Senior Pictures...Part 1

Sr Pics On Location @ Stub Stewart State Park
Starring Jacob Stafford
Directed by Mom and Adrienne
Photography by Adrienne

In A Cabin In The Woods

We went camping in May to Stub Steward State Park and really loved it. It is right along the Banks-Vernonia Trail and they have some wonderful cabins to stay in. A few months ago we decided to spend Thanksgiving with our own little family in a cabin. So I reserved one and on Wednesday afternoon we headed out! Since I was able to get the pet friendly cabin, Gidget got to accompany us!

We stopped by Main Street Pizza in Banks and picked up some dinner, YUM! We had a nice break in the rain so we could unload our supplies and then the rain started again. Our cabin was tucked farthest back from the parking area...and the bathrooms! I loved the location. It was so clear that first night we could see so many beautiful stars! Although the cabins were all reserved, it was very quiet and many of the cabins stood empty! Perhaps we were brave to face the rainy cold weather. Once inside the cabin we turned up the heat and settled in, it was really cozy.

It rained heavily through the night and all of Thanksgiving. So we decided to postpone our cornish game hen/corn on the cob and baked potato dinner until Friday and had crock pot stew instead. We stayed indoors and played scrabble and Cranium. We napped and the kids played some video games. Normally we would not have let them bring along their DS and games, but since we knew we would be indoors a lot, we made an exception! Friday was beautiful, alternating between blue skies and deep fog. Adrienne and I took Jake out and about and had a Senior Picture photo shoot. It was fun! The kids did a lot of playing outside and Richard built a roaring fire over which we made doughboys with a yummy pumpkin filling. I am so thankful for my family!













My big furry bear!!!

Camping Fun With Adrienne

Adrienne is so much fun! While camping she was telling us how her seminary teacher had looked up everyone's names and shared them with the whole class. It seems there were many beautiful and uplifting meanings, such as beauty, beloved, visionary, favored of God, and such. Adrienne means "dark one". She teasingly asked me why I named her darkness and from then on we joked and had fun with her name meaning. Kinda funny, Annalina means graceful light. So our light haired daughter is name for darkness and our dark haired daughter's name means light! Hmmmm.

Anyway, we so enjoy having Adrienne with us still. I realize she could have chosen two years ago to move on with her life and go off to school. I am grateful that she is happy here with us for the time being. I know she will leave us one day, but I am so happy I get to see her each day and watch her with his siblings. She is kind and generous and full of compassion. There have been days I just could not function properly in my role as mother and she has gladly jumped in and taken care of kids or dinner or whatever else has needed doing. She is a great example to our entire family and I am so proud of her!

Now, without further ado...Adrienne in all her silliness!! Camera shy? I think NOT!

Our Final Glencoe Cross Country Banquet!!

Jacob has had a wonderful four years of running Cross Country for Glencoe High School. It has been neat for me as a mother to watch him develop and grow. He has learned to set goals. He has learned that sometimes those goals can be hard to reach, but with determination, success is possible. His goal this year was to break 17 minutes and he tried and struggled and kept on trying. At his very last run of the season he got a time of 16:59! He never ceases to amaze me!

I had the pleasure of attending the end of season banquet with him this year. He was co-captain again and it was fun to watch him with his peers and hear his coach talk about this year of running. It has not been an easy season. For the third time in the four years of running for Glencoe, Jacob had a new coach. Jacob had some disappointing runs and had thoughts of quitting, but that is just not his style! He finished with a bang and I am so proud of him!

Jacob and some running buddies!

Jacob and Coach Rice and Coach Grieg!

This is Jacob with his first grade teacher Mrs. Magdaleno. My has he grown since he was in her class 11 years ago!

Jacob and the girls!!

Party like its 11/11/11!!

Back in January we had a great idea! We noticed it was 1/11/11 and thought that was really cool. We realized that another cool date for this year was going to be 11/11/11. Since this is a rare phenomenon we decided to celebrate it! As luck would have it this awesome date fell upon a Friday. We got pizza and watched a movie and then played Cranium together. It really was fun! At 9:30 I was really tired, but the kids reminded me that I had promised to let them stay up untill 11:11pm. We watched the clock and at 11:11 we counted out 11 seconds and the party ended! Bedtime!! Now the kids are excited to do a 12/12/12 party next year. I am not so sure I will make it that late, but maybe with the help of some dark sunglasses, the kids won't notice when I nod off!

A Very Special Day

My sweet niece Leila was baptized today! She looked so beautiful and happy! It was a really neat experience to be there with her and our family! Even more special for me was the fact that my son Jacob was able to baptize her and my husband Richard was able to confirm her a member of the church. Jacob had been looking forward to this for a long time! Leila and Jacob looked so sweet together all dressed in white. If either one was nervous, it did not show! As I listened to Jacob I was reminded of the bond my sister and I share! My little boy was baptizing her little girl! It was sweet and the spirit was very strong! After he baptized her, Jacob gave her a hug. What a beautiful experience for each of them! After the confirmation we went to Megan's friend's house for dinner of soup and rolls. It was fun to visit with these people who are such a huge part of Megan's life. She surrounds herself with people who would do anything for her and I know this is because she offers the very same and more to them! I am so grateful for these tender experiences, the reminder of the covenants we have made with our heavenly father, and the sacrifice our savior made for each one of us.

Halloween Fun!

The littles dressed up as Jedi Knights. They are fully trained thanks to the training camp at Disneyland! They each got to wear their costumes to school and I went to help Joseph's class get dressed up. Then I went to the assembly! It was a fun day!