one of my favorite shots. How ironic to be photographing Stonehenge and still those windmills are in every shot.

For Gary the value of a river is in its dams. He loves dams. This is the John Day Dam, a new dam for us. Yahoo! This one is extra special because it has the highest lift navigational lock of any lock in the U.S. at 110 feet. We watched this barge entering the lock.

From Stonehenge we became infatuated with the quiet little town of Maryhill tucked between the hillside and the river. Maryhill has a population of 98 people.

This little church is the prominent structure of Maryhill and looked so delightful from the hillside we simply had to go find it. What a treasure, and obviously the center of their little community.

I especially fell in love with it's steeple and would cheerfully take the whole building home with me if I could. How lovely it would look on Eagle Ridge West!

Finally...We're Heading East!

2011-05-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

Finally....we are off and heading East in the bbow. Gary's been wanting to make this trip for the last six weeks and every time we were not able to get away for some reason. Not a cloud in the sky today as we breezed over I-90. We've never seen the water higher in the reservoir before. Ya think? Also ran into some major construction just beginning on the pass which means it will be a brutal commute on the weekends from now on through most of the summer it would appear.

Now this is "the pursuit of happiness" for the big guy!

I'm always amazed by the transition of scenery once we are on the East side!

The big guy was feelin' bbq for dinner so we found Miz Dee's in Yakima...and quite the southern belle she is! They spoke bbq to each other for a bit - rub, bark, smoke rings, vinegar sauce - and such. Miz Dee is from Mississippi. She and her husband, a barber, moved here in the 80's after visiting friends near Yakima. Realizing there we no African American barbers in the area they moved here. He opened his barber shop, and since bbq is her passion she later opened Miz Dee's BBQ. She proudly showed us pictures of her husband, and of two son's who are who are serving our country in Iraq. We'll be back to visit Miz Dee again sometime for sure!

This is the wonderful road just outside Toppenish on Highway 97 that took us right into Wild Horse Canyon!

At least that is what I'm calling this delightful road which travels through the Yakima Indian Reservation. It was early evening and we were fortunate enough to get to enjoys herds of wild horses making their way into the valley for their evening meal. Unfortunately we passed by the most spectacular herd before realizing what we were indeed seeing. That group was quite large - 30 or so horses - they were so stunning. These two we were able to pull over for and they were quite curious about us for a few moments...and then took off!

And this was almost comical to see the horses heads poking out between the sage brush. It was nearly dusk and not quite enough light for good photos, but such a fun drive.

After dark the hills lit up ahead of us with the red flashing lights of wind mill farms. They were everywhere - hundreds of them as we came in to Goldendale. Tonite we are staying at Maryhill State Park near the mighty Columbia River. Tomorrow we shall sleep in and then explore.

Dan's Grand Adventure to India Begins!

2011-05-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Dan left today for his grand adventure in India. He will work for Logos there for the next year. We had a little celebration for him last night after Wednesday night dinner at Grandma's.

Karin brot a special cake and we all gathered in the kitchen and prayed as a family for him. Can't wait to get our first communications from him when he's there.

Brandon and Todd took him to the airport in Vancouver and Brandon posted this picture from the airport.

OutsideFun

2011-05-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

We get the boys over night while Ross and Taya are in Kentucky. The loved playing with the red exercize ball in the back yard.

It was great that there was one for each. This went on for hours and they got lots of energy out!

Almost as big as he is!

Randomly Elijah gave the skooter a try and for the first time was able to work it by himself. He was so proud!

Replacing that energy!

Coloring with bunny!

Isaiah made some wonderful lego creations!

Oh Bert!

2011-05-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Got a call from Luanne this morning that Bert was barely walking. It really scared me -I don't do well with pain with pain in humans or animals - so Gary met me at the farm. Obviously something was very wrong with Berts left front hoof. We had to call the vet.

And yes, she soon found an abcess. After draining and wrapping we went back into the routine of soaking and wrapping his hoof for who knows how long. This is really crumby. Taryn had her first lesson again last week and we were hoping to get asa many in as possible before JH & berries. Poor B.

Wilsom Gets Mail

2011-05-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

Guess who got mail today?

Too funny! In 2007 when we traveled the U.S. Gary signed up on-line with Woodalls. Not wanting to use his own name he signed up as Wilson Honcoop. I remember him saying "If we ever get anything in the mail for Wilson Honcoop we'll know they sold our name."

Well, four years later Wilson got Mail!

Photos and Memories

2011-05-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Since I've been going thru Mom's pictures and found an entire box of Likkel photos Uncle Stan and Aunt Lois asked if they could see them before they leave. I invited IUncle Ivan, Aunt Kay and Leslie to join us and we had such a great time. I heard stories about my Dad and the Likkel's that I have never heard before. I am so thankful for this opportunity.

Ground Breaking....On Cement!

2011-04-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

Gary got a job last week at the Port of Anacortes. This week he and Levi went down there for the "ground breaking" picture. The Port moved in soil on to the cement so they had something to push their shovls into. Gary is the second from the left and Levi is on the left.

We prayed for this job and are so thankful the Lord provided it for us!

How's that "Hope & Change" working out for you??

2011-04-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

This came across Facebook today and I think it's a creative, mysterious, truth-telling way to reach thousands of people around you everyday with the thought-provoking question "How's that "hope & change" thing working out for you?"

Can't fill your vehicle any more since it now costs over $100 and your credit card is stopped at that? How much has the price of your Cinnamon Burst Cheerios gone up in price? How many of your daily expenses have increased drastically over the past two years?

It's time for us to call attention to the financial impact Obama has had on us. Some friends in Georgia came up with a great idea how to do that and have fun at the same time. The vehicle - sticky notes!

We all have them, or can easily and inexpensively get them. Write on each one "How's that "Hope & Change" working for you?" and then place it where it will not impede the next customers ability to read information or price. We WANT to call attention to the price!

Those who shop after you will be reminded just how much the cost of living as increased since Obama took office.

What a great idea...and it's taking the nation by storm! Join the fun. Here's a link that will tell you more: "Hope & Change" Sticky Note Campaign

Betsy's Easter Lily

2011-04-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

My friend Betsy grew this amazing Casablanca Lily and I think it is beautiful. I am not a gardener, but I truly appreciate those who are. Betsy is amazing and I lover her!

She posted this picture today just as I was pondering our Good Friday service last nite and working thru my emotions over the suffering of Jesus for my sin. His suffering is more than I can handle.

I am very sensetive to suffering. I think I get this from my daddy. I can't bear to face it in any form, so Good Friday is always hard for me. I have just ready thru the Gosples and will admit reading rapidly thru that section each time.

What does this have to do with Betsy's beautiful lily? Nothing. But it is where my mind was when I saw this picture. Lilies are the flower I associate with Easter - pure, white, fragrant, living, beautiful, majestic...like Jesus.

Thank you Betsy, for sharing your beautiful lily with me today!

Boys & Books

2011-02-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

Ross & Taya just posted this on Facebook and I thot is was so cute...and such a creative "other" use for books!

Day One Under the Belt!

2011-01-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

This lovely photo of Taryn & Kenzi was posted today on her Facebook. Not quite sure if this was before, during or after exams. Only two more days to go chicks!

The Trauma of Exams

2011-01-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

Next week Taryn starts exams. Oh the stress! Yesterday I suggested she create a distraction-free work space in the basement. She thot I was nuts...but by the time I came home from my conference she had her space all set up in the basement as I suggested...and was quite proud of it! So proud of it she posted this pic which I thot was a riot and ought to make my blog. Happy studying Butturnut!

Let Us Adore Him!

2010-12-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

We're ready to celebrate Christmas at CTK Bellingham and I'm nearly breathless with anticipation. If you've never experienced it you simply must this year! Our new worship leader Mike Hohnholz will be with us for the very first time this weekend.

Mike is an amazing musician with a love and passion for Christ that is infectious. We are so thankful that God directed his heart to minister here at CTK!

Worship and celebrate with us Sat 6 pm, Sun 8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 AM

Becca Home In England

2010-12-03T20:02:00.001-08:00

Home is so important. Our Becca is now home in England with her husband Anthony. After months of living separately - on different continents no less...all because of a silly little visa - they are finally the newlyweds they have longed to be...and on the same continent.

Last nite I was up way too late writing - about 2:00 AM - and suddenly Becca popped up on Facebook to chat with me. It was simply wonderful to chat with her for a few minutes and catch up a bit. She is doing well and wonderfully happy.

It is winter there too and they have had a bit of snow and ice.

Today she posted pictures of their first home there. In fact she posted a tour which was so fun to see. It's wonderful to have a proper picture now in my mind of where she is living and just a bit of what her life looks like over there.

I'm so very happy for you Bec. Enjoy every wonderful newlywed moment. You deserve it sweet girl!

Bert's Getting Ready For Christmas

2010-11-26T21:51:00.000-08:00

Bert already has his Christmas decorations up at the VanWervens!
**photo courtesy of Luanne**

Abundant Blessings - Thanksgiving Twenty-Ten

2010-11-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

I was up before 6:00 this morning to get my turkey in the oven and it was delightfully snowing outside. This is the view out my front door around 7:00. It's been a long time since we have had a white Thanksgiving. I knew right away this was going to be a really fun day!!

Oh I so made PW's Throw Down turkey this year. This 20 lb'er was brined overnight, cooked covered at 250 degrees for three hours, then basted with this amazing herb butter mix before being returned to the oven to finish cooking uncovered.

Later it came out a beautifully browned turkey. I also made stuffing, our traditional Honcoop sweet potatoes, Leslie's harvest jello, and four desserts. My only debacle was my gravy - hey wait...didn't that happen to PW on Throw Down also??

It was time to load and go...but alas the fifteen year old first took a few of her now famous self portraits. Of course she did!

...and a shot of the pumpkin she NEVER carved for Halloween!

Waiting for the meal Uncle Genius's Ipad was a hit!
*pic courtesy of Jill*

Jack opened our Thanksgiving devotions with the Likkel tradition of reading of Psalm 100...

...and Sam shared his very special "thankful" list with us...
*pic courtesy of Jill*

...and then is was on to the food!

I must say my PW turkey was A-MA-ZING!

Oh happy, thankful day! Brandon & Greta's smiles say it all!

Lawn and Vern perusing the oh-so-abundant eating options.

Seriously I can't believe Ross, Taya and the boys are with us again this year. What a blessing!

After eating the kids went outside and constructed two snow forts anticipating a major snowball fight. The only problem was they accidentally built their forts too far apart and couldn't actually throw a snowball far enough to hit each other. Too funny! Then the adult males joined in and it didn't matter anymore...

...because it was game-on...

and all-out war!
*snow pics courtesy of Jill*

Later in the afternoon Darryl, Karin & I took out our old trusty family slide projector and looked at some slides of our growing up years. Oh the memories! So much fun! Grandma, Taryn & Lawn joined us to watch the show.

It's been many years since we've seen some of these slides. I took a picture of this one of Dad moving a building. Dad liked moving building on to the farm. If you look in the building you can see it was being moved by his tractor. I'm not exactly sure which building this is but I'm sure Uncle Genius knows. Our neighbor Kenny Shagren is on the far left, Daddy behind me (in that oh so stunning orange pants outfit my mom made) and Uncle Gerrit next to me with his arms crossed.

The guys had a bit of a game of Stock Market before we hit dessert. Greta made four of the most amazing pumpkin pecan and apple pies, Karin made her very best fudge ever, and Grandma made batches of her renown divinity.

The snow stopped before it got dark and the temp went up to 32 degrees. By the next morning our 5 inches of snow were rapidly disappearing, and the grass was showing green patches again everywhere. So much for this snow!

She's Been Bracing For This Day!

2010-11-23T11:24:00.000-08:00

They're on! Today the fifteen year old got her braces. And don't let that smile fool you...it was an uber-sad fifteen year old I dropped off at school after she was "braced". Fearing the worst reaction from friends she instead was surprised by their affirmation.

So all is well...except that her teeth are quite sore, and the abrasion of her new braces have resulted in several open sores in her mouth. It will toughen up soon and she will be fine.

By the way, while you can't really tell from this pick she selected her favorite color for her new braces - orange! Of course she did!

First Winter Storm

2010-11-22T23:32:00.000-08:00

We didn't get much snow, but we sure got wind...gusts of 55 mph...here in Whatcom County. And not just wind, but temps in the teens so with wind chill we are considered well below zero...and it sure feels that way!

Our garage buffers the worst of the NE wind from us which is nice. I'm always much more concerned about my Mom in weather like this. Her house takes a direct hit. Britt has kept a very close eye on her like he always does.

So while Seattle is paralyzed with snow, we endure another relentless and cruel Northeaster. Oh bother! (an Eeyore quote)

Meet My N.M.E.

2010-11-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

This is the "project" the boy helped Grandpa with. I call it the N.M.E.

Now if you say those initials together is sounds like “enemy”, and that’s not far from the truth. Actually N.M.E. stands for No More Excuses!

*sigh*

The Project

2010-11-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

The boys are here for a sleepover tonite and they were so excited that after dinner they got to help grandpa in the basement. Isaiah said "oh boy, we have a project!"

What could this be in such a big box??

Shower for Ki

2010-11-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Totally forgot my camera but wanted to remember that today we celebrated little Ki with a shower at Aunt Kathy's home. Audrey's mom Joyce, sister-in-law Jodie and niece Brooke joined us, and we had a wonderful time showering Ki with gifts and great rejoicing that he is now here with us! Btw...he is one of the most beautiful babies I have EVER seen!
Welcome Ki!

A Precious Gift

2010-11-20T23:09:00.000-08:00

After my Daddy died six years ago my best friend Kay made a beautiful shadow box for me as a tribute to him. This past year she remade the box and gave it back to me for my birthday.

It is sitting on my counter right now...I just want to keep it close for a while and enjoy the memories of the wonderful man that blessed my life in so many ways. I still miss him every day.

Thank you Kay!

More Birthday Blessings

2010-11-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

Brandon & Greta hosted a wonderful birthday dinner for me tonight.
It has been a long time since all of us have been "just us" together so this was extra special to me. Grandpa was sure happy to see his little boys again...it had been too long!

On this super cold evening Britt and Nermal enjoyed a seat near the fireplace.

Greta made the most amazing ravioli, yes I said "made". I'm not sure I have ever had homemade ravioli before, and it was amazing! She even made us two kinds - spinach and goat cheese in a light alfredo sauce, and sausage and parmesan in a marinara sauce.

Look What's Coming...

2010-11-18T21:28:00.000-08:00

SNOW ! ? !

My New Favorites - Abundance & RAW

2010-11-17T18:19:00.000-08:00

Love these new multigrain hot cerals from BetterOats with 100% all natural oats, whole grain and flax. A "cornucopia of the best flavors and textures on earth". So quick, easy and delicious!

Comes in these convenient single serving pouches that are then used to measure the water. Two minutes in the microwave and they're ready to eat! Perfect on these coming cold winter mornings I hear are on the way!

Meet Mia

2010-11-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

Little Mia is the newest member of Britt & Shana's family...and is she cute or what! Welcome Mia.

A Deserved Reward

2010-11-12T21:32:00.000-08:00

Gary has worked late every nite this week so I decided he needed a very special meal tonite to thank him for working so hard for our family.

I found a few new recipes and made a fresh avocado salad, grilled rib eye with rosemary-shallot butter, bacon red smashed potatoes, buttered rosemary rolls…and he was way too full to even think of my pumpkin dessert.

Volleyball State Finals

2010-11-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

Taryn was invited by the Robin's to travel to Yakima this weekend for the Volleyball State tournament, and judging from her pics on Facebook she and Katherine are having a great time! Katherine's sister Heidi is a senior on LC's volleyball team.

LC has a strong team and we're hoping they do well at state. Go Lyncs!

Fall Concert at Western

2010-11-09T21:22:00.000-08:00

It was quite an honor for LC's Concert Choir to be invited by Western Washington University to participate in their fall concert. LC sang three numbers and them performed a song together with Westerns Choir.

Taryn was absolutely blown away by the acoustics of Westerns PAC Concert Hall. I could not go, but Gary surprised her and showed up. What an amazing night for LC!

Passion Twenty-Ten World Tour - Vancouver

2010-11-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

Yes Lord, walking in the ways of Your laws we wait for You,

for Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts

~ Isaiah 26:8

London, Jakarta, Tokyo, Johannesburg, San Paulo, Sydney - six continents and seventeen cities - and then today, November 5, Passion 2010 came here to Vancouver BC!

My brother Ryan and I were privileged to have a front row seat as we volunteered to assist this massive gathering of over 11,000 students aged 19 - 25 willing to stake their lives on what matters most...the fame of the One who is able to rescue and restore - Jesus.

Chris Tomlin (pictured here) David Crowder and Matt Redmond led worship, then Louie Giglio challenged this group of worshipers to make their life count for His fame. What a privilege to be a small part of such an amazing event!

Victory on Election Nigth!

2010-11-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

This is how I spent election night - watching returns come in on my laptop at the Republican Victory Party at Homestead in Lynden.

We took the U.S. House...

...elected a stellar new County Councilman, Tony Larson. This was an intensely personal race for Gary...

...watched Vince Buys take out a liberal seventeen year incumbent...

...and enjoyed the fellowship of family and friends as we celebrated together.

Ready for Trunk or Treat

2010-10-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is the pile of candy that has been donated to CTK for this year's Trunk or Treat celebration - that would be over 115,000 pieces! Tonite in the parking lot 100 trunks will be open providing a safe place for children to enjoy Halloween. I hear there will also be bounce houses, carnival, train, free popcorn and hot chocolate.

Gary plans to meet John and Kay there. My cough & cold will keep me indoors, and Taryn plans to party with Mackenzie at the Kopes.

Olympian Greg Best in Lynden

2010-10-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Olympian Greg Best was in Lynden this week conducting a 3 day clinic on show jumping for equestrians in our area. I stopped in for a bit on two of the days to watch. On Thursday I watched the 4' 3" clinic which was so much fun.

Greg was a member of the United States Equestrian Team (USET) for 7 years winning both individual and team silver for show jumping in ’88 Seoul Summer Olympic Games. Recently he coached the New Zealand Show Jumping team in the Hong Kong Olympics. He providing clinics throughout the world. How cool he was here in Lynden!

Worthy To Be Praised!

2010-10-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight was LC's much anticipated fall music concert. Our great anticipation came from the fact that this was Taryn's first performance as a member of the Chamber Choir... and they were outstanding!

I don't have a good camera, and I missed a good recording of a Chamber Choir number, however I did get this one of the Concert Choir and thot I would post it. This was their finale song, and Taryn is near center screen....often behind the director's head. :-)

Halloween Party At Fox Bay

2010-10-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

This was the very first year Taryn was able to make it to Fox Bay's annual Halloween party. Unfortunately Bert's injury kept him from participating with her so she was offered to ride Ferris for the party which was a lot of fun. Taryn always enjoys the challenge of riding a new horse.

There was a costume competition - Taryn & Ferris went with a pirate theme - and they competed in games. My favorite was "musical stalls".

Pastor's Day Chapel

2010-10-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

Taryn got to be a part of the worship team that led chapel at the elementary school for Pastor's Day at LC.

Uncle Marion

2010-10-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

Mom and Darryl just returned from their trip to Idaho and Mom had such a nice picture taken with her only living brother Marion. He is now 88 years old I think it is such a nice picture of the two of them!

World Equestrian Games

2010-10-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how many hours we have watched the World Equestrian Games this week, and they were incredible! One of my favorite riders was Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil - and here I thot he was just a saddle. He and his horse Rebozo took fourth.

The World Equestrian Games are the world championships of eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and are held every four years. This was the first time it has ever been held in the United States.

After five days of competition, six different courses, and a total of 115 jumps, it was Belgium’s Philippe Le Jeune who took home the gold medal in the Rolex Top Four. This is a unique event in equestrian sports — each rider rides each of the four horses over the same course in, a true test of horsemanship.

The riders have three minutes to warm up with each horse and can jump two jumps before competing on the course. Each horse is accompanied to the ring by the groom, chef d’equipe and trainer. It was really something to see!

Berts Trip To Kulshan Vet

2010-10-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Bert has been limping since the Derby on Saturday. Larry, our Ferrier, looked at his hoof this morning but couldn't find the problem. We called Kulshan and Dr. Plotts had time to see him.

And there it was...a small abscess in the hoof. Dr. Plotts opened and drained it...

...and then wrapped it. I took one look at this and said "now that's a bad memory to me." Seeing his hoof wrapped like that with duct tape is just what we had to do for Emma before we lost her. It was also very emotional for Taryn.

But when it's all said and done this is the best diagnosis we could have hoped for today. If it had been a joint or tendon issue the healing would have been far more difficult and could have potentially taken many months to resolve. Bert should be good as new in a just a few weeks and we are thankful!

Enjoying the Memory...

2010-10-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

When I saw these photos this morning they were an instant memory for me of walking out in the fog to bring the cows to the barn for milking.

Most came when called, but there were always a few repeat offenders who would purposely hide out in the fartherest corners of the field making you work to find them, especially in the fog.

Good memories of growing up on a farm. Thank you Dave Dunkin for posting these photos from your drive to work this morning. I really enjoyed the memory.

Ki is Born!

2010-10-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

I want you to meet Hezekiah Gerrit Honcoop, the incredibly beautiful first-born son of Dustin & Teresa. Thot this picture was so fun...using Uno cards to display his date of birth and weight. Welcome Ki!!

Fox Bay Feature

2010-10-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

** Photo by Jasmine Minbashian **

Today Fox Bay's Website is featuring this photo of Taryn & Bert from the Derby on Sunday. She road twice in the pairs event, a so-much-fun round of seventeen jumps where the riders must switch off every four jumps.

So rider one jumps 1-4 & 9-12, and rider two jumps 5-8 & 13-16. If a horse refuses a jump the other rider must take over for their partner. This means both riders must be alert and ready to instantly take over.

After completing sixteen jumps the riders must re-group and take the seventeenth jump side-by-side. The team who completes the course in the least ammount of time wins. Taryn and her partner took second, and were one of the most successful teams at the final side-by-side jump.

This is their photo-finish shot taken by Fox Bay photographer Jasmine Minbashian. Do they look happy and excited or what!