Chilly, Chilly Willy the Penguin

It's hitting 50 deg F at night... kinda reminds me of the brisk nights in Sequoia Nat'l Park back in June! *sigh* When do we get to go back!?!? Maybe next time I'll post pictures of the mysterious creature known as a bear-ver... half bear, half beaver. I have proof.

Petco Park

Here's us enjoying the sun and 70 degree ocean breeze in the early evening of July 8th at Petco Park just 2 blocks from the coast thayre at the south end of the Gaslamp district in San Diego. Brand new park, and very open and airy. The kids were so happy to be there and thanked us many times. We did get a little light harassment for being in full Cub regalia and posing under the honorable Cub flag but everyone down there was super friendly.

Trip to China...er...Chino

The kids call it "Chai-no" but it's really pronounced "Chee-no". It's the "Planes of Fame" Air Museum at Chino, CA. Pretty neat place with lots of restoration going on and five warbird-packed hangars. They have a great airshow every May too. Here's the kids baking (no, not basking) in the sun--it was 99F and somewhat humid.

We would have posted sooner but someone stole our bandwidth (and then went back home to Florida) you know who you are

For the 4th of July we went to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and had a great time! There was a band and food and bouncy things and presidential look-alikes in addition to the regular museum and Air Force One exhibits. It was lots of fun. And since our "dinner with a ranger" didn't work out there's always "picture with a prez."

When will the dust settle?

Ok... we're well into "getting settled" mode, but life still seems to be flying! I guess that's life with 4 growing kids. Probably need to get used to it! ;) It's a good flying, though!

So here I have for your viewing pleasure, the "getting here" in review:

...From the green of the warm season in Alaska, enjoyed by Laney & Mya with Coach Marci (they tell me that dark green stuff is called grass). I often open digital photos to rediscover colors not in the tannish-brownish family. My friend Tracy says we'll get our "desert eyes" which I guess means that brown starts to look more green. Hmmm.

...To the slightly-smaller Sadie standing on the counter under Tim's watchful eye (mid December right before we all got sick just prior to our flight to Chicago... sorry for all the dirty laundry!).

...To Gib wondering "where they're taking all my stuff?" (it all got here quite safe, sound & intact, thankfully!)

...To an awesome 3 weeks in Chicago at the Logan House. Hey, you wanna guarantee a happenin' holiday season?...just throw in some gi-normous crayons!

It's great to finally be here! Can't wait to start having visitors! Bring your sandals.

She's back

Did I meantion we're so glad to have Ang back... yes, she's been "here" every day, taking care of us, rain or shine... but now that the discomforts, the pains, and the incapacitations of those last 9 months are over... we discovered a wonderful thing--that we have our Ang back! Yay! Here's a flashback to Fall 2004 at Newport Beach, Oregon.

Lu & Logan Go JetBoating!

Lu & Logan got to speed up and down the wild banks of the Susitna, Chulitna, and Talkeetna Rivers in Talkeetna, AK. It was 73 deg and mostly sunny, with a view of the tip-top of Denali (Mt. McKinley for the non-politically correct). Logan got to ride in the 3rd crewmember's jumpseat up front! The skipper laid down a couple sweet 360's for the passengers! The skipper's buddy was a great storyteller with a colorful local family history since his father homesteaded the territory that the jetboat tours!
(Click Title link to see more on Mahay's jetboat tours)

More Lazy Mt Pics

Our favorite Picture Rock, early in the climb.

Yes, the trail goes up and up. Not too steep, but a constant pitch.

Kids Hike Lazy Mt.

Can you believe it? Lu, Logan, Scott & Laney climbed well over half-way up Lazy Mt. to an altitude of approx. 2200' (started at 800'). Awesome job, Laney & Logan--very impressive endurance! What an incredible eagle-eye view of the surrounding mountains, town of Palmer, and beyond! The cool breeze made the "oppressive" mid-70 deg sunny weather... well, even more beautiful. We see it day after day, talk about it as a common landmark--it was great to actually climb our hometown mountain. We are blessed to live among such splendor. (Click the Title link for trail map & info).

Climbin' the Butte

We climbed The Butte today! The Bodenburg Butte in Palmer is about 900' high, and overlooks the Knik Glacier (visible in the distance), Pioneer & Matanuska Peaks, Lazy Mt., and the Valley. What a vantage point. The kids did such a great job hiking the trail... we used the "West Trailhead" for the first time and it was nicely constructed with gravel, benches, erosion grates, and stairways. Very cool for little kids. We found lots of fresh wild raspberries. Gib & Sadie stayed home with Mom and had salmon & halibut lunch waiting for us when we returned!

Gold Mint Trail kids

Some more pics of the kids 'n us hiking in Hatcher Pass. It was beautiful. We had Subway sandwiches by the riverside before the hike. And after... some icecream back in town. The kids slept well that night.

"A Hike before Birthing"

Here's the gang the day before Sadie was born! Yes, we like it adventurous. It's 5:30pm on the Gold Mint Trail in Hatcher Pass, Alaska... a footbridge over Archangel Creek.