It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

I am so happy that I found my Christmas spirit this year! The last few years Christmas has felt like more of a chore than a choice and I grudgingly put up (some) decorations and tried to get into the spirit. Thankfully this year is different! I was ready for the tree Thanksgiving weekend! We put up lights on the outside of the house, decorated the inside of the house and we're even hosting our first Christmas party in years!


Before we headed out to the Silver Oak Christmas Party I snapped these pictures of the kids. They were going to be for our Christmas cards but I ended up choosing something else


I love this picture of Henry! Look at those curls! Can you believe that Jason wants to cut them off?


She is getting so grown up!

Last weekend we finally(!) got our tree.


I sure love this man. Especially how he puts up with all of my wild ideas.

Family Camp 2011

Two years ago, when we joined FBC Windsor, we heard about members of the congregation going to Family Camp. I didn't grow up with a family camp tradition but I was curious. I did grow up camping with my family every Memorial Day Weekend and I love all of the memories. I wanted to give my kids an annual tradition that they could look back on with fond memories.
Jason and I talked that first summer and agreed that we would go to Family Camp the next year. Then last year I was 8 months pregnant with Henry. We weren't able to attend. This year we decided there was nothing that could stop us.
Last Friday we packed up two vehicles and headed up 101 to Redwoods River Resort.

After a short 2.5 hour drive we were setting up our campsite.


I had been very worried about how much work it would be to camp with a baby. It turns out it was just as much work as I feared. But thankfully I have a wonderful husband who does more than his share, and great kids who help out as much as they can.

In no time Jason had everything set up and we had our new home sweet home.
Then I took the kids to the pool.
Later that night we had a group dinner, devotional and campfire.


After getting a little sleep, Saturday morning we kicked back in front of a campfire.

One of my biggest questions about camping as an adult was "how are we going to make our morning coffee?" We decided to get a French Press and I'm happy to say that the coffee wasn't too bad, in fact it was pretty good.

Cooper loved camping! He played with his scooter, hung out in either jammies or a swimsuit all weekend, and generally just enjoyed hanging out with daddy and getting dirty.


I was amazed with God glorious creation all around us. We slept under "Big Jack". The redwood trees are amazing and it is cool to think that they are one of the oldest living things on earth and they are only found on the Pacific Coast.



The church had activities for the kids every day. Gracie was in heaven since she loves to do crafts.


The only way to keep Henry from eating rocks, sticks and dirt was to hold him or strap him into his highchair.



Saturday afternoon we went to the pool and then took a short hike to the river.


There were fish in the river.


Henry tried to eat river rocks by the handful.

Garden Planting - 2011

One of the hobbies that Jason really enjoys is gardening. Thankfully the children share his passion. Each year they look forward to spring when they can get their hands dirty. On Saturday we made the first of many treks (I'm sure) out to Sebastopol to Jason's favorite nursery. He picked out a few starters and some seeds.

Last night the kids got to help him plant.

The garden is going in our re-located raised planter beds.

Henry was excited to help this year.

He has a smile that lights up his whole face.

Grace kept telling Henry not to eat the dirt.

Grace likes planting the seeds the best.

Rock and Worship Road Show

Saturday night I got to take Emma Jo and a few members of her youth group to the Rock and Worship Road Show in Sacramento. I was very excited to get to go to the concert and even more excited to spend the night with Emma. Since Henry was born he had monopolized my time and energy. I feel as if I've given the other kids the short straw, especially Emma Jo. She is so independent and un-demanding that I haven't given her the attention she deserves.
She was gone all of last week at Outdoor Science Camp at Mt. Hermon and I missed her. The concert was probably not the best decision in terms of Emma being tired from camp and then the time change (not to mention a nursing baby who sleeps with mommy), but it was a great decision in terms of a night worshiping Jesus together and a night spending time with Emma.

(I wasn't sure if I could bring my camera into the show, so this is one I got from the RWRS blog.)

It was a long afternoon/night. We left Windsor at 4pm and didn't get home until 2:50 am (3:50am if you count the time change). Thankfully there were only 7 of us from FBC so we were all able to ride together in the Yukon. We stopped for dinner on the road and I got my first taste of Sonic! We finally arrived at the concert at 6:45 and the only seats left once we walked in were behind the stage. It would have been great to see the front the stage, but it was an amazing experience regardless. I definitely hope to go back next year.

I was exhausted yesterday, but it was so worth it!

I had been worried about Jason and Henry, but they survived. Big thanks to Mom and Dad (Grammie and Grampa) who came over and helped with Cooper and Grace. It is nice to know that everyone will survive (and even enjoy themselves) without me. It makes me not feel too bad about planning on attending the FBC women's retreat in a couple of weeks.

Cool Dad

My uncle Ranndy is a treasure trove of old pictures. Today I got an email which contained this picture of my dad. I'm not sure if I was even born when this picture was taken. Being a farmer, he and my grandfather learned how to make do with what they had. I've heard that although this home-made sulphur spray rig isn't pretty, it served a need for many years.

My first thought when I saw this picture in my email was that my dad looks cool! I remember being a little girl and thinking that he was the coolest guy and loving spending time with him. Even when it was "at the ranch" while he was working. I always thought that he could fix or make anything. I wondered how he knew what he was doing, but I never doubted that he could do it. I think this spray rig is evidence to that.

(For the record, I still think my dad is the coolest guy, and I still think he can make or fix anything.)