A Lovers' Week

Hey guys, I'm back! There's no particular reason why Chris took over the blog the last few weeks and although he's done a fabulous job at writing, I've decided to reclaim my position of lead author. So here it goes...

We finally had a chance to go on another camping trip. Our last camping trip was Christmas Eve, and we have both been itching like crazy to get out again. Since we've enjoyed the forest service cabins so much, and knowing there's nothing like them back in Utah, we decided to make the most of them while we are still here. As an early Valentine's date we hiked out to Windfall Lake Cabin and spent the night. We previously hiked this trail back in May (our first month here) and it was a rainy, wet, "adventure" of a night as we tried to find somewhere to pitch our tent. After seeing the cabin renters in the morning well rested and cheery, we promised ourselves that we'd come back and stay in the cabin for real.

Black and white Windfall Lake from the porch of the cabin.

Herbert River

We stayed warm and dry in the perfectly clean cabin. Chris boiled some water so we could have a hot meal, and we spent the night being cozy and reading through the cabin's sign-in book (basically a giant journal where everyone details the events of their trip). We slept in a little in the morning, and took a lot of time to enjoy the beautiful lakeside we were nestled in.

Late-night cabin entertainment from the entries of the logbook

We took advantage of the non-rainy days the rest of the week with morning runs and walks with friends.

On Saturday we met up with the Schlecters and walked the airport trail. Camille and I had fun chatting while Ben and Chris kept stopping to take photos. Chris has really enjoyed learning more about photography from Ben.

After church on Sunday we got together with the Lange's and explored Sandy Beach on Douglas Island. Fun fact - the beaches around Juneau and Douglas are all rocky, and there is only one sandy beach around here. The sand on this beach is the tailings from the Treadwell Mine. In the early 1900's the Treadwell Mine had a little city of it's own, but after a cave-in this part of Douglas Island turned into a bit of a ghost town. Now when you walk around there are only a few buildings left, and some of the mossy ruins look much more ancient.

Sunday evening we celebrated Valentines Day with a wonderful homemade fondue dinner. Here's the best part - Chris made it all by himself! I never knew he could cook something so fancy,  but once he started he had my full affection and confidence in his ability (that is you discount my one moment of concern when he asks from the kitchen "are cream of tartar and mustard powder the same thing?"). Dinner was divine and I am constantly reminded how lucky I am to have a husband who loves me so perfectly and thank my Heavenly Father everyday that I get to keep this perfect man as my own for time and all eternity.

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

Observation Peak

It's a good thing Chris is normally focused on school, because when he isn't we almost get too ambitious with our adventures. This week was full of trails, mountains, and sore legs.

Monday morning we had the chance to bike out to Herbert Glacier. This was a beautiful wooded trail and was just hilly enough to make biking fun. We enjoyed getting splattered by some mud, and loved seeing the glacier at the end of the trail. (Chris's edit: we wanted to see some wildlife, but Dani screamed so loud down the hills we only saw a porcupine. Haha!) (Dani's edit on Chris's edit: everybody knows things are more fun when you scream - this is taught in Roller Coasters 101 and applies to many other facets of life as well.)

Herbert Glacier

On Tuesday we went to Glacier Gardens - the local botanical gardens. We were taken on a short golf cart ride through the woods, and saw some really beautiful flowers. The owners put a lot of work into the planting and care of their plants, and we couldn't help but think how much Grandma and Grandpa Andrew would love to see this place. Their specialty is finding fallen hemlock trees and putting them upside-down in the earth with their roots splayed out in the air, so they can plant flowers on top. Pretty neat.

Wednesday was our big adventure of the week. It was forecasted to be a perfectly sunny day, so we planned a big loop on some mountain ridges near Juneau. We started with the Blackerby Ridge, summited Cairn Peak, descended and summited Observation Peak, descended again and traversed the Salmon Ridge, and then joined the Granite Creek Basin trail at the top of the Mount Juneau Ridge and hiked into town. We fell in love with hiking ridgelines on this trail -- it was awesome to hike in the rainforest, ascend through the alpine, scramble to the top of two peaks, and be able to see endless mountains and glaciers in every direction. We couldn't have asked for better weather either. These are the same mountains that most times we can't see the tops of through the clouds for days on end. It was 16 miles, over 9,000 feet of elevation gain and loss, and coming down Observation Peak was the scariest descent I've ever experienced in my life. This trail was beautiful but it was not for the faint of heart.

Started at the north trailhead, up Blackerby ridge, west up Cairn and Observation, south across the Salmon ridge,
zig-zagged on the Mt. Juneau ridge, and then dropped down into Granite Creek Basin.

Hiking into the alpine

Cairn Peak is on the far left, and Observation is just to it's right.

Cairn Peak overlooking Douglas Island, the channel, and beyond.

Lemon Creek Glacier between Cairn and Observation Peak.

At the top of the world! Elevation 4610 ft

Mountains as far as the eye can see.

The descent from Observation - this facial expression says it all, this was NOT our favorite part

Granite Creek Basin

Huckleberries

Thursday and Friday we stayed home and cuddled, not because Blackerby Ridge took it out of us (this is a half truth), but because the harsh rains and winds definitely necessitated such activities.

On Saturday Chris had the opportunity to go fishing with the rescheduled Elder's Quorum trip. The bishop's boat was leaving early enough in the morning that Chris would get back in time for work. He had a great time on the water, and though he didn't get lucky enough to catch a halibut he did catch some Coho salmon.

Sunday evening we had our friends Ben and Camille over for dinner. We cooked up the fish that Chris had caught the day prior and it was great just talking to them! They are surely friends cut from the same mold as us, and we love getting together with them because of all we have in common.

Since it was the fifth Sunday this month we had the opportunity to go to a combined adult class instead of sitting with our nine year olds during Sharing Time this week. The counselors in the bishopric gave an amazing lesson on the importance of marriage and family, and highlighted the relationship that a husband and wife have. I am so grateful to have a husband who loves our Heavenly Father and me completely. The sealing powers of the temple are real. But so is the adversity of life. I know that when we stay rooted in the Gospel of Christ that we can overcome all challenges. We can love deeper and we can be the light that we all want to see in the world. I know that when a family prioritizes church attendance, personal and family scripture study and prayer, and Family Home Evening they will be blessed.

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

A Boring Week

Well this week was quite boring - there's really not much in terms of stories, adventures, or pictures, so unless you want to hear the mundane you can quit reading (we won't be offended). Chris and I were both sick most of the week, but towards the end were able to get back to school and work. However, school and work were more than enough to drain our tired and healing bodies so we really didn't do much else.

But, some FUN news:
My drivers license came in the mail which means I am officially an Andrew now on my SS card, my drivers license, and bank cards - woohoo!

Other than that, well, let's see, we went to the temple and did sealings for the first time on Saturday. We've really been looking forward to this for a while. It was really neat...........and then I fainted. Then we left early. Then Chris worried a lot. Then I had the night off work so luckily I could rest. (Let us know if you want more details on this story - Chris is quite dramatic in his telling. Now he just laughs about it - the worry didn't last long.)

And I really can't think of anything else to say.

Except that Christ bought me flowers. Just because he loves me. Wow I love him. And these are the prettiest flowers that he's gotten yet (I've taught him well).

We promise to make next week's blogpost a little more exciting.

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew

Valentine's Week

Well our post is very late this week - sorry. Shortly after all our fun valentine celebrations we both got hit with the plague and have been pretty useless for a while. Don't worry, it's not the measles. We're finally bouncing back though! Yee-haw!

Valentine's Week, yes it's a whole week not just one day, was spectacular. We had a lot of time to spend together and the weather outside was beautiful.

On Thursday we spent the whole day climbing up in Logan Canyon. Whenever we climb Chris has always "led" and I have always "followed." When he "lead climbs" he is placing protection in the wall as he goes (there are bolts in the rock every 6-10 feet to clip your rope into with carabiners), so when he climbs above his last bolt before he clips the next one, there is potential to fall 10-15 feet before the rope catches him. When I "follow" (also called "top-roping") the climb, the rope is already attached to the anchors at the top of the climb (hence the name top-roping), so if I fall I only drop a foot or two before the rope catches me.

Sum-up: lead climbing = scary. Top roping = not that scary.

Anyways...... that's all just a round about way to get you all really impressed with my bravery when I tell you that I lead climbed for the first time!

The route that I led wasn't as hard as the ones that Chris normally has us climb, but it was a really good one to lead for my first time considering how petrified I was at the thought of a real fall. All in all we were both thrilled with how it went and it was an awesome day climbing! (Primarily because I didn't actually end up falling). Oh! And Chris gave me my valentines gift that day - a chalk bag and new carabiner - for climbing of course. You know, sometimes I wonder if his "gifts" to me are really gifts to himself.....

Friday we decided to celebrate Valentine's Day because Chris had class all day Saturday morning and I had to work Saturday night, plus, if we want to get romantic Friday also happened to be our 2 month anniversary (or as Chris keeps track, two months since he's shaved). We started the morning off with a run in the canyon and then scarfed down some waffles covered in strawberries, whip cream, and bacon. What a perfect morning.

That evening we went out for Sushi.

We went to the Banff Mountain film fest - it made even us feel like we weren't at all outdoorsy.

And we went to Zeppes to get frozen gelata - it's frozen Italian soda and custard. Yum.

On Saturday Chris surprised me between class and work with some cupcakes from Temptation Cupcake. Honesty moment - I'm obsessed with cupcakes. They might be one of my favorite indulgences. They're even better than flowers because not only do they smell good and look pretty but they taste delicious! That's a whole lot of win in one little package! Second honesty moment - I'm pretty sure the real reason Chris got me cupcakes was to prove that he could surprise me because I guessed all his other surprises before he could give them to me (down to the color of the chalk bag and what we were ordering for dinner). He even told me he got the cupcakes because I was expecting flowers (which he originally had planned), so surprise, no flowers! I also gave him his valentines gift - two new carabiners for climbing and a total of 8 beard oil samples from 2 different suppliers. He's been trying them all out to figure out which one is his favorite.

Wow, writing out what we gave each other as gifts makes me realize how we're a really strange couple. Good thing we found each other: not that many people would get as excited as we do over things like carabiners, chalk bags, cupcakes, and beard oils.

Saturday night was when the plague hit Chris, I lasted until Monday morning. But there's not much to write about since then....

Remember to pray and remember to play,

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew