Visit With Highschool Friends June 2012

The six of us enjoyed a meal at Red Robin earlier this month. Some of us haven't seen each other since our last highschool reunion in 2006.

Center front is our friend Nina. I met Nina in elementary school and we attended school together all the way through graduation. Nina has lived across the United States for over 30 years and she came to town with her two boys a couple weeks ago. She wanted to meet our kids too. We all wished we had more time & a better visiting environment, but we did have a great time together.

Thanking God for good times with old friends.

Northwest Trek July 2010

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted. I loaded these pics a long time ago and didn't finish. So here it is, our trip to Northwest Trek with my daughter's friend and his family.

My daughter is in blue and my son is to her left. H's friend from school is on her right with his sister and his mom is in front.

We stayed most of the day and rode the tram to see the range & forest animals and toured the rest on foot. There are some interesting wild animals, not like zoo animals. Many are injured and cannot fly or protect themselves in the wild so they live at NW Trek now. It is nice that we can visit them there.

Heading for the line to board the Tram.

These animals don't seem to mind getting close to the Tram at all so we got some good pictures.











Enjoying some lollipops!!

Our first attempt at a group photo. LOL!!





See Mr. Bear over there?

Mr. Centipede or whatever he was.



In the wolf's den spying on the wolves in their habitat.

The pelts are so soft.





This bird was so cool. It had a leash and was tethered to a long line. The guy set her in the tree and she flew to him for a snack.

Here's the same guy with a Beaver. He showed us how the Beaver washed his tummy and how he swam by giving signals. He said that these animals are not taught tricks. They only teach them signals to get them to do the things they would normally do in the wild. Like the guy rubbed his tummy to get the Beaver to clean his own tummy for us to see. It was so cute!

What a great time we had, walking and talking and seeing wildlife, the beauty of God's creation.

Have a good weekend. BYE!!

Independence Day Celebrations 2010

On July 4th some friends from our old church came over with their kids and a friend. They brought the fireworks which they won from the local Christian radio station.

We hadn't seen them since the first birthday of their youngest girl and that was three years ago. They brought a friend who is like their niece and she was expecting her first baby.

She had a baby boy last week. She is so happy. She is beaming through FaceBook with her love for her little baby boy. I haven't seen them in person yet, but the pictures are great.

Here's everyone. The new momma is standing.

It was a cold and windy 4th of July so we were trying to stay warm while we enjoyed the fireworks & Rice Krispie Treats in our front yard.

Here are some pictures of some of the fun fireworks. A little blurry with my camera.





This is what a toy light sabre looks like waving in the dark.





Here are all the kids. They had a great time even though there is an age difference. My daughter invited the girls into her room to play with some of her toys she has hung onto (Littlest Pet Shop, Mini Polly Pockets, etc.) My son had fun taking pictures.

And we can't forget the food. These are some of my summer favorites.

Dream Center May 2010

We learned about the Dream Center when the youth group participated in the lunch making program during their Thirty Hour Famine (THF) weekend back in April. The organizer of the THF expressed her desire to have the youth and anyone else interested go once a month and help make lunches and pass them out. So we decided to go. This is our first month, but we've gone three times now.

Here's my son in his hairnet wrapping a bagel.


This is my daughter in hairnet as well.

My hubs on the right. No hairnet needed, ha!

Nan's kid on the left. A great friend on the right.

The fearless leader on the left and her cohort.

Nan from momstheword. Check out her blog. My son again.

My hubs and daughter.



Eating the extra sandwiches.

Then we played a fun game which had everyone laughing. I can't remember the name, but you move one seat to the left if you answer Ms Jenny's question with a yes. It's clear to see you end up sitting on laps and Ms Jenny tries to get people stacked 6 or 7 high. Oh ya, it's called "Stack 'Em". Enjoy seeing Nan sitting on people and people sitting on me.









Some how my son managed to continue drinking his soda throughout the game.

After the game it was time to load up the lunches and seek the hungry and homeless. We went to a hotel each time. The people there either live there day to day or week to week or depend on someone to pay for their stay in hopes that they'll find a way to get a place of their own.

The Dream Center helps them with training, getting showers, clothing and other meals throughout the week. They are on my prayer list. Great people making a difference in the world and some of them were homeless at one time. God bless the volunteers and those they help.

30 Hour Famine 2010

This is the sign board in front of our church. It is calling attention to how many children die of starvation each hour around the world. Our youth to young adult group participated in the 30 Hour Famine April 23 to 24, 2010. This event is sponsored by World Vision.

The committee had a lot of things to prepare for this event to be successful and memorable for the participants.

They made 1208 little orange crosses and some big signs to bring attention to the fact of starvation. They placed them in the grass in front of our church. It was effective because people were coming into the church to donate money before the Famine event even began.



These little crosses are what got to me. When they took their stand in our church lawn I began to get a feeling for how many kids are starving to death and how much money it may take to help just part of that group.

Each link in the orange chain represents a $1.00 donation. It was hung on the wall of the sanctuary so the church members and attenders could see how much money was being donated.



There were about 30 kids & adults who participated. The participants were divided into tribes (teams). They played difficult games to compete for who would get to eat first after the 30 hour fast.

This poster represents the tribe my son was in. It shows the games and their scores. They wore facepaint and a scrap of material on their head, leg or around their neck to identify them.

During the games they had different afflictions and they had to participate with that affliction. Some wore a back pack with up to 28 pounds in it, some were blind, and some had broken limbs. I think my son had a backpack with about 20 pounds in it.



This is the poster describing everything about the real tribe in Africa.









This event not only helped these young people get a glimpse of the reality of hunger and people dieing of starvation, it also brought many of them so much closer as friends. I think they learned more about trust and true friendship while they raised money for starving kids.



The first tribe to be able to eat. These young people were seriously hungry. They hurt, they were feeling very weak, they missed their technology & their beds, they were very tired because the segment when they were suppose to get some sleep, was a mock earthquake and they lost everything they owned except the clothes on their backs. It was a cold night in the church & the floors were hard with no blankets or pillows.

Ms Jenny is giving back their technology and car keys as they come to her at the end of the table. Jenny was very hungry and tired too as you can see in this picture. She & her husband (the guy in the white shirt here) stayed with these kids and ran all of the activities for the entire event which was 24 hours. They all began their fast at noon on Friday & the event began at 6:00pm Friday and ended Saturday at 6:00pm.


This says it all. I think the whole group went through in 10 minutes or less.


My son dives into his meal. Don't get between him & that plate. I am so proud oh him for doing this. He is only 14, one of the younger ones of the group and I know his heart was changed. I am proud of all of them. They shared heart touching stories in church that Sunday and Jenny & Mike shared as well. This group of 30 or so kids who expected to raise maybe $300.00 raised (DRUM ROLL)
OVER $3000.00!!!! We were all so excited by the grace of God. Humbled by the dedication of these young people.



Changed Hearts! Changed Lives! Praise God!