It's getting closer...

You know the time for a missionary to leave is coming closer when they get to go to the temple!  Nathan has been preparing to go for several months now.  We went on a Friday evening, and it just happened to be the same time as our good friend, Bruce Nowjack's first time.  It was a wonderful evening.  As we were leaving the temple, Nathan said, "I felt so good in there!  I didn't want to leave!"  He was able to go back several times over the next few weeks: once for the Nowjack's sealing a week later, once with his friend Emma, another time with Jared Bell for his endowment, and again to help perform baptisms with the youth.  He felt so blessed  to be able to participate in all the ordinances that take place in the temple before he left. 

 

 

Shaw Island 2013

It's March and that means our annual trip to Shaw Island!  This year, we decided to spend Friday night in Mt. Vernon so we were closer to the Anacortes ferry and didn't have to wake up at 5:00 in the morning.  It was a great addition to our tradition and I think we'll do it again next year.  We met up with the rest of the group on the ferry to the San Juans.  

Excited? Of course!

Friends on the ferry...the hour ferry ride is great for visiting.  Ross tasked me with taking as many pictures as I could.  I didn't get one of everyone and I won't post all that I took, but I think I did a decent job of capturing the day.

We remembered to bring our coins to flip into the bulls-eye at the Lopez Terminal...

Ben got it into the middle, but it bounced out! 

Arriving on Shaw, we piled into the trucks. Even though it was cold and rainy, the kids still enjoyed riding in the back of a pickup. I, on the other hand, did not want to ride in the back of a pickup in the rain, so I hopped in front with Father Scott.

The mothers were waiting for us when we arrived and asked for the Priest and the two Bishops to each give a prayer. Father Scott is their visiting priest and I enjoyed talking to him on the ride to Our Lady of the Rock. He is on sabbatical here and said he's amazed at how many sad people he sees when he goes into Seattle.  He feels the lack of spirituality in their lives is a big contributor, even more than the grey weather.  He said that if you have faith and God in your life, you can be happy no matter where you are.  

After the prayer, the mothers were quick to hand out assignments. Ben and his friends were assigned to work on the wood pile making kindling with Grandpa Tom.

When Mother Hildegard said she needed three hard workers to clean out the sheep barn, these three eagerly agreed.  I love these kids! 

I was busy making sure Ben and Jillian had their rain clothes (it was POURING!) and missed getting an assignment, so I headed to the garden with a few other ladies.  Weeding in the rain felt more like playing in the mud.  Extracting the weeds from the clumps of mud they clung to was nearly impossible.  I did manage to clear the buttercups from the raspberry bushes and hopefully didn't do too much damage to their roots. After a few hours of mucking about in the garden, Denise, Tiffany and I were sent on a snack run.  We got to bring snacks to the various work parties around the farm, so I was able to see pretty much the entire place.

These guys were working down at the waterfront clearing out old rail ties that had been buried in the bushes for ages.

After we made our first stop, we ventured up the road to find a place to turn around (dirt roads + lots of rain   = don't get stuck!) We finally found a spot, but I was a little nervous, especially since I wasn't driving my own van, so Denise offered to hop out and make sure the ground was solid enough.  Let's just say it was still quite muddy, as you can see from the splattering I gave Denise when the tires spun out!

Our next stop was by the pond where they were clearing out the smaller trees and brush so Mother Mary Grace could have a bird watching area.  Tiffany's husband was working up there with several other men and most of the Boy Scouts.

This is Mother Mary Grace's cabin. It's quite a way down the road from the other Mothers.  Very "Little House on the Prairie-ish," except it's in the middle of the woods.  

Another group was working on cleaning out the pig area after they had done the same for the sheep.

There were other groups working in various locations, but I didn't get pictures of them.

Elisa, Sharon & Betty Jo preparing lunch.

Ben and Hiram admiring the pigs.  It finally stopped raining after our work was done.

Me and my dad

Dennis, Ross, Mother Felicitas & Father Scott

Nathan, Kylie & Aubrey enjoying a break.

Some of the scouts eating lunch.

Ben and I soaking in the sun.  It felt so good to finally dry out!

Brad and I

  

And of course, a trip to Our Lady of the Rock isn't complete without a ride back to the ferry in the Llama Van!  It actually smelled good this year.  Father Scott said he had taken it on himself to freshen it up a bit.  Even with all the rain, we enjoyed our day on Shaw Island tremendously and can't wait to go back next year!

Apple Picking & Pressing

Our Ward had an apple pressing party a few weeks ago.  We wanted to be able to contribute to the apple supply, so we asked around about trees that we could harvest from.  A friend told us about a King apple tree near them that we could pick from, so Brad, Ben and I went to check it out.  It was amazing!

The branches were so thick and well groomed.  All the apples grew on the outside of the tree. Ben asked, "Can we get a tree like this?"  I wish, Ben!  It was probably at least 50 years old.

Check out them apples!

The tree was covered, and so was the ground.  When we first drove up, there were three deer grazing on the fallen apples.

In about 20 minutes, we picked these three big boxes full!

The next day, we went over to the Bountiful Farm to make cider.  

Washing the apples.

We added ours to this huge wagon load! The Hooyers went over to Quincy, WA to an apple orchard and brought back almost a full load of Honeycrisps.  Other people brought different varieties to add to the mix.  

Kylie, Jillian and Russ chopping the apples and cutting out any bruises.

Proof that Nate was there, too! 

Carlyn had the job of pouring the cider into the containers people brought.

A closer look at the press, with the delicious cider pouring out!

Brad and Bruce preparing apples for the press.

This was maybe half of what we ended up with, before people started taking their containers home.  I wanted to get a picture of at least some of it! We ended up taking home five gallons, and it is delicious!  We put four gallons in the freezer since you have to drink it, freeze it, or can it within a few days or it will ferment.

The mashed up apples...or at least some of them!  This was only one wheelbarrow load of many that went to the sheep, cows and chickens.  I hope they didn't get sick from it!

General Conference

I love General Conference weekend.  I feel so inspired and re-motivated after listening to all the wonderful talks and music.  Some of my favorites talks this conference (not that I didn't enjoy all of them...these few stood out especially to me):

"Teaching our Children to Understand" by Cheryl A. Esplin

Teaching our children to understand is more than just imparting information. It’s helping our children get the doctrine into their hearts in a way that it becomes part of their very being and is reflected in their attitudes and behavior throughout their lives.

"Mountains to Climb" by Henry B. Eyring (I love Elder Eyring!)

It is never too late to strengthen the foundation of faith. There is always time. With faith in the Savior, you can repent and plead for forgiveness. There is someone you can forgive. There is someone you can thank. There is someone you can serve and lift. You can do it wherever you are and however alone and deserted you may feel.

"The Laborers in the Vineyard" by Jeffrey R. Holland (also love Elder Holland!)

Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those.

"The Merciful Obtain Mercy" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf (another favorite!)

This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

Stop it!

"Only upon the Principles of Righteousness" by Larry Y. Wilson

Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them. They provide opportunities for growth as children acquire the spiritual maturity to exercise their agency properly. And yes, this means children will sometimes make mistakes and learn from them.

 "What Thinks Christ of Me?" by Neil L. Andersen 

Jesus’s call “Come, follow me”²¹ is not only for those prepared to compete in a spiritual Olympics. In fact, discipleship is not a competition at all but an invitation to all. Our journey of discipleship is not a dash around the track, nor is it fully comparable to a lengthy marathon. In truth, it is a lifelong migration toward a more celestial world.

I found a new way to encourage the kids to listen and take notes during Conference.  Put treats in bowls and label each bowl with a word commonly used in Conference talks.  Each time you hear a word used, you get to take a treat from the appropriate bowl.  We ran out of gummy bears (Jesus Christ) first!  

 Don't they look totally engrossed?