Category Archives: Grandchildren

Mid August

On August days when the skies cleared of smoke Addy and JJ enjoyed activities outside. They are really mastering their bicycle skills.

Our daughter-in-law and four of our nieces enjoyed several days in Maui celebrating Melissa’s 40th birthday in style. She’s a beach girl through and through so this was an appropriate destination for the celebration. An amazing ‘cousin’ time.

Addy’s week of VBS culminated with a short program Friday night for parents and Addy thinks that VBS was great!

Our daughter Katie and Andrew were in New York over this past weekend for the wedding of one of Andrew’s Marine buddies. Andrew was in the wedding. This wedding was supposed to happen a while back but then the you know what postponed it. They had a wonderful time celebrating outside of Albany, New York.

My last follow-up cataract appointment is on Tuesday. I’m looking forward to ordering some glasses on that day. The other thing we are looking forward to on Tuesday is a major cooling down and some rain in the forecast, too. Hoping for clear skies on Wednesday with some new fires getting contained.

What does your week look like?

All in the Family Hodgepodge

Jo From This Side of the Pond posted some questions for Wednesday Hodgepodge this week even though she has a busy houseful. She picked the appropriate theme. Thank you Jo!
1. What’s something you would say ‘runs in your family’?
Our firm foundation in Christ runs in our family.
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2. A book, song, tv show, or movie you love that is centered around family. 
Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle all 5 hours and 23 minutes of it.
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3. Family matters, family ties, family tree, family man, family fortune, black sheep of the family, family values, one big happy family…choose a ‘family phrase’ that applies to your life currently and explain. 
One big happy family. With half of us on the west side of the Cascades and half of us on the east side visits usually have us all together and we do have happy times. Our next big happy family time will be in the fall when we all gather for a family wedding in North Carolina. The 10 of us will be staying in a home we rented on Lake Hickory for 4 nights.
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4. Last thing you fixed for a big family dinner? If you’re not the cook, last thing you were served at a big family dinner? 
The last thing we served for 6 of us here in Colville was flat iron steak, baked potatoes, roasted cauliflower, corn muffins and a blueberry buckle for dessert.
Some of our family do not appreciate fish so when Josh was here a couple weeks ago we took advantage and served the 7 of us a yummy Cioppino as an appetizer full of mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, in a flavorful broth (we bought that at Costco and just warmed it up). Then we had Tilapia, jasmine rice, salad, maybe broccoli, and good crusty bread. We had something for dessert but I can’t remember what. Whatever it was I won’t make it again since it was so unmemorable. Oye.
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5. What are three words you would use to describe your family. 
Team
Supportive
Fun
We work well together as a team to get things done and we are supportive of each other and we like to make things fun.
After all the good times we have together we also enjoy being back home alone in our own space.
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6. Insert your own random thought here.
Addy has two new experiences she’s enjoying this month. This week every evening from 6-8:30 she is attending Vacation Bible School at our church. The halls and gym are thundering with boys and girls from 3 years old to 6th grade enjoying a good time learning about the God that created them. Next year JJ will be able to join in.
The whole church is decorated in the Island theme. Very colorful!
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Addy’s also learning soccer skills on a team a couple days a week. That’s bringing back some good memories of all the soccer we enjoyed when our kids were little.
Our dear mom and pop left us with an encouragement before they died to love each other and stay together, I’ll leave that with you, too.

Big Wheels

Big Wheels are celebrating their 50th anniversary and we decided it would be fun to order one for each of our grands. It was a labor of love to put them together. Dear did most of the labor. I helped with the stickers.

Fun times for years to come.

Addy and JJ on July 29th Twenty Twenty One.

Have a good Friday and weekend everyone!

Adieu to July Hodgepodge

Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for coming up with questions during her busy summer season on the lake.

1. Four words that tell us something about your July?

Eyes: Cataract surgery

Eyedrops: 4x a day for a week then 3x a day then 2x a day and then 1x a day. Start over for second eye.

Heat:  When it’s hot pull out the pool and water toys.

Fires: Adding smoke to the heat.

2. Four of your favorite summer foods?

Nectarines, watermelon, corn on the cob, and apricots.

3. What were you doing at a quarter past four yesterday? 

At exactly 4:15 yesterday (Monday) I had a doctor appointment and not for my eyes. Now I’m waiting for a appointment with someone more specialized about my non-emergency issue. How’s that for vague.

4. fore!, four letter word, four sheets to the wind, ten-four, 24/7, four eyes, these four walls….pick a ‘four’ phrase and tell us how you relate currently

Four eyes: Prescription glasses have been part of me for a very long time. There was a period of time that I switched to contacts but then switched back to glasses. Now that I’ve had my Cataract surgeries I do not need glasses except for up close reading. For me it’s too much of a bother to pull out readers every time I need to read fine print or what’s on my phone so…I’m going to get glasses that are clear with a bifocal section for reading and stick with the eye glass look!

5. Something you own that is four years old? 

All the things we have that we’ve owned for four years are related to our grandchildren. Our first grandchild was born in 2017 so we added some things like a porta crib, high chairs, walkers, toys. Our second grandchild was born in 2019 so we can still use the items we purchased 4 years ago and the things they grew out of we donated elsewhere.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A quick photo of the sunflower field as we zoomed past on our way to Spokane on Tuesday. A great sign of summer.

Courage and Strength

Swimming lessons started this week and Addy has graduated up from the pollywogs which involves a parent to the next level. She’s getting braver everyday and is letting go of the wall. JJ is in daddy’s arms the whole time so that makes things easier.

Here the grands are doing their best impersonations of what strength and being brave looks like to encourage their Uncle Joshie with a tough task. Love all these expressions and the two different boots on JJ’s feet.

Do you need encouragement?  

Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Water Fun

We bought this inflatable pool from Wal-Mart during our one hundred degree + temps and last week when the Colville kids came for dinner we had the Grands try it out.

The air was hot the well water was cold.

It took awhile for sister to make the commitment to step all the way in. They came out to warm up wrapped in a towel and then they would head back in for more cold fun.

The next day at the river they had more water fun.

We kept the pool up and inflated with water in it just in case the deer could use a drink and today we spied one drinking for a long while. I’ll share some deer photos on another day.

Addy and JJ started swimming lessons on Monday at the city pool.

Raspberries

On Friday JJ’s mommy and Addy went to Spokane with Granny and Granny Great to celebrate a friends new baby. JJ and Baba were left to their own devices. It is so good to just spend time with one Grand now and then. JJ is developing the right skills to pedal his bicycle and it was fun to watch him. We spent a little time in the garden and he gets to pick and eat all the raspberries he wants. Inside he enjoyed his lunch and then we played with trucks and blocks and puzzles. We worked on a Kiwi Activity box that gets delivered monthly. After we read the book that came with the activity box JJ brought several other books he wanted me to read to him. Later in the afternoon it was time  to wind down to his nap so we watched Octonauts just as Mommy and Addy pulled into the garage. A nice day for everyone.

The Fourth of July 2021

Looking back at our 4th of July celebrations starting with July of 2020.

2020

2019

Addy 2018 in her 4th of July dress. I think Auntie Katie bought this for her.

2018 (we were out of our Kenmore home and waiting to move to our Colville home)

2017 in Kenmore

2016 below

Next are photos from 2013…

2013 (I’m missing my photos from 2015 on this computer. In 2014 Dear and I were in England on the 4th of July)

On to earlier years…

Above from 2011

Above and the next few below from 2009.

Hopefully in 2022 we’ll be all decked out for another memorable 4th of July celebration.

Stars and Stripes Hodgepodge

Time to celebrate the Hodgepodge again. Jo From This Side of the Pond asks the questions and we ponder them for answers.

1. It’s been said the best things in life are free…are they?

There has been a price that has been paid for the best things in life like salvation in Jesus Christ.  We didn’t have to pay for that but Christ did and our new life in Him costs us. “Take up your cross daily and follow Him.” When we are faithful and obedient to the Word of God there will be a price to pay.

On a National note there is a cost that has been paid for our freedom. It is good to be free but we can’t forget to be grateful for the sacrifices made for our freedom.

What are some of those things? The Free Things…

*There are good things that are free like hugs, a sunset, smiles, lovely views, etc. etc.

2. Stars or stripes?
Mostly stars but I do enjoy stripes, too.
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Red, white, or blue?
How about all three…
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Apple pie or home made ice cream?
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I do enjoy ice cream but unfortunately it doesn’t like me anymore so I’ll go with apple pie!
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Do you like hotdogs?
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Yes, give me a good Hebrew National Hot Dog, Nathan’s or better yet a Chicago Dog!
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I love a good Chicago dog (see above) and all the things they put on it but can’t get one of those locally, sigh.
If so, what do you like on yours?
*
I enjoy hot dog relish on mine. Side note: Hot dog relish has been scarce in my area grocery stores.
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3. One thing on your summer bucket list?
*
To make it to the “Coast” for some visits.
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Any plans to make it happen soon?
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No…people are way too busy right now.
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4. What’s your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one
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A few came to mind like Summer in the City and Schools Out for the Summer but since I don’t live in the city and I’m not in school anymore I’ll go with, You Are My Sunshine.
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5. What’s something you love about America? If you live outside of America, tell us something you love about the place you call home.
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So much to love about America if you ignore the crazy politics going on and the absurd redefinition of basic biology.
I love how you can travel from shore to shore, north and south and see so many different topographies and enjoy small and large towns, seashores and deserts, mountains and plains, regional dishes, amazing architecture, historical sites, iconic landmarks, etc. etc.
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We are in the middle of planning a road trip from Washington State to North Carolina for a wedding in early October. So far some of the diversions along the highways we will travel will be Deadwood, Mt. Rushmore, Wall, Badlands, The Ark Encounter, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, A Shaker Village, Pigeon Forge, and Asheville. After the wedding, Lord willing, we plan to journey to Dallas to visit my brother’s family. We’ll go through Nashville and Memphis on our way to Dallas. From Dallas home we are waiting to see weather patterns before we make those plans.
*
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Hope you all have a good 4th of July weekend here in the States and to our Canadian neighbors, Happy Canada Day on the 1st.