2016

I don't know how it is that time keeps flying by!  I know I keep saying it, but I just can't keep from being amazed at how fast time goes now.  I was going through my photos to get ready to post here and came across this one I took of Bazzle at Christmas time.  It was cracking me up watching him watch TV.  I have only seen him actually sit up and watch it a few times, once there was a bird show on and he was really into it.  Another time, he was attacking the speakers trying to get to the source of the bird sounds.  This time there was a cat show on and he was glued to that screen.   

Well, January came as it always does right after Christmas.  The second is John's birthday.  This birthday hit me harder than most, suddenly my son  is 40!!!  Now how can he be 40 when that is the age I feel?  (Well, on the inside anyway.)  I am going to be 60 this year and that does not make me feel anything like what I feel with my son turning 40.  

One of the Christmas gifts to Arianna and Josiah was tickets to see a Disney show, Mickey's Magic Show.  They got themselves all dressed up, Arianna as Elsa and Josiah was a dragon.  We had a great time watching them watch the show.  Hot dogs in our seats before it began was a fun dinner, but take my warning, before you promise them a bag of cotton candy at intermission, make sure you have a full wallet...$12 for one tiny little bag!!!  yikes...I was wishing for some of Mickey's Magic to fill the wallet back up.

One of my favorite things to do this month has been going to watch Arianna at the ballet class she just started.  She just soaks it up!  I have never seen her so serious and absorbing all she is learning.  I know I am her grandma, but take a look, she is the one next to the teacher...do you see any of the other girls with such perfect ballet form?  look at those ballet feet and arms and hands!  really!

 Lina was dedicated at their church.  So happy that all three of my kids have found a place to worship and serve and raise their families.

 So taking photos isn't the only hobby of mine...I just finished a little sweater for Lina.

The end of the month was Emily's birthday.  I drove down and then SHE drove us to get some ice cream, one of her favorite things.  17 years old!!  Now when I was 17, that was a time I can remember time would not move fast enough!!!

 Here are a few of my favorite view photos of the month.  Some days you only get a peek of that mountain.

Other days you get no mountain, but oh, that fog is gorgeous.

 This day the peak was spotlighted as the sun was about to set for the day.

 It is so awesome to wake up to THIS!

The clouds just rolled over and put a cap on the mountain.

But some days you only get this...oh well, it still has its own beauty.  When I stand outside to get the photo, it is so awesome just to hear that river down below rushing past, even if I can't see it.

 I think we get all those cloudy rainy foggy days to make days like these so much more appreciated.

We started off the month with a party for Lina's 1st Birthday.  No way does it feel like she should be 1 already!

The next day I took the girls to see the Nutcracker.  It was put on by a dance school Jessi used to dance with.  I took Emily to it when she was Arianna's age.  Arianna was mesmerized!  She came home dancing.  

Then there was the day I spotted a bobcat!  It was in the yard that adjoins ours.  He crossed the driveway as I was coming in.  I ran inside for my camera.  Everybody thinks I should have been afraid, but really, the only thing I was afraid of was if I didn't get a good shot.  He was very timid, as soon as I got a few shots, I moved in closer and he got up off the rock and walked away.  He was about twice the size of our cat Bazzel.  

I worked fast to get the house and baking all done a week early because Dennis and Abby and Gabe and Daniel came!  We wanted a really tall tree for the new house and it was outrageous what they wanted for a live tree 101/2 ft tall to be flocked.  I decided to splurge for an artificial tree for the first time ever.  It will pay for itself in two years according to what they were wanting for flocking a real one.  

 Since they don't go out to buy a tree in California, we thought we should show them how Oregonians do it.  I had planned on going to a tree farm and cutting one, but it was pouring rain, so we settled for a tree lot.  The boys pointed out a tree and home we came with it.  We put the real one up in the family room.

 The Dennis Dixons could only be here the week before Christmas, so we celebrated Christmas with them early.  

Always, a Birthday Cake for Jesus!

Daniel got a special kick out of his train set.  

The week raced by and off the went for home.  

 The next day I came down with something weird.  Headache, chills and fever.  It was awful.  But the kids and John jumped right in and took over on our Christmas Eve dinner.  John even made the cheesecake!! I think he was pretty pleased with himself.  So in spite of me not feeling up to it, we had a great dinner after all. (Here it is 3 weeks later, many calls to the doctor and a trip to the ER and I am still not 100% over it.  Crazy stuff.)

 Emily and the kids watching their new DVD.

Joshua showing off his new long board...and even took them for a ride!

 We had a rare full moon on Christmas Day.  I really loved what it did to the clouds and canyon.

 a peek through the clouds to see the new snow.

The mountain is so gorgeous.  I keep telling myself that I don't have to take a photo of every gorgeous moment, but so far, I can't keep myself from it.   

 I liked the half moon right above the mountain like that.

 this one made it look like there was a huge spotlight on it.

 this is a night shot of the stars over Mt. Hood.  Normally, we only see a few lights across the canyon, but with the long exposure all kinds of lights showed up.  I was surprised by those lights at the horizon.  There is not city that way, so I think it may be some sort of aurora lights. you can see Hood on the left by the lights.

 HaHa!  not all days are beautiful and glorious out that window...here is a day of fog. 

and then there was the day it was clear...except for the clouds that covered the mountain like a blanket.  

 November. 

 We moved.  

I feel like I belong  here, like I have always been here.  It is home.  

And yet, it is a complete feeling of awe at the same time.  I can not believe that this is my home, that I get to live here.  I walk from room to room checking it out over and over.  I don't think it will ever get old to me, this house, this place, the view.

  Even on the days when the mountain does not come out, it is amazing.  Even if it is foggy and I can't see the river below, I can still hear it.  And now, with all that rain, it is roaring and louder than I have heard it before. The leaves have all fallen from the trees and I can even see more of the river now.  

What a place to get to see such the magnificent handiwork of God who has given me so much.

Here is a shot that Cyndi and Dan took from their plane. Our house is the second from the left.

Here is the front view.  Mt. Hood is right behind there.