On the Road

Late Spring Fling

2011-05-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

Gary has been dying to get away to Eastern WA in the bbow. After several diasapointments, this is the day.

We are on the road heading South to a new adventure. I do not know exactly where we are heading but I'll let you know when we get there.

A rare beautiful day. Clear skies and near 70 degrees. Just heading over Snoqualmie Pass.

Pre-Spring Barrel 2010

2010-04-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

This is where we woke up this morning - Confluence State Park in Wenatchee. We pretty much had the place to ourselves.

It was so cold when we got here late last nite. There was snow all around on the hills to Leavenworth. We really wonder if we brot our shorts for nothing.

Gary tried to go for a run around 8:00 AM but it was just to cold. Around 10:00 we tried again and it was very pleasant.

Just had to capture these two flags. I think I took four pictures before finally capturing the flags open.

There is a wonderful walking path leading out of the park, across and around the river so we'd adventured on a walk.

A couple of geese enjoying the spring as well.

Crossing the Wenatchee River.

We chose the gravel path and it was wonderful!. I had a moment on this path.

What are these puffy reeds? They were everywhere.

Took a moment to watch the bees enjoying these apple blossoms. Incredible!

Gary noticed a beaver in the river, and then we came across several trees they felled.

Hurricane Ridge

2009-08-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

John and Kay were anxious to show us the beauty of Hurricane Ridge. It was about a forty-five minute drive beautiful drive up to the alpine of the Olympic National Park Visitors Center. From there we had several options to hike.

As we charted our course a way too comfortable deer seemed to be wondering if we had a small bite for him to eat. Nada!

Kay led the way and enjoyed every sight and smell along the way. Everything looked familiar to her as the daughter of a forest ranger, and I enjoyed her enthusiasm and excitement over every tree and flower.

This was the final leg to the point of Sunset Ridge. On a clear day we would have been able to see the ocean out to Victoria BC, but not today.

This was a view the other direction looking at the road we had drive up. After our short hike we checked out the visitor's center before heading back down. So glad we did this!

Purple Haze

2009-08-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

Purple Haze is an extraordinary little lavender farm in Sequim with over 15,000 plants in more than 50 varieties on 12 acres.

A sweet little shop with everything lavender in it for you.

When you visit Purple Haze, you are invited to wander the fields, enjoy the beauty of this sweet smelling herb, pick your own bouquet of flowers, enjoy a picnic on the lawns, and experience all the flavors, fragrances and healing of this purple flower.

Kay grabbed a basket and shears and went out to collect her bundle. There are extensive gardens to wander thru and creative spots to sit and dream of the possibility of a lavender oasis in your own back yard...

Sequim calls itself the "lavender capitol of North America", and even though the official lavender festival was a few weeks ago the lavender was still abundant and beautiful and oh so fragrant. What a fun stop in our day.

The Future

2009-08-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

We thot this picture captures the future we face under Democrat rule. That's a government car at a government gas station. They plan to drive, but for us they want our ability to drive to be "legal but rare".

Fort Worden

2009-08-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

We woke up to a cool, cloudy day which we had expected. After breakfast we only had time to drive around the Fort grounds which are actually quite incredible. It is a historic spot with lots of buildings and history that we will have to take in another time.

Fort Worden is an early 20th century U.S. Artillery Corps fort. It was used as the headquarters for the Puget Sound Harbor Defenses protecting the entrance to Puget Sound and the naval shipyard at Bremerton.

Commissioned in 1902 Fort Worden's military buildings have been preserved and you need to plan some time to take it all in. There is an extensive system of large, abandoned bunkers available for exploration, the Coast Artillery Museum, a balloon hangar that was used for airships, three 3-inch anti-aircraft gun emplacements, and several restored quarters on Officers' Row, and the Point Wilson Lighthouse.

We will be back.

Olympic Peninsula

2009-08-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

We are with John & Kay on a four day jaunt around the Olympic Peninsula in the bbow. It has been over 10 years since we've been out this way so I'm looking forward seeing it all again with good friends.

We left just after four and missed our ferry reservation due to traffic and construction, but thankfully made the next ferry.

We ate dinner at the small cafe at the ferry terminal and then watched the sun go down as we sailed.

Our stop for the night was at Fort Worden but we got in too late to see any of the buildings. We did take a walk out to the beach and suddenly over a dark cloudy horizon a big butter moon appeared. It was so fun to watch how fast it rose over the cloud.

It was just too cold to enjoy much outside so we went back to the bbow and got settled for the nite.

Sun Lakes 2009 - This Is What We Come For!

2009-07-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

The Cat Who Cried For Help - Say What?

2009-07-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, this had to be the most random book I spotted in camp at Sun Lakes. Can you guess who took this book along?

And these were the other books being read in camp. I have a special Sun Lakes prize for any non-camper who can successfully match the books to the readers without help:

A Veiled Reflection - Tracie Peterson

Have A New Kid By Friday - Dr. Kevin Leman

Star Wars Epic Battles - Simon Beecroft

Dancing With Rose - Lauren Kessler

Little Britches - Ralph Moody

Rules of Deception - Christopher Reich

Ella Minnow Pea - Mark Dunn (winner of the Best Title award by me)

Crazy Love - Francis Chan

So Brave Young and Handsome - Leif Engler

Treasures of the North - Tracie Peterson

Western Legends - Zane Grey

Adventures of Frog & Toad - Arnold Lobel

Lies Young Women Believe - Nancy Leigh DeMoss

The Daily Message - Eugene Peterson

Random Sun Lakes Stats

2009-07-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

18 campers
1 motor home
5 vehicles
2 trailers
5 tents
3 bbq grills
6 laptops
4 iPods
3 MP3's
2 PSP's
2 DS's

Magazines Spoted in Camp

2009-07-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Real Simple
Car & Driver
Bible Study Magazine
Computer Shopper
Warmbloods
Worldwide Challenge
Equestrian
The Journal
Interval
Cooking Light
Pottery Barn Catalog
Table Talk by RC Sproul
Horse.com
NW Businessman
Motor trend
Grill It!
People
US
Sunset
MS Living
Kipplingers
....and closet copies of Glamour & Cosmo that I promised not to tell about

Good-Bye's

2009-07-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

All too soon it was time to say good-bye. Brandon and Greta were the first to leave on Sunday around noon, Britt and Shana left at 5:30 and Taryn & I around 6:00.

The rest spent the nite in a major thunder and lightning storm. At about 11 PM they drove up to Dry Falls and watched the lightening from under the pavilion at the visitors center. It was a spectacular show.

Unfortunately a spectacular rain followed thru most of the nite which was not so pleasant for the remaining tenters - Todd, Colleen, Daniel & David

Sunday Morning Breakfast

2009-07-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

Vern made some amazing french toast for us Sunday morning...

...and Britt was in charge of the bacon.

Steak Night

2009-07-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

Steak night is the mega meal of the trip and Jack was so ready!

Britt and Gary grilled up the steaks.

Not only did Gary serve them, but he explained them to Greta & Brandon!

Britt & Shana

Nothin' Better Than Bein' Together!

2009-07-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Ryan & Sam

Sam & Traci

Some serious Take Four.

Happy Birthday!

2009-07-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Both Gary and Traci had birthdays today so we celebrated with a fresh raspberry dessert.

Max and the Ants

2009-07-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

At some point Max discovered some ants under the edge of their trailer which fascinated him, and he spent enormous amounts of time enjoying the adventure of the ants.

Conference

2009-07-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

Not sure why but the guys held an impromptu conference
around the garbage can. Not even sure what the discussion was about but thot it looked so funny!

All the Fun!

2009-07-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

This year our camp site consisted of a motor home, 2 trailers and 5 tents and a canopy we affectionately called "the pavilion".

Initially Taryn was not able to go along with us - the first time ever - but since her leg was not able to tolerate the long hours of standing at her job on the berry picker she was kindly offered a few days off which allowed her to come for three days and we were so glad!

Fishing in the morning is a big deal at Sun Lakes. Colleen even got a handy-dandy new pole this year. Don't ask Max about his new pole though.

Taryn is all about those early morning fishing trips. Sure glad Ryan is a sport and faithfully takes them! Oh, and ask Jack how many fish he caught! Word is the number grew the closer to camp he got.

Skiing and tubing are the reason we're here. The weather was perfect and the boat went out continually.

Ask Ryan how much he loves this pool! It really is part of why we come to Sun Lakes. Unfortunately the rest of the campground enjoys it too, and it can be wall-to-wall wet people.

Almost everyone at Sun Lakes reads something.

We also play a lot of camping games. This year the three favs were ERS (seen here) Take Four and the guys got in one game of Stock Market which I think Ryan won.

Sun Lakes Arrivals

2009-07-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

**Please note the consistent stripes on the table cloth. I spent a lot of time on that**

The dates of our annual camping/water ski trip to Sun Lakes had to be moved up to July to accommodate the coming mega-busy August, so this was the long weekend that worked for most.

Britt and Shana came from Spokane after enjoying several days of vacation earlier that week; Ryan, Traci, Sam, Max, Jack, Todd, Colleen, Dan & David left Lynden before noon; and Gary, Brandon & Greta left around 4 pm. They all got there at various times and set up camp and enjoyed the first campsite evening conversations.

Taryn worked till after 7 PM on the berry picker. After she had cleaned up, and after we had moved her horse to the horse-sitter we drove the new Civic over the hill leaving Lynden at 9 pm.

It was quite an adventure for the two of us. We had several close-encounters with deer, but God very graciously spared us from hitting one.

And it was a beautiful nite for driving with an almost full moon in the sky which made the drive so beautiful. But it was a long drive and we were very thankful to get there at 2:18 AM.

Vern and Bev came the next morning on their motor bikes from Desert Canyon.

Safely Home

2009-05-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

There is no way around it - it's just a long trip home!

Ross took us to the airport long before anyone else was up. Taya did come out and say good bye, but the rest of the house was dark

The Little Rock airport is small and easy to maneuver which we were thankful for. We got some breakfast before getting on the plane.

We changed planes in Dallas and then it was a straight shot to Seattle . We arriving shortly there just after 11 AM - a very strange time to be getting home.

After a quick lunch at Taco Time we drove back to Lynden knowing what we faced - a two week growth of lawn.

Before heading home we stopped at the office to grab a dump trailer for mowing but none were there. Gary was frustrated thinking he now had to hunt one down. Not getting a hold of Britt we drove home to resume our search after unloading.

To our incredible surprise and delight the dump trailer was at our house and Britt was just finishing a "first cutting" on our epic growth of lawn.

I cannot even begin to tell you what a gift this was to us - especially Gary! What a son! He even edged!

We are thankful for this trip. Our time in Little Rock with our kids was wonderful beyond words. We were so blessed....and are so thankful!

I Can't See You!

2009-05-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

It was a hard good by for me personally. I snuck one last moment in with Isaiah to say good nite after Daddy had tucked him in bed.

After whispering to him how much I loved him and a sweet good nite he whispered back, "Grandma, I can't see you!"

So I just had to turn on the lamp for one last good nite face to face.

What a wonderful visit we have had! And oh how hard it is to say good bye

Church at Fellowship

2009-05-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

Since we were last here Fellowship has moved into their new facility and it was so wonderful to see it completed.

The layout is immense but done so well. There are three sanctuaries in the same building that run simultaneously with the different worship but the same message.

The childrens area is in the fourth quadrant of the building. All quadrants meet under the great skylight in the center.

From the second floor it looks like a small city

Sanctuary 1 - The Chapel, traditional worship venue

Sanctuary 2 - The Edge, contemporary worship venue

Sanctuary 3 - Worship Center, the main worship venue

The amazing fish tank in the children's center

Isaiah bringing his dollars for the children in Haiti

Isaiah in his class

The new bookstore

Quick! A family picture.

At Fellowship....Still Raining

2009-05-24T19:28:00.001-07:00

The covered drop area was in great demand

So Raining!

2009-05-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

It's really raining hard. It wasn't long before the backyard was puddled up and running a small river right under the fence into the neighbors yard.

Sunday Morning Pancakes

2009-05-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

One more pancake breakfast on our last morning here.

Exhausted!

2009-05-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

We completely exhausted the youngest member of our family. He looked so beautiful sleeping I just had to include these pictures.

"Home of the Hubcap"

2009-05-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

"You gotta go to Cotham's for their Hubcap burger". That's what Ross and Taya have been told so we decided to check out Cotham's. It was a twenty minute drive out to the Scott Plantation area to find this historical treasure!

Perched on stilts over a swamp this former mercantile store was built in 1912 for the local farmers, but history records it also served as the military commissary, and lock up for local law violators who were awaiting trial by the circuit rider judge.

In 1984 a small eating area was added for local farmers to get lunch. The specialty - the hubcap burger - a way too big but incredibly good burger.

Loved this Coke cooler on the front porch.

The stunning interior

We tried the fried green tomatoes as our appetizer and LOVED them!

regular cheeseburger/ hubcap burger

Mississippi Mud Pie for dessert - just because, ok!

What a fun place to end our afternoon out. We didn't need any dinner either.

The Old State House

2009-05-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

The oldest surviving state capitol west of the Mississippi River is Little Rocks Old State House, now an incredible Museum of Arkansas history.

We enjoyed the current exhibits on state political history, the history of the building, the governors, inaugural gowns of their wives, and period rooms showing interior decors of the past.

The original House of Representatives chamber is also preserved and one of the most historic rooms in Arkansas.

To Market....Or Not!

2009-05-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

We decided to save the Little Rock River Market for our day with Ross and looked forward to enjoying this waterfront farmers market along with a ride on the Little Rock Trolley.

Another event, Riverfest, was taking place this weekend in the riverfront amphitheater. What we didn't realize till we got there was that the River Market was blocked off in the ticketed area with Riverfest. The 3 day ticketed event had a $25 per person charge so we were unable to even get to the Farmers Market, and worst of all the trolley was blocked off too.

Ross and Taya did some quick thinking and we headed back to the Historic Arkansas Museum. On the way we ran in the Shriner parade which was way too loud and aggressive for our two little ones, so we cut across blocks to take the back way to the museum.

Sadly we did have to walk right past the blocked-off trolly's. But we did get to go into the Peabody Hotel and visit their famous ducks for a few minutes.

Isaiah enjoyed a chat with this duck about standing on one leg.

Let's Go!

2009-05-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

This little boy is an amazingly pleasant traveler. He has been in his car seat many times since we've been here and is always happy about it.

Historic Arkansas Museum

2009-05-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

The museum was really interesting and had a huge gun and knife display. It also had a children's hands-on fun area for Isaiah and several outdoor buildings.

This Gatling gun was immediately recognized by Gary and he enjoyed reading a detailed history of Richard Jordan Gatling.

One More Southern Barbecue!

2009-05-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Gary insisted on one more Southern Barbecue and he had it selected days in advance. He had read about Sims Barbecue in a barbecue cookbook Taya had given him for Christmas. The funny part was Ross and Taya had never heard of it after living here for 3 years.

He wanted to got to the original location which interestingly is next to a church, but when we got there that location was closed so we were sent on to a somewhat disappointing location in a strip mall.

The food was great and we enjoyed ribs and pulled pork. Why do they always serve white bread barbecue in the South?

The Old Mill

2009-05-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Taya took us to The Old Mill - a replica of an old, water-powered grist mill built as a tribute to Arkansas pioneers in 1933.

It is a very beautiful place with ponds, paths, fountains, trails and some very unique bridges to cross as well as the Old Mill to explore. Isaiah loved it all and it was such fun to enjoy his excitement.

It is also a very popular place for taking pictures. We saw families, couples, graduates and even a bride having pictures taken just while we were there.

But the Mills greatest claim to fame is that it was filmed in the opening scenes of "Gone With the Wind" and is believed to be one of the only remaining structures from the movie.

Boys Toys

2009-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Grandpa discovered some equipment working just down the street so he and Isaiah went to investigate. They are putting curbs and gutters down in the next section of this development.

How to Cool Off After Running

2009-05-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

Cheerios for my Horses

2009-05-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

They're Up to Something!

2009-05-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

These two squirrels worked very hard to get the lid off the bird feeder...

successfully!

Patio S'mores

2009-05-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

Lego with Grandpa

2009-05-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Family Life

2009-05-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

On Thursday Gary and I went with Ross to Family Life. Dr. Albert Mohler was speaking at their staff meeting and I was so honored for the opportunity to hear him speak, and then to meet him afterwards to thank him for his ministry.

Meeting Dennis Rainey, President of Family Life

Ross's new desk in the Presidents office

The last time we were in the building Ross and Taya's family picture was not up on this wall of staff families. This time it was.

Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky

Chick-fil-a

2009-05-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

If you ask Isaiah where he would like to eat he'll tell you Chick-fil-a. Gary enjoyed their ad campain using cows.

Maintenance Day

2009-05-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

Part of Wednesday Gary spent on doing some maintenance on Ross and Taya's van and garage door. He loved the project and Isaiah loved assisting him.

Opening the Suitcase

2009-05-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

We brot a small suitcase of gifts and clothes for the kids. On Wed we finally found time to open it and Isaiah was so excited.

Red Pickup with a surfboard on top

A amazing new book from Grandma-Great Likkel

The horses from Auntie Taryn went on the surfboard.

Elijah loved his new rattle too

Working...

2009-05-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

After all our fun it was still a two-calculator work nite for Gary. He did enjoy at least being out on the patio.

Welcome Back!

2009-05-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

This amazing smile greeted us when we got home!

The Wonder Place

2009-05-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was our day out with Isaiah. We opted to take him to The Wonder Place and discover it together. Everything there is designed to encourage imagination and just have fun. That we did!

When we got there every play center was covered with children which I just assumes to be a typical day at The Wonder Place. About ten minutes into our time there several woman began to gather all the children, line them up and then march them right out the door. They were teachers and this was their pre-school.

Suddenly we had this amazing place all to ourselves and that was such a gift! Gary and I could now interact much more directly with Isaiah at every station because we were not taking away from another child's chance to play.

Every toy or experience there was something you really wanted to try...and for Isaiah, he didn't even have to wait in line!

The water table was something Isaiah definitely wanted to try first. Every child like the opportunity to splash and have water adventures with permission.

In the Cafe Isaiah whipped up a sandwich for Grandpa.

And then the cookies came out of the oven. Yum!

At the Market he selected a basket of fruits and vegetables...

and Grandpa helped him check out.

The Amazing Airways Maze was a favorite of both boys. It's a giant, wall-mounted air tubes maze that you insert different balls and brightly-colored scarves into and then watch them shoot through. You can even change the maze by flipping little diverter boxes. I think we spent the most time right here.

This was more like a display built between walls. It wasn't interactive but something you just watched and it was fascinating. Gary pointed out the one steel ball moving on the track to Isaiah and from then on it was the only one he watched. Each time he walked past he'd say "there's the steel ball" and we'd have to watch it one more time. Very cool display!

I tried to find all the letters but there just weren't enough "a"s. Isaiah was trying to help me out.

Imagine having a whole sand table to yourself! This was Isaiah's other favorite of the day. He spent a lot of time digging and filling and sifting sand...and at the end he was still clean. Yea!

Guys love gears, and Isaiah got a lesson on gears from Grandpa.

There were also three tables of wooden tracks and trains, cars and planes.

Let's Make Pancakes!

2009-05-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Isaiah loves pancakes. And guess what? So does Grandpa. Tuesday's are a wonderful day for pancakes so with Isaiah's help we had an amazing pancake breakfast together.

Isaiah loves to help and right away offered to help and he did a great job!

Purple Milkshakes at the Purple Cow

2009-05-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

When Taryn and I were here last January we took Isaiah to the Purple Cow for a purple milkshake. I decided this must be a tradition for visits from Grandma. Ross is in Dallas today for a Catalyst conference so we went to the Purple Cow for dinner and a purple shake.

I wish you could have seen Isaiah's face when it was brought to the table and one was given to him. He thinks purple milkshakes are amazing!

Mellow Monday

2009-05-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

What a dream come true to finally be in Little Rock.

What I have longed to do!

Dual screens....even on vacation! ha ha

Isaiah doing chores

Time for hugs....

and loves!

and smiles!

One happy little boy!

Playing with grandpa!

Welcome Back!

2009-05-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

We came back to Little Rock and got an amazing welcome from Isaiah!

We are so excited to spend the next several days together. Tomorrow will be our regrouping and planning day.

Isaiah was kind enough to let us use his bed and bedroom while he bunks down in the "camping bed" made up for him in Ross and Taya's bedroom walk-in closets. Thanks I!

Flooding and One Gutsy Bird

2009-05-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

A view of the flooding on the West side of the Mississippi. We were told the river is four miles wide near here in flood stage.

This little bird insisted on sitting on this reed in spite of the rapid flowing water and stiff breeze. Three times I watched him get blown off and come right back and land on the same reed. One gutsy little bird!

Mud Island

2009-05-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

After checking out of the Westin we grabbed breakfast and latte's at Starbucks and drove to Mud Island.

Mud Island is not actually an island but a small peninsula, surrounded by the Mississippi River to the west and the Wolf River Harbor to the east. To get there we took a Swiss made monorail which gave us great views of the flooding Mississippi as well as the skyline of Memphis.

There were two things there we wanted to see. First was the Mississippi River Museum – an eighteen-gallery museum of the natural and cultural history of the lower Mississippi River. Very impressive displays of over 5,000 historical artifacts tell the river's story of early settlement, riverboats and barges, the Civil War on the river and delta music from Blues to Rock and Roll. I really enjoyed it.

I think Gary was most looking forward to the River Walk – a very unique representations of the Mississippi River. It’s a 5-block long replica of the lower Mississippi river, from Cairo, IL, to New Orleans, LA. Every 30 inches of this massive structure is equivalent to one mile on the actual river. All along the way are historical descriptions of events and the geography of the river. It is very impressive.

Blues on Beale

2009-05-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

For our last nite on Beale Street we decided on BB Kings Blues Club for dinner. When we got there they wanted us to pay a cover charge. What? I wasn't really sure that was appropriate when we were only there for dinner, but we paid it...for the experience of eating at his club.

Oh my word...what we didn't know was that we would actually see a show - duh, the cover charge! Half way thru our dinner a blind man was led on stage and he began an absolutely amazing blues show. His name is Blind Mississippi Morris. He played with BB King, and even recorded with Elivis. We stayed for his whole set and really, really enjoyed it - an amazing and unexpected experience for sure!

So glad we didn't miss this over a silly cover charge.

Elvis Obsession

2009-05-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm so not in to Elvis, but this is his home and he is everywhere! It was actually quite amusing to see everything they could think of to put him on. Enjoy!

Bendable & Poseable Elvis

Elvis Nail Files

Elvis Night Pants

The Elvis Bottle Opener

Elvis Toothbrush

An Elvis Light Switch Cover

...and Window Dangler

Beach Towels

and the ever-elegant Elvis Goblets

Memphis in May

2009-05-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

The whole purpose of our trip to Memphis was the Memphis in May's World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest - the largest pork barbecue cooking contest on the planet!

The spectacular backdrop for the competition is Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River.

The river is actually flooding in Memphis right now so the grounds were quite wet and muddy, and you could actually see the the water outside the bank across the river into West Memphis.

This is serious competition and there are more than 240 teams who are competing for big bucks, bragging rights and some porker trophies.

Their name is also incorporated into the design and decor of their booth. Some booths are all business and others are all over-the-top.

Each team has a unique name. I couldn't believe how many creative ways there were to express something about pigs or pork.

The teams are laid out across the park in sections according to the specialty of what they are cooking - ribs, shoulder, whole hog or patio porkers.

Since there are so many of them you can spend quite a bit of time wandering thru and peeking in at the elaborate booths and various cooking process.

Today was actually the judging day and you could tell everyone was taking it very seriously. When judging starts all the festival music stops and every team is intent and focused.

Every booth include a sizable display of their trophies, I'm assuming in an attempt to intimidate the competition.

Teams are not allowed to serve to the public but there was some excellent barbecue available for purchase. We did not opt for Fried Gator on a stick.

We did have one team slip us two ribs from the same rack they had just packed to present to the judges. We were thrilled and the ribs were amazing!

After judging the top three teams in each division are announced and they then have one hour to present a final portion. At the end of the competition day winner are announced and checks handed out on a huge stage set up in the center of the park.

We did not stay for the final judging but opted to go back to the Westin and watch Rachel Alexandria run the Preakness.

Across from the Westin

2009-05-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

In the morning we discovered some incredible building just outside the Westin, including the Gibson Guitar Factory...

Memphis Rock & Soul Museum....

and the Fed Ex Forum, home of the Memphis Grizzlies!

Beale Street Neon

2009-05-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

The Lights of Memphis

2009-05-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, on our trip around the US, we took a day with Ross and Taya to see a bit of Memphis and find some legendary barbecue. We enjoyed watching the march of the ducks at the Peabody Hotel, a tour of the Cotton Museum, and a Memphis barbecue lunch at the world famous Charlie Vergos Rendezvous.

Gary vowed we would come back someday and really do barbecue in Memphis. His dream - Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

It is about a 2 hour drive from Little Rock to Memphis and we crossed the Mississippi River into the lights of Memphis at 9:30. As we drove past the competition grounds on the banks of the Mississippi we could actually smell barbecue in the air.

We had a bit of trouble getting to our hotel - the Westin on Beale Street, because all the streets around it were blocked off by police for a street festival. We finally were instructed by them to drive over curbs to get there.
We are actually a block from all the Beale Street action. We checking into our room and then walked over to see what it was all about.

The streets were crammed with people enjoying blues being playing in several different locations. What fun to experience a bit of the local culture.

Not gonna lie...it was a party.

Flying Fish

2009-05-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Before we drive on the Memphis we had dinner with the kids. Ross and Taya suggested the Flying Fish Company - a Little Rock classic that we have never been to before. It was a great choice and a perfect start to our adventures in the South.

There was a line from the order counter to the door so we knew the food had to be great. Basically the decor is hysterical - described as "jumbled miscellany". It celebrates fish with no less than a wall full of those singing Billy Bass plaques, and the motto "We catch and release (into really hot grease)" How great is that!

They are big on catfish down here so that is the specialty - in fact it was all-you-can-eat catfish Thursday. Gary did enjoy a catfish fillet, but the rest of us experienced other deep fried delectable such as shrimp, chicken and traditional hush puppies.

Ross had the most interesting dish - a whole fish deep fried on his plate - a very dramatic presentation I must say. There's just something about deep fried eyes staring at you.

And yes, silverware was included with our meal.

Isaiah enjoyed the fries in the bow of his boat!

When we left the line was out on the street. The Flying Fish is a Little Rock hot spot to be sure!

After dinner we left them and drove on to Memphis for a few days to take in a major event and a Gary dream - Memphis in May!

Finally to Little Rock

2009-05-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

Gary and I are so excited to finally travel to Little Rock. We had to cancel our trip last November to care for Taryn after her accident.

We left Thursday late afternoon staying at a hotel near the airport where we could park our vehicle and get some sleep before catching our Friday early morning flight.

We are flying with American Airlines this trip and I must say I have not been very impressed. They really, really dinged us when we re-booked - to the tune of $340 - and then charged us $15 per checked bag. That's so not cool.

We flew thru Dallas and had about an hour there before catching a flight on to Little Rock. We were delayed for an extra hour and they had us tromp to three different gates before we finally left.

After landing in Little Rock our plane was held up for another 35 minutes while we waited for a plane to leave our gate.

We had been up since 4:30 am so we were feeling a bit rumpled when we got to Little Rock. But all of that was quickly forgotten when we saw Taya, Ross, Isaiah and Elijah! We were nothing but thrilled!

Home Again

2009-05-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

Our first adventure this year in the bbow was fun despite the rain. When we got home the girl had a her social calendar full for the evening and begged for one last nite at Grandma H's. We went to John and Kay for our traditional Sunday nite dinner.

And now we face the two weeks of reality till we're off again, this time to Memphis and Little Rock to see our kids and grandkids. Can't wait! Check back on the 15th for the begining of the next travel adventure.

Darigold

2009-05-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

In Yakima we stopped at the Darigold plant. They didn't have much of a tour available but we did enjoy a glimpse of the cheese plant and the history and memories displayed there.

We were ready for a late lunch and decided to hit a favorite spot of ours in Ellensburg - the Red Horse Diner. When we got there it was surrounded by bikers and we had to opt for a not-as-good burger elsewhere.

Vines and Wines

2009-05-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Our route home today took up I-82. On the way we stopped in Prosser at Mercer Estates who just opened a beautiful new public tasting room. It was a quiet morning there and we enjoyed a great tour and visit with Debbie.

We took the scenic drive into the vineyards surrounding Prosser before heading back to the highway and on to Yakima. Now that we were on our way home the sun was out and it was a picture perfect day.

Hamley's

2009-05-02T18:06:00.000-07:00

At the end of our tasting tour we decided to find a place for a nice steak dinner. I had picked up a brochure for Hamleys Epic Steakhouse of the West. It looked like great fun, but then I realized it was in Pendleton Oregon.

We actually decided it would be a great drive so plugged the address in the GPS and were on our way to an Oregon adventure. It was a beautiful drive and we really enjoyed this unexpected jaunt.

And Hamleys didn't dissapoint us either - it was a most fun place to explore and have dinner. Hamley and Co. is actually two businesses - a store and a steakhouse.

The Hamley history is impressive. It goes back many generations to Cornwall England where the trade of saddle and leather craftsmanship was passed down through many generations of Hamleys.

The American history of the Hamleys began in 1850 when William Hamley moved his family from England to Ripon, Wisconsin, where he opened a small leather goods store. William’s two sons, John James (J.J.) and Henry Hamley set out from Wisconsin in 1883 with two railroad tickets and $10.00 in cash, bound for Ashton, South Dakota where they established Hamley and Co.

In 1905 John James relocated to Pendleton, Oregon and set up shop on the Oregon Trail in the same building that exists to this day.

Hamley was known as a harness and saddle maker, but the business soon developed around its saddles and became known throughout the west as the maker of “the finest saddles man could ride”.

The saddle shop still produces handmade custom saddles and we really enjoyed viewing the shop with several saddles in various stages of production.

The rest of the store is filled with western gear, clothing and antiques, and is complete with spittoons and pulley-operated ceiling fans.

The steakhouse is next door and was an adventure itself. It is stunning after being extensively refurbished in 2006. It is designed to resemble an old western saloon complete with swinging doors, impressive woodwork everywhere, tin ceilings, copper hoods and a very magnificent old bars unit they found in Grangeville Idaho.

There is also a stunning Western bank front that separates the bar area from the restaurant. It was found in South Dakota and has an interesting history all it's own as the last bank robbed by Butch Cassidy.

Towards the back of the building is a stone-lined winding stairway down to an incredible private dining wine room that can be reserved for private events. Very nice!

What really appealed to Gary is that they serve hand-cut dry aged steaks.

Our steak was delicious, but our server was none too brilliant which was a bummer. It was only her second nite so I'll cut her some slack on that, but it was disappointing to have less than great service.

We really enjoyed our unplanned adventure in Oregon and would recommend you visit Hamley's when you're in Pendelton. It's not just a steakhouse, it's an event.

The Estate Winery

2009-05-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

Entrance to Basel Cellars Estate Winery
Eagle and Horses!

Estate Entry

Front Door

Subterranean Production Area

Tasting Room

Estate Views

Walkway to Offices

Glancing thru a magazine I spotted an ad for Basel Cellars and suggested we go there next. I didn't realize it was actually an estate. We gasped when we drove up to the gate. Even their driveway was beyond impressive.

Basel Cellars Estate Winery planted their first vineyards in 1997 and began production in 2002. All of the production is done on site in their amazing 9,600 sq. ft. subterranean structure. We actually got to go down there and taste a wine right out of the barrel. So cool!

But it is the house that is beyond belief - a 13,800 sq. ft. rustic castle is what I call it. The entry itself takes your breath away with massive logs on either side of the exquisite, intricately hand-carved door.

We could not tour the main estate but read it has eight guest rooms, meeting rooms, a gourmet kitchen, multiple fireplaces, an indoor hot tub, sauna, a theme bar, private outdoor pool and separate poolside Cabana.

The attached tasting room was lovely and they very pleasantly visited with us answering any questions we had. This had to be one of our most amazing stops of the day.

Spring Release

2009-05-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

L'Escole No 41
Tasting Room

Three Rivers Winery

What we didn't know is that this is a "spring release" event weekend when new wines are released for the first time to the public by various wineries. There were buses and limos touring with us.

There are now over 1,400 acres of vineyards in the Walla Walla valley and over a 100 wineries in the Walla Walla Valley and they come in every shape and size - from very basic, nondescript buildings to very elaborate estates.

Many have tasting rooms open to try sips of their "spring releases" and other signature wines. It was kinda cool. I had never done this before.

Our first stop in the pouring rain was L'Ecole No 41. They have been producing premium wines in the Walla Walla Valley since 1983 in the historic Frenchtown School in Lowden. What a fun and unique building this was.

They were very friendly, greeting us at the door and instructing us how one "does" a tasting. I was feeling awkward and was thankful for their direction. There is usually a suggested order to how you would taste their wines starting with the whites and moving to the reds.

They also served wonderful cheeses and breads. We both fell in love with Cougar Gold - a cheese made by WSU.

Our next stop was Three Rivers Winery. Gary was here last year and enjoys their Riesling. I went bananas over their lodge style building and could so picture it someday on Eagle Ridge West.

This tasting was a completely different experience. Each event is different and that's what really makes it fun to visit several.

Three Rivers sits atop a small knoll overlooking their surrounding vineyards and features a 14,000 sq. ft. cellar and barrel room used for the production and storage and a 4,000 sq. ft. lodge-style tasting room and store.

Drip Drip Drip

2009-05-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

That was the unexpected sound we heard when we woke up this morning. Can't believe it is raining here on the east side. No running today, but the coffee sure was welcome.

Our plan is to explore the wine country around Walla Walla today. Gary was here last year with John Eide when he bot my horse trailer and was fascinated by all the wineries in the area.

When they were here last spring the vines were lush and beautiful. We are here weeks earlier and they are barely sprouting. There truly is a stunning amount of acreage devoted to grapes around here. Who would have thot?

Hood Park

2009-05-01T23:06:00.000-07:00

Our only destination idea was to stay somewhere near the Tri-Cities tonite. We ended up finding a wonderful resort right on the river called Hood Park. To say it is beautiful is an understatement!

We got a very nice site right on the lake and really enjoyed the peacefulness of this place. Gary got some great sunset pictures.

The View Out My Door

2009-05-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Desert Canyon

2009-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons for this trip was to check out Desert Canyon. It's a very impressive place. There are some rather large beautiful homes there wrapped around a golf course. We parked by the Great Links units and Gary walked around and took pictures.

After that we headed along the Columbia towards thru Quincy, Moses Lake, Othello and into Pasco.

Good Morning Wenatchee!

2009-05-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Woke up to amazing sunshine this morning but very cold. I stayed under the covers listening to news while Gary ran. I didn't remember how to start the bbow furnace so just decided to stay warm.

Made breakfast and then went on down the road to Desert Canyon.

BBOW Drives Again!

2009-04-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

Snow on Hwy 2 to Stevens Pass

Going 35 thru Leavenworth

We are on a short spring fling to Eastern Washington - a long weekend. Just Gar & I for this trip - the 13 year old had to stay and do school. This is the first time we have traveled in the bbow without her...sad.

We left Thursday late afternoon and were shocked at how light traffic was thru Stevens Pass. It was also shocking to see how much snow is still on the pass.

Driving at dusk thru Leavenworth we noticed the apple orchards in full bloom What an amazing sight!

Got into Wenatchee around 9 PM and camped at Confluence State Park with no hook-ups. It was so cold in the bbow we had to get under blankets just to exist while we downloaded and watched Survivor.

Drat! They sent Sierra home! So done with Coach. What a jerk!

Something is really messing with my allergies. Apple Blossoms?? Hmmmm.

A Cruel Jolt of Reality

2009-03-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

It was actually snowing when we landed in Seattle.

So Hard To Leave Paradise

2009-03-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Cool Cats...

2009-03-16T20:21:00.001-07:00

This was actually a random place for us to frequent but as Gary was researching Maui burgers he found a place that uses only hand pressed 100% certified angus beef on fresh baked hamburger buns.

He was sold so he and I went to Cool Cats for burgers one nite. It was really good and we went back there with Taryn twice.

It's located in Lahaina on the upper floor of The Warf right across from the famous Lahaina banyan tree.

Cool Cats has a Fifties flare - random for Maui - and all their burgers have names. Our favorite was the Don Ho - a burger with bacon, Jack cheese, pineapple and a wonderful sweet Hawaiian sauce. Sooo good. And you just have to get it with frings - a basket combo of fries and onion rings.

A bit of trivia about the amazing banyan tree: it was first planted in April, 1873, marking the 50th Anniversary of Christian missionary work in Lahaina. It was imported from India when it was only 8 feet tall and now stands over 60 feet high, with 12 major trunks in addition to a huge core. It stretches over a 200-foot area and shades 2/3 of an acre.

One nite we walked underneath it on our way to Cool Cats and the tree was alive with thousands of bird all talking at the same time. It was unbelievably noisy under there and I was terrified of "falling objects" if you know what I mean.

Fish Tacos

2009-03-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

I have this thing about fish tacos - I crave them when I'm in Maui! So I made it my mission to find the best fish taco on Maui.

Every place we ate I ordered fish tacos. At first Taryn thot I was crazy, but even she had to admit how good they are.

(mom has a crazy obsession with fish tacos!!! ~tk)

So here's my list:

First Place Favorite Fish Taco - Moose McGillycuddy's (it's kind of a grubby place to eat but the fish taco was amazing)

Second Place - Lu Lu's Surf Club & Grill (quite spicy and the Ahi was a bit rare for me but really good)

Third Place & Fourth Place - Maui Taco (this was Gary's favorite and I believe this was the first time he has ever actually ordered one for himself...he usually tries mine) and Cilantro's. I really thot these two were very similar restaurants and tacos. I can't personally say one was better than the other.

Last Place - Cool Cats (bad, bad fish tacos) They apparently didn't clean the grill and my fish tasted like burger. Nasty!

I really wanted to go back to Fred's Mexican Cafe in Kihei for fish taco's. Those were my favorite last year, but we never really spent much time in that part of Maui.

Where do you go for good fish taco's mainland??

The Girl at Longboards

2009-03-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

Maui in Bloom

2009-03-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Drums of the Pacific

2009-03-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Taryn really wanted to go to a Luau and since so many of the things we wanted to do with her we were unable to because of weather we decided to do the Luau.

There are many Luau's to choose from. The one we chose was at the Hyatt and called Drums of the Pacific and we really enjoyed it. The evening turned out to be so beautiful we spent some time walking along the ocean path before the Luau.

Taryn loved learning a bit about the history and culture of Hawaii. The dancers were incredible, and the food much better than I remembered it being from my first luau many years ago.

It's one of those things you just have to experience when you're in Hawaii and I'm so glad we did with her.

Cindy and Salt Water

2009-03-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

I love the ocean.

I'll do anything to get near the ocean anytime I possibly can.

I love walking barefoot on the beach. I love to watch waves. I love the sounds of the ocean. I love finding shells. I love an ocean sunset.

I really love the ocean.

But I really don't like to be "in" the ocean so much.

Salt water in my mouth is just disgusting. It makes me gag. Salt water kinda feels dirty too. And it always feels so cold. I don't like being cold.

I don't like what I step on when I'm in the ocean. I don't like unknown things touching my feet. And I don't like weeds and stuff. I don't like what's lurking in the water that I can't see. Too much unknown.

Sand kinda bugs me too. It gets everywhere...in your clothes, in your swimsuit, in your towel, in your book and your diet coke... and that feels so dirty.

It's so hard to clean out of everything. Everything you bring to the beach needs to be de-sanded, and all the clothes and towels need to be washed.

I'm just not really an "in the ocean" girl.

I'm more like a chlorine pool girl. It's warm. It's clean. I can see everything, and everything stays clean.

And if the pool is near the ocean...that's really, really sweet.

Cause I love the ocean!

A Little Hula

2009-03-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Once a week a group of dancers puts on an hour of Hawaian music and traditional dance. We were very excited for Taryn enjoy it with us.

This week a group of beautiful little girls came with their instructor to share their song, dance and stories from their culture.

This little girl was so sweet and so loved to dance. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

The Hawaian people are very beautiful and hula is so graceful and fluid. I was amazed how well these little girls knew what they were doing. We really enjoyed it.

Hidden Treat

2009-03-16T16:41:00.001-07:00

There is a special hidden treat in Maui just up the road from us where you can get a most amazing breakfast. It's called the Gazebo.

Many people hear about it but few actually find it. And once you find it you will stand in line till this very small restaurant can seat you. Plan at least 45 minutes. But it is so way worth it!

The waiting is really not an issue because the view is so spectacular it captivates you until it's your time to be seated.

This ocean front wonder is only open 7:30 till 2 pm each day so you have to be on your game to get there.

I'll just say that the view and the food are worth every effort to find it and every moment of the wait! You'll be sorry if you miss this one.

Whale Excursion

2009-03-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

The weather has kept us from doing a few activities we had planned to do with Taryn so we are having to ad lib. We hoped to do a whale watch tour so Gary was watching the weather and knew this was the day to go for it so he made reservations for the first tour of the morning

We knew we wanted to be on a pontoon type boat and Gary found Captain Steve's tour. We were there bright and early, the weather was perfect and the water much calmer than it has been all week.

There isn't a bad seat on the boat. We had no problem finding whales and it was a spectacular experience to watch them up close. You can hear them blow thru their spouts and slap the water with their fins and tails. It really is something you have to experience because a picture just cannot capture it.

After about an hour and a half we went taken back to shore and the next tour loaded. We were starving so went in to Lahaina for breakfast in town - a real treat.

Paddle Board

2009-03-05T00:39:00.001-08:00

Wednesday we woke up to some amazing sun and knew this was the day to hit the beach. We decided to drive a bit South and find one where Taryn could use her board safely.

Gary had the name of a beach and we went to find it. When we got there we discovered the right side of the beach was very rocky, but the left side was nice and sandy. The biggest draw for me was actual working restrooms.

There were people in the water everywhere, but most of them were on the paddle boards where you are standing upright and paddling with an oar.

After floating around for a while it was apparent these waters were best on one of those, so Gary got some info from others and then located a place in Lahaina to rent one for the afternoon. The only problem was we had the very best parking spot in the lot...and all the rest were full.

I won't give details but will just say that an hour later he came back with a 12' paddle board strapped on the top of our rental car and parked in that same spot. :-)

As Taryn paddled out for the first time all the other boarders headed in, packed up and left. It turns out that the tide had changed and the best was over so they were calling it a day.

For Taryn it was a great moment to begin. She was amazing and caught on so quickly. Gary even took a turn and he had no problem either. Then, while he was making phone calls, I was very brave and went out on the board with Taryn and it was a blast.

We had to drag the girl out of the water at 5 PM to get the board back in time. She was exhausted and opted to eat leftover at the condo. Gary and I dressed up and went out to eat which was so fun. Our time in Maui is quickly coming to an end.

Steaks on the Grill

2009-03-05T00:02:00.000-08:00

One of the things we enjoy about our resort is that there are amazing barbecue's available to us. Just outside our building are four stations with two barbecue's each. It is so nice to cook for ourselves. And guess what...they clean the grill!

The day Taryn came and we were back in town we bot a tray of steaks for a special meal. Since Tuesday was a resort day we decide this would be a perfect nite to cook steaks.

We decided to invite a couple we have connected with on this trip - Jim and Kathy from Michigan.

Gary found some amazing corn on the cob at the Farmers Market so the guys grilled those along with the steaks. How fun is it to have great corn on the cob in March!

Our guests surprised us with wine and an amazing Maui coconut cake for dessert. It was a wonderful meal

It's so interesting to visit with couples our age, with families, in similar business situations. We have so much in common, and yet in so many ways our lives are completely different. I really enjoyed the evening we spent with them.

They left by 9:00 since they are taking a 6 AM flight to Oahu for a tour of Pearl Harbor.

After they left we all crawled on the King bed and watched multiple episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos. Oh, we all laughed so hard I'm sure we were heard all over the resort. So much fun! It felt so good to really laugh.

An Evening Ambush!

2009-03-04T23:21:00.000-08:00

Taryn suggested we take an evening walk on the beach. It was a beautiful evening - completely warm. The moon was out, and the stars were breathtaking, waves crashing on the shore. I love it all!

Gary had cut his foot on a reef so he stayed on the path in his running shoes, but we went right down to the water and felt the waves. Incredible!

We then decided to walk down the path together towards the next resort...and then we went a bit farther. Gary decided this was now a dessert hunt and we would go all the way to Castaways Cafe.

We got there just after 9:00 PM and they were closing. No dessert.

We walked farther. Why not? It's a beautiful nite for a walk! Before long we had walked all the way in to Whaler Village - over a mile from our resort.

Gary had tucked a bit of money in his pocket so we counted it and figured we could split dessert.

Hula Grill is one of our favorites and it was so fun to take Taryn there. The outdoor seating is all in sand which is so cool. We could manage two desserts which we carefully ordered and then thoroughly enjoyed.

It was nearly 10 PM when we began our walk back to the resort - in the dark. Part of the path is lit - part of the path winds thru a golf course which is quite a kick in the dark, and the rest weaves thru various other resorts.

Taryn and I opted for the beach for the first part of our walk back. The moonlight on the waves was so incredible - something we never get to see or experience. At the Sheraton we joined Gary back on the path.

By this time I had a rub mark from my flip flops on my foot so I took them off and went the rest of the way barefoot. Taryn did this whole jaunt barefoot.

As we got closer to our resort Taryn noticed something near the path. It moved. It was a frog...and not a little one either! She ran towards it, I screamed and nearly knocked Gary over trying to get away from it. What was a frog doing on OUR path??

These were not little Northwest frogs. Oh no, they were giant tropical frogs. They weren't croaking so I had no reason to even think they were there.

They snuck up on us...ambushing us in the dark on our path.

And guess what? There was more than one. There were many of them - on the path...on the neatly cut lawn...all the way to our resort...and I was barefoot!

I was so thankful to see our resort entrance. I will not be walking on that dark path again without a flashlight, thank you very much!

Aloha

2009-03-04T23:17:00.000-08:00

So I'm wondering what exactly does Aloha mean? When I walk in a store I hear "Aloha". When I walk out of a store I hear "Aloha". Was that also meant for me...or did another person enter the store as I was leaving?

Does Aloha mean hello...good-bye.....or both??

Maui Weather

2009-03-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

The last several days have been a bit iffy weather-wise - very windy with rain every so often. We mutually decided to opt for the resort going between our lounge chairs and the beach.

There have been double red flags posted which has kept everyone out of the ocean for the most part. Our beach has quite a steep slope to it which makes for a tremendous crashing wave sound, which I love.

It is a very short walk to a more incline sandy beach with a reef just off shore that has some great snorkeling, but even that was too rough to be in. The waves carry a big undertow with them which keeps everyone out of the water.

We opted mostly for our pool side lounge chairs. every once in a while we would get pelted by some tropical rain drops and would pull our towels over us but this close to the ocean it's over quickly and never sent us inside yet.

This has actually been a gentle way for Taryns sunless body to be introduced to the sun again. We are being fanatical about the sunscreen and lip balm. So far so good.

We have made some very good friends and have also connected with two couples who were here last year with us - one from Chicago and one from Virginia.

We did loose our front row status. There was a revolt in the second row and they decided it was their turn and moved our towels. Funny. No worries. It's all good. At least all of us got demoted at the same time and we are just enjoying the camaraderie.

None of them have their kids with them so they are all getting quite a kick out of our girl. She keeps hauling us here and there. Everyone is watching out for her and it's really nice.

We took her in to Lahaina and did a bit of shopping. She got a nice sarong to match her suit.

Hopefully we can get her out on her board soon. It would be so fun to watch her enjoy that. The weather does look like more of the same so we may need to head a bit more South to accomplish that.

Bad Book

2009-03-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

So I took two books to read while away. My reading time is actually very sparse and closely regulated by my travel companions, so I slip in a page or two here and there, usually while they are busy.

Anyway, the first was Grisham's "The Associate". Not bad, but not nearly as exciting as the first one of his I read, The Firm. How many vacations ago was that??

My second book I literally grabbed at a store in a split second of time right before we left. A novel, the only reason I grabbed it was because the story was about a world class equestrian.

I started to read it yesterday by the pool. It begins in an interior design firm and my first clue of trouble was the main character in the book dropped an armload of grasscloth samples on the desk. Holy cow! Grasscloth??? How eighties is that??

In the next paragraph they described her "attractive sweater" (who says that?) as "light pink with a lace collar". Crumb! Now I knew I was in the eighties...and totally disgusted. How on earth did I get an eighties book???

Sure enough, it had originally been published in 1988, and now again in 2009. Double crumb!

I tried for a few more paragraphs but just couldn't read it. Never even got near the equestrian part.

Thankfully the resort has a sharing library where people leave their books behind. There is an amazing variety of titles - hardcover and paperback. I decided to share my book with the resort and found another one I hope will be a better read.

She's Here! Day 1

2009-03-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

Actually that's old news but I have some recap to do so thot I'd start there. Taryn made it safely to Maui flying solo for the first time. Ryan and & Trac were so kind to get up really early and bring her to the airport.

She was quite apprehensive about the whole process, especially the part about going thru security now with screws in her ankle but Trac assured her she could not recall anyone being arrested for that.

They were able to escort her to the gate and wait with her till she boarded. She did great and we met her on the other end so excited to finally get her here.

First item on our agenda was to get her out of her mainland clothes. Jeans look positively ridiculous and feel awful once you hit the Maui heat. She put on short and a tee and other than feeling incredibly pale she felt great.

There is a convergence zone stuck over the islands which is producing mass rain on the Maui mountains and huge waves hitting the shore. Surfing has been amazing, but it's treacherous for body boarders and snorkelers. Many beaches have double red flags posted which means stay out of the water.

We took her up the coast to see the sail borders maneuver the huge waves and she was quite impressed.

We then took her several miles up the road to Hana - enough of that - and then a brief tour thru the upland before heading to the coast. That short section where you see ocean on either side of you is just spectacular!

We stopped and rented a small board for her to play on in the ocean and had a quick burger in town before taking her to the resort. She loved the condo was quite exhausted by the time we finally let her sleep. It's going to be a whole new trip now with her here. Can't wait.

The View From My Chair

2009-02-26T16:14:00.000-08:00

Wonderful Wednesday

2009-02-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Woke up at 7 and checked if towels were being set out on the front row chairs. It's a game to get front row loungers facing the ocean. There are only eight, and we have to have two of them.

Gary made it out there in time, but then the Maui rain came so we stayed up in the condo for a bit.

Gary was not able to run - just too slick when wet - but he did make a run by car to the Farmers Market for fresh bagels. Yes!

We spent the morning on our lanai looking down at our towels safely securing our front row loungers...and getting just a wee bit wet. It continued to rain off and on all morning and few dared to chance it. We opted for our lanai where were still getting some great sun. It was literally raining, no pouring, if you were looking towards the resort, and pure sunshine towards the ocean. Only in Maui!

Gary did some work on his laptop and had to check in with the office where there was an issue needing his attention. Perfect timing.

After lunch we finally claimed our loungers and finally enjoyed some sun. The wind was incredibly strong and there were constant clouds coming off the mountain full of rain. We would get dripped on, but just as quickly it would dry.

We were able to get in lots of sun and visit with several new front-row friends.

At 5:30 we went in to start dinner. Gary made some great steak which we then put on our salads. He also got some amazing corn at the Farmers Market that he grilled. We haven't had corn since summer...and it was amazing.

The resort provides several grills for guests to use, and we try to use them as often as possible. There was an amazing Maui sunset as we enjoy a great dinner....and a great Maui evening!

Unbelievable that back home there is a Northeast wind blowing and 5 inches of snow. So glad I'm takin' one for the team in Maui!

Out and About!

2009-02-24T22:44:00.000-08:00

We had an invitation from one of Gary's former clients to visit them while we were in Maui. Since they are leaving for the mainland on Thursday we decided this would be the day. It also gave us the opportunity to explore a part of the island we are not familiar with.

Mid morning we left for central Maui driving through the amazing field of sugar cane. Taking as many back roads as possible we wound our way through the cane fields near the Kahului Airport.

We chanced by the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum and decided that may be a great stop when Taryn gets here. The museum is housed in a 1902 mill superintendent's house and sits directly across from the working factory that has been producing sugar all these years. I think it will be very interesting to learn about the process of making sugar.

We drove up to the little town of Makawao, otherwise know as the "cowboy town". We had decided to do lunch there but were not truly understanding how small the town is. It became apparent once we got there that even finding lunch may be a problem.

We had read about a bakery and thought we would find a nice sandwich to split. No such luck. While we did find the bakery, it was nothing more than a bakery. we did observe people walking out with box after box of cream puffs and decided they must be quite something, so we snagged a box to take with us to Leib & Peg who we planned to visit later that day.

Our only options for lunch were a Mexican joint or and Italian joint. we went Mexican and actually got a very decent burger there to split.

We then drove back to Wailea to our friends. Thanks to the GPS we drove right to their door.

Leib & Peggy retired here just a year ago and have a magnificent home in a very affluent neighborhood of Wailea. We really enjoyed our afternoon visit with them and touring their most beautiful home. The cream puffs, by the way, turned out to be excellent!

As it tuned out they cancelled their evening plans and took us for dinner at Tommy Bahamas, which I always thought was a clothing store. Guess what? Tommy Bahama's is both a store and a restaurant!

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and visit there, and didn't get back to the condo till after 10 PM. It was a great day out and so nice to see Leib and Peg again.

Farmers Market

2009-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Last year we discovered this great little Farmers Market just up the road from our resort. It is only open three days a week and you had better be there early if you want a favorite item because they sell out very quickly.

We were there early so we could secure our favorite fresh pineapple bagels and passion fruit cream cheese. So yummy for breakfast.

There is also a great selection of organic fruits and vegetables and we stocked up for the week on all our favorites.

We spent the day in the sun relaxing and watching the whales breaching right off the shore from us. This morning they were so close it was incredible.

It was much warmer today with less wind. We have to be pretty vigilant on the sunscreen. A bad burn can be miserable this early in the game.

The waves are crashing on shore and the sight and sound is amazing. They are definitely bigger this year, and word is the other side of the island is experiencing incredible surfing conditions.

Tonite we went in to town for dinner, enjoyed some shopping and then went to the Hula Grill for dessert.

A Perfect First Day

2009-02-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

This was a perfect first day. Gary went for a run and I had breakfast and coffee ready when he got back. We ate out on the lanai and were finally able to get the pictures posted tonite.

After that it was all about getting out in the sun. Gary secured two ocean front lounge chairs for us and we couldn't wait to get out there. We have a system after last year and it worked perfect. And that’s where we spent our day. It was so relaxing.

The couple next to us was from Ohio and it was fun to spend the day visiting with them. One of the couples we met last year is back and Gary spent some time with them. They live in Chicago and had quite a bit to say about Obama and Chicago politics. Won’t got there – I’m on vacation.

There were whales breaching just off shore which is always a thrill to see. It wasn't too hot - mid 70's - which is a perfect way to start in the sun, and there was a constant wind off the ocean which made it so comfortable.

We made an amazing dinner at the condo, watched a picture perfect sunset and plan to find some dessert after Amazing Race.

Breakfast on the Lanai

2009-02-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

Lovin' Maui!

2009-02-21T21:55:00.000-08:00

Guess what? We're in Maui! For the next two weeks it's all about sun and fun. I do love Maui, and I love what we do in Maui - relax!

Altho it is always less than relaxing getting here. Gary worked an insane amount of hours to make it happen. I don't know how he did it either.

Our goal was to leave by two on Friday, but it was nearly five. Oh well. We did something a bit different this time and got a hotel near the airport where we could park our vehicle and that worked well.

Unfortunately I messed with the clock radio before we went to sleep which resulted in me waking frequently worrying if our alarm would truly go off or not. In fact I didn't sleep much at all. We did get a wake up call and made it to the lobby to catch the 6:20 shuttle.

It was shocking to be greeted by an entire group of people dressed in their most Hawaiian clothes. Can you picture it? I think there were four different groups all going to different locations in Hawaii, but all flying out on Alaska. The only way we could get in the shuttle was for the entire back row of wives to sit on their husbands laps. It was too funny.

Once we had checked in Gary wanted a Seattle's Best Latte which meant a jaunt to the opposite end of the terminal, but a small price to pay for a "good" latte. I opted for Starbucks.

Lattes in hand we headed to security...and then realized we couldn't take our coffee with us. Dumb! Thankfully we had enough time to enjoy our coffee before going thru. But best was that right next to our gate was a Seattle's Best. Now we know.

As we boarded our flight we noticed two smiling faces already seated. Bill and Linda Bode were on their way to Maui and will be staying right down the beach from us. Actually there are many Lynden people here right now.

We landed in Maui just after noon, and Gary went for the car while I got the luggage. It is only 75 degrees but feels so good.

I love Maui, and love that I know where I'm going. It now looks and feels familiar to me.

From the airport we blitzed thru three strategic stops - Costco, WalMart & Safeway. All three were crazy busy and it was quite a feat to maneuver thru them.

The drive across the island over to Ka'anapali is one of my favorites. The road gets unbelievably close to the ocean as it gently weaves along the shore. It's a beautiful, peaceful drive.

By the time we hit the Safeway in Ka'anapali Gary was fading fast so he kept food cool in the car (ha) and closed his eyes while I did the final shop.

We found a great new-to-us restaurant in a funky old warehouse. The menu looked great and right before we ordered our waiter informed us that all the food was half price. It was really good too. We loved the beachy atmosphere and decided we'll take Taryn here when she comes next week.

I was so anxious to get to the condo. Our unit this year is much closer to the ocean which is so sweet. We also have the larger unit and it's so spacious. What fun! Only my kids will appreciate this, but I even have my own vacuum! Yeah

It will be a resort day tomorrow as we get into full relax mode. Our first Maui gold pineapple is on the counter, and we'll be starting our day with Kona coffee and our favorite fresh pineapple bagels as well.

Being on vacation is so sweet!

Almost Home

2008-07-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

It's 9:30 PM and we are nearing home. After 17 days, 7 states and 3,340 miles we are almost finished with this amazing adventure.

We left Coeur d'Alene at 8 AM and went into Spokane to continue looking for a scissor lift for the company. Gary spent quite a bit of time going from place to place trying to find one, while Taryn and I enjoyed listening to a few James MacDonald messages on Walk in the Word. If you have never heard him teach the Word we would both highly recommend you do. http://www.walkintheword.com/

We were just on the road again when Taryn came down with another severe headache. No reason this time, but she went down flat. I gave her two Tylenol and told her to sleep if at all possible, but the pain was too great. I watched her for quite a while. Just when she would about be asleep a throb of pain in her head would come that I could physically see happen. Hard to watch her hurt so badly.

Our plan was to stop in Moses Lake and go to the water park there for a final fun stop, but that never happened. Instead we stopped at a park by the lake and sat there for four hours just trying to get her to a place where she could travel again. We finally got her to sleep for two hours and then slowly got back on the road.

It took till Seattle for her to start feeling better. So glad she is. We spent the last few hours of the drive watching episodes of I Love Lucy together. (Europe season 5 rocks!)

We are now on the Guide and just a few short minutes from home, I'm sure Wilson will be glad to see us. He gets so grumpy when we travel for more than a few days. Taryn had hoped to go to Emma tonite but that will have to wait till tomorrow.

Thankful is what I am feeling as we near home. I'm thankful for this trip - for my husband - for my children - for memories - for safety - for adventure - for creation - for America - oh, I could just go on and on. I am blessed. We are blessed. It's been an amazing ride. And hey, I even finished my blog this trip!

Montana's a Big State

2008-07-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

Our Sunday was all about driving across Montana. My word, it is a big state! Took us most of the day.

When we got near Bozeman it occurred to me how close we were to some family we rarely see. I decided to call Mom and get a phone number to try and connect with them, but we had no cell service. So much for that.

We stopped in Butte for lunch, and then in Missoula to look for a scissor lift for the company. We were tempted at this point to stay there at a nice "resort", but ultimately decided to continue on.

Gary needed a break so I got to drive for the first time this trip. Taryn sat up front with me and Gary was able to get some rest.

Around 7:30 we got to the Coeur d'Alene area and took Taryn to the Wolf Lodge for dinner - a very unique place we discovered last fall when we were here with Ross and Taya.

After a delicious steak dinner we found our "resort". Get this, it had been a KOA but isn't any more. They just rearranged the letters and now call it the A OK. Sillyness!

Their store was closed but we managed to get the guy to sell us some firewood - at $7 a bundle, thank-you very much! All this so we could make s'mores for a treat on our last camping nite.

Taryn cut down and sharpened sticks for us and we had our last hurrah over our little fire. So fun.

There is a great crisis on 24 that we are in the middle of so had to watch another episode of that before bed. Sure glad Jack Bauer is handling it.