Category Archives: Friends

3 Alarm Fire!

Welcome to Fire Station #3!

Here’s Engine #3! Our daughter in law created another fabulous cake.

Stop, Drop and Roll!

All the usual suspects and more were in the station enjoying each other before lunch was fired up on the barbecue.

The spotlight this day was on Fireman Jaymison.

Some people came dressed to the T with flames on!

We had our lunch of brats, hot dogs, coleslaw, potato salad and other goodies. We cleaned up after lunch and then we were all surprised to hear the fire alarm go off. The fire chief and fireman pulled on their boots and headed outside to see what the alarm was all about. Sure enough there was a fire that needed to be put out!

The Fire Chief supervised as Fireman #3 helped to put out the fire!

Fireman JJ was relieved of duty while the Fire Chief took over and was helped by other guests at the party.

JJ kept an eye on the action from a safe distance.

The fire was put out successfully.

All those from Fire District #3 posed for their photo.

After all that hard work it was time to light the candles and sing Happy Birthday!

Two fires put out in one day!

We had two other April birthdays to celebrate with a candle on this day. Our Andrew and Jamie D. had a dessert made in their honor.

Time for presents!

Fun with his very own Pop up Fire Rescue truck. Room for JJ and his friend David.

Now for all the guests.

Granny Great and Jim

Granny

Great Uncle Scott and Aunt Rhonda

Uncle Josh and Auntie Lolo.

Auntie Katie and Uncle Andrew

The Dickinson family, long time friends.

Mylee and her family. Long time friend of the family.

Gramps and Baba

Brother and sister.

This 3 year old was a real trooper through all those photos and all the action of the day. His birthday this year landed on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. Not every birthday will land on Easter weekend, thankfully.

Baba and Gramps love you JJ and we are thankful that you are growing strong and healthy. It’s fun to watch you build things with blocks and Construx. Bikes, your jeep, swings, sticks and rocks along with dirt keep you occupied outside. You love being outside and thanks to your mom and dad you are allowed to spend lots of time in the fresh air. Thank you for your cuddles and hugs. You are our favorite 3 year old in all the world!

Celebrating Our Risen Savior

After church we all gathered at Dan and Jamie’s for a delicious lunch of several different soups, chili and homemade bread. Before the day progressed to the Easter egg hunt and opening the treats in the Easter Baskets we stepped outside for our Easter photos.

There were some serious conversations going on while enjoying the soups.

Four baskets full of fun to dig into after the hunt. I found these cute baskets at the Dollar Store, which is now the $1.25 store.

The dad’s snuck out to hide all the eggs. Ready, set, go!

Everyone got a basket full.

There was lots of delight in opening the eggs to see what was inside.

The adults and kids enjoyed Dan’s creations. He is perfecting his macarons masterfully!

The day was not over yet because before dinner we all jumped into our cars and drove north several miles for Jamie D’s baptism. It was the perfect culmination on this Easter Day.

I still will be posting all the photos from our grandson’s 3rd birthday party that we enjoyed on the Saturday of Easter Weekend. That will wait until Monday. Happy weekend to all!

Easter Day ~ The Baptism

Our sons have a friendship with Jamie D. that began in the late 80’s and has lasted and grown over the years. Jamie D’s family and his mom flew over to spend an extended Easter weekend with us in Colville. Jamie D. asked our son Josh if he would baptize him on this weekend. Josh was humbled by this request and agreed to the privilege of baptizing his dear friend. Our son Dan was tasked with finding a good spot for the baptism to take place. He searched the area and came up with this beautiful location on the Kettle River.

We followed each other for the miles north to reach the Napolean Bridge Boat Launch on the Kettle River. We backed down the boat ramp and gathered on the shore.

We were all looking forward to witness this glorious event!

Jamie had this t-shirt prepared with the passage from the Bible that he chose on the back and his prayer of confession and testimony on the front that he shared with all of us.

Acts 2:38-39

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

We sang together while Rae (Jamie D’s daughter) accompanied us on her Ukulele, Amazing Grace and Jesus Loves Me.

It was now time for Josh and Jamie to step into the freezing Kettle River.

Out of the wet clothes for some more photos.

Dan and Jamie D. , friends since 2nd grade.

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When Jamie D’s dad, David D. was forty he asked Joshua’s dad, my Dear, to baptize him. That happened in a friends pool in Edmonds, Washington in 1990. Now our son Joshua was asked to baptize Jamie D. who is forty in 2022. David D. was called up to be with his Lord in heaven in 2016. This day, April 17th, there was rejoicing in heaven over the obedience of baptism and what it represents for us all.

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Dave D. , Dear and Josh in 2008 at Jamie D’s wedding.

Looking back down on this spot from the bridge on our way back to Dan and Jamie’s for dinner together. An amazing full and glorious Easter day.

We have two special people in our lives named Jamie, one male and one female. Jamie D. who our boys have been friends with for years and then Dan fell in love with Jamie F. who he asked to marry him and who we all love and cherish, too. Didn’t want anyone to get confused.

So Much to Share…

We have had wonderful days together and a glorious Easter day filled to the brim. This is our crew that have enjoyed several days together.  Once I have some time for creativity to flow I’ll share more.

Lately in some of our family texts we prompt each other to continue the next line of a hymn we all know with a prompt like the following. Sing along with me if you would like and have a great day everyone!

Until then, my heart will go on singing…

Because He lives…

Twas grace that brought me safe thus far…

Open House in April

We had a very busy weekend and full to the brim Sunday.

Back in the end of 2021 we invited several folk from our church to come over for a Happy New Year get together on January 3rd of 2022. We had to cancel that event because of snow and icy conditions with a promise to reschedule when our front area would be safe for walking without anyone breaking a hip on the ice! Well that day finally arrived and we rescheduled the event for April 3rd!

Twenty Five folk from our church stopped by after church for food and fellowship. It was a houseful with all possible seats filled in three different rooms. The food was enjoyed and I forgot to take one photo of the spread! We had pulled pork sliders, coleslaw (Kathy’s recipe without mayo that you should try, delicious), Vinegret (Russian Beet Salad), baked beans, and Applesauce Spice cupcakes for dessert. Some folk went back through the buffet line for thirds so we knew the food tasted just fine.

Everyone left by 3pm and then our kids and grands came over for leftovers at 5:30. We prayed that our food would be enough to feed all and it did with lots to spare. Thank you Lord.

Not expected at all but fun to receive these hostess/host gifts from some of the folk who came.

From sweet Diana, my trusty helper in the church kitchen.

From Gene and Marilyn, a newer couple who moved to Colville from Southern California.

Soup cozies for Dear and me.

From Gordon and Christine long time residents of Colville who host our Monday evening Bible Study.

A good day with a promise kept.

Happy first full week in April everyone!

Serendipitous

On Wednesday we met up with our dear friend from Southern California and her daughter who just recently moved to Texas at the Flower Child for lunch and conversation. It was serendipitous that we ended up in Dallas at the same time and were able to meet up.

It was so good to see them and catch up with the latest in all of our lives.

Heidi and I have been best of friends since our early college days. We had some epic travels together, too.

My brother Leonard, Nicole, Heidi, Myself and Dear. Heidi was one of my brother Leonard’s Sunday School teachers at Bethany Russian Baptist Church in Los Angeles way back when.

Two and a half hours of conversation and it was time to say goodbye till we meet again.

Thank you to my brother who chauffeured us around while in Dallas.

St Paul’s Mission Kettle Falls

When our friends from the coast, Bob and Jan, came to visit last week we took an outing to see this historical site and to walk through the museum.

You can find some history of this area here.

History of Fort Colville can be found here.

“This grooved boulder was a favorite whetstone used by generations of Indians who camped at the south end of the fishery. Left there by the last glacier, it is made of amphibolite, more fine-grained than the local bedrock. The stone has been placed here in the same position in which it was used to sharpen the spear points, knives and other implements used to harvest the salmon.”

We stopped in to the museum and I only took a few photos.

While our friends were here we enjoyed a couple meals out and some meals in. By far the favorite meal was at El Ranchito where we were treated like royalty…again. We had lots of good conversation and relaxed time together. We said goodbye on Friday morning and after they left our little grandson was dropped off for a play date with Baba and Gramps while big sister went to a Preschool/homeschool co-op for a few hours.

More to come from our time with JJ.

Happy Birthday Addy!

Our dear little granddaughter turned 4 on the first day of Spring and family and friends gathered to celebrate her! Warning: This post will have lots of photos. It was a hunting party.

The guests were instructed to wear camo or orange clothing to go with the ‘Hunting’ theme. And…yes, Addy chose the theme.

Our little Deer…

One with Addy smiling.

One with JJ cooperating.

Baba, Addy and Gramps

Granny and Addy

Great Uncle Scott, Rhonda and Addy.

Uncle Josh, Aunt Lolo (Laura) and Addy.

Auntie Katie and Addy. Uncle Andrew was busy with work responsibilities.

Addy and her friend.

Long time friends of the family.

JJ and Auntie Lolo. Another post is coming with all the activities at the party.

Celebrating

We enjoyed my birthday meal at the Wolf Lodge Steak House in Coeur d’Alene.

If you are a fan of meat this is the place for you!

The restaurant was dark inside so the photos taken with our phones are a bit muddled.

My birthday started out earlier than usual since it was Spring Forward time of year! First thing in the morning I was greeted with the sweetest video of our grands singing happy birthday to me on a video. A wonderful way to start the day. On the way to church our daughter called with her sweet wishes. Our church service was so good with lots of laughter and then a more solemn time of Communion. After church we drove to Idaho and the texts and phone calls continued. Both our sons called with their wishes. Another call from my brother with his family singing happy birthday to me. Another dear friend called and then my college roommate from the University of Redlands called out of the blue. I’ve been overwhelmed with the many wonderful birthday greetings I have received through phone calls, texts, and Facebook messages. And now that I’m in this new decade I need to document all these things so I can remember.

Thank you to all my blogging friends, too, who have left such encouraging words on my birthday posts!