The Lites of Christmas

Kali and Ethan and Jennifer came over from Whidbey Island and wanted to go to the "Lites of Christmas. Ethan had Wacky Friday at school so he spray-painted his hair, wore different colored socks and a different shoe on each feet.
The Lites of Christmas in Stanwood was started by Warm Beach Christian Camps years ago. Originally, the lights were a fund raiser to fund their youth summer camps. It is nowvery famous through out the Puget Sound. People come from all around to enjoy over a billion lights. It was only 20 degrees outside so we had to bundle up to keep warm. Even at that it was really cold so we had a lot of hot chocolate to keep warm.

A Different Merry Christmas Poem

*T'was the month before Christmas*
When all through our land,**
Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.* *
See the PC Police had taken away,* *
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
*December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.* *
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Obama.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down* *
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears* *
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty* *
Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Pelsoi, Reid, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen* *
On Boxer, on Biden, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter!* *
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith* *
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me. * *
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday !*

Visit with David and Rachel

My happy grandson, Parker David!

Rhees is finding that his dinosaur quilt is heavier than he thought!

Rhees is so proud of the quilt I finished the binding on. It had been sitting at their house unfinished for months. He was thrilled to finally put it on his bed!

Rhees has decided he is a wannabe fireman!

We went to the Children's Museum and these painted horses are all over downtown Ogden. Rhees wanted a picture with his Mom with the (of course,s dinosaur one).

David bought a slide and Rhees and I pulled over the pool and we created a water slide! He played on that for 4 hours straight and I sat and soaked up the 90 degree weather!

Parker had a minor operation and this is the only time I didn't see him smiling. David and Rachel are lucky to have an easy going baby that is happy all the time.

Parker David at one month old. He was born in March, 2009.

Rhees has colored a egg with a dinosaur etched in it. When I was there I finished the binding on a dinosaur quilt his aunt Loni had sewn. I will try and find the pictures of us putting it on his bed. He was so excited.

Little Ben

I'm here at Chelle's all week and we took some pictures. I wanted to show how proud I am of my newest grandson, Benjamin.

Because it was supposed to be so hot today, Michelle and I hung out at her in-laws in Edmonds. Ben slept most of the afternoon and Michelle tried to take a little nap as well.

She is very sleep deprived and so is Dave, but isn't every new Mom and Dad at first?

All in all they are all doing so well.

I'm here to drive her to doctor's appointments since she is on pain killers for the first little while.

It' just fun to play with little Ben. He was only six pounds at birth, 19 3/4 in. tall. The baby doctor says he will be a much bigger boy based on the size of his feet and fingers.

More pictures to come later. Tired; got to go to bed. Morning comes early here in the new baby house!

If I Had My Life to Live Over

by Erma Bombeck

I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have never insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about the grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would have never said, "Later, now get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love you's......more I"m sorry's.........but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.....at it and really see it....live it....and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who Do love us. Let's think about what God Has blessed us with.

And what are we doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by. We only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

She later died of terminal cancer.
Wise words for us all to take to heart!

I can't believe it's July

Well, no more pictures or videos for a while. My digital camera is toast.

We did have a great July 4th over in Coupeville WA on Whidbey Island where Kali and Gabe live. It was there that I discovered my precious camera was not working.

Kali had a great time planned for all the kids. There was water balloon toss with prizes, soccer goals set up for soccer play, badminton and volleyball, a tent which Ady called a house. We also had a pie eating contest (just cool whip with gummy bears mixed in). The person who found a correctly colored gummy bear was the winner. No hands were allowed. Justifiably the adults got smattered with a few pie tins of cool whip.
We held the picnic at Kali's friends house who lives on Puget Sound. We weren't right on the beach but the view was spectacular. We kept seeing the ferry to Port Townsend, and the breath-taking part was the huge cruise ship sailing from the port of Seattle.
Dave and Michelle were there, and Eric and his kids also. Brent did his annual thing at Gasworks park fireworks display with the Young Adults.
So exciting to read about all the other activites on the 4th.
The evening was, of course, capped off with much fireworks which all enjoyed.

Birthday Videos

I can't resist taking pictures of Adyson. She is so cute!

I Love Summer in the Northwest

This a Dianthus is full bloom in our front yard. We love the mild summers here and in return we have a lot of green and color.
I could not resist taking a picture of our first raspberries to ripen. This was a couple of days ago. Today I went out and picked over 20 ripe, red berries. The next berry to come on will be my blueberries.
I love eating peas right out in the garden fresh off the vine. I planted so many peas this year that I was even able to freeze some. Shelling all those peas reminded me of the farm and helping shell peas every year.

Birthday Time Again

Colin is setting up his new birthday present while Owen waits patiently for it to be ready!
Brent who just turned 23 yrs on the 17th, lovin' on Adyson.
Colin who isn't in the picture challenged Brent to a fight. Guess who won?
These three cousin are all very close in age and are so excited to see each other. Ethan not so much. I think he is being smashed by Jennifer!
Camron, 13 and half, is always photogenic.
Kali and I fixed the kids dinner and said our goodbye as she left the party
Kali bought a group present for all the birthdays in June. The croquet set was well used and even the 3 and 4 yr olds could wield a mallet! Chelle and Dave were there earlier but were sleep deprived from a Friday night campout so they had to go home and catch up on their Z's.
Jennifer took a minute to pose with a croquet mallet and pretty faced croquet ball!

A spirited game of good old-fashioned 4-square took place just outside. Competition was fierce as Camron and Brent were involved.

There is nothing like a simple balloon to mesmerize Adyson. The ladybug boots were a gift from Aunt Kali and Uncle Gabe.
Colin is imagining what Aunt Chelle's giant cupcake is going to taste like. It had yummy chocolate mouse in the middle.

Stanwood/Camano Island Soap Box Derby

Last Saturday we had the opportunity to watch a local Soap Box Derby right in our little town.

Our neighbors had two boys participating in the 13 yr and 7 yr old divisions.
It was a challenge to snap pictures since the cars are going downhill at about 30 miles an hour.

Soccer Fest on Whidbey Island

Kali is happy because her team won the game 2 to 1. This is the second year she has coached. She is learning to hon her skills as a soccer coach! Yea Kali.

Jennifer has become a very aggressive soccer player. She had a head-on with an opposing player and her leg just above the knee was stepped on by the other player's cleats. She came out of the game hurt but went back in 10 minutes or less later. What a trooper! No pain, no gain so they say!
Coach Kali with her assistant coach yelling out instructions to players on the field. The day was so beautiful and sunny that Frank got sunburned on his face and hands; the only things on his body that weren't covered. I just got a little sunburn on my nose, thank goodness.
Ethan and Jen had an all-day soccer tournament and since we had not been to any games this year we decided to make the drive over.
This is the only picture I got of Ethan with his biological Dad, Andy. I regret I didn't get any pictures of Ethan's games. They both have grown, physically taller and improved in their soccer skills tremendously.
Frank and I took the ferry back to the mainland to go to a sealing of a couple in the temple married for 50 years! Then Frank and I participated in a sealing team that we had signed up for last month. We stopped to get gas and groceries and home by 8:30 pm tired from our long day.

How Does My Garden Grow?

Blueberries in clusters on my four blueberry bushes! Love the fresh taste right off the bush.
Peaches getting bigger on my two peach trees!

My poppies in my container bloom every spring and are so spectacular. I save the pods with the poppy seeds and share with my neighbors and friends.


We had a zillion and I mean it, bees pollinating our raspberry flowers. The sound of them all sounded like a whole bee-hive was in my backyard.
I just went out today and ate a couple of red, ripe strawberries. One the slugs had eaten part of, so I cut off that part and it was as good as new.
This raised bed is my pea patch. I picked a bunch yesterday for Michelle like they sell in the bags at Costco. There will be more pickings in the next two weeks. I love peas right out of the garden. Half of them never make it indoors. They are devoured by yours truly.