Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, ID: July 26, 2010

Who wouldn't want to stay in a bed and breakfast shaped like a dog?  The kids slept in a loft in the head, specifically Henry was in the nose.  Andy and I were in the body and of course the toilet was in the tail!  Very cute place filled with dog games, puzzles, books etc.

There was a real live dog there named Sproket.

This is where Henry slept.

Portland, OR: July 25, 2010

Can you figure out what's wrong with this picture?


We had to check out the Rose Garden in The City of Roses.

Multnomah Falls, about an hour outside Portland

Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CA

Fern Canyon was recommended to us by our friends, the Yanez family. What an amazing spot!  8 miles on a dirt road crossing over 3 creeks; driving through, not over the creeks.  Once you hike in you are surrounded by walls of fern.  One of the Juraissic Park movies was filmed here. 

Crater Lake, OR: July 21, 2010

We stayed in a cabin for one night near Crater Lake. As Andy was leaving the office after checking in, the manager said, “Well, I feel like I have to tell you that a cougar has been sighted near your cabin the last 2 nights. Yes. Right around cabin 25 (our cabin). I suggest you keep your headlights on and your children close as you move from the car into the cabin.” ?????? I appreciate her sharing this information with Andy and that he shared it with me. I wish he hadn’t shared it with me in front of the kids. It was VERY difficult to get the kids settled and to sleep.

Crater Lake: BEAUTIFUL.  Snow in July is pretty fun , too!

Henry being congratulated for his hard work as a Junior Ranger.  Henry's holding a bag of trash he collected.

Confusion Hill!, Northern CA

Your typical American road trip stop. You enter a lopsided house built into the side of a hill where the laws of gravity are suspended: water flows uphill, balls roll uphill. I became dizzy as soon as I entered. Walking across the room was difficult. Strangely, most of photographs we took didn’t come out; they all look blurry and ghost-like. Hmm…

Northern California: July 19-20, 2010

Andy was the only one of the 4 of us who had seen the big trees before. It was really important to him that during our trip we drive through a tree. He wanted us to experience first hand the size of the trees.

We had to see, if not touch the ocean. We arrived in the evening.  The kids were so happy to be running on the beach. They played the game where you chase the waves out and run back on shore as they come back in again. Any guesses how this game ends?

We drove to a different beach the next day and happened upon a surf school. The students were participating in a 3-man wheel barrow race while we were there.

A friendly game of tag on the beach