Thru the Trees With Drew

Sunday the 19th was Drew's 8th birthday! To get him out of the house(so the others could decorate) I asked him to take a bike ride with me to get some fall photos, the day was beautiful! He and I headed up the dirt road towards the hills. The trees were so beautiful shining bright yellow with the sun streaming through them. With camera in hand I started to take pictures of the trees and him riding or walking through them. He insisted on taking photos of me as well. Only his were a little more artistic, thru the grass or the trees.  He actually had a good  eye for a picture. I can share what we did but how do I share his exuberance for a good photo,telling me Abi will love this one?  Or his patience while I took just one more shot!? How do I share his boisterous laugh as his mother zoomed past him riding her bike down a hill? ( By the way it was only due to the fact that my tires were bigger!!) His sweet smile when he got a phone call from his brothers and sisters to wish him "Happy Birthday"? I cherish all the moments with him I guess because he is our last and I know how fast childhood flies. I can hardly believe he is already 8 years old!! Hope these photos help you capture the moment.

Drew's Photos

Death By Chocolate

My birthday morning dawned, maybe I was hoping to forget that this was the "BIG 50" this year, but my children like to celebrate!!
I smell hot coffee cake! Someone remembers! Candles and all, of course they are singing happy 48th birthday because they know that I would rather go backwards from here! I guess not really because God has been so good to me. Who would have thought that I would have 12 fantastic kids who would grow up to be more than I could imagine! That I would live in 5 beautiful states, move 13 times, pastor 5 wonderful congregations, have friends that live all over the world, and a larger family that has 90 plus members and growing! That's Blessed! So I won't be going backwards I will look forward to all that God has!
Well, back to my day! Steve had the day and took me to lunch. I had an idea that there would be more surprises to the day!  Even though Anna didn't tell me something was going on I could see it in her looks, her odd comments and the fact that the blinds were shut! I still did not know what was going on until I arrived home, opened the door to SURPRISE!! The ladies of this valley and the one over the hill were there to help me celebrate, WITH CHOCOLATE!!  There were so many chocolate goodies! All made by my friends and children. 

After the party and way too much chocolate, we had to let that settle, the girls and I watched a girl movie, no sheetrocking today!! About 8pm we sat down to a very nice steak, potato and artichoke dinner.  Thanks for the great day everyone!!

Granddaddy Lane Remembered

Wilson Lane (2/6/13-10/5/08)
Granddaddy Lane was a very special man to many people! He was special to me because he was the only grandfather that I ever knew. I know I wasn't born into his family but he made me feel special. I realized that I actually knew him longer than I knew my own parents, since mine died when I was in my twenties and early thirties. He will always be remembered! Drew will always remember him because of their mutual love for tractors, especially John Deere's! I will always remember how he fed Grandma Lane's chocolate fudge to Jason before he could even walk! Granddaddy's words to me when I questioned the chocolate on his face, "He likes it!". He will be remembered for his generous heart, especially in the community where he lived.
While we were in Seattle visiting Steve's parents we went through a box of photo of Granddaddy and Grandmother Lane's. What a blessing to share some memories and to get a little more Lane history. Here are some of them for you to enjoy.

Winter in October

Does this look like Fall to you?!? Since my birthday it has been snowing. Yesterday it was really coming down, so I was wrong Joel, it did stick! This probably won't last but wow!
I know I have a lot of blogs that I need to do but I thought that I would show you what I have been doing instead! Just look at those beautiful tiles! We are about half-way done with the bathroom. I'm not sure tiling is for me either as I spent until 8pm scraping out cement from between tiles before it dried. I said I should have been praying while doing it because I don't think God intended us to spend that much time on our knees unless it was in prayer!! Anyway, I better get back down there to finish, I can hear Steve down there and he needs his "forman"! (Or should that be forwoman?)

Olympia Washington

Saturday morning we said our good-byes and headed to Olympia to see where Lorissa and Vince live. They took us for a tour of downtown Olympia and the farmer's market, not as big as Seattle but WAAAY bigger than our little town of Victor! The kids found a park they just had to try out. We stopped in to The Youth Connection where Vince is working and Lorissa volunteering. We were really impressed with the place and with the ministry that they do there. Mentoring kids, most of them are living on the streets, tutoring them, giving them a very cool, safe evironment to be in. We had lunch and dinner with them and went to church with them in the morning. The middle service, which we went to, is held at the local high school.
Right from church we said our good-byes again, by the way we have seen Lorissa and Vince more this year than we have in the last four years put together and I'm not complaining here I LOVE IT!!
We headed to the Portland area where we were to meet Emily Thompson's family(Joel's girlfriend) for the first time and have lunch with them. We found their remote house without too much trouble and had a fabulous lunch and enjoyed our visit very much. It was nice to see where Emily grew up and to meet her incredibly fun family. No photos there, sorry! We were having too much fun talking.
From there we went to visit some old, well THEY aren't old just the friendship, if I said they were old I would have to admit I am old, won't do it!! Anyway we met them the day that Joel was born, that's how long the friendship is, we have not seen them since they visited us in North Carolina before Drew was born!! Too many years without seeing each other face to face! We joined their family for their oldest son's, Mark, birthday, old friend of Ryan's. It was so good to see one another and they were so gracious to let us join the family celebration and open their home to us to spend the night. This of course gave Sheri and I the chance to talk until 2 am! We have a very rare friendship that is not hindered by the few times we see each other, or not talking on the phone very often. We seem to be able to pick up right where we left off. However, the last time we saw each other our faces were a lot younger! How the years slip by! Maybe now that we are only 12 hours apart instead of the great distance to NC we will see each other more often. Thanks for the hospitality Hellwegs.

Victoria, Canada

Friday we got up  early and drove to Port Angeles to catch the ferry to Victoria Island in Canada. We walked around the city and poked about in some shops, the kids favorite was the toy shop where the shopkeeper had them playing some game that shocks the losers, fun! We ate at the same restaurant we ate at years ago, The Sticky Wicket. They still have great fish and chips! We walked through the incredible Empress Hotel and stopped in the Parliament Building. Flowers hang on every block in this city and are always beautiful.  You can ride in a open carriage with a top hat driver, a very quaint city! After hitting all the hot spots we got back on the ferry and just as we pulled out of the bay the sun came out, first sun we had seen all day.  Actually, the weather was not that bad for September in Washington at least we were not rained on! All in all, a fabulous day!

Seattle with Medranos

Thursday Lorissa and Vince drove up from Olympia and Joined us at the ferry crossing to Seattle. We went to the Seattle Aquarium and had a great time interacting with ocean creatures. We ate lunch at the pier, poked around Pike Place Market where Josh treated us all to huge ice cream cones. On the walk to the Space Needle Anna's cone began to leak,unknown to her, she left a trail of Ice cream all down her clothes and a few blocks down the sidewalk! We had a great time and headed back to the ferry. The Medrano's joined us for dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house. After all that ice cream I'm not sure why anyone was hungry!?

Washington with Grandma and Grandpa

Bright and early Monday morning,( actually it wasn't bright at all) only 5 am, the 15th of September we headed off to Washington to visit Steve's parents. About 13 hours later we were on the ferry crossing the sound headed to our destination of Port Ludlow. Wish I had gone down to the car to get the camera because the city was clear. The rest of the week Seattle was in the clouds. I got some good photos later anyway. We had not been to his parent's house in at least eight years, which means Drew had never been there and Ruth didn't remember it. We of course had seen them many times between that just in other places. It was nice to be there with them again. I had forgotten how beautiful and mountainous it is.  I can understand why they decided to retire there!
The next day we visited the local sites, Historic Port Gamble and the Navy Undersea Museum. The museum had a new exhibit about the wives and families of the submarine sailors. Wow, I could not be one of those! Glad I'm not one, pastor's wife is interesting enough for me!!
That evening Steve and I spent the night at the Inn at Hadlock, just around the sound from Port Ludlow while the kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. His parents had a free room there and gave it to us, what a privilege! We enjoyed watching the sunset over the harbor and the quiet. Thanks Betty and Joe!!

Visit with Bruce and Sue

On Saturday my Brother Bruce and his wife Sue arrived with tools in hand. Of course we put them right to work in the basement! With their help we got all of the hall done and most of the first bedroom.
Sunday was rainy so we played games,somehow Aunt Sue lost the game and won the privilege of treating everyone to world famous huckleberry shakes!?! Thanks Aunt Sue!
The next day was not much better as far as the weather went. They never got to see the view of the mountains from our side! We really do have one! However, Uncle Bruce took April, Ruth and Drew fishing. Actually, I don't think he did any fishing. Mostly he was kept busy keeping bait on their lines. When they got home they were sad faced and said they didn't catch ONE fish! Of course, Sue and I felt sorry for them, then to our surprise they produced 25 of them. We spent the next hour gutting them. Ruthie really got into it, literally. Thanks Uncle Bruce.
That evening we ate at Bubus and took a drive and actually saw some wildlife (besides Quisenberrys!). We saw a moose down by the river, a herd of buffalo, and a herd of antelope! Still no view of the Tetons even from the Jackson side! Next time. You will have to come back to see the finished basement and enjoy the labor you put in! Thanks for the visit.