Friday's Funny-cousins

"Are these really my cousins", thinks Charlee.

california - Oct. 2011

Arlan and I were fortunate enough to spend last week in lovely California with friends, nature & each other! We started off flying into Orange Co. & then stayed with our dear friends Justin & Robin in the L.A. area & after attending church together at Altadena on Sunday, headed up the coast. After stopping to see some elephant seals, William Randolph Hearst's architectural wonder, & beautiful coastline we eventually ended up at Monterrey. Over to Yosemite, King's Canyon & Sequoia National Parks was next on the agenda & oh, how God's power sings through that beauty! We then headed back down to Palm Springs area to enjoy some desert heat with our friends Clint & Alesa (who were attending a Urology conference in CA) ~ we couldn't have planned it better!

Enjoy a few shots of our trip!

Friday's Funny-gotta love chocolate pudding!

in the combine with Papa

Last Friday night, Haven got royal treatment in a uh-hem, RED combine. She loved it as she sat on her Dad's lap and made a few rounds as Papa was combining beans. Thanks for letting them ride Papa...Haven had a great time!

Friday's Funny-backseat singing!

Haven's favorite song right now is "Jee-sus"...she prefers it over "bus", "happy", & even "noah".

She sings it frequently while playing, when she wakes up in the morning, while getting her diaper changed...or even in the backseat of the car! But of course, as soon as I put a video on her, she thinks I'm taking pictures so this isn't really the full chorus :)

P.S. ~ I may or may not be driving during this video :)

camp

Last weekend was spent out at East Bay camp with our college kids and approx. 50 junior high boys & girls. Usually weather is cold, rainy and/or damp so last weekend was a treat! Our theme was "Jewels in the Crown" taken from Malachi 3:16-17a. The campers had a blast & our college kids did fabulous as each cabin became one gem/metal.

I didn't get many pictures of Haven at camp, but she was a trooper coming along both Friday & Saturday...in fact, Saturday afternoon, I had barely pulled out of camp with her & she was already snoring in the backseat! It was an exhausting 24 hours but such a fun time!

the wiener roast

Each year in October, the Millers hold their annual weiner roast...it's actual in honor of Elijah & Cathy's birthdays but it has become a yearly family event. The kiddos are at fun ages right now & SUPER hard to photograph ALL together...but we tried!

We headed to a Fall get-together with our college kids after the wiener roast & thus a glimpse of Haven's gnome outfit at the end!

one month...

picture taken March 2011

It's already been one month today since we said goodbye to Dad and he was welcomed into heaven...some days it seems like it happened a while ago & other days it seems like it was just yesterday...

The most common question I get is "how is your Mom?"...you know, my Mom is a strong lady who keeps trying to put one foot in front of the other...that isn't to say, she's not lonely or has hard days or has to keep up her yard work & big empty house all by herself or just plain misses Dad...but my usual answer for her (and all of us, for that matter) is "one day at a time"...

Many of you have said you are praying for my family & I, and for this we are extremely grateful...please continue to do so as it makes those moments of tearful sobs, pain-aching heartbreak, and a blissful future in heaven that more real/comforting.

apples & Holly

This past Thursday we spent time with our dear "Aunt" Holly and traveled to our yearly autumn destination of Tanner's Orchards. I'll admit, it's pretty much the same every year and not much changes but oh, the smell of apple cider donuts, the gooeyness of their apple fritters while sipping caramel apple coffee...ah, it's a fabulous Fall activity!

Haven gets more fun each year to take...through her eyes (and Holly's for that matter) it's so much fun to experience everything likes it's brand new...even a pregnant goat not fitting through a wire bridge, for instance!

We had a great time to catch-up as friends & just spend a nice Fall day together...thanks again Holls...it was great fun!