Ben

Ben played a benefit for the Girls and Boys Club last weekend.  Ben is the skinny guy on our left.  Interestingly, Ben looks fairly muscular around our family.  Ben's words:

I played golf and rode in the cart with Jerome Bettis yesterday. He's a great guy, very sharp and the best putter I've ever seen. He is sponsored by Nike and has his own logo ball, how awesome is that? The other big guy in the picture is Tim Lester who played the NFL for 8-9 years and blocked for the likes of Jerome Bettis and Emmit Smith. 

More Preparation

It is hard to believe that Barb is nearing 65.   She stays very active and with the upcoming event she has evolved into hyperspeed.  Last week she completed Jensen's birthday book ( 200 of this year's pictures) while taking on the yard, the house, her friends, her church, and totally immersing herself into the grand kids.  One day last week we sat in the evening sun on our patio, sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the setting.  Barb began to go through her "to do" list and shared some concern about getting it all completed.  She will.  The next day she received a phone call from a teacher friend asking Barb to sub for her 5 days in May.  Barb unhesitatingly said yes.  One of the many reasons for which I so admire her...

hamming it up on the lawn mower

helping spread bark

They enjoy riding in the trailer

and helping Papa work.

Their bath is being remodeled.

always there to observe and ask questions

As I took the tile counter top off I made a mess with the tiles and sandy grout all over.  I didn't ask Jane to help but as I returned to the bathroom from dumping the counter top, she was cleaning up the mess.

Our favorite time.  They love books.

practicing hammering nails as I work in the garage

Planning and Prep

Kari has spring break this week and she has been busy every day with preparation for the big day.  Barb has been involved with most of the activity so she, too, has been with Kari making decisions and moving forward.  Barb predicted a summer wedding about a year ago.  She raided the family farm last July and froze several large bags of Marionberries.   Wednesday, Kari, Cailyn, gkids, and bridesmaid Stacy gathered in our kitchen to make jam which will be given away at the wedding.  It was a big production as over 200 jars were filled.

Blessings

Barb and I often note it and we continue to thank God for the abundant blessings which we are given.  Saturday, the 17th, was another example of the many gifts that come our way.  I turned 65 on Friday and I asked the kids to forgo a birthday gift this year.  Instead, I asked them to come out on Saturday and help Barb and me clean up what is left of last month's storm damage.  There were several large trees, stripped of their branches and destined to die, that needed to come down.  Some were within falling range of the house and/or the RV.   One tree was 25"  in diameter and over a hundred feet tall.

We started the weekend with, for the first time, keeping all three gkids overnight.  Fun, although we didn't get our normal full sleep (goes with the territory).  Then at noon,  Kari and Eric, Nathan and Cailyn, and Justin and Cassie (a teaching partner of Kari's) with their two kids came to take on the project.  Then Vicki (Barb's sister) and Ed arrived, driving up from Gresham.

Even though it spit rain, hail, and snow, they all worked like beavers, clearing the brush, falling the trees, cutting them up, and transporting them to the wood pile.   We ended the evening with grilled T-bones and, my favorite, angel pie.

Fun.  Rewarding.  Productive.  Love.     Blessings abundant.

Clearing away brush to get to trees  Kari, Eric, Nathan, Me, Justin

Falling the largest tree.

The wood pile.  Cailyn said it reminded her of a Civil War encampment.

Even Jensen helped.  Note the working gloves that Barb gave him.

Vicki, Ed, Eric, Me, Kari, Nathan

Kari, Jensen, Nathan, Justin, Cailyn, Jane, Grace, Cassie

Angel Pie, my mom's recipe