MY time

Wednesdays are becoming a challenge. While Katie is at work I have the day off. It takes me all of an hour to get done with what I have to get done and then I find myself bored and struggling for stuff to do. So I walk. I exercise. I read articles on therapy. I read the Bible, other literature, or books on therapy. I was thinking yesterday; I should learn Spanish, or build a smoker out of a trash can, or plan out my next five years. But I don't. At least not all on Wednesdays. I get frequent stares from Leila when she hears "go" or "for a" or "walk." It doesn't even have to be a complete sentence. She basically does this (below). Sits on the loft and gets a birds eye view out all the windows just to make sure all is in order in the front yard.It's fall and the vacationers have gone home. The state park is all but empty of smells of fresh bacon, kids that just met riding bikes together and the silhouettes of kayakers 100 yards from shore. We've deserted the park too. Our adventures have taken to the fields.
Huge fields where farmers cut hay are separated by miles of skinny country roads unavailable to all except cyclists and walkers. We break from the roads and make our way through the fields. It's where the birds are. It's where the field mice play games with the dogs. It's were the coyotes roam at night and howel at dusk from pack to pack to let each other know we are there.
I don't take Jessie Owens at dusk for that very reason. He doesn't stand a chance against a coyote. I'm throwing this in for Bill and Colleen. Don't worry. He's quite smart and listening exceptionally well.
I don't hesitate to take Leila at dusk. She would enjoy an encounter with a coyote. When we walk sometimes I think about it. I almost, in a weird way, hope for a coyote to come at her. How cool would it be to get into a fight with a coyote. Maybe i'm weird. It's you, coyote and your dog fighting it out. No one else around to see it. I've been bit by plenty of dogs and let me tell you nothing hurts worse than a chihuahua.
Till then Jessie marks every blade of grass in the field and Leila is more concerned with clearing the fields of all wildlife except her and Jessie.
They run...fast.



Jessie knows how to work the camera.
I got a gopher.

Working together to get to something.



Jessie Owens trying the one ear up thing.
Most of you can't wait for the baby. Even more of you can't wait for the baby so I stop posting pictures of my dog. Haha. Until then this is what you get and what I do enjoy.

The baby is doing well. Katie is just over four months and getting her energy back. November 17th is our next doctor visit. It's the biggie- the twenty weeker which reveals the gender. We will find out. So put your guesses in now!

Changes and a place of our own...for now.

Life on the commune is never dull. Shon, Katie's uncle, decided to buy over a thousand pounds (literally) of beef just in case the world ends I guess. Here they are making steak, hamburger, and cow candy bars. Tomorrow they will start making sour kraut -- an 11 day process. Meanwhile, Katie and I moved from grandma's basement to a fully furnished vacation rental across the way. It's also right next door to Katie's parent's. Here are a couple pics of our new "cabin."

It's two levels with three bedrooms and a bathroom.I've been getting this look a lot lately from Leila. It's the "how many times are we going to move" look.

We're excited to use the wood burning stove over the winter. It really makes this place cozy.


I don't often let USC grads stay in my home. But we made an exception for Rich and Marilyn Nicholson who are the parents of a great friend of mine. This is what happens and I questioned my decision after this!

Below, Caleb and Teanna visit us and the Nicholsons.

Just another window to look out. Leila broke the new backyard in this week while tangoing with a skunk. Let's just say it was hotel garage for her that night.

RRRRAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

It's time to post this I guess. Katie is pregnant. The pics below are baby Lyon at 12 weeks. She is now 15 weeks. Katie is doing well. Healthy. Busy as ever. She actually did a half marathon last week as you know. Besides the constant fatigue and nausea (i've heard it's a sign of a good pregnancy) all is going well.Below, baby Lyon shows off five fingers and right arm. We are excited for our new arrival to come roaring into our world. New season and new challenges!
Pray for Katie. Pray for her health and the babies health. Pray for me. Pray that I serve Katie beyond what is expected. Pray for my leadership and support- so I can give my little family what they need.

After we camped we ran like a girl.

This is all we wanted to do after the last two weekends. Leila placed a ball near Jessie. Jessie didn't seem to mind.
Last weekend Katie and two friends participated in the Run Like A Girl Half Marathon. Jeff, Ryan and I enjoyed good conversation while tracking our wives progress.

Katie, Becca, and Rhoda before the race.
Becca's son, Jack, crackin' a smile.
Katie, Becca and Rhoda.

Most of the course was trails.


Afterwards we went to Boundary Bay for some lunch. While we waited we checked out Bellingham's farmers market.

The weekend before we met up with a bunch of Washington friends for camping and hiking. Spokane, Yakima, Ellensburg, and Bellingham were represented.

We camped along Icicle Creek and the fall leaves were setting in.
Leila had a blast in the river. Some spots were a little deeper than others so it provided us with a couple laughs when she disappeared under water only to resurface with a surprised look on her face.
Leavenworth is just around the corner and lucky for us the fall festival was going on.

We had great food again.
Today I am packing up our belongings and preparing to move into a rental for a couple months. It is a summer "cabin" so we will need to move out before next summer but it's nice to have a cheap place to live for the mean time.