4th of July

Our Fourth was so great. Filled with God, Country, family, friends and food. It's not every year you get the whole package but let me tell you, we sure did this year. 

We started the day with a flag raising ceremony at the church followed by a pancake breakfast. I don't eat pancakes so I brought a quiche I had gotten up early to make. It was a Pioneer Woman recipe, her Cowboy Quiche and it was delicious. Chris got a game of ultimate going while the girls headed home to finish their cake. 

As soon as we got home Chris and Heidi got the lawn mowed while I worked on lunch. Then we were off to the Molalla Buckaroo. 

Our family had a great time there. It's a lot smaller than the St. Paul Rodeo but that made it all the better. It had that hometown charm feel that I love about a good rodeo. I haven't been to a rodeo like that since my teenage years in Coos County. Chris and I discovered a place selling Mexican corn on the cob. It was so good I went back for a second one. 

Chris brought his bracelet making gear and outfitted all of us with these:

We got home at 1:00 in the morning, exhausted but feeling fulfilled from a tremendous 4th of July. 

Heidi's 7th Grade Winter Concert

I am pretty impressed with Heidi's choir teacher. Just getting those middle school boys to stand there and sing is an accomplishment. But then she actually produces a choir that sounds good as well. Grandma, aunt krista, dad, Makenzie and myself attended. Heidi looked beautiful up there. She really enjoys singing. And she's excited and nervous about trying out for Pacific Youth Choir in January. I know she'll be fine.

Annual Tree Decorating Party

The Menu:

Pioneer Woman's hot artichoke dip
Zucchini cakes with cucumber dill sauce
Fresh pineapple
Cocktail meatballs
Cranberry juice
Sprite
Costco apple pie & vanilla ice cream

Music: The Lower Lights

In attendance:

Chris
Darilyn
Marilyn
Makenzie
Emma
Heidi

Let's Go To The Seaside

  On my summer to-do list was a family trip to Seaside. We barely fit it in by going on the very last Saturday of summer. We did all sorts of fun things like ordering Deep Fried Snickers, Deep Fried Cookie Dough and a Deep Fried Twinkie.  We also had a picnic on the beach and rode the Tilt-A-Whirl.  And of course there were all the shops! Seaside is full of little shops that are fun to take a peek in.

We had not been to the beach in the summer as a family in quite awhile.  As in ALL of us. I was struck by how different it felt this time.  Our girls aren't little anymore.  They didn't want their sand buckets and shovels and only one of them ventured into the water (Heidi).  Emma kept herself busy by digging a very deep hole to see if she could reach water.  Makenzie took a nap and Heidi helped Emma with the hole and also went with Chris and I into the ocean.  There was no changing of clothes because everyone is soaked and sandy, no sand in the van or wet hair. All in all....EASIER.  But it was a stark reminder of how my girls are growing up. They are teenagers now. Excuse me while I go have a cry now.

The weather was beautiful and I really enjoyed having the sun on my face. We did a lot of walking and wore my mom out but she enjoyed herself as well and was really happy to have went.

On the way home we stopped at Camp 18 to have dinner.  We had only been there once or twice before so it was a treat to go.  My mom and sister loved it and I'm sure we will go again sometime.

I love Seaside. I think it's the combination of ocean, people, shopping and amusement park rides.  It feels like a California beach town.  But it's not!  It's an hour from my hometown!  And so I can call it mine.

Happy Valentines Day Indeed

I think these are the most beautiful flowers I've ever received.

They are me in every way.

The color is like sherbet.

They smell like a warm summers day.

And they are from the person I love the most on this earth.

I really love them.

Zoo Lights: A Portland Tradition

We had family from out of town arrive for a visit.  We knew the perfect place to take them, Zoo Lights.  It's not so much about the animals as it is all the lights and how they do them there. You can see a caterpillar grow into a beautiful butterfly, a gingerbread cottage and a lion who roars.  Being prepared with a warm coat and a mittens is a must, especially if you ride the train.

I wouldn't say that zoo lights are a tradition of ours as much as I would say some type of holiday light show is a tradition for us.  Last year we did Peacock Lane.  Several years we have done the Portland International Raceway.  Christmas lights are beautiful.  They just are.  They are a symbol of Christmas just like a Christmas tree and gifts under the tree are.  The lights are, simply put, light.  They remind me of the stars that clear night on the eve of the Savior's birth. They remind us to reach toward all that is good and true.

A friend of mine has a family tradition I love.  They pick a neighborhood and then drive around and choose the house that has the best light display.  Then they knock on the door of that house and award them with a prize.  I love that idea.

Do you have any holiday light traditions?  I'd love to hear about them.

Wonderful Time of the Year

 

Are you ready for December to begin?  It kind of feels like it already to me.  As soon as Thanksgiving is over, BAM, you are rolling towards Christmas.  I love it.  I love driving down the streets and seeing the taillights of the cars and and the green streetlights and having that even be Christmasy.

Lately while driving in the car I've been listening to two new albums.  I'll tell you more about them next week.  I have a reason for not doing it now but let's just say that they are AWESOME.

Today I need to do some grocery shopping.  We are out of deli meat and milk which = no food to some members of this family. 

I also plan to make a stop at my local Goodwill outlet to rummage through the bins in hopes of finding more cashmere sweaters.  I want to make this.  I have two so far and they have only cost me a quarter each. Love the Goodwill Outlet.

I am also moving furniture back in place after having my carpets cleaned. That is a great feeling, seeing clean carpets. You know the feeling.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 Thanksgiving 1993, Springville, Utah

My earliest memories of Thanksgiving are of us gathered around a really long table at my aunt and uncle's dairy farm in rural Oregon. So much love was around that table.  Not to mention grand looking food.  I was surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins and Grandma and Grandpa Johns. After my mom married my stepdad we started going to my Grandma Levan's home.  She lived in town and I remember being rebellious and probably a bit snotty to my mother about going there.  I wanted to be out on the farm with everyone else. But even though our time 'in town' was different, i grew to love it just as much.  I remember Grandma Levan being a good cook and I loved her kitchen because it had these huge windows that overlooked her beautiful backyard filled with trees and bright green grass.  After dinner Grandma Levan would play the organ.

When I got married and was attending BYU we hosted Thanksgiving at our small 2 bedroom apartment.  There were about 15 of us, all friends from my hometown of Coos Bay, gathered together to enjoy the holiday.  What memories.

Over the past 20 years we have done various things for Thanksgiving.  This year we will be up in Longview Washington spending it with my mom, several cousins and their children. I am looking forward to it.

I hope your Thanksgiving is full of memory making moments, because that is something to be thankful for.

All Hallows Eve

This year in the May Casa we had an assortment of characters. 

We had a pirate

We had a princess

We had Luna Lovegood

And then we had a renaissance lady

At our church activity it was said that we had the most popular carnival game.  Chris made swords out of some $1 plungers at the dollar store.  You hold onto the end that has the plunger part and then he attached a tiny pin to the end of the handle.  So then when you lunge forward you could pop balloons with the sword.  It was quite popular and the perfect game for my pirate husband.

Merry May Day

We love May Day in this family. This year for our annual celebration we had a picnic at the park.  We invited some friends along to enjoy it with us.  Here's a few pictures from this year's celebration.  Notice the sunglasses?  Yep, that's right, we had sun!

Ashley and Camila, two ladies I adore

 Two darlings, Makenzie and Laura

Anton, he belongs to Miss Ashley

Corned Beef & Cabbage - St. Patrick's Day tradition

As I've stated before, St. Patrick's Day is a big deal around here.

And it's not because we are Irish.

I mean, we do have some Irish blood in our veins but that is not why it's a big deal.

It's a big deal because of a wee lass that does Irish dancing.

So here are some pictures for your St. Patrick's Day enjoyment (a wee bit late, sorry).

Car Caddy

I made this.  All by myself.  Do I sound like I'm 9 years-old?  I kind of feel like it.  As my mom and sister can attest to, i'm not the world's best seamstress.  I can't for the life of me read and understand a pattern. But I've discovered tutorials on the internet!  And now my sewing machine is getting used by someone other than my mom when she visits.

When I saw this car caddy I knew I had to try and make one.  My nephew is two and loves matchbox cars.  I am very pleased with how it turned out and didn't take me very long to make it.  Here Heidi is holding it because she is the one that drew my nephew's name for Christmas.  She has been asking me if she can wrap it all weekend and I keep telling her I have to get a picture of it first.  I hope he likes it! 

2010 Christmas Sing-Along

Last Christmas as I heard Makenzie playing the Forgotten Carols on the piano I got the idea of having an evening in our home where we could invite friends and listen and sing along to The Forgotten Carols.  My friend thought this was a great idea and enouraged me to do it.  I didn't do it.  This year, my friend is moving.  And I couldn't imagine her and her family not being at my Christmas sing-along so I made a decision to do it this year.

Oh, the torture of deciding who to invite.  I love way too many people to have to make such decisions. In the end I knew I had invited too many people for our small space but decided it would just "have to work." And i'm happy to say it did. 

My original thought of doing all Forgotten Carols went by the wayside as I thought it would be more fun to hear from a representative of each family.  I mean, I couldn't have my friend Brenda "in the house" and not hear her sing and play her guitar. It's like one of my all-time favorite pastimes, hearing her sing. Did you know she has her own album? yep, it's true.  So we had a smattering of Christmas songs on a trumpet, a flute, guitar, piano and even had a whistler (Thanks Mike).  And in-between each act we sang Christmas carols chosen from a hand-made songbook that I made for the occasion.

What a lovely evening.  When it was all over and everyone had gone home we decided that it was too fun to not do again.  We will repeat this again next year and invite another whole set of friends.  I mean, there are just too many people to share the holiday spirit with!

Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING

This year we had an early Thanksgiving dinner with Chris' family in Harrisburg and then went to the Turkey Stuffer the next morning.  Then we drove the back roads from Springfield to Sweet Home.  It was a nice drive and a much needed time with family for me.  When I arrived at the church I was greeted with hugs and congratulations (for my 5k) and smiles. I needed that. I had felt miserable about life the previous two weeks and needed that pick me up. We had family come to dinner in Sweet Home that we had not seen in quite some time and it was so great to see everyone.  After dinner and games at the church Kathy (my cousin) invited us to stay over at her house.  We went to bed at midnight after talking forever and then at 3 a.m. my cousin Reagran, my daughter Emma and myself went Black Friday shopping. We got some good deals on things we had been planning on purchasing this Christmas so it was worth the early morning.

Halloween Dinner

It's a bummer that Halloween is on a Sunday this year.  That means no trick-or-treating for the May household because of a thing called "keeping the Sabbath day holy."  At least that will be our interpretation of it.  We will still pass out treats to kids that come knocking on our door.  We may even make it really fun and blast some spooky music through an open front window.  Oh, I know, we could blare some Motab music through the window to make it truly a Sabbath Day occasion.  Ha, that would be hilarious. I crack myself up.

But anyway, my kids have been asking me if we are going to do anything "fun" on Halloween.  I guess for some reason they don't want the usual Family Home Evening lesson of repentance or forgiveness or not borrowing their sister's things.  So I decided to plan something fun for dinner.  I don't usually do this because we are usually crunched for time on Halloween between the kids getting home from school, getting costumes on, eating dinner and getting to our destination for loading up on sugary treats.  But Sunday is different, we don't have the usual planned.  I'm beginning to think that this "bummer" Halloween is going to feel kind of special this year.


This is what I came up with.

For an appetizer:

Mr. Veggie Bones

For the Main Dish:

Mummy Dogs

One roll of biscuit dough will cover one 8-pack of hotdogs.

Mustard for the eyes.

For 

Dessert

Boo Jell-O Cups

3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
2 cups ice cubes
2/3 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
8 miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice; stir 3 to 5 min. or until gelatin is thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. Whisk in 1/3 cup COOL WHIP until well blended. Pour into 4 dessert dishes. REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until firm. DROP remaining COOL WHIP by spoonfuls onto desserts to resemble ghosts. Add chocolate chips for the eyes.

St. Paul Rodeo - All-American 4th of July

I love the 4th of July.

Typically for our family this day is spent in Harrisburg, Or attending the parade.  Then rafting the McKenzie River and then back to Harrisburg for fireworks.  It's a wonderful day!  But this year since the 4th is on Sunday we knew we wouldn't be doing the typical things.  We would be in church and spending time together at home this year on the 4th.  That left Saturday the 3rd to celebrate our country's Independence.  As I thought about it I realized that we had never taken our girls to a Rodeo.  Can this be?  I wondered.  Apparently so since Heidi thought a barrel race was them pushing a barrel in front of them.

I grew up going to Rodeos.  Every year at the Coos County fair we would anxiously await the Rodeo as a time to meet up with boys and try and get them to hold our hand.  My girls asked me if I was ever in a Rodeo.  Well, if you want to count the sheep scramble as part of that then, well, yes.  That is where you take a dozen or so girls and set them loose on about 8 sheep in the arena.  You run as fast as you can and try to grab onto the wool of a sheep and hold on for dear life.  If you can hold on long enough for it to become yours you get to keep it.  I was one of the lucky ones and got one that year.  I wonder what I named it.  Who knows.

The St. Paul Rodeo seemed the perfect place to be this year.  It was the 75th Anniversary of this particular Rodeo and we had a great time.  Lots of cowboys, cowgirls and bucking horses and bulls. And at the end of the evening they had a spectacular fireworks display, what an incredible 4th of July!

Here are some pictures of our day!  Happy 4th to everyone.

Fun 4th!!!!

Wow! We had a whirlwind of a day. We woke up early yesterday and drove 2 hours to Harrisburg. When we got there we put the girls on the HART center float and off they went. I barely had time to get sunscreen on them. Chris' parents are on the board for the HART center. It's a community center in Harrisburg for kids to go to after school. The girls love to ride on their float every year in the 4th of July parade.

After the girls were done we took off for Mt. Tom (chris' parent's home) to load up for a river run. Before we left Harrisburg I said, "aren't we going to wait until the parade is OVER?" Harrisburg is a very small rural town and I knew we were blocked in and wondered how we were going to get out of town with the parade still going. Chris' dad didn't seem to think it would be a problem so off he went and we weren't too far behind him. Well, next think I know our Kia Sedona mini van is IN THE PARADE! We had to drive like that for about 6 blocks going at parade speed (which is slow.....dang slow) until we reached the road that would take us out of town. I was so embarrassed. Chris didn't think anything of it nor my father in law. But when I saw my mother in law later she was also embarrassed by the whole thing. Well, it's a funny story now.

We had a great time on the McKenzie river. This was Makenzie's 2nd time and Heidi and Emma's first down this river. There are 2 Class III rapids on this river. Scott skirted Brown's hole with Heidi and Makenzie but Chris, Emma and I took it. It was great. Emma our little daredevil loved the class III's.

After our river run we went to Grandma Ammon's for a barbecue. It was late by then and everyone was really tired. We still had a long drive home so after we ate we said goodbye. I am really looking forward to our annual Indian Mary trip. That will be another fun rafting trip. One the girls love to do.

I had to share this picture. Makenzie took this in the car. The day before she had a lesson on photography at Young Women's. (Thanks Rachael) and then she took this picture. I think it's a beautiful picture of Heidi. Good job Makenzie!