Crater Lake 2013

One major thing that happened in the time that I wasn't actively blogging last year, was that one of my best friends returned home from a two year long missions trip.  Austin has been a great friend for most of my life (as long as I've lived in this state actually) and spending two years without him was tough. Jordan and Austin go back even farther, so when Austin came home, it was important that we all celebrated, and this celebration morphed into the form of a road trip. It's ironic how that happens, celebrating a homecoming, by leaving home... but Crater Lake was worth it!

Here's my picture-story of the trip:

 We stayed at Diamond Lake, the closest campground to Crater Lake that had what we needed. Obviously, upon arrival I had to explore a little bit and during this time I handed off my camera to Austin. He snapped this one - which is surprisingly unplanned. It's become a favorite of mine!

Here's another view of Diamond Lake from our campsite.

And here is Crater Lake. This was one of our first views, and my god was it breathtaking.

It was an overcast type of day, but the water still glowed.

 Austin, showing the dare-devil side of himself, jumped into the water.

What was funny about this is how long it took for him to decide to do it, then as we were packing up to go, a group of little girls (maybe 8-10 years old) came down and started jumping off like it was no big deal, one after the other. Regardless, I'm proud of Austin (and Trevor, he did it too.) Also notice I didn't do it. I was on the sidelines, busy taking pics. ;)

Here's a shot of the water. SO amazingly clear. Too bad it was so cold.

A fine group of brothers.

Jordan's grandmother told us this picture needs to be framed, and normally I'm opposed to putting so much effort into something that just hangs on a wall, especially since we live together now and I get to see him everyday, but I might be coming around. This was just so awesome that I want to have something to commemorate that forever.

Das boys taking in the view. What an incredible sight.

And finally, the whole gang. Smiling ear to ear.

I feel so lucky to know each of them the way I do. Individually they are all such sweet people, and together, we have so much fun. As I continue blogging and sharing parts of my life so openly I realize how privileged I truly am. I am blessed by great friends, a wonderful partner, and someday-to-be family members (brothers). If any of you guys take the time to look at this, know that I am thankful for y'all putting up with me for that weekend, and always. You guys rock.

Catching Up

Upon returning from Scotland, my boyfriend and I started right back up where we left off: in Three Lynx.  Three Lynx is a tiny little community near Mt. Hood, Oregon where Portland General Electric has a plant. Jordan worked there for a couple of summers, including the one I was gone. So naturally, when I got back, this was the first place I went! We hiked, picnicked, fished; basically did anything and everything you can imagine in this place.

Though he no longer works there during the summers, I know it will forever hold a special place in our hearts. :)

 Next, I spent a lot of Junior year playing.  I had a whole new mentality and desire to balance more fun times with the never-ending workload of being a student.  The picture above is of myself and one of my best friends, Emily, at the top of Mary's Peak in Philomath, OR.  (We weren't quite ready when the timer went off!)

Partway through fall term 2012, Jordan and I took a weekend off to go to Bandon, Oregon.  Bandon is home to some awesome beaches as well as the West Coast Safari Park for wildlife.  We got to see and do everything we wanted to there, including have tons of fun, but also get some much needed relaxation time in.

Winter 2012 was amazing. I think I went snowboarding that season more than any other.  This particular picture was taken by a friend who was just learning, and that I had the honor to teach how to ride! It was a blast.

Next break I had from school was spring break.  During this time I went to Seattle with Jordan and explored the city. We ate at the Space Needle, walked through Pike's Place, and even rode on the Ferris wheel on the waterfront. It was Jordan's first time there, so we mainly stuck with the tourist attractions, but we both vowed to go back as much as possible in the future to continue exploring. :)

Finally, back to summertime. The picture above was taken at one of Jordan's extended family's houses.  This family owns a large piece of property near the Columbia River (so, very NW Oregon) which you can kind of see in the pic.  It was gorgeous and made for the perfect place to kick-start summer.

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Overall, it seems that my life as a student has been marked by breaks. I accept that it's because I don't have much time between working and studying to do much during the term, but now that I'm almost done with school I hope that I can make traveling more of a regular thing, a priority.

I suppose there's not much else I could've wished for that year, and I am excited to share what came next: senior year adventures!

A Look Back: Edinburgh Edition

Obviously, it's been a while.  And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I want to use this blog for going forward, but I do know that I would like to keep it.  I have this feeling that things will be changing soon; hopefully for the better! I am set to graduate within the next month and am hoping to get a full-time position at my current place of work. While all of this is exciting, it's a bit anxiety-producing too. So, before I do all this 'changing', I'd like to share some highlights from the past few years of undergraduate school that mean a lot to me, starting with my time abroad for an internship in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Feeling on top of the world, but really atop the Wallace Monument in Stirling.

Visiting Glencoe; the most beautiful place in the world. No amount of words or pictures can do it justice.

Visiting Fort Augustus, a charming village off of Loch Ness.

Watching trains pass over the incredible ol' Forth Bridge.

Celebrating the rare occasion when it was warm enough to get ice cream - on the eastern coast no less!

 Not letting it stop us when it did rain. Instead, going out with host-mother Dawn after work to walk the puppies on the bay.

Taking an extra minute to explore traditional Cairn stacks in northern Scotland.

 Hiking through parts of Cuillin.

 

 Walking through pretty townscapes in Northern Scotland.

 Having my breath be taken away, standing on the cliffs facing the North Sea.

 Waiting on highland cattle - hard to imagine that I now miss the sight of these guys! It was genuinely difficult to drive anywhere past the city without having to dodge an array of sheep and cows...

Taking in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, learning about Scottish history, and gaining a whole new appreciation for it all.

Also, simply being in the country hosting the Olympics at the time was very special.

All in all, I can't say anything but positive things about my experience in Scotland.  It was truly life-changing and such a privilege! I will always be thankful for the time I spent there and hopefully never forget it as I move on and become part of the post-college "real world."

One last note - I'd like to make it clear that this has only scratched the surface. Scotland was a profound time for me, but these pictures don't even begin to tell the whole story. I plan to share more, but before I do, I will be sharing other stories in other posts that have also shaped these last two years. So, stay tuned is what I guess I am trying to say. :)