Double Arches

I think my favorite part of Arches National Park was feeling small. These huge orange and brown rocks against a bright blue sky with a few white clouds.

“Oh. Beautiful. Wish you were here.” – French Kiss

When the Lord started talking to us about leaving Texas, Chuck had a word about “being sent out from the center, like a dandelion being blown away”… or something like that.

In the middle of the Utah desert was a small oasis of green…and probably the largest Dandelion I’ve ever seen.

Since it was 100 degrees, we only took the family on one hike – Double Arch.

When we got closer, Claire kept telling me "namebow" ... rainbow.

Yeah! We all made it.

I am standing in about the same place for both of these pictures…. do you see how small Darren is in the 2nd one. The blue spot to his right is Jacob.

Emily and Becca got to go a little higher as well, but on the other side of this arch is a cliff dropping straight down…. a LONG WAYS DOWN. So we didn’t get to close to the edge!

Now you are looking back out to the cars. Nana volunteered to stay in the cool van with Layla (no pets on the trails). Can you see them?

Hurry, hurry, hurry. Time for one last picture before the battery dies.

Here's a few other pics we took... it's really beautiful, there just isn't much grass. Being a big problem for Layla... made it a problem for me.
Just pee on the rocks! And their were plenty of those.





Quote of the day: I think I have sand in my mouth. -Emily

"How are ya'll doing?"

I think we are doing well.

Darren started a Drupal job yesterday. Seems to like it so far...but I haven't talked to him today :)

Katy got her wish... her own room at grandma's AND her very own Facebook account! Like is good for the pre-teen sect. She actually got her horn out yesterday. Good to hear her squeaking, I mean, practicing. I think she and I are going to start taking advantage of the tennis courts across the street.

Jacob is with the cousins for a few days. I'm sure he's having a great time: food, DS, wrestling, tv, bikes and skateboards, repeat - who wants to come back over here?

The other are all in one room. Katy's old nursery. White picket fence wallpaper and a blue ceiling with clouds and glow in the dark stars. There's bunk beds, crib, toddler bed and dresser.... and that's all the room there is. They are ALL excited that grandma has stairs AND cable tv.

Layla treed a cat the other day... that was funny. I could hear the owner calling his cat, so I "tried" to pull Layla back. She's so strong. I was able to drag her some, so the cat could get down. The tree is on the outside of the fence, but I don't think either the dog or cat knew it :)

How is Jenn? Well, it's a bit tricky to have 6 kids in anyone's home for longer than...3 hours. They hit a lull in their playing and it's time to start making food again.

So being at the in-laws brings all that about, but there is also the joy of sneaking in to bed with grandma and watching early morning cartoons, or family meals with yummy desserts, and working in the garden (my favorite). With more work comes more memories... and a chance to make the kids work.

It really is great to be with the cousins and in-laws. We've been apart for a bit too long. We are trying to pace ourselves, just a little bit. Well, it's a nice theory.

We are praying through our options of where to live, closer to his parents or closer to his brother. The original plan was for us to visit for 2 months, so I figure we have that long to figure it out.

The weather is MUCH cooler than Texas. I am enjoying that. Maybe a bit too much rain, but I'm not complaining (very much).

Guess I'll go check on the raspberries before I head through the woods to find the girls (over at a friends house playing in the sprinkler).

Hugs and kisses to everyone.

We ARE doing well.

Like a Band of Gypsies...

Day 1 - Denton, TX to Amarillo, TX. Once we finished saying good bye - we hit the road.

I think this chicken is at a Stuckey's in Decatur, Tx?



Day 2 -Amarillo, TX to Farmington, NM. There isn't much grass in New Mexico.


I might not have noticed too much,
except I have this dog who likes to do her business on the grass.


It is beautiful in the distance, I just don't want to live there.


One of the kids caught this lady picking her nose, while her son watches us pass
(look real close in the back seat).


Every time we pulled out the camera, ClaireBelles was already "all done".



Everyone cheered up when we made it to the pool...




Great idea, Daddy :)



Day 3 - Farmville, FB... I mean, Farmington, NM to Provo, UT

Who's ready for another day of driving?
We had to stop for a few essentials: mom's medicine, lunchmeat and more DS games.


We went to Arches National Park , but you'll have to go check out those pictures over here (We took so many pictures, I'll put up another post in a few days)...



Day 4 - Provo, UT to Boise, ID. I don't even remember driving this day.... I'm sure there were hills, trees, maybe grass, sunshine, clouds, cars, gas stations and miles and miles of road.


So I'll give you a few more pictures the kids took...



self portrait by Emily


air guitar by Becca


dirty mirror by Katy


faces by Jacob









I do remember that the pool was ICE COLD!!!
Amanda, Claire and I got as far as the first step.
Katy did the big dive, without even testing the water first...bbbrrrr.
Jacob wanted to stay longer,
but he was a bit sick (pneumonia as a matter of fact).


Nana took them next door to Denny's for dessert :)

Layla did great. We were able to find grass for her in Idaho. She slept in Nana's room, with Katy, Jacob and Amanda. We had Claire (in the pack n play) and Emily and Becca in our room.


Day 5 - Fairview, OR

We stopped at a gas station inside a Native American Reservation
and found a little critter next to the pump.
It was like a souvenir but different.



We finally made it to the Columbia River George...


There were so many windmills. A few were really close to the highway.
It's surprising how BIG they are.


As we got ready to fill up for the last time, we thought they must have changed the laws, since we had pumped our own on the other side of Pendleton. So Darren tried to pump his own gas... well, it's self-serve on the reservations, where we found the little critter... but it's not allowed in the rest of the state! Earl looked at us like we had 2 heads.
Trying to pump our own gas - stupid tourists.



We passed beautiful waterfalls for the last 30 minutes before we got to Darren's folks house. But some of us needed to go potty so bad, the last thing we wanted was to stop and look at waterfalls. So here's the best we got.
Multnomah Falls out the back of a dirty window.



For those of you who remember the U-Haul fiasco of '01, we did not attempt that trick again. However, on our last day, I noticed some other poor soul giving it a try. Just had to get a picture....
to remind me how far we've come.



This time, Cool Whip and Blueberry ( our walkie talkie call signs... ) did a great job.


10-4 good buddy. Over.

Getting out of the house

Between end of school parties, last minute doctor appointments, oil changes and goodbyes...


we packed the truck with all our most precious possessions and sent it on it's way last Tuesday. That meant we were without washing machine, high chair, beds and tv for about a week (which felt more like a month!).

"if not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Jennifer would be lost."



Thank you to all my helpers who cleaned my laundry room, packed my kitchen, scrubbed my floors, lent us air mattresses, took stuff away, watched my kids, washed my laundry, brought us food (on their birthday), prayed for us , prophesied over us, or sang us out of Denton.

So with one last group hug, we headed out on a new adventure...


and we are so thankful for all of you who rode out this last one with us.

13th Anniversary

Yesterday was our anniversary.
Iron Man 2 and Sweet Basil.

(And I really, really, really enjoyed the movie. I laughed out loud more than once. Even though the theater smelled like a cat had sprayed the entire thing... how does a cat get into a theater... I thought there were rules about only working dogs... They did come spray something and the guy said he can't smell it, but people complain about it often. My theory is if he can't smell it, it's probably him.... or he's lying! But I digress....)

Let's reminisce about that day 13 years ago. I had just graduated from TWU, Darren was flying in from Boston. A lovely outside wedding in Texas. At the end of May. SUNNY. HOT. MEMORABLE.

The sprinklers had made our first choice a nice muddy bog. The second choice put my LOVELY bridesmaids (one pregnant, one ready to kill me) in the sun while the groomsmen took it like a man, in the shade. So many of you remember it well, I'm sure.

The stolen car and the handcuffs, the missing petticoat in front of a glass window, the broken a/c at the reception ... ahhhh , how the memories go on and on.

Of course there were the parts that went right as well: the bride and groom both showed up on time, the friends and family were all present (mostly), I even have a prophetic picture of Darren and I on the little stage at Joshua House with 5 little girls around us (Hannah and Haley Pierce, Leigh Ann Couch , Lydia Taylor and Noelle - I think).

And then we left. I left them all behind and headed off to Portland with the man of my dreams.

Not much different than this year. I mean, no police or missing petticoats yet, but friends and family present to send Darren, Jenn and 5 little girls (and a boy) off to Portland.

I'm excited to go on a new adventure with the man of my reality (he's much better than the one I dreamed of as a girl . I actually love him more now - better with age and all that.)

I'll let you know how the next 13 go.

P.S. Let me say thank you again to all of those who made that wedding possible :) I think I'm going to have Katy interview the family and take notes about what was really the most important part of their weddings and what part ended up not mattering at all.... we will have a "few" weddings in our future.

Katy in Wonderland

My firstborn turned 12 this week.


She is such a wonderful blessing to our family.

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To mark this momentous occasion,
I took a bunch of 6th grade girls to see Alice in Wonderland.


Here they were watching all the 3-D previews...
I'd never take a flash picture during the movies!


Wait a second, how did this boy sneak in?


We had a little pizza and ice cream cake.
I think Claire really enjoyed hers.


Thankfully all the girls brought their cameras,
I mean cell phones so we could get pictures up on Facebook, ASAP!



Then on Wednesday night we went to Phantom of the Opera with some kids from her drama class...


Ivy and Katy


Did I mention she got an ipod nano...
she was so surprised and excited!



Til next year - Happy Birthday Katybug!

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In other news :
This picture is the wallpaper on the laptop.
Whenever ClaireBelles walks by and sees it...
she stops and makes the face again.