Loving My Family!

The Stone Family - 2011

I hear people say that they have the best family....and I'm sure they do, but they're wrong.  I do.

I do, I do, I do!  My family is hands down the best that there is.

Let's start with my dad.  I remember as a little girl playing with my brother with kids in the neighborhood and finding some screws on the ground.  We insisted that these belonged to "MY DAD" cause he could fix anything.  And its true.  He can find a solution to fix just about anything - it might not be the textbook solution - but it works.  And now, being a married woman to a man who doesn't have this "gifting", it's so much more appreciated.    Love you, Dad!

And then there's my mom.  She will do anything, and I mean ANYTHING for her family.  I know there were countless nights where she would stay up into the wee hours of the night doing projects and crafts for us....wrapping every single stocking stuffer from Santa.....making her infamous blueberry jello salad....and more.  She has a gift - an eye to see things from a creative angle....she takes things from simple and transforms them into magic.  We had the best costumes for Halloween growing up....actually we had the best of a lot...just because of her hard work and amazing talent.  Love you, Mom!

My bros - all 4 of them.  I used to complain to my parents that it was like growing up in a daycare.  They could bug me like no other...but I love them like no other too.  They were all different - yet the same.  Each one has their own amazing characteristics and talents.  Its so fun to see them grow up and start their own families.  Both of my brothers who have gotten married gave me the best sisters.  God is so good at providing just the right spouse when you follow His leading.  That what is so great.  Their spouse is not only the perfect partner for them, but they fit right into our family.  God sure knew what He was doing when he brought Jessica and Lindsey into this family.  Love you Mark, Alan, Kurt and Todd!  And you too Jessica and Lindsey!

Finally, there is my family.  God brought me the perfect man to complete me.   He may not be Bob Villa, but his talents are just as good. Sometimes it seems like you have to wait for things, like marriage and kids, longer than you should have to.  Like maybe God forgot about this for you.  But in each of these areas of my life...its God's miracle working power that prevails.  There are other posts on this blog of the miracle God gave us in having a son so I won't go into that here.  But I will say, "I love you, Jeff!  I love you, Jarrett!"

And as I saw written in every birthday and anniversary card my parents wrote to each other growing up, I'd like to say this to all my family:

"I love you....more than yesterday...less than tomorrow!"

with love,
Tammy

Auntie Joyce Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-O!

Auntie Joyce Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-O!

Aunt Joyce is one of our favorites.  And her home is amazing.  Not amazing in the sense that it is a "mansion overlooking the city with an amazing view", but amazing in the sense that it is the place of family.  And while its not really a "farm", there is a garden and a beautiful old barn with a lovely clematis growing on the side that just speaks of a photo opportunity.

This last labor day weekend, it was a weekend of parties.  A wedding and a family reunion.   But in the center of all that activity, it was about family.  The wedding deserves a blog all on its own...that will come.  So today its about family.

At the farm, Cora and Jarrett busied themselves with picking berries.  They were so proud of their harvest sharing berries with anyone who would have a bite.

And on that farm, she had some boys....... 

Family doesn't get together without some sort of sport going on.  Today, it was soccer.   The Reidt boys led the pack with some full-contact soccer.  This is really how things should be done.

And on that farm she had some men...

While the boys played, the men talked...

 ...and talked...

 ...and talked...

...and talked.

After all, this is what family is about too.  Sharing our lives with one another... The wisdom from founding fathers (Uncle Dennis, Dad, Tom, Chuck, Rick) sharing with the up and coming amazing leaders God has given our family (Jeff, Vincent, Mark, Alan, Todd, Jared, Mike, etc)

oh ya, and food!  

And on that farm she had some food...

The Stones can definitely cook a good meal.  Today, it was thanks to all of the aunts, cousins, wives, and anyone willing to cook...and Mike (Thanks Templemans!)

I loved Jen's Rosemary Limeade (I want that recipe).

Food was definitely a topic of discussion this time.  It seems like everyone is on some type of "lifestyle change" (its not a diet!).  Vegan, plant-based, non-dairy, vegetarian, whatever is convenient at the moment, type of eating plan.  Made for an interesting selection of foods.  

But no matter what you wanted to eat - you could find it.  And, it tasted amazing.  Especially, the Rosemary Limeade (have I told you Jen I want the recipe?!?).

And on this farm she has some LOVE!

Our family loves each other.  And it definitely shows.  We really shouldn't wait until the next wedding to all get together, but we should love each other and talk to each other and break bread with each other continually.   After all, that is what God's example is to us.  Life is busy and daily commitments and distance can easily keep us apart.  But no matter what, we are family.  We can rely on each other, encourage each other, love each other.  We are united by blood and by the love we have of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Having the security of our eternal purposes in Jesus give us peace that surpasses all, that keeps us focused on the important things and not the insignificant things.

 Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.

Phil 1:3-6 

Thank you Aunt Joyce for opening up your home again and again for our family to love each other again and again!

With love,
-t.

Becoming Good Friends with Cousins

We just had the most amazing 2 jam-packed weeks with our family from Huntington Beach.  We had a fair, days at the water park, Nascar, family reunion, not to mention the reason why everyone came in the first place - a wedding!  And while all the hustle and bustle was fun, the most important thing for us was the friendships that were made among the cousins.  Here are some highlights of the hundreds of pictures that were taken over the last 2 weeks:

FAIR DAYS

JARRETT & LIZZY

LIZZY

NANNY & JARRETT

UNCLE MARK & ABBY

JARRETT & PIGS

CORA, LIZZY & JARRETT & PIGS

ITS A TURKEY

IS THAT A CHICKEN MOM?

SCOTT & LIZZY @ KIDS SCIENCE EXHIBIT

JARRETT 

JARRETT'S FEET MUST HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE GRASS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET HIM TO LEAVE THIS STATION.

WAITING FOR MUTTON BUSTIN'

HANGING ON THE FENCE

CAN YOU SEE THE RESEMBLANCE? I THINK THEY ARE RELATED!

TESSA JOINS THE GROUP @ OLD MACDONALD'S FARM

SCOTT, CORA & LIZZY

FACE PAINTING

JARRETT'S SPIDERMAN

CORA'S PANDA

LIZZY'S FAIRY EYES

BACK ROW:  CORA, SCOTT
FRONT ROW: JARRETT, TESSA, LIZZY

PLAY TIME:

SCOTT, CORA, JARRETT, LIZZY, TESSA, ABBY

LET'S SWING

BABY ABBY GETS IN ON THE FUN

SWIMMING TIME:

TESSA & CORA

BABY ABBY

BABY ABBY

UNCLE KURT & TESSA

GARDENING:

CORA & JARRETT PICKING BERRIES

SHARING WITH FAV. AUNTIE JOYCE

LOOK AT ALL THE BERRIES!

BED TIME:

CORA READING, "EVERYONE POOPS" (INSERT LAUGH HERE)

SCOTT READING, "DINOSAURS LOVE UNDERPANTS"

ALL TUCKERED OUT

It was sad to see them leave.  Jarrett has asked everyday for his cousins to come back and play again.  Its hard to explain to a 3 year old distance and how its not the same coming to Washington from California as it is just going across town.  But we will figure it out and look forward to another visit with our cousins and good friends.  After all, we are family and we stick close together.  Maybe next time it will be on the beach in a tent.....

Independence Day 2011

APPRECIATING HISTORY AND FAMILY

This year I wanted Jarrett to learn about Independence Day - not just the date, 4th of July, but the meaning behind it.  So we had a history lesson and I taught him how our founding fathers had to fight for our freedom.  Explaining freedom to a 3 year old is not easy - but he now knows that we can pray and worship and live the life we want because someone gave up something for us.  Just like Christ, our freedom is the best blessing we can have.  

Like every history lesson, crafts make them fun.  Especially when candy is involved.  So we made paper rockets filled with candy and tissue fire blasters that we could give as gifts to our friends and family to celebrate our freedom.  And of course, we displayed our rockets with all the pomp and circumstance we could drum up in our underwear.  Uncle Sam was made with a cotton beard and glitter stars to hang from the window.  All in all, it was a good decoration to remind us of our freedom.

And what celebration isn't complete without family BBQs and fireworks.  We started the day at the river (after a long, long trip to get there because we were too "smart" to download directions for the park) with some great friends, Matt and Stacy and their parents.  And of course Zachy the dog (very big dog) that Jarrett "still members that doggie".  It was the perfect day enjoying good friends and food.  I think I must have been in a food coma as the camera didn't come out once for that part of the day.  I mean, have you eaten Joanne's chocolate chip cookies?  You would be in a food coma also.  

Thompson Cousins 2011

Then, off to BBQ #2 with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  Again, more food than should be consumed even on a holiday.  Activities included swimming, fun on the playground, but the event that stole the show was the fireworks.   

Pop-its, sparklers, piccolo petes, hens-n-chicks, tanks, fountains.  You name it, we lit it.  The "men" were like boys at Christmas at the fireworks stand deciding exactly what we needed for a perfect show.  And they had to lay out everything in a good order, organizing the show.  The kids of course didn't care about order and just wanted to pick out what was next. 

But the one who ended up ruling the show was Aunt Rochelle. She took control of the "fire" and lit almost all of the fireworks. Simply brave and amazing!  I admire that woman with no fear of explosives :)

All in all it was a great day.  And I love my little Firecracker boy!  He wasn't born on the fourth of July, but he has the appreciation of our freedom just the same!