Christmas Decorating 2016

To celebrate the first of December we pulled out all the totes of wreaths, garlands, and icicle lights and decorated for Christmas! We brought out the CD player and turned up some cheery Christmas music to sing along with as we worked!

Like the superhero who just landed on the roof?

 Looking at Christmas cards from years past

The light crew heading around back to climb on the roof.

 The guy putting up the lights.

 It's not senior photos, bro! ;)

The candy cane crew!

The finished masterpiece! 

Merry Almost-Christmas y'all!

Camp 2016!

HBC Family Camp was September 17-19, and we drove up and back home each night for Friday and Saturday! Enjoy the adventure! ;) 

Thursday:

Getting ready!

Aimee made Cookies of the Century for a road snack! Kate made delicious pie too, but somehow we didn't get a picture of that. ;) 

Since we weren't official campers we brought our own meals. This is the makings for taco salad, which we picnicked with outside for Friday dinner. 

Friday:

Jerry went to work, and the rest of us had a quick breakfast and continued camp preparations.

Around 12:30 everyone loaded up

We stopped to pick up the girls' new reading glasses!

  Look! Its green!!! 

Emma made a scavenger hunt game for the trip, and we listened to lots of classical music!

 Front seat

The whole, goofy van load. :) 

 Getting close to Prescott!

Paul helped string up lights at the Quiet Place for the night time sermons, and after dinner everyone headed there for a message.

 

The Quiet Place 

It was so 'cold' even in sweatshirts that Anna had to steal an adorable kid to squeeze. ;)

Pastor Huddleson spoke on loving one another. 

Then back to the cafeteria for games and music! This is a crazy, loud game called "Pit"... 

Aaaand the crazy, loud players. ;)

Matching girls!

Around 1:00 (you can chose if it was AM or PM ;P) we finally drove home, exhausted, happy, and talking 5mph. :D

Saturday:

We arrived just in time to jump in on the last couple of tug-of-war games, and then walk to the cafeteria for lunch! 

Then it was free time until dinner. Some played volleyball the whole time or sat by the sidelines and cheered the teams on, others played some frisbee, the little girls worked on a fort out by the 'L Tree' (it's a tree jutting out from the hill in the shape of an L) with their friends, and still others had a blast with little ones by the swing set.

A message by Mr. Hubler, and off to the fire-pit for s'mores!

To the cafeteria for games, singing, and burning our tongues on hot chocolate once more before saying goodbye and heading home!

Chess! 

 Two players and lots of advisers. ;)

 The music was great!

Singing praise to the Lord Almighty! 

Thanks so much for reading about our adventures! 

Food, Family, Friends, and a Yard Sale

A quick recap of the month of November.

Thanksgiving at Aunt and Uncle's:

Which of course includes football. Watching football, that is. ;)

 Yeah, you might just be a hick if you can't figure out how to use the whipped cream. :P

It was great to be able to spend our Thanksgiving meal with family after so many years. 

We said goodbye to two very special families. On direction from God, our church sent out the M family as missionaries for the Lord to a tiny town in Mexico. It was a bitter-sweet goodbye.

Pastor M sharing a little with the congregation about the people there in Mexico and what his family's goals in reaching out to them are.

 The father and three of his daughters singing a beautiful song together

Praying over them as we sent them off. We miss you, guys!!

The second hard goodbye was to our best friends from Oregon who visited down here for a month. We've known them for a very long time and highly enjoyed getting to hang out together again. So sad when their stay ended. :( 

Ever since we were really young our families and personalities have just clicked, and we've built many priceless memories together. 

 ...Including silly ones. :)

 We walked to the park so the guys could play basketball like in the old days, and everyone else had fun playing, taking pictures together in the cool lighting, and catching up after so many months. 

 The girlies. :)

And of course you've got to take pictures of your toes with the awesome lighting!! 

And of course, whenever these two are in the same vicinity (for more than two hours) a war always breaks out. Axis and Allies, a board game depicting the second world war between the world powers. Sadly, there wasn't the kind of time they needed to resolve their differences before we had to leave, but there's always another chance. :) :) :)

Can't wait to be with you goofy people again!!

We attended a super wonderful wedding of two longtime childhood friends!! Praise the Lord!

Yard Sale!!

 Wow! Hold your breath everybody, and pray!!! :P

And that was our November! Looking forward to what God brings our way during 2016!