First Fish

Normally by this time each year we have already been camping at least twice, but because of the late summer we've had this year, we just finally were able to this last weekend.
Tina, Christian, Matt, and Mitch arrived Thursday, my family, plus Steven, went up Friday at various times and Bill, Tammy, and Derek came Saturday. We were camping on Lake Koocanusa in Eureka. It's not really "roughing it" camping, but I do really like the Rexford Bench campground. Very nice, and really quiet (except for the stupid generator the man had next to us).The weather was really warm most of the time except for one evening when it started storming. We were out on Bill's boat fishing when it started to thunder. It wasn't until we could see the lightening right above the lake that we started to get worried and headed back to the shore. On the way back it started to sprinkle, then rain, then pour. It was really exciting, (a little scary) but mostly amazing to be on the lake with a full out storm starting. Loading the boat was interesting especially when it started hailing. The moms, plus me, vacated into the truck while dad, Bill, Matt and Steven were out getting soaked. When we finally got back to camp everything was drenched. The guys had wittingly set up a huge canopy above the chairs, but it really didn't do much to help with the rain. Overall that was quite the evening. The next day (Sunday), was so hot. We spent most the day zooming around the lake on the boat and then going across to the other side of the lake to play in the sand. Steven got the boys making a sand castle and soon had quite the fortress built. Tammy brought some water bombs and so we also had a war going on. Personally, I really love the sandy beaches on Lake Koocanusa, it always reminds me of the ocean I often long for. You forget how hard it is to walk on sand though! Later that night a few of us went out fishing and although we didn't bring in anything, I caught my first fish ever!!!!!! It was abuut an 8" WhiteFish. When I felt the line going wild I started yelling "What do I do! What do I do!". Steven came over and scooped up the fish in his net and brought it in. I'm glad it was too small to keep because honestly I would have had a hard time killing the poor thing. Steven said it was gasping for air, but to me it sounded as if it were crying and it looked really pathetic squirming around in my hand.
I'm not sure how many, if any more trips we will get this year, but I hope a few. I had a great time and I think everyone else did too. We came home on Monday. leaving early to beat the heat, and noticed that over the weekend I had, as Hannah put it, become very "pink and tan".

I felt like a tourist!

This last week we were given the opportunity to go out boating on Flathead Lake with Bill (my dad's friends and boss from work), Tammy, and Stephen their son. It was probably the warmest day we have had this last year, and it was fantastic to be zooming around the lake. Luke, Stephen, and I sat in the front of the boat and it was really fantastic to just watch the mountains and water go by. One thing that I found interesting was how on different parts of the lake the temperature would go up and down in seconds tremendously. Like I would be really warm one minute, and then putting my jacket on the next. Dad and Mom sat on the bench seat in the back. Bill drove and Tammy sat shotgun (is it called that in a boat?). Haha, my hair was so funny. As long as I looked forward, I was good, but if I looked back, I was like Medusa head:) When I got home I had to work for quite some time to get all the tangles outWe boated all the way out to what I think was Wild Horse Island. We saw, oh, probably around 3-4 mule deer with huge racks. They even had these little forts set up on the shore. I took pictures with my phone, but I'm too lazy right now to get them off:)Luke and I.

We stayed out for over three hours and went all around the lake. We looked at the houses around Yellow Bay, ogled over the castle on it's private island owned by I think the CEO of Pepsi, and over all just had a great evening. It really felt like a mini vacation and reminded me of how much I've always wanted to live on a boat. Maybe someday...... Anyhow, I was so thankful we were able to do this and really hope we can do it again.

I burned

Yesterday was the first day of summer, and you know what?.... it actually felt like it! We have had non-stop bad weather for weeks now and since it was great out Tina, Christian, Mom, Luke, Rachel, and I all went down to Echo lake. The water honestly is still really really cold, but we canoed and kayaked around for a few hours and then braved the water. (Christian, Tina, Mom)My hansome lil bro:)Rachel!!!!!I love this picture! I thought it epitomized the little creature always behind me:)MomLuke and I,

and then Rachel and I.

Overall it was a great day. I really hope summer starts to kick in better now but the expectation of rain is high..... *yuck*. I guess we have to be thankful for all the: mosquitoes, flooding, and pale skin......? No, in all seriousness, there are some benefits of the bad, weather, can't really think of any good ones, maybe no fires? I'm sure there are lots......

did you miss me?

Contrary to what you may believe, I haven't fallen off the face of the blog world. I've been so busy with classes and homework lately that I seriously haven't had a minute to spare. So, I'm here with my spare moments to play catch up.

A few weeks ago I went with my ASL class to Great Falls MT, to the school for the Deaf and Blind. We left Friday morning and took the 4 1/2 hour drive on a charter bus. In the group, there were 23 girls and 3 boys including my teacher Collette.
Oh, one neat thing was that our bus driver, John, was from New Zealand. He had some really interesting stories to tell, and was enjoyable to listen to on both the way up and down. When we were going through Glacier, it was scary at times because it was blizzarding, but John, got us there safely, and plus, I always enjoy a adventure. (My spot on the bus)

When we first arrived, a man from the school gave us a tour and then brought us to our dorm where we would be staying. The school is really neat with a separate school building for the Deaf and the Blind students, but with a shared dorm building for both.

That night we all stayed in the dorm and ordered pizza. Since it was with my ASL class, and there were three Deaf people in our group, we had to sign pretty much the whole time because it is rude to talk when you know someone who is Deaf is present. Most of us stayed up really late all talking/signing in the living room learning new signs. Just relaxing around the dorm, yet still learning so much, was probably some of my favorite times on the trip. (The reason Great Falls is called Great Falls)

Saturday morning, after a walk around the school (it was a nice day), the bus driver took us all over to the mall to hang out for a few hours. We had six hours to waste, but everyone was bored well before then. The reason we were at the school that weekend was because of a performance the kids, who went to the school, were giving that night. We ended up coming back to the dorm for an hour or so, and then going out for dinner before the performance at 7:00.

The performance was incredible. There were around 17 kids ranging in ages from about 8-16. The kids were all signing and dancing to music and they did everything from Ghost busters, Firework, Sweet Home Alabama, to Somewhere Over the Rainbow. It was amazing to see the fluidity of their movements and how well they kept in sync. This performance alone made the whole trip worth it. It was an experience I will never forget. I even bought a shirt afterwards!

That night we again stayed up really late signing and I think it was well after 1 when I finally got ready for bed and fell asleep with the sound of people laughing out side my room.

The next morning I had an interesting experience. When I woke up, I think I must have been sleeping wrong and my legs were asleep, because when I stood up out of bed, I collapsed to the floor. It was on the side against the wall, so not only did I fall but I crashed against the heater vent. The girl I was sharing my room with bolted awake and kept asking if I was ok. I said I was fine but when I stood up, I collapsed for a second time. The third time I finally did stand up, but not without a nasty bruise on my arm and a rug rash that still graces my knee and ankle.

By this third day I was in ASL mode. On the way back we signed, laughed, and talked for hours. I was actually sad when we arrived back at the college to go home. Poor Dad had to had to keep reminding me to talk instead of sign for the rest of the day.

Overall it was an incredible trip that, even though I was hesitant to go at first, I'm so glad I did. My vocabulary felt like it had exploded and I only wish I could have retained a fraction of what I learned. I'm really sad that my class is almost over (only one more class), and then, if I decide to continue with sign, I have to do it online. ASL has defiantly been my favorite class, both semesters, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Easter came and went, but was really fun while it lasted. We didn't do anything too big this year, but we did have the Underhills and my grandparents over for lunch and then later the Vestals, Ridge and Hannah, and Rachel came over. Because it was such a nice day, Hannah talked me into taking a short walk with them and it really was a much needed relief from all my homework. (Rachel, me, Hannah, and Ridge)

Last weekend I started my Practical Botany class. It is a three credit science class and is only 6 days long. Unfortunately the days are Friday-Sunday, so I have had, and still am, continuing to have classes everyday for 18 days straight.

The Botany class is actually really interesting and I like the teachers. Friday we had a short lecture and then on Saturday we took a bus to the Conrad Mansion, Cemetery, and lastly Wayfarers Park to look at the different plants. The only downfall that day was that it was really windy and cold. Even after coming home, taking a shower, sitting on the heater, and drinking some tea, I was still shivering. Sunday was much better overall. It was still chilly, but the sun was out, which always gives me a more positive outlook on life. We took a bus down to Eureka and after driving around some, took a short walk down to a lake. Personally, I learned quite a bit about some of the local plants that I didn't known before. We had lunch at the lake in the picture, and later I realized I even got a sunburn sitting there (first one of the year)! We went to a few other locations to look at the different lichens, and than we all took a walk around one spot called Ant Flats. If you couldn't figure out why, the place was covered in ant hills. This weekend we are going to the Buffalo Range and then I think possibly Lone Pine on Sunday. I hope it doesn't rain:( (Sophie Lake)

Day 26: Having returned from an adventure, I now embark upon another

We got home today around 2ish, wet, tired, somewhat miserable, but wholly intact. Because my mom and I don't know how to drive a stick, Mitch chauffeured Hannah and I there in the truck. It took around 3 1/2 hours to get to the McGillivray campground. We had to go through Libby and around lake Koocanusa to get to the sight. Below is a picture of the Libby Dam. the campground was about four miles away. On Saturday we actually took a tour. It was really interesting. Everything was super sized inside, from the turbines, to the wrenches. I would recommend it to any of you if you are ever out there to take a quick detour to take the tour. Sorry I don't have pictures of the tour itself, but they don't let people bring anything in since 9/11.I don't know what this river is called, but it was gorgeous to dive along. Had the weather been warmer, I would have been at risk. Our camp sight was right along a cliff overlooking Lake Koocanusa. Some parts were definitely too high to jump off, unless you have a death wish, but other parts would have been pretty safe and really fun to jump into the water from. *sigh* If only it had been warmer. Although this picture doesn't look like much, I hung over the side of a steep ridge to take it.

So you better like it. Christian, Matthew, Luke, and Mitch building their fort. Mitch said they were going to be like survivor man and build a fire, drink from the lake, and scavenge food. It lasted around two hours before they came back for smores. Funny, when taking this picture Mitch asked me if it was for my blog. *guilty*Interesting fact about the lake is that awhile ago they had a contest to name it. One gal came up with Koo (for the Kootenai Indians) can (for Canada) and usa (for the USA) to get Koocanusa. Mom and Hannah warming themselves by the fire. It was pretty cold Fri, Sat, and Sun. Thursday when we were driving it was scorching, And the irony? None of us had air conditioning.

Last night you could hear the light patter of rain drops on the tent. That morning unfortunately we still heard it. It never stopped raining. It's absolute misery packing up in the rain. All the camp chairs were soaked, so no sitting, they did get the fire going, but the whole way home we were that sticky damp. Yuck.

As for my childhood memory. Hum.... I once had a dream that a bird lived under the dirt in one of our house plants when I was really little. So when we moved to MT and left the plant behind I first had to dig up the "bird" to let it go free. Needless to say, there was no bird, and I was confused.

Oh, and the adventure I'm embarking on if your wondering, I start college tomorrow. Pray that all goes well.

No we didn't skip church to do this.

So today around 1:00 we decided to go to Wayfarers Park for their kayaking day. It's where you can go and test out kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and some other neat things.

They have so many kayaks in different in sizes and colors, it's like a skittles bag exploded. Jack Gladstone and Sax man were there playing and singing.Luke went out on a paddle board and loved it. I tried it to, but didn't have quite the same feeling towards them.This was my favorite. You peddle these kayaks with a back and forth motion. I really liked how easy it was to direct which way to go.Luke didn't really like this one. I think his feet were really cold because they hung into the water.

The water was so cold.Mom and I Luke caring in his paddle board.My dad watched us get cold, and took pictures of us.

Overall it was mostly fun. I didn't have a blast or anything, but I got some neat pictures (always worth it right?) and did enjoy peddling.