It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We wanted to get our Christmas tree while Hannah was still home from college for the Thanksgiving break, so today we went to a tree farm right here in beautiful Philomath. Hannah picked out the tree and cut it down all by herself - she was determined, and did great! I forgot the camera (GRRRR), so I didn't capture the moment, but suffice it to say that this tree farm also had seven huge pigs rooting around in the mud. And we all know that no Christmas tree farm is complete without many large pigs.
We missed having Ben around to help decorate, but we took a picture of his favorite ornament. Ben - this one is for you!
Hannah managed to bake some delicious chocolate chip cookies to help keep us fortified for the task at hand.
Mark decorated the outside of our abode, and made it look lovely, as he always does.
A view of the outside of the house.
The tree, a Fraser fir, after we brought it into the house.
First the lights must go on...
The finished tree.
Hannah modeled her Saint Lucia wreath, which she originally wore for a sixth-grade presentation about the various Christmas customs around the world. So... we're ready to welcome the Christmas season, and we hope all of you enjoy a special time this year celebrating our Savior's birth with your families and friends.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful time in Seattle for Thanksgiving. We gathered at Grandma Dorr's home. Here are a few pictures:
Left to right: Ryan (cousin Kris' boyfriend), Kris, Grandma, Fred, Hannah, Sarah, Chris, Jake.
Left to right: Jake, Jo, Roland, Nancy, Kris
The "kid's table:" Nikki, Dave, Beka, Hannah
The little owl in Grandma's plant (you had to have been there...)
Nikki, Mark, Roland, Ryan, Chris playing Apples to Apples after the feast.
Hannah and Grandma
Jake and Beka
Jo and her daughters! Um... Sarah... move your hand RIGHT NOW!!!
Jo and her daughters-in-law (well, almost, Nikki!)
Sarah and ChrisAnd, after the feast, when all you can do to get comfortable, is just lie down... (this picture was taken just before Dave decided to join the ladies - then it got UNcomfortable)

Hooray for Panda Express

Mark and I ate lunch at Panda Express in Salem on Saturday (very yummy), and got two nice messages in our fortune cookies:

Hmmmm - now we're excited to see what happy events await us. As for the second one, that's a saying I told my kids often when they were growing up - I'm so glad that Panda Express agrees with me! And by the way, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! :-)

Excited for Thanksgiving

In only three short days the Dorr clan will gather in Seattle to celebrate Thanksgiving with Mark's mom and Fred. She has been feeling somewhat better this past week, which gives us another reason to be thankful. We will dearly miss having our middle son Ben around our table, but are so very happy he can gather with family in Colorado - good luck making that green bean casserole, dear Ben! :-) As Pastor Pete reminded us at church last Sunday, we as Christians have special reason to rejoice on Thanksgiving, for we KNOW the One to whom we owe gratitude for all we have. So, to our Maker, Master, Redeemer, Savior, Friend - we love you, Lord, and thank YOU for all you have done in our lives, and for all you continue to do to guide us, protect us, and help us live lives that honor you.

A special weekend in Seattle

We gathered as family this weekend in Seattle to visit with Mark's mom. It was so good to have all of our kids there at various times. Grandma Dorr was in good spirits, and our time together precious. We also enjoyed spending two nights at the family lake property near Olympia.

Fred and Grandma holding hands... awwwwww.....
Chris and Sarah visit with Grandma.
David and Nikki with Grandma.
Hanging out on the dilapidated dock at the lake.
Mark and Jo with Mark's mom, Margaret Dorr-Folsom.
Hannah and Ben with Grandma.
Mark, Jake, and Beka look at some of Grandma's old coins with her.
Playing Apples to Apples with the cousin - yep, Kris is the only cousin on Mark's side... and a very sweet cousin indeed.

Coming or going... who knows...

These are difficult days. Mark's mom is very ill, suffering from terminal cancer. So Mark and I have made four trips to Seattle over the past month to visit her and assist with her care, and we are heading there again today. It is a five-hour drive each way, and that's when there is little traffic -- it's taken us as long as seven hours to get there. At times we don't know if we are coming or going. This trip will be brighter than previous trips, as all of our kids are also traveling to Seattle to see their grandma this weekend. I am especially eager to see our "Colorado kids," Ben and David, whom I haven't seen since July. Having a dear family member suffer from such a grave disease is very sad, yet at the same time there can be joy, as members of the family gather together to care for and support one another. Because when it comes right down to it, nothing matters more than family.

DFC2

The second annual Dorr family campout (aka DFC2) was a resounding success. We spent the weekend at a cute log house near the beach in Lincoln City, on the Oregon coast. Fun activities included flying kites, playing games, making s'mores around the campfire, eating WAY too much food, and just being together. We missed you, Ben, Dave, and Nikki!