A Day at the Beach

So we decided to take a day to play Labor Day weekend, since we have been either traveling back and forth between Bellingham and Newberg, or have been working to get unpacked and moved in. I made the executive decision to find the nearest beach on Saturday, so we traveled the 65 miles or so to Lincoln City. It is a great Oregon Coast town, complete with tourist shops, seafood restaurants, and best of all... a beach or two. (There is also an outlet mall, but fortunately for my pocket book when Nicholle asked to go, the kids were already wet and sandy, so we were in no condition to shop!) We did however notice one particular difference between Oregon coast beaches and the beaches of Bellingham and Birch Bay, SAND! Usually the weather can be a little unpredictable, with fog and cool windy temperatures being the norm. But Newberg was over 90 degrees, and the weather in Lincoln City was 80 Degrees and sunny with only a hint of a breeze, the perfect day! (annecdotally, I guess Sunday and Monday the fog was pretty thick all day) The kids had a great time!

The big waves from afar.....

Franny's "fear" as they approached (notice the size)

Juan doing what Juan does best.....we're just not sure what it is...

Happy kids that slept well on Saturday night!

We have decided to do more beach exploring in the future, and should anyone else decide to go, feel free to stop by, we are on the way!

Thirteen Months????? Really?????

Now that's just ridiculous! Our lives have changed dramatically in the last 13 months! The kids are all a year older, I changed jobs, we moved and for the first time in 16 years plus neither Nicholle or I have any callings in church (probably soon to change however). There is no way I can cover the last 13 months, so I am vowing right now to be more regular about updating this, especially since most of you who at one time followed us are no longer around us every day.... Suffice it to say, we are now living in a small town about 20 miles southwest of Portland called Newberg. It is small, about 25,ooo people but we love it. Originally a Quaker community, Newberg is home to George Fox University, a private liberal arts college sponsored by the quakers. I commute to Beaverton for work each day, not a bad drive at all, compared to the last 10 years of driving to Everett and back. Work has been getting better each day, and I finally feel like I am fitting in after 8 months. The kids all just started school and seem to be making friends, since both Mario and Franny have birthday parties to attend next weekend after their soccer games.

And then there is soccer. This seems to become our lives until November. And they are only playing rec league soccer with the parks and rec department. Fortunately they all have great coaches and are learning a lot, especially Juan, He even scored a goal in his game on Saturday! Having 3 children in sports is just plain crazy, and I have a new found respect for my parents and what they went through with several of us playing baseball at the same time! Fortunately for us, all three coaches scheduled practices for the same days of the week at the same field, so Nicholle just picks the kids up after school, gets them changed and hangs out at the practice field, Kindle in hand from 4 to 7 each Tuesday and Thursday. What a trooper! The kids really love the game, and Dad is finally figuring out the rules, having chosen baseball over soccer as a kid.

We will try to get some pictures posted in the next couple of days, and try to be better about keeping this thing up and going!

Summer Vacation- Did you get a picture of that?

I am such a lousy mom!! We just went on a vacation to Terry's family reunion and I somehow got home without a single picture. HOW DO YOU DO THAT???? We went to Umpqua State Park along the Oregon Coast. It was cold but we had a ton of fun playing with our cousins, and on the beach. We flew kites, made sand castles and went for walks. It was a blast, thank you Grandma Jones for the fun adventure.

Better Late Than Never

Well, Franny was baptized, and we are all still alive. It has only taken me 6 months to get this picture on the blog. Franny did great and had a great baptism. She wore a dress made for her by "Grandma Lori". And has used the dress to attend the Vancouver, British Columbia Temple Dedication where she was able to see President Monson wiggle his ears. She was quite amazed by that.... Both Grandma Lori and Grandpa Jones gave talks at her baptism, and our friend Christa Daily played the song Baptism out of the children's song book. Franny felt like a princess on this day, and I am so proud of her for making such a good decision to be baptized.

Now we are awaiting Mario's baptism in December......

Happy Birthday Franny!

Guess who turned 8 today!!!! Franny had a great morning, painting a unicorn statue with her friend Thirza, at Creativitea, a paint your own pottery store. We then joined the boys at Red Robin for lunch. How much fun it is to be a girl turning 8! Her brothers even wished her a Happy Birthday. Then we get to have a little family party tonight with our little family. Then on Saturday she is getting baptized and we are having a celebration. And last, but not least, she gets to have a party with the Jones family at our weekly Sunday dinner. Is she spoiled or what?????? I think really she is just very loved!

Franny's Baptism

Franny is getting baptized on Saturday the 23rd of January at 11 am for anyone that would like to come. I am so proud of her, she is making great choices in her life, and has really blossomed into a beautifully sweet little girl. She had her interview with Bishop McKell yesterday, and passed (like we didn't think she would:)). She is ready and excited for the next couple weeks. A great birthday, and then a awesome baptism day!! Then we get to do this again in December with Mario!!!!! I am so proud of all of my kids.

So, I started my math class that is online. OH MY GOSH!! My brain is being taxed. I have had straight A's since going back to school this time.... this class may kill that record.

Franny's smile

This is a picture of Franny's dance costume. I tried to upload the vidoe, but it never works. She performed the song from Annie "Your Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile. Thanks Miss Jamie for the fun class. She has really enjoyed it, and we enjoy watching her!

New Year's Resolution

Okay!!! So I have not been so great at the blogging thing since this summer. This fall has been crazy for us, and to tell you the truth, I was lucky to come up for air once in a while, with all we had going on. Life is settling down a little now, at least for a while, so I am recommitting myself to trying to post at least once a week. I am so blessed, and I need to be more thankful and let people know that I am thankful for all I have. I also would like to have a record of my very blessed life.

A thought- I Am So Blessed

So, have you ever had a day when you realized that you were a very lucky person? I realized that today. I am going to school and loving what I am studying. I am married to the best guy on the planet (and as of lately he has proven this a million times over), I am able to work when I want, I have the best kids in the world, I have a home, and family that love me. I really have nothing to be complaining about. I know that I am definately loved by my Heavenly Father, and I am truly blessed. While I was at work tonight I was listening to Pandora, and Martina Mc Bride's song Blessed came on, I think this lead me to ponder how lucky I am. I am so blessed. Thanks you Heavenly Father!!! Many people are not so blessed with a loving family, a home over their heads, a supportive husband, and family. I am also blessed that I am able to chose to do what I want and that I have my freedom. We are all blessed... May you count your many blessing today!

Smores and More Smores on the Fourth of July

We went with Grandma Lori, Grandpa Terry, and Aunt Carolyn to Birch Bay for a picnic on the fourth

of July and had a picnic. Aunt Carolyn was a favorite because she brought the goodies to make Smores!!!

Ballet Recital

I have a great video of Franny in her ballet recital, but I can't get it to upload, so here is a picture. She did an amazing job in the recital even though she was scared to death. I am so proud of her and all the challenges she has taken on and done great at. She is a very talented little girl. I just love her so much.

Birch Bay means crabs, rocks,barnacles, and lots of fun!

Our kids had never been to the beach before, so one Saturday Terry and I decided to take them to the bay. My mom has always had a special place in her heart for Birch Bay, and has passed that love of the ocean on to me. I wanted my kids to have a similar experience. We were there for a full afternoon, and our kids asked to go back lots of times. It was a day we will all remember for a while! We have been back a couple of time since then and they are always excited when they hear it is Birch Bay we are going to. I loved hearing them yell "A crab, get it. hurry get it get it. It was a great day. We even found a star fish on a rock. I haven't seen one of those there before. What a fun day!!!!

more t-ball

Isn't she so cute!! I love this little girl! It was interesting the difference between t-ball and softball, but I loved every minute as did she!

T-ball

Franny had the oportunnity to play t-ball this year. She is taking after her mom and her Aunt Shanna and is quite the little t-ball player. Ironically, Mario was originally signed up, but then broke his arm on the trampoline. So we could either lose our money or pay $15.00 and let Franny play. She did great. She looked forward every week to getting to play her games. We even had grandma and grandpa's come and watch. I think she flet like a real star. I was very proud of her and her efforts. I also loved that this gave her lots of daddy/ daughter time.

Okay, so I have been hearing about my lack of posting, sooooooo get ready here they come!!!

Mother's Day

Here it is almost a week after mother's day, and I am submitting my post. I am so behind!!! This was the best Mother's day of my life. I have had quite a few, where I wallowed in self pity, and had quite a few tears, but not this one. I was able to see my mom on saturday, and spend a good protion of the day with her. We were working, but it was a blast. I love my mom, she is my rock, and I owe all that I am to her. She is amazing. I really mean that too, because I know that she will never see this(she is not that computer savy). I got to spend Sunday with Terry's mom, and his sisters, who were also celebrating their first mother's day. I also was asked to speak about how motherhood realted to the proclamation in sacrament on sunday. I did not realize it was mother's day when I had agreed to talk, but I am so thankful I got the opportunity. It made we reflect on the path I took to becoming a mother. I realize that I had a very curvy path, but that it was the right path for me. I also realized how blessed I was to get to care for Ashton and Nikita for the short time that I did, and what a blessing they were to my life. With out them I probably would never have gotten to the spot where I was ready to adopt Franny, Mario, and Juan. The decision to adopt them was the best decision I have ever made, other than marrying Terry. It is also one of the most difficult roles I have ever taken on, but I love it. Motherhood is amazing. I do have to say though that I have gained so much respect for those mother's out there. It is nothing and everything I expected it to be, it is harder, and so much more rewarding than I expected it to be, but most of all it is a great blessing. I said in my talk that our children are really only "rentals", they really are our Heavenly Father's children, we just get to rent them while they are here on earth. I am so thankful that I was worthy to rent my three. They mean the world to me.
Go moms!

Quiet Play

Look I have proof, my kids do actually like each other, and they can play quietly together. I was at the kitchen table, and I heard the boys talking quietly to each other in the bedroom. I was a little nervous because I had not had to settle a dispute in over 5 minutes, and I had not heard ...You're a meaner, or I'm not playing with you, or your are dumb or I not play with you... in over 10 minutes, but just quiet talking. I started wondering if they were plotting something, and then I walked to the hall way and listened. To my surprise, they were actually just playing together nicely. I had to document the occasion because I knew without a picture Terry would never believe it.

Messy Messy Ribs

We had ribs for sunday dinner. The kids really got into it!!!! I think I cleaned up BBQ sauce for about 20 minutes afterwards, and they all went directly into the bath!!

Easter Best....

Here is our Easter best. It was fun getting to get all dressed up and going to church for Easter Sunday. We also enjoyed seeing all of the other kids in primary with their Easter attire on. We woke up and the Easter Bunny left us candy, new sunday clothes, and quite activities for church. We then had boiled (decorated) eggs for breakfast and went to church. We can home changed our clothes, watch Madagascar (so mom could take a nap), and then we went to the Jones' for Easter dinner. We got to play with our cousins and have a delicious dinner!!! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Jones for the good food and fun.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to all....

We had a fabulous Easter Egg Hunt at Grandma Jones'. Thanks Auntie Shanna and Auntie Liz. We had almost all of the Jones cousins. (We missed you Lucy=( ). All the Uncles had fun hiding the candy, and the kids had fun finding it. If you know the Jones Family Uncles you know that this was not ordinary Easter Egg Hunt..... We also had a wonderful Easter dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Jones. More about that later.