Vacation

Working on the church.

Fourth of July Sunday.

The boys on Sundial bridge in Redding.

Anna in an apron I bought her. Isn't she gorgeous?

We went up to Washington for vacation at the end of May and beginning of June. We enjoyed time getting to see all of our family. I just thought I'd post some misc. pictures that I've been taking from our vacation, time at the river, etc.

Jeremy has been doing a lot of physical work on the church. We discovered several months ago that having a nursery without a bathroom attached does not always work well!! So the board okayed some changes. With some help from 2 other men, they switched the nursery with Jeremy's office, which had a bathroom right next to it. So they cut a hole in the bathroom to give it a door right into the new nursery, filled in the hole of the old door, cut the old nursery in two parts - one part Jeremy's new office, and the other part the new copy/storage room. We even painted the new nursery and Jeremy's new office with paint that had been hanging around the church. I think we had to buy 2 pints of paint! We are in the middle of planning for our VBS August 2-6. We're also knee-deep in planning for our new AWANA club starting in mid-September. Please be praying for us as we have our VBS and start this new ministry at the church this fall!

Village Missions conference

Rob and Josh with two of their friends from conference. Their dads are both VM pastors.

Josh riding in the canoe.

Rob's team with their boat.

In June, we got the privilege of going to the VM Southwest District summer conference in Graeagle, CA. It's in north eastern California, an hour or so away from Reno, NV. These are called mini conferences, and really mirror the conferences that the Mission used to put on for us. The only difference is that instead of the Mission paying for us to go, we pay for it - but our church reimbursed us. But the kids really enjoy going, because they each have their own classes to go to, and have friends that they know that they only get to see at these conferences. We all had such a good time! One of the golf courses in the area give a free round of golf to those pastors and wives that want to golf while we're there. Jeremy got to go both this summer and last summer, and really enjoys that time. Apparently it's a really nice golf course (about $150 for a round of golf usually). We found a really nice little lake right in the middle of town. I guess it's called Mill Pond. It's got a nice swimming area with a long shallow area for the kids. And right next to the swimming area, it's grassy, so it's nice to sit and watch the kids. The only downside is the only restrooms are port-a-potties. I hate those things!!!

Rob was in the youth group at conference this year. The youth pastor of the Graeagle church teaches the teens. They have their own class during our morning sessions, but join the adults for the worship times in the evening. This year, the youth pastor split the teens into three teams. Each team was assigned to make a boat out of cardboard and duct tape. Then on Thursday after lunch, we all met at the Mill Pond to watch them race across the pond. They had two canoes out in the pond for anyone that might sink halfway through. Josh got to ride in the canoe with the youth pastor. Rob was so disappointed because his team's boat sank as soon as he got into it in the water. He already has plans for a different boat for next summer, should the youth pastor decide to do it again.

Rob's 12th Birthday

I am going to play catch up. I didn't realize it had been over two months since I'd last posted a blog. So I have lots of events to add pictures from and share about. The first one is Rob's birthday, which happened to only be 6 days after Josh's in May! Oops! But since he doesn't read this, I don't think he'll be upset!

Usually every year, the weekend between the boys' birthdays, we have a combined party and invite all of their friends. We had to cancel this year because everyone was sick. So we didn't get to do that. It was a little disappointing, because we even had some of their friends from Washington coming. But we still had a quiet family party for Rob. He got a Seattle Mariner's pillow case from Mom and Dad, a new outfit from Nana and Papa, and a PSP from Mom, Dad, Nana and Papa. He had been saving for one, so we helped him out. He had to pay us back for $40 of it, though, but the rest was paid for. He was so excited! Also, when we went into Redding in May, we had a little party for Rob, Josh, and two kids of some friends of ours whose birthdays were also in May. We had fried chicken and jojos, and an ice cream cake. It was fun. (Don't worry, Mom, you'll get all these pictures!!!)

Pioneer Club trip to Laser Tag

We took the Pioneer Club kids on an outing to laser tag in Eureka on April 25. We had it all set up for someone in the church to come watch Zeke, Micah and Anna so that both Jeremy and I could go and help chaperone. But that's the day that Annalee got sick, so one of us had to stay home. Jeremy graciously let me go, and I wanted to share some of the pictures with you. The kids had a blast. We took them to McDonald's for lunch (we got some looks from other parents in the play area when we came in with so many kids!), then to laser tag, and after they played, then they got to play video games.

Joshua is 11!!

I feel like such an awful mother. Josh had his 11th birthday on Monday, and I am just now getting to blogging and posting pictures. We have had 2 - 11 year olds since Monday. Now Rob will be 12 tomorrow, and I would post pictures of Josh before I had to do them both!

We have a long-standing tradition in our house to let the birthday person pick all of the meals for their special day - as long as they know ahead of time so I can get the ingredients. So for breakfast, we had omelets (one of Dad's specialties!) and for dinner (we don't do lunch) we were supposed to have taco soup. But on Josh's birthday, I had to run a woman from our church into town to see a Dr. for her back - she couldn't drive herself in. So I left, and was expecting Jeremy to throw dinner together. It was a crock pot meal, and just needed everything thrown into the crockpot. But I had forgotten that I didn't have any tomato juice (the base for the soup), and Jeremy didn't have a car to go to the store and get some. Poor Josh! I went to the store in town, got the tomato juice (for the taco soup for the next day!), and all the fixings to go with the impromptu hamburgers we were going to have instead! I even bought the kids Cheetos to make up for being so scatterbrained. Josh was very understanding about it, though. He even had to put up with store bought ice cream to go with his chosen bundt cake! He has such a heart! He didn't even complain about any of it! He was just excited to get to his presents! He got a violin - he has been wanting one since taking a week-long violin course in Galena (now we just have to get him some instruction books!) - and a homemade pillow case from Mom and Dad. And he got new clothes from Nana and Papa. He was so excited that he wore them the next day.

I can't believe how old my kids are getting! Time seems to be flying when I think back to previous birthdays when they were younger...Like the one we had for them in New York. We cooked hot dogs and had Capri Suns and cupcakes for all their friends, and got to play at the playground at the campground we were living at. Such fun memories! Or the one in Yale when we had most of their K/1st grade combo class there, and watched the Incredibles and had magic vanilla ice cream that was colored red, blue and yellow! What fun!

Happy birthday, Joshua! You are very big-hearted and so creative! I love to see how you're growing!!

Hello, Again!

Easter Sunday - the best picture I could get!

Annalee and a baby doll my mom made me when I was little. She has it wrapped in a blanket.

Anna with a Viking hat - the horns are no longer attached!

I forgot to mention that Zeke now has glasses. Don't they make him look cute?

I can't believe it's been so long....Too much happening to try to keep up with this blog. Things are just hopping right along at church. We are planning a Mother's Day breakfast before church on Mother's Day. We are looking forward to summer conference in June, and trying to plan our family vacation that month, too. July 4 is on a Sunday this year, and Jeremy would like to have a church BBQ in the afternoon. And August brings us to VBS, and the baby. I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago, and we think this one is another little girl! We plan to go with the name Naomi Joy. In September, we will begin AWANA's. We are really looking forward to that, too. We have new newsletters that will be coming out in the mail, and email. So I really just wanted to get back on and share some recent photos. I think I will have to ease back onto this blog. Right now I can't think of much to say - but that could be because it's late, and last night was a late night with a sick child.

What a gorgeous day we had here! The weather was absolutely beautiful!! We took a family walk down to the Trinity River (there is a river access spot right across the street from the church). It's right by the old airport (which isn't functioning). The boys all brought bikes and scooters, and we walked half of the paved runway. The river is pretty to look at, but is very high and rapid. We have been told several times, by those that have lived here a long time, that it is dangerous to go in the river before 4th of July. So of course, we didn't. But it was so warm, we all had to take off our sweatshirts and roll up our sleeves.

Tonight we went to a fundraiser for the Christian school. We had pizza, ice cream sundaes and played some Bingo. We even won a prize - after I won't tell you how many games! But we figure it all went to a good cause.

Jeremy and I are getting ready and excited to launch into AWANA's this fall. We have the area AWANA missionary coming in March to share information with potential helpers. We have been a part of AWANA's many times ( I even attended when I was little), and we are excited about what it could do here. I hope to even start a family dinner before AWANA's.

I had an ultrasound last Monday, and measured right on schedule at 14 weeks. My due date is August 23. We have tons of family birthdays in August, with my dad's on the 21st, my nephews on the 22nd and my mom's on the 25th. Not to mention quite a few earlier. So the chances of having this baby piggyback on someone else's birthday are pretty fair. We'll have to see what happens.

I think that's it. I'm off to bed - church tomorrow, and Oriental potluck after. I just wanted to share some info with you all. Can you believe that I shopped in town, and got everything I needed to make wontons, but nobody had the wonton skins???? I was so disappointed! I might have to look in Redding, but won't work for tomorrow. May you all have a blessed Lord's Day!