Category Archives: Grandchildren

C is for Colville and The Corn Maze

Action Packed Friday and Saturday in our corner of Washington State.

A pair of our ‘Coast’ kids drove over arriving late on Thursday evening. On Friday morning our Colville kids/grands joined us for breakfast and afterwards they all helped me to clear out our front planters to get them ready for Winter. What a huge blessing that was. And we did that in the rain, another blessing. JJ thought it was fun to stand right under the stream of rain water running off the roof!

95% of the photos I’m sharing are taken by Auntie LoLo! She is the best at capturing the moments.

The guys emptied several cart loads!

We all got dry clothes on. The kids enjoyed trying on Gramps’ Cub Scout caps. We warmed up over a nice hot bowl of borsch for lunch with a loaf of fresh baked bread by Jamie.

Dinner at our Colville Kids’ home with plans to meet at the Corn Maze when it opened on Saturday.

This is the first year of our annual Corn Maze adventure that the guys came, too, since they weren’t hunting this year.

Since Auntie Katie wasn’t with us this year Addy took on the job of Map navigation.

You can see that the weather was perfect for our trudge through the stalks of corn.

Addy had help navigating from Uncle Joshie and her daddy.

Sons

Daughters-in-law and in our hearts!

Checking our bearings…

Making great time finding the 10 stations!

The final post! We made it in record time.

Time to pick out some pumpkins to carve.

Back to the mountain for pumpkin carving and lunch.

Before naptime Dan lit the fire in the pit he built to have some Smores.

A perfect couple of days in beautiful Colville with family. Thank you Auntie Lolo for the photos!

As busy as Friday and Saturday were, Sunday was coming.

Homeschool Hodgepodge

Hello Hodgepodgers!

Katie at graduation from the University of Washington.

Joyce From This Side of the Pond has a fresh batch of questions for us this week.

1. What’s something you wish you’d figured out sooner? 

That even though our daughter was very bright (she was reading at age 3) she didn’t need to be in the ‘gifted’ classroom setting. I should have pulled her out of school and homeschooled her sooner in her elementary years. Her early primary teachers didn’t  identify her giftedness and labeled her in some negative ways. In the 3rd grade she was identified as ‘gifted’ and then put in a special program for the 4th-6th grade at a different location than her regular neighborhood school. She was bullied by the other ‘gifted’ girls and it caused un-necessary stress and trauma in her young life. We pulled her out of school in the 4th grade and I homeschooled her until 7th grade. She was ready to go back to the public school setting at that time.

Katie and one of her pet rats. I think it’s Fats but it could be Pinky.

2. Something from childhood you still enjoy today? 

Toast with avocado, lightly salted.

3. Are you a fidgeter?

I can be when I think things are taking longer than they should, especially in waiting rooms.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word fidget? 

Toddlers or kindergarteners in a classroom setting.

4. Your favorite fall vegetable?

Sweet Potatoes/Yams

How do you like it prepared? 

Classic candied with marshmallows on top.

5. What’s something you find mildly annoying, but not annoying enough to actually do anything about? Might you now? 

Having to facilitate events with large groups of people going through buffet lines and beverage areas makes one uber aware of space and the smooth flow of lines of people, etc. There are clueless people who have no conscious idea that they are blocking the process. Groups of people will form a circle of conversation right in front of the beverage area or other areas blocking others from getting to and from those spaces. As annoying as it is I have found that it is what it is and it will always be that way so the only thing I might do is say, ‘could you move your conversation from in front of the beverage area, please’? Mostly, I need to just go with the flow and after I’ve made sure everything is out and available I hide in the kitchen so I don’t have to watch.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

D is for Dirt. So thankful that our DIL is homeschooling our grands and that they can play outside and get dirty!

My Pumpkin Brain Hodgepodge

Since Joyce brought up pumpkin in her Wednesday Hodgepodge questions for today, I borrowed this photo from our daughter-in-law at the first pumpkin patch visit of this Autumn.

1. Thursday (Oct 13) is National Train Your Brain Day. What do you do to keep your brain in tip top shape? Is it helping?

Bible study keeps your brain sharp. When my Mother-in-law was living with us and signs of dementia started showing she was the sharpest when she was studying her Bible everyday and attending a Bible Study weekly. The Holy Spirit in followers of Jesus Christ illuminates the Word of God for us and helps us to discern and gives us understanding. The Word of God is living and enduring and it keeps my brain in tip top shape while teaching me how to live on this earth.

2. You can sit with anyone in the world and ‘pick their brain’…whom do you choose? Tell us why? 

If we are talking about a living person…

Patricia MacArthur, wife of John MacArthur one of my favorite living pastors who is 83 and still preaching at the same church he started at 53 years ago. She has lived through ministry and suffering and I know there is a lot of wisdom to glean from her.

If I could choose someone who has died…

I’d choose my maternal grandfather who I never got to meet because he was killed in Persia after my parents immigrated here and before the rest of my mother’s family immigrated.

3. What’s something happening in the world (or your corner of it) right now that you have trouble ‘wrapping your brain around’? 

Well you have opened up a can of worms here for sure. There is so much happening in this world that is unbelievable to me.

Calling good evil and evil good.

The whole gender identity stupidity.

The Border Crisis

The escalation of crime with no punishment for wrongdoing.

I can go on and on…

4. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall in the pumpkin fanclub? (1=blech, 10=make it all pumpkin all the time) Tell us something delicious you’ve tasted recently that had some pumpkin in it somewhere. 

I’m pretty much in the middle. I enjoy some things pumpkin but mostly baked items like cookies and bars or a good spicy soup. I’m not a fan of drinking pumpkin flavored coffee or any kind of flavored coffee, etc.

5. Share a favorite song, book, or movie with an autumn title, setting, or vibe. 

I drew a blank on this one. I know I’ve read books or book series that included fall but nothing with that theme in the title. I did find this song by Nat King Cole…

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Speaking of Autumn…

I took this photo in Woodstock, U.K. on the grounds of Blenheim Palace on September 22nd of this year, the first day of Autumn. Winston Churchill was born at the Palace in the Autumn, on November 30th, 1874. He didn’t live at Blenheim but his parents were visiting Blenheim and the Mrs. went into labor and he ended up being born there. There are many tributes to him at the Palace and on the grounds and in the village of Woodstock, too.

Thank you Joyce for the Hodgepodge.

 

While We Were Away

While we were across the pond two of our Coast kids drove across the Cascades to visit our Colville kids. We were happy that they could use their key to use their guestroom in our home as usual even though we weren’t home.

-1

Uncle Joshie is such a good sport!

My blog is my journal and scrapbook and photo album of our family events and I wanted to document this time with our Daughter-in-law’s wonderful photos! Those little ones grow so fast.

I’m at our Women’s Retreat that started last night at a Bible camp at Waitt’s Lake which is about 50 minutes away. Hope your weekend is going well.

 

Marcus Ciderfest 2022

On Saturday we met our family and daughter-in-law’s family at the Marcus Ciderfest. Classic cars and trucks play a big part in the fest and parade. The mustang belongs to Uncle Scott and the Thunderbird was gifted to our DIL from her grandfather.

After the cars were parked with the other classic cars and trucks we walked over to the apple processing operations to get some fresh apple cider before the crowds arrived.

Look at that mound of apple peelings!

We found a good position on the highway for the parade. Most of the participants in the parade throw candy out to the kids along the route. Our littles were magnets for the candy throwers and got a few pounds of candy!

Smokey the Bear started things off.

Colville Station Border Horse Patrol rode in the parade.

We were eagerly waiting for Granny Great and Jim to come along in Jim’s old car.

Here they come.

They see us!

There were lots of other cars and trucks and animals and politicians but these are all the photos from the parade that I’m sharing.

Waiting for a snack.

Up close and perfectly blurry. And then he insisted on taking a photo of me.

We said our goodbyes and took our 1/2 gallon of fresh cider, caramel apple and some farm stand cookies home.

Dear started on a new house project on Saturday morning before we left to the Ciderfest. Have I mentioned we’ve been waking up really early. He had a few hours to work before it was time to go. Our guest bathroom is getting a new counter top, sink, fixtures and backsplash. Once that is all done it will get a fresh coat of paint. Saturday morning was demo time.

We had a nice Sunday morning worshipping at church and came home for a relaxing day. How was your weekend?

Summer is Waning…

Happy to see these end of summer photos.

It’s been a couple days since these photos were taken and our blue skies have been obscured by smoke. A few fires have erupted in our county and neighboring counties that have affected the air quality. Local restaurants are feeding the fire fighters and there is an Incident Command Center at the junior high parking lot next to our church.


There is expected to be record heat Friday along with dry and unstable conditions which could increase the potential for extreme fire behavior Friday through Saturday. Due to the local fires we have cropping up along with neighboring fires there can also be an expected deterioration of air quality with an increased level of smoke in the air.w🔥☀️🔥
So an early morning walk and watering are in order and then work inside where we will stay cool.
No big plans for Labor Day Weekend for us, how about for you? One last hoorah?

Adios August Hodgepodge

Time for the last August Wednesday Hodgepodge! Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for asking the questions!

1. Something you’ve labored over recently? 

Pulling weeds, weeds and more weeds, to the point of my right arm/elbow screaming at me to stop it!

2. How will you rest on Labor Day? 

We rarely rest on Labor Day for many different reasons. We have been listening to and reading some great talks and articles on having a Lord’s Day Rest. We want to be more intentional on leaving Sundays for rest from our labors and being more in tune with keeping our ‘lamp tended and storing good oil for our lamps’. We also don’t want to ignore the importance of spending time each day with God through His Word, the Bible.

3. Margaret Mead is quoted as saying, “I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” Would you agree? Where and how did you learn the value of hard work? 

It is good for man to work. I have learned the value of hard work by working hard and by the example of my parents and others who worked hard and work hard. My Dear is a great example of someone who works hard to a good end not just spinning his wheels.

4. It’s National Eat Outside Day (August 31st). Will you? Do you enjoy dining ‘al fresco’ or prefer indoor seating? 

I prefer eating inside and if I have to eat outside I need a shady spot. I developed, in my late 50’s, a skin sensitivity to the sun shining directly on me, especially my thighs. When the sun hits them it immediately feels like they are burning. This happens through my clothing. When living in Southern California from 2006-2010, I had to put sunshades on the passenger window so the sun wouldn’t hit my thighs. Weird…

5. Somehow it’s the end of August. What was the best day of the month for you and tell us what made it so? 

We had a great day last Friday when our Colville family could have dinner together and the grands and I had some water gun and hose fun outside, getting a wee bit soaked. There were emergency surgeries and other issues over the course of the month that kept us from getting together for a meal. Then on Saturday I met up with our DIL and Grands to watch our small town parade. FUN. The collage at the top of the post is from our parade time.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Northeast Washington Fair Parade

This past weekend our town hosted the Northeast Washington Fair. Part of the festivities includes a parade on Saturday morning.

Waiting patiently for the parade to start.

The sirens from the fire engines announced the beginning of the parade. It was loud as you can tell from our Grands covering their ears.

JJ still managed to wave to the firemen while he kept one ear covered.

Things quieted down. Most of the participants in the parade throw candy to the kids watching along the parade route. That’s what the blue bag is for and they got a haul!

JJ stuffed his pockets full of candies.

A country necessity.

Those pockets are getting full.

When the parade was over we walked over to the Farmer’s market for a few veggies and the kids got their free honey stick.

A picture with the Colville Bear on the way back to the parking lot was our grand finale. Later on this day the Grands went to the fair with their mom and granny. There were lots of farm animals to see and an ice cream cone to enjoy!

We’ve had a cool down with the weather for a few days. The weather was perfect for the parade.

They Turned on Me!

The kids and grands were over for dinner last Friday night and after dinner the grands wanted to play with the water guns in the back yard. Soon the water guns were left behind for the hoses that offered more fun and power!

It was all good for a time and then they both decided to turn on me!

Little stinkers! We came inside to get dry clothes on and it was time for them to head home for bed.

I got dry clothes on and put my feet up for a little relaxation before going to bed.

I cherish these moments and am happy to have the opportunity to spend time with these two little humans!

On Saturday we met up on Main Street in Colville for the Fair Parade. I’ll share photos from the parade tomorrow.