Snow in the Willamette Valley?

Well we do get snow on occasion, but that is on occasion and it's usually 1/2-1 inch, and they close school. Well I woke up this morning at 6:00am to get to my first meeting, and there was an inch of snow, and it just kept coming. So by the end of sacrament meeting the bishop sent us all home. (there was about seven inch's by then) Needless to say we went home and had snow party. Here are some pics!

What nice parents!

Just for you Sue!

Well I know you wanted to see a picture of dad in Alaska, but I couldn't help putting my favorite picture of Thane out there for the world to see...

But seriously Here's some of him in Alaska!

Welcome Home Marn

Yeahhhh!!! Maurnee is coming back to Oregon, and is moving on Feb. 13th. Her company is moving her on that day, and she will be driving from New York to Salem, OR. and she hopes the weather is good so she can make good time. But I sure do miss her and am looking forward to having her closer. Speaking of Marnee, here is a picture of her when we went to Alaska. That was my favorite picture of her from our trip.

If you didn't know we went and surprised dad for his birthday and he had no idea we were going to be there. It took him a while to register that it was even us when he first spotted us. It was really fun. here are some more pics from that trip.

that's Lexie on one of our hikes overlooking cordova.





and there are tons of Eagles there!







Here is the view from Thane's front Porch.







And there's me fishing with Lex.

Thinking of Summer

I really love the winter, so don't think that I don't, but today I was just thinking about some fun times I had this summer. From short camping trips with the girls to hanging out with friends. Sometimes I hope my brain will be able to keep all these memories. Like the time Ava went face first into a stream at our ward campout and our good friend Brett pulled her out.











We are also real lucky to be just a little more than an hour from the beach, the girls love going there. Here's my beautiful girls on a trip we took to mom and Jon's Bay house.

But Winter's great too and we look forward to going east an hour from here where there is around 90" of snow. It's fun for the girls to play in until they lose their shoes...

Thank you Steve W.

I have been getting so much crap from Reynold and Brett because I (jut) have been the one updating and taking care of this blog. And according to them only women do this. But ever since I saw Steve post something I can now feel like I am still a Man among four women, instead of being just one of the girls.

talking about the girls, Char made them beautiful Christmas dresses this year, and here they are in front of our stove looking pretty... (one of these days we will teach lexie how to smile for the camera)

Way to go lincoln!

I need to take some Lessons from, our good friends the Garcia's boy, Lincoln. Not only did he get my daughter Ava to wear a short skirt, she's pushing him too!

Farewell young men

Well I got a phone call from the Stake Presidency on Saturday, and found out that I was going to be the new Ward Clerk (whatever that is). What this does mean is that I'm now out of young mens, and I have been there for four plus years, mostly as the YM president. So in one sense it's a nice break, (Char is in Young womens so we always take our kids to Mutual) but on the other hand now I have to go Elders quorum... And I'll miss the best part of YM's, watching the young men squirm when you taught them about morality:) But I had allot of fun with them here's me on a hike to the top of the south sister.

We have also had alot of rain and several feet of snow in the mountains during the last storm, and it makes me miss the colder blue sky we would get back home during the winter.

I spent some time thinking of Grandma today after I heard about her arm, and what an amazing woman she has been in my life. I felt so lucky this year to sit with her in Salem and watch her rock my daughter Natalie to sleep in her arms. I sat and thought about this lady who rocked my mom in her arms, who rocked me in her arms, and now was rocking my child in her arms, and all of us who she has rocked in her arms and touched us for the better. I love her and she is an inspiration to me...