Category Archives: Jaymison Joshua

A Thanksgiving Hodgepodge

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating this great day here in the United States! Gobble Gobble!

Thanksgiving week Hodgepodge has been dished out by Joyce From This Side of the Pond! Thank you!

1. Do you feel like you have a ‘full plate’ at the moment? In what way? 

 Yes, yes I do have a full plate at the moment. The calendar is as full as can be with Thanksgiving festivities, both spare bedrooms full for a few days. Monday after Thanksgiving ladies ministry meeting plus decorating our church for Christmas. Tuesday escape to Idaho for an overnight to celebrate our 51st wedding anniversary (December 6th is the actual day). Ladies Christmas party on Friday the 5th. I’ll fit in some Christmas decorating, too.

2. How did you learn to cook? If you have children did you teach or encourage them to cook? Do you like to follow a recipe or is your cooking style more ‘let’s wing it’.  

Mostly I learned the basics in my Home Economics classes. I didn’t cook with my mother growing up. My learning was hands on after I got married and it became my responsibility. My kids have the skills on their own initiative. Our sons are both good cooks. Our daughter can tackle any recipe. We modeled openness to invite people over to share a meal and our kids picked up on that. I follow recipes for baking but wing it a lot for spur of the moment meals.

3. Last time you bit off more than you could chew? Elaborate. 

Winterizing our property, namely the planters, this is more than I can chew. I’m hoping to bring in some help to complete this task. It’s more than my back can handle.

4. When did you last say ‘the more the merrier’ and mean it? 

Anytime my kids or family or friends want to travel to spend time with us I feel like the more the merrier.

5. Write an acrostic using the word T-H-A-N-K-S. 

Thank you, LORD God

Hope of Heaven

Acceptance you give me in Jesus

Nothing to doubt

King Jesus my Savior

Salvation assured

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Last Saturday we attended JJ’s promotion at Taekwondo. He did very well and received his Tiger Badge.

He answered all the questions the Grand Master asked of him.  One of  the Tiny Tiger Creeds is “Tiny Tigers will obey their parents”. The Grand Master asked JJ why he should obey his parents and JJ answered, “because it is written in the Bible, Sir!” Well said, JJ!

Later on this day our Colville kids enjoyed their yearly tradition of a Christmas lights boat cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Thank you to all who stop by here. I’m thankful for visitors to my blog and fellow bloggers!

Fun Monday

Here is my first Fall puzzle and it was a doozey! I bought it at Union Gospel Mission Thrift store in Spokane for $5.

I’ve been working on it for a couple weeks.

Hooray! No missing pieces. I finished this up on Monday before JJ arrived for his afternoon at Baba and Gramps.

JJ lost his first tooth on Monday morning so we had to document that! It’s a little harder to bite into his snacks. This boy loves snacks.

Out for a trek to the mailbox with Gramps.

G.I. Joe with Gramps. The same G.I. Joe show his dad and uncle watched when they were boys. I remembered and mentioned to JJ that I thought his dad or uncle had their old G.I. Joe sleeping bag. JJ wanted me to call Uncle Joshie to see if he still had it. I said I would text instead. Then JJ added that if he still had it he could maybe bring it at Thanksgiving. Later that evening we got this photo with Uncle Joshie’s answer.

Yes! He will bring it at Thanksgiving!

Before we knew it, Jamie and Addy got back from Irish Dance to collect JJ. Addy always wants a rundown of all the snacks JJ had while she was at Dance.

Thankful in this season of thankfulness for the opportunity to spend time with our grandchildren and that we live in the same town.

A Full Saturday

Our first event of the day was Addy’s basketball game.

Those dribbling skills are really coming along this year.

After lunch we piled into our vehicle with Dan doing the driving for the rest of the day.  We were headed to Spokane for an afternoon performance of the Nutcracker. Granny Great bought the tickets as a Christmas present for each of us.

As soon as the show began there were no more photos. The sets and performances were top notch.

Addy appreciated the dance moves and JJ enjoyed the more acrobatic part of the show. We all enjoyed the show and were ready for dinner. We managed the extra traffic leaving the show and all gathered for dinner in North Spokane.

At dinner our selfie taker, Addy, stepped in for Auntie Lolo since Auntie was on the other side of the mountains.

Since it was a long day these two started fading and needed cuddles with mom.

We got home at bedtime for most of us! Thankful for safe travels there and back again.

It was a full day and we were thankful for good times with family and friends of family.

Monday Recap

The last week of October was a very busy one for us. Soon the golden beauty of October will fade.

While JJ was here in the afternoon, last Monday the 27th of October, he was able to make friends with this neighborhood cat that we are calling Stubs. Gramps actually named him because of his lack of tail. He’s friendly but we found out that he also likes to nip.

Stubs came for another visit during the week to say hello. Then another neighborhood cat came on the scene.

Friday we had the well drilling company in town come and replace a brass fitting. We noticed water on the ground in the well pump house and they determined that the fitting was cracked and needed to be replaced. It’s all fixed and we are happy to have that taken care of before winter.

Friday night was Halloween and time for our Colville family to come and Trick or Treat. They are our only trick or treaters. They came after their stop at our church Trunk or Treat Harvest Festival.

The hunting family with all their gear. Addy and JJ are enjoying one of the treats that Gramps and Baba found for them, creepy gummy eyes!

I trust your last week of October was a good one. Onward we go into November and adjusting to the time change, again!

The Rest of Weekend Last

Before the Corn Maze we enjoyed watching Addy play basketball. She had a great cheering squad with grandparents, great grandparent, parents, auntie, uncle and brother.

Auntie Lolo got some great action shots!

Addy scored twice!

After Basketball we headed across the street to our church gym to support the homeschool craft fair. We then had lunch before we headed to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze.

Sunday we were all seated in a row at church and after church we headed to our place for brunch before Uncle and Auntie headed home.

Gramps cooked up Swedish Pancakes that we all devoured.

A pause in our game of Skyjo to see if Josh could help JJ by pulling out his loose tooth. We all decided although loose, it was not ready to let go.

Addy serenaded us with Amazing Grace on the piano. She’s practicing for a presentation about piano at homeschool co-op this week.

Early in the afternoon the cars left our driveway for home and we put our feet up. We were so thankful to God for the time we could spend with one another.

Corn Maze 2025

When we sent out a text to let our family know we were disappointed that our guests from Southern California wouldn’t be visiting for the weekend because their flight was canceled last minute by an Alaska Airlines IT debacle, Josh and Laura made an impromptu decision to jump in their car for a visit to our side of the mountains. There were some issues on I-90 after a bridge was damaged by an oversized semitruck earlier in the week so they chose roads less traveled to get to us.

On the roads they traveled they were rewarded with some beautiful views including this amazing moose! This was their first time seeing a moose up close.

They arrived later than usual on Friday evening. Soon after they arrived from their 6 hour journey the doorbell rang and our Colville kids dropped in to greet them, too. Our Colville crew was so excited to see Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo.

Saturday was a full day with Addy’s first basketball game this season, a homeschool craft fair, lunch on Bayles Mountain, a rainy trip to the Corn Maze and then back to Bayles Mountain for dinner and Skyjo.

It was so good to continue the tradition of conquering the corn maze together. Josh and Dan stepped in to keep us on track since our usual trusty guide, Katie, was not here this year. We found all 10 stations!

Once again, I have dear Auntie Lolo to thank for all the photos!

We made it! Before they picked out a couple of pumpkins, JJ and Addy fed some horses some grass that was greener on our side of the fence.

Thank you, Josh and Laura, for your trip to Colville. It was a full and fun family time with you here!

Basketball and Sunday photos will show up soon.

Oh, and we are happy to report our friends were able to get their flights changed for this coming weekend and we hope that there are no more issues and that they’ll arrive and depart smoothly!!

O-range You Glad It’s October!

If it’s Wednesday it must be time for the Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce.

1. What do you like most about your family? 

The different Gifts that God has given to individual members of our family and how it enhances our times together. We have peacemakers,  servants, caregivers, loyal friends. We also have those who display gentleness, wisdom, discernment, faith, generosity, courage, wit, a sense of humor and above all love. We all have ongoing areas that God is sanctifying in us like humility, patience, and forgiveness, to name a few. None of us are perfect but hopefully we’ll cooperate with the Holy Spirit in growing us up in our faith and obedience to be more like Christ.

2. What’s something nice that’s happened to you recently? 
I received this special gift from Andrew and Katie from Scotland (Edinburgh). It will have a special post on Friday. The Islander Handbag Workshop invites you to design and craft your very own bespoke Islander Harris Tweed® handbag. 
3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and an actual orange, what’s something orange you love?
An orange sunset!
4.  What’s something you have now you couldn’t have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What’s possible now because of it? 
I’ll answer this on a temporal level. Five years ago our freedom to breathe, move about, worship and make our own health decisions was threatened by those in power or those who were given more power than they should have had. For me this threat to our freedom was oppressive, harmful and sad. I’m thankful for the common sense and freedom I feel now.

5. Let’s wrap this one up with an October this or that…

  • pumpkin bread or apple cider donut
  • cozy sweater or cozy hoodie
  • apple picking or pumpkin picking
  • scary movie or Hallmark movie
  • hay ride or corn maze
  • twinkle lights or candles
  • autumn hike or autumn bonfire

My answers are highlighted in Bold.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

These two found a huge boulder while they were digging to China!

Charlie Kirk Day

This is the shirt I’m wearing today for the National Day of Remembrance of Charlie Kirk. Today, October 14th, would have been his 32nd birthday.  The front and the back is shown above. It’s a small gesture of respect for his short life.

“His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great nation.”

On Monday morning we woke up with the tops of our higher elevations sprinkled with snow.

I’ll be happy for the real snow to hold off until at least November!

On the other side of town, the first fire of the season was lit and enjoyed!

Have you turned your furnace or fireplace on?

Early October Days

Sunday the 5th of October we made a quick trip to Spokane after church. The scenery was spectacular with clear skies and fluffy clouds.

A neighborhood cat without a tail visited while our grandson JJ was here on Monday afternoon. This was the friendliest cat that has ever visited our yard.

On Tuesday while I pulled some weeds I noticed this garden spider. Yikes!

On Tuesday our Colville kids had us over for a belated birthday celebration for Gramps!

Addy made sure Gramps was the one to blow out the candle.

After our meal and dessert JJ was excited to launch his rocket for us to see.

The first launch was very successful and didn’t land in the trees but the second launch was not as hazard free. They will have to wait for a big wind storm to free the rocket.

On Wednesday several deer came to visit.

We had some nice warm days that started with very chilly mornings.

Friday morning started with a beautiful sunrise.

Happy Columbus Day to all in the United States of America and a very Happy Thanksgiving to our friends in Canada!

I can’t let this day pass without acknowledging this historic day!

UPDATE: Waking up to news that after 738 days all the Israeli hostages have been released. What a glorious day for the hostages and their families and friends and nation!

All living Israeli hostages officially freed from Hamas captivity.
President Trump made a promise on the campaign trail:
“We will never abandon them — and with God’s help, they will come safely home.”
Promises made, promises kept.

 

October Prompts Everyday Images

Everyday Images #72: I’m linking up with A Fresh Cup of Coffee for her Everyday Images and sharing my photos for her October Prompts.

listen
matching
clock
current season (quarterly)
dishes
orange

listen:


matching:


clock:

current season (quarterly):


dishes:


orange:

I’ll be working on these next prompts to post in a couple of weeks:

October Prompts – Everyday Images #73
~~~~~
leaf or leaves
at home (monthly)
harvest
gold
doorway (quarterly)
on my plate (quarterly)

Have a great October weekend y’all!