Volcanos and Craters and Falls, oh my!

M took off work on Tuesday so we could take mom on a hike.We ended up being gone longer than we thought but saw a lot of cool things. We started at Proxy Falls which is just east of us. It is an easy trail to hike and is only 2 miles long. It loops around so you don't see the same scenery twice, which I am a fan of.

This is Upper Falls.

After leaving Proxy falls we headed out to Belknap Crater which one of the hikers told my mom about while we were resting. It is an area full of volcanic rock and kind of fun to walk around on. Above, the girls are standing in a crevice in the volcanic rock.

You can barely see my mom in the middle of this picture.

We continued on down the road and saw a spectacular view of North Sister. M was able to get some great shots of the Three Sisters.

This is the Dee Wright observatory where you can look out and see each mountain and it's name through holes made in this structure. It was pretty neat.

This medallion was on the top and points to each mountain.

Here are the holes inside with the name plaques beneath.

There was still snow up there so we let the kids run around and throw snowballs at us. M even made a small snowman for the girls to knock down.

I love this picture of L kicking the snowman.

We continued on to Sahalie Falls where we encountered some blue jays near the parking lot.

Sahalie Falls is gorgeous and flows along the hiking trail. It is so blue and crystal clear. At one point M stopped to refill our water bottles. It was cold and tasted better than any water I have ever had. We stopped a lot to admire the beauty of the water and trees.

Here is Koosah Falls, it's lower than Sahalie Falls. The hike was only a mile long and so relaxing. We didn't have time to go up to Tamolitch Pool but plan on going there soon.

Beach Trip

When I came home I brought my mom with me. She stayed with us for almost three weeks. Right after the 4th of July we headed to the coast for the weekend with my auntie and her kids (M got to stay home alone). It was pretty warm and sunny while we were there. We went shopping at the outlet mall, ate at Mo's for dinner and played in the sand. The girls loved playing with their cousins.

Granny with the girls behind Mo's.

Nathan playing with L. She adores him!

We took the girls down to the beach one day with Nathan and they played in the sand. It was pretty windy and at one point we all got soaked by the incoming tide.

We drove down the coast and stopped at some of the viewpoints. This is Devil's Punchbowl. When the tide is out I hear you can walk down inside of it, but I've never done it. We also went to Yaquina Head Lighthouse and took the tour. I love lighthouses but hated this tour. It's a very steep, tall, metal spiral staircase and it doesn't go well with my fear of heights but the girls enjoyed it.

My mom and auntie.

After going to Pig N' Pancake for breakfast, Mika and I took the girls down to the beach while the tide was out and we could explore the tide pools. It was a lot of fun; we saw so many starfish, sea anemone, oysters and even a crab. The waves were really big and fun to watch crash over the rocks.

Pancakes and a Bike Parade

Our ward has an annual pancake breakfast on the 4th of July and the young men/young women organizations were in charge of it this year. Our family usually skips it but since my organization was in charge, we decided to attend. The Primary presidency put on a bike parade with the kids after breakfast. My girls were so excited to decorate their bikes and race with their friends. K took first place for most patriotic bike in the parade. She received a certificate and a huge lollipop.

 

Short Jaunt Home

I flew out to see my parents for a week in June. I haven't been home in a few years and it was nice to be back for a little bit. I helped my mom go through her basement to see what I wanted and what she could get rid of. I also met my mom's bible study group and attended one of their meetings. I had a great time. 

While I was there it never got below 100 degrees, it was so hot and sticky! I forgot how bad it is in the summers there. We plan on going back next year but it will have to be in the spring or late fall so it isn't so hot. I hope to see some of my old friends next time I am there.

I forgot to bring my camera so I took a few pictures with my i-touch. I was surprised at how well they turned out. I absolutely love Central Dairy hot fudge sundaes! They are huge and only cost $3.50. I went two different times.

I also love Zesto's. They have been around for over 60 years and have THE BEST foot-long chili dogs I have ever come across. They serve ice cream and other items as well. I stopped by at least three times maybe four.
When my mom was pregnant with me she used to go to Zesto's every day and get a large hot fudge sundae. Funny enough I hated chocolate until I was 5 or so years old. Now I love hot fudge sundaes!

My parents got a Great Doodle a few years back. He is a beautiful and large dog. He is certified half Great Dane and half Standard Poodle. He is the sweetest dog I have ever met and such a lover. He will lay his huge head on your lap and stay there forever while you pet him. If you stop he puts his paw lightly on your leg to encourage you to continue. He has so much expression in his eyes. I can't wait for my girls to meet him.

Here I am with my dad. It was so nice spending time with him while I was home. There is another picture of us that is really cute but he would probably kill me if I posted it, so I won't:) Thanks for the great trip mom and dad.