Oregon punch with a side of crab...

This was our first visit to the Devil's Punchbowl on the Oregon coast and it didn't disappoint! We skipped looking into the punchbowl from the top and just headed right under the arch and inside because the tide was rising and our time would be limited.

Since Hunter was a tiny little guy he's always been interested in crawly things. He could spot a bug lickety split!

This moment made me laugh... there's our Hunter...looking at some interesting itsy bitsy creature.

 Back out on the beach, Hunter found more creatures.

I used to say he might be an entomologist some day. He's leaning more toward Orthodontics. Guess brackets are itsy bitsy things too.    :)

 The tide caught our girlie and the Mr. out on this sandbar.

I think he was trying to persuade her to give him a piggyback ride to dry ground.    :)

No luck this time, big guy. Looks like you're wading.    :)

Oregon...we love your waterfalls!

There were more fabulously beautiful waterfalls along the Colombia River Gorge than we could fit in! Along with Oneonta Falls here, we did manage to see Horsetail, Ponytail, Middle Oneonta, and Triple Falls.

Zac, (Elder Branch now) was learning to use his camera that Rachelle & Debbie gave him for his mission on Horsetail Falls. Thanks ladies!   :)

The next falls on the hike, Ponytail Falls, looked interesting to us when we were planning our trip because the trail actually goes behind the waterfalls! We couldn't wait to see it.

Halfway up the mountain we lost this guy. He stopped to tie his shoes then...he took a "short cut" and we didn't notice. I know, how could we not notice? His "short cut" went straight up the mountainside instead of following the dozens of switchbacks.

We started calling for him and when we'd pass other hikers we'd ask if they'd seen a really tall blonde guy dressed like batman.

Finally our paths crossed, whew!

Just around the next turn was Ponytail Falls. It was spectacular!

Zac wanted to get the full experience of the falls and climbed down next to the pool.

After Ponytail Falls we continued on and up to Triple Falls. It was a beautiful hike with numerous little waterfalls, bridges, lush moss-covered trees, and wildflowers along the way.

The twigs loved this tree near Middle Oneonta Falls.

Our sweet girl and our photo-bomber...

I noticed a trend in these pictures of Zac trying to climb everything he sees. Ha ha ha   :)

 

There were opportunities to talk together of our gratitude for people who make trails and repair washed out trails like this one.

 

We eventually reached Triple Falls! The viewpoints were from across the gorge (below) which makes the scale of the falls deceptive until you realize the little dots at the tops of the falls are actually people, pretty gutsy people, we decided, when we hiked around to the top of the falls but passed on getting to their same vantage point.

Oregon, we love your waterfalls!

Oneonta Gorge and a frog named George...

Just before Zac left on his mission to North Carolina, we had him all to ourselves on vacation in Oregon!

The hands down favorite part of the whole trip was this hike. Actually, it was more of a wade than a hike.

It was a little 1/2 mile hike up a gorge near Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River that dead ends at a beautiful waterfall. 

Along the way there was an immense log jam to climb over.

Climbing over the logs was fun but the real excitement hit when the walls narrowed and the water grew deep, so deep you had to swim for it. Well, swimming was the route most of us took. The boys, however, decided to put their rock climbing skills to use and made their way along the slick, wet rock. Zac's rock climbing class at Weber State paid off and he made it through both ways without getting dunked.

The waterfall at the end of the gorge was misty and fabulous!

On our way out of the gorge we found this little fella. We're pretty sure his name was George. He lives in a breathtaking place!

The twigs all say this hike was their favorite part of our vacation! We'd love to do it again!

Super Siblings...Temple Tuesdays...Forever Families...

I have the best siblings a girl could ask for. Just one case in point. When our parents passed away 3 & 4 years ago, my siblings asked if I'd like our parents' temple ceremonial clothing for my kids. It was such a generous, thoughtful, tender gift from them.

This past June, Zac and I were getting things ready for him to receive his own endowment in the temple and when we opened Mom's & Dad's little suitcases and I was swept away in a flood of memories because the beautiful clothing inside still had Mom's & Dad's scents.

I'm grateful for temple covenants, sealing power, and personal witnesses that family relationships can continue after our time here in mortality.

Zac decided he'd like to do temple work every Tuesday before leaving on his mission to North Carolina, hence, Temple Tuesdays were hatched. We loved being in a temple every Tuesday doing work to bring families together.

Grandma and Uncle Wilson came with us that first Tuesday. Wilson drove all the way from Colorado to be there - thanks Wilson!

 Our fantastic Stake President came too - what a man.    (Sorry no picture)

One of our Temple Tuesdays occurred while we were on vacation in Oregon. The Portland Temple was very quiet on a Tuesday in the middle of the day so we had all the temple workers in the baptistry to ourselves. They were delightful and we could have stayed and swapped stories all night (quietly of course).

When Zac was in the MTC we received a message from the Buchanans, who moved away years ago but happened to be in Provo, saying they saw Zac and his Companion coming out of the Provo Temple - and so it continues.   :)


If you want to know more about temples and forever families click here.

Sometimes Being A Brother Is Even Better Than Being A Super Hero - Marc Brown

Years ago, I saw the cutest picture on my niece's blog...

Spring Time Treats

She has oodles of cute doodles and this one was perfect for us. It said "Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a super hero.  -Marc Brown"

Spring had doodled two brothers and a sister on the quote and I loved it! 

I stuck it on the little piece of wall between the kids bedrooms while they were at school. Subliminal messaging I'm sure was my motivation. I do remember trying to color the hair on the doodle so it looked like our family but it didn't work the best and that didn't matter.

I've loved that little picture, and it's been hanging on the wall for years, wrinkled and worn with edges curling, just like our own velveteen rabbit. 

Total, surprise!! Last week Spring and her adorable family came for our twig's Sacrament Meeting talk before leaving on his LDS mission (so cool of them) and the next day we received an email with an attachment. Look y'all! It's a brand spankin' new shiny hair and heights matching on the twigs doodle!

She must have seen our old tattered thing hanging on the wall so she made us an updated version. That's just like her...she is one very observant, huge-hearted girl.

 

I'm over the moon. Thanks sweet Spring girl. xoxo

Periodontics

It's been three years since my father passed away. He lived 91 years on this beautiful planet and though not here in body today, he is here in spirit often.

On our way driving home from his funeral three years ago I received a phone message from one of the sweetest voices ever. I hadn't heard it for a few years as we'd moved to a new city and I was busy raising the twigs and serving with Scout and Primary Leaders but I never forgot it. It was Jill, from my favorite Periodontal Office, asking if I might be willing to work for them again.

My first thought was "Thank you, Father, and thank you, Father."

I started the next week and can't express the gratitude I feel for this blessing. I'm grateful for amazing people who bless my life with their stories of struggles and joys!

My co-workers are filled to overflowing with wit, generosity, kindness, and genius. I adore them!
It was Whitney's birthday a few weeks ago and every time we'd start to talk about her she'd somehow get the limelight off her and change the subject. That's how they are.

Paul in Philippians 1:3 said it best..."I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."

Spirit of NUAMES...

The hallways were crowded with students and parents, some waiting in lines, others making their way to the next room at our first NUAMES High School parent teacher conferences when we heard this bubbly voice making it's way down the hall. It was too tiny to see above the crowd but the voice was coming closer and as it did we could tell people were being hugged by it. When it reached us it called our brand new, wet behind the ears, High Schooler by name and introduced itself to us. Deb Hefner, the Director of Business Operations for Northern Utah Academy for Math, Engineering & Science, entered our lives and hearts that afternoon, and we're the fortunate ones.

Later that year her dear husband would pass away. Our hearts ached for her and her beautiful daughter. At the next school dance, our oldest twig happened to see Ms. Hefner and asked her to swing dance. It was a dance to remember as all the students circled around this adored woman and cheered for her always celebrating the moment. These two had a standing agreement to dance together from that night on, including a dance at Ms. Hefner's daughter's wedding reception.

True to her huge heart and giving nature, Ms. Hefner and her daughter (who was in Armenia this night) gave the first "Jim Hefner Spirit of NUAMES" Awards and Scholarships this year to two students in honor of her late husband. How proud he must be of his girls!

How blessed we are to know Deb!

Swing dancing till the cows came home...

The nicest people you'll ever meet own this fabulous barn and allowed our youth group to come and dance the night away, all for the price of some good muscle power by the guys and their leaders a few weeks in advance. Sounds like it's still a gift of kindness on the part of the owners if you ask me - no slight intended to all those muscles.

The night of the dance, a very creative dance teacher in the neighborhood used the "chocolate, vanilla, strawberry game" to have the youth all switching dance partners and lining up in dance position pronto! Then it was time to swing dance. They were jump jivin' and jailhouse rockin' till the cows came home (actually the cows were already home, just outside the barn).

There were more dedicated leaders outside, cooking dutch oven cobbler while the kids were learning how to pretzel, spin, and dip. Thanks leaders!

What a blast to have enough youth to pull off an activity like this. Good times - thanks everyone!