Category Archives: Family

Good News from North Carolina

We got some good news from North Carolina on Thursday. Dear’s niece got engaged. We are hoping to be able to travel to the wedding when we get the invite with time and place. We know the wedding will be in North Carolina. The collage above is from Katie and my trip across the U.S. to get her to North Carolina in time for her Marine husband to return from Afghanistan in 2014. We stopped in Asheville for a night and enjoyed a delicious meal on the Sunset Terrace at this hotel.

This is Dear’s older and only brother. I took this photo at our mom’s funeral in 2013. It’s his daughter Kacie who is now engaged to Chris. Terry is married to Christina and they have 3 daughters. Kacie is the youngest of the three.

Our kids just met up with Kacie and her sister Annie in California in January. These four happened to all be in California at the same time and carved out some time to meet up and get caught up. Kacie is standing between Josh and Laura. Our nieces are real beauties.

This is our daughter Katie, Christina (Dear’s SIL) and our oldest niece, Jenna. Jenna, Annie and Kacie are sisters. Christina is married to Dear’s brother, Terry.

Another post to keep me on track of what happened when.

Presidents Day Weekend

Addy was so excited to show everyone her “Big Girl” bed.

For my record of what went on this past President’s Weekend or the rest of the story.

Addy and Gramps enjoying cartilage. She likes the crunch!

Jaymison helping me clap. He loves to clap.

Walk on the kids’ driveway. I stayed in because I didn’t have mud shoes on.

Always thankful for Auntie Lolo’s photos she shares with all of us.

Back up the driveway.

Josh and Laura’s goodbye shot before heading back to the airport.

Lots of good times together in two and a half days.

This has been a busy busy week and we have one more event before the weekend. Last night we had friends over for Raclette and cards (Hand and Foot). It was a great late afternoon and evening. We’ve been eating in for several days now so Dear is taking me out for Mexican today. Yippee.

The walls in the laundry room are almost all painted. It will be such a nice change.

I’ll leave you with this sentence from  a prayer by Spurgeon:

“Give peace to those whose consciences are like the troubled sea that cannot rest”

Love Filled Weekend…

Our oldest and his dear bride flew out to visit us Eastsiders for the weekend.

Both Jaymison and Addyson enjoyed seeing and being with their Auntie and Uncle.

A walk was in order on Sunday since the sun broke through.

We took this photo to text along to our SIL/Aunt/Great Aunt Mandy in Texas who celebrated a birthday today.

Today was also the 10 month landmark for Jaymison. I will post some photos later this week since I left my camera at the kids’ house and won’t be able to upload the photos today.

Hope you all had a weekend filled with God’s love and brotherly love.

Tuesdays With Moisi

Today I’m posting photos from our Mom and Pop’s 60th Wedding Anniversary Celebration we held in our brother Leonard’s backyard in Downey, California. September 13th, 2003.

My parents had just returned from their last long term mission in Russia and moved in with our brother in Downey.

The photo above is of most of their children, grandchildren, and spouses. Some of the grandchildren aren’t in this photo and some aren’t born yet. No great grandchildren have been born as of 2003. Vera and Lana’s husbands aren’t in this photo. Our brother Leonard was not married at this time. Our daughter Katie, sitting on the far left, was the youngest granddaughter at this point. Sitting on the far right is grandson Joseph, who was the youngest grandson.

It was fun to capture the photographers, our cousins and their kids.

Our folks were worn out from their responsibilities in Russia and we were happy to have this time for them to relax and enjoy being served.

In this photo above Moisi is at the head of the table with his sister Anna next to him. Next to Aunt Anna is our Uncle Alex and his wife Aunt Ouiliana. Next to her is her brother Mikhail Samaduroff and then our cousin Alex. Next to Moisi is his oldest brother John and his wife Katie.

In this photo our cousin Alex’s wife Vera got in the shot with our sister Kathy’s Mother-in-law Sophie. Our mom is at the head of the table in this shot, too. Today in 2020 our cousin Alex is the only one who is alive in this row.

In this photo next to our Aunt Anna is Mr. Petakoff and his wife Genia, friends of the family.

Our Aunt Anna (and brother Leonard in the background) are the only ones alive today in this photo and Aunt Anna will be celebrating her 95th birthday in April.

Moisi’s sons (my brothers) not in order of birth, Fred, Steve, Leonard and Tim.

Once I scan more photos from this event I’ll add them to this post. Many grandchildren and nieces and nephews were at the party, too.

Grandsons and grand nephews.

Many of Moisi and Nadia’s grandchildren.

My parents lived in our brother’s home until he relocated full time to Dallas, Texas and sold his home in 1996. At that point we found our folks a senior apartment that they moved into in the town of Brea, California.

Sunday Snaphots

Our “Coast Kids” sent this photo on Sunday prompting the rest of us to share our photos.

Dear and I obliged with a selfie taken on our way home from an impromptu lunch out after church with friends.

Dan and Jamie sent this photo of Addy and Jaymison. Cracking up at Jaymison’s new obsession with his tongue as witnessed in this next photo of him we received this week, too.

It was nice to go out to lunch with new friends after church today. When you re-locate later in life and leave long time friends behind it’s a comfort to know you can establish new friendships. There were 7 of us at lunch today.

Our meal at the Chinese restaurant yesterday was decent but not noteworthy. The owners and staff were very pleasant. Thankfully the Thai to Go in town is really good to our palates!

Quote for the week from Spurgeon:

“A house without prayer is a house without a roof.”

Living Vicariously Disneyland

Tuesday January 21st was Disneyland day for Josh and Laura with the three cousins who took the day off.

Some of the cousins have year long passports to Disneyland.

What a beautiful day in Anaheim!

So thankful my nieces and Laura have such a special relationship.

One of the newest attractions at Disneyland is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge with the Millennium Falcon.

Sisters!

Such a fun photo bomb by Chewbacca!

Josh and Laura ran into our favorite defender from the Seattle Sounders Soccer team who just retired this last year, Chad Marshall. They also met up with Laura’s best friend from college who was there with her family, too.

Dinner at the Blue Bayou with the crickets chirping from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Night time at Disneyland.

Oops! Captured!

An epic day of fun and laughter at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Thanks Kristin, Michelle and Laura for letting me copy and paste your photos from your day at Disneyland!

Living Vicariously Part 1

Our son Josh and our dear DIL, Laura, flew to Southern California for a few days to celebrate Joshua’s birthday. This photo is of our nephew David and his dear wife and our kids at Huntington Beach.

Our niece Melissa and niece Debbee with our kids at Huntington Beach. Debbee and David are siblings, my sister Vera’s kids. Melissa belongs to my sister Kathy. So grateful that many photos were taken and shared.

 

Newport Beach/Balboa where David and Kristin live.

The guys heading to the gun range. Nephew Tim and Dave. Nephews in law Ryan and Lenny. Our grandnephew, Jackson and our son Josh.

Seriously…

The girls making lotions and such while the guys were shooting. Niece Debbee, Melissa and Michelle. Niece in law, Kristin and grandniece Avery. Daughter in law, Laura. Melissa and Michelle are sisters.

After shooting and lotion making a dinner celebration with cake for Josh.

Breakfast at Juliene, a family favorite in San Marino, California.

And a rare treat to be able to get together with two of our nieces on Dear’s side of the family. Kacie was in Southern California visiting from North Carolina and our niece Annie is now living in Long Beach moving from North Carolina recently. Their sister Jenna lives in New York.

Our kids filled up their days in California enjoying their cousins. Their Dzeda, our pop, told them all before he died to “stay together, love each other.” It fills me with joy to see them doing just that.  I’m thankful for social media so I can see things like this and (steal) share the photos to memorialize them on my blog.

My next post will be all about cousin time at Disneyland with other encounters, too.

Frosty With the Hope of Spring

We had a good time celebrating Dan and Jamie’s birthdays on Friday night with dinner and cake.

Applesauce Spice Cake was the cake of choice for both our birthday celebrants. Addy helped blow out the candles. Smile. On hindsight we lit the candles a little early and they almost melted away before we sang Happy Birthday.

Jaymison was pretty mellow the whole evening and Addy was quite animated.

Today we sent out Happy Birthday wishes to our firstborn Josh. He’s celebrating with his dear Laura and some of our extended family in Southern California.

Happy Birthday dear Josh!

Photo Album Christmas 2019

This will be a photo overload post. You have been warned.

On Christmas Eve Andrew and Katie arrived and we headed over to Dan and Jamie’s for dinner before the Candlelight Service at church.

Christmas Day dawned and Josh and Laura boarded a plane from Seattle to Spokane.

When they arrived at our place we enjoyed some Swedish Pancakes. After pancakes and before Dan and Jamie would arrive Josh, Laura, Andrew and Katie took the short drive to Douglas Falls Grange Park for a Christmas day hike.

Naps were over and Dan, Jamie and the kids arrived for our family Christmas. Auntie Lolo got a good long hug from Addy. Jaymison and Addy’s Granny joined us for our celebration, too.

Before we had our dinner we gathered around the tree and enjoyed our stockings filled with goodies.

After dinner (Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Creamed Corn, Brussels Sprouts, Fruit salad) and after our Christmas Crackers we gathered around the tree again to open up our gifts to each other.

Before we began opening our gifts, Dear read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2. I wish I would have gotten a photo of Addy being very still while seated on Uncle Andrew’s lap with her eyes on Gramps for the whole reading. A sweet update, Laura did take a photo of Addy and I’m adding it below. Thank you, Laura!

Let the paper and tissue fly!

Katie pulled out the presents and read the tag to Addy so she could deliver the right gift to each of us.

Jaymison was content for a few minutes in his baby walker but soon ended up in someone’s arms.

Addy was on the move most of the evening.

These well thought out gifts made us all get a good laugh especially the one for Laura that says, “Just the Driver”.

Dan’s gift to his father got the biggest laugh of the night! That’s a good solid fork attached to a lanyard that Dear can wear around his neck. Dear has a pet peeve about wimpy forks that practically bend when you use them and he has frequently complained about wimpy utensils. Dan got this bright idea for this gift to his dad when he passed some solid flatware in a store and he drilled a hole in the handle to attach the fork to the lanyard!

Belly laughs people, belly laughs. So much fun.

A glorious time of celebrating our Savior and the gifts of Christmas.

On Boxing Day we all gathered for our 2nd breakfast of Dear’s famous Swedish Pancakes.

Jaymison gently pulled on the Christmas tree branches.

Addy enjoyed time in her playroom which is also Josh and Laura’s guestroom when they are here. She enjoyed the marble game and looking for things with Gramps’ flashlight.

The kids went home for naps and we were all going to meet up and enjoy our Boxing Day dinner at El Ranchito in Chewelah.

Dear surprised everyone at El Ranchito when he unzipped his vest and revealed his fork on a lanyard around his neck. We had a good round of belly laughs again!!

On the morning of Katie’s birthday (December 27th) we all gathered at Dan and Jamies for waffles and eggs. Dan was our cook of the morning.

Addy enjoyed showing us many of the new toys she and little brother received. Dear and I headed home right after breakfast to prepare for Andrew’s father and his wife’s arrival and so that I could bake Katie’s birthday cake.

Addy wanted to help light the candles and I said no thus this expression found it’s way to her face. Love the furrowed forehead! Another photo fail as I forgot to get a photo with Andrew, Katie and Andrew’s dad. Oye!

On Saturday morning we all gathered at Dan and Jamie’s again and Josh made his famous Huevos Rancheros ala Josh. I left the breakfast early as I was not feeling well and didn’t want to pass anything on to the grands.

Our boys with their beards before Dan shaves his off.

Josh and Laura left to the airport from Dan and Jamie’s. I spent the day at home doing nothing but trying remedies to fight my cold.

Katie and Andrew left early on Sunday morning for home after an egg scramble and packing up their car to the gills with all their gifts and Josh and Laura’s gifts.

A family challenge has been thrown down for us all to commit to some healthy habits before we have the family photo shoot our kids all gifted me with. We plan to take those photos in March or April when we are all in Colville for Addyson’s birthday party or Jaymison’s birthday party.

My goals are to drink more water, take my D3 everyday, walk at least 5 times a week for the length of a sermon, memorize scripture and look into the WW groups in our area and maybe join up with a group.

This morning I finished my Bible reading plan for 2019. I’m researching others and if I don’t find something similar I’ll just carry on again with this 5 day a week program that worked well for me in 2019.

“God’s Word is always true and His promises are sure.” Jack MacArthur in “The Finding of an Old Book”

Three Days Full

I’m gathering the photos and my brain to be able to share the agonies and the ecstasies of the last three days. More to follow soon. All ended well but there were some intense moments where all our brains put together resulted in a success that we all praised God for. Josh and Laura are back home on the other side of the Cascades. Katie and Andrew will drive home tomorrow. Addy and JJ’s Dad is away for work and that sign was for him. He’ll be home soon.

Here we are in the Advent season. We are looking forward to some daily Advent readings for the next 24 days.  I was so ready to put the Fall decor away. We have a few Christmas decor items up and when I recover from our Thanksgiving weekend I’ll put up the rest. Christmas tree won’t appear till after the 9th of December. We had a light dusting of snow today with temps not rising above the mid twenties. Brrr…

Do you have any special plans for this Advent season?