Camping!

So, Alan, the dogs, and I finally headed out to go camping again.  It's been a little over a year and we have missed it. Last Labor Day weekend we went to Snow Canyon State Park near Saint George, Utah, and while it was incredibly beautiful it was also bloody hot (100+).  We figured this year we would go several weeks later and surely the temperatures would be cooler.  Well, they were...but not by much (95).  Although I have to say this trip was a lot more pleasant than the last one.  It was just a few hours Saturday afternoon that was a bit miserable, but drinking the vodka lemonades helped us pass the afternoon sweating away.  Plus pulling big red ants out of the dog's paws kept me busy as well as the evil, evil Goat Horns that kept getting imbedded everywhere (nothing like stepping out of your cot onto one of those with bare feet)!! 

We decided that from now on there will be no more camping unless the temps are 85 or below.  We have a trip planned to Death Valley at the end of next month so we will see...

Here are the kids in the x-pen while we are setting up the campsite.  Willy, in the middle, is the mediator since Tug and Lola hate each other.

We got up early the next morning and took a walk before it got too hot.  Here I am standing by some obnoxious looking cactus.  Didn't get to close!

Sunrise Saturday morning

Amazing red rocks

Tug and I staying cool with our vodka lemonades!

Our campsite.  We actually did have three shade trees this time. Made all the difference!

All of a sudden these nasty dark clouds rolled in and the wind kicked up. I thought for sure we were in for a storm or the very least rain, but no.  It just looked spectacular and it helped cool us down.

It's crazy though seeing nasty clouds but yet you look on your other side and the sky is as blue and beautiful as it had been all day!  Not used to that coming from Seattle where the sky color is usually gray and if there are clouds it's raining!

Alan walking back to our campsite.  We packed up pretty early on Sunday and hightailed it out of there.  No sense in sweating out another day.

I want to thank VegasDad for the helpful tip he gave me about putting multiple pictures on Blogspot!

Last day of Summer...

Cheers!

I've been replaced.

We were at our friend's house and I got up to refresh my drink, and Sam, the Lab/Dobie mix, took my place in Alan's heart.

I'm a little confused...

Thanks to my friend, Kevin for sending me this...

I’m a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight….
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you’re “exotic, different.”
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you’re a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you’re a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you’re well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate’s Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran’s Affairs committees, you don’t have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you’re qualified to become the country’s second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you’re not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you’re a Christian.

* If you teach teach children about sexual predators, you are irresponsible and eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state’s school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you’re very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family’s values don’t represent America ’s.
* If you’re husband is nicknamed “First Dude”, with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn’t register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that hates America and advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

It's a dog's life.

I'm puttering around on a Sunday morning and it's quiet in the house. I go and investigate and here is why. Oh to have a dog's life!

The last night...

Our last night in town before we headed back to Vegas we spent with Aunt Becky and Uncle Dale. Becky made a fabulous Mexican dinner and yummy Margaritas. Shelly hung out on the couch dosing up on cold medicine and trying not to freeze (notice the Alderbrook sweatshirt) and Alan and Dale were their usual goofy funny selves.

Post Wedding

Before heading out, we got to meet James and Aimee's newest addition to their family. Jelly Bean. She is a mix of French Bulldog and American? Anyway, you have got to love that face and those teeth (or maybe only her mother could love it). She was very friendly and we hope to see her again!

Here is their other dog, Gordie. He is very sweet and sensitive and the one and only time Tug and Willy met him I'm afraid they didn't make a very good impression (shocking, I know)!
Another shot of Jelly Bean.
Niece Lileigh.
Nephew Jaxon (he was the ringbearer and looked very sharp in his little suit and tie) and my brother Jacob.
After the wedding James and Aimee headed to their cabin at Mt. Baker. I know they were exhausted and looking to decompress for a few days. They will be going to New Zealand in a few months for their honeymoon, and I imagine another party since a lot of Aimee's family lives there and only a few people were able to make it to the wedding.

Wedding!

I don't have very many pictures of the wedding. I took this shot right before Aimee walked down the aisle. I will have some actual professional pictures to post after James and Aimee get their pictures back, but trust me they make a beautiful couple!

View from our seat.
Alan looked out our window and saw the wedding party getting pictures done. He went out on the balcony and got a few shots of our own.

Reception

After the wedding we had cocktail hour outside. Passion fruit margaritas and seafood to go around. It was awesome. Later we headed into the main room for dinner, dancing, and drinking!

After dinner the dance floor was packed most of the night.
Alan and Shelly
James with his long-time buddies Dino and Jason. Love the double fisted drinking going on!
Mom, my sister Erin, and me. James gave me a hard time the next day and said that Mom outpartied me. My excuse was a crappy cold and I only made it until about 10:30. What a weekend to get sick!

Rehearsal Dinner

James and Aimee had a reheasal dinner outside for all of us to enjoy. There was lots of Southwest BBQ style food and beer and wine. Great combo! James surprised Aimee with a slide show of pictures from when they were both kids up until present. It was put together really well and it was hilarious listening to the reactions from the guests. Everyone thought Aimee's pictures were so cute (and they were), but the pictures of James brought mostly laughter and wisecracks from his friends. His pictures were just as cute especially the tubby baby pictures!

The bride-to-be

James looking like he is having the time of his life!
My youngest sister, Erin and me. She was smart and put on a coat. I was too vain.
My mom and sister-in-law Rikki
A shot of Rikki and me. Rikki is going to make me an Aunt again!

When it got to cold and dark outside we continued the party indoors. Of course, that was just an excuse to watch football. The U of W Huskies were playing the Oregon Ducks. James and Aimee are huge sports fans and since the party was about them they got front row seats! Completely engrossed in the game.
My mom wasn't engrossed in the game and was actually someone to talk to that wasn't! :)

Alderbrook Resort & Spa

Alderbrook Resort & Spa is the fabulous place James and his new bride, Aimee chose to have their wedding at. If any of you ever get a chance to go I highly recommend it. Everything at the Resort was top-notch and we had a great weekend.

Alan
I think these were Bill and Melinda Gate's float planes. They own part (or all?) of the Resort and have a house nearby. We were all standing outside talking when Bill and Melinda walked through our group. You would have thought it was a rock star the way we all went silent and were gaping. But I guess the richest man in the world can have that effect on people!
Shelly (who was COLD)
No explanation needed

Alderbrook Pictures continued...

Had to include more pictures of Alderbrook. It was pretty amazing. We actually had a little deck in our room and this is the view we had.

Another view from our room. We could see the water in the distance.
Courtyard in our building. They had a little Zen garden.
Another courtyard shot.
Beautiful Dahlias! I miss these flowers, but never did have any luck growing them in Washington because the slugs would always eat them!