Mount St. Helen



Got up Wednesday morning and headed up the road to the mountain - to get to the end of the road is about 46 miles.  The first stop was at a Washington State Center where they had a movie and lots of displays of that fateful day in 1980.  This was our first glimpse of the mountain.  At the visitor center, there was a web cam so we could see the mountain.  When we entered the center, the mountain was covered with clouds but by the time we left, it was clear and the ranger said it was a perfect day to visit Mt. St. Helens.

 This was the second visitor center we stopped at and we were able to see the mountain much clearer.  We were told again that the day was a perfect day on Mt. St. Helen.

We finally reached Johnson Ridge which is five miles from the mountain.  There's a very nice visitor center at this point with lots of information to look at and read.  There were also a couple of movies and when the movie has finished, the screen goes up and the drapes behind the screen raise and you see the mountain - awesome!!

You can see the crater on the side of the mountain where it blew out.  The actual movie footage of the eruption was amazing.  It took the ash two weeks to go around the entire world.  There was such devestation of the area and yet, it was amazing just how quickly after the eruption, small flowers were peeking through the ash and small animals that could burrow into the ground starting showing up again.

Clouds are beginning to roll in........

 I listened to this young ranger give a Junior Ranger (I did this for you, Sam.) talk out on the patio.  He said in 2004, a ranger was giving a talk just as he was doing when the mountain erupted again but of course, it was a MUCH smaller eruption.  They feel she will erupt again but who knows when.

 This is a lake that was created by the volcanic eruption.

 Goodbye to Mt. St. Helen - totally covered by the clouds.

We went 20 miles down the road to Kelso, Oregon for the night and tomorrow we head to the Columbia River Gorge.  It is such a beautiful river - we cross part of it in the middle of Washington every year on our way to Lynden.  The Columbia River has a cruise ship that cruises up and down the river - someday I just might have to book a cruise on it.  (Alaska first.)

 

Well, I'm off to put a second coat of paint on the downstairs bathroom - I have special company coming next week and then Dad and I plan to make a trip to one of our favorite stores -- Menards!!

Have a good day!

 

Love, Gramma and MOM



Leaving Lynden

Tuesday, August 21

OH NO!!!!  You mean we're leaving Lynden today!!!

 

August 21st was the magic day for DeAnn - one family had to get out so the next family could get in.  John's parents arrived about 10:00 at the Bellingham airport and his sister and family were arriving the next day.  So in order to get the sheets washed and the carpet vaccumed, we left. 

 

It was our privilege to take these three to the airport in Seattle for their 5:45 flight.  Then after checking in, they found out that their flight was delayed for an hour.  Their flight from Denver to Sioux Falls was also delayed an hour so they finally arrived at home in Pipestone about 3:00am.  Kurt was up the next morning to do chores and load sheep at 6:00am so it was a short night for him; luckily, Amy had taken the day off so she and Chase were able to sleep in.

Had to make one last stop at Edeleen's for ice cream.  We had an early lunch with the Hiemstra's and then ice cream for dessert.  It was Kurt and Amy's first time for that delicious treat and they said it measured up to their expectations.

 One last chance for Katie to be with her new bestest buddy.  Katie is a "pink" ice cream princess - she doesn't care what the flavor is as long as it's pink.  Well, Chase decided to try root beer ice cream as his last Edeleen treat and Miss Katie said she would have whatever Chase was having.  I told her it was not pink but she insisted whatever Chase was having, she was having.  I wonder if she had Chase-withdrawal after he left or if she just picked up with her other cousins who were coming.
And by the way, she told us she is no longer a princess, she is a cowgirl now.  I told her she needed a cowgirl hat then but she said she had one - a big fluffy purple hat (Dr. Seuss style).  Go figure!!??

After we left the Koele's at the airport, we traveled on to Castle Rock, WA and Mount St. Helen's, which is our subject for tomorrow.  I know that my family probably already knows all of this information  but I need to save it for posterity.  Have a great day and see you tomorrow.

 

Love,

Gramma and MOM

We're Home

Dad and I had a GREAT trip coming home.  We said we thought we'd take a week coming home and we did.  As we passed through Pipestone last night, we got to see this young man just finishing his football practice.  He was even willing to give Grampa and Gramma "wet, sweaty" hugs.  He always makes coming home a good thing.

 Doesn't he look fierce?

 

 

As long  as we were passing through, I had Dad take a picture of my birthday present.  Can't wait til next summer when we can cruise with the top down.  Sure hope he buys it for me before it's gone - November is still several months away!!!!  If you'd care to contribute, just send the check to Dad with Mom's birthday car in the memo line.

 

 

Because we had no milk or bread in the house, we decided to head for Hardees for breakfast.  We called this lovely lady to see if she wanted to go along.  She'd already had breakfast but came along and had water - that's all we could afford to get her. 

These are the flowers by Aunt Jen's garage - aren't they beautiful this year?  I helped choose them - yeah for me!!!!

 Tonight we're going to the Bethany Meadows Car Show with Grandma, Uncle Glen & Aunt Sue and Aunt Jan.  Aunt Jen says it's too hot. 
Tomorrow I will start blogging about our journey home.  Til then, have a good evening.

Love to you all!!!!!
Gramma and MOM



Monday at Fairhaven Village

Peter woke up early because John said he had to stain the front deck if he wanted to go with the rest of the adults to Fairhaven.  It turned out very nice.

 While Grampa stained the deck, the girls went to breakfast at Dutch Mother's.  If you are ever in Lynden, you need to go to Dutch Mothers for their pannekoekens and Front Street Pile-up.  We ordered these two entrees between the three of us plus Katie and still had some leftover to bring home.  Great food, great coffee and wonderful fellowship.  DeAnn even managed to ask a "famous question" - what is your goal for the next year?  After some contemplating, we all came up with several.  Mom even wrote them down so "maybe" we can even have some accountability.

 DeAnn took Amy, Kurt, Grampa and I to Fairhaven Village which is an older section of Bellingham.  We started by walking along a boardwalk on the water.  Look at this great picture of the honeymooners!!!

 Kurt spotted something purple along the shoreline and upon further investigation, found these beautiful sea stars.

 Found this little cupcake shop on our walk - reminded us of a delightful little girl that we had left at home.

 Several years ago, I had read about a fish and chips place in a double-decker bus in Bellingham, WA.  DeAnn had checked it out earlier and said it was a winner.  As it turned out, the restaurant is normally not open on Monday but it was yesterday.  They usually close at 6:00 but because of a fryer malfunction, they closed right after we put in our order.  It was indeed good food - deep-fried cod, french fries and coleslaw.  Great lunch in a unique setting.

 Then we walked the streets of Fairhaven.  Kurt enjoys cigar/smoke shops and we found this one.  Kurt said it was the nicest one he had seen since coming to Washington.  It's the first smoke shop I've been in for a very long time and it was very unique and interesting.  Kurt was able to find three cigars that he felt he just couldn't do without.  It seems to me that Grandpa Haan used to buy his cigars in a box but I think Kurt is a little more discriminating.

 The smoke shop was in an old building that once housed a "Gentleman's Club" that was frequented by Mark Twain and President Taft.  This was the atrium in the middle of the building - there were four full floors and then a catwalk at the top.  They had pictures with captions on the walls in the halls telling about people who had lived in the building or were in some way associated with it. 

 We were leaving this very special neighborhood when Amy spotted this deer.  It was walking around the neighborhood eating homeowner's flowers.  It's the first wildlife, other than squirrels, that we've seen since we've come to Washington.

It was a fun day in an area of Bellingham that we want to explore again.  In fact, we've already started a list of things we want to do when we return.

Have a great week!!!
Love,
Gramma and MOM

Family Pictures

DeAnn made an appointment with a photographer to take our family pictures yesterday afternoon.  We had a good time and hopefully at least some of them turned out brilliantly!!  These are just some snaps I took after the session was over.  The photographer said our pictures would be ready in about a week so you'll all have to wait until then to see any of them OR until DeAnn posts them on her blog.

Katie was unhappy with the boys - not sure what they did to her but I'm sure it was NOT her fault.

Happier time with Aunt Amy

 DeAnn brought along this nifty blue frame - isn't this boy handsome with his new hairdo?

There was an old tree trunk at this park and when you went around the other side, it was an outhouse.  Sure hope noone actually uses it, though because there's no pit under the hole.  Katie and Grampa were bonding in the john.

 We had no problems with the children cooperating and doing whatever the photographer suggested.  The one problem we did have, though, was that Grampa kept wandering off and then we'd have to call him back.

 Kurt blowing up one of the hammers we used as a prop with the kids.  Check out Holly's Facebook page for a couple of photos that the photographer put on her own Facebook.  Guess she thought we were a fun family and used us as promotional material.

 Our two girls

 Gramma and her most favorite teenager in ALL THE WORLD!!!!!

Today the girls went out for breakfast while Peter stained the front deck and Kurt and Chase hung out.  Sam slept the morning away.  This afternoon DeAnn, Kurt, Amy, Peter and I went to a waterfront park in Bellingham and then walked around the village of Old Fairhaven.  We had a wonderful afternoon - pictures coming soon.

Tonight John & DeAnn and Kurt & Amy are off for an evening of adults only.  Grampa and Gramma took the kids out for one last night of hamburgers and chicken nuggets.  Almost time for bed.  Thanks for sharing our Washington visit with us.

Gramma and MOM

The Peace Arch and the Bay

Saturday afternoon after the Hiemstra's picked up the Koele's in Seattle, we went to the Peace Arch which divides Canada and Washington.  There is a small park there with lots of sculptures and beautiful flowers.  Here are some pics from the gardens.

The "honeymooners"

Kurt straddling two countries - isn't he amazing.  No one really knew he could do the splits.

Isn't this sweet - the honeymooners are holding hands while Amy's taking a picture of the kids on the Peace Arch.

After visiting the Peace Arch, we went to the bay for a bonfire.  We roasted hotdogs, had smores and a good time.

 This poor little girl was so tired, she could hardly sit in her chair.  Way too many late nights!!!!

Grandma's Sweetheart

That's it for today. 
Love to all of my family in the Midwest.
Gramma and MOM