A memorial for Mom

On our last day, we headed down to the shore of Twin Lakes. We all were talking about my mom. Each one of us expressed how much she is missed. Caden and Davin started collecting sticks, pine cones and driftwood... all things my mom had collected with them when they went on adventures with her... Caden found a log that would make a perfect seat. We all started putting the items they collected around the stump. Erin then started making the cross, and I started carving her acquired name "Monya" into the wood. We all thought it was a place she would love. The scenery is beautiful from this spot. We hope it stays there all year. We look forward to finding it next year. I know my mom would love being there through all the seasons. I also know that my mom is still having quite the celebration in heaven with her savior Jesus.

Pictures from the trip

The Tioga Pass

This is a picture of the Tioga Pass form years ago. SCARY !!! Everyone in the family thinks its really funny when we drive this road and I end up scunched down in the seat holding my seat belt for dear life. The Tioga Pass is on the East side of the entrance to Yosimite. It is beautiful scenery, however there is a 8000 foot drop off on this two lane road. Also, there is no gaurd rail on the cliff side. And the random signs on the mountain side that warn you of boulders falling. Whenever we drive on this road, I develop some sort of phobia. I become scared out of my mind. The kids laugh and Erin will swerve the car... Just great !! We take this road to get to more isolated lakes hidden in the Sierras.
Well this year Erin puuled off into a turn out and wanted to look over the edge. I stayed back about 50 feet from the edge. All the what ifs... a sudden gust of wind, an earthquake, a boulder falling or car swerving could send anyone right over the edge. Well, Erin decided to stand on the wall. I kept telling him to get down. He put his arms out to the side... I was starting to yell and cry at him to get away from the edge.... I was begging him to get down.. the kids were all in the car crying because they saw me crying and weren't sure what their lunatic dad was going to do. Excuse the language but the smart ass jumped... I was screaming... I didn't know their was a 10 foot ledge on the otherside of the wall. He was laughing so hard... THIS WAS NOT FUNNY TO ME !! I'll get him back one day. . .





Veiw looking into the approach of the Tioga Pass.

Our first adventure started with a fishing trip at the Lake. Timeri and Slater thouroughly enjoyed catching the fish. It was the waiting period for the fish to bite that is most memorable. It is rather humorous looking back at it now. But, when it was all occuring... Erin and I knew that our fishing days, of fishing for hours without any children interrupting, were long gone. It was one rod to the next being thrown in the water or someone reeling the line in just for the heck of it. The rocks that the boys and the little princess deligently threw into the water were for sure going to scare ALL fish away from us. Timeri finally started looking for bugs and putting them in a bug catcher. I think after the final "I've got to go pee", we knew it was time to retire for the cirst day.

Charger's house

Caden feeding Charger.

Charger and her baby.

Last year when we stayed at the cabin we named it "Charger's house", after the famous deer we named Charger. It hung out in the yard in front of the cabin. It would eat from our hands and veer into the windows to see what we were doing. One day, when we came back from one of our adventures... Erin got out of the car and the deer charged him. It was histerical... something you would see on America's funniest home videos. Every since then the kids would see the deer and they would scream "Daddy RUN !!" Later, Erin and I noticed the deer was pregnant. Well when we returned this year... guess who was in the front yard...CHARGER !! She had good news to share with us.... her baby.

Our summer vacation

Our main journey this summer was going on vacation for three weeks. It started with Erin and I packing every crevice of our suburban with everything imaginable that we would need over the next three weeks. We carried the kids to the car at 2 am an we were on our way. We left at that time to be able to drive without the famous "Are we there yet ?". We headed up to 15 looking for the 395 and miracously Erin missed the exit by several minutes so we had to back track. Once we were on the right road and going in the right direction...haha... we were bound to find our little cabin that we rent at Twin Lakes CA.
Here is our little cabin that we just love. It is nestled between a forrest of Aspen trees. Blue jays and woodpeckers wake us up in the morning and during the day we have sevral sightings of deer. One night we even had a black bear on our porch.

Here are some shoreline views of the Lake.


God definatley used his paint brush here. Absolutley beautiful !!

Jillian

When we moved out here to Winchester I had no idea that God was going to bless me with the most amazing, beautiful, loving friend. I love Jillian. Our kids have grown up together. Timeri and Lily have been best friends sense birth. If there is a "soul mate" for a friend she is it ! I feel our souls have been friends for years. Almost, every morning we wake up and have "coffee talk". We chit chat and have some great laughs before our day starts at 6 am. It is a great way to start the day, before the kids wake up! Jillian will be delivering her third baby when we are on vacation. I am sad to miss it. If I was home, I'd be right there in the delivery room with her. I made this video for her, just to let her know I love her. I look forward to meeting little baby # 3! (push pause on music on side to hear music on video)

Roasting Marshmellows

One of the boys favorite past times at my dad's is roasting marshmellows. Everytime we go there they always seem to have him pull out the barbeque to do the after diner ritual.

July 4th

For the fourth of July, I took the kids up to my dad's house. We went over to Mike and Giselle's to do sparklers with Rebecca and Marissa.