Wii Fun

Charlie is here with us for a few days.....Ryan & Kristin are having a blast playing "star wars" with Charlie....big guy fights little guys!

Some fun pics...even the cat wants to play!!

Shore Acres State Park

Today started out as a lazy day. We had some things to get done around the house, and after those chores were done, the guys headed down to watch a movie, and I headed outside to play with my camera (actually, I was headed to the mailbox, and saw how pretty it actually was outside with the frozen frost on the trees. I took lots of different shots, just seeing what I could get...what fun! Here are a few favorites...



Our annual Shore Acres Park visit was much different then years past! We haven't been camping this Christmas as normal, and we sure didn't make it to Georgia (sniff, sniff!), but we did get together with our extended family and head to the coast. We picked up Lindsay when she got off at 3pm. It was a late start, but she was worth waiting for...as she enjoys Christmas lights as much as the rest of some of us...minus the hum bugs! We picked Charlie up right after, and headed South. We had a beautiful drive along the Umpqua River and arrived in Charleston for supper around 6:00--all starving! We waited for a table for probably 10-15 minutes, and after 20 minutes of being passed by after we were seated, we figured it was time to find somewhere else to eat. Being in Charleston, there were not a lot of choices, so we figured we'd head back 20 minutes to North Bend...what did we have to lose??! As we were passing the motel dump, we saw a place called Forbys.....we decided to try it. WOW...were we impressed. They had great food, great portions, and great prices. If you're going to be in the area....make sure to hit this place. Incredible!! Needless to say, we all left full bellied at 8:00...OK...2 hours to eat..but off to the lights we went.



We walked down to the wall above the shoreline first...what an incredible display God gave us....we were not disappointed. Too bad the camera can't catch all that at night. We then walked through the spooky forest to the light display....and spent some time there--not as much as usual, because we got there after dark. We enjoyed the lights despite the rain, and as always, we enjoyed a tour through the cottage, which is always decorated so nicely for Christmas.

It was after 10 when we headed for home, and 12:45 when we dropped off Lindsay, and after 1 when we arrived home. Some crashed as soon as we got in...others, had slept 20 minutes, and were unable to sleep, and were up until after 3...ugh. Makes it tough when the alarm for church goes off at 7:30!! It was all worth it...but we did decide that next year, it will be an all day event!

Check out the pictures...

Merry Christmas from Sweet Home!

Our Christmas celebration started yesterday when we headed over to the New church property, now called Calvary Creekside. What a name--perfect!Charlie, Bill, Tom & Ryan just before service....

We gathered inside the church...and packed it to standing room only. What a meaningful service. Just Christmas carols, praise songs and communion. What a better way to meet with our Father on Christmas Eve?! It made us truly remember the real reason for the season.We came home and watched the end of a movie...and then Bill & I spent the next few hours wrapping, sorting, and putting out gifts and filling stockings. Now that Santa doesn't frequent our house, it made it easy to put out gifts--although we didn't seem to get to bed any earlier. I think it was 1:40 when I showered and snuggled into bed with my bible to read the Christmas story before falling asleep.

Bill & I were both awake at 6, after telling the kids they couldn't get up until 7. (I'm sure it was the excitement for Bill of what Santa brought him!)....so we laid in bed and relaxed before starting the day. The kids must have set their alarms, since both were roaming the hallway at 7. Robert had set his alarm, and it was nice to have the whole family together.

We played all morning, had a nice breakfast, and Robert, Bill & the kids played with the Band Hero for the Wii. It was a big hit! Robert heads to Lindsay's, Kristin & Ryan played while Bill & I had a "long winter's nap"!! It was a great nap...and waking to the smell of ham was wonderful!


Ryan with his CAMO stuff
Kristin in her fuzzy pink robe....
Robert not quite awake yet....
My handsome guy.... Now it's time to play.....


My 'put together', and wonderful fix it guy

We had a great dinner...were totally lazy, enjoyed a movie together, and called it a day. It was a fun and relaxing day spent with each other. God is so good.

Thank You Lord for the best gift of all.

Silver Falls 12-19-09

This past Saturday the sunshine came out....we had gotten a few things done around here, so we decided to take off and enjoy the day. Charlie was here for the weekend, and he enjoys hanging out with us..at least we think so! We've grown to love him like our own family. We piled in the car and made our destination Silver Falls.

There was not much snow left when we got up there. Just some around the falls and under or around bushes that were shaded. The store keeper told us that we really missed the ice...he said it was beautiful. The next time it ices up...we'll have to remember to head up there. It's not something that happens often here.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the place was decorated for Christmas. It's always neat to me to see things decked out differently...especially when it's for Christmas! We enjoyed visiting the lodge, and the new nature store. It's been in three different places since we've lived here...and I think it's finally found a good home. I'd even live there!After we bummed around the park...we headed into Salem and went to Olive Garden to celebrate Charlie's birthday. We were STUFFED!!
Happy Birthday Charlie! We Love You!
Enjoy the pictures...it was a great day!

Super Sunday

Had a great Sunday. Another awesome message at church. It seems that there are Sundays that hit so close to home, you'd think pastor Tom had been living with us all week. Check out the message here--it was one of those Sunday's you don't want the lesson to end. Charlie spent the weekend with us. It was nice to see him more than one night. We enjoyed a nice lunch after church, visited, and then headed up to McDowell Creek Falls, which is near the house. I'd read a post yesterday on facebook from a friend that said the ice up there was incredible. Thanks for the tip! It was beautiful. I only wish we'd headed up earlier this week...oh well. It was an awesome day with the family. We had fun, laughed, and yes, I'm sort of laughing about the stolen purse incident now. Enjoy the pictures....it was great! Don't forget the slide show at the bottom.

Freaky Friday

Wow...what a weird day!

The day actually started off pretty normal. I headed to work, Bill took the kids Christmas shopping in Eugene, and dropped Kristin off at a friends for a sleep over, and then met me for dinner at one of our favorite places. It was starting to get icy, but we, being Michiganders, we're too concerned, so ate, then made a quick stop at the pet shop nearby to get some supplies. Being we had two vehicles, we parked side by side, under a big security light, one row from the door. I left my purse in the car being that Bill was running in with me, and we would only be "A Minute". Well, a minute was all it took for someone to smash out the rear door window and take my purse off the seat.

When I realized what happened, I grabbed Bill's wallet, and started canceling our cards, starting with our Debit card, and checking account, that had our full house payment waiting to be deducted. Thankfully, we got that taken care of in enough time, and they only got a few minor charges, a tank of gas, McDonalds, and a convenience store purchase.

On Saturday, I was feeling pretty down...but then got a phone call from a young man in Eugene, who said he found my wallet. No purse, but just my wallet. My drivers license, social security card, and what seemed to be all my cards were still in it. He offered to meet me somewhere, but I got a bit nervous, and being we have friends who are police officers in Eugene, I called our good friend Nate, and asked him about it. He offered to get it when he went in to work....yahoo!!

Not 10 minutes later, the phone rang again, this time a woman. She asked me if I'd lost my purse and blue coat. Oh goodness, I didn't even realized they had my coat! It seems the rest of the purse is intact, and she said it would be safe in their back room until we can get there to get it! There are still some great people in this world! The young man that found my wallet....dropped it off to the store that had my purse, and Nate will pick it up for me tomorrow to save a trip to Eugene....and I can get it on Tuesday from Katie...who I work with. God is so good!

Catching Up

Greetings!

It seems forever since I've sat down to update. I'll just say we've been "preoccupied"!!

It has been VERY cold here in Oregon this week. Monday night the temperatures dropped to below zero....the first ever since we have lived here. As I was showering on Tuesday morning before I went to work, I realized it was merely a trickle....and mentioned it to Bill, and it turned out that the well side of the pipe before the pressure tank was frozen. The only water we had was what was in the pressure tank....which is why I had a low pressure shower. However, I was very thankful for the shower. The rest of the family did without water until late afternoon. Praise God as we only did without water, and had no damage. We did put a heater in the pump shed, and wrapped up some pipes. A more permanent fix is in the future.

Last weekend Bill & I got away to Elizabeth St Inn in Newport. It was our traditional Christmas shopping weekend. The weather was cold but sunny and beautiful. Our room had a beautiful view of the ocean and Yaquina Head Light House. We spent Friday doing some shopping, and of course hitting our favorite place to eat, Gracies Sea Hag.

Saturday was a lazy day, and we enjoyed the sunshine and finished up some Christmas shopping.

Sunday we headed home, and stopped on the way to celebrate Alexis' birthday. She turned 9 this last week (we share a day apart birthday), and after a yummy lunch, and some birthday festivities, we headed home to pick up Kristin from Grandma Alice's and settle in for the afternoon to get some lessons prepared for this week and for Bill to study for finals.

This last week has been full of finals for Bill (which, we are waiting for grades, but confident that he did very well--his grades thus far have been A's--Yahoo for Bill), we are very proud of him, and the hard work he's put in this term. Now he has until the 4th off to take a break from studying, and to get some long awaited projects done.

Hoping to get our Christmas letter done this weekend. It's been a struggle to get things in order! The kids & I have gotten some of the decorating done, and we need to do the tree yet.....but it was frozen in the bucket, and Bill was able to get it out, and chip off some of the ice, but we have a ways to go before it can come in! Too funny. Guess we've been spoiled living where it never usually goes below freezing!

Until next time....