TABLE ROCK!

Jeff and I hiked Table Rock this Saturday with his new found friend from work Jesse Ferney. Jesse and his wife came along with Jeff and I and we had a blast. It was way harder than we thought it would be though.

We took lots of breaks!

I don't know if you can tell but the middle peak at the very top of the picture is Table Rock! It is a 12 mile round trip hike.

We are almost there!

This dude was 80 years old! Kim and I had to take a picture with him! It was hard enough for me and I'm only 21!

AT THE TOP!!!

WE MADE IT!

This was taken on the way back! We literally started running...until we realized we had 5 more miles to go! We thought it would never end. You can see Table Rock in the background on the right of us.

It was so beautiful up there!

We started the adventure at 9 and ended at 5! It took us 8 hours but it was worth every minute.

Jeff and I want to go back every year. It was such a great humbling experience. I couldn't help but think about the pioneers and how they walked miles and miles over mountains to get to the west! I do not know how they did it! I have hiked a lot before but this one was one of the hardest by far. It takes the cake along with Angels Landing at Zions National Park and Union Falls in Yellowstone! We are grateful we live so close to places like this.

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Alaskan Fishing!

Jeff had the awesome opportunity to go to Alaska with Dad and some of the brothers this weekend.

He had a blast! Here our a few pictures of the adventure!

Our freezer is officially filled with 40 pounds of fish! I am going to need some really go fish recipes.

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Crabbing 2009: DAY 1

Ok so here it is! The Crabbing 2009 posting marathon! Now before I start I have to explain crabbing! Crabbing has been a VanderSloot tradition for years and years. It is one of the only things that we always do and never miss as a family! If anyone knows my family you know that it is a huge one so it is really hard to get us all together but we all try to make it a priority to come crabbing! So we all get work off, pack up are things and head to Tillamook, Oregon for some fun family time. We missed the family members that couldn't come this year but we are excited for them to be there in years to come!
I thought this picture of Jeff would be the perfect way to start this little posting because it is Jeff's very FIRST year and crabbing is all about eating, having fun with family and letting out our inner kid!
At the beginning of the weekend the family all comes together to eat yummy Thai food before we drive to the coast!

I couldn't resist!

It was my Dads birthday earlier in August so we decided to celebrate it while eating my Dads favorite food!

Crabbing wouldn't be crabbing if we didn't have some Tillamook ice cream and cheese!

After the first day some of us decided to head to Fred Meyer to grab a couple things for the next day...and we happened to see our Aunt Berta and her family! They are from Utah and were in Oregon for a family vacation. What a small world!

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Crabbing 2009: Day 2

My awesome sister Cheri couldn't go on the boats this year cause she had her little baby Hailey there. She was joined on the dock with my sister in law Charisa and my sister Rachel. They had babies too! We missed them out there!

Here we are! The Marina we have been going to for years and years...are you ready for the crabbing adventure?...
Well before we start crabbing...
I wonder what they are thinking?...apparently I am oblivious of it!

We are ready to go!

Our boat!...we nicked named it "Monsters Inc."

It's on now...this is Jeff pullin' up his first crab pot!

MY TURN!

We are looking through the pot...trying to see if we caught any keepers!

We stopped by a little island in the ocean for a pit stop and our farmer roots came out...or whatever roots this picture portrays!

We also pulled out some serious ritual dancing...we were calling out to our crabbing ancestors!

The dancing turned into some pretty awesome baby praising! GO HAZEL GO!

They look like business don't they?

So Jeff decided a crab wanted to water ski....

(It was alive after the ride) I promise!

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Crabbing 2009: DAY 2 1/2

Heres a picture of almost everyone and their boats!
After crabbing we all gather back onto the docks to clean and cook the crab.





Jeff and I had some time to go look at all of the unique boats that were at the marina. Here are some pictures capturing the spirit of the sea.

After we come back from a long day out at sea we often like to lay on the dock and bask in the sun. I know...we look like sea lions!:)

After we catch the crab the marina cooks the crab and we get the wonderful pleasure of cleaning out the insides of the crab!

Then...after all our hard work...we all get to EAT the crab.

Unfortunately some of us don't like crab. Now when I say some of us I really mean me! I try it every year just to make sure I really don't like the sea weed smelling, spider looking goodness. To my dismay I still can't stand it! Thank goodness Tillamook has Subway:)

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