I'M KIND OF A BIG DEAL

I should probably go ahead and take up acting....cause I look dang good on TV!  So a couple weeks ago I was put on a funeral team and this was a full honors ceremony we did last week.  You might notice that I glance down at my rifle just after it was "supposed" to fire....I was actually 0 for 3.  (not my fault tho, it wasn't my rifle and the 1st blank round was supposed to already be chambered)  Never seen so many old people in one place.  I thought we were gonna have to do another funeral before we got outta there.  (especially since the crowd didn't know we were gonna fire so it scared the doo-doo outta most of em)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/60-years-after-he-died-in-war-Wenatchee-man-gets-heros-welcome--204973211.html?tab=video&c=y

So along with being in the paper for riding the Cedarcrest bleachers to the ground after a bomb threat, I'm pretty much the biggest celebrity this family has!

Almuerzo en el campo

Well, guess it's time to blog -- what an interesting word -- congers up images of slogging through the fog -- blogging along one sluggish step at a time -- 'course maybe it's just because we have a computer that just slogs along in its own fog.  Well enough of that, on to some news.  We spent an absolutely wonderful day a couple of weeks ago out in the "campo" (country) with the Avalos family. He's been a branch president for some 13 years now and lives about 15 kilometers out of town, but comes in a couple of times a week to take care of his church responsibilities -- sometimes by horse-drawn cart when his beater car is broken down.  He and his wife and 5 kids live in a tiny 3 room brick house that he built himself, with no electricity or running water -- they have to haul water from a well about a mile away.  They raise their own food -- a little livestock and a few crops if the weather cooperates, i.e., if it rains, which it hasn't very much the last couple of years, so they've lost a lot of their crops -- corn mostly.  Yet they inivited us and the sister missionaries out to their home for lunch on P-day and we ate like kings.  Here's a few pics of our experience.

First, the Avalos family at Church -- with their five kids and an extra little member girl in front of Sis Avalos.  The oldest just to the right of Mom is Marina who is waiting for her mission call.  (The Church pays most of the cost of Latin missionaries' missions in this area.)

     

We had a picknic outside in the shade of some trees which was thoroughly enjoyable.  Our two sister missionaries are to the left of Mom -- Sister Jimenez and Sister Chung -- both fairly new in the mission but excellent missionaries.

 

Our group out in front of the Avalos' home -- built up on a hard dirt slab for water run-off -- pretty stark, but they're as happy and loving a family as we've ever met.  They have nothing but they have everything -- they've been sealed together as an eternal family in the Asuncion Paraguay temple.

Well, we have several other photos we'd like to post but this mini HP isn't cooperating so we'll see if we can do this much and try to put some more on in a separate post.  Meanwhile we've enjoyed the individual e-mails back and forth.  Love you lots.  Thx for all your love and support -- you're the best people on earth and we're so glad we get to be together forever.

XOS,  Dad & Mom           

The great NW

Welp, any news yet? You staying or going? Maybe you moved and that's why you haven't been able to post...

Just wanted to show that our little man-child is already sportin the stache which is odd since he barely has any hair on his head. Looks like Luigi. He's finally sleeping 7 hours at once; tall and skinny with a little head like Brynn and rolls over already! He's quite smiley too and just chill. 

Things are busy here. Getting ready for our Camp fundraiser which has been crazy and I have a feeling I'm getting released. Bishop keeps asking Dal how I'm doing and I think he thinks I'm too stressed out but it would be more helpful if Dal were to get released. But we'll see, maybe not. So anywho...ALSO I have to tell you, madre, that Brynn knocked over your plant stand and the marble thing broke in 2. The bottom plant totally bit the dust but the top one is alive and thriving. Do you hate me? Dal keeps trying to get rid of the whole thing but I won't let him but just so you know. I kept the broken pieces so let me know what you want me to do with it. Sorry. Ok well xos! love you both!

 I made her play outside...

six years ago

 

today is baylie's birthday and found this picture and had to post.

  pretty grandma with some of her grandkids.  

Hair!!

We finally have some hair long enough to put in little piggies and I am dying right now! She's looking less and less like a baby everyday and i hate it. But SO dang cute with her tiny hairs pulled into pigtails and if you look closely, she has Eiffel Towers on her shirt...probably my favorite find ever! This girl is practically dating and married, i swear.

And Jett on the other hand is a growing machine. That boy is already eating 8oz. yet only sleeping 5 hrs. He might just be our last. I can't handle little/no sleep but he sure is a handsome dude. 

Pretty sure you could pull off this hairdo too, Pops from the looks of that last picture! You could be twinners! Welp, it's good to see you both doing so well. Hope you get to move somewhere new and exciting, helps to keep you from getting trunky! love you guys, xos!

Por Fin Pics

Guess it's time to post some more pics, assuming our "horse-drawn" computer as Darek aptly calls it, will work for us.

Just us in front of our chapel, one of the nicer ones in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

My first haircut in many a year -- I did tell you I was growing it out, right?  Pay your money take your chance!  Check out the photographer in the mirror.

 

 

 

Some of our Argentine friends -- the owners/directors of an English school here in town.  The gal on the left is Lorena to whom we gave a Book of Mormon and who came to Church a couple of times but eventually said she couldn't accept it -- unfortunately.

 

 

 

 If you look closely you can see the double rainbow over our fair city -- R. Saenz Pena, Argentina.  (Photo courtesy of the Mom)

 

 

 

This is the Segovia family (L-R back) Dario, Graciela, Lili and the two boys in front Lucas and Aldo.  Graciela is a single mom who lives on minimal government assistance and whatever she can earn selling bake goods.  She pays her tithing faithfully and serves in the RS presidency.  She taught herself how to read by studying the Book of Mormon and she went to the temple for the first time last July.  She's trying despartely to keep her children on track and preparing for missions -- not an easy task given the environment here.

  

Well, I probably need to wrap this up before something goes haywire.  Thanks to all of you who've posted stuff recently -- we appreciate being able to share in special events albeit from a distance.  We miss you all very much and look forward to many happy reunions.  Take care.  Love you mucho!!

XOS, Dad

 

 

 

 

Easter Weekend

Gosh, high security for everything these days!  Had to send a verification code to log on.  That on top of Darek's high security bracket group that I never cracked the code on to enter.  Sheesh!  Well, anyway just wanted to post some pics from our trip to Vancouver to see Jett blessed and enjoy Easter with family.  The warm, sunny weather made it all so much more enjoyable.

 

 

 

The field that hosted our exciting egg hunt!

 

 

 

Yes, those are Winco bags. 

 

 

 

 Doesn't phase Porter, Winco bag or not, he's happy!

 

 

 



Notice the cute bucket? : )

 

 

 

The older kids hunting for they're full bags of candy. 

Trying to act nonchalant about it though.

 

 

 

Not too many hiding places but the kids still had fun...

 

 



 

Brynn at least stayed within the sidewalk boundaries!

 

 

 

That was all the higher Spencer could hide eggs.

Worked out well for Porter!

 

 

 

Some day he'll be embarrassed by this : )

 

 

 

Ava started out happy and hopeful.....



 



 

 

Until the end when her siblings had more eggs than her : (

 

 

 

Two eggs was good enough for Brynn!

 

 

 

It was so good to visit Sharla and Dal with lots of his family and Spencer too.  Always goes too fast.  Hopefully all the rest of you had a great Easter and enjoyed it with loved ones.  It's Spring Break for us this week so we've got a camping trip planned and today I'm taking the kids to play Laser Tag. 

 

Is there a transfer possibly happening for you guys?  What city would you be going to?  Change is always a bit exciting and the newness can be fun.  Hope you have a great experience no matter where you are!  Love ya and chat with ya soon!

 

Love,

Marschell



Jett's Blessing

Happy post-Easter!!! We blessed Jett on Sunday and had Kevin/Gwen, Becca/Quentin, Trav/Janine/kids, Hailey, Mars/Paul/kids, Harrison cousins and Spencer/kids. Our place was packed! But good thing we have a balcony and huge courtyard area so we made do. Had a big BBQ and then did our Easter egg hunt which was so fun. The big kids had to find whole bags of candy hidden super hard to make it more interesting. This was Brynn and Jett's second egg hunt so it was less interesting for them. She just wanted to walk around and be free.

The day before, all the Adamsons went to the zoo which was a madhouse b/c it was SO nice and sunny and all of Oregon had the same idea. It was kind of ridiculous with 2 babies at a zoo--always having to stop for something but it was nice to be outside and there was a petting zoo which Brynn loved. And in the cheetah exhibit they had a dead calf just waiting to be devoured but I was to be disappointed. The cute baby elephant made up for it tho.

We went swimming at Marschell's hotel and yesterday Janine and I went on a walk by the water with all the kids and then Gwen and I got Dal some clothes, got Thai food and then the madness was over. Just like that everyone was gone. Now I have to detox the whole place, vacuum and wash everything.

Also yesterday was April fool's day so I had about 72 voicemails asking about my camry for sale on craigslist which I was so confused by until one of them asked for me by Shahayla which only Dal calls me so then I knew. I tried to get him back by saying I had sold it to pay Jett's hospital bills with but he wasn't buying it. Ok well this is long enough, hope you have a great Conference weekend and let us know if anything new changes over there! Love you both, happy 1 year abouts!

As you can see, Jett is a little less photographed. Lame mom award right here...