Our 24th Anniversary trip to Bend!

Grady's mom was so kind as to gift us with 2 nights at a very nice hotel in Bend to celebrate our 24 years together in marriage. It was such a great weekend! The room was lovely, the weather was great but the best part was just being able to be together-talking, relaxing and of course hitting all the thrift shops and garage sales! ;-) We ate some yummy meals together and had a terrific time. I love you honey! I look forward to growing old with you!

 

 

 

It was such a lovely drive through the Willamette National Forest and over the pass toward central OR where Bend is located

 

Gorgeous!

 

Our first peek at Sisters Mountains

 

These 2 dozen roses (one for each year) were waiting in our room. Grady had first ordered 2 dozen red roses but remembered how much I like lavender roses and instead ordered a dozen of each color!

 

Our room was situated right on the river and we were able to watch the geese and goslings swimming in the river. So pretty there! And quiet. 

 

While in Bend, we were able to visit the incredible High Desert Museum

Have you been there? We would highly recommend it! I will be doing a post about it after we are able to plan a trip back with the kids :-)

Grady standing next to an original stagecoach at the museum

While shopping at a local market, we saw this amazing guy.. Hmm think we'll stick with Pho for dinner! :-)

 We had to travel  all the way to the Bend Goodwill to find a coffee cup my size!

After three days of fun and relaxation, we packed up and headed home. What a blessing to have spent some special time together. (and isn't that romantic that we packed the roses in a porta-potty we had picked up at a garage sale? The former owner promised it was new and hadn't been used, so that's good I guess.!.!! :-)

 

 

 

 

Settling Into the Rental & First Days of Summer

We are settling into our new rental. It is located on 7 acres on the side of a 'mountain'.. it has a steep driveway with the barn halfway down the drive. The front yard looks over the valley with a breathtaking view. So far the only thing we've found to be a downside to the place is that it is COVERED in poison oak! Poor Mandy has gotten it the worse, we think she may be allergic! All in all it is a wonderful landing place for the time being.

 

 

We love the big covered porch

 

 

The kids have been having fun fixin up the place..

Even Grace got to grade the driveway!

Good job guys!

Our dog kennels situated behind the house on a newly graded area

Happy Dogs!

Ashley 23, Amanda 20

This year we planted just a few things in raised beds.. tomatoes, lettuce and a few herbs the girls picked up. I also planted some zucchini, cucumber and butternut on the hill

The best chicken tender 'round these parts!

Ryan, age 16

 

 

Fun with the ponies

Our beloved family milk cow Daisy

Grace 7 & Laura, 4

Time to head back up to the house!

So pretty! We are grateful for what the Lord has provided

Silver Falls, OR

Our family enjoyed a much needed break by heading up to the lovely Silver Falls where we enjoyed hiking and a picnic. The weather was perfect and our time together was a pure blessing. It was such a joy to see Amanda able to hike and run.. I had a hard time keeping up with her! :-)

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda's 21 B-day & her HEALING!

This year has been very eventful for Amanda. In March, our precious Lord Jesus healed her completely of her sickness! She is like a different girl now.. running everywhere, doing hard work, hiking, milking her cow and able to do everything she could do 4 years ago before her sickness. Just 4 months before she had been laying in bed most of the month of November, hardly able to eat and sit up. We have witnessed a miracle! Rejoice with us for her healing! (she would love to give her testimony so when you see her in person, please ask her! :-)

 

Psalm 103: 1-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. 

 

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Amanda's friend Willow made this lovely gluten free lemon cake!

Ashley had found out that Michael Card was going to be in our area so we surprised Amanda with concert tickets for she, the boys, Ash & Daddy

She was very excited!

They were all blessed by his music and the reading of scripture

 

 

Moving Again and Mama's Surgery

Well, why stay put when you can move every 6 months or so?? :-) Our rental in the farmlands of the Willamette Valley was not a good fit for a few different reasons. We were blessed enough to find a bigger place up in the foothills on 7 acres which suits our family much better. In addition, I had to have surgery to remove a huge mass. Once the Dr. operated it had shrunk immensely (thanks to prayer!) and the biopsy result came back as a benign mass, praise the LORD! I had been suffering from a chronic infection which had caused all of the pain and problems over the past 2 years. But the Lord has healed me since and I am feeling so much better these days! It was a busy and somewhat stressful March/April but as I write now (April 28th) we have moved to our new place and we are trying to get settled back into a normal schedule.

Mandy, Daisy & the Girls

Gettin' hay the city-folk way.. in a 15 passenger van

 

Mama, bustling off to do something important, I'm sure :-)

Getting goat kisses

Between the goat and cow, we were getting this much milk every night

Mandy works on a puzzle with the kids and Nana who had come to help during surgery

The same day I went in, we got word that we were able to go check out the new rental

I was sore but not about to be left behind! LOL. Nana came along as we checked the place out

neat old barn..

The driveway is quite steep and impressive

...the view is gorgeous

Great deck for playing on those rainy Oregon days

Looks like a good fit! Thank you Lord for providing for us once again