Alex and Jess' Wedding!

It was an absolutely spectacular experience July 18-22 being out at Annapolis with my whole fam for Alex and Jess' wedding.  What a joyful and happy time for all involved.  I couldn't be more proud.

Enjoy the pics below!  The pictures are not in chronological order...

Alex, wiping a tear from his eye as Jess comes up the center aisle.  Yes, he has a tender heart!

My two boys.  Awesome guys.  Ya think Alex could be smiling any more?  I am so proud of each of them.  Oh, and of Laura, too.  But these are just the best boys.

Laura (on the right) with her cousins, Anton and Lily. 

"You've lost that loving feeling...."  So much better than in Top Gun...

Brothers on the bridal party bus.  Yep, they love one another so much. 

Makes me kinda weepy every time I see it!

"Hey Jess.  Ya coming?  Ummmm....yeah, it's today...."

Proud father.  Beaming son.  Life is so good!

 

And what would this wedding have been without this!!!

 

Eat your heart out, Tom Cruise!

 

Blue Pool and Hosmer Lake Pics

On two separate days I went to the Blue Pool and Hosmer Lake for kayaking.  Awesome, inspiring places. 

The Tamolitch (Blue) Pool is one of Oregon's upmost concealed treasures on the McKenzie river.  It is where the McKenzie river comes up from being underground for about 3 1/2 miles.

The route takes you through an old growth forest with beautiful scenery and moss. 

Two bridges are along the route.  Just beautiful and serene.

Oh yeah, my leg is from kayaking on Suttle Lake several days before.  Yes, that's the result of not realizing how bright the sun was!  It started to peel after this, and got very scratchy.  Did I mention it was scratchy?

Sahaile Falls is a breathtaking waterfalls with foaming beautifully white water.  Sahalie (or "Heaven") is a Chinook jargon word from when the Kalaouya, Molalla, and Chinook peoples traveled and traded here.

Then it was Hosmer Lake, which was awesome.  Hosmer is a hidden jewel of green and blue surrounded by dark green forests just off the Cascade Lakes byway.  It has breath taking views of Mt. Bachelor, South Sister, and Broken Top, and has great viewing of salmon, trout, and rainbow that are very visible in this shallow and clear lake. 

Bachelor towering.  It's the back side; the skiiing is on the other side. 

I'll be back to Hosmer for sure!

Suttle Lake Kayaking

Suttle Lake is about an hour's drive from Redmond, and is a gorgeous and quiet lake.  When I was there there were only two other people on the lake.  Awesome time.  And yes, that's my little Gracie in the back hatch in a life jacket...

Like a little back-pack dog!  What a good sport.

Paulina Lake Kayaking

It's so awesome.

As soon as the paddle hits the water, this immediate sense of calm and serenity invades you. It's amazing. "He leads me beside the still waters...He restores my soul."

I bought a kayak to celebrate sending in my manuscript for my book (Craigslist, used...), and am planning on some hot summer days on Sparks and Hosmer, once the Cascade Lakes Byway opens. Little did I know that at 6,300 feet that Paulina Lake would have snow on the shore. It did, but it was so cool. And relaxing. And serene. Just what I needed as I ran my sermon through my mind. And then ran it out of my mind. And just relaxed and enjoyed the quiet peacefulness. 

It's so awesome.

It you look closely you'll see how amazingly clear the water is. 
Almost makes you want to get out and swim.
Well, almost...

I never go out without my Crystal Lite in my Mongo Gatorade jar....
And what great, cold, wet legs!

Yes, the 14 foot kayak is longer than my car. 

And I was going to go to Paulina Falls, but the snow got in the way.
Yes, the Stop sign on the right side was correct...

Skiing after New Year's at Mt. Bachelor!

An out of town friend was visiting her mom in Redmond during Christmas with her two sons and one son's girlfriend, and we went up skiing.  It was great snow and a great experience.  Here's Caren and me.

See the awesome camera atop my helmet in the pic below?  Go-Pros are expensive helmet cams.  This one is a Go-Amateur, on a small flexible tripod and duct taped to my helmet...

And Devon is Caren's 22 year old son who I followed down Pine Marten.  I should have asked him to go slower, but he was having too much fun!