Christmas

It was fun to be home for Christmas this year. We had Ken's family over on Christmas Eve for supper. Ken worked on a gingerbread house, we drove around to look at lights and then came back for wassail, cookies, and Ken's reading the Christmas story from the Bible.

Christmas morning we were at Ken's early enough to watch the kids open their presents. I like how each of the girls buys a gift for their sisters.

Polly got a body blanket.

Then we went up to Salem to Stephanie's. She had been working hard on a gingerbread village. Jeff made a nice dinner for us.

The trees are ice cream cones decorated with icing. The church has stained glass windows made from melted candy.

Ariana. This was our first Christmas being around great grandchildren!

Another party! This time in Bend.

The kids had fun in the snow. They built a huge snowman.

Getting the bride ready.

Brenda was in charge of the wassail.

Lots of good food with lots of help from Sheryl's friends.

The line had fewer bridesmaids and one was on crutches!

Another rendition of "The Circle of our Love."

We had fun dancing. Mike and Maia.

Michael and Jessica.

Brenda and Sydney.

Jonathan and Sheryl.

Jason dancing the two-step with his Mom.

You are invited

After two and a half very exciting years of having beautiful granddaughters live with us, we are now empty nesters!

Also, we have our guest bedroom back again. You are hereby invited to come and visit (not all of you at once). We would love to have you.

Wedding Day

First we met at Brenda's to do the flowers. Many hands made short work of it.

Mother of the bride's corsage.

Father of the bride's boutoneire (Brenda made them)

The bridal bouquet

We were happy Carl and Velvet flew up from Utah for it.

The grandparents (am I really that gray?)

After the sealing--an eternal family unit.

The Andrei.

Neil and Pam and bridesmaid, Emily.

An adoring niece, Holly.

The happy couple with their parents.

The Dodge family (they didn't lose a daughter, they gained a son).

A lot of the family went to lunch at the Brewsters' beautiful home in Monmouth.

There were many Christmas trees. Sheryl made decorations for this one featuring pictures of Michael and Jessica.

Jessica and Michael made a gingerbread house.

Wonderful refreshments!

The cake was made by Michael's cousin. It was beautiful and tasted good. It featured Brenda's crystal Portland Temple.

Robin, Rachel with David, and Emily.

There was some fun dancing.

A walk to the pond

Wigeons

A lone Merganser

The pond is misty and cold

A kingfisher patiently waiting for a fish

A wedge of Canadian geese

Colorful mushrooms along the path

Two mallard drakes

The ornery resident goose

Nutria

The beavers are building a dam

More evidence of beavers