Treasure waiting

When I went to bed last night, I was thinking about how using a gps to find a treasure was sorta like how my life is. When you're geo-caching , you use a gps to lead you to a treasure. In my life I can use a hand held devise (bible) to lead me to a treasure (heaven). If you use the information presented to you and you follow directions, it will lead you to an amazing treasure. Some times you may want to give up on the search. You may not believe that there really is a treasure waiting for you at the end. But, if you believe, and you keep going, one day at a time, you will get there to the treasure that God promises. It's nice to enjoy the scenery along the way. And it is really nice when you have the ones you love with you, showing them they way too.

Sunday with the kids

Today after church Connor came home with me. We made a pot of taco soup and a big pan of enchiladas for dinner. We got it all put together so it would be ready for dinner later. Then the rest of the crew came out. We down loaded some geo cache's on the computer for our area. If you haven't done this before, you should try it.

It is really fun. You need a hand held gps and a few little treasures. On your computer you type in "geo cache" and your zip code and it will give you cordinances for your treasure hunt. Then you use the directions, de-code the clues and find the hidden container.

They are hidden all over the world. We decided to split into two groups. Each group took 6 different caches to find. We had our two way radio's and off we went. When you find the hiding place there is a box or rubber tub filled with treasures.

You can take a treasure but you have to leave one too. You sign the notebook with your code name and date it.

You can see when the last person found the cache. It really is a lot of fun.

Even the little ones like it.

Taylor didn't go with us. He went to Sandlake with his friends. They took the jeeps there to ride in the sand.

He has so much fun hanging with his buddies. But at the end of the day we were all back home eating enchilada's and taco soup. What a nice day. I love hanging out with my family. Now we will have to figure out some adventure for next weekend.

Old Spice

My Uncle Paul died 19 years ago in a pickup accident. I will always miss him so much. One of the many things I miss about him was the way he smelled. I remember that he always used Old Spice aftershave. I love that smell. After his accident I would always buy that kind of deodorant for Jay, Old Spice Original Scent. The other day Casey went to the store to get toothpaste and deodorant. When he came home he had two kinds of deodorant, he asked me to smell them and tell him which one I liked the best. No question about it, I like the Old Spice original. He asked me who it reminded me of. I told him Uncle Paul and Dad. He smiled and said, "yep, it reminds me of Dad too." So I went up stairs and took out Jays deodorant, took off the lid and left it on the counter. Who needs and air freshener? I will just use a stick of deodorant with the lid off to always give me a scent of Jay and Uncle Paul. It might just be a little thing, but I will treasure every little thing that reminds me of them.

Going fast and getting nowhere

I know that I haven't been getting much done, but it seems like I've been busy. It kinda feels like when I'm on the treadmill. I'm on an incline at a fairly fast pace, but I'm not getting anywhere. It's not crazy busy like it is sometimes but there always seems like there are things to do.

We've been busy with everything from baby showers ........
to baseball games.


We've had swimming lessons....


and tree planting.
Last weekend, my middle brother Tom and his oldest son, Jesse came up to see us.
We went in to the college where Jesse wants to learn to be a fireman.

While Jesse and Tom talked to the instructor, the boys and I got a tour of the place.

Connor and Caleb got to get in the fire truck and touch everything and ask at least a million questions.

Then this weekend my older brother Jeff and his wife Billi came up.

They also came to help. We got the logs out of the woods and in a big pile down by the shop. It is SO MUDDY!! Now I can't wait for the sun to shine and the rain to stop so we can get things cleaned up.

So, today since it was raining, I played inside with my little kitty, Cocoa. (AKA Kenzi) Isn't she cute?

Happy 27th Birthday Stacy

Twenty seven years ago you made one of my dreams come true. I was a mom for the first time. I can remember when we found out that I was pregnant, I made Dad tell Grandma and Grandpa and Granny and Papa because I was too scared. They will know what we've been doing!!:) Silly girl, we were married for three years what did I think they thought we were doing??!!!

You were such a cute baby.

Dad adored you.
He would go with you to swimming lessons, take you swimming at the lake

and help you dry your hair when you were done.

He would take you for a ride on the four wheeler every morning before I went to work. He worked the swing shift and had to see you before we left in the morning.

You were his first softball player. He loved coaching you.

You always played your hardest.

It didn't matter if it was softball or basketball , you gave it your all.

Dad was so proud when he walked you out on the track to be crowned homecoming queen. How cool was that to have both of his girls on the homecoming court at the same time.

And when you were valedictorian of your graduating class, we both felt blessed to have such a smart, talented and beautiful daughter.

From the time you could pull 50 pounds on your bow,

you were Dad's favorite hunting partner.

How many other girls would go in the woods with only a bow and arrow and compass,

walk for miles, don't shower and wear camo paint on their face?

He was so proud when you shot your first elk.

Mindy and Casey and Taylor were lucky to have such a good big sister to teach them so many things.Then you fell in love with Ryan and Dad had a hard time giving you away.

But he knew you weren't too far away. He could call you any time and you were there.

It wasn't long before you amazed us again with Connor and Caleb. Oh, what joy they are.

And a little later you blessed us again with Kenzi Elizabeth .

They are lucky to have you for a mom. And I am lucky to be your mom.

Happy Birthday Stacy Love Mom

Fun times

Yesteday was "Taylor and My Day" with Stacy and Ryan. (It was our gift from them for Christmas) Casey got to come along, too. We started out the morning leaving home at 7 am. Stacy and Ryan picked us up. They had hot, fresh from the oven cinnamon rolls and sunny delights for us. YUM!

We headed over the Santiam Pass to the Sportsman Show in Redmond. This has been a favorite place to go for a while. Jay used to love to talk the talk with all the hunters and fishers. He would take in all the seminars on survival training and elk bugeling and coyote hunting. I sure wish he was here with us.

There was a lot of snow on the mountian pass. We took it slow and easy. We got to chat alot on the way. Lots of "Jay" memories were told.

First we went to Bend. We used our little magellan gps to find a couple yard sales. Everyone found a treasure or two. Ryan got a live trap. Taylor got some tools and drill bits. Stacy found an archetectural piece to put on the wall. Casey found a record album for Cody and I got a little mirror. That was fun but they boys were anxious to get to the show.

We took in a dutch oven cooking class and looked at lots of camp trailers, four wheelers and boats. I think Ryan was trying to talk Stacy into a boat.

Do you think she is impressed? There were lots of things to look at and samples to taste. It was super windy and really cold outside, so we looked fast and then went on our way. After a late lunch we went to Sisters to get a treat at the bakery. If you haven't been to Sisters Bakery you really should go there. Then we started on our way home (the back way.) THRU the woods, ON DIRT ROADS COVERED with about 10" of snow!!! Boys and their 4 wheel drives. Good thing we had our donuts and gps. What if we get stuck????

After a while we made it back to the main highway. It was snowing and blowing and freezing and getting close to dark. Right there on top of the pass was a guy riding a bicycle over the mountian. What in the world was he thinking? It was a long way from anywhere. I couldn't quit thinking about him. Where was he going? Will he freeze to death? How will people see him in the dark with the wind blowing and the snow? About that time we passed a woman driving with her window down. She had to see where she was going out the side window cuz her windshield wipers wouldn't work and her front windshield was iced over. OH MY GOSH!! Just get me home!! Back to my warm house where I am safe and people aren't crazy. Thanks Stacy and Ryan, we all had a great day!

Today is Sunday and the kids are coming out for dinner. I was inspired by the dutch oven guys so I think we will have a chili cook off. I guess if I make all the chili (regular chili and white chicken chili) then I win!! I'm just glad we won't be traveling in the pickup with the boys tomorrow:)

Time on my hands

I was just thinking last week that I needed something to do. I have time on my hands. I like to be busy. I am looking forward to the time change so that we have more daylight hours. And then if I could just get it to just stop raining.

Well, just when I think I am bored, then there seems like a lot of things happen. Last Thursday my Mother and Father-in-law came up for a few days. Casey took Papa to the state wrestling tournament and we got Granny to ourselves for a couple days.

On Friday us girls went to the Portland Yard and Garden Show.

It was MORE than amazing. I came home from there with WAY too many things that I want to do.

Those people are too creative. We spent the afternoon ooh and aahhing.

Then we had to get home so we could go to OSU to the gymnastics meet. Jami is a senior this year and she only has a couple more home meets, so we didn't want to miss it.
Then on Saturday, Stephanie and I went to meet a couple nice ladies that we have been blogging with.

It is fun to finally get to talk in person to them. It seems like we already knew each other. After all we read about their families daily and know what they have for dinner and how they decorate their houses. We already knew their husbands names and their kids too. It was like meeting old friends.

We had lunch and went to a couple cute shops. I hope we can do that again. What special friends they are. God just keeps blessing me with these awesome people in my life.

Sunday was kinda kicked back. After church we had more company for lunch. Jay's nephiew and his wife and two adorable little girls stopped by. (I didn't get any pictures, sorry.) Then, later that evening we had dinner. All the kids came out. I love it when they are all here. I kinda picture it like that in Heaven. Like God welcomes everyone home for dinner. He prepares all their favorite foods and they laugh and love. That's how I like my Sundays.