Today is the beginning of the Easter weekend. We decorated our eggs Friday night and the Easter bunny came while we were sleeping! We got up, hunted for eggs, and ate pancakes! Then the kids donned their new t-shirts and we headed to Grandma's for the annual Easter egg hunt.

The weather cooperated (we were doubting after our week of rain) and the sun was shining. Here are Teaghan, Raelynn, and Kirsten.

Isaac and Luke quickly found their eggs.

Each kid gets 24 eggs and their name egg.

Here is Luke and Lorna (well Lorna's side).

Sam did not hunt for eggs but here we caught him looking! And this is a shot of Raelynn and Ainzlee's head!

We were a small group this year. Here is Jesse looking for his name egg.

Grandpa was handing out money to the big kids who did not get a name egg with money in it! Thanks Grandpa!

Arlee and Stu and baby Baylee!

Hannah, Sam and David did not hunt for eggs this year. They are all growing up. After the hunt we went in and ate tacos and Grandma's yummy trifle.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to having Dad home on a Sunday morning. We are going to make resurrection rolls (found them on pintrest!) and fruit salad and eggs. I love doing the whole egg and Easter bunny thing on Saturday because then we are really ready to leave it all behind and celebrate the real reason we have Easter. Looking forward to going to church with my whole family (Sam has a Sunday off! and Hannah is going to visit our ward!) and listening to Rob sing. Loved having conference last weekend and then this week off for spring break and now we get to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. We are truly blessed. Millie

Still here!

Can't seem to get around to blogging! It is not that we have not been doing blog worthy things....Sam's b-day, my b-day, various snow days(!), valentines day, national pie day, Luke's 4th grade concert (some interesting songs about Lewis and Clark!), Hannah's first two layer chocolate cake, participating in the Washington caucus (and interesting process), 2 car break downs, a trip to Camp Kilowan to check out our stake camp site and many more. I just can't seem to get the pictures on the computer and then if I do I can't find them again! But I do want to do better! Now our computer is acting up and I am using my work laptop which does not have any pictures on it!! Oh well. The only thing that makes me feel better is to see that those who talked me into blogging in the first place are not blogging any more!! Millie

We are still here!!

Just wanted to let you all know we are still here. We did not perish in the snow or even drown in all our recent rain. Life has just gotten terribly busy and I am addicted to Pinterest!! But I am in rehab and hope to get back to blogging! I had not even gone on to read others blogs! So, I am turning over a new leaf. Millie

Sunday we got up to a bit of snow. Not enough to keep us from going to church or having the missionaries to dinner. On Monday we got a bit more. Enough for Luke to make this snowman!
But most of it melted and the snowman fell down.

Today we had a snow day from school and got some more snow. Actually is snowed off and on all day here.

Rob came home early and Sam barely made it up the hill. It looks so pretty and is actually sparkling! We are suppose to get more tonight! We have a little over 4 inches now. We shall see! Millie

Family pictures

You may recognize this picture from our Christmas cards this year. I did make the scarves!! I was planning on making one for each of us but only got 4 done. Rob is wearing Isaac's green one I made for his birthday. Maybe next year. The idea was to wear them when we go caroling. I only have three to go! I loved our red house in the background and the red leaves on the tree. Here are some others we looked at.


In front of the barn door. I think Rob is talking and I look a bit scared!

Standing in the field. Yes this is our view from the patio. Is it not beautiful? We are so blessed to live here.


One side of the chicken house. Once again Rob and I look a little stern.

The other side of the chicken house. One of the few pictures where Rob is actually smiling. I do have some really great looking kids! And they are good sports too.

If I were to choose our card picture today, this would be the one. I had it made into an 8x10 to hang in the living room. Just looking for the right frame. I am thinking black. Next...the fun photos!! Millie

The last of Christmas

I know, I am still doing Christmas! This year with Christmas being on a Sunday we decided to do things a little differently. We usually get up and do the Santa and stocking stuff and then have Rob's family down to have hot cocoa and yulacaca (Swedish Christmas bread). Then we open presents. Later we head to the Eisenhauer's for dinner and then to the Henrikson's for dessert and opening more presents. But this year we had church at 11:00 and Rob had to be there at 10:30. So we decided to not open our presents until that night. That way we could get up, have the cocoa and yulacaca and get ready for church without it being a big rush. Most of us agreed to this. Luke was very vocal about how awful it was!! So we went to church and then to the Eisenhauer's and then to the Henrikson's. Around 7:00 that night we got home. We all got into our Christmas pjs and commenced to open our gifts.

Here they all are waiting! Luke is way in the back. This was hard for him. He wanted us to do everything fast because he thought if we hurried fast through everything, time to open the presents would come faster. Then he had to wait while I found the camera and take a picture!

In the middle of it all.

Rob and Isaac looking over Rob's new cd.

Isaac and David looking at David's new cds.

Sam got a pickle in his stocking. Hannah and I found these at Winco. We could not believe they actually sold pickles separately in these little plastic bags!!

The aftermath!!

Luke scored with a star wars lego battle ship and a lego game and a lego encyclopedia of star wars lego characters, a new vest and hat. It was really fun. The ones (except for Luke) who did not want to wait to open the gifts said we should do this every year. Instead of coming home at the end of the day to the mess of gift opening and not being able to play or use their things all day we had the anticipation all day of waiting and then we did not feel that let down feeling that every thing was all over. It lasted all day and we had such a happy filled feeling all evening too. It was nice to go to church and feel the spirit of the day. I wish Christmas was on Sunday every year. Millie

The feast

We all met at Grandma's house for Christmas dinner. Orey is always in charge of cutting or should I say carving the meat. After he was done, he and Rob had time to chat while waiting for the gathering for the prayer. There is Julie in the background with her mickey mouse apron and her big sinclair mug of pop!

Here is the spread. We had turkey and ham. Rob made the funeral potatoes. There were Lorna beans and stuffing and corn blob. And of course sugar rolls. We can not have a gathering without sugar rolls.

Tables were set up in the family room and there was room for all. There were about 32 of us.

Mom, Renny and Katie. It had been a long day already I think for Renny!

This Lorna and her friend Scott. He came with his daughter Tabitha, who happens to be a Jr. at Battle Ground just like David. But they did not speak to each other!! Teenagers!

Another picture of Renny enjoying his lunch. He had the Christmas music going and was guarding the radio because some of his family were tired of Christmas music!

Luke ate a sugar roll. I believe that is all! Courtney is in the back and it is Teaghan with her back to us.

Jesse stayed with us in the background playing a game.

Ike's family with Orey's family way in the back by the window.

Somehow Grandpa always ends up at a table full of kids! Sydney and Robbie were also there.

We had a great time and it was relaxing after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Katie made some really good pies for dessert. These family get togethers are so much more enjoyable than they use to be. Maybe we have all grown up some! Millie