One of the best things about holidays is just the break from the routine of life - the opportunity to spend more time with more family and great excuse to go somewhere for the weekend!
My brother Mark and his lovely wife Paula came down from Alberta and joined us for Thanksgiving. We rented a house at Nye Beach for the weekend.
But first we had a big Thanksgiving dinner with lots of family, more than 25 for dinner and about 40 by the end of the day.
Dave and his grandson Brody enjoyed the music provided by Steve Hesser, my niece Jewel's husband.
Molly and Eric were looking fine as they enjoyed dinner,
as were Craig and Steph.
Apparently it was Nick's turn to be the short one - My niece Brittany is beautiful
whether she's tall or short!
My lovely sisters Hope and Jean. I joined them on this little loveseat for some close sister time, and I know some pics were taken. Whoever took one of the three of us, could you share it with me? I'm sure it's really cute!
My three boys! Love them so! Nick really doesn't have a giant head, it was just a hasty "hey get over there and let me take a picture of you with your brothers" kind of pose.
Uncle Eric enjoyed watching Kam play in the little kitchen. Kam was delighted to be allowed to open cupboard doors and remove everything! And to turn the knobs on the stove!
What a good grandpa Dave is - right down on the floor to play with Brody and Jewel's girls. (Ouch!)
Kam and Brody shared the kitchen pretty well, when Kam didn't have him trapped in the corner!
Perhaps a love of the violin was planted here? My great-niece Betsy plays so beautifully.
Great-niece Heidi loves Kam and got him to sit still for a few seconds!
Emmie figured out a great way to get him to sit! (I love a bookworm, reminds me of myself way back when!)
The happy expectant couple...
Hope's son Joel has a lapful with Heidi and Jean's son Chavon.
Uncle Craig also enjoyed keeping an eye on Kam in the kitchen...
Later in the day, we gathered around to sing some old favorites, accompanied by Faith on the piano, Betsy on the violin, and Steve on the guitar. When the Roll is Called up Yonder, Amazing Grace, Victory in Jesus, A Little Talk with Jesus, Jesus Loves Me, and many more. Hope and I shared a fun one from an old children's record, "I'm Getting Nuttin' for Christmas" (though we have forgotten so many words). Mark shared a heart-rending rendition of "Gloom, Despair and Agony on me…." HeeHaw did not play a big role in our non-TV family history, but thank you, Mark, for sharing!
A bunch of us met up again for lunch at Red Robin on Friday after shopping. I was going to send this to Tavin to let her know we missed her but I forgot. (We missed you, Tavin! Hope to see you playing basketball at George Fox soon!)
Then we hopped in our car and travelled out to Newport. What gorgeous weather!
And what a handsome man!!
A beautiful sunset, and we stayed off the dangerous cliff.
Such happiness, such joy, to run on a sunny beach under cloudless skies next to the deep blue sea the next day!
That's Galen waving as Anisa, Mark and Paula and I approached them to watch the sunset, barely in the nick of time after an impromptu run for salt water taffy.
My oldest brother Galen and his wife Carol are two of my favorite people.
This whole group of people are also among my favorite people. (We had a miscommunication with Doug and he was waiting for us at the house. Poor Doug.)
But what a cute picture of his wife Anisa, son Duane and the wonderful Rachel.
So happy together….(sing it!)
Gorgeous at the beach again today.
And a close call for Mark after a long weekend of bantering with Will…but he escaped uninjured!
So much fun and beauty and great food….wonderful memories were made. And now here we are, home again, ready to get back to work tomorrow and the routine of life…but Christmas is coming!!
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