Copper Falls and Spruce Lake

Hiking with kids can be a lot of fun, but it always worries me a little. Is the trail going to be easy enough? Short enough? Am I going to be carrying a 22 month old while prodding my 4 year old the whole way?

Thankfully, the hike to Copper Falls, which was only a couple of miles away from Fliegerhaven, was the perfect family hike. Short, easy enough for everyone but Ollie, with a huge reward. This picture doesn't even do the waterfall justice. It is still early summer in this area, with snow still melting in places and lots of recent rain, so the water was gushing over the cliff.


After Copper Falls, we decided to hop back in our cars and follow a road up the mountain to Spruce Lake,which is at about 5,500 ft. It was only about 8 miles away, but it was all up up up, on a winding road, often with a huge drop-off on one side (I was remembering many Jeppson family trips with Mom telling Dad to slow down). After about half an hour, we knew we had to be getting close to the lake, and all the sudden we started to see snow on the side of the road. It got thicker and thicker until the point were we had to stop completely.

We didn't get to see the lake, but a snowball fight in the middle of June made the drive worth it.

Fliegerhaven

Our last four days were spent in a vacation home in Northern Idaho with Chad's parents and his brother Bill with his wife Cathy and kids Hailey and Cole.

This was wilderness with a touch of luxury.






Listening to the Moyie River rush by as you fall asleep.
Firepits and s'mores.
Blue skies and rainstorms.....

but with

beds for everyone, hot showers, refrigeration, not to mention....


satellite TV in all the bedrooms
a hot-tub (that got used a lot)
and a media room.

The only roughing it that took place was 9 people sharing the upstairs bathroom.

I can highly recommend Fliegerhaven as a vacation home. The owners were very kind and accommodating, and the price was excellent compared to other homes that we looked at. Click here if you would like to know more about it.

Picture of the Day

Colin took this picture of a bee taking off at the garden the day we left for Spokane. He was pretty proud of it.

Picture of the Day

Yes, this is what will motivate me to buy from you.

Keepin' It Real Wednesday - Picture of the Day

Chad has the kids of the house

I decide to have a leisurely lunch in the peace and quiet of the empty house

No kids begging for forbidden soda

Tacos with guacamole

Breaking my own rules by eating in the living room

Watching "Say Yes to The Dress"






Soda explosion all over the couch.

Shhhh, don't tell Chad.

Picture of the Day

Gray or Purple?

Chad says purple and refuses to wear it.

What do you think?

Picture of the Day

One of the best things about visiting my in-laws in Spokane?

The backyard. The kids could stay out there all day.


I will be gone most of the week to a cabin in northern Idaho, but check back everyday for the picture of the day. Have a good week!

School's Out!

I took this picture to mark the final school pick-up of the year....

And it was shortly followed by

Tears from Colin

All day long

Tears about:
Having a sore throat

Not having Lee Laoshi as a teacher next year

Missing school

Missing out on Discovery Place because he was at school

Everyone at school being mean to him

Mom and Dad being the meanest people in the whole wide world

Wii remotes being low on batteries

Finding out that we went to lunch with Daddy

Stir-fry for dinner with chicken instead of shrimp


I am not kidding you, he cried about every single one of those things, plus more.

He was just having the worst day in the world. Not enough sleep, lots of sugar today, last-day stress...I don't know.



It would have been a lot more frustrating if he hadn't brought home a report card that made me so proud I cried.

Discovery Place

Gabe finished reading lesson number 75, so it was date time again. He chose to go to Discovery Place, and let Ollie tag along with us.

We haven't been in a long time (how did Gabe even remember it? he was so young!), and they are renovating the whole museum, so it was interesting to see what changes have taken place. The kids zone downstairs, which has all been re-done, was still the highlight of the day for both the boys. The beloved water area is still there.

Gabe and I had a good time building a city in another section upstairs.

Since Chad works near Discovery Place, we took a lunch break and met him for lunch at The Fox and The Hound. YUM!


It was so nice to see him in the middle of the day. The boys got a kick out of it.

Great day!

Gabe is around number 83 - when he hits 100, he is done and gets to have a party!

Speaking of Baseball

A pick-up game formed in my sitting room/dining room this evening after dinner
.

I kept thinking that I should be an adult and break things up, but hey, the oldest one in the family was the pitcher, and he was getting belly laughs from all the boys, so I just went with it.

Four boys playing baseball inside might not seem like a very holy activity for the Sabbath,

But I am tellin' you, those scrumptious boys laughing together, sharing, loving each other,

It was heaven on earth.

Last Baseball Game of the Season

I'm not the biggest baseball fan, as I have said before. My boy, however, really is. So seeing the season come to an end is a little sad for me. Mostly because I didn't get to go to as many games as I wanted to. They were often at night, so I would stay home with Gabe and Oliver to put them to bed, while Chad took Colin. I know that this was the practical thing to do, and there is no way I will make it to all of my kids' games over the years, but I feel like I really missed out.

All of the other parents on the team have been commenting to us about how much determination and hustle Colin shows. He is very young and small, and it was 2 years since he played on a baseball team (and so long ago that it was T-ball). He had a lot to learn this season, and he soaked it up like a sponge. Colin has always tried to master anything he is interested in, and you could see that in his batting, throwing, and concentration. I'm proud of him!

(so is Ollie)

Let me tell you though, it was so stinkin' hot this morning. I had sweat marks on my t-shirt by 10 am.

Feelin' Funky

My last guests left 3 days ago.

School ends in a week.

We leave for Spokane in 2 weeks.

No YCMA because of a snotty-nosed little boy.

Things just aren't flowing (well besides the nose).

I am not PRODUCTIVE enough to even come up with a post right now,
so......
here are some previously unpublished pictures that I like.

I think it is funny how I am folding my arms like a good little primary kid in this picture, but I have to say that the feeling at the Lincoln Memorial was so reverent for me. Even with all the crowds and picture taking, it was just awesome.


A walk on Mother's Day.



Peonies from Sabina last month. Not only gorgeous, but so wonderful smelling.



My shoes, Colin's hat.

They do love each other. Their stripes even match up.

Elder Jeppson

My brother Bryce, who has been serving a mission for our church in Madrid, has been having foot problems. I am a horrible sister because I can't remember what the name of the particular problem he has(I am sure one of my siblings can tell me what it is), but I have heard it is just excruciating. The best treatment for it is rest, which is just impossible as a missionary. So after living in pain for quite some time, he needed to come home and try to recover. It is pretty crazy that this happened just after all the out-of-town family left.

Last night we gathered all the Charlotte Jeppsons to welcome him home. His flight ended up being a couple of hours late, so we gathered, dispersed and gathered again. Colin and Chad weren't there the first time because of a baseball game so I had time to run home and get them and come back.

Here is a video of him coming down the escalator. My mom had already walked up the stairs on the side to wait for him at the top to claim the first hug. Please excuse the quality. For some reason I thought clapping while video-ing would work.

Bryce looks great - mature and fit (besides the limp, of course, poor guy) and handsome.

He told me he was studying a picture of the kids on the plane, making sure he got them all straight.

Welcome home Bryce! We love you!