Fun photos and a couple of outings

Getting into Rhythm

Cam got his drums set up again. He was lacking drumsticks so Har made him a makeshift pair. The two of them went to Portland Music to get a few cables and the sales guy threw in a pair of drumsticks. Sweet!

Our lawn really needs to be mowed!

We are getting a huge amount of growth in flowers, trees and shrubs all around the neighborhood.

Our rhodie is just starting to bloom and the climbing greenery at one of our favorite coffee shops is growing like a weed.

Typical Courtney

If Courts is at home or out with us anywhere her phone isn't far away. To her credit she did finish eating before she got on the phone.

Pig N Pancake

I don't know how long this restaurant has been on 122nd and Glisan in NE Portland but I've been by it many times. This was the first time that we have eaten there though. I think we ate at the one in Seaside once about 23 years ago when we were at the coast. It's one of the rare restaurants that you can still get a nice Liver and Onions Dinner.

We went out to lunch with our friends, the Youngs, after church today. This happens to be down the road a piece from Central Bible Church. Yummy food and good company!

Just for Fun Photos

These are another couple of photos that I stole from Cherise...though I did some editing to make them uniquely mine.

Our girls are such good mommies!

These grandbabies have good dads too.

Isn't this a priceless picture of fatherhood today.

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Back in the day, kids didn't have car seats and Mom's arm raised in a protective way, when needed, to make sure the kids didn't fly into the windshield while the car braked was about the extent of securing safe travel.

The Reigning youngest Grands, Yearbook time, & Projects

The youngest "GRANDS"

These two are currently the youngest Grandson and Granddaughter.

Little stripey guy and stripey girl!

I swiped this from some pictures that Cherise sent. I think she also posted it on her blog but I'm copying her since it is so cute!

Henry is going to have to move on up to big boy status when Joylynn has her little guy.

Flowers from my husband

I was out running one of the kids somewhere the other day when I got a call from Harlan saying he had something at work that he didn't want to carry home. It was flowers for ME!

What a lovely surprise!

Projects in the works

I haven't done a ton of sewing lately. Been a bit busy with other stuff but I did pick up some new fabric this past weekend.

I think it is a wonderful palette. Now if I'm only brave enough to try some piecework. I think I may just stick to my squares... they're tried and true.

Courtney, on the other hand has been working with Charlie's mother on a quilt of her own. Joann is a real quilter. She does beautiful work. Courtney is learning a lot from her and having fun to boot! Didn't they come up with a fun bunch of fabrics?

Yearbook 2009/10 school year

The deadline for submitting photos and information to the school was fast approaching and my boys were not too enthusiastic to take part in the yearbook. They had not had their pictures in it before and didn't want to this time either but I made them. I perused my photo files and gave them several choices. They each reluctantly picked a photo. Their picks are on the left and my favs are on the right.

This coming school year may be Hayden's last year with Connections Academy so we want to take advantage of all they offer. Perhaps I'll take the boys out to some location an do an official photo shoot next time.

Anything can be artistic

Hayden took this picture a few weeks ago when we went out to get the van fixed near Vernonia. It's some sort of apparatus to anchor a cable that would block the access to a two-rut side road.

I thought it was very cool looking so it is on my blog.

Some peoples and a Pony

Portland Pony?

I'm not sure that this is a pony or if this is a very small horse. It lives next door to Courtney's boyfriend Charlie. This is not out in the country. There are chickens running around in the yard there as well. I've heard the neighing while sitting in the van at St John's Wesleyan church and thought I was hearing things. I was. It is a pet horsey.

A weekend of Wyatt

(Genevieve and Danika too)

Joylynn is having to endure a bit of bed rest due to her pregnancy so we took the kids for the weekend. Aunty Courtney is so good about getting them bathed and ready for bed. She uses de-tangler on the girls' hair and they are all squeaky clean.

Wyatt did great at pouring his own milk from the gallon at supper yesterday and sported a great milk mustache to boot!

Variations on Mr Potato Head

Harlan has a fun application on his linux machine. It has about 8 different screens that you can customize and clear. Wyatt really liked it.

Our Music Room

When we first moved into this house we put the piano in the room to the left as you walk into the house. It is really a part of the living room but since it is separated by an archway we consider it a separate room and call it "the music room". It is where we had the kids instruments for a time when they were taking violin, viola, clarinet and flute lessons. More recently we have had Cam's electronic drums and Harlan's (yes Harlan's) bass guitar. Our friend, Gary, is allowing us to "store" his keyboard and some other equipment for the summer. Harlan is beyond excited! While he was playing the keyboard, Wyatt made sure that the piano wasn't feeling left out. ;)

A Visitor from the East (coast that is)

Visitor from the East....? Must be a wise man.

I'm sure he has been called a wise guy a time or two.

My brother Gerry! What a wonderful surprise!!!!

Seester and brudder!

How come I'm the only one getting to look older?

Trying something new

I tried something different when I was quilting this time. Getting a little more creative.

I hope Katie likes it!

We are community....

Our closest Starbucks has recently remodeled. One of the great things about this one is that it features artwork from our kids' former elementary school. The Art Specialist there was a kindergarten teacher when we were a Sabin family. Chris Lamp does an amazing job with those kids. Original artwork and prints are for sale there.

Sign of the times...

Ever since Cherise went on a mission trip to South Central Los Angels and was introduced to Krispy Kreme doughnuts, our family has periodically stopped to pick up a dozen. We especially enjoyed the perk of getting a "free hot doughnut" when the sign outside read "HOT NOW". A couple of years ago to save money they would give 1/4 of a doughnut as their "freebie". Shortly after that they re-instated the whole doughnut give-away.

We stopped by there other night...drawn by that neon beacon. Alas no free doughnuts. The girl acted like she had no idea what we were talking about. Sad.

"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's"

In the case of these specific taxes it's going to be: give whatever is Krystle's back to Krystle.

Whenever we have to pay a tax bill we wait until the last moment to get the $ sent out. But Krystle reminded me a couple weeks ago that she needed to get her taxes filed. I ended up doing them this morning. Nothing like last minute! Thank God for online forms and fast internet. I would not have been happy to schlep out to the post office to pick up forms at 5:30 this morning. Do they even carry the forms at the post office anymore?

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Philippians 4:7-9

There are a couple of large planters outside of our remodeled Starbucks. Aren't they pretty?

We aren't as involved in community doings as we were when our older kids were in school.

But there is a large percentage of people from our neighborhood that gather for fellowship at St Arbucks. Sometimes we join them.

A mini field trip

Harlan asked me yesterday, "You spend so much time at the computer... Why don't you update your blog more than once a week?" Good question! I think I just purposed to post at least once a week, so it turned out that I saved photos and such for the weekend.

Just looked at the number of blog posts over the past years. I used to post much more often and had shorter posts. So I will try to post more often but when life gets super hectic it may be just once a week...

Had a mini field trip yesterday with my local grandkids. Their mom had an appointment so I grabbed them and hauled them with me to shop a bit.

It was a beautiful sunny day!

They are busy busy children... but we were in a pretty much confined area so I let them look at everything and got my camera out.

I didn't buy anything from the garden center but that is definitely on my to do list in the next couple of weeks.

I did get to buy a few cute things for those cute little ones though.

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I swiped this next picture from some that Cherise sent me yesterday

so I'd have a picture of 3 more grandchildren on this post.

"As for man, his days are like grass;

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

and its place knows it no more.

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,

and his righteousness to children’s children,

to those who keep his covenant

and remember to do his commandments."

Psalm 103:15-18

Cherise turned 26, Naomi turned ?? & Wyatt turned "6"! !

Cherise is 26 years old! Happy Day!

I failed to update my blog with a birthday post for Cherise on April 5th. :(

I didn't forget her birthday, or fail to wish her a happy one, just didn't mention it here so now I have!

Kiel Cherise and Henry were at their house for Easter weekend and her birthday so we have to have some sort of outing the next time they are in Portland.

Birthday Boy

Six years ago on April 7th our first grandson,

Wyatt Earl Martin,

was born in Bozeman, MT.

He was at our house on Wednesday to celebrate his birthday.

He was so cute opening all his presents, thanking the giver, and posing with each one.

Joylynn and Jess gave Wyatt a new pair of pajamas and Wyatt himself, gifted each of his sisters with a pair. What a nice idea. This is a great picture of their whole family. Can you see little #4 in the form of the baby bump?

Another Birthday!

Har's sister Naomi shares a birth date with Cherise. It seems in a large family there are often birthday buddies. Naomi is also Cherise's godmother so that works out great!

Mike and Naomi were in town this week for a few days. We spent a few brief minutes with them. Long enough to get a photo of the "kissing Aunt" (as Courtney's boyfriend as dubbed her) in action. Cute!

Eagle Scout Nuttelman

Our friend, David, earned his Eagle Scout status and there was a ceremony honoring that fact on Saturday. It was really nice to see a some old friends there.

I'm happy you let us be there to see the pride that your folks have in you.

We are proud too.

Some Randomness:

I rarely get photos of Krystle to post on this blog. I called her downstairs tonight to take one. Of course this is the way we see her most of the time. Phone firmly held on left ear. I usually talk with the phone on my right ear.

The "3 Cs" Charles, Courtney and Cam posed outside of Target on an outing.

Another family member that I don't get on my camera too often...

If you can enlarge this picture any you can see him in the photos behind him in two very different looks (hairstyle wise anyway).

Favorite pastime

I love reading, texting, drinking coffee, eating scones and taking pictures of random trees, flowers and such.

Both of these pictures were from this week. As you can see our Japanese maples are leafing out in their spring red leaves. The neighbors ornamental plum tree is blooming pink just beyond and our rhododendron is a late bloomer.

We also had the privilege of having our friend Nicole staying here for her work week and her dad, Gary here for two nights as well.

It's been a busy week with another one ahead. Perhaps I'll ambush Hayden and post photos of him next weekend!