A Busy Year

We went on our second big family vacation just one year after our 1994 trip to California, but we didn't spend that year in between just sitting around and waiting!

After we returned from California in June, Karla's family came up from Mesa to enjoy the 4th of July with us. While they were here we enjoyed a hike along the magnificent Mogollon Rim Trail.

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Here we are with my mom, Karla's family, and Dana's family. (Karla was behind the camera.)

In October we made a trip to Mesa to celebrate Sarah's birthday. Here are Sarah and Jacob, ages 5 and 3, at the bottom of Salt River Canyon.

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In the background is the old bridge we used to cross over the river on. It was very narrow and if another car was crossing toward you, you had to pull over and wait. There's a new 2-lane bridge there now.

In February 1995 we made another of our frequent visits to Mesa. One day while we were there, we had a picnic at Kiwanis Park with Karla's family.

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Jacob and Sarah experienced some real closeness on this camel. I thought it was pretty cool. You don't see dromedary animals at the parks where we live!

In March I was invited to spend 3 days at the Orme School, a boarding school near Prescott, AZ, to be part of a team evaluating the school for accreditation. I told them I would come if I could bring my family.

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It was great! The school had a working ranch, so Mark and the kids had fun checking out the animals and fishing in the reservoir while I attended meetings each day.

The Orme teachers' families lived in school housing on the campus, and the cafeteria served both students and families all day. They put us up in a little house called the Pink Chalet.

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We were sorry to leave when our 3 days at the Orme School were done!

A couple of weeks later we were back at our favorite haunt, Woodland Park.

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First Sarah and Jacob joined Dad for a little fishing off the dock. They loved to watch for fishies swimming by.

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Then I took them up the hill to the playground so Mark could have some quiet time, just him and the fish.

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I usually sat on a bench and read a book while the kids had a great time playing on the toys. Even at that young age, they had a real talent for meeting new friends and welcoming new children into their group.

In May the carnival came back to town, so we treated the kids to the rides.

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Back then it was much cheaper to attend these carnivals! Jacob usually goes with his friends every year, but I can no longer afford to take my whole family.

The kids look almost bored with the train ride. At this time Sarah was 5 and Jacob was a month away from turning 4.

Then in June, just weeks before our next family vacation, we took the kids to a big family fishing derby that was held on the White Mountain Apache reservation.

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None of us won anything, but we had a wonderful time. At the children's derby, Mark coached the kids on their first serious fishing, and they each caught a nice one.

Here is Sarah with her catch. They were both so proud!

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But when it came time to take the fish off the line and actually touch the wriggly little critter, Sarah and Jacob both backed off quickly!

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At the end of this event-filled year, we started packing for our next big vacation:

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Iowa!