The Water is Falling

Yesterday, we went hunting for the "perfect" campsite. We wanted to scope the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Park to see if we could find a good spot to camp at this upcoming weekend. The Park is beautiful, with waterfall after waterfall right along the road. We even went up far enough to come upon some snow on the ground! At one point...we had to turn around because of the snow on the road. I couldn't believe it, as it was about 70 degrees out. In any event, I took some pics of the falling water ;). These...almost do it justice, as I had my DSLR camera with me rather than my point and shoot.

This is a HUGE waterfall that goes under the street. Standing next to it is kind of chilly because the water is so cold.

Craig is standing looking out one of our favorite viewpoints. Looking down is a huge canyon with a good size rushing river.

On the way back from the Park we passed this miniture little chapel. It is so neat!

The inside was complete with little pews and everything!

CASA

I'm calling on YOU! If you have any time...any time at all to do any volunteering, please consider volunteering for CASA. If you don't have any time, please spread the word about CASA. CASA stands for: "Court Appointed Special Advocates." CASA is nation wide...it can be found in any state...any city. Quite honestly, I couldn't find an organization I believe in more. As a volunteer for CASA, you are appointed by a judge to advocate for a child in the foster care system. Once you are appointed by a judge you are assigned a single case in which you act as an advocate for the child involved in a foster care case. As the child's advocate you will develop a relationship with the child, do home visits at the child's foster home, supervise visits between the child and their birth parents, and you are called upon to testify in court on behalf of the child to voice how the child is really doing in the foster care system. How I look at it...you are the voice for this child...many times..the only voice for this child.

The foster care system is broken, and it is so very very sad. There are over 500,000 children in the foster care system in the United States today. There is no way that case workers can adequately represent each and everyone of these kids, they need help....and this is where CASA comes in. Can you imagine being a child in the foster care system? Most of us have no idea what it is like growing up without parents. Can you imagine how scary, confusing, and lonely it must be? Many are shuffled from one home to the next, living with one stranger after another. Unfortunately, foster care homes are not always a safe haven for a child..in fact, many are the exact opposite. This is an extremely sad reality. Being a CASA volunteer you have the chance to be that one constant in a child's life as they go through the foster care system...someone who is going to listen, is going to make sure they are in a safe foster care situation, and most importantly be their voice in court when vital decisions are being made. If I have tugged at any heart strings, and you are at all feeling called to even look more into this, please check out the CASA website: http://www.nationalcasa.org/. The website has more details but I encourage you to at least check out the video about what judges expect from CASA volunteers found at: http://www.nationalcasa.org/volunteer/community.html.

I know we are all busy, but if you have 10 hours a month to spare, you can seriously make a difference. Foster kids often times have bleak futures...the statistics of where foster kids end up (jail, homeless, etc.) is alarming. If you can't volunteer yourself, educate others on this opportunity. Post a link on your blogs, talk to your friends, do whatever you can to get the word out. CASA needs more volunteers. Right now...every 7 out of 13 foster kids get a CASA...but...all 13 need a CASA...so please... get the word out. We can make a difference..one kid at a time.

The Maiden Voyage

We finally got our first boat! Nothing fancy, just a blow 'er up type for the kajillion lakes we have around here. The maiden voyage was last week. We took it out for just a few hours to test it out before the upcoming fishing trip. It is quite roomy for a deflatable boat, so it works out pretty well. For some reason, I couldn't get the paddling down though. I mean seriously...I swear I've paddled a boat before, however watching me you would have thought I've never touched an oar, it was quite embarrassing, but Craig got a good laugh at it. :)

Getting ready for the maiden voyage launch!
I'm trying really hard here not to go in circles!...I really hope no one was watching.

I'm glad one of us could row...otherwise, we would have had to swim back to shore.

The following trip out on the boat was an all day fishing trip on Memorial Day weekend. Of course there was quite the crowd at the lake so many people got to watch us as we attempted to fit both of us and Goose in the boat. People were staring as Craig lifted Goose into the boat with me inside waiting. Once Goose got in, he...well...sort of panicked, and it didn't' help that another dog came up to the boat right at that moment. We quickly discovered that Goose wasn't going on the fishing trip. I'm just glad we didn't get too far off shore with him, as I'm pretty sure we would have tipped. We got him back to shore and I ran him home for the day and then returned for a full day of fishing. Now the big question is...did we catch any fish? Hmmm...well, I'm pretty sure every other person out of the lake did, as we saw each and every one of them reel in at least one fish...but us...well...maybe its the bait? Maybe...um...just bad luck? No worries though, we rehearsed what we were going to tell the people back on shore once we returned.. "oh yeah, we caught a few small ones...nothing worth keeping though." :) Fishing trips like this remind me of a quote I read that I seriously laughed at at for days, "There is a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot." At least we weren't fishing from the shore...so I think that makes us exempt from this quote...maybe.

Craig getting ready for the fishing trip. With all this gear...you would think we could catch a fish. One day...oh one day.

Picture Practice

I have a photo shoot with a family this weekend, and I really want to shoot using my camera's RAW format, so I went out and practiced today. My subject...Goose. Here are a couple of good shots!

Patience and the Propane Tank

Patience...none.

Propane Tank....got it.

Patience has NEVER been my strong suit...in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't have an ounce of patience in me (I've looked, and have never found it). Craig on the other hand...patience like a saint...seriously. I've tried testing his patience, and he passes every test. Well, finally something came along and...he had no patience. MWWWW HA HA HA ;)

The Grill. As you know, we finally got a gas grill. On our deck where the grill resides, is a natural gas hook-up, made specially for such a grill. Well, our grill takes natural gas, but...it requires a "conversion kit." To make a long story short, there is no conversion kit in sight...for the next couple of weeks anyway, as it is back ordered. Craig tried really hard to hold out for the conversion kit. He ooo'd and awed at his grill every night, and then finally (day 4 of grill ownership) all patience was loss. We had to go buy a propane tank. So we did.

Once Craig loaded the propane tank in the car...I looked back, and this is what I saw (the propane tank with a seat belt on).

The good news...the propane tank made it home safely! Phew. That night, after the propane tank was hooked up we had grilled steak for dinner. I have to admit, it sure was yummy!But next time...oh next time, Craig says, "you just have to have patience" I can now say..."oh yes, but...remember the propane tank?!?"

Sunday Reflections

I love Sunday nights because I get to sit down, relax, and reflect on the weekend. This weekend was full of all kinds of fun stuff. Saturday, the Water Front Festival. I LOVE the the festivals here, but I REALLY love the Water Front Festival. The festival is right by...you guessed it...the water! Kids are making toy boats, adults are building "quick and dirty" boats to race, remote control boats are sailing, sailors are singing, kids are dancing, people are eating, and there are even free sail boat rides. Highlights from this year's festival are Uncle Stinky's magic show, the Old Salty Dog sailor show, and the quick and dirty boat race. Craig's highlight...all the corvettes on display!

The Old Salty Dogs singing. These guys are a local band and they are hilarious! The best way to describe them: If Disney was to have a band made up of a bunch of sailors...these guys would be it.

Here are some remote control boats sailing in the Marina. The little tugboat there in the middle was cruising!
Craig picking out his "dream car."

This is the "quick and dirty" boat race. Teams start early in the morning building these boats and then they race them in the afternoon. Some of the boats were seriously impressive while others were ...well...I wouldn't get in them! My favorite was the Nauti Girls team. Their boat looked like a huge refrigerator box. It didn't last long...it tipped and the Nautis fell in. Other boats...cruised along rather quickly and others were doing well as long as someone was scooping water out of the boat as it cruised along. This is Uncle Stinky! Uncle Stinky is a magician. The kids love him. I thought of my brother while watching Uncle Stinky...as my brother loves to watch magic...and he would have loved Uncle Stinky!

Today, Craig and I got up early (early for us anyway) and set out on a day long hike. We packed a lunch, got the pups ready and hit the trails. We started on foot right from our house and went to Heart Lake, hoping Goose would take to the water and go for a dip. Along the hike, we found a couple of perfect water holes, and without any coaxing, Goose jumped right in! He loved it. He wouldn't get out....I thought we were going to have to leave him there...or swim in to get him.
This is heart lake...our final destination.

Another picture of heart lake. Goose in the water hole we found along our hike. He was one muddy dog after this hike!

And finally, tonight... The 220! The 220 is a new youth group that started up at our church earlier this month. The name of the group is "The 220" because of 2 reasons:

1) 220 is the voltage used in a defibrillator to bring someone back to life.

2) Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Basically...The 220 is bringing the next generation back to life!It is structured a lot like Young Life for those of you who are familiar with that. Every Sunday evening, high school kids get together, eat dinner, play games, have fellowship, and take part in a bible study. Craig and I are helping out as Leaders for the group, but I have to say, I'm learning as much from the kids (probably much more), than they are learning from me. These kids are awesome!

Getting ready to play some 220 kickball! Whoo hooo. Craig and I were on opposing teams...so things got a little competitive..I think we scared the kids!~

STS-125 Hubble Telescope Mission

Please keep the STS-125 crew in your prayers as they embark on what will probably be the last service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew launches off today. Before leaving NASA, this was **my** crew. I trained these guys for ~6 months in prep for this mission. After I left, they had another year of training to get to where they are today! There is a HUGE part of me that wishes I was sitting on console today, but my eye is on the sky, and my prayers are with this great team as they make history! God Speed STS-125!!!
From the left: Mike Massiminoo, Mike Good, Greg Johnson, Scott Altman, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, and Drew Feustel.

The Weekend

The Plan: Take out some horribly ugly bushes in our yard. There are two HUGE ugly bush-vine type of things in our yard that we have been wanting to take out since we moved in. This weekend we decided to tackle this horrendous task. The first bush (no pictures) wasn't bad, in fact Craig tore the entire thing out while I mowed the lawn...no problem. The second...who would have thought?? It took us an entire day to take this thing out. I don't know if one would classify it as a bush or more of a vine. It had more roots than I thought possible...and they were big ...and extensive...and deep. When we were done, our hands, backs, and legs were in utter pain. The rest of the weekend we walked around like two old people with old bones.
This is a picture of the removed bush viewing from the deck above. The torn up bush is on the right...and where it was is the big dirt spot. It was HUGE!

After the bush was out, we made a trip to Home Depot to replenish the shovel we broke in the bush removal process...and we **accidently** found this much needed summer tool. Craig has been wanting a gas grill since...well...we met. We figured it was time. We can't use it yet though because we have to order a special kit to hook it into our gas line in our house. Hopefully it arrives soon so we can start our summer BBQs!

Tulip Festival

A couple of weekends ago, I went and took family pictures at Tulip Town. I had quite a few great families wanting their pictures taken. The weather was perfect, the lighting was absolutely awesome, and in the end...I got some really great photos. Check out my galleries on my website (http://kneumanphotography.com/) for some of my favorites! Enjoy!

An After Work Special

After Craig got home from work yesterday, he got out of his work clothes and came out to join me on the deck wearing this (see below pictures). We have some disagreements on how "cool" this hat is. My opinion...okay at home...just not in public. Craig's opinion...it makes him look like a true fisherman...super cool...one of a kind(I'll agree with that)...it's comfortable...and...it keeps the sun off of his ears and head. I can deal with the hat (at home anyway), but combine it with this T-shirt...and I couldn't help myself...a kodak moment emerged. (In case you can't read his shirt... it says, "I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm kind of a big deal.") God...I really love this man!

So big...so quick

The other day, I was out working in the lawn with Goose and our neighbor (who hadn't seen Goose in a couple of weeks) was amazed how big Goose had gotten in just two weeks. Because we see him every day, his huge growth spurts aren't as obvious to us (although I have noticed it takes me longer to brush him.) Here are some comparisons from the first day we brought him home until today.
Notice his tongue hanging out. This has been his "normal" look lately (mouth closed, tongue out). We're pretty sure his tongue has out grown his mouth at this point.