We love summer time, and we have been thoroughly enjoying it. Also, we have tons of pictures this week, but our computer is down (again). We'll put them up next week. In the meantime, enjoy this story:

This week I decided to take Jackson on a hike- "Just papa and Jack," as he would say. It was a good hike. We went to Q'emiln Park which is right down the road from our house and has trails, rock climbing, a beach, and a playground. I also brought our climbing guide book with the intent of scouting out some new areas.

Well, we walked for a while on the main trail, and then took a smaller climber's trail to go check out a new area. This whole time Jackson was climbing and jumping on everything he could find- trees, boulders, bushes, etc. The whole time he was just sort of singing to himself in his cute little high-pitched voice about how he was on a hike with "Just papa and Jack," and how he was going to go back and put sticks and rocks in "Papa's car" (this has become a favorite pastime of all the kids). I loved it- and Jackson is totally in his element when he is in the outdoors so he was obviously having a great time.

Anyway, after checking out some climbs we started back toward the main trail when I saw someone coming toward us. Now, the trail we were on was a little-used climber's trail, which means that it isn't really a trail at all, and that nobody uses it unless they are going to the cliff. As the stranger approached, I noticed that he was an older man, probably in his 60s, that he had probably not shaved in a month, and that he was alone. As he got closer, I saw that his clothes were very worn and that he was carrying a tattered old army-surplus backpack with a shovel and a bucket hanging off the back of it. My first thought was that he was homeless and looking for a place to rest. But seriously, in Post Falls? We don't have homeless people here. They all go to Spokane.Seriously, Post Falls has nothing to offer to a homeless guy.

Well, I didn't think too much more of the stranger and was planning on just passing by when he, indicating the climbing guidebook in my hand, casually asked if I had been checking out the climbs. I figured he was probably lonely and in need of a good conversation, and Jackson was off exploring in the bushes, so I figured I could indulge him a little bit. I stopped and told him about how we had moved into the area within the last year and how impressed we were with the beauty of the area. I also told him that I was a climber, and was trying to become more familiar with the climbs. To that he smiled, and then asked what kind of climbs I was looking for. Did I want something steep and strenuous or something that was technically demanding, or a mix of both? As we talked, it became increasingly obvious to me that this man not only knew the area well, but that he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the rock climbing in the entire region.

At some point during our conversation I extended my hand and apologized to him that I hadn't introduced myself yet, to which he politely shook it and answered that his name was Rusty. At that, I caught my breath a little and looked down at the guidebook I was holding. On the cover was a picture of a young athletic climber high on a cliff, and under it, the authors name- Rusty Baillie. Could this be him? If it was, then he alone had established about 80% of the climbs in the area, and was one of the most prolific climbers in the Northwest.

When I looked up from the picture he confirmed my suspicions with a dismissive smile, mentioning that "that picture was taken a long time ago." No kidding! We talked for a while about the climbing history in the area, and he told me some of the routes he was currently working on. We were just ending our pleasant conversation when Jackson came up to me and, pointing to a nearby boulder asked me in a very clear voice, "Can you spot me, Papa?" I excused myself and spotted Jack as he made his way carefully up the rock. I have to admit, I was a little bit proud. I mean, really, how many two year olds do you know who will ask if you can spot them on a boulder problem?

After he was to the top, Rusty came up to me again. "You know, your son reminds me a lot of my own grandchildren."

I smiled.

"They like to rock climb too." There was a pause as he seemed to consider something for a moment. Finally, it seemed that he came to a conclusion. "I don't suppose you know where Schoolhouse Rock is?" He asked me.

"I've never even heard of it," I responded. "Is it around here."

"Well, you haven't heard of it because it's not in my guidebook." Rusty winked as he said this. "Like I said, my grandchildren like to rock climb." He then told me to go up the trail and to turn when I got to a large rock on the left. I thanked him and told him I would see him around.

Following his directions, Jack and I went back up the trail and found the rock he was talking about. There was nothing but a bunch of bushes and trees. There was no trail. There was no anything. Curiously, we tromped through the dense undergrowth, not really knowing what we were looking for. And then, suddenly, we turned a corner and were standing at the base of the most perfect learning cliff that I could imagine. It was not too high, and had a very easy walk up the backside. At the top there were at least 7 top-rope anchors, each placed over a distinct climbing route. Cracks, slab, face...it was all there. None of the climbs were harder than about 5.5, but all had high quality, sustained climbing at that level. There was even one route that was bolted, with the bolts each placed about 4 feet apart- perfect for a first lead! This place was the perfect training grounds for aspiring rock climbers (or should I say, aspiring parents of rock climbers?) I couldn't contain myself. I pulled out my phone and called Rachel and announced that we were taking our kids climbing!

Later that same day we took all the kids to Schoolhouse Rock. Rusty was still there on the trail (he was working on his own route further down the canyon), and he wished us luck as we passed him. And then our kids climbed, for the first time, with ropes on a real rock. They all had fun. Evelyn made it to the top of two of the climbs with a little help from me. Jackson was crazy about finding cracks where he could wedge nuts and Friends. Addy wanted to stay down low, but had fun helping with rope work and belaying. And Maren just watched.

One day, Maren. One day soon you too, can climb on Schoolhouse Rock.

It was a good day.

Thanks Rusty.

 It's Father's Day. I have wonderful kids. It's been a good day. But I don't feel like spending a lot of time typing out a blog right now. For you, dear reader, that means a lot of pictures with a few captions.

Addy and Jack have started taking off their diapers all the time, sometimes leaving little not-so-neat "packages" on their floor. So, this is our latest attempt at prevention- duct tape around their pajamas. Unfortunately, since we have taken this picture they have discovered that they can help each other and get out of it with a little cooperation. What now? So far we have duct-taped their diapers on, and then put their pajamas on backwards (so they can't reach the zippers), and then put two more layers of tape around their chest so that they can't unzip them. 20 minutes later we find them running around naked. We are at a total loss. Our kids are Houdinis. I'm thinking chastity belts.

Oh- and Evelyn obviously doesn't need the tape, but she was feeling left out.

 Rachel took the kids to the fire station. The neighbors came too. the kids loved it!I think Evelyn may have a future in dispatch (but I secretly hope not).

 I love this picture of Addy. She is so photogenic.

 I love this picture of Jack. He is so....Jackson.

 The Crew.

 This weekend was the Car d'Alene- an annual classic car and hot-rod convention in Coeur d'Alene. It is actually one of the bigger car shows in the US, and it was cool to look at all the cars. Rachel decided that if she could have one, it would be an orange 1965 Porsche convertible. For now, however, a 2002 mini-van with a whopping 221,000 miles on it is a more-than-adequate substitute.

Also, this picture shows off the child-carrying capacity of our awesome stroller. We always get a lot of comments on this :)

 Evelyn's favorite car.

 After the car show we drove up to an ancient grove of Cedars that is near here. There are no other words for this place than to say that it is Magical. If you have ever seen the movie Fern Gully, this is what it was like. Amazing, HUGE trees that predate the discovery of the American continent loom above while the forest below is full of ferns and other cool plants. Totally amazing.

I love where we live.

 There were also a lot of these little wooden bridges on the hike that they kids had fun with. Did I say that this place was amazing?

 Evelyn

 Us.

 Addy. She is so stinkin' cute!

 Rachel and Maren by a massive maze of roots.

 Rest stop. You will notice very few pictures of Jackson from this hike. That is because the kid is crazy.Taking him on a hike reminds me of when I used to take my dog, Cassie, into the mountains. You know he is there because you can hear him in the bushes, but you only actually see him in fleeting moments as he is running across the trail on his way to another area to explore.

 The place was so magical that Evelyn decided that fairies must live there. With that in mind, we made a fairy house. Jack helped too, but, as you can see, he was kind-of being a goof. Did I mention that he is crazy?

 ...So, here is just me and Evelyn.

 And here are just a few more pictures of the area. I was so captivated by the plants and stuff that I just kept taking pictures. I'm sure that other people (Allison) would do a much better job at capturing the lushness of the forest. But hey, at least I tried, right?

For Father's day, the kids made me a smiley face breakfast, complete with cereal hair, egg eyes, banana eye-brows, an apple nose, bacon mouth, and outlined in vanilla wafer cookies.

Well, Rachel just went downstairs and the kids diapers are off again and apparently there is quite the mess to clean up on the floor. Also, it turns out that Addy has, at some point in the past 24 hours, swallowed 3 pennies.

Don't ask me how I know.

Happy Father's Day!

Liberty Lake is a small town about 5 minutes away from Post Falls and it is a pretty upscale place. Because of its small-town nature, there are only two day out of the whole year that Liberty Lake gets bogged up in traffic. The first is on the 4th of July due to the large city park and excellent fireworks show. The second is a Saturday in the beginning of July known locally as The Annual Sale. The whole town gets involved. There is a big flea-market type set-up in the park with both private and commercial vendors, but the real fun lies in the neighborhoods. From what I saw, I would guess that about 1 out of every 10 houses had a garage sale going on. Now, if you think about it, that is a lot of garage sales!

The original plan was to take all the kids out of the car and walk from house to house, but unfortunately Mother Nature had different plans. All week it has been rainy, and yesterday was no exception. It was still a lot of fun to drive around in the car with the occasional stop, and although we didn't buy anything (a fact I am very proud and somewhat surprised about) I feel that we were able to truly enjoy the spirit of The Annual Sale. The best thing I saw? One kid had a lemonade stand- but with the word lemonade crossed out and the words Hot Chocolate put into its place due to the wet and cold weather. And he had a line of people a mile long waiting for their warm beverages. I'd bet that kid has a bright future in business to look forward to.

Well, since our Saturday Activity involved us sitting in the car for most of it, we didn't take any pictures. So instead, I thought I'd show some pictures of the shop I have set up. I've been spending a lot of time out there, and I thought that some people might be interested. Also, I wanted to put the pictures up here so I have them recorded somewhere for the printed version of THC. Anyway, here they are:

 We'll start with this picture from the outside. Usually we keep the big door shut, but I open it occasionally for ventilation when I work or for getting large things (tables, motorcycles, etc.) in and out. I'll sort of bring you on the tour from left to right, pointing out the different features I have built in.

 This is just an overview of the left side. Next we'll look at things in a little more detail. Actually, a lot more detail. Remember, I am putting these up here for me, not you- and most of you probably don't really care (although I can think of a few of my readers who probably do). That's okay.

 This is my "living room" area. This fouton is where I do my scripture study in the morning. It is where I read all my dental journals. It is where Rachel sits to talk to me or read to me while I am working. It is where I go to relax and play my guitar. One of the great features of the shop is that it is fully insulated, making it not only comfortable and weatherproof, but relatively soundproof as well. I am sure that our neighbors appreciate this fact when I am using power tools in the early morning or playing my guitar late at night. Also, there are some sentimental aspects of this set-up. The guitar is one that I got in Brazil. Although I'll have to bring it in the house during the winter to keep it tuned, it is nice having it out here in the summer months because it is convenient to take out during our nearly weekly BBQs/Campfires. The picture over the couch is one of the areas where I served my mission in Brazil, and was painted specifically for me by a local artist based on a photograph I had taken. The paddle is my first kayak paddle, and has served me well on many great trips. I have a nicer paddle now, but I couldn't just let this one sit tucked away in the rafters. We have too many memories together. Finally, the bookshelf is where I can keep all my climbing and river guides, as well as the few woodworking books that I own. The one addition I hope to have in this area in the near future is a small refrigerator that I can keep stocked with sodas and ice cream :)

 Garden tool storage. Nothing special here.

This is the "mechanics corner" of the shop. As of now, I only tinker with mechanics and don't need a lot of space. I did make the bench high enough that I can one day keep an air compressor and welding cart under it, should I ever get more into that kind of thing. There is also a good beam above this area which could support a ceiling mounted engine hoist/rail. For now, however, the tools I have serve me well and allow me to do as much as I want. The only near-future addition would be a bench vice mounted on the corner.

 Ah- the rock climbing gym I've always wanted. I have often said that a climber only needs to do a few good exercises to stay in top shape: Sit-ups, push-ups, dips, pull-ups, cardio, and a fingerboard routine. Also, you'll notice the weights on slings to attach to the harnesses for when body-weight just isn't enough.

The home climbing wall. The holds are set-up so that the kids can get to the top on top-rope, but so that it can also be a challenging boulder problem when a few "rules" are applied.

 Here's the "office" area. This is where I make plans. Building plans, business plans, trip plans, family plans, etc. I freely admit that I am a planner. Now I have a designated place to do it. You'll also notice a few other things, such as a stereo and some guns. Just a word on the guns- these ones are all air guns, although the one on the very top is pretty dang powerful (has shot all the way through a 2x4) and is of .22 caliber. The pistol (mounted on the wall near the door) is the weakest of them all, but probably the funnest because it is loud and it is semi-automatic. Shooting it makes you feel sort of like Chuck Norris...well, not really... especially when you realize that it is just a pellet gun... but it is fun. If you look in some of the other pictures I have posted, you will see several targets/pellet traps which I have mounted on the walls. I don't know what it is about shooting, but kids and adults alike have a lot of fun with this.

 And here is the heart of the shop. Now let me just say here that I love woodworking. I always have. I don't have all the experience or the skill of some people I know (Kelly and Matt), but I sure do have fun with it, and it feels good to create things.

Here's the same picture with some labels:

A: Target box for pellet guns; B:Holder for wood files/chisels; C:Grinder; D:Belt/disc sander; E:Hand-held electric sander and sandpaper storage; F:Drill bits; G: Drill press; H,I: Work areas; J: Sliding miter saw (it moves over to work area “I” during use); K: Assembly table/work area/runnout table for table saw; L:Table saw/tool storage; M: Commonly used hand tools/Drill-driver; N: jigs for table saw- on the other side there area shelves for storage; O: Router/Router table; P: Dremel; Q: Drawers for nails,screws,etc.; R:Band Saw; S:Bits for router and dremel/fire extinguisher; T: Clamps; U: Garbage/Clean up area.

Again, I have planned room for expansion. If/when I decide that I need them, I have places mapped out for a thickness planer, a jointer, and a wood lathe. For now, however, my current set-up suffices very well.

Also, I just realized the picture doesn't show "U." It is under "T"-- you know, where you can see the green garbage can. There's also a broom, dust brush, and dust pan there.

Just another picture. In the captions that follow I am going to highlight the assembly table that I made. It is my own design and I am proud of it. First, as seen in this picture, it works great as a runnout table for the saw. It was made to be this height specifically for this purpose.

Here' the table saw my dad gave me. I wanted to show the measuring guide (you can barely see the strip of wood along the bottom right corner of the picture) and the wood pusher thingy that I made for it. I also made a bunch of jigs for different applications, but I won't bore you with all those.

 Here's the working side of the table. As you can see, it is a just a desk with a built-on workbench top. The drawers of the desk have been removed, so now I have sliding shelves instead, which I like better. Next we'll look at the sliding wood panel I built on.

 ...It works great for clamping things to the table. This is good when hand-planing large panels or for gluing pieces together. Basically, it is an expanded-functions wood vice.

 Another way to clamp the wood to the workbench.

 Next, if you look carefully, you can see rectangular holes which have been chiseled all around the table. These holes go all the way through and are made to receive clamps.

 This is another way to hold the workpiece on the bench.

 It also works well to hold a piece down while using the jig-saw

...or for securing those large, awkward pieces while using the circular saw. I can't say how many times I have been thankful for the sliding wood fence and the chiseled holes. Every time I have needed a way to secure pieces together for gluing or for working, I have been able to find a way to do it using these features.

 Okay- enough of me patting myself on the back for my workbench design. And we're almost done with the tour. I promise. We're moving outside now so I can show off my wood storage area. I have plans for more lumber racks, and for a shingled covering to put over it to keep off the elements. I already have the building supplies to make this (left-over from when the shop was built), and it will probably be one of my near-future projects.

And, while not really related, this is our garden which grows behind the shop. The area in the very back is reserved for raspberries which some friends are giving to us. Yum!

 The most important feature of the entire shop- the lock. This is high enough that small children cannot reach it.

The second most important feature- the baby monitor. Because of this, Rachel and I are able to go out at night after the kids are in bed.

And that's it! Whew!

Have a good week!

This week began and ended with hikes. And in the middle...well, more hikes. We love summer time in Post Falls! There are tons of hikes around here and our kids are getting to the age where it is fun to get outside and on the trail. There are a few "rules," however, that we have discovered about hiking with small children. When followed, these rules make it so that the whole family can have an enjoyable outing. When ignored, the whole thing tends to go down hill pretty fast. For those with young children, here are our rules:

1) Absolutely, under no circumstances, should there be any expectations of actually reaching a specified destination. Failure to follow this rule can easily end in tears when your children decide to grind your expectations into the dirt with their faces, elbows, knees, and shins. We have found that it is much easier to hike for a specified amount of time with mini-destinations along the way. For example, a lot of the trails around here have benches or other designated rest areas along the way. This makes it easy to go from point to point, and to turn around when your kids are showing signs of restlessness instead of when you reach a certain location.

2) Do not plan on getting a work out. You will move very, very slowly. Kids have short legs and even shorter attention spans for monotonous hiking. Instead, it is fun to embrace the leisurly pace and look for small points of interest along the way (bugs, cool rocks and leaves, rabbit holes and bird nests, etc.)

3) Plan frequent rest stops. We bring small snacks, and tell the kids what they can look forward to at the next stop ("When we reach the next bench, we have fruit bars!"). The frequent stops allow the kids a chance to rest and to explore their surroundings without having to stay on the beaten path.

4) Relax! Kids are durable! They can get muddy. They can fall down and scrape their knees. They can eat bugs. Really, there are very few things that are truly harmful to them. Gross, yes. But patience and freedom go hand-in-hand in teaching kids about the wonderful world in which they live. In short, let them be kids! As Ms. Frizzle (of Magic School Bus fame) says, It's time to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

5) Bring band-aids. This is a lesson I learned a long time ago, and now I always carry a few spare band-aids in my wallet. It's true that 9 times out of 10 they do absolutely nothing, and it is also true that my 4-year-old daughter can explain to you what the placebo effect is, but the truth is that it works. If a kid is screaming, there is no quicker way to make them feel better than to slap a band-aid on wherever area they are pointing to, give them a quick hug, and then let them run off to find another way to hurt themself.

6) Encouragment is the key. Tell them that they are good hikers, even when they aren't. It works. Kids will live up or down to whatever expectations you set for them. Unfortunately, there are far too many kids who are labled BY THEIR PARENTS as being "prissy" or "shy" or "clumsy" or "slow" or a whole host of other negative things, and it is all they can do to live down to these lables. Take Addy for example. She was probably the worse hiker on the planet. Seriouly. She was scared to step over small pebbles for fear of falling, and would just say "I can't" in a very whiney voice and insist that we carry her. This could have gotten very frusterating very fast, and it would have been easy to just give up. But instead, by reinforcing to her that she is a "Good Hiker," and praising her when she did venture outside of her comfort zone, she now not only enjoys hiking, but has also truly become the good hiker that we told her she was. Now this seems so intuitive, and I'm not trying to toot my own parenting horn here, but I see SO MANY parents who, from a very young age, ruin their children by placing negative lables on them. As if it's not obvious, it makes me upset to see this. You are their parent. Believe me, the world will let them know soon enough what their shortcomings are. Please, help them to develop some self confidence before that happens. Confident kids can stand up to outside scrutiny.

7) Woah- that last one got off track a little bit- but it does apply to hiking too. Anyway, the seventh rule is to keep it fun. If you ever want your children to enjoy something then don't force it on them. You'll burn them out.

8) Find special moments for one-on-one time. It can be easy to get caught up in being the shephard of the ninty-and-nine (at least it seems that way sometimes) that the one is sometimes forgotten. I often have to remind myself that I don't just have "4 wonderful children", but that instead I have a wonderful and inteligent Evelyn, an amazingly cute and sunshiney Adalie, an adventurous and independant Jackson, and a serene and easy-going Maren who each have their individual personalities and needs. It is important to respond to these needs and allow their personalities to come through as individuals and not just as members of a larger group under the umbrella term of "kids."

9-10) This one deserves two, because it is the most important. Are you ready for it. Here it is. To borrow from Nike- Just Do It! Sometimes it seems impossible to get out, and you will have a thousand reasons not to go, and a million other things to do that seem more pressing at the moment. Again- Just Do It! It's worth it.

Here are some pictures of our adventures this week.