Tacomawa: Christmas in Austin TX

Christmas in Austin TX

For Christmas, we flew to Austin. This is the first time all of Stephen's family have lived in the same town for many years! (Or at least the same area of suburbs.) Rene and Honey are renting a house while Rene is starting work at Dorney Security, installing and selling security systems. Honey is babysitting her granddaughters during daytime. Below, exploring historic Georgetown with Bailey.

Adam and Melanie are building a new home. We got to tour some of the model units similar to theirs, and see the site with wonderful trees. Right, Honey organized several fun crafts. These Christmas trees are made from old magazines. Stephen invented a more complex pattern than everyone.

Bailey has joined his middle school band, and just earned first chair playing tuba! We pulled out Stephen's old trumpet to play along, and hopefully get the younger kids interested in in playing brass.

We had fun, trying on hats in an antique store, making five kinds of Christmas cookies...

Tippy helped Lukas with the sprinkles. We tried to help in the kitchen too.

The whole family opened presents together on Christmas Eve. We had fun figuring out some of the complex kid's toys, including a bracelet making kit for age 7+ that three adults didn't understand. Finley models her sweet Santa pjs and new baby doll.

 

Honey and Rene were happy to have their three children all together. We stayed up late playing charades and board games.

We took the kids skating at Chaparral Ice Center. It was their first time, and even with wobbly legs, they hated to leave.

Everyone standing up straight! for just a moment!

We had fun in downtown Austin, visiting Waterloo Records, the original Whole Foods, and Amy's Ice Cream.

We celebrated Lukas' 5th birthday early and made an Iron Man cake. Stephen and Rene installed a light so the side of the cake so it lights up like his metal suit.

Lukas helped Ginger roll out the fondant. Super heroes are his favorite!

The whole family on New Year's Eve. Rene & Honey, Stephen & Ginger, Tippy & Markus with Bailey (11) and Lukas (5), Adam and Melanie with Sophia (8) and Finley (2).

Tacomawa: Fall + Billings MT

Tacoma WA

This fall we visited the installation site of Bertha, the giant drill tunneling under Seattle. Our friends Matt and Melissa found the cool tour for us.

You may think Bertha is just a funny name for a big item, but actually the name was chosen by local children from a list of famous women in the area. Bertha Landes was Seattle's first (and only) women mayor. In 1926. See more about the drill at WSDOT, or follow Bertha on Twitter!

Ginger's high school friend Kendra lived in Tacoma during November as part of her podiatry internship. She'll graduate from medical school in Chicago this spring. Right, Stephen is keeping the house warm.

On campus, Ginger got students involved in an outreach to meet others on campus and ask, "What are you thankful for?" Below, two visitors, baby Phoebe, Grace, Kerry, Ira, Eric and Ginger.

Billings MT
We drove to Billings for Thanksgiving, dividing the 14 hour trip into two days. The two mountain passes were mostly clear, with a small snowstorm coming home.

We celebrated Ginger's 28th birthday the night we arrived. Amos and Kristian drove from Billings. (Photo by Amos) Amos has been working on a mini-helicopter for photography and video.

Stephen embraces Montana cowboy looks during a post-thanksgiving stroll. Gramma Pearl, Nancy and aunt Mary enjoy cooking in Mary's renovated kitchen.

Stephanie's boyfriend Ryan joined the family for the Thanksgiving, and had fun catching up with Mandy and Nick.

Below, Bill and Nona had breakfast with Ginger and her parents. They are back in Billings for the winter, driving school buses and saving money for the next summer's mission in Slovakia. Bill is going to be in a documentary about the spiritual revolution happening with the Roma people! Right, Clementine had fun in the backyard. Nancy built a complex structure of mostly lawn chairs to block the un-gated side yard.

Nancy assembled a "Cousins Party" the day after thanksgiving as an assorted family reunion. Pearl's independent living home has a large gathering area perfect for such events.

From left, Tim and wife Stacey, Terry, Pearl and Nancy, Aunt Lois, Stephanie, Ryan, Mary, Jim. Front row- Mandy, Nick, Stephen, Ginger.

Our last morning, our high school Sunday school teacher Anna came over for breakfast. Then we spent the night in Missoula with Uncle John and Aunt Gloria, here modeling aprons made by their daughter Jasmine, a costume and props decorator in Hollywood. Jasmine and her longtime boyfriend Tom just got engaged! We missed seeing them, but did get to spend the evening with Sierra and her husband Bryan.

We had lunch with Nancy's cousin Dave and his wife Cadie in Spokane, WA. Their son Eric is in middle school, and showed us several of his cool projects.

Stephen counted that we visited 35 people in 5 days!

Tacomawa: Portland OR + End of Summer

Tacoma WA

Stephen's project at Hillside Terrace has taken shape- this is the community center.

Stephen set up his own office, cubicles, desks, computers, and other details so everything could be perfect.

Absher brings employees to special events, like the Ranier baseball game. (The mascot is a reindeer!)

We are having fun exploring Tacoma Museums, like the Museum of Glass. Ginger was excited to see works by Chihuly. (She and Nathaniel saw a Chihuly exhibit in Dallas, but didn't know Chihuly was from Tacoma!)

 

The top of the Museum of Glass is a large cone that funnels smoke from the furnances where you can watch glass blowers at work.

Our next museum was the LeMay America's Car Museum. Below, the large window viewing downtown Tacoma.

Weekend in Portland

Our friends Brett and Ashley have been living in Portland, OR the last three years, with the Coast Guard. Ashley is experimenting with gluten free cooking while she works on her novel, and Brett is working on his photography. Ginger and Brett compare photos on their cameras, yet continue using instagram!

We toured Pittock Mansion, an historical house with a beautiful view of the city. We liked the tea party room! 

 

Friends reunited on the grand staircase! Brett and Ashley are moving to California next for Brett's training at "A School." 

Home in Tacoma, summer is over, and we're starting to experience some Washington weather:

Stephen flew to Connecticut for a weekend to be a groomsman in Jess and Tim's wedding!

 

Ginger finished her summer job decorating cakes at Albertsons. Her fall job is math tutoring with Club-Z Tutoring. Cakes from her last day: 

InterVarsity

Ginger is volunteering with the Puget Sound area team of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She got to meet everyone at the pre-semester staff retreat.

Back: Jess, Caleb, Ben, Ashley, Nick, Marshae, Benita, Chloe, Allison, Deanna. Front: Ellen, Felicia, Sarah, Tasha, Tim, Ginger.

Ginger is planting a new InterVarsity chapter at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. She has met many students. First: Grace has been reaching out to international students. Second- We've started several small group Bible studies on campus. Alexis, David, Tyler and Conner.