August Fun

Labor Day has come and gone and so has our August fun. During August we went camping twice, whitewater rafting, and did a canoe trip down the Cowlitz River. But now it is time for Goni to go back to school and for all of us to get back to the regular life.

Our first camping trip was to Lower Falls. We have been going up there with Pam & Bruce Brown (friends from Concordia University) for 2-3 years now and always have a good time. The falls are beautiful and it is very quiet at night. Laurel & Patrick and Peanut joined us along with Goni's friend Deb. It was a nice weekend of relaxation and talks around the campfire.

Laurel & Patrick above the falls.

Lower Falls is a lot more impressive than pictures show.

Playing cards is part of the fun!

The next weekend we stayed at Cressap Bay on the upper Merwin Lake with most of Goni's brothers, sisters, and other relations. It is a busy boating campground and there is boating noise most of the day while people ski and tube on the lake. It was very hot so we spent lots of time in the water but did enjoy the campfire in the evenings.

Our campsite was the gathering spot for the campfire and the food.

Swimming in the lake was required to stay cool.

Cole and Alex by the campfire with their electronic devices.

A great skyline just after sunset.

On August 23rd Grover went whitewater rafting on the White Salmon River with Noah, Shayne and Drew along with Goni's brother George. The trip was organized by Steve Klump who is the pastor at our old church up in Toledo.

Shayne going over Husum Falls with his crew.

Drew, George, Jane and her kids "getting down" over the falls.

On the Labor Day weekend we went with Steve Klump for a canoe trip down the Cowlitz River. The whole trip started when Grover and Heidi's husband Kurt got to talking about his new kayak. He had never been down a river in it so we organized the trip which included Charity's husband Chris and grandson Noah along with Goni and 15 or so people from the Toledo Presbyterian Church. Afterwards we had a BBQ and plenty of fellowship at Dean and Karen Scott's house in Toledo.

Everyone getting ready at the put in at the Barrier Dam

Kurt's first trip on the Cowlitz in his Kayak.

Goni and Rosalie paddlin down the river.

Noah and Elise playing in the water at the take out at Blue Creek