The Giving Box

Dave and I started a new tradition last year.  We call it the Giving Box.  Through World Concern we buy from the global gift guide a goat (chickens etc.) that will go to a family in a third world country and you give it in the name of whoever you are giving a gift to.  For example last year we bought 2 goats, 2 pigs and 20 chickens for our kids as gifts.  We gave them a little toy farm animal and a card that tells them what animal we bought for a family in need somewhere in the world.  This year we bought as a gift for our kids the opportunity for 4 children to go to school for 1 year.  Books and pencils included:)  So each year we will bring out the giving box at Christmas time and the kids can play with the toys inside that represent what we have given to people around the world.  And each Christmas Eve we will add to the box.  Sometimes I will let the kids decide what we give and sometimes it will be a surprise.  I don't know if it means anything to them yet, but hopefully someday they will realize how blessed we are and how giving up a Christmas present by giving someone else a chance at a better life is important.

http://globalgiftguide.worldconcern.org/

My new favorite thing...The Piano Guys

Cello Wars

Taylor Swift Love Story meets Viva La Vida

                                              

                                                                Bach-the Cello Song
I could watch these videos (there are many more) with my kids all day!..of course we don't, but I'd like to.

Pictures that didn't make the Christmas card

My husband is so awesome!

Merry Christmas!

Mt. Hood

So I've lived in Oregon since I was 12...that's roughly 23 years and I've been to Mt. Hood two times.  Pretty sad, I know.  It's only like, an hour away.  And the first time I went was about 5 years ago, but that was pre-Kurt and Dave wasn't able to come.  Dave has taken the boys a few times on the way to the father/son campout, but Saturday was the first time we've all been able to go together.  Even though there wasn't much snow on the mountain, it was a gorgeous blue sky and a fun hike up to the snow.  And I was actually really loving those dead trees behind us in the picture.

Long overdue...

Finally we have updated family pictures!

a little hard work never hurt anyone...

We had our sweet little cousins from Coos Bay come stay with us last week.  We all did some yard work together.  These little troopers were so great!  All smiles, no complaining!  Look at all these happy faces and happy hands pulling weeds!  It was so fun.



McKena on the lawn mower.





Derek giving Spencer a wheel barrow ride.



Pig pile on Nathan......Dave just informed me that it's a dog pile not a pig pile.
Anyone else ever heard of a pig pile?  I grew up with pig piles.



Taking a break.





All the kids ready to go to church at 8:30 am Sunday morning.  I was a little worried about getting 9 kids ready for church, but Ryan and Tonya's kids are well trained and were up getting dressed and fixing their breakfast before I had a chance to ask them to.  They made it very easy:)



Last day of school

Last day of school.  Ready to sign yearbooks.

Big thanks to wonderful teachers!!! 




Lauren with Mrs. Ally

 


Derek with Mrs. Smith

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Nathan with Mrs. Hood





Nicole with Mrs. Cook

 

Nicole with Mr. Garritano



 





 
  



Nicole did something I have never seen her do before...she got home from the last day of school and she crashed on the couch.  She has had so many projects and essays and speeches and tests that she's been going nonstop.  It was nice to see her mind free from projects and upcoming tests and just able to relax.  Yay for summer vacation!!! 

Our Destination.

 We've made it a family tradition that when we go on road trips we stop and see as many temples as possible along the way.  I love when the kids ask where are we going and the answer most often is the temple. 




This is the Los Angeles temple.  It was such an awesome way to spend Sunday on the road.  It has a beautiful visitors center.  We spent a couple hours there.  It was so great.

 




 Newport Beach temple.

 




Sacramento temple.

                The temple...our destination.

Mother's Day at the Los Angeles visitors center. 

A magical trip...



Kurt looked at this map for about 20 hours while sitting in the stroller at Disneyland. 
He loved every minute of it.





After four days we finally saw Mickey!




 



The highlight of the girls trip was definitely waiting in line for an hour and a half to see Rapunzel and getting the surprise that Flynn Rider just stopped by unannounced!  Cartoon Crush.

A walk

Spring is magical the way everything comes to life again.  Leaves appeared all over the trees this week.  And these beautiful wild flowers called trilliums grow in our yard.  We don't pick them because they don't grow back for seven years once they are picked.  The kids treat them like magic flowers like on Tangled.  They sit by them and sing "flower gleam and glow...let you power shine".  It's very magical:) We had a wonderful walk around the trails near our home the other day.  Yay for Spring!