Mr. Woods

When I was a kid we had a neighbor, Mr. Woods, who was a very special person.  He has since gone on to Heaven.  Today would have been his birthday.  He let me and my friends play in his yard (his was much bigger than ours).  He put a swing the tree for me.  He let us pick grapes off his grape vine.  He even played school with me.  On summer nights you could often hear him playing hymns on his organ.  I know that most of you never knew Mr. Woods but as I thought of him tonight I wanted to remember a special friend.  If he were here I'd wish him a "Happy Birthday" but that will have to wait for another day and another Place.  

Eight Months

My baby girl turned 8 months old today!  Wow!  How time does fly!  She is getting so big and alot more mobile.  She crawled out to the dining room today and went exploring under the table for the first time.  She's also discovered the dog food in the kitchen.  She is trying to pull herself up now too.  She managed to get to her knees by holding onto the coffee table.  She is so much fun!  

Yard Sale Bargain

Today the girls went from this. . . 

to this. . .

Warren found this dresser at a yard sale--$50.  It is in really good condition.  We'd been looking for a good used dresser but hadn't been able to find a decent one that we could afford. When we found this one I snatched it up right away before anyone else could get it!  As you can see in the picture of the old dresser it was falling apart.  Besides being a bit small for 2 kids to be sharing it.  I am so thankful to have a decent dresser for them.

Learning To Mow the Lawn

"Low Eyes"

One day Nick came up to me and said, "Mom, look at my low eyes."  Then I asked him to show me his "high eyes" and this is what he did.  What a monkey!   He still will make these faces if you ask him to so the other day Warren couldn't resist taking his picture.

Low Eyes

High Eyes

A Budding Artist

This past school year Cameron entered a drawing contest.  It was district-wide with 12 schools participating.  Alaska being on the globe where it is has lots of daylight in the summer so each June there is a "Summer Solstice" celebration.  Lots of daylight as in the sun technically sets but the darkest it really gets is "dusk".  This happens for a few weeks in June and July. However if you were to travel to Barrow this time of year you would find that the sun doesn't set at all there.  But I digress. . .  So Cameron entered this contest the winners of which would have their art work used on the Summer Solstice T-Shirts and posters.  We both forgot about it then one day I get a phone message saying that Cameron won and his picture will be used on the T-Shirts.  Boy, was he excited!  He got a T-Shirt and a prize package full of cool gift certificates (Target, Cold Stone Creamery, Fireside Books, Oasis Water Park).  Here is a picture of Cameron after receiving his prize and a close up of his Tee.  

They added the words and the cloud but the rest is Cameron's creation.

Scout Camp

Cameron went to his first Cub Scout Camp last week.  He and Warren had a blast!  They were in a cabin with 5 other boys and another chaperon.  The this year the theme was Knights (right up Cameron's alley!)  They shot BB guns and bows, went on a 3 mile hike, had a camp fire, played some Chess and Marbles and they played Dodge Ball.  Warren said they didn't play games of it, they played "hours" of it.  I would post pictures but Warren used the 35mm camera instead of the digital.   They can't wait to go again!

A New Look

Ashley has a new look.  She now has glasses.  In a nutshell. . . our family doctor noticed the beginning of "lazy eye" when it didn't improve he sent us to an eye doctor.  All babies are far-sighted but Ashley is very far-sighted hence the glasses.  She does pretty well with them.  I'm surprised at how little she tries to take them off.  Last night in church, however, she took them off and when I tried to put them back on she started yelling.  I got the point and gave her a break from the glasses.  :-)  

I love it when she wrinkles up her nose!

A Father

What a real father is. . .

F - faithful (to God, wife and family)

A - always listening (building trust)

T - truth (uphold it)

H - hugs (showing love)

E - example (attitude, action, behavior)

R - rules (teaching, guidance for life)

Father's Day

My kids have the best dad and I, of course, have the best husband out there!  Thank you, Warren, for being such a great dad and providing for your family.  Thank you for making it possible for me to stay at home with our kidlets.  Thanks for taking time to do things as a family and being so involved with the boys (Cub Scouts, etc.).  Thanks for being there to support me and back me up when dealing with the kids.  You take your role as Dad seriously.  I really appreciate that!   You are a great dad!  We love you!  Happy Father's Day!

I also want to say Happy Father's Day to my dad.  He is so special.  We love you and miss you, Dad!  Happy Father's Day!

My father-in-law really has been a second father to me.  He has such a big heart.  He has always made me feel welcome in his family from the day I met him.  We love you, Dad!  Happy Father's Day!

   

Today in a Nutshell

Clayton went to Grandma & Papa's house. . . Cameron's enjoying Scout Camp. . . A friend came for supper. . .  The kids are sleeping. . . I'm tired. . . Good night.

Songs Down Memory Lane

Isn't it interesting how a just a song can transport you back in time?  Sunday morning we were heading into Anchorage to church.  I was driving and the kids wanted to listen to some Christian music CD's.  These particular CD's, although sung by kids for kids, are very nice.  So I was enjoying them, driving and singing along, when suddenly I was no longer in Alaska but in another time and place. . . The song was "Onward Christian Soldiers" and there I was at L.B.W.A.  standing at my desk during opening exercises.  "His Banner Over Me is Love" and I was back with my sister-in-law, Linda, and her sister.  "Father Abraham" and I was the Youth Leader back in Missoula, MT.   As I began to think about how a song can recall memories and take you back to another time, other songs came to my mind.  "Come and Dine" and I am a little girl again on my Dad's lap as he sang and rocked me to sleep.  "At Calvary" and once again I am at L. B. W. A. in Chapel.   "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart" and I am back at Stoneboro Camp.  I guess you get the point.  :-)  I was refreshed and ready for church with a walk down Memory Lane to go with it.  I am thankful for memories and good Christian music.

A Beautiful Day

What a beautiful day we had yesterday!   A perfect summer day!  I gave up my normal Sunday afternoon nap to spend the afternoon outside with Warren.  Below is a picture taken from our deck and some of the flowers Warren got me for Mother's Day.    

New Swing Set

Here is Warren's latest project.  The kids love the new swing set!  The fort is the next best thing to the tree house Cameron wanted.  After many hours of work it is finally done.  The slide will get put on after the fence gets moved.  We had talked of moving the fence out some anyway, but now it's a must so that the slide fits.  The slide goes right next to the climbing wall.  There is a picnic table under the fort and a Crow's Nest above the swings. 

Toothless

Clayton was so excited to loose another tooth!  He is very proud of his hole.  He just grins when I call him "Toothless".  It doesn't take much to please him.  He is such a sweetheart!  

Memorial Day Pictures

Nicholas & Amy love to go for boat rides!

Clayton brings the canoe into shore.

Cameron couldn't wait to get in the kayak!

Camping Pictures

Finally!  I don't know how many times I tried to upload these pictures!

Big Girl Camper

Clayton having fun in the trees.

Playing in and around the water

Camping Trip

OK here is a picture of our camping trip two weeks ago.  For some reason it will not let me load more than one picture at a time.  I will try again to post more pictures.  Anyway, the kids sure had fun camping.  They loved playing in the water, playing and climbing in the trees and sitting around the campfire.  In this picture, the kids are all ready for bed.  Cameron is trying to make a bow.  This was taken somewhere around 10:00 p.m.  That's the great thing about Alaskan summers--it stays light so long.

Worn Out!

This camping business is hard work!  Saturday night (two weeks ago) after we got back from camping Ashley had had her bath and gone to the store with me.  I sat her in her saucer while I put some things away.  A few minutes later this is what I found!

Happy Anniversary

My parents celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on June 2!   (OK so I am dreadfully behind on my blogging.)  They are a wonderful example of what a marriage ought to and can be!  They are the best parents ever!  We love you, Dad and Mom!  Happy Anniversary!

Camping Trip/Memorial Day

Warren and  I planned a surprise for the kids on the last day of school.  We had the camp trailer all packed and ready to go camping.  They were so excited!  They've been wanting to go camping so bad.  We had a really good time even though we only stayed one night.  We had a little excitement while we were there.  We had loud and wild music on one side and a domestic fight on the other side.  We had 3 state troopers at our camp site before it was all over.  The kids were sleeping before the fun started thankfully.  I tried to post some pictures but for some reason they won't load.  I'll try posting them again later.  

On Memorial Day we went to our friends' and pastor's house for a picnic.  They live on a lake so we had fun boating as well as visiting and eating.  Warren cooked Dutch Oven Beans and a dutch oven Pumpkin Desert.  Yummy!  Picnic pictures will come later too.  Sorry about that!

Bear Scout

Cameron was promoted to Bear Cub at the last Pack Meeting on May 15 (yes I know I'm way late).  Now he has to actually earn his Bear badge.  Here he is with his Den Leader Dad just after coming through the Arch and receiving his new Bear neckerchief and Handbook.  He didn't even have time to take off his Wolf hat yet.  The Arch is really neat.  The Wolf Cubs tie their neckerchiefs together and hold them up to form an arch that the Tiger Cubs walk under to receive their Wolf neckerchief and book.  Then the Bears do the same thing for the Wolfs and so on.  I didn't get a picture of the Arch.  For some reason I have problems taking pictures at Pack Meetings.  It's always something--bad batteries (the light didn't come on at the house); other people in the way or like this time, Cameron ran through the Arch.  Oh well, I guess that's what memories are for.