Monday!

Monday!

Yes, the week has started and we are excited for the week to come! FHE on Monday brought a closer study of Sacrament. HT is all done for November with 100%, yeah!
Mom is gearing up for December already, since we will be leaving for Utah, after Dec 17th.

I will have a dentist appointment on Tuesday and then come back for an evening event at Franklin for the new students and parents coming to Franklin from Marshall HS.
Wednesday is our usual temple night. Christmas activities are starting already for Friday and Saturday, then the Christmas Devotional on Sunday in the evening.
What do you have planned for this week?
Hope all goes well for you this week! We keep you regularly in our prayers.

Love,
Dad

Back in Business!

Back in Business!

November 28, 2010

We had our Tithing settlement today. I attended two Sacrament Meetings, one in Estacada and another meeting in our Ward, Powell Valley. Got all the early morning meetings for Bishopric and PEC for Estacada. By the time I get to our meeting schedule, I'm ready to come home. ''got one home teaching assignment before the titihing settlement. Last week, mom went with me for two others and still have more for tomorrow.
Thanksgiving was a good one in McMinnville at Scott's house. We had a great turkey with all the stuffings and then some. Celebrated my birthday at Dad's. thanks for all the gifts, cards, phone calls on my birthday. Yes, I really am 57 years old! But done feel aday over 25, that is on most days! I can attribute that to my new found exercise... Yoga. Mom got me into it and I like it very much! We don't always practice together, but lately I put on th evideo and mom will workkout in the room next door... from the den. It is ready good for these really tired old bones

Soccer is Over, Yeah! ...no more rain!

Soccer is Over, Yeah! ...no more rain!

In October and November we went to a few games for Matt and Nathan.

Both scored at various games. Lots of fun, except for the rain. Course not all games were wet! We love watching those games!

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving!

November 24, 2010
The day before Thanksgiving and I have gone through the Parent-Teacher Conference\: Two days (Monday-Tuesday) 8am Through 8pm. There was some snow and ice when I went to Gresham in th eevening. Got home just fine. The next day I got a message form Cathy stating I might want to stay at my parents since the streets were icy and snowy. The next night I missed my Blood Drive. We got lots of people out, and Cathy felt it was the smoothest drive we have had! Fortunately Cathy was there when I couldn't be there. Home all day today before our Holiaday since we worked to late nights, we got the day before off too!
I will be 57 this year and thinking of retiring this year. Of course, we have been talking since 2008, maybe its time to do sometning about it? 33years in the school system is quite a long time. I was looking at the principal photo wall in the the library and I know personally 9 of the 13 or 14 principals at Franklin. Of course, it does hurt have gone an extra 4 years since my high school years.
So, how is your Thanksgiving weekend coming along? Hope you enjoy your time and I will try to be more faithful in entering this blog, a new birhtday goal.... Love you all,
Dad

MANDY'S BABY SHOWER IN PORTLAND

MANDY'S BABY SHOWER IN PORTLAND

The last weekend in April, Mike and Mandy came home from Utah for a Baby Shower! It was so fun to see Mandy really starting to look like she was carrying a baby. Her sister Melonie gave the shower in her home in Washington. We played games and had a good time opening her gifts. Mandy and Mike got a ton of nice things that will help alot once LeAnna gets here. Thanks Mel, for always being there for Mandy. We love you

The POOL on Disney vacation

The POOL on Disney vacation

oops, guess I got a carrosel in there too!

My husbands favorite rides at the park were the ones like Bud Lightyears where he could shoot at the random Targets. I beat him on the first ride and so thereafter he was out to break all of our records. I cant remember the name of the ride that he took Shad on twice in California Adventure cause it was that kind of a ride....I think Shad loved it too cause he was all about going back in. Josh liked driving the cars the best and after everyone was heading back to the motel on the last day he took Josh back alone to be able to do it one last time. Good old Grandpas huh

MORE DISNEY PICS

MORE DISNEY PICS

Grandmas 80th Birthday

Grandmas 80th Birthday

Sue decided to have a birthday party for Jerry while we were there. She invited everyone who was around and so the pool house was filled to the brim. She had BBQ steak and all the trimmings. Sue is amazing...Mom is amazing.There are so many of us now. Brad, Keri and baby were there as well as Tyler and Nichole, John Jr, John Sr, Sue and Ashley, Erica and Madsen, Mike and Mandy, Missy, Justin, Hannah, Hailey and Luke. Maria, Abby and Brooke. And...me. I drove down with her and dad and really enjoyed visiting with them. It was fun to get to see Brad and Keris baby too. Brad is a pretty cute dad. Thats a ton of candles on that cake but...I'm hoping for a ton more for her next one.

UTAH TRIP

UTAH TRIP

Okay, so most of my pictures are of my grandkids...cute or what! I will probably just post a ton of them. I got to spend a couple of days with Maria in Clearfield...getting to know the baby again,playing with the kids and couponing. I love their new home and everything they are doing to it. It is the perfect little home for them and they have wonderful friends there already. Maria was called to YW and so we got to attend a Mother-daughter party together the first night I was there. Its awesome to see her fullfilling a calling like. Missy met us in Salt Lake and took me to Provo to stay at Mikes. I had a great time getting to know her kids again. Hannah had just graduated from K-garden and amazed me with her reading and writing skills...I never did any of that till about 2nd grade....Luke has grown about 6 inches and has a buzz cut that makes him look alot older than last time I saw him. He is such a loving kid...and thankful for everything. Hailey is darling and really rules the roost. I got a big kick out of her keeping up with the other two. I cant remember all we did there but we did spend some time finding a lamp and pictures for the babies Nursery at Mikes. Mandy's little one is sitting on her siatic nerve and poor Mandy could hardly move. But, she tried...bless her heart. She will be one happy camper when LeAnna comes and she can move again. I went to church with Missy and her tribe...I was amazed at how quietly they all sat through the meetings. We also bought a swimming pool for them to put up this summer. On Saturday Mike and Mandy, Maria, and Melissa and I went garage sale shopping. We spent $35 and got a ton of stuff... we all love a good deal. I also went to the movies with them and we watched Avitar one night. Maria, Brooke and Abby got to spend the night at Mikes with me one night too cause Kyle took Riley on a campout. All in all, it was alot of fun.

Just for Fun

Just for Fun

Since Cindy is the only one living close by right now, I may blog more of her kids than any of the others...but they are so fun...Heres an evening when they got to stay with us for a bit while their parents went to dinner and a movie....gotta love their energy!

Visiting Les

Visiting Les

I spent a week with my brother! It was so fun to see his life and what he is doing.I also got to spend a day with my sister before she had to leave for home . We ate in a fun little hometown resturant and then shopped a ton of tourist shops and found some awesome gifts for her to take home to her family.

She is one amazing woman. Time passes so quickly and before we know it we are old. It was so good to have time alone together like when we were younger. The fun thing to see was how warm and loving they are. Les took extra care to make sure that I enjoyed my time there. How do you thank someone for that properly. He took me all over the park and to meet his friends and I even got to go to work with him one morning. He also took me to see the park and his friend who played the banjo for us overlooking a river. It was so peaceful and quiet there. The people all love him and I was so proud of him. He has his things like all of us do, but honestly, I love him and am so proud of who he is. I learned that I need to take the time to care about my neighbors and friends the way that he does. Thanks for letting me get to know you again...

The Stephens Home

The Stephens Home

Its hard to believe that this is the same little house that the kids purchased such a few short years ago. Jake and Cindy have been working on it since the day they moved in. Its almost finished! Jake said he'd wait to publish it till it was done buy I couldnt help myself...I wanted all of you to see what is taking place. They just got the siding up and will paint it over the next couple of weeks...weather permitting...it is Oregon....it will be painted a colonial blue color with white trim. The pillars will all be enclosed and they are putting lights in the deck ceiling so that the whole porch can be lite up at night! I can almost see the porchswings and rocking chairs already....Im thinking this wonderful wrap around porch will be the gathering place for generations to come...as you can see from the photo...Nate, Jeff and Dubby are already enjoying it! Heres to hard work and Jakes ability to see the finished project in his head. None of us had a clue but him what it would turn out like. Its HUGE!

Nate's Baptism

Nate's Baptism

Theres something wonderful about watching someone so innocent and pure enter the waters of baptism. Nate looked so sweet dressed all in white, and his Father gave him a special blessing as he laid his hands on Nates head, along with his greatgrandfather and grandfather and friends. Its hard to believe how quickly time is going by and that Nate is already 8 years old. He is old enough to know the truth and wise enough to decide that he wants to be called a member of the church for the rest of his life. We are so proud of him and the choices he has made. We are also proud of both Jake and Cindy and their whole little family for living the good lives that they are and for being so loving and caring towards each other and all their extended families. Jen, JP and their family also came from Klamath Falls to be with us for the day. We went to their home for dinner and desserts before the baptism and the cousins all got to go to Nates ward for church together that day. Great Grandma and Grandpa Hill came as well as Jakes Father and Dubbie. That made for a full house. One of the sweetest things I saw during the daytime was all 5 of the older boys dressed in their white shirts and slacks floating down the lake on the boat together. From a distance it reminded me of what these boys will look like one day as Missionaries...its coming sooner than we think...Families are meant to be together forever...those of you who didnt get to come were missed and in our thoughts as always...

Happy Easter

Happy Easter

Cindy and Jake had us over this morning for a wonderful Easter Breakfast and we got to watch their kids open their Easter baskets...a wise easter bunny brought a star wars toy each and play dough stuff that stretched and farted...fun stuff...during conference Cindy laid a sheet on the floor and brought out stuff to play with the playdough . Wise parents to keep them happy while they listened. They are wonderful parents...in fact, we are so pleased with how all of our children and their spouses are teaching the kids. A verse was read in conference about how if parents teach their children then they will have peace in their lives...when you see the peace in your homes, its in the kids lives and copared with so many children in the world today...yours are so blessed to carry that inner peace...we love you for doing that, for being those kinds of parents and families...you give us great joy! We miss you all today, and all the good noise and confusion that comes when we are all able to be together...but We know that this morning we were all together as we shared the gospel in conference...there are so many things that uniteus even though we are so far apart. We are thankful everyday for the phone, the internet, skyping...but mostly with the knowledge that no matter even if we could not get in touch with each other so easily, that the spirit that ties us to one another will always be there. Jesus Christ did rise from the dead! It is true! The Gospel that will bind us together for eternity and all its powers are ours today and always to bless our lives. Lets try to give hope to everyone we meet and live the way we should to show our gratitude for His loving gift. Our love to you all today, mom and dad