California & Saturna Island

There's too much to write.  And these pics are out of order but it's a huge pain to move them.  This trip was incredible!  We've been planning it in our minds for over 10 years.  We finally just did it.  It was so wonderful to see so many people we adore.  My BFF Naomie and her sweet family in CA, my aunt Karia in Sequim, WA, my oldest friend from Keith Elementary, Kate Pippinger (aka Cheryl Geelhood) and Curt's Dad Bob and his family.  The scenery was breathtaking.  Reunions were lovely.  There were plenty of tears and fists on the long drives.  Lots of hot tamales and Pringles.  Some scary moments with no GPS.  Traffic and worry.  But right now all I can remember is that it was a beautiful reminder that this earth was created for us to enjoy and God is a great lover of beauty and diversity.  And I love my family more than I can say.  The older I get the more I realize that money spent on time together (especially in nature) is so much more precious than any toy or the gadget.  

Crater Lake.  All I can say is I want to go back!!  We didn't get to do the hike.  It is apparently pretty strenuous and takes a couple of hours.  Also everyone was fighting.  But.  Look at that water.  The only source is rainwater so it is crystal clear.  Definitely need to go back.

Victoria on Vancouver Island.  This whole place is like a postcard.  It was quite crowded but then we were there on a Saturday.  Lots of great places to eat and walk.  

Curtis paddle boarding after a tutorial from his brother, Grayden.  But really look at that water (I took that picture- yes!)

Totem pole in Victoria

One of many ferry rides.  And this pic was taken right after Lucy drank Mountain Dew.  Oh boy

Hiking around on Saturna Island with Errol and Ozzie the dog. Coolest dog ever.

Bob is a kayak guide and we spent an afternoon kayaking around the island.  Lucy and Curtis were partners.  It was not easy going.  Jonah and Isaac each kayaked alone and it was really hard work.  They started complaining towards the end and I got a little annoyed with them.  Then Grayden told me that he leads these sorts of trips all the time and that all our kids did amazingly well. :)  Perspective always helps.  Errol and Grayden later said they couldn't believe how good Jonah in particular was being about the whole visit.  I thought he was being such a grumpy teenager but they thought he did great.  This reminds me that too often I expect too much from my kids and think they will enjoy everything this 40 year old mom does.  Good reminder.  The boys earned their kayak merit badge.  (We did Nature, Pets and Geneology too.  Summer trips are a great time do work on scouting)

These rocks on Saturna Island are some of the most photographed in all of BC.  They were just stunning and we spent hours climbing and playing on them.  A seal was swimming alongside us for a long time.  We also saw wild goats and several different kinds of shellfish.  

The sunset from the ferry pier.

Reunited and it feels so good.  Dang I adore this woman!  We literally became friends the minute we met and were pouring out our hearts to each other within hours.  Naomie taught me so much about taking care of people, attending the temple, serving others, working hard, enjoying art and fashion to name a few.  It was so incredible to catch up and just enjoy her laugh again!!  Time is such a funny thing.  We've seen each other like 4 times in the last 20 years.  Sheesh.  Hoping it's not too long before we can hang out again.  Oh and her house is a.mazing.  She designed every bit of it and in typical Naom fashion it is seriously a masterpiece.  And she fed us so well and just made every one of us feel at home.  My kids were so sad to leave.  

 We tie dyed for hours at Naom's house.  So fun.  And here is Curtis rolling up that sassy Isaac in a blow up mattress.

Redwood National Park bear house

These hydrangeas were in the yard of the house we rented in Trinidad, CA.  Oh I miss these flowers!

Hangin out in the Redwoods

Moonstone Beach in Trinidad, CA.  The water was freezing!  But we had fun and Curtis bribed the kids to get all the way in the water so they did. Not worth a dollar if you ask me!

 Mexican food with the Demartinis.

Oneonta Gorge in Oregon.  Actually we thought we were hiking Oneonta and I'm still not exactly sure where we went but it wasn't what we had planned.  The signs were not particularly clear.  But we ended up climbing up a river bed and got to the end with a waterfall and we had the whole place to ourselves.  We had packed some french bread and lunchmeat and veggies and berries. So yummy! 

The girls hanging out on a rock after our long hike.

A visit to Sequim on the Washington pennisula with my mom's baby sister.  It was so fun to see them and enjoy their neck of the woods.  Sequim (pronounced Squim) is so lush and green but apparently it gets a lot more sunshine than Seattle.  The population is pretty small and it's an hour from Vancouver Island and Seattle.  We loved catching up and visited their Farmer's Market before we left.  My cute cousin, Leah sells soaps and bath bombs and they are THE BEST!  I bought several of them and I need more.  Her scents were so good too: grapefruit, spruce, citrus, lavender.  Hmmmm....

Playing Quiddler on the ferry ride to Saturna Island

An afternoon with my old bestie, Kate.  It was so fun to meet her younger, adopted kids.  Shay and Lucy are the exact same age and had a great time together.  We picked up right where we left off.  She is as bubbly, talented and kind as I remember her.  And she lives in the dreamiest place on Bainbridge Island.  I'm so happy for her!

A visit to Pike's market.  I could have spent a whole day here.  The Dahlias and artwork and food... it was awesome!  And aren't Curt's shoes cute?

My Saturna Island Video
And our trip movie trailer

Katy Stake Trek Spring Break 2016

Curtis and I were asked to be a ma and pa for Trek this year.  Our stake puts on a Trek every 4 years so each teen gets an opportunity to go once.  This year everything was set.  So much work had gone into the preparation for this event.  Then it started raining.  And Texas received record flooding.  The areas where we were supposed to hike were under 8 feet of water.  There was talk about cancelling.  Then it went down to 4 feet and then 2.  Our fearless leaders decided we should go ahead but change the route a bit.  

Preparing was a lot of work, even for us mas and pas.  We had to get our gear together.  We spent a lot of time worrying about shoes but in the end just wore tennis shoes and brought an extra pair and lots of socks.  This worked perfectly.  We were also supposed to hold activities and get to know our kids.  We had 13 of them, which is a little larger than ideal.  Our group was amazing.  Honestly the best kids ever.  We loved them all and just had a great time getting to know them.  They were kind to each other and patient.  No complaining at all and lots of singing and friendly roasting.  And yes we had a rice bag baby.  It was actually quite tiring holding that little baby.  We all took turns- wish I had thought to bring one of my old slings.  :)  Each baby was based on a real baby who traveled with the pioneers.  Some did not make it.  Ours had a miraculous story of dying but being revived.  

Another special moment was the women's pull.  The boys and men were called away during the most treacherous parts of the trail.  It was a silent pull so there was no talking.  Some of the girls from our family went back to help another wagon that was stuck.  There was a steep hill where only 3 of us were pulling (plus carrying the baby).  We almost went backwards but managed to hang on.  Curtis said it was very difficult to watch but not be able to help. 
One afternoon we had games and a square dance.  So fun!  There was a bull ride and archery and a hair washing station, taffy making and races.  We all had a great time.
The weather could not have been more perfect.  Not too hot or cold.  And no rain, except for a little right before we left.  Roughing it is a great reminder about how much we have to be grateful for.  It also gives us a small amount of empathy for the early saints of our faith.  We heard many powerful stories of faith and fortitude.  In a day when college students can often be found in footed pajamas and arrested development is pretty much a pandemic, I think fortitude is a trait we could all work on. 

















There was great music (including an awesome rendition of "Down to the River to Pray" and "Come Thou Fount") and we all enjoyed singing together. Jonah was in a different family but in our same company so we got to see him. He had a great time.  I honestly didn't hear any kid say anything other than they loved it.  No one complained about it being too hard either.  I think these young people enjoy being challenged.  They feel respected when they face a difficult task and rise to it.  I'm so thankful we went.  Curtis and I were definitely blessed to be a part of it.  I love my church.  There are so many inspired programs and activities that I get to participate in.  I wish everyone had access to this kind of network that we Mormons have.  

I'm grateful for faithful early latter day saints who were unwavering in their belief and constant in their obedience.  These are not traits that are admired today.  Words like sheeple and blind faith get thrown around whenever you talk about obedience or submission.  But they've missed the whole point of Christ's message.  He submitted to the will of the Father.  He said again and again that the servant is the greatest and the first would be last and vv.  He could've confounded those who put him on trial but remained quiet.  His humble birth and life was no coincidence.  He was always teaching us how to be.  Reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures:

Alma 37:6
"...behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

And a Tolkien quote that I LOVE:

Austin Swimming Holes and Water Biking

Texas in the summer can be so miserable.  (I just really wish they would consider year round school but that's another post.)  It's too hot to even be at the pool and so many indoor activities are over crowded and over priced.  My girlfriends and I decided to head to Austin for a couple of days to visit some swimming holes there.  We had a terrific time and the kids did too.  We all stayed at a Hotel together with rooms close by so the kids could play board games together in the evenings.  The hotel staff was so accommodating to our large group (16) and even fed us all pizza one night. 

The places we visited were:

McKinney Falls State Park- This was gorgeous and the water was cool.  It was a little scary to jump off the rocks but other people there showed us where it was safe to jump and then we went at it.  All of our kids are older and are good swimmers and we all stayed close together.  It was a lot of fun!

Water Biking under the Congress bridge to watch the bats emerge was a great time.  We had a perfect view of the bridge and rode around while the sun was setting.  We saw plenty of bats but not the huge cloud that you will see in August or September.  Lucy and I rode together and it was amazing how quiet it seemed in the water, even though there were people on the shores and bridge.  Something about being on the water was just really peaceful. 

Barton Springs Hiking and Swimming- I loved this area and it was actually free.  The hike was probably half a mile and since it was in Austin and shaded it was actually quite pleasant.  The Springs were cold and we enjoyed climbing around the rocks and practicing our backflips and other tricks.  We spent hours there and when we eaten through our stash of Nutella and Ritz we headed over to Round Rock Donuts to have the World's biggest donut!  I have to say it wasn't actually very good and I was super tired by that point but fun to say we went.  :) 

The last day we stopped by Barton Springs dam and just hung out for a bit.  It was actually not my favorite part.  It didn't seem especially clean.  Too many people and dogs and too little water.  :(
I like Austin but I don't think I'd want to live there.  Definitely a great place to visit though!

Yep we went on a cruise

Never say never.  Okay?  If you had asked Curtis and I a few years ago if we would ever go on a cruise we would have quickly said "No!"  For many reasons it just didn't sound like our type of vacation.  But now we live close to Galveston, an hour and a half to be exact.  And they started offering a trip that includes Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel.  Pretty much perfect if you're hoping to go SCUBA diving in a few locations.  So when our friends suggested we go (and the prices were so good) we said yes. 

It was a 7 day adventure so we needed a great babysitter.  It actually worked out perfectly that my good friend's daughter was coming home from her mission to Romania 4 days before we were leaving.  My kids are in school all day so Taylor would be free to see her family and decompress during the day.  And I felt so great about having her.  She is the oldest of 8 and just an awesome all around person. 

The cruise itself was a lot of fun.  I actually really enjoyed the part where we hung out on the ship.  I LOVED not worrying about where to eat and thought the food was all around terrific.  We had bagels with lox, capers, onions and cream cheese a couple of mornings.  The lunchtime salad bar had fresh arugula and everything else you could want.  The appetizers at dinner was always amazing and most of the main courses were great too.   I tried escargot and it was so yummy!

 I actually really enjoyed the time on the boat.  I loved walking laps on the deck or reading in shady corner.  I thought the food was great and the room wasn't even that horribly small.  They had a library/game room where we could play cards and boards games.  There was also a basketball court, rock wall and a wavejammer.  We also saw a few shows during the trip and the quality was terrific.  They had an Elton John impersonator who was hilarious and his "Benny and the Jets" rocked.  The ice show was also really fun and there was a guy playing piano in a bar every night (JT?)  and his voice was amazing.  He even sang Christopher Cross's "Sailing" for me.  awesome.

Curtis surprised the guys with tattoo arm bands so they got to look tough for a night. 



We did big excursions on all of our stops and that was actually quite stressful. They just don't quite give you enough time so you are up early trying to get off the boat and stressing about making it back in time.  But the excursions were all very good.  Well the dive masters in Honduras were not ideal for beginner divers but it was still beautiful country and more practice.  I learned in Honduras that my buoyancy control is not very good and I really need to work on it.

The middle trip was to Belize and that was a lot of fun.  We drove for about an hour and reached the jungle.  Then we hiked up to a cave and tubed down through it.  Our guide, taught us all about the trees and life there.  Curtis and I actually ate termites.  I guess you can survive on them if necessary.  He said they tasted "minty woolly" and he was totally right.  Not bad at all.  :)
After the tubing we rode on zip lines over the jungle.  It was pretty fun and I wasn't scared at all.  I think it would have been more fun if they had been longer and higher.  Our guide had the most delicious lunch of chicken, rice and beans waiting for us after the zip lines.  It was SOOOO delicious.  Our friends were really stressed out that we would miss the boat so the car ride back to Belize City wasn't a lot of fun but the good news was that we made it in plenty of time.
The next day we stopped in Cozumel.  I always thought Mexico was pretty ghetto but honestly Cozumel was the most beautiful of the three stops.  The water was that amazing turquoise I've been dreaming of!
Thankfully our amazing dive master, Blanca, in Cozumel was an incredible teacher and she really helped me a lot.  The Cozumel diving was unbelievable.  The current was so strong that we just followed it.  We swam through coral walls and saw huge sea turtles.  The water in Cozumel was such a brilliant blue- we were surprised to find that Mexico was actually our favorite destination on this trip anyway.  Unfortunately Curtis got a mild case of the bends and we both had some kind of stomach bug for about 10 days after the trip (it was either the water they shared with us in Cozumel or the fresh watermelon).  ooops  We saw several massive turtles right up close and swam through coral caves.  It was stunning.  Unfortunately Curtis got a little mixed up and filmed when swimming and turned the GoPro off when he thought he was filming.  So we have no pics or vids from that amazing dive.  But we will definitely go again.  Totally redeemed diving for me. 
  Since we brought our own diving gear we had to lug it around and then try to rinse it off and hang it in our tiny cabin aboard the ship.  Not the best idea.  I mean it was fine but I would just rent equipment next time.

The last day was cruising again.  We had so much fun watching TJ sing and play piano down in the bar.  He had a beautiful voice.  We saw an ice show that was really entertaining.  We also took Cha-cha lessons and sorta overtook the library with games of Trump, Bananagrams and Hearts.  Having friends with us definitely made the trip more fun. 

Some of my favorite moments were

1) getting up early and walking around the deck with Curtis
2) playing "knock out" at night
3) a killer round of Round Robin Ping Pong with our friends
4) taking cha-cha lessons from professionals- okay the cha cha is hard
5) getting super close to a 4 foot sea turtle
6) that super amazing blue ocean water
7) card games with our friends
8) hanging in the cafe promenade eating pizza, cookies and croissant sandwiches
9) watching a movie while sitting in the hot tub on deck
10) reading my book/taking random naps on a lounge chair

It was a fun trip.  Not sure if Curtis wants to go again- he would prefer to just travel to one place and be able to enjoy it for several days.  But I think a Girls Cruise could definitely be in my future.