The Holt Clan

tiff July 28th, 2010

Friendship is a funny thing…just when you think you wont see your friends~life brings you to their doorstep!  We really truly didn’t think we would get to see the Johnson’s this Summer…we had corresponded early in the Spring about our separate road trips and it just didn’t sound like our paths would cross…however routes & times changed & our sweet Golf TDI pulled into their driveway in Brush Prairie on Thursday, July 15th.  Abbie, James & Max were out on the lawn waiting for us to arrive…we were only 2 hours later than we said we would be…but thank goodness for cell phones.  Unfortunately on our drive from the Seattle area to the Vancouver, WA area we had to go through Tacoma…where there was an oil tanker on fire and had closed I-5 southbound until the following morning…YIKES!  But we got off the next exit after sitting for an 1.5 hours in traffic…not fun…but after talking with Stacie on the phone…she was promising cold drinks~preferably a pom-tini for me & jack on the rocks for rick…along with her yummy appetizers…if that is not inspiration to get to their house then i don’t know what is…well except their SMILING faces…which we adore and miss all the time!!!!

Abbie, Keegan, Rohnan & James in the background doing the “ben currier” jump!

The Johnson’s have this sweet pool to play in…and fortunately for us the weather was amazing while we were visiting…which allowed plenty of water time!  I am not sure if they even came out…except when we told them they had to eat!

James was not a jump in the pool kinda guy…but he sure did get in that water & swim around!  I love the b/w of the kids holding hands…so sweet!  Abbie was pretty cute as she told me the best photos are the ones when kids jump into the pool…

of course the awesome part of having a pool is that the Johnson’s also have a hot tub…so the kids would play for awhile in the pool, then run up the stairs to the hot tub…from the looks of it they were pretty darn happy!

of course i had the best seat in the house w/ a yummy “JOSH” margarita by my side…rick doesn’t look like he is working too hard, huh?…Stacie & Josh are sharing a smile in the sunshine…Max is a wonderful German Shepherd~sweet. sweet. dog.

this was the calm before the battle! stacie jumped into the pool w/ her tank top & skirt, so cute! Rohnan thought it would fun to ride the dinosaur while wearing goggles…and well all HELL broke lose shortly after these photos…squirt toy battles between Stacie & Rick…then the kiddo’s jumped in and water was everywhere…hence why there are no photos…had to save the camera…right?  Stacie & Rick were cracking me up…Rick had a blaster and Stacie had this little water gun that could barely get enough pressure up to shoot water…we were laughing & giggling…it was definitely GOOD TIMES!

hot tub happiness before going inside for some dinner!  i think my favorite part of the day is when we were all in the kitchen singing the Piano Man by Billy Joel…okay we were not singing it…we were belting it out!  It was so much fun & so silly!  I love that we can all be like that together and we don’t even worry about our wonderful singing voices…we just SING & be SILLY!  Of course after dinner we put in the iPods and had some dancing going on…Abbie has some great dances she knows to some of the popular songs…Stacie tries really hard to do them & encourages Abbie to teach her…then we had the Soulja Boy dance…always fun to see all the kiddo’s dancing…and the adults laughing!  I think the house went to bed with a full belly of drinks & good food and VERY HAPPY HEARTS!

Seaside, Oregon was where we spent the next day

…our plan was to leave the Johnson’s and camp on the Oregon Coast…but…we just didn’t plan enough time in our driving…and we HAD to or NEEDED to be in Salt Lake City at a specific day & time…so we thought it would be fun to just spend a day with our dear friends, then get one last night with them before traveling inland to Utah.  I am glad we got more time…and we were not in our car racing around to find a campsite…but got to go back and sleep in a comfy bed!

Josh looks a wee bit cold…LOVE this photo of James & Rohnan…Rick got stuck w/ all the shoes & clothes!

I am so glad that we got to spend 3 nights & 2 full days with Josh, Stacie, Abbie & James!  As always they spoil us…I don’t think my drink glass was ever empty & I am pretty sure that if we were not in deep conversation…then we were all laughing & sharing the past…we were lucky enough to spend time with them in Unalakleet for one year…then they made a point to see us on their travels in & out of Alaska…and NOW we are all here in the lower 48…where we REALLY are only a LONG days drive away…well maybe more like a 2 day drive…smiles!

We LOVE & Miss you BUNCHES!

(we can’t let 2 years pass by again)

• friends , silliness , summer time , vacation
• Comments (1)

tiff July 27th, 2010

My folks have been without an upper deck for what i believe to be 2 years.  Their old deck had collapsed and really it had been about 30 years old, so it was/is time to definitely start all over!  Fortunately Rick enjoys working outdoors, building & sweating, so he volunteered his services.  All the wood estimates were made & Dad and Rick headed to Home Depot to put in the order just for the top deck(headers, joists, etc.).  The wood arrived the next day and Rick began sinking posts & pouring cement…that was an entire day!  He then spent the next day putting up the frame which extended the entire length of the house~now that’s a lot of wood!  Rick’s last day spent on the deck was laying down the planks…of course they didn’t have quite enough, so my Dad put in another order for wood which included the wood for all the railings, stairs & the planks needed for the front deck & back lower deck.  Unfortunately Rick was not able to stay and finish up the rest of the deck…he felt bad, as he hates to leave a job unfinished…hopefully my brother, Cory, will help dad get the rest of it done before the winter months!

old deck to new frame!  rick encouraged my dad to only use pressure treated wood, as the weather in washington state is brutal on anything wood…and since my folks would like to enjoy their deck for some years to come…pressure treated it is!

Keegan helping his Papa put up the wood planks on the frame.  The materials used and placed in some fine looking penguin plastic bowls…dad will have plenty of nails to finish up his decking jobs!

rick & my dad needed something just the right width for spacing the planks~they found a coaster that reads “Sister Mary Margarita”~AWESOME!  My dad & rick were doing a cheers for a days hard work and standing atop the upper deck!

i think they are enjoying their beers…they deserve it!  rick really enjoys working with my dad…they built the lower deck & front deck together about 18 years ago…that is quite some time that has passed…yikes…we are bit older & grayer, huh?

The conversation that made us all laugh:

Rick:  “How are you doing Dean?”

Dad: “Well…(pause)…I am 67 years old & I work at a desk all damn day! I guess I am pretty tired!”

************************************************

Rick’s vacation in Seattle was not all work…he escaped for a couple of days to Northwestern Washington and bagged a peak with my Uncle Dean & Aunt Ruth!  We had been planning on doing this as a family…well the backpacking part not the mountaineering, but it turned into more than I could handle and the boys’ were not inspired to go either.  So we encouraged Rick to go and get some time to be out in the mountains doing what he loves.(he needed this alone time)  He climbed Mount Baker for the very first time and I do believe he might be a little bit addicted(is that possible? a little.)…I just don’t know how I feel about a Peak FREAK!  I am a sauntering type of backpacker…the kind that likes to take her time, stop and look at my surroundings, enjoy the smells & rest when I need to…I am a backpacker.  I love that Rick has found something to get his adrenaline pumping and I am extremely proud that he made it to the TOP of Mt. Baker…here are some photos that were taken by my aunt and uncle as they mountaineered up this peak!

uncle dean & rick~~~~~~~aunt ruth & rick

Mount Baker~elevation 10,781 feet

(not a fourteener, but still a big mountain from start to finish & they did it in less than 24 hours…crazy hikers!)

• backpacking , family , home projects , summer time , vacation
• Comments (2)

tiff July 27th, 2010

my boys’ lovin’ up on their baby cousin, Hudson!  Both boys’ enjoyed the short stints at holding ’sweetness’!

papa w/his granddaughters~ Chelsea(left) & Margaux(right)~just through the fish in for FUN!

my crazy & fun cousins, andrew(left) and nikolas(right)~rohnan totally enjoyed their spunky attitudes!

my brother timmy holding his nephew hudson…and my baby brother cory holding his son, hudson! i have cute brothers!

my uncle mark(my mom’s brother) & my aunt mary beth traveled from Oklahoma…it was so great to see them…i really enjoy their sense of humor and sarcasm…definitely can tell i am related!  my dad & uncle mark loading up on dungeness crab, mussels & clams for dinner at cory & heathers house!  WE were at Kells & Pikes Place Market in Seattle!

Angak being a baby w/ his plug & keegan holding his sweet cousin~rick decided he needed to be in the family photo(what a dork)

my sweet nieces, “goey” & “wah-wah”…then there is rohnan, brother & husband playing rock band!

we were lucky enough to go to a Sounders game…thanks to my mom & dad who flipped the bill for the tickets.  we had a great time at our own tailgate party before the game…the fans in SEATTLE are absolutely AMAZING! {as you can see with the girl in the tu-tu, they do wear their teams colors in any fashionable way}  Rick & I were wishing the fans in Colorado were as dedicated to their soccer team!  Oh well it allows us to get tickets the day of the game w/ the lack of support, ha!

We had an opportunity to head to the Woodland Park Zoo for a wee bit…it was the perfect amount of time…as I see the boys’ have really grown up at this zoo…it has become all too familiar to them, so they were quite goofy as we walked from animal habitat to animal habitat.  We actually made it out of the Zoo w/o buying anything for them…only a t-shirt for their new cousin!  It was Hudson’s first of many visits to the zoo…he was enjoying the fresh air…and his goofy cousins, as they strolled him around!  I was glad that it was not an all day event, as i was being driven crazy by my own flesh and blood!

the boys’ are sportin’ a new pair of black low top converse…their angak, auntie heather & cousin hudson got them each a pair…thank goodness, as it gets me off the hook to buy school shoes.  i have to say they look pretty cute in their new shoes and has inspired me to “maybe” get my own pair…maybe a green pair!  my brother decided they needed a pair because he has a pair, heather has a pair & hudson has a pair…so now they all match!

we went to the EMP in Seattle…the boys’ are so into music & they are at a perfect age to enjoy the history plus the interaction with the different instruments!  Both boys’ loved the Jimi Hendrix display & interactive wall…AMAZING!

i leave you with this great photo of my uncle mark, sil heather, “sweetness” aka hudson, angak(brother cory) & uncle dean!

*************************************************

::On a SAD note::

not how it was suppose to be…

…but we were sure glad that we were there!  being around family is important when life changes happen.  “Grandma” Arlene, my sister in laws(heather) mom, passed away peacefully on saturday, july 10th~~however she had a lengthy battle with cancer for quite some time.  i am not quite sure the word to use, but i will use LUCKY…we were able to see Arlene when we first came into town while she was able to talk & hold a conversation…my boys’ would sit with her & chat about their trip or look through photo’s of grandma arlene’s life…they would hug her & tell her that they loved her…they really are good boys’.  Cory & Heather are incredible people…they have been extremely strong with all that they have been going through…plus having a baby via c-section…Heather is AMAZING & really I can only hope that I am half as strong as she is in life changes!

Cory, Heather & Hudson we LOVE you so much & want you to know that we are ALWAYS here for you!!!!

*************************************************

i apologize to my mom, sil jana, nephew quin & my aunt ruth for not having any photo’s of you…i kinda played photographer poorly!  i promise next time i see you i will get lotso’ photos…and make up for this visit! i still love you all very much!

• family , summer time , vacation
• Comments (1)

tiff July 14th, 2010

Hudson Dean Rogers, our NEPHEW!

I have lovingly named him “sweetness!” when referring to him in tweets or facebook statuses…

but really he has a beautifully STRONG name!

…these are photos i have taken over the last week and a half…i have enjoyed every moment that i have spent with Hudson.  he is a sweet baby full of energy, spirit, happiness & love…and a whole lot of drool!  his cheeks are calling out to be pinched and his smile is contagious!  we have been so lucky to have spent so much time with him, but we will miss him dearly when we leave the seattle area this week~we will miss you too angak & auntie heather.  you two are amazing parents…and it is fun to see you guys in the role of daddy & mama!  looking forward to Christmas 2010…can’t wait to have you on our turf!

• family , summer time , vacation
• Comments (5)

tiff July 5th, 2010

but certainly not all looking at the same camera…smiles!

{left to right~~ at top…Nesta the Boxer, Keegan, Baby Hudson & Quin~~on bottom…Rohnan, Margaux & Chelsea}

• family , road travels
• Comments (2)

tiff July 3rd, 2010

In the car…we turned around from the front seat to the back seat & this is what we saw:

WE had BIG plans…we were going to camp in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and go to the Silverwood Theme Park. However the weather was bum…rainy & cool…and I figure if I am paying money to go to a water park/theme park we don’t want to shiver the whole time…so we opted out of going and moving on!  WE had planned on camping at Vantage along the Columbia River, but we had two little boys’ that had other plans…We were easily convinced…as we like to push the driving limit and go, go, GO!  Thankfully our two guys don’t mind spending 15.5 hours in the car to get to where THEY wanted to go!  So we showed up on my parents door step at 11:30p.m. at night…thank goodness for cell phones so we could call Papa & Nana and let them know we were coming in late.  I am glad we pushed through, as it was super WINDY at the river campsites and I don’t think I could do another swapping of the tents…ha!

We almost didn’t make it, as i drove over this grill piece on the highway outside of Spokane.  I thought it was a piece of rubber from afar…but nope…and well we drive a low rider vehicle, so the damn thing jammed into a small crevice that took rick quite awhile to get unjammed…oh boy!  It involved a lot of breaking of metal pieces on that grill…but we think all is well with our awesome CAR!

• family , road travels , summer time , vacation
• Comments (1)

tiff July 2nd, 2010

WE decided not to camp in the park our last night…the mama was really hoping to get a shower, as it had been 5 days since the last shower…I am pretty good about not bathing, but when you are around people all the time…well it is just nice to look or better yet feel good!  Plus I was getting tired of wearing my baseball hat..SMILES!  Rick found a fabulous campground…so fabulous that I think if we ever go back to Yellowstone National Park we might just use this campground as BASE!  It is camping…so don’t think that you are not going to get dirty…but it has tent sites backed up to the water…clean showers…and if you forget anything they have a REASONABLE camp store…we were AMAZED! I loved that it was quiet & peaceful…and the boys’ could just pop out on the beach & play in the swimming hole right from our site!  The mosquitoes were not too bad & the cost of the site was WAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY cheaper than the KOA in Jackson,WY.  (plus you gotta love a clean bathroom & a hot shower…oh wait have I mentioned that already)  PSST…they even have FREE internet…but we didn’t access it, next time though!

Rick cooking up a scrumptious dinner while the boys’ play on the floating raft they lovingly called a Cheese Wheel!

• camping adventures , family , summer time , vacation
• Comments (1)

tiff July 1st, 2010

From the Tetons we went to Yellowstone…a new entrance for Rick & I…we went from the South side…beautiful drive!  Our plan in Yellowstone was to camp…no backpacking…just enjoy the luxuries of a camp site w/o the pain of carrying everything on our backs.  Our first night was at the Mammoth Campground right near the North entrance(Gardner, MT)…I wouldn’t recommend that campground…very exposed and tucked between the road, as the road makes a U.

We had more rain, thunder & lightning…along with giant hail.  It was another night where Rick & I were separated, as Rohnan had worked himself into another panic attack, so Rohn climbed in with Rick & I climbed in with Keegan.  Not the greatest night of sleep, as the storm was pretty wild all night…it calmed for awhile in the early morning…and we had no rain to pack up our tents…but we rushed…and then headed back up into the park to find a dry place to make coffee & eat breakfast.  Fortunately the day turned into blue sky w/ some clouds, so we were all able to dry out a bit!

We ate breakfast cereals…you know the kind…the sugary cereal that comes in camp size boxes~the boys’ have been bugging us about getting them & well we gave in.  We were at a pull off called Sheepeater Ledge.  Keegan & Rick thought it would be funny to block out Rohnan when i said everyone smile!  Love my guys, so silly!

Of course we were playing total tour-on…and stopped at all things wonderful!  This is the top of the Mammoth Hot Springs…a different look and at 7:30a.m.~not so many folks wandering around…so very PEACEFUL & SMELLY!!

I have to say that Yellowstone is an amazingly~incredible place on this earth…not that I have much experience with other parts of the world…but there are many things in this park that leave your mouth wide open in AWE!  The boys’ were fascinated with the pools of hot gaseous water…of course the wild life was amazing to see(cinnamon black bear, a grizzly bear, a wee black bear, elk, bison, deer in velvet, coyote…)…the tour-ons continue to confuse me~it just doesn’t make any sense their inability to follow the park rules…i love that all tour-ons believe that they have super powers and that getting out of your car to get that awesome animal shot will prove to be an award winner at the price of the bison possibly charging…STUPID…STUPID PEOPLE!  I told Rick it is not the animals in the park you have to worry about, but the idiots that drive cars & get out of cars…so CRAZY!!!

We did find our own little piece of paradise in the park…We happen to be driving by a pull-out that no one was at…but we were looking to see something…and there it was a cone shaped orange-ish mtn that was boiling over…we of course pulled over and got out..thankfully!  The boys’ climbed down the side to the river…where the water was warm!  Both boys played for just over an hour in that shallow WARM river while Rick and I caught up on conversation & enjoyed a few cups of coffee!  We felt so lucky to have had this opportunity & it made our day more tolerable! {if you were wanting to know…rick did check out the river and even crossed it to make sure it was safe…so we didn’t just throw the boys’ out there and say enjoy!!!! smiles}

I think we made the boys’ day by playing at this river…but not shortly after we took the Firehole River One Way Scenic Byway…where we came upon a very crowded swimming hole…and so we stopped…the boys again were in heaven…you see as much as they like seeing the sights~well the boys’ just get plain tired of sitting on their arse in the car looking out the window…so to be able to stop and play in water that has many different hot springs that feed into it…well that just makes being a tour-on that much BETTER!  And well it was perfect for stopping and having some lunch too!

Of course you can not go to Yellowstone w/o seeing Old Faithful…so our last stop before exiting the park was to see this attraction…and that is exactly what it is…walkways, seating, people w/coolers of beer…so strange.  I remember when Rick & I went about 10 years ago…we sat in our little crazy creek chairs on the designated ground early in the morning w/ no on really around us…it was fabulous…this time it was like a ZOO!  But Old Faithful was still Old Faithful…the amazing spewing of hot water still gets the OOOO’s and AWWWWWEES!  I think the boys’ liked it…but they didn’t have a lot to say about it…I think the people watching was more interesting to them…hA!

Now off to West Yellowstone, MT for our last night of camping!

• camping adventures , exploring , family , summer time , vacation
• Comments (0)

tiff June 29th, 2010

we are a pretty active family, but that activity has slowed down a wee bit for the mama…and a little bit for the daddy.  i pretend that i am in good enough shape to sling a backpack on my shoulders and go for 4 miles one way, but the reality is my body screams NOT IN GOOD SHAPE…and when the feet stop that is when i feel the hike in every part of my body…it is a SAD thing that life has taken this turn w/o me even knowing it…okay i knew it, but it seems to have happened QUICKLY!  i am not ready to give up…i love backpacking…i love the freedom…i love the quiet…i love the time in the outdoors with my family…i love the simplicity of it ALL!  so i guess i better get my arse in gear & out the door…just so i can continue to sling that backpack for at least another 15-20 years…i am not ready to GIVE UP yet!

i didn’t give up, but i was very persuasive in doing a valley hike that would be mostly a gradual climb & not some crazy ass straight up the mountain climb.  but you know what…this damn trail kicked my ass too & that is when i really realized how out of shape & overweight i really am.  my family is so patient, forgiving, inspiring, encouraging, but dammit why can’t they just slice & dice and rid me of this extra 60 lbs…ha…and fix my stupid heel & stop the aching in my knee…why…why…why does getting old have to be so hard!

we had a reprieve from the mosquitoes in an open patch that had a nice breeze off the lake…so we stopped had some snacks…checked to see how everyone was doing…our trail we picked didn’t gain enough elevation to rid of us the pesky little blood suckers…so we had two boys’ in tears…we are a wee bit soft after living in colorado for 2 years.  we were idiots…we bought & brought mosquito dope…but when we were car camping & packing at the parking lot we didn’t have any biting bugs bothering us…so we decided to leave the dope at the car…no need for it…HA! famous last words…as we were mauled half way into our hike…fortunately we ran into the rangers that asked us if we had dope…and we put our heads down and said no…i think they felt bad for the boys’, as that evening they hiked up to our campsite and handed the boys’ a bottle of pure loveliness…and we had some HAPPY boys!

we hiked in about 4 miles…a beautiful hike…not the hike we were hoping for…but perfect for the start of the backpacking season.  we had to beware of the bears…so everything that was edible went into the locked bear box & our packs were hung up on the bear poles…all we had in camp was our sleeping stuff & tents.  we felt safe…that is until we went to bed & the storm came in!

we watched the storm pass by us, as we ate dinner around the campfire…we thought we were in the clear…but we climbed into our tents & that is when it started…the wind began to howl, the thunder & lightning started to get closer and closer…and that is when we heard our little boy trying to catch his breath…rohnan was standing outside our tent hyper-ventilating…SO we made the switch…Rick went and slept with Keegan…and Rohnan climbed in with me…finally I got him calmed down, so that he would sleep…but it took some time…& a whole lot of chatting!  It was a long night…but eventually sleep was to be had…with the storm all around & the rain pounding our tent.

our hike out was a bit more tolerable…we had dope on…and well quite honestly we knew we were hiking out to the car…treats to be had…a swimming lake at the trail head…the boys’ went way ahead of us…as if they were trail runners with full packs on their backs…we had a family asked if we had two little boys’…as they were concerned that they were too young to backpacking by themselves…people make me laugh!

A good FIRST backpack trip of the season…mostly!

********************

BTW…My husband rocks, as his Smartwool socks saved the day out on the trail…they can be used for other things not just your feet…PHEW…thank goodness…my husband is a creative thinker & didn’t mind cutting up his socks!!!

• backpacking , summer time , vacation
• Comments (2)

tiff June 28th, 2010

We started off our trip with a quick drive to the KOA in Jackson, WY.  We went with the KOA, as we like to bend over and pay a lot of money for not many amenities…You would think that $50 a night would at least get you a pool or clean bathrooms or a camp spot that would allow you to park your car in…NOPE! Now mind you the actual camping part was not so bad…as we were next to a roaring river that drowns out most noise of the camp ground…but I would have to say that is about it for the “GOOD” part!  We had a wonderfully LOUD family next to us…who on the first morning got up so damn early w/ their voices on LOUD to wake up their children…the whole time I was thinking it must be late…so when we finally got up…and looked at the clock..it was only 7:00A.M.~can you believe it…that means for an 1.5hours I was listening to this LOUDNESS and it had all started at 5:30A.M.~NO one gets up and makes this kind of NOISE in a campground…All right so we are not so good with the CAMPGROUND scene…we like to be minimalists even when we car camp…and we have taught our children that it is not okay to walk through other peoples camp spots & when hanging around the picnic table we don’t have to have all sites here our conversations…REALLY?????  It could be that we have done so much camping that the boys’ just know what is expected…or maybe it was that 4 months we lived in our tent while building a house that the excitement has worn off or better yet the 3 weeks we lived in a campground before we could move into our rental in Carbondale…I guess car camping is old hat for us, so we have squashed the LOUDNESS out of it!

{our tent~so close to the LOUD families tent, first meal at the campsite, the boys’ tent near the roaring river}

The benefit of staying at this campsite is that it is associated with a rafting company.  So we took a trip down the Snake River…it was a BLAST.  The boys’ have never done a white water rafting trip…and I believe after our 2 hours on the river we have them hooked.  It was just the right amount of time & perfect white water for their maiden voyage.  Of course it was a beautiful, HOT day to be on the river, so it made it easy to get wet! We didn’t take any photo’s, but the SMILES on our boys’ were BIG! (we were lucky as we were on an 8 man raft w/ only 7 of us…so it makes for MORE fun on the river and we HIT all the waves JUST right…we had a great boat & guide!)

• camping adventures , road travels , summer time , vacation
• Comments (0)