Sequim, WA

Why does it always seem that time with friends goes by so quickly?  We spent the last 10 days with our dear friends Rod & Monica enjoying the Olympic Peninsula.  

When we arrived we were greeted with open arms and a killer Dungeness Crab Dinner, homegrown vegetables from the garden and Mojitos :).


The neighbors have supplied us with crab, a strawberry rhubarb pie and two lemon meringue pies!  Such a wonderful neighborhood in an absolutely jaw dropping beautiful setting.  Check out the pics!


Highlights of the week included:


Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge (who needs the Swiss Alps?!!)  

International Travel :) to Victoria, Canada!  This was great, a ferry ride to please the kids and European flair for mom!  Jeff got a lifetime membership to Canada's version of REI.  Much needed.  

Strawberry picking and Lavender Farm-enough said!  

Finally, a day trip to Port Townsend, WA with a visit to an incredible Farmer's Market, great lunch AND dinner out and a little shopping.  


Wildlife Count:
3 Deer
2 Bald Eagles
1 Ornery Saint Bernard!


As always, our time with the Dixons was fun filled and JAM packed!  Oh, forgot to mention, Sabra was taught how to make Strawberry Jam (from the picking) and a lesson on canning. 


 
Rod and Jeff renewed their manly bonds with a host of wood and car craft activities.  The kids loved their time with Uncle Rod and Auntie Monica and have become quite the gardeners, growing Lettuce, Spinach and Pak Choy. 

Fairchild AFB

We spent 4th of July night at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, WA. Jeff warned me that the Air Force bases are really nice and he sure was right! This post is one continuos park like setting and very bike friendly, which we haven't run into much of yet on this trip.

Today we rode all around base on bike trails, weather was sunny and 80 degrees...AGAIN! We keep getting lucky that way, knock on wood :)

Here are a few pics of our day, we took a look at the display of jets, went to the playground and rode around everywhere.

Got the aforementioned laundry done, too!

Oh, we also had our sticker ceremony for Washington State!

Yellowstone

After an incredibly scenic drive through Wyoming we arrived at Yellowstone on June 30th. Entering through the East Gate we quickly found some snow to play in. Had a little snowball fight :) Jeff, being able to ski on anything, found a way to ski down this little patch of snow.

Yellowstone is HUGE! I have a bunch of nice pics to post, but of course they are in the camera at this time...1,100 of them :). Computer did not cooperate in the hotel last night, imagine that! At least all my devices are charged up again. Ok, this has been rectified, we now have photos!

We stayed at Grant Village Campground and had a great campsite that backed up to the woods. 3 days in Yellowstone was really cool.

Some highlights are:
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, OMG! That was gorgeous!! You really do have to see these things in person.

Grand Prismatic Spring was beautiful, see pictures here...

The Junior Rangers collected their second badge of the trip. Yay:)

We couldn't ask for better weather, blue skies and crisp nights made for a perfect Yellowstone trip!



 As we exited Yellowstone's West Gate, we stopped by the Wolf & Grizzly Wildlife Center to check off the last two animals on our list. We got to see Sam & Lilly, 2 enormous Alaskan brown bears and caught a glimpse of some wolves napping. Saw an owl, Gold Eagle and Bald Eagle to add to the list.

It is now July 4th!! Another beautiful day in the gorgeous Big Sky Country of Montana. We officially don't have any more reservations until we get to Sequim, WA at Casa Dixon.

We think we are headed to Fairchild Air Force Base tonight. If we don't make it that far we are prepared to dry camp in any one of the numerous National Forests around us. Although, I just put Kiley's last pair of underwear on this morning...must find laundry!

Happy Birthday Aunt Heather and Congratulations Tyler & Chris on your engagement!!!

America REALLY is beautiful, happy 4th of July!!