End of an era

It was sad to say goodbye to our home of eleven years this week.  The move went so smoothly with only invited (and hired) helpers.  Three men loaded everything into the Penske truck in five hours.  The Mattsons had helped me pack and stack everything ahead of time into the staging area (garage).

We are now settled into our little third-floor apartment.  It is surprisingly clean and quiet with lots of cupboards for storage.  Our tuxedo cat, Boots, is not a happy camper being stuck inside (I'm afraid he'll run back to Baskin Ct or get run over), so yesterday we bought him a collar and lease so we can take him on supervised trips to the back yard.

We've hiked the Butte 4 times this week, even with the move, because we are right next to it.  I don't have any pictures to show you because Jason has my camera in France.  We went to visit Nathan's family for two weeks (his graduation present).  He'll fly back tomorrow and will be very busy making up class work so he can actually graduate in 7 weeks.

June trip to SLC, Boise and Curtis & Jessica's birthdays

Velvet, Carl and Kate at indoor amusement park. We went on rides, rollerskated and played mini-golf
While Jason was at EFY in SLC, Jessica and I had a fun week with Carl and Velvet's family
Jessica and I did at session at the new Oquirrh Mountain temple.
Visitor Center at temple square. We got to do a session in the Salt Lake temple. It was neat for Jessica to visit some different temples and I enjoyed going with her.





View of conference center from the top of church office building
Jessica on at the rooftop garden on top of the conference center

Carl, Jessica and I took Grace, Laura and Kate to This is the Place/Heritage Village after we dropped Jason off at EFY at University of Utah. It's a very fun place with lots of volunteers in period clothing and fun activities for the kids.

Kate loved the pony rides the best
Grace and Kate at the petting zoo
Laura doing some laundry, pioneer-style


Jessica trying out stilts
Pioneer school (did you know they had their own alphabet and language?)



Grace checks out the loom at Brigham Young's farm house
Jason with his new EFY buddies. He went to the SLC special edition at University of Utah. Every day they visited a historical site: baptism in SLC temple, Ensign Peak, This is the Place, Temple Square visitor centers. He loved it and learned a lot.
Trevor and Curtis at the Boise water park
The youth from our ward went there after doing baptisms in Boise temple
Red shirt day? (Jason and Trevor on the right)
Our whole family was in the Boise temple together. Curtis was just ordained a deacon the Sunday before, so all three boys did baptisms while Jessica did a session. Curtis passed the sacrament for the first time last Sunday and also got braces. What an exciting month-he's really growing up!

Jessica's birthday with the Brewsters in Avery Park. I came for the weekend for her birthday and Emily's bridal shower. That morning we went for a bike ride along the river and stopped at a farmers market. I just love Corvallis.
Curtis' 12th birthday. We celebrated with his scout group and played backyard games.
Curtis got a "Nifty Nabber" for his birthday, so he can more easily retrieve refundable bottles and cans (his latest hobby).

April-May photos

Memorial Day at the dirt patch - building an outhouse out of old shelving
Trevor and Boots
Jason went to two proms the highschool and a Bend Stake mormon prom
The mormon prom was much more fun and wholesome
Our new sistern and two partial-buried shipping containers at the dirt patch
Next is a water-catchment system - a roof over the containers

March photos

Curtis refines his fire-building skills in our new wood stove
Modern-day barn raising: Ken helps Michael fix their car
Scoutmaster Jonathan doesn't cancel. Curtis and two buddies camping in the snow.
We relaxed for 3 days during Spring Break at Bella Beach (near DePoe Bay)
The hot tub was a hit for young and not-so-young alike

Mike and Jessica outrunning the waves
Board games at the beach house
Janeil, Sheryl, and Eldon walking on the beach
Jessica and Curtis
Jessica and Sheryl watching the spray at DePoe Bay
Our last evening there, Sheryl and Jessica scrapbooked her wedding album
Bye Bella Beach! See you next year!

january - February pictures

Ann Marie transfers Christmas tree decorations to Curtis "tree"

A far side moment with Uncle Ken

Curtis and Jonathan build an awesome mouse trap car - it went over 9 meters!

Jonathan's birthday carrot cake. He's 46!

Jason getting in line for a 5K nordic race
Jason in the relay race

Curtis earns Tenderfoot rank in scouts

11 year-old camp out at LaPine State park (they played/hiked outside, but slept in cabins)

Sunday, Feb 6th Jason received his patriarchal blessing