Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Merry 2013
Christmas breakfast
Christmas Eve Ice skating was as successful as always. We especially loved the babies on ice!
Another SHADOW sighting!
Christmas stories with Amy Kolb
A Christmas Eve visit to our friend Andy at the VA hospital
Sunday, December 1, 2013
10th annual trip to the Beach
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I love Fall, pumpkin pie, crisp weather. The annual trip to the beach is the crowning event.
We got off early on Wednesday which gave us enough time to hike to the top of Multnomah Falls on our way to Portland. Wilson helped sherpa Marcos up the hill on his shoulders while the rest of us huffed and puffed up the hill. At the top Marcos asked where the water was going. Everyone helped teach him about the cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. I was reminded again of how all truth can be circumscribed into one great whole. I need to take 2014 to study this important principle.
The hungry pilgrim feast was a big success, as always. This year we had Costco chicken pot pies which were delicious and a lot less work. Other pies included cherry, blackberry-apple, key lime, rhubarb, chocolate cream, coconut cream, lemon sour cream, lemon merengue, pecan , peach and pumpkin. To qualify for the feast this year everyone had to memorize 2 Nephi 32:3. The kids are so used to weird rules and regulations from their moms, no one even questioned or rebelled against this request!
The weather was absolutely gorgeous on Thursday so we spent most of the morning at the beach, running, playing football, and frisbee. Betsy, Andrea and I were walking on the beach talking very seriously of what we could do to help our children to get to the temple on on missions. At that exact moment we looked up and saw four missionaries running toward us. We introduced ourselves and found out that two of the Elders were new, one of them having been out just one day! These four handsome Elders were wonderful. We invited them to come teach us after Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner we gathered in the living room and were blessed with clear concise doctrine and heartfelt, honest testimony. The spirit was so strong.
After the missionaries left we went to the movies and saw "Catching Fire." The teenagers loved it. Marcos was less impressed, "the actors were terrible and the cussing was terrible--I can't take it anymore!" Some of us just go for the popcorn.
Friday we had a lazy morning and didn't get to the dunes until about noon. We spent the afternoon, climbing the dunes and playing in the tidepools. The most excitement came when a family got their little car high-centered in the sand. We tried pushing and digging and pulling, but to no avail. We couldn't get the rig close enough because we too would get stuck in the sand. Finally, Yuhua noticed that the pavement was a couple of inches under
the sand, but that if we dug two trails, the rig could get close enough to pull them out, without getting stuck. It was an awesome gospel analogy! The sand was sin, and of course, the tow rope and rig were the Atonement (a-tow-nment). The kids rolled their eyes but I hope they always remember the experience.
We ended the day at Tillamook with double scoops of ice cream, cheese samples and beef sticks. It was the first year we did not do the Lughesworth Line-up. Eli is on a mission and Jackson is 20! We have entered into a new phase of life. Everyone loved coming home and having a good soak in the hotub after our busy day. I miss James the most when we are sitting in the hottub.
I started Saturday with the most beautiful run on the beach. I had a hard time sleeping and finally gave up the fight and embraced the solitude. It was lucky I did because the rest of the afternoon was spent shopping at the outlet mall. It was a productive time, if not very enjoyable and helped me get ready for Christmas.
That night we all worked together to get the house cleaned up and get packed. The kids celebrated Marcos's birthday with cupcakes while the adults went for Thai food. After dinner we sat in the car together where Betsy gave us the solemn responsibility to find her a mission companion! We talked at length about who that could be and under what circumstance. We all know this is what James wants for Betsy, but we can't imagine who deserves Betsy. After dinner we gathered for prayer and to start our fast together. We are all fasting for Jackson who continues to struggle with hard life decisions.
Every year my gratitude increases for these two families. I am grateful for the safe, boundaried place that occurs when we are together. I am grateful for the vulnerability and honesty I can have with them, and the knowledge they love me in spite of my weaknesses. I have learned more about the character of Christ and the Atonement because of experiences we have had together and I know that their friendship was part of Heavenly Father's plan for our family.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We got off early on Wednesday which gave us enough time to hike to the top of Multnomah Falls on our way to Portland. Wilson helped sherpa Marcos up the hill on his shoulders while the rest of us huffed and puffed up the hill. At the top Marcos asked where the water was going. Everyone helped teach him about the cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. I was reminded again of how all truth can be circumscribed into one great whole. I need to take 2014 to study this important principle.
The hungry pilgrim feast was a big success, as always. This year we had Costco chicken pot pies which were delicious and a lot less work. Other pies included cherry, blackberry-apple, key lime, rhubarb, chocolate cream, coconut cream, lemon sour cream, lemon merengue, pecan , peach and pumpkin. To qualify for the feast this year everyone had to memorize 2 Nephi 32:3. The kids are so used to weird rules and regulations from their moms, no one even questioned or rebelled against this request!
The weather was absolutely gorgeous on Thursday so we spent most of the morning at the beach, running, playing football, and frisbee. Betsy, Andrea and I were walking on the beach talking very seriously of what we could do to help our children to get to the temple on on missions. At that exact moment we looked up and saw four missionaries running toward us. We introduced ourselves and found out that two of the Elders were new, one of them having been out just one day! These four handsome Elders were wonderful. We invited them to come teach us after Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner we gathered in the living room and were blessed with clear concise doctrine and heartfelt, honest testimony. The spirit was so strong.
Friday we had a lazy morning and didn't get to the dunes until about noon. We spent the afternoon, climbing the dunes and playing in the tidepools. The most excitement came when a family got their little car high-centered in the sand. We tried pushing and digging and pulling, but to no avail. We couldn't get the rig close enough because we too would get stuck in the sand. Finally, Yuhua noticed that the pavement was a couple of inches under
the sand, but that if we dug two trails, the rig could get close enough to pull them out, without getting stuck. It was an awesome gospel analogy! The sand was sin, and of course, the tow rope and rig were the Atonement (a-tow-nment). The kids rolled their eyes but I hope they always remember the experience.
We ended the day at Tillamook with double scoops of ice cream, cheese samples and beef sticks. It was the first year we did not do the Lughesworth Line-up. Eli is on a mission and Jackson is 20! We have entered into a new phase of life. Everyone loved coming home and having a good soak in the hotub after our busy day. I miss James the most when we are sitting in the hottub.
I started Saturday with the most beautiful run on the beach. I had a hard time sleeping and finally gave up the fight and embraced the solitude. It was lucky I did because the rest of the afternoon was spent shopping at the outlet mall. It was a productive time, if not very enjoyable and helped me get ready for Christmas.
That night we all worked together to get the house cleaned up and get packed. The kids celebrated Marcos's birthday with cupcakes while the adults went for Thai food. After dinner we sat in the car together where Betsy gave us the solemn responsibility to find her a mission companion! We talked at length about who that could be and under what circumstance. We all know this is what James wants for Betsy, but we can't imagine who deserves Betsy. After dinner we gathered for prayer and to start our fast together. We are all fasting for Jackson who continues to struggle with hard life decisions.
Every year my gratitude increases for these two families. I am grateful for the safe, boundaried place that occurs when we are together. I am grateful for the vulnerability and honesty I can have with them, and the knowledge they love me in spite of my weaknesses. I have learned more about the character of Christ and the Atonement because of experiences we have had together and I know that their friendship was part of Heavenly Father's plan for our family.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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