Camping

After our delightful trip to Alaska we made our way back to Yakima. We hung out here for the week and then bolted for Chinook pass. We wanted to be out camping again! We spent the week hiking, swimming and biking all around God's great creation on Highway 410! It was a ball. The lack of pictures is due to the sad fact that both my camera and Dave's phone went for a swim. Both are fine now. . . up and working again! :)

Caleb loves to roast and eat marshmallows

 Smore faces are the best!!

Breakfast

The boys and their daddy heading out for a mountain biking trip!

The kiddos spent most of the time in the water. Benn was in his swim clothes all day and loved it!

After a week long camping trip not only do the kiddos, mommy, daddy and Sammy need baths, so does the van! It was dirty!! :)

The highlight of our trip was being together!

As we venture into 2nd year of med school we are sweetly reminded of how precious our time together is. We look forward to this year and know, just like last year, we will grow stronger on our own and together as a family. 

Our prayer is that God continues to bless us in our daily efforts to serve Him and give Him all of the glory! We can only do all that we do with God who is in control!!

A joyful time in Alaska

Eating Mooses Tooth for his first time and LOVING IT!

 Our time in Alaska was absolutely wonderful! The time we had was unforgettable. Our friends and family made us feel so loved and welcomed. It was as if we had never left, we all just meshed back into life.
My sweet and dear friend Alyssa and her husband Jeremy were so wonderful and had a big welcome home/birthday bash for me at Mooses Tooth (My FAVORITE pizza place) It was beautiful to see so many of my dear friends take time out of their day to come and celebrate with me. I felt incredible loved and I am so thankful for everyone who came out!! You all made my day!! THANK YOU!

Alyssa and Jeremy: You both made me feel loved and I will never forget the great effort you took to put the whole thing together! Thank you for making me feel so special!

 Here are a few fun pictures we took at the Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River Alaska!

Dave w/ JJ and Lori with Jude

JJ and Jude

JJ as snow white on her horse! LOL!

This Barret 50 cal belongs to my cousin Tom! The boys thought it was great!

Flat Top date!

 I do love my Shawna! Especial when she watches the kids so we can go out for a quick hike! We did not do anything crazy, just Flat Top. It is a famous mountain that is. . . . well. . . flat!
All of these pictures are taken after 11pm!!

Flat Top in the background

The view from the top

SO EXCITED TO SEE SNOW!

Submitted at midnight!

It is so much fun to see the beauty of Alaska from a different perspective!

Kenai

 I was born and raised on the Kenai peninsula and that is where we spent the last half of our trip. The boys enjoyed hanging out with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Mikaila, Uncle Jordan, Uncle David, Aunt Kia and cousin Kaydence. 

 Grandma has a little bit of a farm going on and is enjoying raising Chickens, goats and now a Horse named Chewy. While we were there the momma goat had babies!!! They were so cute and fun to hold.

 The boys got a huge kick out of helping Grandma with her farm chores and eating her yummy cookies!

Uncle Jordan and Josiah

Uncle Jordan and Benn

 The kids enjoyed spending time at Grandpas house too. He is very good at making pancakes and the kids ate them up (Literally). Grandpa spent a lot of time driving the kids around the yard on his 4-wheeler and even took them to the beach to ride. Uncle David brought kites and oh BOY did we have a time. At one point Benn let go of his kite and we watched it soar away. :( A tree close by reached out and saved the day and daddy rescued the stray kite. 

These are some pretty cute little kiddos! :)