to emily on her 34th birthday

as old as you've ever been and as young as you'll ever be again.

the way way back

you didn't really think we were done with ferry pictures, did you?

one more time across the water to get back home.

the end (of the end).

port angeles part 5: on top of the world

our last port angeles outing was a hike from hurricane ridge up hurricane hill trail.

3.2 miles out and back with a 912 foot elevation gain and a *great* view of the olympic mountains. plus snow!

there was more than one point along the climb up that the littles didn't think they were going to make it. but their mini legs and hearts just kept pumping, and lo and behold, all have lived to tell the tale!

port angeles part 4: cape flattery

behold: the northwesternmost point of the contiguous united states!

another impressive feat for the many mighty children, checking adventures off their bucket lists like it's nobody's business.

do you think these kiddos have one more pacific northwest outdoor excursion left in them? 

they sure do! 

stay tuned for the conclusion of our series, port angeles part 5, featuring a mini-beast of a hike to the top of the world.

team wendy

as a gift to mere, bryan and i surprised her and the family with specially designed TEAM WENDY shirts.

the front says "this is gonna be the best day of my life," a quote from her song (everybody's got at least one song, right?) and a testament to the way she lives and the way she encourages the rest of us to live. can't find a lady with a better attitude anywhere!

the back says "team wendy" with lungs and a pearl ribbon (for lung cancer, obvi) and yellow angel wings. yellow being mere's favorite color (sunshine! happiness! warmth!), and the wings as a nod to both her lifelong love of angels and her unwavering faith in all things. 

"est. 2013" the year she was diagnosed. 

four and a half years later, she's looking amazing, beating timelines left and right, and ready to soak up every last drop of life's goodness! we love you, mere!

THIS is gonna be the best day of my life.

port angeles part 3: lake crescent

i wanted to take a day to stay home (sleep in!) and relax, but this ragtag crew demanded more adventure, so we headed out to do some canoeing and water play on lake crescent. 

lessons learned: when in doubt, MORE ADVENTURE!

port angeles part 2: dungeness spit

fourth of july! we went out and enjoyed a mid-morning beach day at the dungeness spit, which extends out from the northern edge of the olympic peninsula into the strait of juan de fuca. it's five and a half miles long, and the longest natural sand spit in the united states. by which fact the children were, of course, very impressed.