4th of July!

This was in our local paper this morning.  Just thought I would share.  

Veterans wanted for Ashland Fourth of July parade

Woman organizes parade entry to include past and present soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines so the town can thank them

June 28, 2012

By Paul Fattig

Mail Tribune

ASHLAND — Simone Coster is looking for men and women who have worn a military uniform or are still serving in the armed forces to march in Ashland's Independence Day parade.

Coster decided to obtain a parade entry for the 2012 annual Fourth of July parade after watching last year's entries and noticing there was little in it to honor veterans or those still in uniform.

"After last year's parade my mom and I started talking about the parade and why we celebrate the Fourth of July," Coster said.

"I grew up in Ashland," she added. "For the majority of my life, I've gone to every Fourth of July parade here. The parade has gotten very political."

Coster, 32, hopes her entry will simply remind parade watchers of the role veterans and those still serving play in American independence, she said.

"I thought it would be something unusual, honoring men and women in uniform," she said. "I also think it would be great if the town could thank them."

Many local residents want to show their appreciation for those who have served, said Coster who described herself as a homemaker and mother of two who is pregnant with her third child.

She has contacted the Oregon Army National Guard at the Ashland armory which is expected to provide several vehicles and 15 citizen soldiers for her entry.

Coster, whose grandfather served during World War II, hopes to have at least 40 participants for the event.

"I'm looking for any veterans (or service men and women) to walk in the parade or to ride in military vehicles," she said. "My goal is to just give the 'thank-you' they deserve for what they've done for all of us."

Any veteran or local person still in the military who wants to participate in her parade entry can reach her at 541-292-9020.

She doesn't plan to walk or ride in the entry.

"I want the focus to be on them and what they have done for us," she said.

Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at pfattig@mailtribune.com.

A Family Day

At the last night of AWANA, a leader had gotten some grab bags from the Crater Rock Museum in Central Point.  She gave us a flier and told us that the second Saturday of every month, it's kids day. 

We found out that kids day includes making a shark tooth necklace, a little slide show about Dinosaurs and then you get to check out the museum.  We had never been there before, and I had never heard of it! 

We went this morning, made the necklaces and checked out the rest of the museum.  And the boys picked out their grab bags which are only $1! 

 

After the Rock Museum we went to lunch at Sonic.  We did the drive up and enjoyed their yummy food, an ice cream cone and a sundae.  Carson and Gabe enjoyed getting their bites of Trev's sundae.  

Next months kid's day has a little more activity planned, it sounds.  We might check that day out too! 

Our car is getting worked on, so we borrowed Mimi and Grandpa's car, which has a radio!  Gabe enjoyed having the music...

Hope you are enjoying your weekend! 

AlohA!

Is it Time?!

I have very inconsistently been trying to get Gabe to go potty on the big boy potty.  In the last couple of days he has taken more of an interest by himself.  A few days ago, after he woke up from his nap we had this little conversation:

G:  Ooooh nuts!  I forgot!
M:  What did you forget?
G:  I forgot to go pee!
M:  You have your diaper on, you can go...

That wasn't good enough, I guess, because he marched upstairs to sit on the Diego potty and go pee.  And he went! 

After nap today, he said the same thing, that he forgot to go.  So, we headed into the bathroom, took off the almost dry diaper and then he went!  Carson's big boy pants were in there and so he put those on, backwards so that Spiderman was on the front, and then his pants.  He went potty several more times on Diego and once outside on our walk.  He did have one accident of pee and the start of an accident of poops.  We rushed to the toilet, again he sat on Diego and he went a ton more! 

We are so proud of him, as any parent is of their potty training child!!!  This is fantastic to be doing this now!  So proud of my little 3 year old! 

Out of Town Family!

Wednesday my Uncle Curt came into town and the get togethers started!  Thursday my Uncle Carter, and his wife Marta came into town the get togethers continued...

We have had a Cribbage game, yummy food, family of a time!

 

5.25.12  BBQing, game playing, eating time. 

Last night we had a potluck at my moms to have family friends over to see the out of town family.  There was a ton of amazing food and fantastic company!  It was a blast!!!  We even had a little of Sundae School, thanks to the Cox family! 

Gabe enjoying his Sundae School, Zapata and Grandpa Jay getting their Sundaes.

Salad Marta made, and a casserole that Leo, my Grandma's

neighbor/friend made! 5.25.12

Today we had a family lunch at the Talent Cafe.  It was great food and very large portions!  Tonight we will have our last family dinner, and celebrating Curt's birthday (which is tomorrow) at my Grandma's as Carter and Marta are leaving tomorrow.  Curt will be heading out early Monday morning.

It has been a very busy last couple of days, but it is so amazingly perfect to have all the family together!  I love the time they are here!

AlohA!

Bird Feeders

We have been wanting to make some bird feeders for many weeks now, and with a very mild morning, I thought today would be great to get it done! 

Haven't seen any birds getting food yet...we will keep our eyes out!

Aloha.

A Show

Last night and today Dance Works was having their annual dance show.  I haven't been for years, mainly because of kids or finances, but yesterday afternoon we got a text saying that some of the family had an extra ticket and would I like it?  So with the encouragement of Trever, I thought I would go.

And I am so happy that I did!

My sister-in-law, Sandra choreographed 3 of the dances, performed in one dance, my niece performed in 2, my nephew performed in 2 (I think, maybe 3) and a lot of other kids I know from around town.  It was so fun!  I loved it!

While I was watching, I couldn't help but notice some of the dancers who absolutely loved what they were doing and looked like they were having a blast verses some of the other ones who looked like "why am I doing this?"  Some of them seemed like they weren't enjoying themselves at all.  There was one gal, in particular, that I actually used to babysit at the YMCA about 14 years ago, who was amazing!  I wold try to watch the whole group and go from dancer to dancer, but I kept just watching her.  She was very impressive!    

Once I got home and ready for bed, I started to think about the dancers who were enjoying themselves (smiling) vs. the ones that didn't look like they were having a very good time.  For some reason I thought of the Lord and found myself wondering if He looks at us and sees people enjoying themselves and sees others that just seem to be skating by.  I know that at times in my life, I probably have seemed like I would rather be doing anything else than what I am doing.  Then I thought about how sad that would be to be the Lord.  His children who say they love Him, just doing the basics in life because that is what is so called required. Having a relationship with the Son, who died on the cross for us, should be passionate, thankful, a desire, a need that we have.  How loving is our God though, that whether we look like the dancers having the time of our life or the ones not enjoying it so much, that He still loves us unconditionally!  His love is so amazing to me!       

Hope you can  understand my jibber jabber.  I think I thought about it better than it actually came out.  :)  Hope you can make some sense of it! 

Enjoy your week! Aloha.

Mother's Day

I hope the mom's have had a wonderful, blessed day!

Yesterday, my mom had the boys for the afternoon so that Trev and I could go to lunch and a movie!  We ate at the Red Zone, downtown, which we hadn't been to yet.  It was delicious!!!  We both ate so much for lunch we didn't eat anything until around 8pm last night.  We walked to the movie from there and saw The Avengers.  We both really enjoyed that.  After the movie, we found a bench and did a little people watching.  Tourist season is great for that!  The boys got hair cuts last night to hopefully bring a little relief to their hot heads.  :) Carson's hair is so thick, that last night while watching TV he was sweaty...so hopefully having less hair will help them out. 

A before hair cut picture.  Carson before his AWANA Serendipity Dinner.

Today we all got up, ate and got ready for church.  Carson and Gabe helped Trever give me my gifts.  I got the always needed Arm & Hammer laundry detergent.  :)  That wasn't really a gift, but it is something that is always needed.  And I also got two Essie nail polishes!

At church all the moms received a carnation, and I got a necklace from Carson made of paper flowers and different colored cut up straws.  And in Sunday school Carson had his hands traced, Gabe had his hands painted and the hand prints were put on a piece of paper that says something like "When I get big, this is to remind you of how little my hands were" which this mom just loves to much!  Those are both going into the filing cabinet!

Trev and the boys dropped me off at Cafe Denjeuner, which is where my mom and Grandma had brunch, again.  We ate there last year also!  The food is amazing!  I stuffed myself, again, and then came home and took a bit of a nap!

 

My boys and I!  My mom, Grandma and I after lunch, and Trev rocking with Gabe after nap time.

I hope you have had a wonderful time celebrating and being celebrated today!  God is good and He loves us! 

Aloha.

Pictures

I am very late getting these up, but here they are! 

Click on the link to see them!
January
February
March
April

Enjoy! 

Randomness

If you have heard our car arrive, you might have noticed the squeak that goes along with it when we stop.  Needless to say, we have needed new brakes.  Yesterday, after a lot of research, Trev changed out our front brakes all by himself!  I am so proud of him for taking on a task that he had never done before and getting it done.  A bonus is that they brakes work!  :)  And there is a lot less squeak!  The back brakes are next!

                         

 The boys and I watching Trev test the brakes...

As many of you know, Mother's Day is this Sunday!  I really had no idea what to get my mom, and was thinking about a plant of some sort.  Then, with a suggestion of getting a plant from the Grower Market, I came up with the gift idea of a pizza garden.  I had seen Roger Cook, on This Old House, make one and looked for the video, but couldn't find it.  So, I did a search and came up with a list of herbs to put in the garden.

The boys and I went to the Market yesterday, and after a lot of looking around, purchased pesto, an orange pepper plant, parsley, and creeping thyme.  We went to my moms, spiffed up a planter with some horse manure (thank you Uncle Cam's horses!) and planted the herbs/pepper plant in their new home.  There are also going to be 6 tomato plants after this weekend planted, so I passed on putting a tomato plant in the little pizza garden.   

 Carson is holding the sign we made for Grandma that tells her what is in her new pizza garden!

This morning, since it is at her house and she will see it, we gave it to her, even thought it is a bit early! 

Hope you all enjoy your Mother's Day weekend, whether you are being celebrated or celebrating with your mom!

AlohA!

Smokey the Bear!

Monday evening story time was a special night at the Library.  There was a special guest reader, who read the story of Smokey, and then the kids got a special visit from Smokey!

Carson gave him a hug and Gabe gave him a high-five.  He still isn't ready to hug him.

 

This is as close as Gabe would get to Smokey last year at the Yreka Fair.  

This year he did give him "five!"

Carson giving Smokey a hug!