Mission Assignment

Hey everyone,

Just thought we would tell you we will be on assignment with our mission call from Feb 6-March 21.  We will be working on Guatemala and in Belize.  We will see how easy it is to blog while we are there, in Ethiopia it was near impossible, but we will do our best to keep you updated on what we are doing and where we are at.

We will think of you in the warm weather.

Hugs.

Dana and Robin

Visiting Jer in Colorado

 Jeremiah and his family live in Colorado.  Tara and him have 4 sons, and another on the way.  We decided that we would visit them the week of New Years, giving us time during school holiday to have time with the older boys.

 Making a Home Depot Gingerbread House

We helped them move to Colorado last May into their home where they are starting a new part of their lives after Jer graduating from UVU. The move was a feat all in itself, and the house they found was so nice after a year and a half in a tiny apartment.

Weston

For us to come back and see them all moved in and settled was quite fun.  Braxton loves his new big back yard, digging for treasures in the dirt is his favorite.  Weston was a newborn when they moved, so to see his growth crawling up and now down the stairs, walking around all the furniture, and opening cupboards and unloading them, just such joy for us to experience.  It was also fun to see Jeremiah with his boys.  A father interacting with his children, holding Weston when he was tired and ready for bed, while he fell asleep in his arms singing his little boy song.  It is always fun to see first hand how the children you raised love the children they are raising.  The interaction with their own children, teaching, talking, loving.

Braxton

We brought with us a fun activity to do with the older boys.  I found Star Wars snowflake templates on the internet, and we printed them out, after an hour of figuring out how to make them large enough to cut, we started our cutting activity.  A card table was set up in the living room just for our snowflakes, scissors, paper, and excitement. It really was a feat.  There are some really small parts to cut on those snowflakes, but with duo help we made these snowflakes.  I was using an exacto knife to get the eyes, ears, and mouth cut out.  Tara and Braxton were cutting partners and Porter and Tyson cut the outside edges out by themselves, and we created some fabulous snowflakes!  Porter just kept going, he even started designing his own snowflakes.  It was a hit!  We all had fun.

Tyson, Me, and Tara

Braxton, Tara, Me

Porter

Our Snowflakes

Our biggest surprise was Weston, and how much he looks like his grandpa.  I thought, mmm, he looks like him now, his eyes, his cheesy smile, the shape of his face.  But, when we arrived home, a few days later I found a framed picture of Dana as a baby, and I'm not sure there is much of Tara in that boy.  Those are very true O'Crowley genes in that boy for sure.

Dana and Weston

Weston, Dana, Braxton, Jeremiah

Dana and Jer spent most of their time together working on little things in the house, just fixing here and there.  Dana loves to have projects to do all the time.  This is just what and who he is.  So there were light fixtures changed, doorways framed, and just bonding going on.  Braxton had his little tool box out, hammer, screwdriver, helping along the way.  He too is a busy little boy, and talk!  No one can talk as much as Braxton, well it seems that way.

Weston learning to walk

We watched movies at night and were caught up on the Avengers series.  Had to see Ironman and who and what he was.  Dana and I haven't ever read the comics of these Super Heros, so it was fun to learn about these characters and their personalities and achievements.  Ahhh the love of Super Heros.

 Braxton and Weston

Braxton and Weston

I guess this is all for now,  it was a fun trip, and a great time with this O'Crowley Colorado Family.

Hugs,

Robin

Hello again...just had to see if it worked!

It's cold here in Careyville, too.  Had to put a new battery in the car, just couldn't keep jumping it!  We spent Christmas in Pocatello and surprised Charlie.  He had to work and we didn't tell him we were coming over.  All 17 of us stayed 2 days in the apartment and had a blast.  It had just been clean check so we lucked out there!  Jake, Amy's husband, just had knee surgery and was on drugs.  Lisa, Jonathan s wife had morning sickness.  But all in all we had a great time together.
Basketball and the young women's program at church are keeping me busy.  Lilly is playing great and the new beginnings talk will be ready by Sunday.
I love chickens, and we have 2 dozen.  I baby them all the time and they give me just under 2 dozen  eggs a day.  Even in all this cold weather.  Wish we lived closer and I could share some with all of you!

Tim, I've been really thinking about cousin Joe.  He could really be an asset to your ranch.  The thought just won't go away.  He is a handi-man and jack of all trades.   Call me sometime and we will talk.

Thank you, Robin!  I will love to share our family.  I'll even figure out the complicated process of adding pics!     Until later, make it a great day!    Holly

Hello!

Vernal is Cold!!!

Snow in My Yard

Hey Family,  just wanted to share our life in the snow, -5 to -10 every night, gets up to 10 right now. but it is just fun to have the seasons!  Cold is cold I've decided.  Hope all is well with your families.  We visited Jer last week, which I will post some pictures soon, and came home to frozen pipes.  Tender Mercies always abound and we did have a broken pipe, but Dana was able to shut off a valve under the house and the pipe that needs to be fixed goes to the outside faucet, so can wait until Spring for repair, and he doesn't have to crawl under the house in 10 degree weather.  Love blessings in among-st the challenges.  Keep warm!  

This year the snow just keeps coming, keeps giving!  I am loving it so much, even the cold is not bothering me that much. My nice feather comforter makes up for it at night.  I love this season of white, the beauty of the white that glitters in the sun, and the crunch as you walk quietly through the snow.  I love the softness of it's look, and the freshness of my face as the cold touches it in the winter months.  It just always feels so fresh and light especially after the snow has fallen.  It is such a crisp feeling, that I enjoy it while it stays.

 

Flower pots out the back door

Branches from the big Poplar tree out the back of our house.  It has given us shade for many, many years.  I love this tree.

More branches from the tree, big clump of snow on the branch.

The front of my house.  I always love how it looks in the snow, and the contrast of the white with the yellow stucco

Evening light, snow piled on top.

Our apple orchard, really Dana is my Johnny Appleseed.  I think we have enough apple trees for the entire neighborhood, but when it is time to harvest and we are making cider, I love it.  Fresh cider is the absolute best.  We didn't have any apples this year, the freeze came while they were in bloom.  Hopefully 2013 will be better.

An old metal basin by the garden

Trees in the front yard, with the lamp post.  I always love to take photos of the lamp post.

The bird bath in the garden.  I love it all year long.

The sundial in the back flower bed, I always wanted one, and it will someday be in the right direction to tell the right time.

Snow on the branches of the pine tree in our front yard.  Just in huge bunches!

My angel in my back flower bed.  She speaks to me as I look out into the garden.  She is always happy, and is so beautiful.  I feel at home when I weed around her.  She belongs here.

The wood pile by our back door.  Dana loves to get a fire going in the wood stove he built for us in the early years of our marriage.  I love the little bits of snow here and there.  I have always loved the look of a wood pile.

Well, this is home for me in the winter.  Snow, cold, and a home full of love.  I so love the winter months, and really appreciate them more after living in Africa for 2 years.  I am so happy to live where there are 4 seasons, even though snow can be cold, it warms my heart to see it, to feel it, to enjoy it.

Have a great day, and may each day of your winter be snow fun.

Hugs,

Robin