and some more fun stuff....

more fun stuff

AND more cookies...

okay so we got a little silly...

cookies in full swing!

...cookies...yum...

The Lion Heart and Me!

MORE cookies!

It's my note...I decided it's a G

George and me with our holly cookies!

It's Frosty and a Flake....LOL...bad joke...never mind.

The Lion Heart and me with COOKIES!

COOKIES!

COUSINS!!

Getting ready to do cookies....

The Lion Heart Mixing Colors

the lion heart and me with our coffee toffee cookies!

Eyes of Faith to Even Notice...

Here is an e-mail sent to me by a dear friend in the wake of the Christmas holiday - I would like to share it with you. It's an interesting thought. And I can't really sum it up any better than with the words the Lord gave her, so I'll just let you read it!

You can ask any of my friends, mum's the word for me when it comes to opening up to people most of the time but your sweet compliments and kind words don't go unheard. sometimes its good to just know you're there for me, even if i don't seem like I'm taking advantage of it, my heart is often encouraged.

I tend to run much more easily than talk about myself. In fact, I had a conversation with the Lord about it a couple months back. I've always wanted to be good at running and, unfortunately in my view, I never was much good at it. The Lord showed me how much my tendency is to run already, in my thoughts, in my heart, in distancing myself from people who might see to much of my tender heart and strangely enough He knew; He knew that if I was physically a good runner I wouldn't run to Him as my Rock in the same way. (that was a long sentence, I know). I would do what so many other people are, in my view, blessed to be able to do: run it off. How well He knows my heart...in my lack of being born a physically good runner I have run to my heavenly Father much more readily. Only He knows what closeness I would have missed out on. Running is not an ability you lack...but maybe there is something you have long been envious of, and perhaps the Lord wants you to know how much closer He has held you because of what He did not "bless you with".

His insight is beyond ours by so much. His trains of thought are not like ours; to be born humbly - as Ben pointed out to us tonight He really mapped out His life. And He chose humility as His pathway, so often we point to the cross or His birth for pictures of humility, as they are, but I believe there are so many steps He walked in humility. The Bible does not speak of accomplishments of Jesus apart from the work of the Father. He sought Him in prayer so continually.

I hope that you might find in your life, (as we think of His humble birth...), a place that perhaps has caused you some humility or an unanswered prayer. Only, you will find that He has met you so many more ways than your path would have led to. He met the world in little Bethlehem, and His meetings with you are not always at the end of an answered prayer, sometimes they are so unexpected it takes the eyes of faith to even notice them...

If nothing else makes sense in this e-mail: Jesus is Sovereign King

love, lo

I Celebrate the Day

I Celebrate the Day by Relient K.

With this Christmas wish is missed
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let you know
How much you've touched my life because
Here is where you're finding me
In the exact same place as New Years Eve
And from the lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I wanna be

And the first time that you opened your eyes
Did you realize that you would be my Savior
And the first breath that left your lips
Did you know that it would change this world forever
And the first time that you opened your eyes
Did you realize that you would be my Savior
And the first breath that left your lips
Did you know that it would change this world forever

And so this Christmas I'll compare
The things I've felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That you have come to meet me here

To look back
And think that
This baby would one day save me
And the hope that
That you give
That you were born so I might really live
To look back
And think that
This baby would one day save me…

And the first time that you opened your eyes
Did you realize that you would be my Savior
And the first breath that left your lips
Did you know that it would change this world forever
And the first time that you opened your eyes
Did you realize that you would be my Savior
And the first breath that left your lips
Did you know that it would change this world forever

And I
I celebrate the day
That you were born to die
So I could one day
Pray for you to save my life
Pray for you to save my life
Pray for you to save my life

"Making Room..."

It's Christmas.

Today is the day we celebrate Jesus' birth.

Last night I finished Redeeming Love.

I had to. I wasn't going to be sulking around on Christmas in despair. It was 12:30 before I finished it. I couldn't let Angel, the name given to Sarah once she was sold into prostitution, live without knowing and understanding what freedom, true freedom was.

Free from the past.

Free from the ugly soul inside you.

Free from the voices demeaning your worth.

Free from guilt.

Free from the lies that say you can never be anything else.

Free to believe that Christ's love completes you and cleanses and changes everything.

Free to be grasp that if we are vulnerable to His love we will be forever safe.

Free to understand that we are undeserving of everything good; but that He gives it anyway.
After all thats what today is all about - isn't it?
Years ago on a moonless night stars shone so brightly - the air smelled strangely sweet and thick. There was something there, out there, somewhere. People from around the world came to the humble town of Bethlehem, a small town, their home town. Weary travelers came looking for places to lodge, inns filled quickly. The lit candles that were put in the windows to beckon drained sojourners for lodging were quickly snuffed out; there was no room.

Not only was Bethlehem a small town, but in this small town in the humblest of dwellings is where God said, "this is where I choose to become a man." God, the Maker and Creator of the universe chose to come to a humble town and stay in the humblest and dirtiest places; a stable.
A place for animals. It smelled, it was dirty, and it was cold. Yet He chose to come there - He chose to hang there, He chose to come here; my heart. My heart - in me! As dirty and filthy as I am - He chose to come to me.

But am I willing? Will I light the candle in the window and say yes come in Jesus, there is room for You? Will I be willing to become open and vulnerable so He can come in? Angel wouldn't. She wouldn't open her heart and love, in fear of letting someone in, you could get hurt. But when she didn't the darkness taunted her; demeaning her, feeding her lies and making sure her defeats had been known.
But at last - last night in the wee hours of the morning as I read of California in the late 1800s, Angel made room, for once she opened the door, lit the candle in the window and ask for God to come in and minister to her hurting soul. He did. He came. He came in and where He is no darkness can be. Nothing to taunt her, degrading her - Sarah was free when she let Him in - Angel found true freedom for the first time. Because He came.

I want to be free - I want to believe. I want the taunting to stop, the lies to go away and the darkness gone. I will make room - I will hold my candle high and say, "Jesus there is room for You here!" I will chose to live forgiven and free.
And today I celebrate that He came.
In a manger, in a stable, in a humble town, to a gruesome cross, a cold grave and alive again. And in my heart.

Thank you Jesus for coming so many Christmas' ago. Come into my heart once more and make me Yours; because Jesus, there is room here!

Merry Christmas and Blessings on your New Year!

- In Him

"Redeeming Love"

Redeeming Love.
I looked at the cover.
I do not want to read this.
Last I heard someone teach on Hosea, I sobbed. I haven't even been able to read Hosea for the past three years since. I wasn't going to be vulnerable, and I for sure wasn't going to let myself get hurt. No way was I gonna read that!
Well, days have rolled by and we been doing lots of errands - I was getting just a tad board. I saw the book and though a second moment about it - well, at least it will be better than sitting and being board out of my brain. So I picked it up. We hadn't left yet so I opened it - my mind half thinking about the book and half thinking about everything else that needed to be done. I studied the cover - and opened the pages.
I read the dedication; to all those who hurt and hunger. I twinged.
I turned the next page and read the title of the set of chronicles; child of darkness. That didn't really want to make me read it more. I flipped to the next page - and started to read the prologue. I felt like I was about to step into her dark world and I was afraid.
Truthfully, I didn't even know who "she" would be. Except, I knew she was hurt, lost and felt used and worthless and didn't dare trust the one man who could save her.
Below the prologue title there was a quote, it was of Shakespeare; "the price of darkness is a gentleman."
I read the first couple sentences; I found that "she" was Sarah. I read two more sentences. I was in Sarah's world for just a few moments. I looked up and we were leaving. I left Sarah in the first pages of the prologue and clutched the book close to my chest and walked out into the snow. I looked at the cover again. I was afraid to open the pages - to go back into her dark world. I felt sick to my stomach. I took a deep breath. I would join Sarah on her journey - I would dare to be a on-looker; watching transparent lives, come to life on these pages.
There was a point in this book.
A lesson to be learned from the characters.
A dear hope woven through the words and pages by the author.
Would I get it though?
Would I grasp the love of God for once in my life?!
Or would I just become bitter and hard, and guard my heart even more?
Why couldn't things just stay the way they are? I've made it this far, and I really didn't want to dig up the things that I've kept deep and buried - then I heard His voice sweetly speak, "Because then you'll miss the wonderful things I have in store for you. And there are places I won't take you until you know my love and understand what that makes you; it makes you Mine, and it makes you free. And that is what makes you special."

"Prologue"

I'm sitting in the living room - enjoying the heat of the wood burning stove and drowning out the dull humming of the fan.
I can hear my family talking in the other room.
You can't see out the windows of the west wall because it's dark. But you can see the reflection of all the Christmas lights and candles scattered about the house.
It's beautiful.
It's good to be home.
I was even daring enough leave to ALL my school books back in the Valley. Okay, not ALL my books - I brought my medical encyclopedia, dictionary with me; you'll never know when you might need that! As I was packing to come home for Christmas Laura, my host sister, said I should bring a book with me; the one that she had put on my desk which had been sitting there past two months. "I know you'll be home with your family - but you should take it. Make an effort. For me; just take it with you, you might get around to it."
I looked at the book. I had been avoiding it the entire term; but I smiled at Laura and grabbed the book and put it in the box. I'm not going to read that. I thought to myself. I won't even have the time. Besides my folks will want me spending time with the family, not wrapped up in some book. That's it - it will be a good excuse. I looked up and smiled at Laura.
It's not like I don't like to read...I love reading. I'm a book-a-holic! I could walk in a book store as long as if not longer than my favorite clothing store - and that's sayin' something!

I sort of forgot about the book when I got home, until my Mama asked about it. I said I brought it back with me and that Laura had wanted me to read it, but I didn't want to. My Mama inquired why.
"I don't know, it's kidna got an interesting story line. It's based off of the book of Hosea."
She just looked at me - it's not like she didn't know what Hosea is about. It was more like that 'what did you learn in Sunday school and tell me about it' type look. "It's about a harlot, a prostitute and how a godly man marries her as a word from the Lord and loves her no matter what. To show her what true love is - kinda of a type of Christ with us, you know?"
"Hmmm."
"But because of the content I didn't know if I really wanted to read it." I was sure this would get me off the hook.
"I'll skim through it for you - and let you know."
"Yeah that would be great - let me know what you think."
Well she read it - and said "Well it's not one that you can "skim". I don't think its a easy read, especially for someone like you and me. I'm not sure why, but understanding and accepting God's love is just hard for us. But I think it would be a really good read. Especially with the recent events, Sarah. And I think you should read it here at home, where you can kinda let your guard down and really take it as it is."

Great. I thought - there is still no way I'm reading it. It's Christmas, I have tons to do helping around the house, because Em can't this year - I'll totally have my hands full. Besides, who wants to go through all that "stuff" when it's Christmas time?

more snow....

SNOW

Here are some pictues of us at home in the snow!

Merry Christmas!

The Lion Heart and Me

George and The Lion Heart

...back that cart up

So if flying home wasn't crazy enough - flying back, or the lack there of, has been the worse. When I went to the air port to fly out - little did I know that for the last three days flights have been canceled into the local airport. (the one I NEED to fly into) Oh boy....

So tonight we are going try this one more time! I've made a couple calls - some say "yah" some say "nay" and it's looking like the "nays" just might have it. The fog has been so bad - that flights haven't been coming and flights haven't been getting there. There is a chance that the flight could take off, but there is a better chance that the flight might be re-routed. That would be a bummer. The LAST thing I wanna do is fly into a city at midnight trying to get home - I would rather drive....which we might just do!

Time to head out....where I'm not sure. Well the airport - but we might just turn around and come back home!

Lord Bless
- In Him

whao nelly...

Okay - today has been crazy! Maybe it's just the fact that I really wanted to just go home and everything was just a topper that I REALLY wanted to go home.

Anatomy was crazy - we learned that the muscles in your stomach that have special properties so that when they stretch like when you eat to much on Thanksgiving, they can still contract and process your food. Great uh? Then we watch a video of some renowned scientist that my teacher was pretty stoked about, so the renowned scientist cut open a cadaver live...it was really interesting. A couple of people in the audience looked like they were about to lose it. Super interesting, kinda gross.

Just to top off the day - (I'm just hitting the major points of the day) - I check in for my flight and it tells me that my flight has been delayed....two hours! Oh boy. I already had two hours to wait in the first place. Gracious me.

Just thought I'd tell you all. Super can't wait to get home though!!!! So happy! So I'm gonna hop to and work on my homework; memorizing muscles. Fun Fun....Have a great Thanksgiving! Eat TONS cuz your smooth muscles in your stomach will still have enough tension to contract and digest your FOOD! Wonderful is it not?!
Lord Bless,
- In Him

Coming home....

HI All,
I'm sorry I haven't updated it a ton - but I want to say I'm coming home soon and I can NOT wait! I'm so excited to come home! I have a quick couple min.

Thank you so much for you prayers! I made it through mid-terms - there is a God! Praise the Lord! If you could pray for diligence in this last stretch of my first term (out of 7? I think?) Goodness me... *sigh*

God is good! Thank you for your prayer, love and support! I love and miss you all!
- In Him

"when challended to race in golf cart; ride bike instead"

Laura was walking out the door and mentioned to me as I was picking out my clothes for the morning, that I might want to dress really warm and cozy. Because it was "super cold outside and with the fog it just kinda seeps through you and kinda chills you." I laughed and nodded and continues to pick my outfit for today.

Now I'm sitting down in the living room doing Medical Terminology; working on the word "adenocarcinoma" which is any one large group of carcinomas derived from glandular tissue. But besides that fact, I was sitting here and I heard something. Kids. It was Saturday, of course they would be out and about. Other than that it's been the first nice day we've had in a while, chilly but nevertheless a nice day. I couldn't piece together in my mind what these children might be doing - judging by their tone of voice and vocal fluctuations. So the voices got louder once and again and I hop up on the couch and look out the bay window.
I see Nick, a neighborhood boy of 14 on his bike racing two girls (ready for this?) in a golf cart. I stopped and kinda sat on the couch looking out for a moment. He still beat them from the top of the cul-de-sac to the end of the street. I chucked inside - and smiled. Random.

I had to share that little pick-me-up for the day. Not very profound, or very wise - unless you want to make a chines proverb out of it. "when challenged to race in a golf cart, ride your bike." Hope it at least made you smile.

May the Lord bless your day!
- In Him
PS I'm coming home in less than 20 days now!!!!!!!

a joyful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones...

Hey Ya'all!

So I had to let you know that the Lord super awesomely blessed my day! I was really struggling with school and I had A&P today - starting to go over the 206 bones that we have to memorize!!! I was sooo nervous and overwhelmed but God is good!! ( let me hear someone say "all the time!!!" ) And guess what?!?!? Everything made sense!!! I got it! It clicked! Light bulb came on!

For Lecture my teacher went over each bone in the cranium (which is what we are working on right now) and showed us where each on was and it's function. Ha and get this I understood it! How cool is God?!?!

Then we had three hours just to go over the bones we had just learned. So we ran around playing with skeletons - looking at and taking apart skulls, opening up drawers and finding it full of life size vertebraes! Found femurs and ulna bones, petellas, and soo many more! Then I paired with a gal who was so awesome cuz my regular lab partner wasn't there - we hased it out and figured out all the skull bones! and I got to hear her testimony and how the Lord saved her husband and how they got a little one waiting for them when the get home...so cool. Praise Him!

Then after she had to go - three other girls were like hard core learning all the processes and foramens and fossas and all those other good things. (does that ring a bell to anybody? Grandma Robbir or Anne?) So they asked if I wanted to study with them! I'm really starting to get it.

And had a really super good night at church. Ben taught this evening - Jon wasn't feeling well, so if you think about it you could pray for his healing! You should jump online and take a listen - it was super good!!!

The best part of all is I AM GOING TO BED EARLY!!!!! Going to bed at 1:30 in the morning and getting up at six is just kinda wearin' on me. So pillow, here I come!

LOVE and super really MISS you all!
In Him -

*sigh*

Hey there all!
So promise I will try to update the praise and prayer list as soon as I can - but a quick prayer request.

I'm not doing so well with school and am quite swamped with homework. It seems like no matter how hard I try - I can't quite keep up. Would pray that the Lord would grant me efficiency and the wisdom and understanding that He gave Daniel? You know in James the Bible says that if we ask for wisdom God will give it to us? That's a promise I praying!!!

And I kinda am feeling really homesick...like alot. Not even the sunshine has been able to pick me up out of this melancholy mood. Pray for me? I'm so tired and so drained - I kinda wanna just sit in room bathed in diffused gray light, with scented candles flickering all around me, with a roaring fire - my Bible and my journal with a cup of coffee and just have a little date with God. Sit with Him - maybe cry on His shoulder. Tell Him my frustrations, ask my questions, tell Him my dreams, whisper my crazy thoughts, listen to Him laugh and hear Him smile; to hang on His every word and just to enjoy His company.

*sigh*

I miss you, my family! I can't wait till I get to see you all again - but I really can't wait till we get to all hang out and be with Jesus forever! It's gonna be so much fun! Love you all!
In Him -

a thought to share from justine...

Hi all,
I have to share something with you that a dear friend of mine down here, Justine, shared with me. She sent me a text today...it came in three parts but I'll give it to you as a whole and text translated - can't beat that! ;o) It's just really profound I hope you enjoy it as well!

When has God even taken anything from a person without restoring it many times over? Yet what are we to think if He does not immediately restore what had been taken? The person who knows how to wait has grown to an exceptional degree in God's grace. 1 Kings 8:56 & Ps. 37:7
Blessed are you if you trust, when you cannot understand.

Neat, uh? Just something to think about. Hope you enjoy that little thought for the day - today. Don't know if I'll have one for ya tomorrow but I have one to share for today! Hehehe *sigh* I love and miss you all!
-In Him

what I have to say when I drink a cup of coffee before bed...

Hi All,
I actually have found a moment to up-date you all on my most exciting wonderful life! (slightly exaggerated, for effect.) Well, I could be doing homework...because I do have work to be done..but I really don't have the brain power to do it, but I drank a cup of coffee at church about an hour ago and...thus sleep is a little far off. Soooo I'm writing to all of you!!

Well, school is moving quite quickly - and I had my first exam for A&P - I got class average; 75.5 =[ not too bad..but I could have gotten worse, praise Him I didn't! But I do have to memorize 206 bones by the end of the term (do any of you in the medical field have any tips?????) I haven't hit the full-fledged panic mode yet...so if you could pray that the Lord would quicken my mind - that would be super awesome!

I've been getting to know alot of people and having wonderful fellowship, with brothers and sisters and I even have some sisters that I pray with on Sundays after church! Praise the Lord for fellowship!
The Lord is continuing to do a work in my heart - and preparing me for what He has around the corner, what I don't know but I'm excited for the work that He's doing!

I'm going to call the hospital tomorrow about a job, so prayers for that would be much appreciated. And if not at the hospital that the Lord would open up doors for an EMT job.

Today, not sure why today of all days, but I really got homesick all of a sudden; I miss you all. I miss looking out the west wall of windows and watching the sunsets. I miss my family. I miss my dog. I miss having Starbucks on every other corner of where ever you go! (there are like 4 in all of 3 towns here and 2 of which are sit down ones. But we are getting a drive through and sit down one soon...YES!! There is a God and He does love me!!!) I miss being able to drive not more than 15 mins and seeing water. I miss running around the house acting and looking ridiculous. I miss knowing where I am - I kinda just miss home. Did I tell you all I got pulled over for driving down a one way street....the WRONG way?!?!? God was good, the officer did not give me a ticket and just asked if I was trying to get to the college, which I was and asked if I knew how to get out of there, which didn't and he told me how to get where I was suppose to be going.

God is good....isn't He?! What would I do with out you all being there supporting me with love and prayers and......more support?!? Thank you for your prayers! They have been needed - they have been answered; they have been felt and they have been seen. Thank you my friends and family. I miss you all.

-In Him

...hit the groud running and He picked me up....

Classes are underway, I have homework to turn in, chapters still to read and God is still good! God has done so many little miracles along the way; too many to list at the moment. But my classes are Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology and Intro to EMS (which is wwaaay harder than I thought I was going to be) and I have to get my first aid and CPR re-certified and somewhere along the way before I get to the Paramedic program itself I need a agency to work for. Here are the prayers

It's been a wonderful time to come back to my First Love but that the Lord would continue to heal my heart, and that I wouldn't trade my old chains for new ropes.

That God would continue to give me favor with my professors

That I would be efficient with my time for my homework

That may I have wisdom and understanding that He gave Daniel

God would provide an agency for me to work for, when I have the time, because to get in the "Paramedic program" I need a sponsoring agency (a fire department, private ambulance service etc.)


Here are the "PRAISE HIMs!"

The Holy Spirit has revived my weary soul!!!

I got into my classes!!!

I found my classes!!!

He provided me a parking space today! !!

He provided someone to help me study A&P!!

He has directed me to new and wonderful fellowship and friends!!

I have met tons of Christian firefighters and/or Paramedic firefighters - who knew! It seems that out of every 3 people I meet one is a paramedic/firefighter/and or paramedic student. Lots of good info and opportunities to lift before the Lord.

God has given me a new awakening strength to start my days - especially on the nights that I've stay up until the wee hours of the morning finishing my homework!!!!

Praise God again for the family that He has provided me to live with!!!

And I praise God for you!!!


I love and miss you all!
In Him -

more God stops!

Hey there,
So today I went out and decided to find my classes before class actually started. I have classes at two campuses. I got a map - and still couldn't quite figure out where I was, it's all really confusing. Instead of having a campus like back home where you park then walk around ON campus to your classes, well they have blocks of buildings in the down town area and that's "campus". I'm thinking, oh great how am I going to find this building? Well, I asked the nice lady at the book store and she said, "oh it's the new building." Can't miss it - God is good, I didn't have to look too hard. I asked if I could go walk around and find my classes and she said it should be alright. I checked it out...it is soooo nice! But I accidentally walked in on a tour, a law enforcement tour which was kinda funny. So I just quietly walked up stairs to find my class, which I did find. It looked very nice beside the fact that the wiring was still pulled down out of the ceiling all over the floor and desks. I looked in the other rooms and electricians were running around on all floors trying to get this all done before school starts on Monday! What do you think about that Uncle Scott?

Then I headed out to the other campus where I had a class - I got there and the bookstore was closed for lunch so I found my class instead, which was really good I did because I found out that my class meets on Tuesday, not Thursday! God knew I needed to find my classes! I also needed to stop by and talk with my advisor but he was out to lunch too. By then the book store opened and the lady was so nice! God bless her, she was so much help! She found me my book and got the nicest used one, out of two left and it saved me $10! Isn't He just awesome! On my way out I saw my advisor pull up across from where I parked! So I got to talk to him after all and he said he could help me practice my Sub-Q Epi! Which I really need to practice!

God did some amazing things today that I just had to share with you all! Thank you for your prayers and support!
In Him -

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills....

Ok gang, I went and bought my books today - I didn't know I was old enough to be heart attack prone....But I really thought I would have one. I spent the same amount on books as I did for tuition. And I only got the required ones! And I still have one more to get. Regardless, God is so good at letting us know things, tonight's service was on Luke 12 - that yes God can and will provide. The pastor said that God doesn't worry how He's gonna provide and when He does worry, then you have permission to freak out, but until then...trust Him, that our Heavenly Father will provide.
Dear prayer warriors and family, would you join me in prayer? Honestly, I'm kinda having a hard time NOT freaking out about all this.
- I need a place to live
- Roommates?
- JOB! (which provides $$$$! But I'm not going to worry! )
- Wisdom, knowledge and understanding like He gave Daniel.

God has already done miracles, I was talking to a girl who is also taking Medical Terminology online and she said that it's amazing that I got into A&P. She said nursing students are getting held up because they haven't gotten into A&P, so God is good! Praise Him for what He has done and what He will do! Thank you! I love and miss you all!
In Him -

We made it to Sea Side!

Here is a picture we though you all would enjoy. This was the first picture we took at Sea Side. we had to laugh because we really had no idea, what on earth, we were doing - as far as getting everything ready!
But yes, we played! We played at Sea Side. It was a wonderful family time! It was sooooo much fun - I will have more pictures up soon! Hopefully with in the next couple days. I'll send the prayer warriors an e-mail and let them know that their prayers were answered in awesome ways!

We PLAYED!

Hi Y'all! (totally wanted to say that for no random reason)
Well, I'm in Oregon! It's beautiful and sunny and I'm really liking it so far! During the prayer time before I left there were a few prayers that our family would play, and we had been wanted to do something fun as a family before I headed off; well we went to Sea Side!!! It was so much fun! We played - thank you so much for your prayers! Here are the pictures enjoy!

Here it is Sea Side, Oregon!

Emily took this picture - she is an awesome photographer

\This is an Oregon trail memorial and I wanted my family to point at it and act amazed by it - well as you can see my family is amazing....they thought it was a silly idea

This is for you Patty!

We walked by this candy store and Grace was pretty much floored by the idea of that much candy in one spot...it was pretty funny. Oh and this place also had coconut flavored taffy - it's the seconded best thing when a Cold Stone isn't around! Uhh needless to say I got a few pieces

Grace was checkin' out the Jelly Bean display

I'm not quite sure what caused her to give this expression but it probably had something to do with the candy....

Jelly Beans...............

FlashBack! We had Green Rivers, they were sooo good!

This was the North West Dog competition, something or other - it was really cool they had a few from WA. There were some from our area!

So uhh, do you think Kim went?
(it's kinda hard to see but the wall says "Kim, Homecoming?" in chalk - cute idea!)

They also had the Buddy Walk going on - that was fun to see.

Here is my $4.29 Burger! It was actually very good!

Em can't eat red meat yet so she got a Fish n' Chips basket: $14.29

Having a blast at Sea Side with the family: priceless.
(hahah, sorry couldn't help myself!)

This dude gave away free taffy all weekend long!

So we got a kite - and we decided we were gonna fly it!

Ok, so we tried - I didn't put all the pictures of our kite flying experience up here because it might have gotten depressing to see how many time the kite was on the ground -

VICTORY!!!!!!

Ever heard of backseat driver....yeah, well backseat flyer - totally.

Right here was the hand off -

We actually got it up in the air and flying! Ha! What a thought.

Papa was trying to coach us - it worked.

Grace and me flying the kite....

Grace playing in the sand!

Ok, so check in was at 4 o'clock but we had gotten there early so we asked if we could check in early, they said no. But these people checked in and so did the people in front of us in line. Not that we are bitter or anything.....

....sooooo we waited but we had fun to. Oh, because we had all my stuff in the car, so we wouldn't have to unpack it, we got to ride in the back of the truck where ever we went in Sea Side! That was super fun!

There was a place where you could rent mopeds, electric cars 2 seaters and 4 seaters, (which we turned into a 5 seater), and bikes and other cool stuff, so we rented this one...it had a little horn on it and everything.....sooooo much FUN!

Grace and Emily having FUN!

There we are in our little electric car...it really was fun, it was kinda like dragging main, so I'm told, you just drove around and honked your horn and waved and anyone and everyone. And because it was a tourist town everyone waved back! So much fun!

Does this look like Japan's roads and traffic, Jami?

There was a huge track and field competition that weekend as well. We saw alot of track peoples doing the bicycle...they were going up hill and someone ended up jumping out and giving them a little push.

There's me! I actually got to drive this!! My family kinda flipped out about it, Grace thought we were gonna die or something....have no idea where she got that idea.

This is the main street BROADWAY!

This is a pretty picture that Emily took of the main street; Broadway

Here is our hotel; RiverSide

This is Andrew and Laura - we met them at Sea Side.
Congratulations!

Ok, so I didn't actually get to ride this thing but you know, I can dream....

Here is George, isn't she cute!?

Jami this is for Tristan.....bugs.

Just a randomly cute bug we saw at an AppleBee's in Roseburg

yes...we are still trying to put my desk thingy together, in the hotel parking lot...memories

Thank you for all your prayers - we played and had a wonderful time!
Sea Side 2008