Jake's Parents Visit During Thanksgiving

Jake’s parents rode the train all the way from MN to visit us here in Oregon during Thanksgiving break. We successfully avoided downtown Portland except for a visit to REI after we left the train station, and chose rather to enjoy each other’s company in the haven of wilderness…away from all the bus exhaust, concrete, flocks of people, and urban SUV traffic. Mom & Dad were anxious to explore the scenic Pacific Northwest—waking early every morning with hiking boots on, coffee mugs full, and camera ready for action. Our weather proved to test the warranty on their rain jackets, so they both spoiled themselves by buying new ones while they were here. We were also blessed with some lingering fall weather that provided superb nature viewing. Sherri and I hosted some of her family, along with my parents, for our second attempt at preparing a Thanksgiving dinner…we’re getting pretty good at it now, but only because our mothers were their to guide us with their expertise.

Silver Falls State Park

For our last outing before school starts again we met up with Jeremy, Carri, and little Autumn for a visit to Silver Falls. We hiked the canyon loop trail and viewed all the beautiful waterfalls. Autumn and I sang songs together and had some good laughs.

Backpacking Mt. Adams

Sherri and I finally got an opportunity to go backpacking together this summer. We decided to explore Mt. Adams wilderness and some of the Goat Rocks National Forest. Since my family carries a curse that plagues us with rain any time we go camping, it was no surprise to see thunderstorms dominating the forecast this week. There was no stopping us though, and we ended up having a great time. The clouds parted enough each day for us to get some spectacular views. Wildflowers painted the entire landscape, and waterfalls were rushing fresh with new rain. The glaciers on Mt. Adams were stunning, somehow managing to hang onto the steep slopes. As we hiked through the Goat Rocks, we passed by numerous alpine ponds that were home to a fair share of mosquitoes this time of year. However, on our return hike we passed through an ominous fog that kept us nearly bug free. Each night we slept to the sounds of distant thunder and more than occasional tapings of rain drops on our tent. We spoiled ourselves a little by watching a couple episodes of Gilmore Girls on an I-Pod hanging from the top of our tent…it helped us fall asleep.

Caroline is Back from Iraq

Sherri and I headed up to Fort Lewis to welcome Caroline back home. It has been 2 years that she has been stationed in Iraq, and her family has missed her very much. We are very excited to be able to spend time with her again.

Trip To The Zoo!

Jim and the twins came down from their new home at Fort Lewis to visit this past weekend, and we all decided to go to the zoo together. The twins really seemed to enjoy it, and would make the animal sounds as they recognized what they saw. They hooted at the owls, roared with the bears, and growled like the leopard. They seemed most fascinated by the huge underground seal tank as they watched enormous sea lions swim right in front of them.

Sandy's Birthday Party

A bunch of us got together at our place to celebrate Sherri's mother's Birthday. Sandy loves her three little grandchildren, who were all there to celebrate with her. It was a fun party.

Things Happening At School

Sherri decided she wanted to be a librarian for career day...I think she fits the part just fine. Jake suggested the mole to add a finishing touch. We also worked together on the backdrop in front of her door. It was Dr. Seuss week, and our hallway chose to feature the story of the Lorax- making the world a better, cleaner place.

Jake & Sherri Wavra

Mirror Lake Snowshoe Hike

We were recently surprised to have a 70 degree weekend in mid-April, so we capitalized on the opportunity to actually use some of our outdoor recreation gear. Up until now most of our toys have merely been collecting dust since teaching and school require so much of our time. It all started by waking up early Saturday morning to snag a good spot in line before the REI garage sale opened. We finally found a great deal on a pair of snowshoes for Sherri, and a Thule bike rack for dirt-cheap. Then Sunday we woke-up to some hot cinnamon rolls, and quickly headed up to Mirror lake by Mt. Hood. We strapped our snowshoes on and carried a lunch along with our snowboards up to an area that we’ve been wanting to explore. This place is covered with backcountry ski terrain and the view of Mt. Hood was spectacular.

Twins' Birthday

In April we celebrated Faith & Hope’s birthday. These two little girls have already grown to be 2 years old. We're all very anxious for their mother, Caroline, to return home from Iraq. Their favorite gifts if you can imagine, were all the cards, which we took turns reading to them. Sherri’s sister Carri also brought Autumn, their new 6-month-old child.

Sherri's High School Reunion

One of Sherri's High School friends managed to track us down somehow online, and invited us over for a wonderful dinner. It was sort of a reunion party since most of their old posse happened to be in town at the same time. We shared tons of photos with each other, and many old stories were retold with maybe a little exaggeration...both fun and educational.

Jake’s Parents Visit During The Best Season

My parent’s picked a great time to visit us in Oregon, witnessing all the gorgeous Fall colors. Their youthful energy inspired us to have a wonderful time hiking and site seeing together. One of our most memorable hikes was venturing down the Sandy river trail. We actually got caught in a torrential downpour, but the moment we finally reached the river, the rain subsided and the sun beamed out from behind the clouds. So we sat down on a rock for a picnic, listening to the roar of the river and watched Eagles soar high above us in the beautiful canyon. The most shocking part of our hike however was on our way back out, when we came across a giant boulder that had landed smack dab in the middle of the trail. We were fortunate not to have been in its path minutes before when it had slid down the bank. We also scouted a new trail that follows the Bull Run River, discovering a family of otters who insisted on showing off for us. Playing music together was an absolute must, and we were blessed with the opportunity to lead worship together at Aims community church.

Joe & Nichole’s Visit From Minnesota

Jake’s brother Joe and his girlfriend were able to fly out to OR for a week long visit with us, during which time we chose a new adventure everyday. Some of which included hiking up to the Cathedral Ridge on Mt. Hood, viewing all the waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge, skimboarding on the coast of Cannon Beach, catching the sun set on top of Larch mountain, Jake & Joe playing guitars together, and just hanging out at home playing games and having fun talking with each other. The time flew by as usual when you’re having such an enjoyable time, but we were so fortunate to be able to hang out with them over their vacation. Our hopes are that if we do a good enough job of hosting my family when they come to visit, that they may come out more often.