It has been a really wonderful week, where all the things just seemed to line up and balance really well. We saw three (three!) Broadway musicals this week, all acted superbly by professional touring companies. One of them (Sister Act) was interpreted by Rachel, and she did an amazing job. As for me, I go a lot done on the website for the dental study club, and I played in the band at church on Sunday. We also went backpacking as a family and had a wonderful time exploring in the mountains, followed by a fun afternoon walking around the charming town of Wallace. There are some little stories here and there that I will include in the captions, but the main thing is just that we had a good week.

That is all. Enjoy the photos!

Oh, and as always, you can click on photos to see them bigger and with better quality. I'm just mentioning it because I think that some of them on this post maybe deserve that more than on others.

Rach and I went to Seattle to see Hamilton! These are tickets that we actually got forever ago during Covid times, and then they were rescheduled, and then they were rescheduled again. The day finally came though, and it was sooo worth the wait. What a wonderful day, capped by a wonderful evening!

Come From Away is a play that we saw a few years ago in New York. It was fun and wonderful and has an extremely hopeful message regarding the goodness of people. However, since we had already seen it we weren't originally planning on going when it came to Spokane. But then Addy entered the picture.

 "If I pay for my ticket with my own money, will you go with me?"

Tickets were fairly expensive, and we figured that if it was worth it to her, it was worth it to us, so we told her we would. We were thinking she would probably just get the cheapest ones available.  This was Addy though, and Addy loves theater. That same day, she went on and bought the best seats in the whole theater. I have to say, it was a night to remember. Seriously, Addy and Rachel both made great dates and it was one of the most enjoyable theater nights in my recent memory. And that's saying something!

Sister Act was a show by the Summer Theater that Rachel interpreted. I think we all had a great time watching the show, and it was one of the few times the kids have actually gotten to see Rachel at work, so that was kind of cool too.

This is the first photo of many that we will post of our recent backpacking trip. All the kids did great, and they are now planning a kids only overnighter where Rachel and I are not invited. I think that is cool.

Relaxing on the trail

At one of our snack stops I forced people to get together for a photo. Also, Lindsey looks like she just saw a ghost.

We decided to shave off much of the hike by climbing straight up this talus slope. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I think that some kids maybe regretted the decision about half way up. It was cool though, when the kids who had already reached the top went back down to take the packs of the others and to talk to them on the way up- "because it is always easier when you have someone with you." Little things like this, especially when unprompted, make my dad heart happy.

I love mountain lakes- especially during sunrise and sunset. There are several photos here of the latter, and the colors were legit. The entire landscape seemed supersaturated and made the experience a little surreal. 

These three girls slept in a tent, Jack and Lindsey used bivy sacks, and Rachel and I shared a tent. Jackson was super nice to carry the girls tent for them even though he wasn't planning on using it.

More sunset photos. I think I am down there pumping water for our dinner.

That evening, Jackson got a little too excited jumping around on some logs and fell in the lake. He didn't bring a change of clothes. He was in for a rough evening.

Our campsite had this makeshift chair that was actually pretty comfy.

So, it turned out that Evelyn and Addy had carried some extra clothes with them, and since they were so thankful that Jackson had carried their tent, they let him change out of his wet ones into theirs.

Also, we should always remember the whooping and cheering we heard from the forest as Jackson changed. I guess he was running around naked and said it was just so liberating. Alright then. 

I woke up early, because I am me, and walked to the top of the mountain.

Rachel with her stick that Lindsey gave her.

This was our favorite log, and we took several pictures on it. The setup was just too good though, with the waterfall in the background and everything.

We started calling Lindsey "our little dirt clod."

I feel like these pictures all need captions, but don't have much to say about some of them. They are just photos we took along the way. Addy and Maren spent a lot of time hiking and playing together on this trip.

Summer sausage and cheese are actually really good together. Throw some trail mix in with it, and it is like mountain charcuterie

I love that I captured this moment with Lindsey and Rachel with their sticks.

Celebration lunch after the hike

Have a good week!

This week I need to do a huge shout out to Rachel. Seriously. Anyone who knows us will probably be the first to tell you how we are a big, busy, active family. We love exploring new places and having new experiences. I haven't officially counted, but I think it's true that the majority of our weekends are spent on out-of-town activities. Getting in the car and driving for several hours has become routine to our kids, and we have made so many memories along the way.

This lifestyle, I am sure, is completely because of Rachel's willingness to make it happen. She is our motor. She is the one who will drive alone in a car with five kids all the way to Colorado, or Las Vegas, or Utah, or anywhere else, and then meet me at an airport as I jauntily join the family at our destination. She is the one who, countless times, has driven all the way through the night while the rest of us sleep so that we can get home in time for work or school the next day. She is the one who gets up early in the morning to go to work, so that she is able to do all these things while at the same time becoming a sought-after and skilled ASL interpreter. 

And as if that isn't enough, she also maintains an active social calendar, is involved in several volunteer organizations, and pursues her personal hobbies with a passion that can be borderline obsessive. I'll admit, the poise that she maintains during this balancing act is such that it can sometimes be taken for granted. Like a talented athlete or musician, she makes her craft look easy. Lest we get too comfortable though, let's just take a quick look at her past several weeks:

July 19-24: Nashville

When it comes to interpreting, Rachel is nothing short of professional. I have watched her development over the course of eighteen years, and I know from firsthand experience how much she puts into this. I think there would be a temptation, especially when life gets busy, to just sort of coast along doing whatever is comfortable in order to focus energy elsewhere. I personally feel this way at times with my own work/life balance. But not Rachel. She actively seeks out unfamiliar territory, puts hours and hours of unpaid prep-work into an assignment, and then walks away proud to have provided a service that is not just "pretty good," but is instead the best she can possibly render at the time. Even as I write this, I know that she is getting up early on most mornings to prep for an assignment that will last all of three hours. By the time the event happens, however, the amount of time she has invested into it will be closer to a full forty-fifty hour work week. It is inspiring, and exhausting, and insane, and very clear to me that this is more than just a job to her. It is a passion. And it is because of this that she has interpreted for some of the most influential people in the world. 

Where her real passion lies, however, is in theatrical interpreting. This is where there is a very fuzzy border between technical performance, linguistic philosophy, and pure artistry, and being able to exist in this space is one of the most delicate balancing acts that exists in her profession. So much so, that there is a valid debate to be had about its possibility of existing in the first place. If anyone can do the impossible though, then I am confident that person is Rachel.

In mid July, Rachel flew out to Nashville for a week-long workshop on this very subject. While there, she was immersed in a world of music, theater, comedy, showmanship, and linguistic nuance. She worked with some of the best in the industry to further develop her skills, and to discuss the philosophical basis of what was actually happening during a performance. Of course there was time for fun as well, and she came back saying that she had made friends and contacts that will persevere for a long time. It was in every way a work-vacation, and I'm pretty sure she was high on life the whole time she was gone. Like I said- it is a passion. 

I think that's cool.

July 26-Aug 2: Denver

I picked Rachel up from the airport late on the night of the 24th. The next day she was up early, collaborating with her team on an upcoming work assignment. She then spent some time at the beach with kids, and then she went home and packed the car. On the 26th, as I left for work, Rachel and the kids began their sixteen-hour drive to Denver. The rest of this trip is cataloged in last-week's post, but I just wanted to put this in context with everything else.

August 3-August 5: Orofino

While driving to Denver, Rachel came upon the terrible news that one of her best friends had lost her fiancé in a tragic helicopter crash. This news hit hard, and as soon as she had pulled into the driveway from the reunion Rachel was already packing her bags again to be with her friend for the next several days. They drove down to the funeral, and spent a lot of time talking and being together. Some friends become family, and we are so, so glad to have these people in our lives. I don't really know what more to say, but my heart goes out to so many people who are hurting right now because of this event.

August 6-August 7: Seattle

Rachel got home on Friday. On Saturday, we went downtown as a family to Art on the Green and a Coeur d'Alene food festival. We went to the resort and got gooeys (ice cream sundaes). We sat on the lawn and watched a few local bands on stage. And then we went home, packed our bags, and were on the road again- this time for Seattle. It was a quick trip that I will mention more in next-week's post. But I thought it should be included here for context.

That context being, that in the last three weeks, Rachel has spent a total of about 24 hours in her own home. During the course of that time she traveled to four destinations in four different states!

In other words, she is a rock star. I love this woman.

Have a good week!

Last week was the Almond reunion. Due to everyone's circumstances, availability, and ability to travel, we selected Denver as our destination. Rachel drove there and back with the kids, sixteen hours each way. I flew in an airplane. Two hours each way. I think I won on that deal. 

We all stayed together in a large Airbnb, and made daily excursions to different activities. I woke up early every day, because I am me, and explored the bike paths and parks closer to our home. Rachel also woke up early, because she had to, in order to prepare for an upcoming job she has. Sadly, Evelyn couldn't come with us. She actually stayed at home in Post Falls because her band had an important gig. She spent the days with friends and their families, but returned to our house at night time to sleep and take care of pets.

In Denver, we did Denver things. Instead of making a list, I'll share photos. Like most reunions though, it wasn't really about the things we did. Rather, it was about who we were with. The moments in between. The catching up with siblings and their kids, keeping up with changes, and staying relevant in each other's lives. It was a reaffirmation that we matter to each other, and that alone made the trip totally worthwhile.

The activates were fun too though. Here are some photos.

Have a good week!

Candy factory tour. The kids obviously liked this one a lot.

The Denver Train Museum

Red Rock Amphitheater. To our kids, this will always be the "Bruises Stadium," because they really like the song Bruises, by Train, and this is one of the locations on the music video. Anyway, I still think this is one of the greatest places in Denver. I'm pretty sure I'd be up here a lot if I lived here- to work out in the mornings, hike around in the afternoons, and go to shows in the evenings. What a great place.

The Buckhorn Exchange is a fabulous little grill if you like eating eclectic foods. Gaston- the guy from Beauty and the Beast, would have loved this place. Lots of dead things. Here's a photo of Addy and Maren after they realized that they had just eaten alligator tail, and what exactly was meant by "rocky mountain oysters." We also had great fish, elk, bison, and game birds for our main courses.

Confluence Park was definitely a favorite among everybody. We spent several hours at this downtown greenspace, with kids running the rapids over and over again.

This was a good one. While everyone else stayed home and watched a movie, Shannon, Adrian, Rachel, and I went downtown to Larimer Square to enjoy some Denver nightlife. Denver definitely has a vibe to it that I like a lot, which is made all the better by live music, good food, and fun people. Maybe my favorite thing that we did.

One day, we headed down to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. This place is cool. We did a walking tour where we learned a little bit about the geology and history of the area, and then when everyone else went back to the visitor's center, Rachel, Addy, and I went on a 2-3 mile trail run. We all got pretty warm, but it was invigorating and we got to see a lot of the formations.

One thing I don't really understand is Addy running with a purse. But I guess I was in jeans and a button-down shirt, and Rach was in flip flops, so nobody really has any room to talk.

Most of our kids are on the older side when it comes to the cousins, although they are all good sports about it. Lindsey, on the other hand, loved being surrounded by people with common ages and interests. 

This is us just goofing around at a reservoir. Also, this photo was taken from about 400 yards away with my fancy new phone camera. I think that's pretty neat. Even at that distance though, you can tell it's me because of the distinctive farmer's tan!

Our kids had paddled to the other side of the lake, and I decided to swim across to get them. Right as I caught up with them, however, I was rudely informed by a ranger that the city of Denver frowns upon open water swimming. So while the kids got to paddle back, I had to take the ride of shame in a police boat. Who knew?

Here's the group photo from the Cave of the Winds. Caves are sort of cool. That is all.

Rachel with her two sisters. 

*****

I'll finish with a few photos that people took from Evelyn's band performance at a fund raiser event thing? I'm actually not sure what it was for. They played a full set though, and Evelyn said that they did better than they have ever done before. She also said that after the show, someone they were talking to booked them for a different gig, so I guess the word is spreading about Minerva (the band). As far as I know, their next showing is at the state fair later this month. 

Kloe, AKA Vix

Michael is new to the group, so they can have both lead and rhythm guitar parts

Evelyn, AKA "Moth," living out the teenage dream that I never knew I had until it was too late

Zoe on bass and lead vocals

They're such a weird group. I love these kids.

To paraphrase John Mellencamp: "Hang on to sixteen as long as you can." 

These are days they should look back on with pride and good memories.