Filled up

Simple post to say how filled up I am today -

• With the joy of spending my life with such an amazing friend, gentle man, and the encourager of my soul
• With my son's joy and exuberance for every thing he does, his swimming lessons he is doing with his class, his soccer practice in the evenings with his traveling team, his book reports, his family
• With my daughter's creative approach to life - through cards for every one for anything, her eagerness to dance to an Uncle David song at the school talent show, how she sings and twinkles during most moments of her day
• With my many jobs - from teaching my students piano to hanging out with high school students in my Spanish classroom and co-creating choreography with my elementary students during music class to touring the country with my brother doing shows

FILLED to overflowing. Our GOD is so good.

What is your heart filled with today?

Shout outs to all of you Bloggin mamas in love with your man

In the real world, I tend to stay pretty quiet about how in love I am with my man as so many ladies are struggling in their marriages...

but here in the blogosphere I get so excited to read of all the twitterpated wives that are still on this planet. Yay for marriage!! We'll be swooned together over these men that God has blessed us with! My Rennaisance man has me so swooned that I often call him Mr. Swooney.

Shout outs to all you in love ladies that proclaim it to the world that you and your man are in it for the long haul called forever. Keep it up as you encourage us all to keep working hard to have a great marriage when you boldly brag on your hubbies.

Holly at MooBee is quite swooned with the love of her life, Hot Husband himself: http://moobeefarm.blogspot.com/2008/06/twenty-one.html

At We are That Family, I found 21 posts labeled "I love my hubby" some of the sweetest love letters, stories, and braggin in one spot! http://www.wearethatfamily.com/search/label/I%20love%20my%20hubby

Kristin at Stepping Heavenward, in love since 1990: http://stepping2heaven.blogspot.com/2009/02/valentines-day-1990.html

Sweet Heather at Simple and Deliberate, widowed at 39 from the love of her life shares her love story and God's grace in the midst of losing her soul mate: http://lazydranch8.blogspot.com/


Cathy at Dancing in the Rain can't wait to get alone with her date that she warns us, "don't hate me because he's so handsome and he's all mine!" I love it!! Go Cathy!: http://cathycordero.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-have-date.html

Can't leave the men out of this grand Marriage love affair: Mike so sweetly proclaims the beauty of his wife Melissa as he first sees her in her pjs in the hospital while recovering from her recent colon cancer surgery. Please pray for this dear family: http://easterbrooksfamily.blogspot.com/2009/05/eye-of-storm.html

Bo over at Bo Stern's Blog can't stop telling us all the reasons she loves her man: http://bostern.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/true/

Jen at Diary of 1 recounts the sweetness of getting married in this anniversary post: http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/22/the-anniversary/

Amanda at A Thousand Words often tells of how she is married to her best friend - living out a dream she had since she was little to be married to a wonderful man and be a mommy - Couldn't find the exact post I was looking for where she talks of a sweet date, but her blog is full of love everywhere so check it out when you can! http://pslittleworld.blogspot.com/

Mandy and her beloved Mountain Man: http://creatinggoodsoil.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-mountain-man.html

Karyn at A Beautiful Mess is still getting butterflies in her stomach as she smells her hubbies cologne wearing his sweatshirt: http://braat-spot.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-boyfriends-song-sweatshirt.html

As they say: All because two people fell in love

It all started nearly 15 years ago, my first day on OSU campus and I was spotted by the man that would change my life. Mutual friends couldn't help but set us up - it was obvious to everyone what a match we'd make. We loved to worship God with music, loved to get out and sweat hard on a bike or run, loved the outdoors....

One of our first times together was in October - I fresh from Chicago was in awe at the way country folk celebrated harvest fests and found myself atop a fresh load of hay in a wagon being pulled by horses around some fields, and then the strapping tall, chiseled faced man of my future dreams looked across the hay bails and confidently winked at me so only I could see and walked right into my heart for what would turn out to be - forever.

It feels as if I couldn't love him more and yet with each passing day, we fall more in love. As life unfolds and I see the way he graciously handles challenges and triumphs I get a deeper knowing into his character that glimpses of, all those years ago, took my breath away.


That God has added to this rich family our two precious children can only send me to my knees in praise of all that he has done.

Because two people fell in love...we get to see His legacy unfold in these sweet little angels

Waterfalls, spring, and summer sun

We escaped the gloomy windy rain of our town this last weekend by heading to the gorge, up north, to capture the new spring growth surrounding the many waterfalls. Photographer husband (aka. Rennaissance man) had a wild time, getting wet, climbing hills, and capturing God's beauty. We hiked about 5 miles in total, seeing about 5 waterfalls in all and hillsides full of apple and pear orchards in full white blossomed glory beneath the gaze of a huge snow capped mountain. Wow!! Is all I can say!!

It was sunny, in the 70s, and so refreshing. It's what I did instead of spending the weekend indoors for our church's women's retreat. I love these retreats! I started them 5 years ago...but in MAY!!??? I am ready to do as the REI marketing campaign simply puts it:

Find Out.

Out has been replaced by too much indoor time and REI is very cleverly calling us all to again, Find Out!! Our culture spends so much time inside!

Every summer, the miles on the trails slowly detoxes my soul and mind from things like: 1. need for bigger house, 2. need for cute things to put in bigger house, 3. need for cute clothes, 4. need for stuff!! and replaces all that with just a total sense of peace, a deep reminder of what's truly important (time with each other, God, His creation and being in it), and a total lack of desire for any of the Free Markets world of Stuff. It really takes the full 2 month summer and usually, full detoxing of these desires doesn't really happen until the last weeks of summer.

By this time of the year, even though I vow it won't happen, the world's stuff procurement allure creeps back in and I feel so discontent with our house, the stuff in our house, the stuff on my body, the stuff in the garage, stuff, stuff,stuff!!

So, for me, this first of many weekends to come, of just being OUT all day, of simply Finding Out, was so absolutely what my heart needed.

I missed my friends that got to be together all weekend...but bummer, they chose MAY!!! and they chose "IN" and I need "OUT!!" So, as REI said last year, "Out is IN!" Now, go Find Out!! ('cause I promise you - God's hanging out there in his mighty chapel!)

Rennaisance man meets the 21st century

My favorite picture for I am the gal reflected in his eye.

A more fitting name has been found

I have officially renamed my StudHusband. Granted, he still loves to get up at 4 am to scale a nearby mountain so that he can greet the sunrise from 7500 feet above sea level. He still loves to scream down trails on his mountain bike, flying through the air as he hits a good jump. Yes, he still loves to snowboard - but only after he hoofed himself to the top of our nearby ski resort mountain 'cause ski lifts are just not his style.

yes he has windsurfed in the Baltic Sea in Germany and got really good at and he looks like an x-treme sport commercial when he is slalom water skiing behind our boat.

BUT....StudHusband no longer fully defines him. Over Spring Break, he took me out on an all day date. First we went to the Portland Art Museum - because his love for photography has now bled over into love for all art. As he thoughtfully gazed at another French painting from the 1700s, he declared that someday, he too wants to paint.

Mountain man of mine, you never cease to keep surprising me!

Then we went off to my favorite vegan and raw vegan restaurant in downtown P-town. YUM!! he loved it too, and always does. So kind of him to even try it, being the ranch boy that he is.

Then finally, he took me ballroom dancing for 3 hours. WOW! He can dance! No kidding. He knows the fox trot, waltz, rhumba, and more! And I, have never ever learned such fineries. I kept urging him to choose a different gal so he could twirl around and actually do the dance but my man kept choosing me. The tall, suave man with long eyelashes and a cleft chin just kept choosing me.

Sigh!

So, my studHusband wants to chase flowers all spring and summer, become a painter, an artist, and a photographer. He sings and plays guitar, writing the most beautiful music to me and to our God. He is an athlete and an amazing daddy. He loves learning new technology as he develops his web design business - and teaches engineering classes and higher level math. True to the 16th and 17th century scholars who explored science at a new level, art, music, movement and sport, religion, and enlightenment my man seems to be straight from a different era!

My man is now officially -

My Renaissance Man!

Chasing Flowers

Ahhh...my Studhusband! This spring he has asked me to plan nothing at all for the spring weekends because we will be chasing wildflowers in bloom around the NW, interspersed with soccer (he is the coach and Wildman Sprout wouldn't be caught dead missing a single chance to whack a soccer ball).

BUT....HUN-EEE!! There's so much going on....

"Clear the schedule!"

....women's retreats that I have been asked to speak at, 5K races, get togethers with friends....

"Wildflowers here we come"

So, I will bow out of speaking at the retreat, gracefully step aside so SOMEONE else can win a 5K without me there to usurp the title (Hee hee!!), and I will help carry the photography equipment on our journeys around the NW this spring as wildflowers begin to blossom.

We are hitting the Painted Hills out east in later April, the apple blossoms in hood River in early May, the Rhodies and other magnificent displays of color in Florence in later May (I will squeeze a 5K in there) and everything else in between. Really, it's quite a romantic spring we have planned. And it won't step there - the wildflowers keep blooming all summer, just higher up in elevation - requires the backpacks and a lot of sweat to get to see fields of color glory in July...and we'll be right there in the mix.

I kinda want to balk at it, but I will submit and somehow my heart knows that after months of hanging out in God's art studio with StudHusband and the sprouts, I won't miss all the business that is being cleared for such an occasion.

I am squeezing in a trip to Florence with some girlfriends for a weekend but giving up speaking at our church's women's retreat (a tradition I started 5 years ago that seems to be going strong - yay!).

All in all, skipping "busy-ness" to go celebrate and admire God's creation is probably the perfect prescription for my heart. And quite romantic too.

David Klinkenberg dot com is back!

For months, I have sat in the evenings on my comfy couch, with a nice cozy cup of hot tea and a good book listening to the quiet clicking of my StudHusband on the computer. The "masterpiece" was in process, and I was not to peek.

The unveiling is finally here. David Klinkenberg dot com is ready for the world to see.

We did a photo shoot last fall on a beautiful fall day and had a blast together. I personally think that these photos are what makes this website HOT! The house is near our own, in the country, and is probably 100 plus years old. True Americana.

Someone just left a question on the comments about who took the pictures - My husband did. Of his many jobs in life, photography is his passion. Hubby, myself, and David (and our mom) spent the day doing the photo shoot out on location and had so much fun.

So, check it out!


www.davidklinkenberg.com

Faith

This past week I found myself frustrated as I listened to a Christian Sister lecture me about faith. I do not usually like to engage in controversial conversations and often hear myself "agreeing" just to avoid conflict, but I had to take a stand this last week. I am increasingly becoming tired of Christian rhetoric and bad advice that's often hurtful from fellow Christians. It's been a pattern I have encountered for 4 years now, that started with strange and hurtful advice during the years I was sick. Thankfully, no one that I know that reads my blog or goes to my home church has ever said these types of things so I can safely share my thoughts here.

My husband will know in a few weeks how "bad it really is" in this economy as the final numbers come in and the plan is put in place that will undoubtedly reduce our income to an unprecedented low. They actually told them at their staff meeting last week, "don't panic yet, as you don't know what to panic about. You will know on Feb 25th."

StudHusband and I aren't ones to panic but we are ones to plan. If we experience the kinds of cuts that are predicted, one of the options to navigate that lack of money would be to make cuts in areas that we currently are spending in. Logical. So, when I shared why my heart felt heavy this last week to this friend, she began to lecture me that I need to have a spirit of Faith and not Fear. Somehow, sharing to her that it is possible that with these potential major cutbacks coming our kids might not be able to continue at their tuition based Christian school was being "fearful" and not "faithful".

I took this hurtful conversation with me on my run today and chatted with God about it. He impressed this very clearly on my heart: you are to have Faith in ME, daughter, and not faith that the outcome of this situation will be what you are wishing it will be. I am not Santa Claus, I am GOD.

Will you still have faith in me if the future is hard because you have to work more than you ever have, to have the same amount of money you currently have? Will you still have faith in me if you have to cut back in ways you never dreamed you'd have to? Will you still have faith in me if your tomorrows, for a time, are truly challenging?

Or is your faith one where you tell friends, "I have faith that even though these major financial cutbacks are happening, I believe that God is a God of miracles therefore, we will get to continue on as normal because God will do a miracle..."

I absolutely believe with all my heart that if StudHusband's salary cuts are as bad as predicted that one of the potential futures could include miracles that keep things as they are (we keep our house, our kids get to stay in their Christian school, we get to do things we want to do)...but my faith is not going to be proclaiming that I have faith in that particular outcome...I will proclaim a Faith in God...period. Come what may, we will still Love Him and strive to Give Him Glory even if the future that I want is not what future I am going to get.

This "name it and claim it" stuff is turning God into Santa. Instead, I choose to simply proclaim, that :

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, a]">[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
-Psalm 23

Come what may, we know that we will be walking this valley with God, and that's the Faith that I will talk about.

Does that make any sense?

A summer review in photos

I finally am processing my photos since Jan 2008. Now no one wants to see pictures of us in snow at this juncture. I've got to improve this!! When looking at the summer shots we got I couldn't resist a quick summary of the best of this last summer for the 'ole blog world to see. Every day for 10 weeks we played, climbed, laughed, held hands, played, and explored. This is just a sampling of the joy that comes from togetherness.

This last weekend, our backpacking trip into Obsidian Falls pushed our walking odometer reading past 100 miles. Stats from this summer:

• 105 miles on the trail for StudHusband and myself
• 70 miles on the trail for the 5 and 7 year old sprouts (60 of which were in Aug and Sept)
• 2500 miles on the ro
• 700,205 smiles
• 867,000 moments to hold hands or hug
• 740 miles run so far in 2008 as of Sept 15th by me (Geez, when I add it up like that it makes me realize that I need to get shoes more often than I do!! :)

Taken at the summit of a 10 mile day hike out of Anthony Lakes

Anthony Lakes was a relaxing week of fishing, hiking, and enjoying friends.

Cade fell in love with fishing - we have about 18 trout in our freezer but he threw back at least another 20 more.

Princess Sprout is the Picture of summer relaxation:

A little Baker City Oregon Trail Interpretive Center added depth to our Oregon Trail theme of the summer.
Taken on the way up to the top of Mt Howard - featuring the Hummus Gnome. Hummus seemed to appear in every single lunch this last summer. Needless to say, we are taking a hummus break for now!

Taken atop Mt Howard, outside of Wallowa State Park. Instead of spending the $80 to take the tram ride to the top, in true "O- family-style", we figured out a route up the backside. Kiddos hiked 10 miles that day, gaining about 2500 feet in elevation. We enjoyed a yummy meal at the top in the highest restaurant in Oregon.

Celebrating our arrival at the top.

The faces of happy kids - full of hope, filled with joy, surrounded by love:

Enjoying time in the depths of our favorite Oregon Wilderness - The Eagle Caps -where quiet was defined, and peace was captured

I just love that our kids are so at home out in the wilderness. They easily amuse themselves and remain completely content and want for nothing but the moment at hand.

Candid moment - adoration captured on film

A moment to just "be"

God has blessed us with wonderful friends in our home town. But for this post, I am going to share a bit about "old" friends. Old and New bless us alike. Here's a look at some friends that have been in our life for about 10 years.

These are friends that have history together - supporting each other in very hard life struggles and exciting victories as we seek to have our lives point to God's glory in it all. It's amazing all the stories wrapped up in these 5 families (missing a few for sure that couldn't make it) - and it's such a blessing to be apart of these stories, walking through life and praying for each other through it all as we go. In these pictures hides life stories like supporting a husband as he finishes his doctorate, enduring the deep grief of losing one's first born at full-term, dealing with a son that might have Asperger's Syndrom (autism), almost losing a 4 year old daughter to Ecoli, adopting a beautiful little girl from India, just returning from a mission trip in China, working through 2 years of major family health issues, moving home after 10 years of living 1000 miles away, grieving together as we lost one of "our own" in Jeanne Hazelton's 3 year battle with Breast Cancer on her 48th b-day, supporting each other as our pastor of 3 young kids nearly died with a sudden brain aneuryism and having the joy more than 10 years later of his miraculous recovery, and working through and becoming stronger in the Lord because of the difficulties that ultimately closed our church down and so much more. The deep sadnesses of life and the triumphs, all shared together, even now as we are spread out across this Oregon land.

2 families at the last minute weren't able to come, and many more families that make up this rich circle of friendship were also not there but the entire Labor Day campout passed in a fast whir of non-stop talking, catching up, religious and political conversations, and tons of laughter.

All Beavers (except for one couple!) from the land of Corvallis, OR, we have similar world views, God views, and political views making conversations rich in depth and infinitely encouraging.

The Girls. All friends since before kids arrived on the scene. Just as happy doing a Victorian Tea party together as we are mountain biking, backpacking, camping, swapping latest book reads or crafting (quilting and scrapbooking being our favorites!) together. It's possible that I am a bit happier camping then a couple of these hardy gals, but they all do it with smiles! I am continuously amazed at the balance these friends seek in their lives between God, personal fitness, professional careers, creative parenting, continuous collegiate education, gardening, and home cooking!

The Guys (mine is the one on the far left). Guys that can talk about God 'till 2 in the morning around a campfire, give each other a good night hug (to say, "even though we don't totally see eye to eye on everything, I love you bro!") , and then get up the next day and rip out a killer mountain bike ride together.

Guy + Girl = LOTS OF KIDS - and here they all are!!

And this final picture, sums up the sentiments of our Labor Day annual camping trip.

Ansel Adams Wilderness

Here's a couple of pictures of the last week of our 5 week trip:

We arrived in Mammoth Lakes as the jumping off point for this incredible 4 day trek.

In true California style, we had to catch a shuttle to get to the trailhead.

In more California style, the bears are everywhere. A huge, nearly 600 pound male bear came into our camp the last night. SH chased it down the valley, throwing rocks and yelling at it. No one else camped at Summit Lake was interested in assisting - they let my Davey Crockett do it. We could hear his yells echoing for miles in that canyon. Later we learned that this is a notorius bear and is becoming dangerous...they are now not recommending that you throw rocks at bears (seemed obvious to me) as they are being more known to turn on folks.

These were the hurking huge bear cannisters we each had to carry.

Our route started at Agnew Meadows. We hiked past Shadow Lake until we reached our first night's resting spot, pictured below - Ediza Lake, a beauty perched 9300 feet high and surrounded by 12,000 and 14,000 foot peaks.

Picture below is Ice Lake - the lake at 9700 feet where StudHusband and I both realized that I was going to do awesome this trip, the years of sickness were over, and where we changed our easier route, adding an extra 20 miles to include 3 more high mountain lakes.

Day 2 we headed to the most enchanting spot for me - Garnett Lake. We came over a 10,200 foot pass and as we dropped down into this high lake basin I was overwhelmed with the beauty. It was the largest lake I have ever seen out in the wilderness with massive granite peaks surrounding it and an adorable island in the middle of it. The sun was dancing on the water in the most peaceful and profoundly beautiful way. It was my favorite.

The next day we headed to Thousand Island Lake, ate a quick snack, pumped water and then went on to our 3rd night destination called Summit Lake - where Brudus the bear visited us. This lake felt like it was on the edge of the world, absolutely blew us away.

On the way back to Oregon, we took Tioga pass over and through Yosemite National Park. Here we stand and clearly I am feeling quite victorious in this picture - I had just completed a rocking trip of 35 high elevation miles in the most gorgeous wilderness I have ever experienced: The Ansel Adams Wilderness on the John Muir Trail and PCT trail.

Happy 12 years of marriage to my hiking partner for life. I can't wait to go back with you and do the entire John Muir trail - 200 miles of some of the most gorgeous land on earth.

Do it afraid

To round out our summer and conclude this most amazing 5 week summer trip, we dropped the kids off with grandma and grandpa for a 6 day adventure of our own to celebrate 12 years of marriage.

Traditionally, we love to backpack for 3 days and then go to a Bed and Breakfast for 2...but this year Oregon and Washington were snowed in and full of mosquitoes (I mean clouds of these pesky creatures)...Northern Cali was on fire so we just kept driving 'till it was "perfect". It was fun to not know quite where we'd end up as we started off on Monday morning.

SH had been a camp counselor in the Sierras for 10 years and talks of their glory often. I'd seen mountains, how good could a different mountain range be?

To his delight, the High Sierras were the best bet and within our time frame - so Mammoth Lakes, CA - here we come!

The drive down was such a blast as we ate great organic food from the Ashland Co-op and read an amazing book together (I will post much about this life changing book). We laughed and drove and read and ate. Soon we were coming to Reno - we did this town the best way we know how - a lovely by-pass that zipped us around it without so much as a loud obnoxious casino light flashing at us. South we trekked. We had permits to get, bear cans to reserve, and some gear to still aquire.

We arrived at Mono Lake in Lee Vining at exactly 4:59 - Ranger Station closing at 5:00...I dropped him off in front of the station to sprint in, he made it through the doors. I parked. I did not make it. Too late though for them to issue us permits or bear cans or any of it.

So we headed south to Mammoth Lakes, got a hotel and waited 'till morning to sign up. Unlike Oregon, most of these permits are paid for in advance, reserved, and quite official. Us Northern Bumpkins just wander to any trailhead, fill out the little piece of paper provided, put it in the slot and march on. Not so in Cali. Everything was official and formal and INTIMIDATING!

Upon arriving, all smiles and laughter and light heartedness gave way to nothing short of - FEAR. This was the real deal. I'd hiked for years in wildernesses but these mountain ranges are monstrous. It's where the big boys play. Mammoth Lakes itself sits at 8050 feet!

Background: 12 years earlier, during the second half of our honeymoon, we were backpacking in Oregon when I suddenly lost conciousness and went into a grand mal seizure. I had a total of 4 of these lovely mind altering fits before the life -flight helicopter arrived in the middle of this wilderness and wisked me away to a hospital, without new hubby. I have been a healthy pumpkin all the years after that until 2005 and 2006 when I suffered with massive fatigue, sinus infections, Epstein Barr, Diabetes, anxiety and on and on.

So.............I have struggled to believe that I am truly "back to normal", especially since feeling so rotten for nearly 2 years. Backpacking into Oregon mountains seems safe - usually close enough to any city if an emergency happens. But this trek required a shuttle JUST TO GET TO THE TRAILHEAD!!! With BEAR CANS!!! Yikes!!

We'd be doing a gorgeous high altitude loop - into 4 different high lakes, crossing 3 high passes topping out at 10,200 feet high. Plus, there were bears!!

But truly, I was more scared about my body and if it could perform then of the bears.

But, God wants us operating in FAITH not FEAR. I've always felt that you can't conquor your fears if you don't face them. In fact, 2 years after the seizures in that moutain range, I insisted that we go back to that same spot and peak that mountain again. But, these high sierras were scarey. Massive granite peaks for aas far as the eye can see. And then there was little me.

There was nothing I could do to reverse this fear that had overcome me but simply move forward in FAITH. Sometimes, those first steps on that trail (literal here) is done afraid. That's OK. Do it afraid and watch God show himself Faithful. The only way to slay the Fear Monster is to stare it down - even afraid - but stare it down.

So I did just that. I started out, afraid. And was greeted with in 10 minutes by this beautiful meandering river that we followed to it's beginning point at a beautiful lake - Shadow Lake. And up we kept climbing - these are intense trails - up and up, granite everywhere...unbelievable beauty. We got to our first like, Ediza Lake, perched at 9300 feet, surrounded by massive granite slabs rising 12 and 14,000 feet high. I noted that while I was slightly short of breath, I was not unconscious! I also noted that unlike Oregon, there were virtually only highly fit looking men out here hiking. Was I crazy? Was I out of my league?

Next Morning, I woke up and started the day with the simple act of crawling out of my sleeping bag to the rising sun. Drank some fresh glacier water and tentatively began the day. That day included a near sprint straight up this super steep ravine to a high mountain lake called Iceburg. It was during this high energy jaunt that the blue sky, sun, and mountains around me became God's created cheerleaders to my nervous soul. By the time I reached that lake, I was so jazzed.

SH knew it. I knew it. We had come home. And I was finally and totally healed. Fear was gone and in it's place for the rest of that trip was complete and utter peace, joy, and praise for the Great Physician and Creator of this Land.

Pictures to come or this 4 day, 35 mile trek with my Hiking Partner for life, my StudHusband of 12 years.

Summer is amazing

There is no way I could possibly summarize our last 4 weeks! I have hundreds of photos and thousands of memories. I am sitting in an RV park tonight in Baker city so I have Wi-Fi for the first time in 4 weeks. Since I last posted, we have backpacked into our favorite Eagle Cap Wilderness (12 mile trek), camped at our favorite Wallowa State Park for 2 weeks where the kiddos proudly became Jr. Rangers with our favorite Ranger - Ranger Lou!! , met up with some great friends along the way...we've also:

• gone to the Joseph Days Pro Rodeo. I thankfully wear sunglasses to events like this because I always find myself tearing up as I see the cowboys get bucked around like a dead rag doll and the animals flailing around. Wasn't meant to be a cowgirl. Of the 2000 plus people there, our seat was the winning seat for the big package give-a-way. We get to go to a resort near Pendelton sometime in the next year - free lodging, food, and 2 rounds of golf! :)
• done tons of lake swimming and local pool swimming (kids are so cute when they are wet)
• gone boating a bunch
• CONSTANT little moments together - we sleep in our trailer or tent each night so we are always going to sleep and waking up together. Every meal is together. What I love is how often I get to be holding either SH or one of the sprout's hands.
• a day at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Those Pioneers were hardy folk! 1986 miles of walking! 25% of the ladies were pregnant.
• day hiked a lot (Little Princess sprout has done 2 different day hikes of over 9 miles each...smiling and singing the whole way. She has amazed us for sure! Her constant happy spirit lifts all of ours.)
• lots of fishing. Wildman Sprout caught at least 18 Trout over the last 2 days at Anthony Lake - a most gorgeous high alpine lake, perched around 7100 feet high surrounded by granite and huge rugged peaks
• discovered Anthonly Lakes Basin - a beautiful new looking campground sitting at 7100 feet. We never got into our truck for 3 days. We could walk to the lake to fish and swim and from our campsite were in walking distance of incredible day hikes into high alpine trails.
• Wildman Sprout fell in love with fishing. He is finally hooked. He fished all evening and then would wake up and go back and fish all morning until lunch.

The theme this summer has been the Oregon Trail. The kids did a one week Oregon Trail camp in Tumalo, the evening programs by Ranger Lou were all about the oregon Trail, then we went to Baker City and spent an entire day at the Oregon Trail interpretive center, and finally Bekah and I made a Cornhusk doll together (I'll post all about how we did that some time). I got a nifty new cookbook with great old remedies from the trail, recipes, and tips for life. I'll have fun posting some of that too.

We plan to explore the history here in Baker City tomorrow...then we are off to do a 10 mile day hike into the Strawberry Wilderness to conclude our vacation together before SH and I get a week to ourselves with the Sprouts heading to Grandparent's house for the last week of the summer.

Can't wait to hear about all of your adventures this summer!

This mama is hitting the high road

We all know that time flies, but in 3 days, changes in those around me happened so fast, I am spinning!

SH was gone for 2 weeks doing more engineering graduate course week (12 credits completed since JUNE! Good job SH!!)...anyway, when he came home the most distinguising thing I noticed was how distinguised he is starting to look - in the form of grey hairs beginning to riddle through his beard and temples. Not even 35 years old yet! My dad didn't start turning grey until his mid-60s!!

And then, on Sunday, Princess Sprout wanted to learn to tie her shoes. When she decides she is ready for something, she is ready!! She was 2 years old and 1 day when, as I changed her diaper, she looked up at me and said, "Mommy, no more diapers. I go in the potty." Shocked, I decided to abide by her request as any little sprout that can formulate her thought that completley must know what she is saying. Sure enough, she was potty trained within a few days.

So, I showed her about 5 times how to tie her shoe...within 10 minutes she came running to tell me that she did it! Sure enough. Tied.

A step closer to independence.
Older, in an instant.

And then, that same evening, that same 5 year old sprout came running to me to announce that she lost her first tooth! NO!!! My heart screamed, glue it back on! You are too young. Your brother was 6 1/2 - not 5! I am not ready!!!!

But, she proudly proclaimed that she is growing up, no stopping her.

So for all these moments that came slamming in on me this weekend, I am so grateful for our teacher lifestyle that allows us to be together so much. We leave today for 5 weeks on the road - no phones, no computers, no appointments, no distractions, no work, no more "not now honey...I am busy"....Instead, we get to say YES more to these little sprouts that are beginning to look like little trees.

Giving up good careers in civil engineering (StudHusband) and marketing (me) was the cross-road in our lives that I will never regret. We love the copious amount of time we have as a family - for the next 5 weeks, we will live as millionaires - 'cause if I had millions, it's EXACTLY what I'd be doing. And then again in November when we get 10 more days to be together, and again in December for 2 more weeks and again in March for Spring break....this muchTime together - PRICELESS.

Flying on bikes

SH pictured here defying gravity on his mountain bike. While I enjoy a good ride, I prefer keeping all tires touching the earth at all times.

StudHusband

We met in college, my first day on campus, fresh to Oregon from Chicago. It's a fun story that some time I'll write about but today I'll just reflect on who it is that I get to call my husband. Not only is he a head turner, he is a gentle and loving man who blesses our home with his Godly guidance. Any given day you could find him strumming his guitar and singing, changing out a radiator or redesigning our landscaping. I am continually amazed at what this former ranch boy is capable of doing. Seems to be nothing he can't fix, redesign, or invent. He rides mountain bikes in ways that I truly don't want to know any details about, gets up at crazy hours of the night to catch a sunrise at the top of a local mountain, and writes highly annointed worship songs. He also puts up with my random raw concoctions that I always give fancy names to, despite the fact that the ingredients are usually a variation of the same 10 things.

Aside from being a highly involved dad and an ever encouraging husband, he finds time to teach highschool.

This super hero is not the man of my dreams. I never would have dared to dream a man like this even existed. But alas, he does, and he's all mine!