Mt Rushmore

While visiting Mt Rushmore, we stayed at a military RV camp at Ellsworth, AFB near Rapid City SD. Lindsay had a great time capturing butterflies and we still have one who came along for the ride on our trip to Minnesota! Mt Rushmore was fantastic, as well as the ride up to the visitors center. This was all of our first trip there and it is just amazing how someone could carve faces in the side of a mountain and show so much detail. We stayed several days here as I needed to get some warranty work done on my truck, then on the 28th of May, we headed on to Pipestone, MN.

Photos from Washington

Kelly with our grandson Landon the day we left Spokane and photos with Chris, Darlene, Alex, Jared and Jackie during our stay at their home in West Richland, WA.

On the road again.

Our family left Chewelah, WA on 21MAY enroute to Virginia. I was able to take 30 days leave from the Navy, so we decided to take a fun vacation while we travel back to Norfolk. We stopped in West Richland, WA to visit with Chris, Darlene, Alex, Jared and Jacque Johnson (Kelly's brother)on Friday. The kids had a great visit and we all stayed up until almost midnight talking! Saturday we headed to Missoula, MT and was able to visit with Nikki's grandpa, Gary Thompson, who came down from Kallispel, MT to have breakfast with us. Nikki and Lindsay last saw Grandpa Gary 2 years ago, so he was very surprised they had both grown so much!
I will post some photos as soon as we get to a spot where we have a better wireless signal. Chat soon...

Pacific Beach Adventure

Before heading back to Norfolk with the Navy, we had to take some time and visit the Washington Coast. Hey, it rains just as much here as in Olympia, so we couldn't wait until the summer to do some camping. We spent 4 days at a Navy operated resort in Pacific Beach. We parked our home very close to the beach for $12 a night and spent some time visiting the area. That treck included numerous gift shops in Pacific Beach and Forks, WA (home of that chic flick vampire/wolf movie). Let's get real, a girl falling for an cute vampire (he really needs some vitamin D)and then is at the same time being wooed by a wolf-boy who rides dirt bikes? Where is Dirty Harry when you need him? Sorry, back to our trip...

On the "only" day it didn't rain, we travelled north toward Forks, making stops at the Quinault Rain Forest. That was well worth the stop and 1/2 mile walk into the woods. Lindsay thought we had walked 6 miles but did have fun looking at bugs, big trees and trying to stay up with Nikki.

In Forks all of the businesses were closed with the exception of the following stores: (2) gas stations with non working bathrooms (that is a big issue with girls), 3 vampire/wolf stores, an Ace Hardware (my saving grace, oh the smell of fertilizer, insect spray and new wood), and the homestyle restaurant with worn out seats! We did all survive and made it back to the safe confines of our 40 foot home (which has 2 working bathrooms).

We are heading back to Olympia tomorrow and have only 3 more weeks before we head east. More to follow!

Disneyland 2010

In March, we were able to fly to California to visit family and have some fun time at Disneyland! Kristin, Jesse and Landon flew down as well and we were all able to stay in the same hotel right across the street from Disneyland. This was Landon's first time in the "happiest place on earth" and did enjoy every minute. I wanted to get some photos on our blog and will also send a link to Disney Photo shop as well. Our family had many photos taken around the park and you can view them and order some if you wish. We also visited with Grandpa Fenn & Sandy, my Sister Liz and family and Kerri & Jay. The time all went too fast and hopefully on the trip back to Virginia, we can stop in for a quick visit again.

It's a New Year!!

It is once again the time for the Fenn's to start updating their "blog". Christmas has come and gone and hey, it's still raining in Olympia! Time for the Fenn's to leave for warmer weather, but not after visiting our grandson, Landon David for his birthday bash. I had to stay in Tacoma as duty called, but the girls drove over last month and was able to celebrate Landon's 1st birthday. The girls enjoyed some "snow" as well and playing with Landon and big sister Kristin.

My 1st year deployment with the Navy is ending here in April and I'm heading back to Norfolk to work another year at HQ. That's headquarters for you non-military types or the "head shed" as the civilians call it. I'll fly back in June, when my bride Kelly of 30 years+ and I will go on an Alaska cruise. No fishing or hunting for me, just dancing, smouching, holding hands and taking long walks in a circle around the ship! I don't even have to ask Kelly's dad what time she has to be in!

Does anyone have any vitamin D? This Tacoma weather has done me in......

Thanksgiving in Spokane

We all had the opportunity to visit all of the "Fenn girls" who just happened to be in the same spot at the same time....in Spokane! Kristin, Jesse and Landon opened their house and oven to the Fenn's for an early Thanksgiving feast. Kerri flew up from Long Beach, Ca, Kimmy and her friend Tony drove over from Tacoma and the rest of the 4 Fenns drove over on Saturday. Snoqualime Pass was very pretty and we got to experience a good snowstorm to the delight of Nikki and Lindsay. Kerri took a week off and was able to visit with Kristin & Jesse and once we arrived to babysit, they all went out to see that new vampire/wolf/love story movie. Jesse and I enjoyed watching the Seattle Sea Slugs loose on Sunday and at the same time, enjoy 3 plates of "slow turkey", potatoes, cow slobber (pistachio jello jiggly desert), black olives, yams, gravy, dressing and the red stuff I don't like (cranberry sauce). I made up for that with a piece of huckleberry/apple pie and pumpkin pie. We ended up taking a lot of video's of Landon, who is walking all over the place now! Kristin has now lost control! She and Kerri will be sending some pictures soon and we will add them to the blog.

Okay, I'm tired of the rain. I need to find a Navy job somewhere there is warm weather, aqua colored water lapping up on the beach, an endless supply of fruity rum drinks for Kelly and I, a fast food drive through that actually gets the order right, a tire shop that is "fair and balanced" and a 5g network that allows me to talk on the cell phone inside of a building. Here is a good idea, let's save money on sending rockets to Mars or crashing a perfectly good rocket into the Moon to see if there is a dust cloud AND give me a car that gets 100 MPG using good ole gas and a cell phone that works! It's not that hard!

Sorry...I must need a nap....