update

hi friends and family! you may have noticed that i haven't been updating our blog recently. this is due to an accident where we lost our computer off the top of the car while we were driving back to cle elum from edmonds about two weeks ago. we no longer have a computer but are hopeful that we will find one soon. until then, bear with us and know that we desire to post photos and updates as much as you hope to see them.

shalom!

the Drew's

: The house that Clint and Caoimhe are staying in...and where Guy and Marlene live full time, year round :


: The cabin where Jake and I are staying :



: Guy's wood shop :


: The parking lot in the back by the cabin entrance :


I still need to get some nice photos of the horse barn and Guy's wood shop. Guy and Marlene have built all of these buildings so beautifully. They are gifted creatively in so many areas. Guy is a builder, fly fisher and guitar player. Marlene plays violin and piano, races her five horses, felts and spins wool, sews on her treadle machine, knits and crochets, makes stained glass and cares for the two dogs, two geese, three cats and five horses. Marlene seems excited to teach Jake and I about caring for the horses, so that we can help her with her chores. We are equally as excited about the opportunities for all that we can learn here.

feeding the Drew's horses

: Matt came to visit for two days, so he got to help us move into the Drew's house and cabin and start the new chores with us! :



: Flapjack with a buckskin color coat :


: Jake feeding Flapjack a mixture of alfalfa and orchard grass :


: Jake with Betty Joe, the friendliest of them all who wants all of the attention :


: Marlene, Abby and Matt with Betty Joe :


I was in heaven, helping feed the horses. I am going to go with Marlene nearly every morning to help with the feedings. She is excited to have the help, and I am really excited to learn all that I can about caring for horses.



: This is Nick. He is a little bit of a grump with the other horses, as far as protecting his food, but he's friendly with humans :


I love these horses!

our first Singspiration

: Abby, Bill and Liz Doyle, Caoimhe and Clint, and Jake :


We sang "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" for this year's Cle Elum Singspiration. The event was held at our church, Cle Elum Community Church...only lasted for about an hour, but it was quite fun. Our home group, minus Ron and Bonnie Lamert, sang a song together, only having practiced for about 20 minutes that day. We had a lot of fun and want to sing together more often. Jake has been bringing his banjo to home group, and everyone really enjoys the worship time.


: Caoimhe sang a song by herself, a Southern Gospel song called "I Go To The Rock" :

our first elk sighting!

I know these photos aren't very good, because the zoom on our camera is not great, but we were very excited to see this small herd of elk a couple days ago. We were driving a back road to Suncadia and I thought I saw extra large deer, and when I looked again, I saw about 8-10 elk. They are such beautiful animals.

a day at the spa

: reading Edith Schaeffer's "The Hidden Art of Homemaking," (one of our favorite books) in the hot mineral baths :


: Clint and Caoimhe Dunn :




: resting in the "sanctuary" room while drinking hot tea and cucumber mint water :


It's Tuesday...almost one week since the fire, and Jake and I are getting restless here at the Lodge. We're itching to work on a project or be creative in any way. The four of us will be moving into the Drew's cabin on Monday, so we're excited to have a change of scenery soon. We have been so blessed to stay here at the Lodge though. The staff here has been so kind to us all.

the Lodge

: Suncadia Lodge - look up suncadiaresort.com :


: view from our room's balcony :


: hill leading to the Yakima river behind the Lodge :


: jake took challah to play in the 2 ft of snow :


: it was so fun watching her romp through the deep snow :



Suncadia prides itself on trying different ways of being "green". So, they offer a free (12-20oz) cup of coffee/latte/mocha, etc to each room per day that they refuse room service. I was happy to enjoy a mexican mocha this afternoon in place of not getting new towels or sheets.

Those things aren't necessary, and it really makes you think about how staying in a hotel doesn't give you an excuse to be lazy with your convictions. Don't we re-use our bath towels at home for at least one week, and don't most of us only wash our bedsheets after at least two weeks have past? It's so easy to just allow yourself to be pampered in places like Suncadia, but I still believe that we have to be true to our convictions and not just take advantage of daily room service, for example.


Jake just left to take Chase, our 10 yr. old neighbor and friend snowboarding in Roslyn, and when C&C get back, the three of us are going to relax in the hot mineral baths. I'll hopefully get some photos of the spa.

Shabbat Shalom!!