August 9th

Summer Break is the BEST.

Ketchikan, Alaska refreshed our family in several ways. We needed cooler temperatures, especially Vance. The GREEN, cooler temps, and a breeze felt wonderful.
Our kids worked together, played together and helped each other so much on the trip. Our travel days  were stressful. Merit and Oren were seated together on the plane, I was a row behind them. I was so grateful hearing Merit help Oren and listening to those two converse.

The water was low where we were so we were able to do a lot of hiking over areas that usually have a foot or two of water. I loved watching the kids look for muscles. It was so fun to see them hunt for skipping rocks. Hazel experienced successful skipping for the first time. The exploring was so fun! Willem took Merit and I on quite an adventure! We thought he knew where he was going, he did not 😀We experienced sunsets there like never before. Ketchikan gets a lot of rain, so clear days with gorgeous sunsets were a bonus.

 Great food, but we did not over buy! We were not going to starve but we didn't plan for enough meals.

Hide and Seek, Racko, UNO, fishing, reading and gold mining were favorite activities. Life slowed down for 6 days.

I love coming home and this trip was no different! Our dear friends, the Bongs, watched our chickens and watered our garden. We came home to happy chickens, sunflowers and veggies.

Now here we are with about three weeks left of summer break, wanting to fit it all in! Today was 106 degrees so the water park was a god place to spend part of the day. We are trying to fit in sports physicals, I am doing more shopping for the Favored Farmhouse where I consign. We dream of a trip to Lynden and a trip to Silverwood...

Vance and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary yesterday!

Happy August! One of the busiest months of the year, it seems! Hot too. --This fam doesn't even think about school until about the 24th!