Theodore Roosevelt National Park - the North Unit

 

During our big RV trip the summer that we moved to Wyoming, one of our unexpected favorite sites was Theodore National Park in northwest North Dakota.  The park is about 5.5 hours from our home, and we have talked about going back for several years.  After church on Memorial Day weekend, we spontaneously joined friends Troy & Melissa for a quick overnight truck camping trip.

Jordan built a platform in the back of his SUV to fit a mattress, and we stored our cooking and hiking gear in the bins below.  It was surprisingly comfortable!

The north, and often un-visited, side of the Park was beautiful.  We spent a wonderful morning driving the loop, watching buffalo and antelope, and bracing against the wind. 

We are so grateful for these two, who are always up for an adventure - and never mind us crashing their party!

Updates

It's been a super chaotic spring this year.  We have all been busy working, going to school, doing side jobs, etc.  But we have managed to squeeze in some fun things to.

Annabel and several friends went to Washington, D.C., in early April to compete in the national We the People competition.  Their group spent a VERY packed 5 days there soaking up the sites and competing.  The total group came in 24th place overall, and Team 1 (which included one of Annabel's besties) came in 1st in the entire country for their segment.  We are super proud!

Several weeks later, Annabel got dressed up again to enjoy the prom with a bunch of friends.  

Jordan has been doing some side jobs, but has also worked on Ellie, our Airstream.  He put on the new axle and tires, installed solar panels, replaced the windows, and installed the mini-split for heating and cooling.

He's also built all of the cabinets, bathroom wall and bed frame on the inside.  Ellie is now completely wired, has lighting, and Jordan is completing the plumbing this weekend.

I spent most of my spare time this spring working on a Christmas quilt.  Here are 2 of the 9 panels.  In early May, the gal that I trained to take my old job quit, and I have been working 2 full time jobs since.  We are hoping to hire someone full time in the next few weeks, which will give me a much needed break! 

Thane finished school and worked as a lifeguard at the YMCA this spring.  He is very camera-shy these days, and is happily soaking up the summer break. 

Despite the craziness, we continue to love living here where we are so close to nature.  This was the view from our driveway the other night.  There's goes the neighborhood!  

Forty and Fabulous

  

Jordan turned 40 last week.  With the exception of a few (OK - more than a few) gray hairs, he looks, acts and (annoyingly!) has the energy of a 20 year old.  He's now at the age where we have been together longer than we have been apart.  (That milestone for me, sadly, won't come for another 12 or so years...  He tells me not to worry about it as I'll be too old to remember by then.)  😂

In a stroke of incredible fortune, Jordan had the opportunity to visit Israel the week before his birthday.  While completely unexpected and last minute, he jumped at the chance and had an incredible time.

Here are some highlights from the trip:

Caesarea Maritime:

Old school fishing on the Sea of Galilee:

Beit She'an:

Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane:

Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives:

the Temple Mount:

Brook of Bethesda:

the Wailing Wall:

Masada:

Ibex:

Qumran:

salt at the Dead Sea:

Jordan came home changed, in all the very best ways.  We are planning to travel back to this beautiful country with the kids in the next year or so and, quite frankly, we can't wait.  God has been speaking to our hearts, and we are prayerfully considering what He might have in store for us in the next phase of life as our kids leave home and pursue their dreams.

While only God is aware of what the future may hold, I do know that there's no one else I'd rather go on adventures with!

Christmas in Washington

 

For the first time since before the kids were born, Jordan and I (and the kids, of course) spent Christmas somewhere other than home.  We crammed our luggage, gifts, snacks, and Freya into the back of our SUV and drove 750+ miles to Jordan's folks for the week.

We still observed our Christmas traditions - including making a couple batches of yummy lefse:

We did farm chores, cooked, shopped, met up with old friends, enjoyed a beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service and feasted.

Christmas Day dawned with all of it's magic, and it was a total blast to spend the day with Jordan's sisters and our nieces and nephews.  We played some fun games and laughed - a LOT!

At the heart of it all was Dad and Mom.  They are so generous with their time and talents, and they made each of us feel special and loved.  We are so grateful to both of them - thanks for an incredible week!

Seventeen

Annabel turned 17 shortly before Christmas.  Time sure is flying by, and it seems like just a few years ago we were rocking her to sleep as a newborn.  We celebrated her big day with Grampa & Gramma and our friends.  

Annabel continues to be a kind-hearted, studious girl with lots of ambition.  She works two jobs, in addition to taking several AP and college classes.  Her goal remains becoming a physician one day, and she is super focused on making it happen.

Annabel is especially invested in her AP U.S. Government class.  She and her peers participated in the "We the People" program, which studies the history and principles of the Constitution and how it applies today.  Her class qualified to compete -and WON!- the Wyoming state competition, and they are heading to D.C. in the spring to compete at the national level.  

Annabel doesn't get much down time, but when she does she likes to hang out with her friends and read.  She also loves thrifting clothes, shopping and working out.  

We are very proud of the young woman that she has become and very excited to see what the future holds for her!!  Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Friends and Foxes

Last weekend our friends Jim & Jenny, from Cody, stopped by for lunch on their way to visit family.  We love the time we get to spend with them both, and we are so grateful for their friendship through the years.  Of course, I forgot to take a photo, but Jenny called on the way home to let us know that there was a beautiful vixen sunning itself in our subdivision. We'll think of them now, every time we see one of the foxes.

Let Us Give Thanks...

 

Jordan's Mom gave us this years ago, and I love the sentiment:  Let us give thanks in this day, and every day.  We are very thankful for another year together.  

Each day is truly a gift.  Happy Thanksgiving!