Easter 2016

Snow !

After twenty-straight days of rain, we put away our umbrellas and packed up our winter gear for a morning at the mountain.   When we arrived at Mt. Hood, it was snowing and the parking lots were completely full.  We bundled up in the truck before hiking around to the backside of Timberline Lodge.  It was nearly impossible to walk in the freshly-fallen snow without sinking in at least two feet.  The girls tried to stay on the packed snow but with the wind blowing flurries into our faces, it didn't take long before the girls wanted to go inside to get warm.  McKinley and Dadda decided to go back outside for a quick hike around the lodge while I remained by the fireplace with Piper & Tessa.  Then we all convened to the Cascade Dining Room for their lunch buffet.  After lunch we all bundled up one last time to play in the snow before heading home.

Oakhurst Thoroughbreds

Our field trip to Oakhurst wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for swim lessons.  I met Shandal at the pool while our girls were taking lessons together.  We started talking about homeschooling, we found out we're both from Alaska, and then she invited us to her family's farm to see the race horses.  I guess you could say we hit it off!  Her father-in-law owns Oakhurst Thoroughbreds, which is a little piece of Lexington, KY three miles outside of Newberg.  Oakhurst is home to Grindstone, a stallion who won the Kentucky Derby in 1996.  Shandal gave us an amazing tour of the farm beginning with the miniature horses. The girls also got to see the pigs, a two-week old colt & his mother, the pregnant mares, the famous studs, and lots of chickens.  But the coolest thing was seeing the 100+ year-old oak tree where Ewing Young was buried. We returned to the farm a couple days later after Dreamer, one of the miniature horses, gave birth to her baby.

Grindstone.