The Jessi James Gang

Backpacking Vanity Lakes - August 29-September 1, 2008

Every summer we try to go backpacking at least once. This year, we finally got to go over Labor Day Weekend. We went into Vanity Lakes and explored 5 small lakes - I think we caught fish in four of them. James' sister Kathleen came into town on her way to college, so we picked her up at the airport and then took her out in the woods for four days.

Friday: Jessi James Kathleen & Kathy at the trailhead.

Hallie, Jed, Hannah and Stella hiked in a few hours earlier with Opa and had a great campsite picked out.

Saturday: Top Row: Jed, Kathy, Kathleen

Bottom Row: Stella, Gil, Hannah, Hallie, James, Jessi

Saturday: Hannah stayed for the entire weekend and was always ready to go fishing!

Saturday: Opa rescuing Hannah's lure.

Saturday: Kathleen fishing.

Sunday: James and I hiked to the ridge way way way way above our campsite for an incredible view of the lower lakes. Our campsite was on the far right lake (it looks dark blue/green) near the log jam (a light tan spot at the upper left edge of the lake).

James checking his compass at the top of the ridge.

Fireweed. James' mom makes jelly using the blossoms of this flower. They blossom from the bottom in the Spring and by Fall only the tops have flowers. So hopefully Sharon gets to pick them when they have lots of blooms!

Sunday: James & Jessi on the ridge above the upper lake.

We had very interesting weather. Friday was beautiful and warm and perfect for hiking. James' watch has a temperature feature, and he checked the air tempurature in our tent each morning. Saturday morning: 62 degrees. Beautiful day with high fluffy white clouds.

Sunday morning: 52 degrees and it rained until about 10:00 a.m. complete with thunder and lightening. James 'toasted' Hannah's socks to help dry them out after our soggy morning.

Monday morning: 37 degrees and SNOWING! 4" at our campsite as we packed up camp.

Jessi & Hannah.

Kathleen and James

Gil & Kathy

Monday: Gil Hannah Kathy Jessi James & Kathleen.

James got "first tracks" all the way down the mountain. We even had to brush off the suburban windows before driving away. We finished the weekend by a visit to Kirkham Hot Springs - perfect for soaking out cold toes and tired shoulders!

Squirrels - Summer 2008

We have a family of squirrels that live near our backyard and are fun to watch from the windows. This spring there were 3 really little squirrels, one of which was absolutely fearless about exploring around the outside of our house.

We keep this purple flower pot full of water for the squirrels to have some drinking water.

Twin Falls Airshow - July 26, 2008

My pilot husband and I love to take road trips and explore this beautiful country. And one of James' favorite road signs is the one for an airport - or the windsock at either end of a runway that also indicates an airport nearby. We've explored some tiny airstrips in Alaska and Idaho. And this weekend we expanded the experience to include the Navy's Blue Angels! Here are some photos from the Air Show in Twin Falls, ID.

Simpson Family Reunion - July 10-13, 2008

Dad's side of the family has an annual reunion in Idaho at SISCRA campground. It usually falls on a weekend near my birthday. This year it started on my 30th birthday! So I got birthday cake and balloons and lots of family to help me celebrate.

30th Birthday Party

Helping me blow out candles - Carter, Stella, Jessi, Tyler & Aspen

On Friday morning, Jed, Kurt, James and I went in search of snow and some skiing in July! We drove up West Mountain to a pretty good size snowfield. A few turns and a short hike. Very very fun.

James, Jed & Kurt jumping off the edge.

Synchronized skiing?

Jessi & James in their summer ski duds

James beginning his 360˚

Jed's 360˚

One of my favorite parts of the Simpson Reunion is the annual James C Simpson Memorial Cribbage Tournament. James beat me soundly when we played. This year's championship game was between Mom, Tucker & Dale. Congratulations Dale!

James getting some pointers from Nathan while playing Tucker in cribbage.

Tucker's game face...

We spent time on the lake, ate really good food, helped clean up a section of Highway 55, tie-dyed tshirts and visited with family.

Bree and her Oma

James, Carter & the sand dinosaur

Annual family photo with Oma-Great. This is just grands and great-grands.

On our way out of town, we decided to drive up to McCall and drive around Payette Lake before stopping at Oma Great's house to say thank you & good bye on our way back to Eagle. Happy Birthday to me!

Price Family Reunion - July 4-6, 2008

James & Jessi, Grandma & Granddad

My mom's side of the family had their family reunion over the 4th of July weekend. It is also the celebration of their 60th wedding anniversary! What a great way to celebrate - family, food, and fireworks!

We got into Plain City very very late on Friday night. Thank you Grandma & Granddad for the use of your motorhome! And very very very early on Saturday morning the police & fire department drive all around Plain City, sirons blaring, to wake every one up for 4th of July breakfast and the local parade. James & I ignored the sirons and skipped the parade, but joined the family later at the Harrisville Cabin for visiting and games and an auction and food.

On the 5th of July we got up early to go hiking. There is a beautiful waterfall at the top of a mile and a half hike. So we met Aunt Lynnette & Chelsey, Cody, Mom & Dad and got some exercize and a beautiful view of Ogden.

Mom & James at the waterfall.

Standing: Dad, Mom, Jessi & James

Sitting: Cody, Chelsey, Thor & Aunt Lynnette

Not pictured: the other dog - Chloe

James & Jessi

After hiking, we met up with everyone at Lagoon. Roller coasters - the new one, Wicked, was VERY fun. Water park - we really enjoyed the tube slide with splash pools. But James' favorite ride (thank you Uncle Doug) was the Sky Coaster!

Vita's sister - Meituki & Lexis & Michael & James waiting in line.

Michael & James suiting up in their slings.

Being pulled to the top for the "3-2-1 Go!"

Free-falling

Swinging across Lagoon

All the cousins who took the Sky Coaster ride

Back Row: James, Chad, Stan

Middle Row: Vita's sister, Lexis, Alan, Michelle, Craig, Craig's cute girlfriend - Rachel, Chelsey, Cody

Bottom Row: Shelby, Michael & Brett

We left Lagoon just after 10:00 so we could get to Nielsen's Frozen Custard in Bountiful before they closed at 11pm. When I lived in Bountiful, James & I would get frozen custard and take a walk around the Bountiful Temple. We got our ice cream, but the lights on the temple were off, so we just drove around it and then back to Plain City to sleep.

On Sunday, we were able to witness the blessing of one of the newest great-grandbabies. Calvin Olive - Vita & Jenna's son. Then back to Idaho. VERY fun trip.

Alaska - May 21-June 10 or 27, 2008

We planned for a year to take our Alaska vacation so we could go to Kathleen's graduation. Congratulations Kathleen! I got lucky and had 3 weeks of vacation time, so we did a little exploring along Alaska's interior highway. After I returned to Idaho, James stayed behind to interview with the Alaska State Troopers (didn't get the job - very sad!) and then to visit with Brian fresh off his mission! Welcome home Brian!

Kathleen's Graduation - May 24, 2008
Congratulations Kathleen! We hope she'll be stopping in Eagle on her way to Rexburg and BYU-Idaho for Fall Semester.

James & Kathleen

Jessi, James, Mom, Kathleen, Nick, Dad, and Beth

Kathleen and Buddy - Congratulations to Buddy too!

Sharon Kathleen and Dick

Sheridan Glacier - May 25, 2008
We drove out the road a little way to explore the Sheridan Glacier moraine. It was a beautiful day! We threw rocks, walked on the ice, discovered ice worms and even saw a porcupine.

James walking on the glacial moraine.

Dad & Mom, McKinley and Claire.

Buddy, Kathleen & Thor

James & Jessi

An actual Ice Worm (very difficult to see in the picture)

Memorial Day at Childs Glacier - May 26, 2008
We went out the road to Childs Glacier for a Memorial Day picnic.

Kathleen, James, Sharon, Beth & Nick

Dick

James & I brought along marshmallow guns as graduation and birthday gifts, so we enjoyed a mini-marshmallow war.

Beth & Sharon

Nick

McCarthy / Kennecott Copper Mine- May 28-30, 2008
James & I took the ferry to Valdez and then drove toward McCarthy and the old Kennecott Copper Mine. Dick & Sharon's neighbors have property with cabins near McCarthy and they generously let us stay a couple nights while we explored the area. McCarthy and Kennecott are on private property and the road is closed to private vehicles. So you cross the river on a foot bridge and then walk 1/2 a mile to McCarthy or take a shuttle. We took the shuttle the additional 4 miles to Kennecott, but then walked all the way back to our car.

Kuskulana Bridge - used to be a train trestle - still only a one lane bridge.

The Behrends Cabin

The Guest Cabin - used to be a 'safe' house along the railroad - every 10 miles or so there was a safe house for rail workers in case of emergency.

These bird houses were everywhere around the property and across the street at the grass airstrip. It was fun to watch the birds in the evening flying over the lake and catching mosquitos- Hooray for the birds!

James by Don's super cub

Don - thank you for taking James flying!

View of McCarthy from the air

Kennecott - the mill city - where people lived and worked.

The mines were actually located several miles up the mountain. The cable over my head is a tram cable - for ore from the mines to come down the mountain to the mill.

The Oil Pipeline - The pipeline runs near the road from Valdez to the north, but you can't always see it. Sometimes underground, sometimes over a hill, sometimes the trees along the road are too thick.

THE BIGGEST MOSQUITOS EVER - May 30, 2008

These fabulous mosquitos are in Delta - the end of the Alaska Highway coming into the state from Canada.

This mosquito is on display outside The Knotty Shop near North Pole. The animals are made using trees with burls - the large 'knots' along the trunks.

North Pole - May 30-June 2, 2008
While visiting Beth & her family (thank you for the good food!) in North Pole, we did a little exploring around the Fairbanks area. We went to a farmers market and to Pioneer Park - a fabulous park with museums and shopping. We went to the Santa Claus House and saw reindeer. We drove to Cheena Hot Springs and enjoyed the hot water and saw several moose and their calves.

James the giant slug playing with Spider Man Nick.

Nick and a great big brown bear at Pioneer Park

James putting out of a section of the oil pipeline on the mini-golf course. James and Dick each made a hole-in-one on the last hole for a free game of golf.

James on the snow tractor - a first attempt at a snowmobile?

Alaska Veterans Memorial - June 2, 2008
We drove past the Veterans Memorial at about midnight. It is located south of the entrance to Denali National Park. If you line up behind the statue and look out (and there aren't any clouds) you can see Mt. McKinley perfectly.

Each of the "stars" in the background are dedicated to a branch of the armed forces and their impact on Alaska. The statue is dedicated to native servicemen.

We camped inside the Denali State Park and got our tent set up around 1:30 in the morning. This was about as dark as it ever got.

Talkeetna - June 3-5, 2008
James & I drove past Denali and the McKinley National Park to a little tourist town called Talkeetna. His friend Jeff works for K2 Aviation and we wanted to visit him (thank you for letting us stay in the trailer on the rainy night!) and explore the town a little. We spent a lot of time visiting small airports.

Jeff standing behind a K2 aircraft that he was prepping for a flight around Mt. McKinley.

Talkeetna has a "Moose Dropping Festival" every July and in preperation for the festival there were decorated moose all around the town. I loved it! This moose is outside the post office.

This moose is outside K2 Aviation's office near the airport.

ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY -

We took the ferry in and out of Cordova twice on this trip (thank you Mom & Dad McCalvy!) It seems like a big ship until you pass near a cruise ship! We saw sea otters, lots of sea birds, sheep on the mountain side, a bear on the beach, dolphins and even a couple whales! This photo is the ferry leaving the dock in Whittier on June 10, 2008

ALASKA STATE TROOPER INTERVIEW - June 11 - 17, 2008

James applied with the Alaska State Troopers and his week-long interview happend to come at the end of our Alaska trip (after I left). He submitted the application in February, telephone interview in March, invited to Alaska for the main interview in May, push-ups and sit ups and running for 5 months, and a week-long interview process in June resulted in a try-again-next-year letter. We're sad, we were looking forward to moving to Alaska, but we'll keep looking for career opportunities and if we're still looking, James will reapply this spring. I'm so proud of him for training and working hard to make the most of the interview opportunity.

James running along the road to the Alaganik Slough on May 23rd.

Doing push-ups and situps in the bird watching shelter near Alaganik Slough.

Jessi & James - it was a misty, rainy day.

Brian's Homecoming - June 23, 2008
Elder McCalvy came home from the California, Sacramento Mission about 9 days after I had to leave James behind and head back to Idaho. Welcome home Brian!

Brian & James

Brian, Kathleen, Dick, Sharon & James outside the branch building.

CHILDS GLACIER - June 26, 2008

James standing near the Million Dollar Bridge - the main landmark at 'the end' of the road and there is a beautiful view of Child's Glacier from the bridge.

James loves driving out the road to see the activity at Childs Glacier. He captured the glacier calving on film: