Ayden's birdhouse

Ayden had to build something of use for a project in Scouts towards earning his Wolf. He choose to build a birdhouse. He called his grandpa one afternoon and asked him if he would help him. Ayden spent an afternoon at his grandpa's and they came up with the design and built it together. Over the next few days Ayden sanded it and very carefully painted it. It turned out so cute that I couldn't wait to hang it in my tree. Ayden did such a good job and we were all so very proud of him. Thanks grandpa Russ for all your help and Way to go Ayden!!

finally a letter!!!

Dearest nay nay, ryan, jackson, ayden, landon.

I was very touched by your letter and that story about Cory and Quinn. Amazing. I love you so much. I am so glad to be here on my mission and to be able to know about God's plan for all of us. A lot of people have been dying lately. In the earthquake some people that I knew died. But I am glad that I know that death isn't the end. All I have to do is remember who I am and help others remember too.

Hey, when you told me you had pneumonia I think I caught it from you. I have been pretty sick lately. But I am getting better. Today it ¡s pretty warm but we are in the dead of winter here.

My mission has been the best best best experience of my life. I still have trials but I am so happy to be able to have a different perspective about them. I wish you could know me today. I am like the old Christopher but better! Woo! haha. I love it here because it's like God takes away everyone and everything I know so that I can finally get to know Him. I don't know everything about Him yet but I sure do know that He loves me. Sometimes it can be hard when everything falls apart with "golden" investigators or when the members don't like missionaries or or even when its just really cold. But have remembered that I have a father that loves me a lot. I don't want to be fake and say that the mission isn't hard, cause it is. But I have help. I have a goal to life my life in such a way so that every day when I wake up, Satan says " oh, no he's awake."

Hey Jackson, happy birthday. I can't believe that you are 11 already! crazy. I miss you sooooo much. I am going to some home in no time and play b ball with you. This morning I played and I was terrible. I need to practice haha. I got the mission curse!

I hope all is well over there. I love you Renee, Ryan, Jackson, Ayden and Landon!!!!

11

Where does the time go? I can't believe Jackson is 11!! For a month I have been counting down the days wishing time would slow or stop but today is here and Jackson is 11. I am truly blessed that Jackson is my son. Jackson is always surprising us with his 's big heart, caring and compassion for others. His laugh is so very contagious... if he starts laughing you can't help but smile! To know Jackson is to love him, his is one of a kind.

HAPPY BITHDAY JACKSON!!!

1. Jackson got his first stitches this year when he tripped and fell on a broken pickle jar!

2. Jackson loves to draw

3. Jackson loves Dill pickles

4. Jackson favorite color is PINK you can often find him in hot pink lax socks!

5. Bedtime is a dirty word to Jackson

6. He loves to be in the water

7. Jackson loves Orange Fanta

8. Jackson loves sausage with maple syrup

9. He loves fishing

10. He loves to watch Jim Gaffigan and Brian Regan

11. Jackson loves to play and watch sports

cub country

I had the opportunity to go to Cub Country with Ayden's Wolf pack Wednesday and it was so much fun! The boys did a lot of fun activities to pass of requirements towards earning their wolf but I think their favorite thing was shooting BB guns! I think they could have shoot them all dayand been very content :) We got wet during a flash rain and hail storm and we all go so dirty but it was a very fun day at camp!!

camping, mornings and BACON!!

These are my boys favorite pancakes, I think they could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will LOVE them!!

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
5 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 slices bacon cooked crispy and crumbled

Cook bacon in skillet until crispy and drain. Crumble into small pieces, set aside to cool

Separate the eggs so that the yolks go into a large bowl and the whites go into the bowl of a stand mixer or a bowl large enough to fit a hand held electric mixer.

Add the buttermilk and melted butter to the yolks in the bowl and beat together. In another bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

With a stand mixer or electric mixer, whip the egg whites to hold soft peaks about 2 minutes.

Now pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir lightly until just combined. Some lumps are OK. Fold in the egg whites until just combined. It's OK if some of the whites aren't fully incorporated. Gently fold bacon into batter.

Rub a non-stick frying pan with a bit of butter and heat over medium heat. Add batter to pan to make whatever size pancake you want (I like small ones made with a heaping tablespoon of batter - my pan fits about 5 of these at a time). Pancakes are ready to flip once a few bubbles appear on the surface and and the tops are starting to go dull. Flip and cook another minute or two.

If you wish you can keep the pancakes warm in a very low oven while you cook the remaining batter.

Serve with Maple Butter!!

a perfect summer salad time :)

2 medium head broccoli, cut into individual florets
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup raisins
20 pieces thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

mix together:

1 cup mayo
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar

toss everything together and chill for 1 hour, enjoy!!

lessons learned...

an amazing experience

This morning I had an amazing experience. My brother Cory's best friend Quinn passed away in an airplane crash 3 weeks ago. This morning my brother took his ashes up in his plane that they built and flew together and set him free amongst the clouds in the beautiful big blue sky.

My brother called me 3 days ago and told me the plan of spreading Quinn's ashes and asked if I would come and take pictures. Yesterday evening Jackson and I went out to airport #2 and took some test shots and Cory took a couple of test flights to iron out the kinks. It was a scorching 107 but it was well worth it. I don't have any pictures of my brother flying so I jumped at the chance remembering some thing Quinn's mom had said... At Quinn's memorial his mom said that she didn't have any pictures of Quinn flying and that the evening that he crashed they planned for him to fly over so that they could take some. Sadly, he never flew over and she never got the chance to take pictures of her beautiful boy in flight.

This morning at 7:45 I heard him coming for the west and saw his tiny plane approaching Quinn's parent home. Tears started streaming down my face as I thought of the pain my brother must be feeling saying his final goodbye to his best friend. He made his first pass over Quinn's home and I tried to get focused and wipe the tears from my eyes as I saw Quinn's family on the hillside looking toward the sky ready to say goodbye. I waved at my brother and at Quinn's family and tried to focus on the plane through my lens. As he made his final pass I saw the powder start to exit the tube as tears ran dwon my cheeks and my heart ached. He turned toward the west, Pilots who pass away are often referred to as "gone west" so his turn west was to honor Quinn and a aviation tradition. Then in the distance I saw him wave the wings of his plane saying his final goodbye to best friend. It was a very emotional experience and I was so honored to be part of it.

As I drove home Cory called to tell me that not all of Quinn's ashes escaped the tube and that he was going to release them over the site of his crash at airport #2. As I approached the airport I saw my brother circling in the distance and pulled over near the site. As he passed I saw the powder again escaping the tube with the beautiful mountains in the background and again tears began streaming down my face. Quinn will now forever be above the clouds where he loved to be and he will always be my brothers wingman and guardian angel.

our boys

who needs a water park!!

The boys got creative on a hot afternoon last week and made their own water slide :) It kept them busy for hours but now we have a hole at the bottom of the slide that we need to patch where their bottoms hit :) I love summer!!

Sea World

San Diego Zoo

Remembering Quinn

PAUSE (II) MUSIC PLAYER BEFORE PLAYING SLIDESHOW ---->

Quinn Michael Falk April 30, 1976 - June 26, 2010.

Quinn is my brother Cory's best friend. They have been inseparable since 9th grade and have shared a 20 year friendship. They were bonded together for their shared love of aviation and enjoyed building and flying their own aircraft. They both participated in restoring historic air craft and love flying to air shows around the country. Quinn died on June 26, 2010 when his plane crashed due to engine failure as he was preparing to tow the SL Bee's banner. Quinn's memorial was on July 2, 2010. He will be greatly missed by many.

flying above the clouds