A few years ago I banned celebrating Mother's day at our house.  I was tired of having expectations and being disappointed.  Really, the expectations were my fault.  I would see on facebook all these wonderful posts and I would get angry.  Why because my kids didn't live up to my unrealistic expectations. The expectations of a day where everyone wants to be with me, give me gifts, say nice things, pick up after themselves and no fighting with each other. Seriously that is so unrealistic.  There will never be a pinterest  worthy mother's day celebration with brunch and flowers and a clean house here.  That isn't who we are so why would I expect that? But I would and so to release myself and my family for unrealistic expectations, I banned any sort of Mother's Day at our house and we have been much happier. There is no trolling for compliments, gifts or attitudes.  We are free to do our own thing and for Mother's Day, it is kids going different directions and doing regular life.  It's me taking time to read a book or play solitaire or eat croissants for three meals.  This year though I did want one thing.  I just wanted to take some family photos.  It took about 30 minutes at an empty lot across the street from Costco.  Once done we happily returned home and did our own thing again.  It was perfect and maybe just maybe we will start a trend to take family photos around the same time each year until we actually go our separate ways.  I am not sure how many more "family" photos we can take until they move out and/or move away.

Seventeen years of hiking in this county and you would have thought we would have hike all the trails this county has to offer but we haven't. We haven't even come close to hiking all of them.  We were gifted a book called "Hiking Whatcom County" and the pages are dog eared, water logged, warped, and written on.  Even then, we haven't even hiked 50 percent in that book. We have come to love our favorites and with hiking relegated to Saturdays only we touch a few hikes each year.  The spring and early summer months have us hiking the lowland trail and late summer and early fall we venture into the Mount Baker Wilderness. We thought we had heard of most of the the lowland trail especially in the Chuckanuts but were surprised by a hike we hadn't heard of: Rock Trail Hike.  Apparently it is quite new, being built in the last 4 years and connects to other trails in the area.  We just had to check it out. It started at the Cyrus Gate Overlook. We were rewarded with amazing views of the San Juan islands as the day was clear.  The trail wound down the mountain and we descended over 200 stairs that we had to make our way up on the return. About 20 minutes into the hike, my camera battery died and I was left with my cell phone. This is one thing I have not mastered, the art of the cell phone photo. I am also the slowest of our hiking family since I stop often to take photos, admire a flower, step around a boulder to see the view from the other side.  So imagine my surprise as I came around the bend and saw only two of my family staring at a rock wall with small "holes" in it.  As I came closer I realized that Lona was in one of the holes and very happy with herself.  We continued on looking for more little "caves" and finding some but not quite a neat. At the bottom there is the option to hook onto the Lost Lake Trail but we were on a little of a time schedule so turning around we went back.  Isaac took off and I didn't see him again until I arrived at the trail head. I think he had been there for about 20 minutes before I arrived.  Although I had to try the little cave myself.  I wish Lona would have filmed me getting out because I'm sure it was quite comical,  It was for me doing it.  I almost got stuck, short legs that don't have the flexibility of a 15 year old.

 One of the things I've always wanted to do was visit the buddhist temple in Richmond BC.  We've driven by it for years and I've known that they allow visitors but we've always had other plans. However, this was part of our plan while John's brother, Kevin was here. Most of the days were cloudy and not warm so we were hunting for indoor things to do.  This was outside with just a little inside stuff but the rain held off and we were able to wander the temple grounds.  I am not sure what I expected, maybe a group of monks walking from building to building or in prayer.  I don't know.  I guess I didn't expect that there would statues of the "buddhas". I didn't expect the buddas to have painted eyes and their expressions.I didn't expect statues of elephants with designs I associate with India. I didn't expect statues of deer with leopard spots and bushy tails. I didn't expect the grounds to eerily quiet or see offerings before the buddha statues.  I did expect the architecture of the curved roofs, the hanging lanterns, the bright red and gold colored buildings and chinese writings. I wish I understood more of what everything was about and the significance of the animals and statues. However I am not going to do any reading outside of visiting this area.

This sign says, do not ride the deer.  I didn't know it was a deer.

What is this animal and why is the other animal standing on it with claws out?

April and May have been the months of visits from John's family. First his mother came and two weeks later his brother arrived. Kevin flew into Seattle and together with John, decided to book end the trip with visits to their dad.  However, there was plenty of stuff to do between visiting their dad. One of the things we did was to visit Vancouver.  Kevin had never been there and just happened to bring his passport.  Our second stop in Vancouver was to the Blodel Plant Conservatory and Aviary.  When we arrived, they were filming a music video. The dancing was amazing and it was fun to watch.  I could have stayed longer but we headed inside.  The minute we walked in everything steamed up.  The plants and birds were mostly tropical although the mouse that was eating the bird food definitely was native to the area.  I felt like I was on a scavenger hunt looking at the various birds that were either flying from branch to branch or weaving through the foliage on the ground.  After leaving the conservatory we wandered the grounds admiring the trees and flower in bloom.  Finally hungry we went in search of good food and then home.

Every now and then an activity comes our way that is too crazy to turn down. It's something that can't be made up ever.  One day John came home talking about a coworker who had lost 3 cows.  They were wild cows, not the tame ones farmers have but very wild. In fact so wild that they broke out of their pasture and took off different directions.  In fact, this guy's father-in-law bought some wild cows at the same time and those cows took off too.  Technically I think they are steers but whatever.  He captured two of his three and helped his father-in-law gather his bovine as well.  But he still had one in the back 10 acres, fenced in but not in the cow pasture.  John offered to help and that is how we were roped into this bovine experience.  Show up with rainboots we were told and work gloves and long sleeve shirts.  Two of our kids declined but Isaac was willing to help out.  Hopping in the truck, John pulled out the directions to the guy's house along with a "plan" on capturing the cow.  Yep, it was written down.  Upon arriving we met the" two cows in pasture with the horse and their dog.  Originally they were thinking of using phones to communicate but we didn't have coverage so they resorted to shouting.  They guys decided I would man the gate and keep the other cows from wandering into the woods while they flushed the cow out.  Once the cow was in the pasture, I was to shut the gate and call out to them.  I promptly found a stump, pulled out my camera and waited.  Soon, I could hear the guys calling to each other, followed by lots of clapping. Then there was the loud crashing of a large animal tearing through bushes.  Turns out this 750 pound cow decided not to use the paths in the wooded area but would just storm through the brush trampling anything in it's way.  At one point I decided to pull out my phone and start taking notes.  I was overcome with laughter at the whole situation.
"Isaac! Isaac!  What's the cow doing?"
Response:  "I don't know, I don't have eyes on it."
"Fall back! Fall Back!"
"Fall Back? Oh Shit!, AHHHHHHH."
"Where's the cow now?"
Clapping sounds coming from the woods.

All I see of the cow was it's rump as it turned at the last minute and instead of running into the pasture towards the other two cows waiting, it plunges into the bushes of black berries running along side of the fence.  Meanwhile they are still in the back trying to drive it forward, not realizing that it is looping around behind them.  After 3 hours we gave up, had pizza and then left.  My stomach hurt from laughing so hard.  I knew this was going to be a good story.  True ones usually are.

Cow update:  a week later the cow was tired of being a maverick and joined the heard by walking into the pasture.