In January we sat down as a family one evening and planned out our year. One of the things that almost everyone wanted to do was visit the ocean. This wish was granted this week as we loaded up the car and headed for the Washington coast. We had tons of fun. Here are some pictures.

We'll do this picture first. This was taken after Lindsey and I went on a walk at about 2:00 in the morning on the way there. The others were trying to sleep in the car, but this little girl was bright eyed and ready for action. She would not sleep, and she was keeping the others awake. It was actually a very pleasant little walk. There was a full moon, and we held hands as we just walked along the side of a back-road in Northeast Washington and talked about...stuff. Lindsey is so sweet, and as the youngest I'm afraid I probably don't give her as much attention as the others. This was good bonding time. It also made me wonder about the impression we probably gave to the very few passing motorists we saw- a dad and a little girl walking down the road in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night- it seems a little creepy, or sad, or both.

First impressions- wow, that is a lot of water.

A lot of playing in the water. Jack was the die-hard here. The others were either scared of the waves or else they got cold or tired of the salty taste. Not Jack though. He stayed out there for hours. He's about to get pummeled in the picture.

Lots of exploring and making forts with driftwood

They discovered they could write on rocks with small bits of burned wood from past campfires. This kept them occupied for quite a while.

This is how you know it's been a good day

Starfish!

Tide pools were definitely a favorite. We saw tons of starfish, anemones, crabs, oysters, barnacles, and sea urchins. We also found a couple of  eels, a few different kinds of fish, and even an octopus. The blood starfish were my personal favorite because you could hold them in your hand and watch their arms squirming around looking for a hold. Marine life of this sort holds a special fascination for me- it causes me to think about life differently and really stand back in awe at the wonder of it all. 

This is the look Evelyn gives me when she thinks I am being especially awesome or witty. She's going to make an awesome teenager.

Rachel is the healthy one- she decided to go to a local gym to get some bike training in. Meanwhile, the rest of us went and got pizza, bread-sticks, and soda. Afterwords, we went to the Olympic National Park visitor center where they had tons of kid-friendly activities and exhibits.

This is where we camped. Just as an FYI- the Olympic peninsula is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. It is by far the most biologically interesting place I have personally ever been. With the coast, the temperate rainforest, and the high rugged mountains, it can be pretty breathtaking to take it all in.

Rainforest means there isn't much dry wood around. This didn't deter Jackson though- he built a fire using matchsticks.

This is a place where we ate breakfast on the last day. The kids and I decided to go on a random trail-run. They did great!

Rachel wins the style award for the trip. I like the purple socks pulled up over the pants. I think she may be onto something.

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend. Definitely a family trip that we will remember. Definitely a place to go back to.

On Friday night I think I might have shed a tear or two of pure, unadulterated euphoria.

Right in front of me- close enough that I could practically see the sweat dripping off their greasy hair- were three of the biggest legends that Rock and Roll has ever produced- three people who the world thought they'd never see play together again. Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff Mckagan- the core group of the band Guns N' Roses, were live on stage, and I was there to see it. To add one more cliche' to a paragraph already full of them- it was epic.

How did this happen? Well, I'm not totally sure. I think it began with a conversation on Thursday when a patient mentioned that he had a couple of tickets available. Before I knew what was happening, my team was looking at the schedule and figuring out how they could get me off early the next day. A quick phone call to Rachel confirmed that we could get a reliable sitter for the kids who could pick them up from their day camp and spend the night with them (Serious thanks here to Hannah, a college student who has been a wonderful nanny on the days that Rachel works). And that was that.

Less than twenty four hours later Rachel and I were on our way to Seattle, floor level tickets in hand for the most awesome concert I could possibly have imagined- The original Guns N' Roses, with Alice In Chains opening for them. Wow. Two of my favorite bands ever. I don't think it actually hit me until they were all up front during the song November Rain, and Slash was in the middle of his solo, and I had the distinct thought- "I am here, and this is actually happening." Surreal is probably the best word that comes to mind.

Here's when we first got there. The arrow is where our seats are.

Looking backwards. By the time the show started, every seat in the stadium was filled. That is a lot of people.

It's almost starting

Ah Yeah- this was well worth the effort. Woah.

*****

When we got back into town the next day, the kids were awesome and let Rachel and me take naps to catch up on some much-needed sleep. That evening they all surprised me with a birthday party. One of my favorite presents was a back-country cook set for two. I know, it seems weird, but those who are interested in alpine climbing or ultralight backpacking will appreciate this.

Red solo cup for comparison

This stuff all nests inside, including the stove and fuel. Now that's pretty neat.

*****

The next afternoon (after I played in my band and realized how much I wasn't Slash), it was Jackson's turn to go to Silverwood with Rachel. It has been really fun going on these one-on-one outings with the kids. Meanwhile, the rest of the family and I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at the lake.

*****

Here's a few other things we did during the week:

Parent's night at the kids' day camp

Rachel's outing with her "Moms that Rock" group

Rock climbing with me and the three older kids. They are starting to learn how to belay each other. Evelyn does a pretty good job on her own (with close supervision, of course). Addy and Jack still need a little help with the rope work, but they are fearless on the rock. It was a fun afternoon.

*****

As I've been putting this post together I had the same thought that I have almost every week. That thought is "wow- we are pretty busy."

It is definitely true that we do a lot of stuff, and there isn't a whole lot of down-time in our home. That's just how we roll, I guess. But even as I had that thought, it didn't feel quite right to me. The word "busy" seems to imply a sort of desperation or frantic running around to get stuff done. If anything, this is the exact opposite of our lifestyle. It is rare that we feel pressured to do anything, and there are plenty of times that we choose to stay home rather than participate in whatever activity presents itself at the moment.

I also love coming together every night with Rachel after the kids are in bed. We usually sit on the deck with the sunset, maybe with a couple of appetizers or something that we threw together, and just talk the night away. This end-of-the-day winding-down has become almost routine for us, and I think of it as one of the most important things we do.

For all these reasons, it seems odd for me to think of ourselves as "busy." Maybe it's just that we would usually rather be doing something than nothing. And I can't even begin to describe how much easier it is to handle five young children when there is a purpose or direction to the activities we are a part of. For this reason, rather than "busy," a more accurate description of our lifestyle might be "actively engaged in life." I like the sound of that much better, even if it does seem a little cheesy.

Either way- it's a good way to be. It works well for us.

*****

Have a good week!

We had the neatest rainstorm yesterday. The streets were like rivers in some areas, with almost a foot of water running down them. There were stalled cars everywhere. Sitting in the car, it looked like we were in a car wash. And then it was gone. Weather is cool.

This week the four older kids are all at Camp Ka-mee-lin. The theme is pirates, and they are loving it. Rachel is also loving her Lindsey time.

On Monday, Rachel and Lindsey and I went out to breakfast, and then idled away most of the morning in downtown Spokane just walking around and talking and window-shopping. That afternoon we all had naps. It was a fantastically lazy day- something that I don't indulge in very often.

Train car cafe

Lindsey cuddles. This is the last time she gets the paci. The next week will be very sad for her. Poor girl.

Last weekend Rachel did a 25 mile bike ride/race with some of her friends. I think they had a good time :).

Rachel's Houston trip and Grandma Almond's visit

So, lately I have been thinking a lot about news/politics. For the past couple of years I have read five newspapers every day- the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Idaho Statesman, and the Coeur d'Alene Press. I seldom miss a day, although events almost never have a direct bearing on my life. I also receive email subscriptions to political watchdog groups like Factcheck.org or Politifact.com, as well as to various news or political podcasts, my favorites being Left, Right, and Center, Amicus, and Radiolab's recent addition, More Perfect. And this is only a fraction of the media I consume if you include the books I read, the movies I watch, or the radio I listen to.

Why do I do all this? Honestly, I don't really know. Entertainment? I think that is probably the only real answer I can give.

I mean sure, I like to think that being informed about things makes it so that the opinions I hold are somehow more justified or valid. When I really think about it though, I realize this is probably not the case at all. If anything, I am probably less likely to take a strong stance on any given issue as I learn more about it- mostly because I can totally understand where all sides are coming from, and that they are almost all sensible and valid from a certain point of view. When forced to express a position I will normally come to working conclusions which often, for me, seems to reside just slightly to the left of center on the US political spectrum. I guess that is the area where my "ideal" world lies. At the same time, I also realize that what is good for me is probably terrible to someone else's interest, or even to my own if taken to certain extremes. And then I start questioning things all over again.

I think that maybe the thing I am really interested in is ideas for their own sake. Not so much for reaching conclusions, but more for exploring the questions themselves. They (questions) are much more interesting. Conclusions seem so static by comparison- necessary, in a way, to avoid a sort of intellectual paralysis, but unfulfilling at the same time. Simple or dogmatic answers tend to bore me, and I swear I am about to quit social media altogether if I see one more stupid meme that condenses a complex and fascinating issue into one of plain right or wrong, as if those terms are so easy to define. As if there was just one answer- one correct form of government, one correct way to raise kids, one correct road to happiness, or one correct approach to life's mysteries- and the rest of the world is somehow ignorant or corrupted or evil or stupid for not seeing things in the same way.

Which I guess leads to the question that's been on my mind lately-what is the point of asking questions? I mean, if it's all just a matter of opinion in the end, then why even try? Why not just give up, or give in to whatever voice is the first to claim moral authority or superiority? Why try to figure things out at all, if there turns out in the end to be multiple and irreconcilable right answers depending only upon one's perspective?

And I guess the best answer I can come up with is because I like it- and perhaps because I don't know how to let someone else take responsibility for my own thoughts. Maybe it's for the same reasons that I like listening to blues rock, or eating Mediterranean food, or climbing rocks. It satisfies me to think about things. It also exercises my intellect, makes for deeper conversation, and every once in a while leads to a new or important insight that I use to guide my own decisions. 

But mostly, it's just a hobby. It's fun.

And so I continue to consume my media, and wrestle with my ideas, and add to my endless list of questions while claiming fewer and fewer sure answers to anything. I suppose that to some people this could be construed as unsettled or unavailing. And I guess, in a way, it is (especially when taken to an unhealthy extreme). At the same time, I think it is the best any of us can do. As Voltaire so eloquently wrote, "doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one." The minute we feel that we truly "know" the answer to an issue is the minute we choose not to learn any more about it. And I'm not willing to make that choice. Thinking and learning are too interesting of pastimes for me to give up on.

Wow. That one sort of got away from me. I realize that "ideas" aren't as intriguing to everybody else as they are to me, and that certain ideas might even be interpreted as dangerous to some people. For this reason, I am finding myself becoming more and more selective as I get older when it comes to sharing my thoughts. For me, this is a simple matter of prudence. In my experience there are way too many people who mistake disagreement for hatred, curiosity for provocation, or uncertainty for apathy, and I trust myself less and less to be articulate enough to head off these misconceptions. Even so, I think I'll leave this here. Rachel told me to. And if anything, it can give people an insight into how I think.

*****

This week I actually have two weeks to catch up on. For the first, on my end at least, there wasn't a whole lot that happened. Of course we continued our active lifestyle- I'm sure we went swimming a few times or something, and it was mostly a good week- just not really noteworthy in any way. For Rachel however, the story is a little bit different. Here is what she has to say:

Hello everyone!  It has been quite a long time since my writing has made an appearance on our blog.  First, I would like to take a minute to say that I have the most awesome husband ever! Thank you, my Love, for taking time every week to chronicle the crazy/fun/memorable events of our lives.  The printed Hazard Chronicles are, hands down, my favorite possessions.  We all know that they would be about 20 pages long if it were my responsibility to write weekly.  Thanks again!  I sure love you.

On to Houston!

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite word is "balance." I am constantly aware of each facet of my life (family time, one-on-one time with kids, time with Logan, my work schedule, my "me" time, cycling time, etc) and how they are affecting the other parts and staying in balance to create... Well.. a balanced "me."  (I told you that was my favorite word).  Anyway. My work segment consists of working 1-2 afternoons a week, my goal of interpreting one cruise every year, and attending a professional interpreting conference annually.  The latter came due two weeks ago.

On Wednesday I packed up, said goodbye to Logan and the kids, and set off for a week of interpreting courses and family activities.  My regional conference was held in Arizona this year, but I decided to ditch it and go to RID region IV conference in Houston to visit my temporary stomping grounds and see Deanna, Dave, and company.  Let the fun begin!

Lets back up a bit and say that my profession is awesome!  I absolutely love being an interpreter because it lets me be a professional and a stay at home mom, there are endless 'specialties' to focus on for improving my skill, ASL linguistics are my passion, and my day-to-day work is varied and exciting.  Lets just say that spending four full days doing back to back conferences is eye and brain candy for me.  In this conference I focused heavily on classes about legal and courtroom interpreting (spoiler alert- a future goal is to spend one to two years becoming certified as a legal interpreter).  

As the classes wound down each day I eagerly looked forward to the evenings spent with Deanna, Dave, Ashton, Savanna, and Landon.  Some of our activities included: an evening out at an antique auction in which Deanna scored some great buys for their new house, dinner out with the family, hours of good conversation, attending the Houston Symphony performance in the park (which was masterfully done), and a fun Sunday family dinner before I headed back to Idaho.  I was also very excited to see Grant and Debbie, Tyan and Kellye (and families), along with Deanna and Dave (and company) for a fun dinner out.  I have missed all of you and it was great to catch up!

I have to mention in here that I was very impressed with Savannah and Ashton. They are well poised, smart, and interesting.  I had a lot of fun conversations with them on this trip and I am excited to watch their lives unfold and see what they do in the future.  

After some crazy flight delays I arrived home at 3:30 Monday morning to begin a fun week with my mom in town...

True to form I completely missed every good photo opportunity.  You will just have to take my word that I went to Houston, I did lots of stuff, and I loved it!

*****

I have written and rewritten this section about 12 times only to come up with just one more way to create a long list of activities.  I have decided to embrace this and create a few different lists accompanied by pictures.  

Sunday to Sunday with my mom was packed with non-stop action!  We had the perfect mix of kids activities, adult time, mom/daughter time, and grandma one-on-one time. 

Kid time
Our family time took us to the beach, the bounce house, plenty of parks, a morning movie at the theater, and culminated in a 10 mile bike race on Sunday (more about that to come).

Mom/Daughter time
I had more time this week with my mom than I can remember having in a LONG time!  On Tuesday I finished up my evening training ride and met my mom to finish the night doing a few miles with her.  She recently bought a bike and has been going out on rides in Sandy.  We were excited to get together and do something that both of us enjoy. Later that week we went out for some "us time" to La Peep for lunch and out for Gooies for dessert.  We also went to Bardenay together for a dinner out (Logan was supposed to join us, but he volunteered to stay home when we had babysitter troubles).  

Adult time
Deck nights have become a staple in our house.  Logan and I go out and enjoy the sunset at least four times a week together in the  Summer.  There are no shortage of conversation topics and we have yet to tire of this tradition.  We ended most of our days this week with the three of us talking on the deck until all hours of the morning. Great fun!  The three of us were also able to escape for an evening to see "The Music Man" put on by the CDA Summer Theater.  This theater group is amazing, and they did not disappoint for this performance.  We had a wonderful evening.

Logan/Rachel time
Hooray for date nights! My mom watched the kids for an evening so that we could enjoy a good old fashioned dinner and a movie date!   We had dinner at The Porch in Hayden and then out to see the newest X-Men movie.  We enjoyed the quaint atmosphere during dinner and the good movie afterwards! Later, we were able to sneak out again in the early morning hours to get a bit of rock climbing in.  Can I just say that I love rock climbing and that I love Logan!  Thanks, mom.

Grandma/kid time
My mom had some fun one-on-one time with each of the kids during her stay.

Sunday's Race
This Summer had been full of running and cycling for Logan and me.  We have been keeping up a busy schedule with races and training.  Early this year we decided it would be fun for the kids to have a race to train for as well.  We found a 10 mile family ride that was part of the 2016 Valleyfest.  For the past 6 weeks we have been going on progressively longer family rides to get the kids ready for their event.  All of us have been really excited, and it was fun to have grandma join us!  She has been riding for a few weeks and it was a great accomplishment for her as well.

Hooray for family time! Bring on the pictures!

Lots of playing with the kids

10 mile family bike race. I pulled Maren and Lindsey in the trailer

We went and saw The Music Man. I love the Summer Theatre!

We went to the beach and found a bunch of Merpeople lounging in the sand

Mother-Daughter date.

*****

And with that, we can officially say WE MADE IT THROUGH JULY! It was a crazy month. Lots of family. Lots of fun. Lots of new stuff/repairs. Lots and lots and lots of activity- and lots of stress (positive stress, but stress nonetheless) to go with it. Whew. Bring on August- the month where we have virtually no plans. The month for just lounging on a beach or a freshly cut lawn and enjoying the long days of Summer.

Have a good week!

Maren's favorite breakfast. Uck!

"Car Wash Scary" are the newest additions to Lindsey's rapidly expanding vocabulary.