Fall 2011

Fall is beautiful out here with cold, sunny days. When we acquired the property 13 years ago, we began planting deciduous trees, so now there is a visible, beautiful reminder of the season. I have gotten in a few bike rides and horseback rides on weekends and am enjoying the slower pace of getting off at 5 pm everyday again.

Labor Day weekend Curtis and I went to his family’s farm in Selah to help with the corn harvest. It was a blast picking corn and getting to know Curtis’ family. In October we went back to take Curtis’ brother to a motorcycle race that they go to every year.


Curtis driving the tractor through the cornfields, shooting at blackbirds.


Sorting the corn into bins. The corn is sold there at their farm, also to local produce stands and grocery stores.

September 1st I moved into my own condo, and it has been so fun unpacking and decorating and finally having my own space! All the condos were built by the “previous occupants”. The condos were identical 2,600 sq ft, 10 bedroom, 4 bathroom (split toilet room/shower room, so technically 8 bathrooms!) houses with no living room or kitchen. The condos are in various states of remodel. In my house one bedroom is semi-remodeled into a kitchen, and two bedroom walls were knocked out to make a living room upstairs and downstairs. So I am left with a cozy 7 bedroom condo all to myself – obviously I have loads of room, so come visit!!! I have already had awesome visits with my mom, Annette and her kids, my friend Elias and his family, and Josh and Liz Stiger.


Home sweet home!


Annette and Cody at the bottom of the innertube waterslide.


We had a blast in the pool and on the waterslides during the Miller visit the last weekend in September.

Marta the cat joined me in October. I cat-sat for my next door neighbors while they were gone for two weeks, and she never left. My neighbors were thinking about getting rid of her, and I was thinking about getting a cat, so it worked out perfectly! She often goes over to visit, so we are all happy.


Marta the Cat

Summer 2011

Camp was busy and crazy and I loved it! Part of my job is communicating with the Work Crew (high school volunteers) who come for 3-4 weeks to serve the campers in housekeeping, the kitchen, the dining hall etc. It is awesome to see all these young people who want to work 7 days a week for no pay! They come to serve Jesus by serving the campers here, and they build amazing Christian friendships and community amongst themselves. There were always tears as they said goodbye on the last day of the session! Another part of my job is coordinating the Adult Guest Program. This is a chance for adults to come and experience camp with the kids, while in the comfort of their own beautiful lodge with a private room and bathroom. The hope is that they will catch the vision of Young Life, and get involved in some way. They have a host couple and another couple comes as Tour Hosts, to give drop-in visitors tours of the camp. I am the point person for each of these couples, so I kept my radio close by when I wasn’t with them!

Sometime in June Curtis and I started officially dating! We spent lots of evenings sitting on his deck talking and watching the moon come up over the hills. It was so natural and easy to get to know each other through biking, and the relationship just continued from there. It has been so fun to get to know him and to spend time together!


Curtis and I at luau night at camp.

My cousin Diane got married to Ben in August and Curtis came with me to the wedding and the ensuing family reunion near Mt. Rainier. The wedding was beautiful and the reunion was a blast, as always.


Me with my beautiful cousin, Diane the bride!

Camp ended with a literal bang when a huge thunder and lightning storm struck the last night of camp in August. Lightning strikes all over the property left us firefighting for the next week. So much for resting up after camp ended!


The fires were so big and close that it was "all hands on deck" and I got to help for 1.5 days until I got called into the office to help run command. It was a fun experience but I was ready for the clean, cool office again!


My legs after one day out on the fires. I was wearing pants, socks and boots all day, but I guess the ash managed to puff up my pant legs!

When the fires were finally under control we went to Bend for a few days and visited with our friends the Whites and the Pringles. The first night the three of us couples went on a “progressive dinner” in town and had a blast! We also got a fun bike ride in the next day.


The Pringle and White boys ready to hit the road!