Michelle and Kris Gomez Wedding!!!

On October 4, 2008 we celebrated the wedding of two of our favorite people in the entire world!

Chad's sister Michelle married Kris Gomez in an absolutley beautiful ceremony in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. She officially became a 'wife' to Kris and 'mom' to Kristian, Cerah, and Shaun. The whole occasion was beautiful and we had an amazing time with friends and family while we were there. Here's a 'few' pictures.

The Wedding

At the altar: Michelle and Kris

Michelle giving the kids gifts during the ceremony.

The Gomez Family!

Kris, Shaun, Michelle, Kristian, and Cerah

Millie, Kris, Michelle, Woody

Millie, Larry, Kris, Michelle, Woody, Nancy, Chad, Nicki

This handsome guy gave the bride away.

(no, he did not hold the beer while he walked her down the aisle)

(...but I'm sure he would have... if we'd have let him)

Us.

Let the fun begin!!!

Singing Karaoke! What a catastrophe!

Kim dancing with her son Jordan.

Jordan and his newfound girlfriend Naomi dancing it up!

Jordan and Grandma Karen dancing.

(He's probably looking for one of those really good 7-ups you order at the bar!)

Shaun, getting his groove on!!!

And showing us how it should be done!

Look what Chad did to his Grandma Millie after a few glasses of wine!

The happy mother of the bride!

Nicki and Grandpa Woody!

What a beautiful place for a wedding!

Look how happy they are!

Sunset!

Pre/Post Wedding Fun!

Andi, Nicki (and Kris)

Nancy and Larry enjoying good food cooked by Kris' CRAZY brothers!

Grandpa Woody, Chad, Nancy and Larry - hanging out in the rain!

Cerah, Kristian, Nicki, Nevaeh, and Kim.

Way too much fun!

Michelle, Nicki, Chad, Kris, Kristian.

Jim and Grandma Millie at Herb's Tavern.

Having a morning drink.

At the Lavender Farm.

In the lavender field. It sure smells good!

Hiking to the lighthouse.

Andi, Kim, Michelle, Nicki, Nancy.

The Alpaca Farm.

It was a beautiful occasion and a fun time had by all!

September 08 - Catchup!

September took us back out to Roz's house in Sweet to help her reattach some of the metal roofing that the wind was trying to blow off the barn again. It was a good day's work, but we had fun... and we got the job done too.

Sara - keeping the ladder steady for Grandpa.

Chad, Jason, and Cliff.

Goofy Sara! The rope bearer.

Me holding Chad up. (Gosh I'm strong!)

Or perhaps its the fact that I'm tied down to the truck behind me.

I like to think it's all me...

Two helpful young boys - Xander and Dawson.

They caught and tamed the wild fence while we were busy with the roof.

Catchup - August 08

Wow... it's been a while to say the least. I'd like to take the next severla blogs to catch you all up on the highlights of things over the past few months. Here goes...

The long and the short of it:

August 08: Chad, Nali and I took a trip to Hells Canyon with our friend Sharene and her dog Maliae. It was supposed to be a three day backpacking trip, but Nali injured herself (nothing serious, just old bones and muscles that don't work the way they used to) and we had to turn around. We car camped instead. Seems like Nali is beginning to show her age this last year (she turned the big 11 in December). No more carrying her own pack it seems. We still had a great time hanging out and hiking around. We saw 4 snakes, lots of hawks, and a bear - Oh My!!!

Nicki and Sharene on the trail.

Hells Canyon. Beautiful.

Three Amigos.

Chad

Tour-de-Fat Aug 23rd

On Saturday the Tour-de-Fat strolled through Boise yet again for a fabulous day of fun-filled-folly. If you enjoy bikes, beer, and utter foolishness, you'd love the Tour-de-Fat! This is a bike loving, fun filled beer festival, held by New Belgium Brewing company. It moves around the country to select cities each summer and Boise just happens to be one of those lucky cities. We're very grateful for that too as it's so much fun! Each year the festival is started with a massive bike ride on which everyone is encouraged to dress up in ANY crazy costume they can think of (without getting themselves arrested that is). After this, everyone congretates in a park to drink beer, and listen to good music and to promote the New Belgium lifestyle. Unfortunatley this year, Chad and I missed the mass bike ride (we both had to work), but we each left work early in order to attend the last several hours of the festial. Here's what it looks like...

The stage and some performers down below (between bands playing).

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Here's what Chad looked like. Sweet hair and beer goggles sweetie! I'm a lucky woman!

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Me, and yes that is a beer in my hand. Okay, so it's Chad's beer, but I did sip on it occasionally.

At the center of the festival is a corraled off area where they've designed a bunch of funny bikes for people to ride. Here's Chad testing them out:

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A scooter bike.

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Yes, that is a bike with shoes for wheels. Doesn't everybody have one?

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Chad in background (some unknown guy in foreground) -there were lots of red shirts and pink helmets in the bike corral.

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This was the point where I wondered if it was wise to leave the insurance card at home...

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And finally...

Chad on a true fat-tire bike!

We've easily established that after a few beers, Chad likes riding goofy bikes in pink helmets, sticking his tongue out and flashing devil horns at everyone. In New Belgium style... 'Follow your Folly.' For that afternoon, that's exactly what we did.

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Can't wait until next year!

I hate squirrels!

No joke. In a matter of about three hours one evening the squirrels completely demolished our hammock!!!

I've been carrying that hammock around for over 9 years waiting until we could have a place to use it. I bought it on a trip to Mexico in January of 1999! We finally get finished creating the perfect back yard to use it in, so we splurge and buy a nice hammock stand, and then the squirrels have to go and eat the hammock! I am very much anti squirrel right now...

We're strongly considering teaching Nali a new trick... tree climbing/squirrel hunting/hammock avenging.

From the Heart in memory of Pax (2)

We have some VERY special updates on remembrances in honor of Pax to share with you all.

This past weekend Forest and Millie Wood and Nancy and Larry Patrick planted an absolutely beautiful Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud in the front yard of Nancy and Larry's house. It is planted where everyone will be able to see it immediately whenever they visit the Patrick house. It is an umbrella shaped tree that will produce reddish purple flowers in early spring. What makes this plant even more special is that the leaves are all shaped like hearts! It will be a constant reminder to everyone that visits how much we all loved Pax and how dearly we miss him. We want to thank them all very much for buying such a beautiful tree with so much meaning and symbolism attached to it. We can't wait to see all the little heart shaped leaves multiply as the tree grows throughout the years to come. Thank you so much!

Chad, digging the hole.

Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud

Look at the perfectly heart shaped leaves!

Forest, Millie, Nancy, Larry

Bill and Patty McDonald planted a Siberian Pea for Pax in their yard in Howe, Id. They planted the bush/tree in an area of the yard where we can often be found playing different yard games whenever we visit them. It will be nice to see the plants changes in growth whenever we visit. We were also happy to hear that the plant is a wind and drought tolerant plant which should do well in that area. It will be fun to play games while laughing and visiting with family and friends next to Pax tree in the future. Thank you both!

Bill digging the hole.

Planting the Siberian Pea

It's the little one in the center. Should be fun to watch it grow.

In addition to this plant, Patty had a wonderful story to tell us about a tree in their yard that started on it's own. The very week we lost Pax, Patty said she noticed a tiny little pine tree had started to grow of it's own accord not far from their house. The amazing thing is that there are absolutely no other trees like this one anywhere in the visinity of their property. It's one of those stories that sends a good shiver down your spine... They plan to keep watering the tree, and perhaps next year, when it's a bit bigger, they will transplant it farther from the house. It's an amazing thing...

Here's the little self-starter!

Bill and Patty McDonald also climbed Diamondpeak and wrote Pax name in the book on the top. This sit he second peak (in addition to Mt. Borah) that they have included his name int he book on the summit.

Again, we want to thank them for being so thoughtful.