The Grays

Play by play of our California adventure.

2010-06-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

For some reason it will only let me do a few pictures per post, so here's our California trip (a few months ago)...It was SOOOO much fun!!! We went to Disneyland, Wild animal Park, the Aquarium at Long Beach, Rainforest Cafe, and much more!! Jackie adopted her new baby girl Maggie and we had a baby shower for them!! It was perfect!! The kids look forward to going to California EVERY time. Again....if only we could live there and see them everyday. There's nothing in the world like your own family!

Dinosaur exhibit

2010-06-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Our passes were going to expire so we hit up the zoo. The Portland Zoo has a dinasaur exhibit this summer that rocks! The kids were a little weary of it but it was fun to see how big they were compared to little humans.

The snow, the beach, omsi and T-ball....

2010-04-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know we are pregnant with #4, and expecting on Christmas Day!!!!!

This is Sterling playing his first game of T-ball. He did so good considering it's his first time on a team. His team name is the Indians. He loves it so much! His Great Grandpa (my Grandpa) was a professional baseball player for the Red Sox, so it's in his blood to love America's favorite pastime.

I was able to go on Sterling's first feild trip to Omsi. It was a blast. We got to play with fire, see a replica of a T-rex skeleton and play all sorts of games. I was so happy to spend quality time with him. It doesn't happen enough.

We rented a beach house with Marsh's brother and his family last weekend and had SO much fun. Our kids were AMAZING. They got a long well together and helped as much as they could to take care of their twin baby girls. Went by too quick. These are a few cheesy poses they did for me.

About a month ago we went to the snow with Marsh's sister and her family. It was COLD. The kids loved it though. They didn't care, they were happy to be together in the snow. They went sledding and Lucy and I built this snowman, and ofcourse Noelle is holding it's hand. It was fun. Our car couldn't make it up the hill, well we didn't try due to no 4 wheel drive or chains, (our other car had chains, just no heater!) So halfway through we had to pile in their car and drive together the rest of the way. We had fun though.

Updates, updates

2010-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

Annual Christmas re-enactment of Jesus' birth. Noelle was Mary, Sterling was Joseph and Detrick was a shepard.

Marsh took all the kids fishing a while ago and this was Sterlings first fish. They brought it home, but it had been out of the water too long without being cut up, it was too hard. But they had FUN!

4 generation boys! Handsome guys, if I don't say so myself.

Marsh's Grandparents came up for a visit over Thanksgiving holiday and we all enjoyed having them here. Noelle especially loved grandma and cuddled with her every chance she could.

Sterling turned the big 6 last year and had a very quiet party with his friends. I love this kid, he has changed our life so dramatically!!

We got to ride the bike at Dana Point on New Years day, it was so much fun and ofcourse the weather was PERFECT!

Marsh and I....one of the only pictures he would take, he's such a boob when it comes to pictures.

We went to the Irvine Park and rode the train. The conductor was especially nice and friendly. We always have such good times there.

My cousin Maddie stayed with us all week and my kids LOVED her, the had so much fun!

Christmas morning opening the Wii. Man, that thing has brought more trouble than we anticipated.

Noelle's BIrthday!

2009-10-12T14:21:00.001-07:00

I refuse to believe that our little baby girl is going to be 5 this Saturday. Tomorrow is her first day of preschool! She missed being in kidergarten (with Sterling) this year my a month and 5 days. She is very much a girl, and moody at times, but so worth it! She is beautiful inside and out. She is extremly tender hearted and sensitive to emotions and spiritual moments. After getting sealed a few weeks ago, I went out with a friend and the next day she was so upset at me. She asked why I left her to go out and I told her I wanted to spend time with my friend, she responded with "Mom, we got sealed, you said we would be together FOREVER!" My heart melted. She is our only girl, and is so special to us, our life would be WAY less exciting! I look forward to FOREVER with her!!!!

Temple!!! Temple!!! Temple!!!!

2009-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

We made it!! September 19, 2009 we went to the Portland temple and were sealed for time and all eternity! It was the most perfect moment in the temple that day. Tears of joy and relief were present in abundance. It was amazing to be there with most of the most important friends and family. We are very blessed to have such great people supporting us and chearing us on along the rocky, stormy road that is now behind us. We are so very happy to finally be an eternal family. That marks the first day of the rest of eternity for us and we will never forget it!

The last 3 months

2009-08-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I have updated this blog and ALOT has happened...

This is just today, Detrick decided to let Noelle and Sterling color his entire face, with smelly markers, at least he smelled good..

Sterling thought it was ok, because I got the camara out, so he decided to color his face too...

Marsh's Grandmother passed away while I was visiting in California, so we met in Utah for her funeral, and aside from the sad reason for visiting, we had a blast! We went over to "the farm" a place we went to for almost every vacation and revisited...

We got to meet Marsh's Grandpa, who was so much fun, and in good spirits...

The kids played in his backyard and climed his tree, while we visited...

We were able to visit the visitors center in Salt Lake...

But before all that, we were down in Cali for Mikes homecoming. The kids and I went to the beach with Steph and her kids, they get along so well, I wish we lived closer to eachother, her boys are so CUTE!! Here's Detrick burried up to his neck...

Sterling and Trey trying to fit in one hole...

The kids were jumping down from this ledge as soon as a wave came and then would run back up...in a circle...over...and over....and over...

We went on a Ferry boat in Newport, always fun!

They really do love eachother, they just forget sometimes...

such a cute face...

Sterling LOVED Rachel, he globbed onto her and would not let go, I think she kinda liked it. He's NEVER that way with people, it was so adorable, again, I wish we lived closer to my cousins.

Cute...ofcourse he has an In N Out burger in his hand, what else?

BBQ at the beach!!

We have just moved into a bigger place, that we both love (has anyone heard if Hell has frozen over. We are in our new home, going to get sealed in the next month or so...

Happy birthday dad/grandpa/Ernie

2009-06-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

This is the polished version of the first one, below!! Happy birthday dad!! Love ya!

Grandpa's birthday!

2009-06-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa, we love you and miss you!!

Summer's here!!!

2009-05-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

The Zoo!! Wahoo!!

2009-05-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we went to the zoo and Sterling was IN the mood, he posed like the animal we were at every time I asked. He did pretty good! Penguin

Elefant

pig

and bear, he's so fun!

Detrick even got in on the fun!! "sorry no worms babe'!

Our little monkey!! ooo ooo aaa aaa

That mastadon doesn't look THAT big!

This is what I got from her every time I turned the camara toward her!

UHHH!!

Paradise!!

2009-04-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day at the beach! I soooo took this for granted growing up!!!

Train Museum in Sacramento

2009-04-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we met my parents halfway in Sacramento, we went to the train museum and the zoo (which we do not recommend-zoo) We had fun! Marsh went back to Oregon to work, finally, and I came to OC. We came to play, but it helps that we (Marsh) won't have to pay for all our shinanigans. Times are tough!! So we are here for 2 weeks!! Wahoo! I never get enough of home!

I know you are saying, "that's what you get when you move to orygon!"

2009-03-26T08:02:00.000-07:00

This what we do in our spare time, some (spare) times!

It almost looks like they belong on him!!

I love the one little scraggle tooth hanging out!!! It's almost cute!

Look at dat!!

2009-02-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

It snowed last night...a lot for this part. Everything was covered! FUN FUN! We missed the last snow storm, so I'm glad we got our "fix".

2009-02-15T19:44:00.001-08:00

Bath time!!

2009-01-28T22:19:00.001-08:00

Sterling and Noelle can either be the best of friends or not so much, luckily today they got along, and I LOVE this picture!

They were all looking at the camera. rare moment indeed.

Sterling loves to make faces, this is a classic...GOOFBALL!

Bath time for my kids is usually a fun time, they will not take showers, they love the bath, so I wanted to make sure I took enough pic's of them before they stopped liking it.

This is how we do it in Or-y-gon...apparenty

2009-01-24T22:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, so tonight we went to something called Donkey Basketball...yes, donkey basketball, we were that bored!! j/k It was something to do and it was free, so why not, right? People actually played basketball while riding donkeys! I thought it might be humorus, but it turned out to be SOOOO BORING! So I thought I'd bring the boredom to you!

2009-01-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

By Jill Stanek
© 2009 WorldNetDaily.com

In February 2004, U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, sent a fund-raising letter with the "alarming news" that "right-wing politicians" had passed a law stopping doctors from stabbing half-born babies in the neck with scissors, suctioning out their brains and crushing their skulls.
Michelle called partial-birth abortion "a legitimate medical procedure," and wouldn't supporters please pay $150 to attend a luncheon for her husband, who would fight against "cynical ploy[s]" to stop it?

But that's not why Obama's opponent Alan Keyes said Jesus Christ wouldn't vote for him.

Obama recalled Keyes' statement in a recent USA Today opinion piece but omitted his reasoning.

I know his reasoning, because I was there.

As a nurse at an Illinois hospital in 1999, I discovered babies were being aborted alive and shelved to die in soiled utility rooms. I discovered infanticide.

Legislation was presented on the federal level and in various states called the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. It stated all live-born babies were guaranteed the same constitutional right to equal protection, whether or not they were wanted.

BAIPA sailed through the U.S. Senate by unanimous vote. Even Sens. Clinton, Kennedy and Kerry agreed a mother's right to "choose" stopped at her baby's delivery.

The bill also passed overwhelmingly in the House. NARAL went neutral on it. Abortion enthusiasts publicly agreed that fighting BAIPA would appear extreme. President Bush signed BAIPA into law in 2002.

But in Illinois, the state version of BAIPA repeatedly failed, thanks in large part to then-state Sen. Barack Obama. It only passed in 2005, after Obama left.

I testified in 2001 and 2002 before a committee of which Obama was a member.

Obama articulately worried that legislation protecting live aborted babies might infringe on women's rights or abortionists' rights. Obama's clinical discourse, his lack of mercy, shocked me. I was naive back then. Obama voted against the measure, twice. It ultimately failed.

In 2003, as chairman of the next Senate committee to which BAIPA was sent, Obama stopped it from even getting a hearing, shelving it to die much like babies were still being shelved to die in Illinois hospitals and abortion clinics.

(As chair of that same committee, Obama once abruptly ended a hearing early, right before Scott and Janet Willis, the parents of six children killed as a result of Illinois' drivers licenses for bribes scandal, were to testify in favor of Choose Life license plate legislation. I was there for that one, too. The Willises had traveled three hours. Reporters filled the room. Obama stalled. He later killed the bill when no one was around.)

So, the reason Keyes said Jesus Christ wouldn't vote for Barack Obama was because of Obama's fanatical support of abortion to the point of condoning infanticide.

I have framed on my wall a Chicago Sun-Times cartoon published during the campaign. Obama is holding a sign with "LIVE BIRTH ABORTION" on it. God is reaching down from heaven to a baby in front of Obama, and the baby is reaching up to God. Obama is yelling at God, "You keep out of this!"

In his USA Today opinion piece, Obama admitted being "nagged" by the Jesus-wouldn't-vote-for-him statement, but only because he wished he'd given a different comeback.

Obama insinuated opposition to abortion is based only on religion, lecturing pro-lifers like me to "explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all."

I don't recall mentioning religion when I testified against live-birth abortion. I only recall describing a live aborted baby I held in a hospital soiled utility room until he died, and a live aborted baby who was accidentally thrown into the trash.

Neither do I recall religion being brought into the partial-birth abortion ban debate. I recall comparisons made to U.S. laws ensuring animals being killed are treated humanely. I recall testimony that late-term babies feel excruciating pain while being aborted.

Obama stated pro-life proposals must be "amenable to reason."

OK, Sen. Obama, let's reason. Explain why you support abortion for whatever rationale, at whatever gestation, by whatever means. Explain why you support infanticide, if banning it might interfere with abortion.

Then, since you brought it up, explain how, despite all that, you think Jesus should vote for you, either now or in the hereafter, particularly given His statement, "It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck than to face the punishment in store for harming one of these little ones."

2009-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

This was on our way home about 5 minutes into the trip. I have no idea how or why the chocolate got where it did!! What makes it even more funny is the box behind him, very strategically placed above his head, says "Hand Crafted...special glazing technique makes every piece unique". Could they really be talking about him??!!! hahahaha

Christmas in Cali!

2009-01-04T13:42:00.001-08:00

We just barely missed the snow going down, and on the way back...phew!!

Christmas in California with my family is ofcourse my favorite Christmas'. We didn't take too many pictures though, I guess I'll try better next time, but we had a blast and don't think we would have even had a Christmas without my parents...THANK YOU Mom and Dad!!!

This is standing in line at disneyland, suprisingly they were in good spirits for the most part!

Christmas day, Pajama party!! Grandpa is behind the camera.

Sterling was a wee bit excited to ride the carousel, the smallest ride create the most excitement sometimes!! Love it!!

Brave man, to be standing in the way of Detricks gun, if my memory serves me he did shoot!! No grandpas were injured in the taking of this picture...

Old Man Sterling...

2009-01-02T23:13:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist shaving it this way (before I shaved it all) and taking pictures!!!

2009-01-02T22:49:00.000-08:00

8 Favorite TV shows(in no particular order...)

1. House

2. American Idol (starts soon!!!)

3. The Hills and/or The City- I know I'm 27 or 28, but I still think I'm young enough...shut up!!

4. Prison Break-It used to just be my eye candy, but has turned into something more...LOVE!!

5. The Office

6. So you think you can dance...dance...dance...dance

7. Fringe

8. Law and Order SVU

8 Favorite Restauraunts.

1. In N'Out HEAVEN!!! How could a burger taste so good???

2. El Torrito Grill I could have the tortilla's, butter and salsa as a meal, oh wait, I have...

3. TGIFridays I think just because I worked there and had EVERYTHING on the menu.

4. Cheesecake Factory(Chicken Marsala is to DIE for!!)

5. Roadhouse I think it's only in Oregon, but tasty

6. Dennys-not so much the food, just the fun (old) times!!

7. BJ's Pizza A must do, when I'm visiting my fam. in CALI.

8. Stix I had it at my wedding reception, need I say more :)

8 Things that happened yesterdayI can't remember yesterday, so I will just do today.

1. Listened to Noelle cry for an hour, still trying to figure out why (yes why I listened to it and why she was crying)

2. Hooked up my new (to me) computer in my house, no more freezing cold computer sessions in the garage.

3. Watched Bromance-stupid, don't watch it!!

4. Made dinner for my in laws and Marsh's friend, his sister and her family joined us.

5. Lost a 100 dollar bill!!!! UHHH-seriously!!! I think one of the kids went through my purse at the store and it fell out or they threw it out!!! I cried!!

6. Put the kids to bed (in one bed-their choice) and prayed with them. Enjoyed...still enjoying the silence....

7. Thought about how awesome it is that we missed the snow storm here in Oregon!!!8. Talked to Greg-random, I know, but, I did.

8 Things I am looking forward to

1. Getting out of this tiny house-when? I don't know, but I am (some would say I have already gone) MAD!!

2. American Idol Starting soon (see above) tee hee

3. Twilight 2, I know it's far away, but I can still look forward to it...get off my back!!

4. Going to bed, it's almost midnight and I am tired!

5. Waking up to the sound of someone crying (ok I'm not, but I was always told to think positively)

6. New years (I don't know why, I know we won't do anything, but, still, it's a holiday)

7. Getting sealed in the temple to my family, we've worked really hard for it and it will be the most...I can't even think of a word to describe the excitement I feel!!

8. Getting to the point when I don't want anymore kids. I told you I've gone MAD!!

8 Things on my wish-list

1. A new (bigger)place to live. (I told you...MAD)

2. To learn how to be a better mom, and wife.

3. To live in California.

4. Safety and happiness for my children.

5. Free gas for life (although, it hasn't been bad lately...knock on wood)

6. A real vacation with just Marsh and I (no offense to the kids, but I never had a honeymoon)

7. A better body

8 .5 million Dollars!!!

9. More wishes : )