Abundant Recompense Copy

So I got to back to the Northwest in June. I went to the Digital Humanities Summer Institute at the University of Victoria back in summer 2013 (you know, when the kitchen flooded ), and I have since been accepted to their graduate certificate program, so I went back this summer. This time I flew into Seattle instead of Victoria and then took a ferry up Puget Sound and across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island. Flying in I had an amazing view of the Cascades. This is looking at Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. If you are ever on the SLC to Seattle flight, make sure you are in a window seat facing south. On the right is Mt. St. Helens. By a stroke of good luck, I had just been to Seattle a month earlier , so I didn't feel like I had to cram as much in this time. I wanted down to Pike Place and had some delicious chowder in a bread bowl from Pike Place Chowder, then headed to the ferry. It was really crowded and I was sitting in this seat in a room where I couldn't see out ...

Hello. I feel somewhat long and lost here, so I figured I'd give a little family update. Nate: Busy busy busy! He's pulling lots of weight at work doing the JSP and other projects plus managing. He's recently turned in a first draft of a chapter he's writing for a co-worker's book on the side. Also the web manager for Addison and Bryn's school and the blog administrator for LDS Earth Stewardship. Teaches 10-11-year-old boys at church. An endearing quality: takes whole quarts of peaches to work as part of his lunch. Michelle: That photo's just for you, Mom. Haha. Staying busy trying to keep afloat with normal everyday life. Recently asked for a release from nursery after almost two years. Still slightly torn about whether that was a totally dishonorable thing to do, but very much appreciating the change and the new scenery as Primary chorister! Doing mental gymnastics to try to figure out how make our house stretch and fit us all for a bit longer. (Did I ment...

This Farmington hike was high on adventure, danger, novelty, and whining. WE WILL NEVER AGAIN DRIVE UP THAT ROAD IN A MINIVAN WITH ALL OF OUR CHILDREN! It was really scary. Too scary. But since we all survived, we'll call it an adventure in hindsight. But let the record reflect, it will never happen again. We'll hike a couple extra miles to the trailhead instead. It was really pretty on the way up, but also hot, and the young ladies did not appreciate it. And I did not appreciate their lack of appreciation. So it was a pretty grumpy affair on the way up. Once we found the mineshaft, however, all was forgiven. It's crazy that you can actually go inside and explore an old abandoned mine. Kind of creepy too. Thanks to the coolness of the destination, and also dum dum suckers, the trip down was much happier. The drive up. Finally found the mine! We got to cheer Leah and Daddy on while they finished the trek to the mine opening. Whew! Made it! "Ooh, a spooky mineshaft to ex...

While Mom and Dad were on their hike in Zion, we went to the Toadstools with Grandpa. We saw lizards. Addison liked all the cool stuff we saw, like parts dug into the rock. Bryn liked drawing in the sand. It was so hot! We had a good time with Grandpa, though. Bryn found some flowers and took a picture of them because she wanted Mom to see them. Starting our hike.  A sunflower for Mom. It's dried mud. Grandpa says it is chocolate. This is the end of our hike. It's time to explore! Addison with Grandpa. Both of us with Grandpa. This is Bryn's spot to throw rocks and split them into a gazillion pieces. Bryn in the wall. She thinks it looks like Splash Mountain. By a toadstool. This is Addison's favorite shady spot. It's also the last one we found. He found it all by himself.