Waterfall Adventures

We've had fun this last month exploring the area that we now live. We really love it here! There's a lot to do and see. On the Oregon side of the gorge there are a TON of gorgeous waterfalls, and we've gone to few of them. We also took Audrey and Alex (the boys have been in Spokane the last couple of weeks!) to see the Portland Temple. Here's some pics (courtesy mostly of Troy) of our adventures.

This pic (above) is from the Vista House, which is a cool (sorry no pic) dome-shaped 'rest stop' which used to be called a comfort station when it was built in 1916.


This is the fish hatchery nearby where they have HUGE sturgeon and salmon. Here is Audrey with Herman a 70 yr. old, 450 lb. 10 ft long sturgeon!

This is probably the most popular of the waterfalls since you can see it along the highway. Multnomah Falls is 620 ft and is the second tallest waterfall in the US. (Troy is feeding me these facts.) It was really hard to get all the kids in together in this picture, Nathan and Bev and their kids came along too.

My Boys.

Photo courtesy of Devon

I love this of Audrey and Alyssa, they are very similar in personality-yet somehow manage to get along most of the time :)

Audrey posing in front of Wahkeena Falls.

This is also Wahkeena Falls

It is very lush and green. Remember what that looks like Carrie? This is the highway along the waterfalls.

This is Latourell Falls. It is amazinging gorgeous!

This is Wahkeena Falls. Troy took this with his phone camera. I love the sun coming through.

I Love To See The Temple......

One more post from me. We had ward conference this past week, and in the ward council meeting, one the stake presidency counselors shared this video. Pretty amazing. Definately reminded me of Trav and his b-ball skills.

Variety Post

So I realize I've been a little post-happy, but I just have one more post to show everyone- I guess we've had a lot going on! Just a few more random things to show you:

This is what I call the "Refrigerator Syndrome". I did something crafy, and, like a kid, I've got to post it here, the virtural refrigerator, to show my indulgent family. I've gotten a few projects done that have been on my list for awhile. A chore chart and a Family Home Evening chart. Those are popsicle sticks with our names on it in the F.H.E. chart. I used embroidery thread to hand-stitch on the names on the chore chart, and the titles on the F.H.E. chart.

Good news to all who may visit! No more deflating-in-the-middle-of-the-night air mattresses! We got a double bed. We've revamped the rooms, now this is Caitlin's bed (thus the stuffed animals) and Lizzie and A.J. share a room. And this mattress is dang comfy, let me tell you!


Caitlin and Lizzie were in a little play. A lady in the ward does this little summer music camp. It's one week and they learn songs, get parts, and wear costumes. On the last day, they do the play for all their friends and family. The play was the "3 Billy Goats Gruff". Caitlin was a goat (which there were actually 5 of) and Lizzie was a butterfly.

Also, one final tidbit of randomness. While camping, Aunt Bonnie shared her yogurt recipe with me. I made it, and it makes delicious yogurt! I will never buy yogurt again! Here it is:

Aunt Bonnie's Crockpot Yogurt

8 cups milk (I used a combo of whole and 1%, Aunt Bonnie uses 2%)

1/2 plain yogurt (read the label to be sure it has active live cultures. I used Dannon's Greek Yogurt)

1 package plain gelatin (optional; helps it set up better when refrigerated. Bonnie says she's made it with and without the gelatin, and likes it better without. I've only made it with the gelatin, and I really liked it).

Put milk in crockpot on low setting for 2 1/2 hours. Turn off, let sit (with lid on) for 3 hours. Stir yogurt and gelatin into one cup of milk. Whisk into the rest of the milk. Wrap crockpot (still off, don't turn back on) in a towel, let sit 8 hours or overnight. Refrigerate yogurt when it's done. Makes 2 quarts.

I mixed mine with jam, it's delicious. Aunt Bonnie halves this recipe, I did too. It makes plenty!When you're down to a 1/2 cup, just use it to make more!

Flight of the Conchords Ep 3 Think About it

So since we're all posting funny videos, I'm going to jump on that bandwagon and introduce Mom and Dad to Flight of the Conchords. This is one of my favorite songs of theirs! But "Sello Tape" is a close second.

Tom Cruise on Home Teaching

Brett's fam recently showed this to me. They obviously cut and edited from another interview, but it is hilarious!

Hello...is it me you're looking for?

So I noticed we have the song "Hello" originally by Lionel Richie on our playlist...I thought you might all enjoy this old school/creepy music video of this song.

more Tahoe pictures....

Here's some more of the creek....

Dad and Travis REALLY enjoyed the creek!

Go Mom!

Bear in the bulrushes...

Need I add that these girls hiked back dripping wet?

Rod got his annual Northstar biking in with his friend Todd....

Grammy took Abby for morning walks!

Hercules...wait, I mean Dad

A pensive Lizzie on Rock Island.

Lizzie had that dirt smudge above her eye for like 4 days. Really, what was the point in wiping it off?

Mom and girls on Rock Island....

I like this biking shot of Dad!

Trav-man max-relaxin'...

Sunburned cheeks and nose from Bliss, along with some great camping dirt!

Rod and I finagled a kayaking trip...without kiddos. It was beautiful and peaceful!

Tahoe

I hope these pictures don't make any of my sisters cry...but Tahoe was, as usual, totally awesome. We missed having everyone there! But we did the best we could to enjoy ourselves. We went to the dock, blissed out at Bliss, ate market sandwiches (I had 3! one for each of my missing sisters!!), hiked and enjoyed the beautiful outdoors. On the way home we meandered through some small towns south of Carson City that I decided we're going to live in. We're just too far from Tahoe!

We dutch-ovened a lot. It was a little experimental, some meals turned out better than others, but it was a lot of fun! And super easy clean-up!

On the way home, we didn't make it far before we stopped...at Emerald Bay. It was beautiful. Next year, we want to go to the Viking House and do the tour. I remember only doing that once a long time ago.

Our old camera is now the girls' camera...and it brings much joy!

Lizzie taking shots of her camping friend, Megan.

The camping group. A family from SLC were our neighbors for a few days. They had 3 kids, ages 6, 4, and 2. The girls had a blast with them! This is them, plus one more kid from another camp, on "Rock Island", a super cool group of rocks in the center of the loop. By the way, this was the best loop ever. Especially for little kids and keeping an eye on them while allowing them to feel independent and free. It was great!

Our photogenic Caitlin. She loves posing for the camera!

Abby found a stump she could explore...

Abby and her BFF, dad.

Love this shot Rod took.

This driftwood is bigger than Lizzie. But why should that stop her?

This is on the day we weren't swimming, but the girls "just wanted to get their feet wet".....

T.C. and Caitlin

Exploring the creek was probably one of my favorite activites. It's a super fun creek! It was a lot of fun to watch the girls scramble on the tree trunks and rocks up the creek. I don't remember going here very often when we were growing up. Why didn't we?

Let the countdown to next summer's trip begin!