It’s been a wild week around here! A week ago, Holly had to get stitches after getting bucked by a buck. She’s been sporting a donut collar while she heals then Duke went to get neutered today and came home with a matching one. Now we’ve got two donut heads wandering around the house. Even in recovery mode, they’re best buddies.
Fun weekend showing Abbie and her friends around Boise State University. They have excellent nursing and radiology/sonography programs, and it was great getting to tour the facilities and talk with students and faculty. We got a good feel for campus life. We visited the dorms, checked out the stadium and different parts of campus and ended the day at a BSU basketball game. It was fun to revisit our old stomping grounds. Abbie was just a baby when we lived there, so it brought back memories. The city has really grown, but it is still clean, safe and full of fun things to do. This next year will be so much fun seeing what all the kids choose to do with their lives. They have bright futures ahead.
Preston turned 14 and we celebrated going out and eating at his favorite restaurant, Axel’s Taco Shop and ending with cake and ice cream.
Preston still remains the sweetest, kindest and funniest kid. He is the first to help you when you need an extra hand and the first to hug you and make you laugh. We love you PJ and we are so glad you are a part of our family. ❤️ 🎉 🎂
While it’s been actually been 12 years since starting the boys fall camping trip we missed 2022 (Family rafting on the Main Salmon - Idaho), and 2023 due to fire and bad weather. So this year was our 10th year of an official boys trip!
Our plan was to travel through the hart wilderness antelope wildlife refuge in Deep South central Oregon that is only open a few months from aug - Nov. We got into the refuge as far as the hot springs but the gate past that goes deeper into the refuge was blocked … I thought after last years fire it would be open but seems like this closed it again this year for some type of herbicide spray. We changed plans and headed east over to Steins mountain to explore that area.
Our first stop was by hart lake and the warner wetlands with another stop up higher to overlook the wetland areas. (interesting to see this much water with desert all around)
From here we entered the Hart wilderness antelope wildlife refuge. We actually saw a heard of antelope along the road which was fun to see. We drop in to a hotsprings that was marked. We all agreed the most fun and interesting hotsprings we have ever been too! It is a rocky hole beside a creek that a stone structure and pool edge was built around. The temp was perfect - not too cold or hot - around 100 degrees. We had lunch here.
From here we backtracked to the junction that would take us overland to hwy 205 further east by Steins Mountain. We drop up from frenchglen (where hunter and I stayed a number of years ago). The aspen groves were beautiful this weekend with many groves even up high still yellow. We stopped in at fish lake for a break.
From there we continued on to the summit of Steins Mountain. A beautiful and deceptively high peak at over 9700 ft at its summit. Some photos on the east rim and from the summit. The weather was clear but cold and windy near the top. I have always wanted o hike wild horse lake near the summit. We didn't go down since it was getting later in the day but next time.
From there we did the full loop on the road and decided that best place to camp would be back at fish lake that we visited earlier in the day. We found a great camp site in the aspens. Noah also did some tree climbing in the aspens to share. He said he likes climbing these better than junipers :)
Sunday, we woke to clouds wind and shortly followed by rain so it was a hasty pack up to get on the road unfortunately but that is sometimes what you get at this time of year.
Previous trips
I was homecoming dance last night and Abbie and her girlfriends all went together. They took pictures down by Drake Park and dinner at Noi Thai. It was Rio theme and the girls had a fun time.
The summer went by so fast and we didn’t get up to little crater campground on Paulina lake, so I booked a campsite for the last weekend in September. The weather this fall has been great and held through the weekend, even with the higher altitude/cooler temps. PJ, Noah and I all took a dip in the lake. Likely the last lake dip of the season.
PJ and I hiked the summit between the 2 lakes.
Tried some new recipes out of a book Kelly had got me. Lots of fun cooking and eating around camp. PJ found these 2 little cast iron pans we have had since they were kids so he was doing small food cooks on them too.
See you next year little crater campground.
Abbie decided to just focus on high school cheer this year. With starting her junior year along with working and cheer, one cheer team is plenty. Abbie is working at a local coffee shop called Coffee Republic and works before school. She loves her job and we love all the yummy drinks she makes us.
Last “first day” vibes all around!
📚 Preston is kicking off his 8th grade year, and last year of middle school!
🎒 Abbie’s first day of junior year, here she comes!
🎓 Noah’s last first day of high school. Here
comes his senior year!
Proud of each of them as they step into this new season. 💙
Earlier this summer Hunter was at Walmart and as he was driving out he saw a puppy in a cardboard box that someone had abandoned so he rescued in and brought him home. We encouraged him to give him up for adoption at the Humane Society, but he wanted a dog. We have all fallen in love with him. You will notice how he has grown over the past few months!
Holly and Duke get along great. I think Holly has lost weight keeping up with a puppy. (biting her ears and tail all the time).
