Thanksgiving 2010

Spent in Coos Bay, Oregon as usual! :)

We had a great time once we got there! Getting there was a challenge however, as we had just had a beautiful snow storm come thru and everything was FROZEN!

We have a friend who raises turkeys -- so we got to have our first 'home grown' turkey.. it was fabulous, and we will never get store bought again! :) Nathan made a delicious brine, it smelled WONDERFUL.

Every year we are there, there is a group of Sled Dog people--finally got some good pictures of them this year.

Whatever the weather may bring -- we always enjoy hanging out with our besties in the sand!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I hope that this Christmas Season has found you all healthy and happy!

I honestly have had a difficult time 'getting into the Season'.. Christmas REALLY snuck up on me this year! I didn't even put together our Yule Log, which is one of the things I really enjoy--the symbolism behind it for our family. *update* I actually did do one~I couldn't NOT have one!

I DID however get the chance to Bring in The Greens on a beautiful moonlit night. That was very peaceful to me and reminded me of the beauty of Christmas. :)

Here - Tiger is enjoying some Christmas Greens and Decorations.

We did our usual Christmasy things--going to Leavenworth is always a highlight for our family. Some of our very good friends went with us, as well as Cayla this year. It snowed and snowed and SNOWED while we were there. It was absolutely GORGEOUS!

I managed to squeeze in Cameron's annual Santa picture..he is such a good sport! In late November we always get the 'reminder card' and I showed it to Cameron and said "wellll, are ya ready this year?" He just smiles and says "Yup!" :) I think he actually likes the progression of the pictures as well.

We have all been really sick with this upper respiratory Thing that just hangs on and on.. Cameron has had it going on almost 4 weeks now. He was in the midst of it during our weekend scheduled to go hunt our tree. So he stayed home and slept, Nathan and I went and found a great tree. It was fun.. and it was nice to spend some time with just each other in the middle of the hustle and bustle!

*this is one of the oldest ornaments on our tree--belonged to my Gramma*

Christmas Eve was spent with close friends.

And Christmas Dinner--at our house with more close friends. Nathan BBQ'd a coupla prime ribs--they were delish!

And NOW.. the New Year is upon us! I can't hardly believe it, how the time keeps moving along so quickly.

'good bye kind year, we walk no more together,

but here in

quiet happiness

we part'

sarah doudney

Never Let Go

As I sit here listening to my favorite David Crowder song.. 'Never Let Go'.. it reminds me that the Lord really never lets go of you once He has you in His Hand. Maybe I let go, but He does not. This is something I have had such a hard time with in the last year.. I may have let go, but I feel He still has a hold of me in the middle of my life storms ~ thru it all, the craziness. This song reminds me of that. I can listen to it over and over and sit with it in my heart and feel the peace it brings.

This will make your heart smile!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Well, Fall has officially started for us, at least that's how I see Labor Day and the beginning of the school year as!

Cameron has started High School this year~ Yup, he is officially a Freshman this year. Unbelievable how fast time has flown by. He was very nervous, and couldn't sleep on Monday night. His school started the day after Labor Day, lucky for us. Trying to get him involved in some sort of club(s) this year.. Of course I am pushing (gently!) for FFA, but we will see. "It's all agricultural Mom!"... I don't see that as a problem! ;) There are also some computer clubs and art clubs, hopefully something will catch his interest.

...contemplating all of the options available to him...

The Puyallup Fair kicks off the Poultry Show season for us as well.. Our chickens and ducks will be there on the 23th, and staying till the 26th. If you're in the area, stop by and see them! It's the Junior Poultry Exposition, so the poultry at the fair during that time are all entered by 4H and FFA kids, or anyone under 18 years old.

PopPop and Pam came by a few weeks ago and Pam did a fabulous job painting the house-it was sorely in need of a fresh coat. It looks beautiful!!




Labor Day, Florence Or. 2010

Out of the mouths of babes...

Well, not technically a baby anymore... ;)
But an observant teenager.
We were watching that movie Unbreakable the other night, and if you haven't seen it, there is a scene in which Bruce Willis' character is seated on the doomed train, and a young attractive woman is getting ready to sit next to him. He removes his wedding band. I said "niiice", and Nathan -- trying to get a rise out of the boys(Cameron's friend was also with us) says.. "it musta been bothering him".. and Cameron's reply-- "yeh, it was messing with his Moral Alignment"... :)
That's our boyo! <3

...Some Catching Up To Do....

Well, over the past few months we have been up to quite a lot. Let's see if I can do a quick run through of all the things we have been doing.

Cameron and I went "up North" to Bellingham for our cousin Clayton's graduation. It was a lot of fun, a family BBQ at a really beautiful state park and then dinner at a great restaurant ...





Cayla graduated High School! Woot!!






We took a great family vacation to Yellowstone, Tetons, and St. Anthony.