New Art Blog

Along with my first blog I'm not able to add photos to my "art with dimension" blog, so I created a new one!

 HERE

Now all 3 of you that look at my blog can see all my latest work...how convenient!

Christmas Glider

Thanks for the glider, Pops!

Christmas Eve

We spent our Christmas Eve morning at Big Al's. We bowled a game, had lunch and played video games. I must say Russ rocked the bowling, beating us all, I rocked the bball hoop game while the kids rocked the driving games. Fun spending time with the family.

Jesus The Christ

I was challenged by my cousin Michele around the end of October, along with my whole Staker family to read Jesus The Christ before Christmas.  As soon as I heard about the challenge I was excited to get going, so I started reading the next day.  Let me tell you, after the first chapter I didn't think I was going to finish!  The book was written about 100 years ago, the author, James E. Talmage uses such big words I felt I needed a dictionary...in fact, I actually looked up a word he used and it wasn't even in the dictionary.

I kept reading and was so glad I did.  It wasn't until a few chapters in that I found out I can listen to it here, I added this page to my phone and listened with my headphones during the quiet times during the day.  Whether I was folding laundry, cleaning up around the house or sitting on the couch it was much easier to listen than to read...most of the time I did both.

  My testimony of the Savior has grown so much during the past month and a half.  I loved learning more about him and was brought to tears several times because I was touched by the Spirit to know that what I was reading was true.  I am so grateful for Jesus Christ, I know he lives and that he loves me.  He is our perfect example of everything good.  He lived on this earth, healed the sick and afflicted, walked on the water, endured the pains of the Atonement, sacrificed his life for mine and yours, He was resurrected on the third day.  It is only through Him we can return to our Father in Heaven.  He is my Savior, He is whom I strive to be like (I have a long way to go), He is my friend.  His church is restored to this earth today.  He will come again to this earth and I pray I will be ready to greet him.

 I am so grateful I was able to read the book, Jesus The Christ...all 793 pages.

Gingerbread Tower Smash!

We SMASHED our Gingerbread houses today, it was so fun!  The kids have been slowly eating some of the candy from the houses and I was tired of moving them from table to table...it was time to SMASH!

I love this action shot of Jenna smashing her house!

Bess Frens

This is Logan's "bess fren", they had fun playing outside yesterday.

Christmas Party

 Every year our ward goes all out with the Christmas party, this year was no exception!  I was asked to make a "gingerbread" house to display in the room before Santa's room.  Russ and I had fun building this skyscraper, I'd say we won the height challenge, but the time/awesomeness challenge we loose.  Just look at this Candyland replica!  Wow!

O Swap!

 We attended our first O Swap last year at the Yee residence, they must have liked us cause we got another invite this year.  Everyone brings an wrapped ornament and we let the fighting begin.  The kids loved their ornaments and so did Russ until his got stolen!  Blast!  Thanks for the fun night, H & D!

Gingerbread Skyscraper

Ta da!  The gingerbread skyscraper...

Gingerbread Houses

 I was asked to make a gingerbread house for the ward Christmas party this Saturday.  

I couldn't just make one without the whole family joining in, 

so they worked on theirs whilst I worked on mine.

Mine isn't ready for pictures yet.

Recess

This is what Jenna does for her 15 minute recess.  I had fun volunteering today and seeing her in action.

It's The Busiest Time Of The Year

Every year about this time I am busy, everyone wants a Christmas card photo, or a painting for Christmas is always nice!  Here are some recent doings.  Don't you just want to go to the Mokulua islands in Hawaii?  I was sad to give that painting to the owner, I was enjoying being in a warm, sunny place!

The Grotto

 We got together with our FUN friends, the Lowder's on Saturday and went to dinner and then to The Grotto.  We hadn't been to The Grotto before, so we thought it might be a nice change from our annual Christmas lights at the Raceway.  

I still don't know how to explain The Grotto, basically it had a lighted trail with the Christmas story...

 a nativity at the bottom of a huge cliff.

 a petting zoo, puppet show (the kids' favorite part), a choral concert in the church (it sounded incredible, even with the glass doors shut...and even better when they'd open them) and we each got some hot chocolate!  The hot chocolate was awesome on the cold, windy night.

Let's not wait until Christmas time to get together again!

Jenna's Art

I always love when Jenna comes home with new artwork from Kindergarten.

So darn cute!

Jenna loves coloring, painting, anything creative. She is also really into patterns. She brought one home the other day, after displayed for few days I threw it away. Jenna found it in the trash and came to me and said, "why was this in the garbage?! Didn't you see my name right here (as she pointed to it)! I had to display it for another day. Hahaha. So, instead of just throwing these away I decided to take a picture before I do.

Hello Old Friend

Been busy lately! Painting, organizing, church callings, Christmas carding, reading, schooling, volunteering, working out and having fun.

The SUN is finally out today! Oh, how I've missed it!

Snow Day

We woke up this morning to a dusting of snow, and what do ya know...school is closed.  Silly.

I woke up for my usual workout with the ladies at the church at 5:30.  I was so proud of all of us for braving the weather and coming to workout.  Commitment.  Then we all decided it was because none of us are from here, we are used to snow.

Happy 6th Birthday

 We had such a fun pajama party for Jenna yesterday!  She was so excited to have a party when I mentioned it weeks before she ran up to her room and put her jammies on immediately! 

 I made some thank you boxes filled with nail polish (sorry Mom's), goodies and a hair accessory.

 They got to paint their name on a pillow case with freezer paper stencils, I was impressed with their artistic abilities.

 Friends, nail polish, cupcakes, presents, balloons and paint...what more could a girl want?

Tram

We had a fun Veterans Day today. Mel and I took our kids to ride the tram up to OHSU and back down. We even got to meet a real live Veteran, the kids thought that was pretty cool. After the tram we had lunch at Spaghetti Factory just down the street. Fun day!