Spokane/St. Maries

 We had a great weekend with our cousins in Spokane and at their lake house in St. Maries, Idaho. We sure love summer!! I sure love summer! Wish it could last all year...

This week Rachel and two of her friends will be going to horse camp. Fun! Each girl chose a camp. Erin Joy chose art, and Rachel chose horseback riding. I am happy Rachel wrote an essay for the camp and won first prize. She is at camp for free! Nice!

The Artist

 Erin Joy enjoys art so I signed her up for an art camp. "Paper Mache Fairy Tales" was the theme of the class. Her art teacher sent me a few pictures. I thought it was hilarious that Erin Joy pulled a face in every picture because that is what she does whenever I pull out a camera. I get frustrated with her and tell her to smile or put her tongue back in. I guess her teacher was nicer and just let her pull faces while she took pictures:)

 I made her pose by the door (no dirty dishes or piles in the background of this picture...) and hold up all her creations. She also made a mask, but it was in her room and she didn't want to go up the stairs to get it for a picture.

 She was so excited that her teacher let her keep some of the paper mache.  I'm not so excited...

 They made silly creatures using magazines and brad fasteners. Erin Joy had to pose with

I sure love this little artist who is growing up too fast.

Jetty Island

When we aren't busy camping and traveling, our favorite local place to go during the summer is Jetty Island. The Island is only open from July 4th to Labor Day.  Jetty Island has the best sandy beach and the warmest water. It is the perfect place to relax and have fun. We spent two days at Jetty Island with various friends. Here are a few pictures followed by a movie....

Lime Kiln Trail

On Saturday, we enjoyed a little hike with friends along the old Monte Cristo railroad grade to a lime kiln. 

 Check out the big ferns on a bank created by a recent landslide. The railroad was never successful because of all the landslides and rain. (The lack of gold didn't help either...)

The river was absolutely beautiful. The color of the water was a nice shade of blue...too bad it looks murky in this picture.

 Lots of blackberries and stinging nettle to walk through...

 Some of the artifacts...100 year old garbage is more like it....

 Finally at the lime kiln...

 Hiking back...

 Notice the inappropriate foot attire...I told her to put socks and shoes on.  Guess she didn't listen.

 A slug as big as my hand...they grow big in Washington...