Fun with the Kids at Willamette Valley Fruit Co. Harvest Festival

The kids and I spent an entire afternoon playing at the Willamette Valley Fruit co. Harvest Festival last week after school.  The kids had a great time jumping and running from one activity to another! Huge smiles and lots of fun together as we picked out pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, sailed through the air on a zip line, had ducky races, climbed all over and then slid down huge bales of hay, ate our picnic lunch and then had icecream cones to finish off the day of fun!

Take a look at this picture of the corn maze! There were 3 corn mazes…we attempted and made it through the first and second phase. After spending 30 minutes in the second phase, the kids decided that the 3rd phase might just take too long and so they opted to return to playing and doing the other activities on the farm.

Annie and Nathan LOVED the zip line! It took Nathan a bit of time to warm up to the idea of swinging through the air…but soon he joined Annie in the fun!

Coming soon…

October 22nd I was excited to be invited to Kendra’s ultrasound appointment! Twin A is measuring 5lbs 3oz and Twin B is measuring 4lbs 15oz!!!  They are growing fast and within just a few weeks we expect to welcome these little girls into the world! I am thrilled to be an aunt of twins…though I have to say a little worried about being able to tell them apart at first especially! 

I know Kendra and Jason are excited, yet a little nervous about being parents for the first time (and parents of twin girls)!!!  I know that they are going to be great parents. There is always a learning curve for new parents…I know there was for Ammon and I…but I know that not only are they capable…they will thrive as parents! Their hearts are full and ready to love…that is the most important thing! God will give the strength and help to do the rest!

I can’t wait to post pictures of the twins within the next few weeks! Stay tuned…

Bat Friends

Nathan and Garrett dress up and give their best tough guy, super hero faces!

Women of Faith Weekend

A fun weekend away with the girls: Heidi, Katherine and Rachel! Worship and amazing speakers who shared the theme of the weekend how to be expectant and God can do more than we ask or Imagine!  I think my favorite speaker of the weekend was Marcus Buckingham, a speaker who talked about personal strengths and recognizing who HE made us to be. 

We stayed in Portland on Friday night and had a great time just hanging out and having “girl time.” With all my responsibilities that I have with Hearts at Home ministry, I have been really busy. This time was just what I needed to get “filled up” again and head back home refreshed.

Game day in Eugene…

ESPN Game Day came to Eugene for the Stanford/U0fO game on October 2nd! Ammon got me a “standing room only” ticket for the game and I went down with Craig, Sarah, Uncle Vern and Steve Arzie. Great game… 51-31 DUCKS VICTORY!!!

We went down early to avoid the traffic and had a great time together!  We ate lunch at Chile’s…

…then Rick was able to get us a tour of the newest building on the University of Oregon campus, the Student Athlete’s Academic Building. AMAZING!  The detail they put into this building is incredible. The company that Kim works for, Grove, did a lot of  the impressive wood engraving on the main level of the building that highlight student all-stars…  

There were also funny details that they included…

Sign inside the Joey Harrington auditorium.

Sign on the staircase. Sign inside the elevator.

Besides the funny details that obviously show the rivalry with the school to the north…the academic tutoring rooms, freshman lockers, study areas and the guided tour of the building was impressive!  State of the art in every way. I would imagine that this would be a huge recruiting tool for the university. It was fun to tour. U of O says, “Thanks Uncle Phil.”

The day ended with eating at BJ’s before heading home.  I ended up getting a picture with Greg Oden (Portland Trailblazer), who had been at the game!

What a fun day!

Backyard fun

Following the leader, checking out the bugs/spiders in the bushes, playing football and chase! Annie, Nathan, Garrett and Micah enjoyed playing this beautiful fall afternoon! Cousins just hanging out and having a great time together!

 

Showering Kendra and the baby girls with love!

With just a couple of months to go…we had a great time throwing a twin baby shower for Kendra! Complete with games, food and lots of people who came to shower Kendra and the girls with gifts and love!

Kim, mom and I worked to make a “dessert bar” for the shower. Sarah did a great job on the invitations and decorations. Annie drew a great picture for the girls!  A great combined effort to welcome these little girls into our family…showering them with 

Friends from work and church, family from Washington and Oregon and family friends…a group of almost 40!   I’m so excited to be an aunt to twins! It’s not much longer!!!