Crain's Ned Adventure: Easter! Hallelujah! Courtland is 14!

EASTER... He is Risen! And Courtland turns 14!

So even if you don't want to read this, scan the photos and watch the videos. They will have you giggling for sure!

Courtland was very excited for his 14th birthday, but not so excited to rise early for the 7:00 a.m. sunrise service at the Barker Reservoir! So different, folks in jeans, fleece and hiking boots... a couple of dogs there too... standing in a circle with an acoustic guitar for music. To the east the sun rising over the reservoir, and to the west the majestic mountains towering over us. Really beautiful.

Livingston took during the service

After the short service they encouraged folks to go to the Sundance Cafe for breakfast, part of where we are staying. We told Pastor Doug and his wife Pat that we were delighted everyone was coming to our house for breakfast!

Bruce and I took the dogs on a walk across from the lodge behind their stables. We love going off onto trails because the dogs can run loose. Amazingly, the chihuahuas have become mountain dogs... staying right with us on rocky trails, over bits of snow and ice, as we cross over logs (and they go under), and marking their territory to ward off fox and mountain lions! Don't let the little sweaters fool you! Moo, our mini Aussie, is the trail blazer. We can hardly get her back inside the hotel!

a man and his dogs

Tillie and Bruce resting after our hike

After the hike we went to the 11:00 service at Calvary Chapel to celebrate Easter with the choir singing. We were in for a treat as they called Chad (Courtland) up to the front and had the whole church sing Happy Birthday to him!

Later in the afternoon we headed over to the lovely mountain home of our new church friends, Suzy, Jerry and their family. They live on over 40 acres with 5 horses and 5 dogs that are as big as horses! Mama mastiff and Papa Irish Wolfhound had pups, and they kept three. The largest is 250 pounds!

view from their front porch

Sterling sitting with the dogs, or should we say the dogs sitting on Sterling

for perspective, Sterling is over 6' tall

After a yummy dinner, we walked over to the horses. Now the Crain family did not grow up around horses, much to the amusement of those who own them. We are silly and totally entertained by everything about them!