St.Patty's Day walk in the snow

We took a Sunday drive up to Mt. Bachelor to see how the snowpack is doing. On the way back down the mountain, we stopped at a snopark with snowmobile trails and took a short walk in the snow. 

Biker gang

We walked to the Pilot Butte State Park playground this afternoon. It was sunny, but there is still A LOT of snow on the playground. It was nice to get the bikes out for a bit.

Who likes night skiing?

Lincoln! They took 4 runs in the sprinkling rain.

Lincoln says, "Yes! Please!!!!"

Searching for snow - December 22, 2018

We had to go looking for some snow to play in before Christmas.  We found it half an hour from home near the ski resort.  Lincoln played outside for over an hour. Mostly digging a "hot tub".  Meta played until she got snow down her jacket and then she was ready to sit in the warm truck.  Sierra got cold taking pictures and wasn't happy until we got her back in the truck and out of her fuzzy bear suit.  We'll try again sometime.  The kids will want to play in the snow again!

Cannon Beach - November 19, 2018

Squishy with five on a hotel bed.

Sunset on Cannon Beach.

Driving with kids - November 18, 2018

This state park/rest stop is a boat ramp. We're on our way to Portland to stay in a hotel for the swimming pool and visit the Portland Temple grounds. Happy birthday week to Meta!

Meta is playing with toys she brought from home. Lincoln took the case off a pillow and is using it like an upside down sleeping bag to try to nap. Sierra is napping in her car seat. Glad it's only a 3 hour (plus stops) drive to Portland.

Lava Cast Forest - November 12, 2018

Part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. 

Sierra's first summit - November 11, 2018

Pilot Butte

Tumalo Falls - October 5, 2018

That's Tia Kathleen and Meta at the overlook.

Tumalo Falls with Sierra, Tia Kathleen, Grandma and Grandpa and Meta.

Crater Lake - October 3, 2018

No wildfire smoke today just low rain clouds. We only had time to stop two or three times and mostly just drove around the crater rim with Grandma and Grandpa. 

Todd Lake - September 30, 2018

James took Lincoln and Meta exploring this afternoon so Sierra and I could nap.  They went hiking around Todd Lake near Mt. Bachelor on the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway.

Sierra Jade McCalvy - September 25, 2018

The Castle - September 23, 2018

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps out of lava rocks. Interior has windows viewing distant mountains. The top is an open viewpoint with a compass in the center.

Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery and camping - August 26-28, 2018

On Monday the 27th, we visited the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery and the headwaters of the Metolius River.

Family camping selfie.

This is the settling pond at the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery - pretty day!

Metolius River - It pops out of the hills as a "full grown" river and it is not warm.

28th - Morning campfire - good morning guys!

Newberry National Volcanic Monument - August 14, 2018

We checked out the Visitor Center, the Big Obsidian Flow, found a "warm" springs in East Lake and saw Paulina Falls. Pretty cool area!

Splashing in Crater Lake - August 6, 2018

It is a one mile hike down down down to Crater Lake. We splashed until the smoke really set in and then hiked up, up, up again.

The smoke from the wildfires is so thick that we couldn't see the far side of the caldera by the end of the day.