Vashon

Getting away to the islands is not a big trip for us in the Puget Sound area.  Vashon Island is just a 20 minute ferry ride from Tacoma.  But it is a world away.  Rural.  No congestion on freeways.  Historic.  And, on the south side of the island, you have incredible views of Tacoma and Mt Rainier.  Kris and Bruce's family have a fantastic home there.  Again, we were privileged to spend some quality time there with some dear friends.  Wonderful hospitality.  Great food.  Fun stories.  Shared appreciation of our Faith, the thankfulness of  abundant blessings, the deeply shared commitment to our children and our involved role as grandparents.  Panorama.  Creation, God made and human made, unfolding before us.  And a opportunity to relax which is always easy with Kris and Bruce.  Fun and fulfilling.

Their deck.  Note Mt. Rainier in the background.  Brown's Point Tacoma the land across the water.

Happy friends.

Incredible evening.

Life is full of blessings.  Often the blessings are people, and the shared experience with them.

Blessings

Labor of Love

I remember the old days when Mom's kids and kids-in law, including grandkids, would gather with brushes, ladders, and paint buckets to paint the house.  You painted often in those days.  The paint lasted 5 - 6 years.  Also, it was all manual labor.  No mechanization.  It was hard work.  It still is.

Testing out the equipment.  Refining the spray pattern.

One of my sisters in law called those work sessions a "labor of love".  Sometimes it still is.  It was with us this weekend.  Nathan gave me a coupon at Christmas.  "Let's paint the house, Dad."

Painting is in his genes.  I had a painting business for 14 years, summers when I was teaching.  When I became a principal I no longer could paint in the summers but I bid several jobs (and so did the kids) and Ben, Kari, and Nathan all painted many of their high school and college summers.  I owned the equipment.  They did the labor.  They still are.  Our home was due a new coat of paint. It had been 15 years since the last painting.   I now rent the equipment.

Start on an easy side to get back into a routine.

Kids do the house numbers.

Cailyn, who also painted through college (note her painter bibs) jumps in.  Notice the legs on left.  I am sitting, observing and admiring.

Wants to climb.

The long side, everyone joins in.

A good spot to practice.

Me too.

The artiste.

Put on some serious paint.

And some fun paint.

Jane really wanted to paint so we gave her some doable projects.  She did very well.

Then, as I was cleaning out the airless sprayer, she created some water art in the backyard.  Photo by Nathan.

A productive weekend (Saturday and Sunday afternoon).  Barb is not in the photos.  She took all but the last picture, fixed the meals, rode herd over the gkids, and painted.

Labor of love.

Hope meets Elizabeth

My sister, Corrine (aka Hope), and Leroy came for dinner Wednesday.  Eric, Kari, and Elizabeth were the center of attention.  Also Nathan, Cailyn and kids added to the eve's festivities.  Fun.  Family.

Tribute to a Hero

We gathered together to give tribute to Justin's 10 years of military service.  We were honored to host as some of his comrades and friends celebrated his contributions which included two deployments to Iraq.  An American Hero.  We have been blessed to know him and his family Cassie, Grace, and Claire.

His family, his colleagues at arms, their friends and family

Justin, Cassie, Grace and Claire.  What a blessing they have been to us and our country.

Late night Pickelball.  What fun.  It had been a while since we hosted a "Man"  party.