Speaking of Valdez…

I keep thinking about the twelve hours I spent driving to and from Valdez from Anchorage last week. I drove amazed. I kept thinking, This is like the (Columbia River) Gorge only bigger. This thought challenged me to imagine the Gorge waterfalls–Multomah, Latourell, Horsetail, Bridal Veil, and the rest–being more majestic than I knew them to be. They were beautiful now but how would they look when they were redeemed?

Then, as if on cue, I saw a sign that read Horsetail Falls. What? I looked out and up. This edition was double the height of the one I was familiar with. Wow. The next sign? Bridal Veil Falls. Are you serious? And this version looked about ten times as high as its very little Oregonian brother.  It was as if I was treated to a glimpse of creation being redeemed.

And if you ever drive from Anchorage to Valdez…

Don’t forget to bring Focus On The Family Radio Theatre: The Chronicles Of Narnia. Listen to The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe while you drive. The sights plus the sounds make it a veritable audio tour of Narnia.

If you’re ever in Anchorage, AK…

Drive a couple hours out to Sutton to have a bowl of soup and a roll at Sheep Mountain Lodge. It’s that good. Maybe you can even stay a night or two in one of their cabins. Hopefully, for you, there won’t be a guy playing an electric guitar through an amp on the side of the road opposite the lodge thinking he could possibly add to the beauty of your surroundings.

Aidan’s New Carpenter Jeans

Aidan (7):  See my new pants, dad?
Ian:  Nice!  I like ‘em.
Aidan:  Thanks.
Ian (points at the hammer loop):  Do you know what that’s for?
Aidan:  Yeah.
Ian:  Really? 
Aidan:  Guns.

Now that we’ve figured out Goofy…

Makaena (9): Waitaminute. Why is he called Donkey Kong? He should be Monkey Kong!

Farmer Aidan

This is just a small reason why, with the passing of summer into the fall, we’ll miss having our garden.  A summer full of fresh eats compliments of mom and Aidan.

At church…

Asher (3) was wearing this Thomas The Tank Engine t-shirt so Joshua (2 1/2), naturally, went to show him his Thomas The Tank Engine underwear.

Last week we camped at…

Fort Stevens State Park!  A very memorable time.

Speaking of monks…

Makaena asked us what a monk was.  We tried to explain it to her as best we could but she had the best definition. 

Makaena (9):  Like nuns but boys.

If you’re ever in Cannon Beach, OR…

Enjoy the best coffee on the coast at Sleepy Monk. And though they’re only open seasonally, you can buy their beans online. Phew.