Leavenworth, WA July 6-12th 2008

Every summer the Custis Clan goes camping at the KOA in Leavenworth. For those who have not been there is it amazing! Miles parents (Marilyn and John) and his sisters Andrea Mathews and Krista Wilks, and their families all come. We "Tent" at the campsite which is usually 3 campsites to fit 3 tents and and an entire campsite alone for our "food" storage, kitchen, area where we have a large circle of various sized chairs where we spend a lot of time relazing, laughing together. We alwasy have a wonderful time. Although "they" all have been doing it for many years this was Miles and My 3rd year. The kids love it too. Andrea and Jason Matthew's family has 3 kids - Kelsey (9), Jenna (7), Alex (3) and Krista and Mark Wilk's family also have 3 kids Nathan (12), and the twins Megan and Josh (8)

This clan usually spends one day on a hiketo Isicle Ridge. This year we approached our hike as usual to find that the melted snow pack was unusually fast this year and washed out the road. The pictures were amazing. The long road in we usually take to start our hike was completely covered in water. It was unbelievable.

We parked a ways and found another train that someone had made and we took that trying to find the rangers station to get more information. We went pretty far into the woods following along the newly formed trail with the "road" to our left and rushing water over it. It did not appear at all to be a road just a normal river bed. We came out of the woods to find part of the road we were used to driving on that the river bipassed. There were CARS parked on it. These cars had been stranded. That is how fast this water overtook the road. We were remembering how there was an unusally hot day in May and thought that many people would haveheaded there for a day of hiking and probally got caught there then. Crazy. The cars were packed nicely with camping gear and now that the road was washed away and white rapids took it over there was no way those cars were getting out. We wondered how the people got out. Probablly had to be evacuated by helicopter or something. How do you explain that to your insurance company? The cars were not damaged in any way. Completely stranded....on an open road...not a scratch..but no way to get them off that road? Really how does that work?

Oh we do so much fun stuff while in Leavenworth. We go to the Lake Chelan's Slides Waters. It is a wonderful water slide park where we spend the whole day in the hot sun rafting down on huge tubes crashing into one another and with big splashes. Even Alex enjoyed himself on a few of the slides. In the afternoons we usually spent them getting wet at the KOA pool. Camping in Eastern Washington in the summer means HOT HOT HOT afternoons. The KOA pool is always a relief from the heat.

Here are some more pictures of fun around the camp.

Matt Lang's Wedding July 12th 2008

Matt and Lorlei Lang.

July 12th 2008

This was one of the most dramatic weddings I have ever been to, but my favorite wedding so far. The house, property, and surroundings were stunning. It was the perfect location for a wedding…with white tents for the ceremony and the reception. It was so emotional due to the fact that matt had just lost his dad but Mrs. Lang was very sweet and looked pretty chipper and upbeat celebrating this new union. Her great attitude put us all at ease.

Yosh (Josh Remmenga) went with us and we had to explore the property since we came an hour early. So fun! There was a HUGE in-ground pool (15 ft at the diving point)…and the hot tub was on the terrace. Yes there was a terrace. The back porch for us “normal” folks. J There was a trampoline and tons of fun things….i think that the only thing this placed lacked was a tennis court…which was too bad because although the heat would have made us stinky we could always play and then go for a dip in the pool. We did arrive early after all…..this was the boys’ logic. Can you tell?

The property was a farm equipped with ridges, forests, grassy hills, fully fenced and several pristine barns, with beautiful horses inside, and the lake…the lake with a fountain that should have been in Las Vegas it was so beautiful.

The ceremony was beautiful.
Her dress was 20’s style and very flattering on her figure. As we waited for the bride to come down the isle we noticed that there was a carriage on the ridge pulled by two huge black stallions and it was incredible! She rode across the bridge above a lake with a fountain and up the other hill….and then dismounted the carriage by her father and then down around the house and up the isle. It was the most dramatic entrance for a bride that I had ever seen but perfect as she and her father take horse riding trips every year together so it was something of a bond that they shared...very appropriate.

The ceremony was really neat too. Matt's cousin performed the ceremony. He is a pastor and gave a very special gospel message and did not candy coat anything and talked about God being first in their lives and it was just really neat. Miles and I came away very encouraged that they were serious about their faith in thier lives first and formost and in their marriage.


After the ceremony the reception followed. Also in a huge white tent. Dad would have really appreciated this. The tables were all black and white and gorgeous. Each one had a name from Shirley Temple, Dorris Day, Bing Crosby, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes, Greta Garbo, etc. So clever. I was super impressed. I might have to steal that idea down the road for something…We were at the Greta Garbo table with all of Matt’s cousins. Canadian weddings are full sit down dinner affairs. Champagne, and wine on every table. The meal was amazing. Appetizers, full course dinner, and desserts in addition to the cake itself. Some of the best food I have ever eaten was at this wedding….but the wedding cake was only ok. (mine was the best)

Canadian weddings go all day and all night. Everyone gives speeches….and everyone gets talked about. They had speeches for Miles and I too. It was really neat. And then the dancing. Oh wow the Dancing. I wish we had had that our wedding. The Father Daughter Dance was so sweet I cried. And their first dance was so cute to the music from Enchanted…absolutely fun and perfect.

I have never attended a wedding where I came away thinking that it was PERFECT and I would not have changed something. But this one nearly was….oh my how fun it was.

We were honored to be there and we just had a great time.