More fun times with Seth and Tiffany's family

This has been such a delightful summer! The weather in Oregon has been perfect! We have had many gorgeous, sunny days with bright blue skies, and the temperature being warm, but not unbearably hot. Along with that great weather we were able to spend it with family from across the country, and we have loved every minute of that.

Seth & Tiffany's family were here for 3 weeks from July 15-August 7th. The cousins had a super time being together. The pictures say it all. Everyone made an effort to get together every day possible while they were here.

Our kitchen table was often surrounded by grandchildren enjoying a meal or playing games. It was so nice to have Grandpa working from home as he could pop in at different times and interactive with the grandchildren who absolutely adore him.

 Many games of air hockey were played. There was lots of competition going on at that table.

Seth & Bryson give a high five as Addison and Sydney look on.

Paxton turned 1-year-old on July 23rd. He is so cute! Just look at the face! Oh, are we every glad he's close. What a good, good baby with the biggest smile you've ever seen.

Playing at the Imagination Station Park was a fun time for all. The children took a quick break from running around for a snack. The mommies had some good visiting along that bench, too.

It's fun to take pictures of Asher.

As often as they could, the children ended the day in the hot tub.

Sydney taught a FHE lesson about the Holy Ghost.

Spending the night with cousins is the best!

A day was spent at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Technology). There wasn't enough hours in the day for them there. They loved the many interactive exhibits and play.

Good mommy Tiffany with Asher 

Sydney & Julia exploring

Bryson loved it all!

Clark couldn't get enough.

Sydney, Julia & Bryson making airplanes.

Lunch time on the patio. Perfect! 

Daisy and Asher were good playmates. 

Cute Sydney 

Julia was all smiles that day.

 Here we are...the Mom's and Grandma as we "watch" the little ones play. We had fun visiting and catching up on email, articles and Facebook while the kids did their thing. Technology is wonderful!

Delightful Daisy 

Norm & Judy Dickinson are so generous to opening their blueberry fields to pickers. All the family spent several hours picking berries. I stayed with Paxson. He was fun entertainment for me that day.

Paxson kept busy while others were away.

 After picking berries they enjoyed a fun afternoon at the Sandy River, and had a picnic and playtime at Dodge Park.

I love my family! My good husband is looking younger all the time!

They picked about 30 gallons of blueberries. We figured it was hundreds of dollars worth. Tiffany was instrumental in cleaning a majority of those bags of stems, etc, getting them washed and prepared to go in the freezer. My freezer is definitely full of berries, but I enjoy them everyday! Thanks so much Tiffany, and to all the family!

Isaac is so excited with all the berries!

Dinner that night out on the front lawn for the kids. 

More games together!

In the middle of all the activites I flew to Utah for Kenna Johns' baptism. Julia & Austin came down from BYU-I for the baptism on Aug. 3rd, along with Crismon & Danielle. Then on Mon. the 5th I drove with Julia & Austin back up to Oregon and they stayed with us for the rest of the week. We're glad we had a day with Seth & Tiffany's family before they left.

Since Preston was turning 8 on Aug. 9th, we decided to celebrate it on the 6th when we were all together. Mommy Tiffany made a yummy favorite waffle breakfast. Then we spent the day with cousins at Cottonwood Beach along the Columbia River, Washougal WA.

All the family at Cottonwood Beach, the Lewis & Clark memorial beach along the Columbia.

Preston celebrating his special day.

 The babies playing in the water and sand were irresistible.

Kaeley Caudle

Paxton Vance 

Isaac Vance

Asher Lewis

 We had so much fun all being together. 

The cousins were loving the chance to bury Uncle Seth in the sand.

Asher hanging out with Grandma. 

Wherever Grandpa was, you'll find Isaac.

Everyone "burying" little Julia Vance.

That night we went to the Vance's home for dinner and cake for Preston's birthday. Ondalynn & Gary's home handle a crowd so well. We love gathering there.

Preston is such a good boy! He loved celebrating his birthday with everyone.

One last picture with everyone before we split up. Seth was flying early in the morning to Wash DC for meetings. Before he left, he gave us an iPhone tutorial.

Our cup is "overflowing." What a joy to be surrounded by family.

Before going to bed that night, Seth announced to Addison that he was taking him with him to Virgina for the BYU-Virgina game, as well as sight-seeing in Wash. DC. He was one excited boy!

While I was in Utah the family had some other fun activities. They went hiking in the gorge on the Washington side and saw some beautiful falls.

A day at the zoo.

Sunday afternoon they met at the temple and to visit the new Portland Temple Visitors Center.

Families Are Forever!

Dad, Seth and the boys spent the day in McMinnville at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. As you can imagine, the boys loved it!

Tiffany worked so hard the last day washing sheets and remaking the beds, packing, cleaning, and leaving everything spotless before she and the boys left for the airport that afternoon. We hated to say goodbye to this wonderful family. Thank you for being with us!

One last hug goodbye. We love these boys! Jackson, Addison, Preston, Grandpa, Grandma & Asher.

Seth and Tiffany's Family visits Oregon - week one

Monday morning, July 15th starting out with the arrival of our wonderful Seth Lewis family from Minnesota. They flew direct and so it gave them a day to relax and rest before their three weeks of fun. But before they left, they gave Grandpa a big hug as he was leaving for the Stake Trek in Eastern Oregon just hours after they arrived.

With family in the area we enjoyed a combined dinner and FHE with the Caudle's and the Vance's in the Vance's beautiful new home in Vancouver, WA. 

We missed Grandpa that day while he was on the Youth Handcart Trek in Eastern, OR.

After the lesson by Grandma, Gary kept the children entertained playing games.

The next day we spent the afternoon at the Cottonwood Beach along the Columbia River in Washougal, WA, just 15 minutes from Ondalynn's home. What a great way to enjoy the beach without driving to the coast.

Sydney, Addison & Jackson enjoying time together.

Julia & Bryson 

Daisy& Clark.

Preston Lewis, surveying his plans as an explorer like another famous Lewis explorer. 

Isaac delighted being in the canoes honoring Lewis & Clark's Expedition. 

Grandma having fun with the younger ones.

Enjoying the hot tub before dinner.

Dad arrived home late that night, driving 3 hours after he spoke at the campfire program. It was a late finishing preparations for our trip to Orlando. We each only had less than 2 hours sleep and then we were up to catch an early morning flight to Orlando for the Reliv Conference. We felt badly about leaving Seth & Tiffany's family, but fortunately, they were going to spend time in WA with Tiffany's sister Katherine, and then time with her Gee family reunion the next week and the Arvidson Reunion later in the week at the beach.

Wed., July 17th the Seth Lewis' and the Vance's enjoyed visiting the Mt. St. Helen's Visitor Center.

Kenna's Baptism

I flew to SLC on Thursday, Aug 1st to be with Alice-Anne's family for Kenna's baptism. Seth & Tiffany's family were with us while they had a vacation and reunion in Oregon. Dad stayed to be with their family. 

Elliot is getting so big and talking a lot. 

Spencer loves art and he is always working on a project he has envisioned from making birthday paper hats to reading glasses to color patterns as a gift to me. He also wrote and illustrated the cutest book. He is very creative. 

Kenna is full of life, too, and keeps busy. We are proud of her for finishing the Book of Mormon a month or so ago. 

She came home from school to find 8 white roses for her baptism. 

Despite a windy evening we had fun walking along Day Break community lake area. 

Friday was Spencer's first day of Kindergarten. What a cute boy!

Saturday Kenna was baptized by her father, Gary Johns, in their ward building. It was nice she was the only one to be baptized. It was extra special that she could bear her sweet testimony and then the Bishop called on her parents to share their testimonies. Many from her Johns side of the family were there, along with Julia and Austin from Rexburg and Crismon and Danielle left their Swain reunion in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to join us. I loved the special feeling that attended her baptism. 

There was a production the night before preparing muffins for refreshments. 

Kenna's cousin Kylie Johns was being baptized that morning, too, in American Fork so we cleaned up and attended her baptized,too. Afterwards there was a nice luncheon for all at Stephanie and Nathan Johns home.

I enjoyed attending the Jordan River Temple with Julia & Austin and Crismon & Danielle where the new temple film was shown. It is very nice and caused us all to think more deeply about the sacred ceremony. 

Sunday it was nice to be in their testimony meeting to hear Alice-Anne's sweet testimony and attend her YW's meeting where she serves as the Pres. in such a devoted way, blessing the lives of those girls. Gary and Alice-Anne prepared another scrumptious dinner for all of us. 

Gloria Terry came by for me to give her the kits (each containing plastic strips cut from plastic bags) going to Africa for the women to crochet bags to be sold to feed their children for a month. We were blessed to hear of her experience in doing this act of love for over 30 years just out of the goodness of her heart. Mary Lou Nordstrom provided 54 kits for me to bring to Gloria. 

Then our evening ended with a fun game of Ticket to Ride. 

Day 2 with the Girls

All is well! 

What to do when tears flow missing Mommy and Daddy? Hot banana muffin and "Sound of Music" do the trick.

Ruby is in green in all these pictures.

Busy morning playing with friends in the Community Center. Beautiful afternoon to enjoy the sunshine. Need to do something with that hair. 

Grandma loves the convenience of this fun play area. 

I did ask Dorothy to save this trick when Mommy is home. 

They had a great afternoon.

Fighting over Grandma's Reliv. 

They couldn't seem to get enough. 

Back home to watch "Sound of Music " doing "Cuckoo."

Dorothy enjoying her own world. 

One last time in the sand before bedtime.

Saying hi to Grandpa while he is doing Reliv calls and giving him kisses. 

More fun at home. 

FHE

Grandpa's new office. 

Listening to Primary songs during treats. 

A busy day full of laughing, singing, crying (just a little), dancing, playing and most of all...loving.