2 Days, 3 Lakes!

As I mentioned in the previous post, Amy and I were able to get away for a couple nights for our anniversary! Thanks Mom SO much for taking good care of our kids and allowing us to celebrate and get some time together! Plus, we were blessed with financial gifts (thanks to all!) that allowed us to enjoy good meals and fun activities... for details, just keep reading! =)

Our friends Jim and Nancy live in Green Valley Lake, CA and had offered awhile back that we could come up and stay in their "guest suite" anytime. Jim is the pastor of the only church in Green Valley Lake and a long-time family friend. Green Valley Lake is the highest community in the San Bernardino mountains (over 7,000 feet elevation), it's where Amy's parents used to have a cabin, and where we've taken the young adults on a weekend retreat... so it's a place that has lots of fun memories! Anyway, for our 9th anniversary celebration, we finally decided to take Jim and Nancy up on their offer. They were AMAZING and GENEROUS hosts and we appreciate their hospitality so much! Jim and Nancy, thanks so much for sharing your place with us and we enjoyed spending time with you both and Justin!

Jim & Nancy

First, some pictures of our "Bed & Breakfast," Jim & Nancy's beautiful mountain "resort." =)

Jim & Nancy's home, the white door is a separate entrance into their guest room, where we stayed.

Jim & Nancy are great people, great decorators and great cooks! What a great combo for hosting our unofficial bed and breakfast! Below are some pics of the room. They had gone above in beyond in creating a welcoming place for us and made us feel very loved. Special touches included fresh flowers, a bottle of sparkling cider, a personal note, and candles. Plus, the room had everything a very nice hotel would!

Now, on to pics of our anniversary getaway adventures... 3 lakes in 2 days!

Our first afternoon, we took a nice walk down to Green Valley lake.


The second day, we enjoyed an excellent brunch at a waffle house Jim had recommended in Lake Arrowhead.


The cute couple in Lake Arrowhead village


Then, the highlight activity of the trip was kayaking on Big Bear Lake.


What a cutie! As you can see by looking at Amy's shorts, we got wet while on the lake but we never tipped over! Amy was glad for that... I wouldn't have minded a swim! =)


We also visited the Big Bear Lake Discovery Center where we met this guy.

It was a great trip! As we continue to trust and follow the Lord, keeping Him at the center of our relationship, I look forward to many more years loving my best friend Amy!

Nine Years of Wedded Bliss! =)

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary!

Happy Anniversary Amy... I love you so very much! I am so grateful to God for blessing me with an amazing wife who is my best friend and an amazing mom to our kids.

Walking down the aisle after getting married, the Disneyland Electrical Parade theme music is playing, people are totally clapping in rhythm and we thought it was quite funny!

Thanks to Amy's amazing parents, who will be taking care of our kids, Amy and I get to spend two nights away in the mountains together! We'll blog about our trip in a few days...

What a Swimmer!

With time in the pool being just about a daily occurence, Kaylin was already getting very comfortable in the water. Add to that a couple weeks of swim lessons with Miss Megan from church and lots of practice with mommy and daddy and you get quite a little swimmer! Today was a breakthrough day... she was finally able to roll into a backfloat on her own. So this video is of her swimming, using the backfloat as a breather, then continuing on to the other side of the pool! Mommy is there for moral support but doesn't help her at all. Good job Kaylin!


Swimmer Kaylin! from Derek Olson on Vimeo.

Rainbow Falls

This was the highlight activity of the trip to Mammoth...

Trevor loved riding the shuttle bus down to the trailhead



The trail was 1.3 miles each way. Here are the kids taking a break from the hike.
Zoe, Kaylin, TJ, and Isaiah (L-R)



Kaylin took this picture of the adults (plus TJ) on the same log.
Pat & Teri, Amy & I, Shayleen & Mike Sanborn (L-R)



Well, let's be honest... TJ didn't do much hiking! However, Kaylin was a trooper... she walked both legs of the hike, 2.6 miles total, all by herself!



Here we are upon reaching the overlook by Rainbow Falls



Then, we hiked down the canyon further, waded through a shallow part of the river and posed for this picture on a log in the middle of the river. It's wild how loud a 101-foot waterfall can be! We also enjoyed eating a picnic lunch while at the falls!



I love swimming in rivers... so I couldn't resist. Mike and I waded out into the snow-melt... then, just after this picture, we dove in and swam toward the falls. Pretty cold... but way fun!



This picture is currently my desktop picture on my computer!

Camping Trip to Mammoth

We just got back from an all-church camping trip in Mammoth! The trip started out a bit rough... TJ was getting a cold and kept us up almost all the first night. After that, things were bound to get better! =)


Here's our "campsite family." Pictured here are the Hammans, Sanborns and Elfelts (L-R). Also in our site but not picture were the Morseys and Emersons.


camping sometimes meant being dirty and tired...


Amy helped the kids roast marshmellows for smores... but then they both chose to eat the graham crackers and chocolate without the marshmellows!


our borrowed tent (thanks Francis fam!)


Amy and I about to chow down at Sunday night's potluck dinner


here we are at Angel's, our friends Tim & Annette insisted we check it out... and it was good! Thanks Tim and Annette for the tip!


bathtime... camp-style!


sister needing a bath... wow!


here we are waiting for the evening session to start