We had such a nice day together!! It was quite hot outside so it was nice to be on the water. Rylee loved feeding the ducks her snacks - cheerioes and fish crackers. 
Rylee loved putting her hands in the water as we paddled vigerously. She wasn't the biggest fan of her life jacket but she wore it.
She can always eat a banana!!!
We went down to the bay again for Tom's farewell and setting apart as an Elder. He was called on a mission to Montevideo, Uruguay. Montevideo is the capital and largest city in Uruguay, in the southern part of the country on the Rio de la Plata estuary. Tom gave a fabulous talk in church which was very tender to our hearts. It's crazy how Tom has grown to be a young man and is off to a whole new country for a whole new experience...and a whole new language. His many years of German in high school will do no good there!!!
After church we came back to the house for a big dinner with our closest friends and family.
Later that evening Tom was set apart and there was some wonderful words said.
We took pictures and then it was time to say our goodbyes.
Though Mt. Shasta (14,162 ft.) is half as high as Everest (~29,035 ft. and climbing), it sure felt like Everest to us!!! This was not just another nature hike or backpacking trip...this was the most arduous, grueling, fatiguing, strenuous, toilsome, challenging and punishing climb we have ever done...in our lives.
We started the drive by stopping off in Sacramento to pick up our snow boots, crampons, and ice ax. That's right I said ice ax. Whe Jon told me that I said, "What! I thought this was a hike." Little did we know what lay in store for us just hours away.
We got to Shasta on a beautiful Friday afternoon and rented helmets because due to the time of year there has been rock and snow slides because of the melting snow. We then drove to the start of the hike. I was already out of breath from getting out of the car because we started at Bunny Flat (6,950 ft.). We had to get "poop bags" because we had to carry out our own stool if we needed to go. As you can see from the pictures, our packs weighed a lot. Thank you to Jon for carrying my heavy boots, crampons and the tent! We started with 2 liters of water and with another couple that was running late.
At the beginning of the hike it seemed easy, we thought to ourselves, "this is cake, no big deal". Then the trail narrowed and the grade increased. We needed to take frequent stops to catch our breath from...walking. We finally made it up to a check point called "Horse Camp" where we filled the rest of our empty water supply. Now our packs were heavier with 6 liters and we were getting tired.
The trail then turned to rock so we were rock hopping. We then looked up and saw that the trail was almost straight up. We had to get on all fours with our packs on to make it past this point. We were now running into ice but avoided it by staying on the trail of miniture switchbacks. The trail then turned sand-like and our legs are just swelling with our bulging muscles. Our breaks started to get more frequent because we were out of breath very often. We could see base camp where we were supposed to spend the night and it felt like days away. The sun soon set quickly and it was starting to get cold.
We had to break out our head lamps and put on some heavier clothes to find the trail in order to continue on. The party ahead of us was too tired to make it to Helen Lake (10,500 ft. where we were originally going to camp for the night) and stopped off at 50/50 Camp (9,400 ft.). We were sweaty and now freezing while attempting to put up our tent and make dinner. This felt like torture! Both Jon and I got to the point where our finger tips were painful and numb from the cold temperatures. We ate dinner in our sleeping bags with multiple layers on. It was horrible exposing yourself to the icy temperature to urinate. We finally fell asleep around 1130pm briefly, then the wind picked up big time. Basically, we both didn't sleep that night though Jon swears he heard me snoring.
Our alarm was set to 4:00am. We both wanted to hit the snooze and call it a day. We both woke up with a little beginnings of altitude sickness with a headache. Jon convinced me that we didn't make it this far to quit now. We then donned our headlamps, boots, crampons, ice ax and camelback and started up to Helen Lake at 4:30am, in the dark.
We were now climbing up ice and had to stop about every 10-20 steps to take a breather. Think of stair climbing without oxygen.
It took us 2 hours to get to Helen Lake. By the time we got to Helen Lake we were pooped. Jon's headache worsened so we decided to call it a day. We rested at the top admiring the beautiful view before the decend.
We slid down part of way on our butts back to camp. After taking our tent down, getting a little breakfast and packing up our backpacks we started the long descend down.
On our way down we passed many day hikers who had done this numerous times. The sad part is that these hikers happened to be twice our age. This encouraged us to get off the mountain quicker! We made it down in record time and the altitude sickness was gone.
We gave each other a pat on the back for a "good job" for our first time. We then spent the rest of the day sleeping in a hotel after a very long shower! It was so awesome to be able to do this hard challenge together. We might do this again next year...but you will have to ask us next year after we forget the pain of it all...as for now "we rest". 
After Jessica gave a fabulous talk in church on families we went to Grandpa Nick's house.
A day at the park is always nice and relaxing...especially when we are all together. Though you can't tell from this picture, Rylee actually loves the swing and sings to herself. A random dad at the park took our picture and she wasn't too sure of the stranger. Her favorite song these days is "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". She does the hand motions and signs "please" for more. She always hates to leave the park, but thank goodness there is always tomorrow!!!!
The chain of events after the wedding went as follows:
-7th day - Surfing in Waikiki and shopping at the International Market!!!! Even Rylee surfed, so talented!
- 8th day - Swimming in the surf at Sunset Beach and swimming at the pool with the little cousins!
-9th day- The boys went scuba diving while the girls snorkeled at Sharks Cove. Later that evening we went cliff jumping at Waimea (check the link to Dan and Jessica's page for those pics!). Scary, huh,... Brittany and Jessica, but you lived!!!
- 10th day - Our journey back home to California on the long flight home! 
Picture this...white sand beaches, the blue waves crashing, wind blowing through our hair, turtles poking their heads out from behind the waves (a sign of good luck in Hawaii), a floral isle way for the bride, the men all dressed in blue shirts, the girls in beautiful floral dresses, the mothers in tears, Sammy anxiously awaiting to see his beautiful bride for the first time on their wedding day, in the background Hawaiian music being sung and played on a ukulele, and the photographer acting like the paparazzi. 
Suddenly our attention turns to the beach front where Brittany (Youngest Sister and Maid of Honor) and Justin (Sammy's younger brother and Best Man) were strolling down the sand arm in arm bearing the rings for wed. 
Then as the two parted you could see a beautiful brunette dressed in a gown of ivory. We gasped, it was Renee! Hair all up in curls with white plumeria's, a pink and green boquet clutched between her two hands, so feminine and elegant, like a movie star on the red carpet. Soon she came into complete focus and you could see her bright white smile gleaming from ear to ear, as if it was permanent. 
She made her way down the isle to the groom dressed in white and ivory linens with a green seaweed lei draped around his neck. Soon their eyes met and it was over from there. Doesn't matter what was said because the atmosphere was just perfect, tranquil and peaceful as if no one else in the world existed at that moment, but those two. 
They finally said, "I do" and kissed. Lip locked and in love. Nothing could come between them.
After a few pictures on the beach, we were wisked away to the Willows where we ate a wonderful meal, toasted to the enchanted couple...many times with words of wisdom from many who love them, 
watched a slide show of their lives coming together, boquet (Brittany caught) and guarder (Tom caught) was thrown and then they cut their gorgeous cake which was very delicious. 
We then said our goodbyes and it was back to the condo for some R&R. A full day of joy, tears and laughter!!!
Aloha!!!!!! We've been in Hawaii for quite a while now, and we are having such a great time!!! Our chain of events went as follows:
- 1st day - hung out at the salt water pool out back at the condo and in the hot tub.
- 2nd day - visited the USS Arizona Memorial at the Pearl Harbor.
- 3rd day - played in the huge waves at Waimea Beach!!! What a great time in the sand! We all looked like beached whales.
- 4th day - went to church and visited the Liae Temple, beautiful grounds.
- 5th day - In the morning, the girls got together and had brunch in Haliewa where Renee was visited by the "Lingerie Fairy" and we met the actor from the movie "Cutting Edge" and Lex Luther from "Smallville". Two very handsome men that Renee and I got pictured with (you will have to click on Dan and Jessica's webpage to see that pic). We had a great time!!!! We then visited the Polynesian Cultural Center in Liae. We saw the Imax film about the Corral Reef and visited many different cultures including Samoa where we learned how to husk a coconut, Tahiti were we shook our tooshes, Aotearoa where we all got tattos and made funny faces, Tonga where we heard Japan, Connecticut and Mississippi bang on the drums, we then ate at Embassador's. Lastly we saw the night show with all the other cultures we missed during the day. Loved the baton's with fire!!!!
Today we were able to attend one of Jon's coworker and friend's wedding. We went to Lake Natoma Inn in Folsom where they had an intimate wedding and reception. They were married by Sacramento Metro Fire Department's Chaplain. 
Rylee loved dancing but thought the music was too loud and plugged her little ears many times and laughed.
The reception was beautifully decorated and the groomsmen and groom had fun dressing up and dancing to "YMCA". 
We ate and danced the night away. 
Rylee, I love your earrings!!!!!! Too cute!!!!
Congratulations Addam!!! You made it through Sacramento Metro's Fire Academy!!
We were able to attend and Jon was able to wear his class A uniform. He looked so handsome!!! 
