2013 has begun

2012 is gone and just a memory of the past. 2013 is here and already flying by. I am not sure where January went but February is in full swing. Our family has enjod some snowmobiling excursions to Mt. St. Helen's and Mt. Adams. The boys are wrestling in a beginner league and Kenny loves it, while Kale isn't sure its his thing. Ken is acing as one of the assistant coaches and really seems to love spending the time with all the kids and teaching them new moves and sharing his love for wrestling with them. We are in the process of becoming licensed to be foster parens and so the house is somewhat of a distaster as we move the boys to a room together and prepare their rooms for foster kids. We hope to have 3 or 4 more running around in the next 60 days. I hope to have pictures and scrapbook pages posting soon. I am going to try to arrange my schedule so that I have time to preserve a memorey or two each week. I plan to post those memories, as well as a few fun family videos each week. Check back soon.

Columbia Heights Primary Temple Trip

The Primary planned a temple trip for the kids.  I was a bit spectacle that 50+ primary kids, their parents and siblings could not be on the temple grounds without causing a ruckus.  But I was pleasantly surprise and the reverence that was displayed.  They had stations set up all around the ground and small groups moved from station to station learning things about the temple, its purposes, the symbols on the outside, family history work, what it meant to be an eternal family, history about the building of the Portland temple and the dedication…

Kale was amazed at the angel Moroni.  I am not sure why now as he has seen the angel on many temples as we have visited them in Utah, Arizona, Washington and Oregon, but he wanted a picture and he wanted to know if he could go up the spire to see the angel up close and he wanted to know what it was made out of and how big it was…  I was impressed that at six, he wanted to know so much.

I learned a couple neat things I didn’t know and the kids learned many things that kept them talking about the experience for days.  It wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t hot either and the sun was out up until the time we left and then it started raining.  I know that the Lord blessed us to have good weather so his children could learn about the sacredness of his temple and feel the spirit there.

It was an enjoyable day, one they won’t soon forget.

Some Amazing Photos of the Columbia River Shoreline…

     

I love the beauty that I am surrounded by here in Vancouver.  It is by far the best thing about out move back up to the Northwest.  Not a day goes by that I am not reminded that there is a God and that he loves us.  He has given us beautiful scenes to look at and I am convinced that they are here to remind us of what we are missing being away from him.

We Are Truly Blessed!!  Thank You Lord for all my blessings and for all the beauty that surrounds me and overshadows all the ugly that is in this world.

Some New Scrapbook Pages…

I haven’t had much time lately to scrapbook but I found a few minutes on Sunday afternoon and here are the results:

I hope to get more done before the year is over and will post them as I finish them.

Meredith’s Boots

So for my birthday, my sister, Meredith and her family, Jon and Steven and the dogs, Mom and Dad and Megan through me a surprise party.  It was great and I was really touched that they came all the way to Portland for my special day.  After the party, Meredith, Mom and I went shopping, something I haven’t done in quite some time, as I haven’t had any girls to shop with and no money to spend.

Meredith needed boots for her Halloween costume, so off we went.  We started at Burlington Coat Factory, where I found a cute pair but nothing for her.  We then ventured into Payless and once again, came up short.  So we decided to go to Ross.  She hit the JACKPOT.  She found boot that went to her knee, black with buckles, exactly what she wanted.  And the best part – they were only $18.00.  What a deal.  And they are cute enough she can wear them for more then just a costume.

Trunk-or-Treat 2011

This year for Halloween, Kale dressed up like Ironman and Kenny was a Purple Phantom.  We went to the Trunk-or-Treat for our ward and the other two (2) wards in our building.  The boys were in the Parade of Costumes and then it was off to see how much candy they could get – and it wasn’t even Halloween yet.

They each came home with half of a grocery bag full.  They dumped it out on the table and started sorting it into piles and trading what they didn’t like for what they did.  And of course, Dad took his “taxes” in licorice and Kit Kats and mom in Butterfinger and Baby Ruth.  This brought back memories of my youth, sorting and trading and counting, trying to see who had the most, the best and the biggest variety…

Goofing Off with Pumpkins–The Candy

No explanation needed… Just know that we literally “LAUGHED OUR BUTTS OFF”!!