City of Rock, Idaho

 On our way to Oregon, we had planned to meet up with our good friends from Kalispell, Montana in Idaho. 
Luke is the one that got Tyler really into rock climbing, and this was a rock climbers dream place. So many rocks to climb! And they were HUGE!
The first night there was great. It was great to catch up with Becca and Luke, and the kids ran around and just loved playing together... and then....

 We got sick. Kellen, Soren, Ayla and myself all ended up sick. Throwing up sick, not just tired sick either. The hammock worked out great, because you could keep away from the ants, and just lean over the edge and throw up. I know, gross.

Ayla got it the worst.... she was sick for 3 of the 4 days. We actually got really worried with her eyes sunken in and the inability to keep anything down. We took her to the local (60 miles away) ER and they gave us some anti nausea medication, but said she was right on the cusp of being dehydrated, but they didn't want to stick her with a needle if they didn't have to (thank goodness, because that girl is awful with needles!)

Kellen's sickness only lasted a day... so he was his usually rascally self for the camping trip.

These guys are adorable! It is hard to believe this boy will be one soon!

Our last stander! He never got sick... his immune system must be pretty good. 
Oh, wait... he did get sick like a week later. But we cannot verify it was the same illness.

Above is camp for the first couple days... everyone asleep under a sheet...

and here is our last day. Having a fun little snack picnic under the shade of a big rock while Tyler climbed with some of the kids.

 Colton getting in a climb with Tyler... he went climbing a couple different times with Tyler and the crew, and I stayed back nursing the kids and myself back to health.  

But still... the sickness really wasn't very fun for any of us. Our trip was supposed to be fun filled with some awesome people... 
Instead, the awesome people tried to keep a respectable distance from the sick camp... I can only imagine how it was back in the day when part of the group got cholera or whatever!!

Soren doing his bear crawl... he still does it and it always gets some chuckles from people!

 Ayla getting in a climb. For a girl who was sick and couldn't keep anything down for 3+ days... we were amazed. She climbed up a HUGE rock (like 6 stories tall or more), without stopping. All she had eaten was a couple peanut butter crackers and gatorade! Yes, not good on our parenting, but she REALLY wanted to climb once, and we were leaving that night! So.... memories were made.

 Becca and I encouraged Kellen to go find a big rock, he looks up at the HUGE rock Tyler was climbing with Colton, and says with his hands in the air "It's too BIG!" It was so cute.
Kadence and Gracyne were so sweet while we were sick. They made cards for the kids, and would bring little gifts. I wish it would have been less sickness, and more fun!

 The kids doing some "rock climbing" at base camp.

 Look at that dirt!!! What cute brothers.

The geological area of City of Rock was so neat. It was just like pastures, and then all of a sudden HUGE rocks jutted out of the ground all over the place. I don't know the history, but there were wagon trails that went through the area, and some of the pioneers wrote their names on the rocks. It was really neat. We hope to go back again sometime.

Country Fair with cousins

 Country Fair in Elvira, Oregon was certainly an interesting experience. I was prepped by my sister in law to be open to many sightings... and sightings we saw. A man in only a strategically placed fig leaf (darn, i have no pictures of that!), boobs hanging out in all different shapes and sizes, stilts, costumes, and many many many hippies. It was a great time had by all. We dressed all the kids up in cute little costumes that we had laying around Danielle's house, and off we went.

 We brought a wagon, and used it to carry children (there were 7 of them, age 6 and under!), diapers, costumes... etc.

Kellen even fell asleep in it on the way out... and that was pretty cute because you couldn't even see him!

 Look at that cute boy. I just love him.

 Nonni helping the kids go down the slide in the kid section.

 The girls catching Kellen.

 Our oldest boys (above) dressed up as a gecko and iguana showing us a cool mushroom.

And of course our cute little bear (?)

 Sweet little Natalie dressed up as a butterfly.

 Watching a very interesting stilts/gymnastics show. The kids thought it was very entertaining.

 Elin with her mohawk.

 Making some wind streamers at the art table...

Want some coconut milk ice cream bars? They were delicious!

We had a great time, and recommend anyone in the area should definitely go and have yourself a nice, "freeing" time. Go naked. you only live once, right?!

Coming Back

It feels so weird coming back to this place after such a long hiatus. Not bad weird, just out of practice weird. I don't even know where to begin on what has taken place between then and now. I have about 1500 pictures that I am currently uploading to the computer, and we have many (many, many, many) stories of just what went on during our adventures. So I think I will just randomly write down a mess of words that are our story, and then I will elaborate on some of the funnier (or not so funny) ones.

Road trip. Vomiting. Diarrhea. Camping while sick. Friends. Laughter. Climbing rocks. Suckers. Caves. National Parks. Air Force bases. Stitches. Birthday parties. ER visits. Head lice. Cousins. Friends. Running. Misunderstandings. Missing Tyler. Dropped IPad. Refinancing house (while on vacation). Aquariums. Beaches. Rockets. Fourth of July. Great wedding.

I am forgetting SO much, I know. We had a great time in Oregon (and in Idaho on our way there). We saw many friends and family; we might have even worn out our welcome at a couple places :0  Our hearts are definitely in the great Northwest, and I cannot wait to move back and begin our "permanent" life.

Our Tough Mudder is in about 4 weeks, so we have been training for that... last weekend, we each ran 7 miles... the most I have ran at one time since before knee surgery! My back has been sore for the last couple days, but I think with some ice and rest, I will be back to the training. It is kind of funny, because on this trip, I ran in SOOO many different places. Salt Lake City; near Newport, OR; Astoria; Dundee (through some beautiful backroads); Veneta; it was great to get to train all over! My favorite run the whole trip was when Tyler rejoined us, and him and I took Soren down to the riverwalk in Astoria, and ran 6+ miles, with a light misting rain keeping us cool. I just felt so in shape and ready for this race.