How do you spend your sunny Saturday afternoon?

Jackson gets a PR of 12' 6" and wins first place for varsity boys. Way to go Jackson!!

And just because it cracks me up, here is Jackson in his stylish boots:

Summertime update

Here is a feeble attempt at catching up on our summertime activities. We will begin with the 1st of August and work our way to high school graduation. Enjoy the ride!

The sun has finally arrived and we are enjoying produce out of the garden! Harrison has baked six loaves of gluten-free zucchini bread in the last two days and they are delicious.

YW camp was fabulous! A wonderful group of young women and leaders spending time with each other in a great location learning about Home Sweet Home! For FHE Monday night we had a special speaker and presentation. She had everyone send in a family photo to put into a slide show. Here is mine. Good memories!

Group photo:

Ward photo:

Tired leaders singing the girls a bedtime song (this is Thursday night around 11:30)

Flowers out of the garden:

Here is Jackson's version of babysitting. The kids were thrilled:

What do you do with ducks and geese to keep from having to kayak the river to corral them home everyday?

You dig them a pond:

Fourth of July at the Molalla parade:

Traditional blueberry pancakes at grandma and grandpas on the 4th:

Whitney Craft's wedding July 2nd. Fantastic firework show. Harrison recorded the entire show if you really want to see it. Fun way to end a wedding reception!

June 26th HARRISON's 10th birthday and a trip to the beach with his mom and aunt Amy. Everyone else was in UT or roadtripping East.

Another fun outing with mom and Aunt Sarah to the food carts in Portland for a yummy gluten free lunch for all. We even had a gf brownie. Love the food carts!

Harrison picked enough strawberries in the garden to make two pies. Way to go Harrison!

Kennedy enjoying time with the Aramaki's in UT.

With just Harrison and mom at home, the two of us enjoyed some easy meals. Harrison created a BLT and egg sandwich. YUM!

Before leaving Dodge, Jefferson spent time with great friends:

One wack-a-do flaming white-hot fire. It felt great to get rid of the pile of cottonwood!

Graduation at the Chiles Center! Congratulations Jefferson!!

Jefferson playing the prelude for bacaluareate:

Graduation party:

Finally painted the bathroom and added a friend:

Tim and Jenny enjoy a long weekend to Catalina Island in CA to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.

Freezing cold garden trying to bloom and grow without sun and warmth:

Check Out the Final chapter of Jefferson's Independence Click down to see how their trip went.

The Big 1-0

A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Harrison as he makes it to the double digits. Below is Harrison snuggling with his baby ducks and geese, what a sweetie!

Jefferson's Independence Day

Departing on June 20, 2011 at 6:30am (GMT-9) to the roar of cheering fans, Jefferson left the driveway of his home headed for a life of adventure. No longer a dependent minor, he and his father embarked upon a unique "cross-country" project which will last at least 2 weeks, cover nearly 5,000 miles and "as many states as it takes" to visit every home that Jefferson has lived in (13), and every school he has attended (7). Along the way, the two of them will talk, run, sing, study, run, drive, and run together in final preparation for Jefferson to fully declare his independence as a college student (at Southern Virginia University) and a missionary (expected start date 1/1/2012).

First Stop: Salt Lake City, UT

We went to Temple Square and talked to the missionaries there. We also visited Welfare Square, where the Church's humanitarian efforts are coordinated. We stayed with Peter and Angela Mourik (and Rebecca-the-Great) in Provo.

We left Provo at 4:30am on Thursday 6/23, so we could make it to Arches National Park before the thermometer hit 100-degrees (which it did!). We ran about 10 miles on the primitive trails and saw over a dozen arches; absolutely magnificent landscapes!


We continued another 6 hours of driving into Golden, Colorado, and to the very apartment complex where Jefferson lived when he was just 1 year old, and then on to Roger & Beth Dickinson's in Centennial, CO to stay the night.

The next morning we slept in a bit, and then headed to Rocky Mountain National Park, where the Dickinson's have a beautiful mountain cabin. We drove to many scenic spots in the park, and hiked a few miles too. Among the highlights were the elk (lots of them), a moose (rare), a chipmunk eating a gummi bear, and the West Linn Lion King (aka Jefferson) perched upon a granite monolith about 30' off the ground.

On the road again the next day, but instead of endless glacial peaks, we saw endless cornfields across Nebraska! Our reward was to visit Elder Gordon Werrett, who is 18-months into his mission in Omaha. What a strong man he has become! We also visited Mormon historic sites in the area, including Winter Quarters Visitor Center and the Kanesville Tabernacle.

Pressing on the following day through Iowa, we met up with Cullen Wannarka (classmate and running buddy of Jefferson at WLHS) and toured Iowa State University, where Cullen will be attending in the Fall.

After a morning run across the Mississippi River and back (from Keokuk, IA), we traveled up to historic Nauvoo, IL and found Sister Alyssa Aramaki, who is serving a special 3-month performance mission over the summer there. As we talked with her and heard her sing, it occurred to me that there are still 3 Aramaki sisters who are not married yet, and there are 3 Chandler brothers of approximately the same ages...a father can dream, right??

Then, down the Mississippi and through the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (aka St. Louis Arch). The River was overflowing its banks, but the Arch was spectacular.

After a long drive from Cape Girardeau, MO, through Little Rock, AR (where we saw the little apartment we lived in for 6 months), we pushed further east into Memphis, TN for dinner...Honestly, we were just looking for good BBQ, but it was "Bike Night on Beale Street" and we not only got BBQ (and fried catfish), but some AMAZING blues harmonica music, and about 200 shiny Harleys! Probably the most memorable night for Tim...

Finally, after restful nights in Jackson, TN and Roanoke, VA, we arrived in Buena Vista, VA on the campus of Southern Virginia University. Within 28 hours of arrival, Jefferson registered for his summer and fall classes, secured an apartment (with good roommates), opened a checking account, landed a job (at an Italian restaurant), went for a run, drove back down to Roanoke to see a movie with his new friends, and learned how to play "Norwegian Kickball"!

With all that squared away, we took a couple days to drive up to Princeton, NJ to visit the homes and schools that influenced Jefferson between the ages of 3 and 10. We drove by Independence Hall (where the "other" Jefferson signed the Declaration of Independence 235 years ago), and eventually back to the spot where it all began--Jefferson's birthplace--Washington, DC. We watched the fireworks from the National Cathedral on the 4th of July, and declared his own independence the following morning after dropping Tim off at the airport (Dulles) to fly back West...

May Jefferson enjoy Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness!