On the drive to Sisters, OR

Today we were on our way to Sisters and came across a herd of elk.  It was the coolest thing to see.  There must have been 50-60 elk of all sizes some as big as horses!

Christmas pictures

Hayden will look like this by next Christmas!

Momma got a new "sweetie kit".

Off to Mexico with our new luggage!

Cousin Maisy and Liv skiing at Hoo Doo.

Bella and daddy warming up in the lodge.

Fun pictures...

It has been snowing on and off ever since we got here!

The kids all exchanged "Secret Santa" gifts tonight. 

While caroling tonight, we ran into a 6 point buck!

The kids had fun playing in the snow today.

Warming up with some chicken noodle soup.

Christmas Miracle

Christmas is a special time.  A time that we get to count our blessings and share our love with the people that we care about the most.  We all hear touching stories this time of year, but it is rare that the story is about someone that we know.  As many of you know, our family is planning a trip to Mexico this next semester.  The primary goal is to learn Spanish, learn about another culture, to build lasting memories as a family, to do something hard together- and who am I kidding...to get out of Oregon during the rainy depressing season!  Michael lived in Mexico with the Cors family when he was in the 6th grade - to this day he counts this experience as one of the best gifts his parents could have given him.  We will return to Veracruz, Mexico hoping for the same types of life experiences that Michael had some 30 yrs ago.  Most of the Cors family still resides in Veracruz.  Below is a link that I would love all of you to view.  It is about Nicole Cors (Josep Cors 17 yr old daughter) and the Christmas miracle that their family has been blessed with. 

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S714443.shtml?articleID=3D184905

I love Central Oregon!

   Brittan and Maison scoring some "girl-points".

Liv and cousins made a man made cave.

                                                     Great view's in Central Oregon!

                                                                     Liv and Spencer.

                                                                Snowfall  over night.

We have arrived!  The weather in Portland has been incredibly unusual!  Due to an amazing amount of snow, the kids got an extra week of Christmas vacation!  We planned on leaving on Saturday but the weather forecast was a little grim come Saturday so we packed up the car and left town on Friday.  Michael stayed behind so that the guys tearing the basement apart could finish.  (yes...cabinets, carpet, wood trim on the walls, sheetrock...all had to go!) Anyway...  the kids and I loaded up and headed to the cabin.  It took us 6 hours to get here due to the snowy conditions but we made it!  We decided that it really would be nice if there were guard rails around Lake Billy Chinook, but we made it.  Michael showed up at 1am all in one piece.  Snow hit Portland the next day and no one has left their house since!  It is reported they received 18 inches over the weekend with freezing ice on top of it.  We have a lot of snow here too but a much drier snow.  We are getting around just fine.  Michael took the kids skiing today so that I could have a day to wrap presents, cook and blog!  Yea!!!

The Theatre is done!!!!! Well, until the flood!

                                                           Pulled up carpet trying to dry


This week has been very eventful! Here is a recap:

Monday: leaking roof $900, 3 hrs at the post office getting passports $600.

Tuesday: 4 wheel drive wouldn't engage and Michael slid into a curb and busted up my fancy wheel $750 (Michael is mad at me because he says that " fancy schmansy 22 inch wheels like mine are only for pimps, drug dealers and me!")

Tuesday evening: basement flooded- broken pipe due to freezing temperatures. 3 inches of water in the basement (just finished painting last Friday) Damage to be announced later. Thanks to some really great friends, the water was cleaned up in a mere 3 hours.

Wednesday: I woke up at 6am to give Isabelle Halsion (sedation drug) for her 8am appointment with the dentist. She had to have a root canal and two cavities filled. $1200

When I went downstairs to get her meds from my purse, I found that the dog had gotten out of the laundry room (someone didn't shut the door all the way) and had a party while we were all sleeping. She got into Hayden's ski bag and tore up some of his ski clothes- $100

Thursday:  Dropped off Michael's truck for a 100,000 check-up.  Needed $1500 worth of work.  I worked all day with kids coming in and out.  Snow gear on, then off...  Michael spent the day picking up hair clients, shoveling their sidewalks and returning them after their appointments.  Thanks honey!

Friday:  Thought that I would pack, wrap presents and pack them, buy all of my food for the cabin etc...  Weatherman says to get out of town now or never.  Left town 1 hr later.  I took the kids while Michael stayed with the Service Master guys to gut the basement!  6 hour drive to the cabin.  Chains came on and off 4 times.  Go Hayden!!

Saturday:  Momma is happy again!

Sunday:  Went to church at the Sisters Branch-  they asked me to play the piano for a special musical number and play for the primary if the pianist didn't show up.  Went to the Morgan's afterward and had Mary's yummy chilli and warmed up by the fire.  

Needless to say, the week ended well.  Sometimes we need contrast in our lives so we can appreciate how good we really have it!  (that is what I am telling myself anyway!!!)  

Merry Christmas to you all!

Let it snow....

Isabelle Maureen Neal.

Isabelle with a neighbor friend.

Delaney Jane and Olivia.

Isabelle and her BFF.

Mom and Liv.

We have had quite the snow storm in Portland! The kids have been out of school all week!

Brittan's recital

                                                           Brittan and fellow singers

                                                                     Naughty or nice?


Brittan has been taking voice lesson's this year. She is with two other girls in what is considered a group class. She has enjoyed it very much and has learned and improved a lot. She had a Christmas recital the other day and was totally adorable!

Neal family party

                                                      John sporting his new sweater
                                                            Lyn, Mary, Emily and Kati
                                                         Liam is Uncle Jay's new favorite!
                                                       Michael, David and Liam (2 mo.)

Every year we have an adult Christmas party with Michael's family.  It used to be tradition that Terry would give a long winded sermon on the Christmas Story, and would end with Maureen doing what all of us were thinking and say with a long sigh "Terry!!! Enough already!"  We would all break into laughter and the evening would continue with a gift exchange game that we play, good food, singing and long winded stories (a Neal family tradition).  The last couple of years have been a little different with Maureen's passing and Terry's "government paid vacation".  It has taken a few years to get it just right again.  This year was a blast.  We returned to good food, fond memories, and just simply enjoying one another.  We continued our game of exchanging gifts.  Kati brought the spirit of Maureen to the party by wrapping one of her "ugliest" Christmas sweaters as one of her gifts to exchange.  She included a note that said how much Maureen would enjoy that we were all together on Christmas.  To keep her memory alive- whoever received the sweater as their gift would have to 1. wear it the rest of the night 2. bring it next year as a wrapped gift for someone else.  Of course a few tears were shed, but in loving memory of her and not the despair and sadness that we have felt the last few Christmas'.