Fun stuff in Oregon!

Brian and I headed to the beach today. And we really lucked out with the amazing sunshine and blue sky. Oct 20th and so warm out!! This is an awesome fall!



Brian just had to get in the water and swim. Of course he had his wetsuit on, that helped the water be a little warmer I suppose.



Our living room! We painted two walls blue!!! Thanks to Amanda, we got a good deal on paint!


Last week we went to OMSI, a big museum for kids (and adults). It was a lot of fun, here are some shots of us in the chemistry lab. My mom and I above and Benjamen below playing with the flubber they got to make.



Brian and Jeremiah.


Brian and I next to OMSI, outside in the sun!! Downtown Portland!

Road trip to Oregon

On Sept 14th, Brian and I headed out of Juneau on the slow 7 hour ferry ride to Skagway. With a few hour stop in Haines along the way where we went on a walk along the road. The weather was just perfect that day!


Here we are driving through the Yukon, the fall colors were out in full steam.

Got to see a pretty amazing sunset from the car on our first evening, still driving, trying to get to the Liard Hot springs that night!

Had to stick my head out the sunroof for this one!

So, the first morning we got up and walked out to the hot springs which were pretty awesome. The closer you get to where it comes out of the ground, the hotter it gets, the more it burns!! Ouch!


This hot springs definitely looked cool. Not like a pool or spa, but very natural! It was a lot of fun.

Then off we went, more driving to do!

Somewhere in British Columbia...a huge beaver, so we got out of the car for a few minutes to take a picture.

Now entering Jasper National Park. The day was so sunny and awesome. Too bad we got to our campsite late, because unfortunately the next day would not be sunny...


But we enjoyed ourselves anyway, but we did drive right through in a day, through Jasper and Banff. Stopping every once in a while to see a water fall or lake. I was a bit disappointed in the rain.






This was a really cool lake, the colors are amazing! But we had to hurry because thunder and lightning and check out those clouds were coming right towards us!!


So after leaving Banff and Jasper we just kept driving, into the United States and Idaho, stopped to eat dinner in the parking lot of a Safeway and decided to just drive on to Oregon that night. I made a nice bed in the back for myself and slept for four house or so while Brian got us most of the way home. Then finished off the early morning to my mom's house.
So now we are in our apartment in Tigard which is right next to Portland. Brian has started school three weeks ago and I am still searching for a job. Well, waiting for a call back more like it. I'll post some pictures of our home soon enough.

Family camp in Juneau

The largest platter of muffins I've ever seen. Wow were they good! Good work Lisa. We had a lot of fun cooking for our church camp out at the Methodist Camp.

Morgan and Loryn playing speed scrabble. Such a good game!

Boys. And silliness. Is that a word?



Well, this is a huge platter of apple crisp. Brian was demonstrating what would happen if he were to eat all of it at once. :)

More wedding pics

It feels a little weird putting more wedding pics up on my blog 5 months after getting married, but I just got these from Tim, thanks Tim! and wanted to show them off. He and Dominique did a great job on them!



This is one of my favorites from the day. I had no idea these two went down the isle like this. Sarah is famed for jumping up in pictures. Thanks Adam and Sarah for really making my day when I saw this.

I love this man so much!



Another favorite even though two out of the five could hardly keep their eyes open due to the sunshine. Still a good group of ladies. Elia, Sarah, Me, my sis Becky, and Sarah.



Our pastor and his wife, Brian and Lisa Ewing. They both are awesome and I am so glad to have them in my life.









Looking through the veil, how fun.
Definitely a fun day. Goes down in the history books as the best wedding ever.

Moving...

Moving after two years of Alaskan life in Juneau. Crazy, but Brian and I are leaving on the ferry to Skagway on Monday, Sept 14, 2009. Exactly two years, to the day that I arrived on the ferry from Skagway with my mother. Amazing huh? God works wonders. And I'm leaving with an awesome husband too!
Brian and I are off to Portland, probably be living in the Tigard area for those of you familiar with Oregon. Brian is going to be attending school at Portland Community College studying Russian and I will be working somewhere. Still to be determined, although I had my first call back today from an oncology floor at OHSU, DAY SHIFT! Thank the Lord, I've been praying for a day shift job, so hopefully it is where God wants me.
WE'LL see...no job yet and part of me does want to force myself to go to the ER to learn the frantic skills of emergency room nursing...
So, that is the story, out to family camp this weekend with our church, I don't really like goodbyes, so I'll avoid that as much as I can and then bright and early Monday we take off for a week long drive through beautiful Canada and the Rockies.
I'm looking forward to a colorful fall, I do miss those leafy trees that change colors, and maybe a little more sunshine??
But, Juneau will always be in my heart and soul now. Just look back at my pictures of the amazing place it is. Truly one of the more beautiful locations. I'll miss it!

David and Karla Nash!!

David and Karla were married last Saturday, August 22nd here in Juneau. It was a wonderful wedding and celebration for the two. I am glad we were a part of it. Brian and I have enjoyed Dave and Karla over the last two years, they are/were our card game partners. They are up living in Anchorage now, both attending school.



Coming back down the aisle, married as MR. and MRS David Nash!!


Here are fun pictures of some of our friends in Juneau! Tim and Christine Phillips and their little one, Ezra.


Lauryn, Morgan and Ashley!


Larry and Kelly Dunivin


Jacob, Dan and Ryan!


Adam Weed in his beautiful pink suit.


Paul Suffern and Joe Jensen


Brian and I. He looks so good in his tux!!


And the beautiful new couple.

A trip to the interior

Up to Anchorage to visit our friends, Karla and Dave for a few days, and then up to Denali National Park 5 hours north of Anchorage. Here is a view of Anchorage from a distance, from Tabletop Mountain.



We drove up to Denali and found our first campsite. Then the next day took a bus into the main part of the national park. Denali N.P. does not let private vehicles drive on the 85 mile road. So, visitors have to ride a bus in and out.


Here we are, at one of our first awesome views of the mountain, Denali also known as Mt.McKinley.





The second night inside the national park we camped at Wonder Lake, which is about 25 miles north of the mountain. Usually has an amazing view of Denali, but because of wildfires in the interior, it was so smoky you couldn't see more than a few football fields. But, luckily the smoke hung out in certain spots and as we drove back out the next day we were able to get another amazing view. Blue skies around Denali are not often seen in the park, so we really lucked out.



It was a lot of fun to go farther up north and see a bit more of Alaska. Along with the ground squirrels and caribou we saw a grizzly and two cubs, a coyote, and a few moose. Great weather and too many other people.

One of the best hikes ever!!

Last week, on a gloriously sunny day, Brian and I headed up Mt. Juneau and hiked the ridge line back a few miles then came down another trail to complete a circle. It was a hot day (I actually got sunburnt), but the views were superb.


A well rounded 10+ mile hike in the sun and splendor of Juneau!

And just the day before the hike, Brian and I headed out to the glacier because we'd heard rumors there were some bears hanging out. And lucky for us, we were able to spot a few of them. This one in particular came right up to us while we were in our car!

Mom is here to visit again!

I got mom to come up here and visit again! She has been here almost a week and takes off to Oregon tomorrow :( But it has been amazing weather and a lot of fun. We've gone up the Tram on Mt Roberts and hiked up more, kayaked, biked out to Herbert Glacier, went whale watching, went on walks around my neighborhood, made some great bread bowls with corn chowder, and ate some awesome king salmon that my friends Julie and Jesse gave us. Brian and his buddy, Joe on top!

Here is mom and I.



And our whale watching adventure was a ton of fun!! We saw a handful of Humpbacks, even got to watch them bubble net feeding.

Today we did a little kayaking. Here is mom and Brian in their kayaks. Another sunny day!


Here is Brian relaxing in our living room and below a pic of mom and the awesome bread bowls


Our trip on bikes out to Herbert Glacier. There were way too many mosquitoes out there so we didn't stand around too long to look at the glacier. It is a nice and flat 5 miles, one way.


Thanks for coming mom, we had a great time with you!

Our new home

Brian and I really are blessed to live in this beautiful home. Owned by Bill and Diane Nash, we get the apartment on the bottom of the home. The first level windows are ours.

This is the main room as you walk into the home. Two bedrooms in the back and a nice living room/kitchen around the corner to the right.

And of course the highlight of the house is the view. Right on the water. I have been able to mow this lawn a few times. These pictures show a really nice day! We've been enjoying some really nice sunshine the last three days. Much needed in my opinion. Especially because a week ago it was in the 50's and rainy. UGH.