Thanksgiving in Sutherlin

This year for Thanksgiving we decided to stay in Sutherlin and help Pastor Stewart with the Thanksgiving dinner he was hosting at the church.  We had about 40 people who attended and A LOT of food!  It was a nice day, but I have to admit I missed hanging out with our family in Washington.  I missed all the hugs, but I did get several from the "grandmas" I have at Calapooia FMC.

Griffin hanging out in Vaughn's office before dinner

We have our seats - now waiting for the yummy food.

Food and Fellowship

and more fellowship...

Faith acting shy

Roseburg Veterans' Day Parade

The cub scouts have been busy!  Saturday all scouts delivered paper bags with instructions to most of the homes in Sutherlin encouraging residents to fill the bags with food for the annual food drive.  This next Saturday the bags get picked up and taken to the Sutherlin-Oakland Food Pantry.

Today was the Roseburg Veterans' Day Parade where evidently all of the Boy Scouts in Douglas County (our county) show up and strut down the streets of downtown Roseburg.  This parade was a tribute to all of the US veterans, so most everyone in the parade (churches, square dancers, unions, horses, bands, schools, etc...) displayed something honoring those who have served our country. 

Once the parade started, Griffin was a waving machine!  He waved and smiled at everyone along the parade route on both sides of the street.  Vaughn, Faith and I walked behind the scouts with the scout master and another parent.

Waiting, waiting, waiting

Lining up



Griffin waving to everyone who waved at him.

Trunk or Treat Calapooia Style

The first big family event since Vaughn was hired went well!  After discovering that no other churches in town did a "trunk or treat" type event, Vaughn decided this would be a great one to try.  The morning of the 31st it rained buckets, so a decision had to be made - risk it outside or move it inside.  Vaughn decided to move it inside, which ended up being a good decision since it rained off and on all evening.  Long tables lined the walls of the fellowship hall for those who were going to "trunk it" to decorate and set out their candy.  Round tables were in the center of the room for people to visit and eat the yummy desserts that were available along with coffee, (a must for Vaughn) and hot chocolate and cider.  "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" played continuously in the Sunday school classroom.  We had a great turnout of families from the community, and those from the church who participated had a great time too!

This year Faith chose to be Juliet

Griffin as Spiderman.  There were only two little holes for him to breathe through.  This drove him crazy so he made the holes bigger, thus snagging the mask.

He loved having those muscles!

Pastor Stewart and Matt (one of the worship team members) got into the fun of dressing up.

 Vaughn - "The Punisher"

One of Clyde's foster dogs (soon to be adopted) shaking with Griffin

I ended up being the  greeter as families came in.  The mini candy bars had a tag with church information stapled to them.

What's Halloween without "The Great Pumpkin"?

Got this idea from Patti Edwards many years ago.  She lined the church driveway one year with tealight lit paper bags for Good Friday.  Vaughn tweeked this idea a bit, and he had the kids draw pumpkin faces on the paper bags for Trunk or Treat.

After Trunk or Treat was over we had been invited for pie and to visit with the Leatherwoods.  One of their daughters has become good friends with Faith.  The girls trick or treated together in the neighborhood by the church where the Leatherwoods live and came by the church for more candy and treats.  Although we were really tired, it was nice to get to know Kent and Dana better and meet another couple.  Very nice families and we look forward to getting to know them better.

Carving Pumpkins Without a Table

Monday after school we decided we had put off carving the pumpkins long enough.  This was the first year that Faith didn't need any help and Griffin did most everything except use the knife.  In the past we have carved pumpkins on the dining room table, but since our table is in storage, they spread out on the floor.  This actually went quite well. 

Halloween and Trunk or Treat post coming tomorrow...

A Somewhat Soggy Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Today we went with Griffin's cub scout troop to Brosi's Sugar Tree Farm in Winston.   This is a small farm, but it had a pumpkin patch, a corn maze and a barn with lots of fruits and vegetables.  We rode out to the pumpkin patch on a hay bailed trailer pulled by a tractor with exhaust issues.  Both kids picked out "just the right" pumpkins to carve before Wednesday. The corn maze was pretty muddy but the three of us (Vaughn was working) managed to not slip and fall.  I liked that it was a small enough maze that Griffin couldn't get lost like last year at Carleton Farm.  Thankfully it only sprinkled while we were there, but the view was still beautiful!

I'm Committed

Friday, my name went up above my classroom door.  For the last month, every day, I would have at least one student tell me to get my name up.  I would tell them that it wasn't up to me and that the project was "in process."  So today, several students happily commented that they were glad to see my name above the door since it is my classroom.

Dave and Carol Witness a Record Breaking Sunday!

We were blessed to have Dave and Carol visit us on Sunday, the 14th!  Special friends from Marysville FMC passing through our neck of the woods.  They arrived for the 9am service and were part of our highest attendance ever.  This is not just since we've been there but ever for the contemporary service!  61 people!  Now numbers aren't everything, but it was encouraging!

After church we of course went to Tolly's in Oakland for lunch then showed Dave and Carol a bit of the town.  A great visit!

In front of our apartment building