A few more pictures from Colorado

Here are a few more pictures from Mark's adventure-filled, four-day weekend in Colorado. First, another shot of Maroon Bells, the famous mountains near Aspen, with just a dusting of fresh snow. Next, a shot of the log home my brother Doug's company is constructing just outside Aspen, and finally, a pic of the three brothers-in-law. As they say, "a great time was had by all."

Hanging with Grammy and the brothers-in-law

Mark returned home yesterday afternoon from his four-day weekend with his mother-in-law and his two brothers-in-law. They had a great time, as Mom spoiled them with fancy meals and fancy digs, all in the lovely setting of Aspen, Colorado.

Ben's Big Bull

Over the weekend, Ben shot this 6x6 bull elk with his bow. He, along with his brother Dave, and Phil Kelley, were hunting in the Aspen area, and actually got two elk! So, a very successful hunt, and enough meat, according to Ben, to last "about nine years." You'll have to ask Ben for the whole story regarding the hunt, but we heard that the guys were up until 3:00 a.m. packing the animals out of the woods. Sounds pretty exciting to us parents!

Of Snickers and Beans

I guess you can tell just how fascinating one's life is by what one blogs about. Thus, you can tell that we are VERY interesting people, since we blog about the food we eat. Today, for instance, Hannah stopped by the house, and was telling us about this salad (or, should I say, "salad") she made yesterday with some of her friends. Of course, Hannah and I had to make it, too. So, for all of you cooks out there, get ready for the recipe: cut up three or four granny smith apples into small chunks. Place in bowl. Add an EQUAL amount of cut-up Snickers bars. Then add a whole container of Cool Whip. Mix it all together, and Voila! There you have it - salad! :-) And you thought college kids didn't eat healthy food. Well, think again! The other picture is of the bean soup I made a couple of days ago. Why would I share this picture with the world? Just because I want to, so there! :-) It was very delicious and nutritious, by the way... And Sarah - if you are reading this - you can see the new paint color in the kitchen!

Don't you just love old yearbook photos?

This picture of Mark and me was taken in the fall of 1973. We were newlyweds, having married that June, and we were both juniors at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, when this picture was taken for the college yearbook. Good times! :-)

A blast from the past...

Well... from time to time, I will post pictures from the good old days. At the top is one of our tribe, taken in 1992. And below is one of Sarah, Hannah, and me, taken the same year. Gotta love those hairdos, girls!

A point to ponder...

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
~ John Wesley

A special Sunday

Ah... what a special day. Mark and I enjoyed a great church service at Doxology, then were blessed to have dinner here at home with family and friends. Jake and Beka, Hannah and her friend Luke, and Dave and Nikki were all here. Wait - did I say DAVE? Yep! He was able to arrange a last-minute trip to Oregon for the weekend. And he and his lovely fiance Nikki were able to join us for several hours. There is nothing better than to be surrounded by family, and today was no exception. So - thanks for coming, all of you! We love you so much!!!

A quote for the day by St. Augustine

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering."

An absolutely perfect day...

This morning, Mark and I woke up very early and headed to Newport. It was beautiful here in Philomath, so we expected the same at the coast. However, as is often the case, it was cool and foggy in Newport. But we decided to proceed with our plan, so we bundled up in our sweatshirts and took a two-hour walk on the beach. It was SO awesome! There were very few people about, and at times we could see no one else at all - it was like having our own, private ocean! There was a very low tide, and we were able to explore awesome rock formations and tidepools, with sea anemones, star fish, tiny crabs, etc. It was amazing. Then, after fortifying ourselves with some Starbucks (thanks, Dave, for the gift card), we headed home. But - when passing the turnoff to Toledo, we noticed signs that said they were having an "Art Walk" there this weekend. So, we turned off and did the whole tour. We saw some excellent art, and were impressed with Toledo in general. Who knew it was such a charming and artsy town? Anyway, school starts tomorrow, and today was a perfect conclusion to a wonderful summer.