Finally I was allowed to take a few days off from work. Thursday was my last day at work, and probably my hardest day yet. I have been studying the last few months for a board. I spent six hours in front of people, up to seven at one time, as they asked me questions to test my knowledge or gave me scenarios to test my decision making. Well, I passed and was able to go on vacation without a care in the world.
Friday morning we left to go camping to some church property near Snoqualmie Pass, called Ensign Ranch. There was a giant slip-n-slide the kids were able to use, and a rope swing into the lake too. We didn't have time to ride the horses or use the canoes...maybe another time. The next morning we packed up and headed back, near the summit of the pass to Hayak, were we unloaded our bikes and with another family completed a 21 mile bike ride along an old train track, down to Rattlesnake Lake. The ride started with a 2.5 mile tunnel from one side of the pass to the other.
We came back that evening so we would be here for our Sunday duties, but took off again Monday morning and headed for Mount St Helens, and spent the night in Portland. Tuesday morning we went to the temple, then headed back north to a place called the Great Wolf Lodge. It is a large hotel with an large indoor water park. We spent the rest of Tuesday playing in the water, followed by all day Wednesday, getting us home after the sun set last night.
Jennifer left before five this morning to head to the airport for her trip to Phoenix to visit her grandmother. I sure hope she has a good time. Tonight we should have some of my family show up for a visit in preparation for my youngest brothers wedding on Sunday.
We are so mean we even made Mia carry her pumpkin to the stand to pay for it, then we put all the pumpkins in a wheel barrow to transport them to the van.
