Nostalgic feelings all because of fishing

Watching your children be a parent to their children is one of the most rewarding things as a parent I believe. Watching them in the teaching moments, the caring, the loving, the patience and discipline of their children and realizing that this parent was once your child and you were the one performing these same acts for them because you loved them so much and still do. I believe one of the things we wish, at least for me, is that my children will do a better job than Larry and I did, as I hopefully did a better job than my parents, and so on down the line. Our children are terrific parents. Larry and I are so thankful to be the parents of amazing adults and the grand parents of terrific children.
Last Sunday we had Joshua, Shannon, Jessica, April and Jovie over for dinner. After dinner we went on a short walk behind the house. Papa J went a found some fishing poles so Jessica could try her hand at fishing in the creek. As I watched Joshua help her hold the pole and the look on his face as he was showing her how to cast along with the concentrated effort on her part I remembered watching Larry show Joshua and our other children fishing. Father to son, father to daughter, mother to son, mother to daughter and so it goes. The circle of learning, the circle of life.

This was Jovie's first good look at the Creek. She loved it. She kept trying to get in.

Her momma had a good hand on her so she wouldn't fall. She was participating in one of the favorite activities to do by the creek...

Throw the rocks in, you know their isn't enough rocks in the creek to begin with. We need more and more rocks.

I really think one of the reasons the kids love their Papa J so much is the adventure they get to do while he is watching them. lol.

Success!

These next three pictures tell a story, look closely.

Cool mom I want to see what that is. Wow, a fish. Can I touch it?

Sure you can touch it. Oh gross you did touch the fish! Quick where's the sanitizer???

Gross? If you say so mommy. Ick!

The times we spend together as families is one of the greatest things we can do. The memories are made, the service, the learning, the caring, the loving, the patience given, the disciplining. Pass it down. We are family, we are strong!
Happy Mother's day to Misty, Rachel, April and Shannon.

Early Mother's day gift from Michael

I wanted to share the Mother's Day gift Michael sent to me. I love it! Nancy, our Facebook friend initiated the gift for the Elder's to give to their mom's. Sweet.

Good times, wedding and Easter weekend

It's always good for whatever reason the family has an excuse to get together. This last weekend everyone got together actually for Chantal and Will's marriage in the Columbia River Temple. It just happened to fall on Easter weekend so we got to celebrate that too.
Larry and Clara are patiently waiting for the Bride and Groom to come out of the temple. Clara had probably never been held by so many different people in her life as she was this last weekend. Her momma was the photographer so Clara got cuddled and loved by lots of family members.

Will and Chantal as husband and wife. Wow! One of the Three Musketeers is married, the other two are on their missions. She was a beautiful bride.

The reception was held at her parent's home. This is a picture of all the cousins that were there 1st, 2nd or whatever each of them are. We just say cousins. It's less confusing that way. Aunts, Uncles cousins it's all in the family.:)

Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles. All weekend we were seeing bubbles.

All these girls are so beautiful. 3 of them are mine:) oh and Larry's. it's been years since they've all been together.

Now we come to Easter morning. Gabe's hair gives a new meaning to the word bedhead.

Mae's mommy told her to smile for the camera and this is what we got. LOL

Clara wanting to share her egg with me until she found out what goodies were inside.

Since all but one of the grand kids were at our house Easter morning I did something different. I bought enough colored eggs so that each child could look for their own colored eggs to find the prizes inside. I was able to tailor the prizes to each child that way. Plus their were 6 eggs each for them to find. No tears that way. Aria and Nathan showing me their sacks with the eggs in them.

Jovie getting in on the hunting action. Her momma sewed the dress she has on. Can you see the eggs behind her on the fireplace? We wound up helping them find some of the eggs.

This face Mae has is cute. One of her eggs had a paper inside that she could trade it for a Beanie Baby.

In spare moments Gabe would go over to the piano and play it. He's got a few songs under his belt he can play. Someday I can say Gabe played my piano when he's a famous piano player.

As usual you can't put in all the pictures that was taken. I enjoyed being with my family even though it was a very very busy weekend. Other things that took place was that I was watching all of my grand kids Saturday late when my girls and their older cousins went and vandalized Chantal and Will's car, the wedding couple. We had our annual Egg gravy on biscuits we have each Easter. In fact Rachel had to leave before we were going to eat it on Sunday so Larry pre made it Saturday night while the girl's were vandalizing and I was babysitting. What a guy!
Yep, whatever the reason it's good for families to get together.

Family reunion at Leavenworth, WA

"Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness-both our own and that of our children-than how well we love and support one another within the family"
Elder M. Russell Ballard

We are trying to have a family reunion with our children and grandchildren now every year. Our children grew up going to Larry's family reunions each summer and they had a great time and enjoyed playing with their cousins. Our children (now that they are grown up... lol)enjoy talking and doing things together.
So off to Leavenworth we go for visiting, eating, playing, sleeping and shopping.
Nathan is learning Karate and has several weapons that he is learning. He showed us his Numchuck moves. He actually didn't want us watching him but yet he wanted us to watch him. So we were up in the "balcony" and he was on the "stage". Great job!

Papa and Clara's eyes were fixed on Nathan as he did his moves. Do you think he could see them?

You can't go to Leavenworth without strolling downtown and enjoying the Bavarian atmosphere of the shops in the town at least once. This bear looked like he needed some company. So Clara, Nathan, Aria, Jessica and Gabe kept him company.

Jovie and April were lucky and had a fairy kiss them on the cheek. A faint purple glitter star.

Power and Beauty was on the sidewalk playing and singing for us. The grand kids got in on the act by putting coins in their case to thank them for the music that they were sharing. Jovie was entranced and just wanted to stand and listen to them as she held her coins.

Gabe sharing.

The last time Misty was in Leavenworth was in high school when she was a drum major for the marching band. She remembered a shop that she had to visit again. The hat shop. A silly store full of silly hats. Is this a cat, owl or Gabe?

Uncle Josh and Aunt Shannon introducing Jovie to a horse. She's not quite sure what to make of it.

I would love to have this kind of tree in my yard. A pretzel tree. Yum!

We lost Joshua and Larry for awhile. They got sidetracked in tasting meat and cheeses. This was their favorite store. I think every store had samples. The chocolate samples were my favorite.

I did get permission to publish this next picture. I mean how could I not. What a Papa will do for his granddaughters.

We walked by this sausage hut restaurant place a few times. The smell was incredable. Larry and Joshua drooled so they thought that while they were all by themselves they would stop and get a sausage dog. Lo and behold guess who spotted them and joined them? April and David didn't want to miss out.

We are all heading back to the condo's so we can get ready for dinner. What a line up.

Gabe and Papa can find fun anywhere.

Rachel, Sean and Mae got their just in time for dinner. We are glad they could come join us. I really love the painting they have on the wall to the right, don't you? :) Michael was missed but we wouldn't want him any other place than where he is right now.

Papa and I thought we would have a slumber party at our condo and invited all 7 of the grand kids over. All but the 2 youngest spent the night. We watched Madagascar 2 and had pop-cycles. We got a late start and all but one fell asleep before the movie was over. Who knows... maybe we planned it that way. I'll never tell.

The three little sweet girls. They are so CUTE! They are also so different in personality. I love how that is. I love it when our family does things like this and the grand kids and Larry and I can bond and become closer.

Mae was really getting into the music of the show. A girl after my own heart. Aria peaking around to see the movie and Jovie enjoying the pop-cycle. She did not want to let the stick go when she was done.

Sunday the weather was SUNNY! After church and lunch we went down to the park and I had made a family crossword puzzle. I'm glad to say everyone knows where I was born now. Then Papa called a family counsel to share with the family that the family is an extension of Heaven and Larry was committing to be more Christ like and compassionate to each of them and he invited each of the family to committ to that also to each other. To always be there for each other. He mentioned Sean's friend who suddenly died and that family is important and it's not worth complaining or back biting. FYI family. Dad is going to post his whole message so it's written down on our private family blog.

Well sad to say my camera battery died and so I have no more pictures. We walked to Blackberry Island and found a beach with a long piece of driftwood that we could all sit on and watch the kids play. It was sunny, warm and we were together. We have many blessings. We are grateful.