Here

I can't believe 2010 is near over. This year has held so many challenges and changes. How blessed we are.


As I look to 2011 and strive to make it a good year I am going to focus on one little word...here. I want to be here, in the present. A struggle of mine has always been looking ahead in life to the next stage or the things I need to get done. I have to remind myself to enjoy where I am, now more then ever that is more important to me. I don't won't to miss a thing. I desire to enter fully into the moments so I don't miss the life and memories that I have right now. If I'm already moving onto the next moment, that hasn't even come yet, I am missing out on living.

I want to be here where God has me. Not just to live, but to be able to hear Him and where He wants me to go. If I am not here in the present how can I hear God and His direction for the future, that sadly my mind is usually already moving towards. So this year I am going to be here, here to live my life in the moment that is now, and here to hear God and follow Him.

The year of here.

Elk Report

be thankful I didn't put a picture up of it skinned

The verdict is in on the elk, he is some good eats. We got 300 pounds of meat from him. Which we plan to both enjoy and share. Could you imagine if we tried to consume that much meat. I think we would get tired of elk (or at least I might).

For Christmas with my family they came to Bend the weekend before Christmas to celebrate. The menu for our Christmas dinner was,

Elk roast
Mashed potatoes
Asparagus
Corn casserole
Sourdough bread

Dessert: Iced Christmas cookies, russian tea cakes and peanut butter balls

The elk was good, we all agreed that it was just a tad dry, still really good though. It was probably only a little dry because it was my first time cooking with elk and just didn't know how it cooks. Next time will be even better.


We were up at C's parents for Christmas weekend with most of his extended family. There we had the elk ground, and cooked it up as taco meat. He was good that way too. Still eating and enjoying the leftovers of that.


Though if I am to continue to cook, eat and enjoy this elk I probably should stop referring to it has he and him. Don't really want to relate my food to a living animal. I don't refer to beef as a bull, steer, or other such bovine. Or when I talk about chicken and I don't picture a live chicken running around. So, from now on I need to think of the elk has just meat, not this big animal roaming the woods. So the verdict is the elk meat (or maybe just the meat) is good.

365 Part IX

We are currently at day 95, so just a couple more of these posts and I'll be up to date. Then just look for weekly installments of the 365 pictures. But for now here are the next ten days.

Day 61

Day 62...2 months old


Day 63

Day 64

Day 65

Day 66
Day 67
Day 68

Day 69
Day 70

3 Months

At three months Micah is around 14 pounds. He really knows how to pack it on. Now he is really talking, and enjoys talking with us. Toys catch his interest more. He attempts to grab them and is successful sometimes. Tummy time is starting to be more enjoyable for him. The control he has over his head has greatly improved. He has "seen" his hands. Nap time is going great, we are just working on extending nighttime. I'm sure there are other things he is doing now that I am missing.

We are having so much fun with him, and his infectious smile.

365 Part VIII

Try to get current, we're almost there.

Day 51

Day 52....with him and I, which one?


Day 53...okay I probably should cut one of these out, which one?


Day 54
Day 55
Day 56

Day 57


Day 58
Day 59

Day 60

They Lie

Right now we are using the original Johnson's "no tears" baby shampoo. That says it is as gentle to eyes as pure water.

One night we were sudsing up Micah's hair and some soap almost got in his eyes. I said, "We should probably know what that feels like."

Without a second thought C grabs the bottle squirts some in his hand and rubs it in his eye.


"IT BURNS!! IT BURNS! THEY LIE! IT BURNS!!" he yells


Mind you this was pure soap, and just the suds might not bother the eyes. We both started laughing uncontrollable for minutes as C tried to rinse the soap from his eye. He sums up the experience by saying, "They totally lie, that burned so bad!"

We are certainly going to be extra careful not to get any in Micah's eyes.

C's eye was red for the rest of the night.

365 Part VII

We're getting there.

Day 41

Day 42


Day 43



Day 44


Day 45



Day 46


Day 47


Day 48



Day 49


Day 50