August Fun with Cousins and Tennis

We started lessons this week Monday-Thursday from 9-10am for Ethan and Kimberly and Thursday and Friday from 9-10am for Jayden. They are held at GG's Racket Club in Nampa. They love it and can only dream to be as good of a tennis player as GG (who is almost 94 years old).

We had a fun couple of days visit with Terry and Luisa who came down on their cross Idaho tour. They first visited my brother Eric and his family in Northern Idaho and then headed here to visit us. They stayed with my parents (Auntie Lauretta) and SWAM until they became prunes with my little raisins. This all made for a very busy week.

The Family Tree

This giant tree had 11 trees growing out of it!!!

Can't resist sharing one picture of the awesome starfish we saw!

A Fabulously Odorous Vacation

POOR SADDIE!

There is SO much I could write about. We had a BLAST! It was a BIG test of our trailer pulling ability. Our destination was Harris Beach in Oregon. Along the way we stopped in Medford/Central Point area to see a really good friend and her family. We even hit part of Northern California on the way to the beach.

The campground was GORGEOUS! We had three tent spots for Brian and Marie's family, Margaret and Allan with Brandon and Elisha, and one in the middle for our family to use our trailer minus electricity and water. The first day we just played on the beach and it couldn't be more perfect. Doug and Brandon fashioned together a terrific raft. That night after Doug's fajitas and a great campfire we were beat. Who would have thought around 2am we would be awoken by the awful smell. YOU guessed it Saddie (our dog) was guarding her food against a skunk. She scared the skunk and the spray traveled through our open window and on to our pillows. The next day included a trip to Freddies to get new pillows and burying Saddie in the sand and taking her for a swim in the ocean. These attempts only made the scent slightly less noticeable. The day was not a total loss actually we went to the tide pools which was one of my favorite highlights. We also played on the beach forever. Wednesday we woke to find that Saddie got skunked again so she didn't make the half hour car trip with us to the Redwoods (she guarded the campsite). Paul Bunyan talked to us! Kimberly and I got special attention from the great giant. Margaret made this an amazing experience for everyone by paying for us to ride the Sky Train a gondola ride above the trees. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!

Thursday we spent more time on the beach I wanted to see the tide pools again so we headed down there. When we got there and a poor injured sea lion was stuck on the rocks. Elisha, Kimberly, and Brandon went up to tell the camp directors. He was so cute. I still was on the hunt for starfish and sea urchins that we saw the days before but the water was a lot higher so we settled for beachcombing for seashells. It was hard to drive home Friday especially knowing it would be 14 hours home because of road closure due to forest fire. We did make it and it is nice to be home. I will admit I didn't miss the 100+ degree weather we have here but it is nice to come home and not be stuck in the car with a dog that only got two small cans of tomato juice to clean stink two out of the car and into her own backyard. I honestly took over 200 pictures on this week long trip so it is hard to narrow it down. To just show the highlights is really tough. I am so excited to make a storybook out of them. My advise to all is now is a great time to head to the coast but if you are camping you might want to leave your four legged friend at home.

Ice Cream and Brownies

Okay I love to go out to lunch and this week has been GREAT!!! Sunday my Grandfather took, my parents, Doug, Jayden, and I to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate Jayden's birthday. Of course he only got a few spoonfuls of mac and cheese down but when they sang and handed him a BIG bowl of ice cream on a brownie he had a hard time sharing he ate it so quickly. Then Monday we went with some GOOD friends to Red Robin to celebrate Rachel and Jayden's birthday. Rachel was all too happy to celebrate with Jayden so that he could wear the balloons. He loved it!!! Isn't it amazing how at 5 balloons on your ears are cool and at 29 again it is not so great? Well since today is really "Aunt Rachie's Birthday" I wanted to share these great pictures. Rachel is all of our kids favorite so it was appropriate that the "gang" was there that day. We adults are hoping for a re date sometime minus the cuties. Happy Birthday Rachel!

Extreme Team Kids Camp

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

What an extreme week. We went to Kids Camp with Kimberly and Ethan. It was exciting to know that this was Ethan's first time at camp. Doug and I with Jayden's help got a chance to see the kids in action first hand as volunteers. My main job was distributing medicine for kids who needed them morning, noon, or night. Surprisingly this kept me quite busy. However, as is always true with camp you never get comfortable doing one thing for very long. We had many extreme activities to reinforce this weeks theme of living an extreme life for Christ. The kids got to experience a ropes course, outdoor cooking, archery, slip and slide kickball, kayaking, paddle boat and tubing as well as nightly competitive games. Doug was equally busy with the kayaks and paddle boats as well as archery.

One major highlight was the two mile hike up to Crater Lake and back. Jayden even met this challenge. He made it all the way up and only needed carried 1/4th of the way down. It was quite a beautiful hike and Doug enjoyed a little fishing at the top. Some of the other adults enjoyed "cliff" jumping to the kids amazement and mine too.

All of the activities were a lot of fun and exciting but the real purpose to know that Jesus "has our back" and loves us by preparing a path for us was well understood. Many of the kids made verbal commitments to change their lives to live more for what Jesus would want for them then for their own agenda. It was amazing to see the kids grow with Christ through the week.

Now that it is back to the reality of everyday "stuff" my prayer is that they keep the light they were given shining bright so all will know they love the Lord.

Jayden REALLY Turns 5

This year Jayden spent his birthday up at Kids Camp. He was the center of attention the WHOLE day. He woke up anxious to have presents. He had to wait for Dad to come back up to camp. Doug had to work Monday. When Doug got to camp Jayden got to open his cards, parachute animals, and a bouncy balls. Then we had to help with camp centers. Jayden hung out with me in "Camp Cooking." We showed the girls how to make an apple treat and hobo dinner over the campfire. While the food was cooking the girls sang "Happy Birthday." Then at nap time Doug made Jayden brownies (his Birthday cake). It was a great way to try out our trailer oven. THE BIG KICKER was at evening chapel when Pastor Sam carried Jayden on his shoulder while the entire camp of 120+ kiddos and adults sang to him. I don't think he will ever forget this birthday.