Friday, August 29, 2008

ZIPLINE.

For my birthday this year Laura and Danny gave me a Zipline tour at Tamarack.  I am terrified of heights and had been wanting to conquer my fear by zipping so I was thrilled with their gift!  I had been trying to schedule a tour all summer and was FINALLY able to find free weekend.  However, I was flying solo!  My sister was planning to zip with me but somehow she ended pregnant!  But I was cool with going alone!  Once the guides found out I was originally a local, they buddied up to me and took good care of me for the afternoon!

tamarack resort. donnelly idaho


riding to the top of the mountain.
my first chairlift ride!

  
unbelievable views of valley county.

  
my zip guides, nic and mark.

just after my first zip. pretty stinking happy!

    
this was actually two zips.  first into the tree and then out!

  
i as definitely not excited about hanging out 105 feet up in a tree!
to make matters worse, the wind was blowing!
that meant the tree swayed as did our tiny little platform!

    

they are so big on safety though!  i never once felt like i was actually in danger!
once out on the line itself, I LOVED IT!

  
BUT. . . i still didn't like having to actually step to the edge of the platform and jump!  
but i was brave!
and nic pushed me on this one so that helped!

the following photos were taken by Mountain Life Photography.
they sell them to you for a small fortune but
AREN'T THEY ABSOLUTELY AWESOME?!

  
I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT'S ME!

    
at one point during our tour one of the other patrons asked me, "do you know these guy?" referring to the two guides.  "nope," i said.  "i'm just friendly!"  but i'm ornery too!  when nic got a bloody nose just before one of my zips, i offered him a kleenex from my trusty camelback.  but when i zipped across to the rest of the group, i told them he had mouthed off so I bloodied his nose.  funny thing is, when he zipped across, kleenex still in tow, he collaborated the story! he told those the snooty, rich out-of-staters, "YOU BETTER NOT MESS WITH A LOCAL GIRL!"

these bridges scared me more than anything!
especially since either nic or mark made sure they were behind me on both of them--swaying them like crazy!  see what i get for being ornery!

LOCAL GIRLS HAVE ATTITUDES!

  
BUT THEY TAKE PRETTY PICTURES!

summer 2008!

all the excitement gave me a migraine!
my mommy took such good care of me though!
thanks mom!
AND THANK YOU LAURA AND DANNY!
what an awesome birthday gift!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

BATS IN THE BELFRY.

The other day my dad and I were talking about the importance of curiosity and how it really is the catalyst for a good adventure.  I found it entirely appropriate, then, that just days after our grand philosophical discussion, I was overcome with curiosity within his presence!  Without further ado, I give you the story of the bat in the fireplace!

My mom had been watching Makayla and Garrett the night before I arrived in Cascade for the weekend.  They were all sleeping in the living room and were awakened in the night by a strange noise.  Mom could hear the scritchy-scratchy but didn't know exactly where the noise was coming from.  Makayla, on the other hand, woke up and said to Grandma, "There's something in the fireplace!"  I arrived the next afternoon and quickly heard about there being something alive in the stove.  I resisted temptation for most of the day but as night fell (and I thought about being kept awake by the same noise myself) I just had to discover what was lurking in the ancient ashes of that fireplace.

  
  
don't you love my CREATURE-SEEKER headlight?

although dad let me do the initial scouting of the situation, he came over for a curious peek himself, after determining, that is, that there was no immediate risk of being eaten alive.

  
as suspected, a bat had flown down the chimney and was trapped in the fireplace!

  
i had a REALLY brave thing planned for the next day, so, not wanting to overextend myself, i let mom reach in and rescue the little guy!

look at how sooty he was!  
she said when she let him go, a cloud of black puffed out off of him as he flew away!

It was just a BATTY weekend!  
Mom and I were sitting in her lawn swing a couple of days later when we noticed Sadie's intense concentration on something in the grass.  In fact, she got rather grouchy when Daisy even LOOKED at her treasure!  She had found a DEAD bat!  Whether it was the same bat we rescued and released a few nights before, we'll never know.  But you do know I had to quickly steal it from Sadie so I could pose with it! 

   
A BATTY GIRL WITH A BATTY BAT!

THURSTON WEDDING.

 Tony and Cody took their vows on the back deck of their new house in Cascade so we took all their pictures within just steps of their front door!  They had an absolutely simple and beautiful wedding! (They had SIX guests, including the pastor and his wife!)  I have known these two their entire lives and was so honored they asked me to capture their special day!

Good luck you two--even though I am certain you don't need it!
    
  
  
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
    
  

tyler simply refused to smile for me!  this, one of the final shots of the day, was the only smile i could coax out of him!  the little stinker!


i LOVE this picture!
blake is such a ham to begin with, but here he expresses my exact thoughts on marriage!