Norm and Kathy Lewis

Mothers Day '11

2011-05-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

Brooks was dedicated at Littleton Bible Chapel along w/ some 30 other babies!
After church, we had yummy buffalo burgers at Ted's Montana Grill.
Later on we Skyped w/ Charissa on her first "not sad" Mothers Day!
Thank You, Lord!
Toby checked in even though he was on a series of cross-country flights.
What a privilege to be Mom to these amazing people!

Resurrection Day 2011

2011-04-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

We had a great day, even though Toby could only be w/ us a few hours.
After church, Ron and Alisa came up w/ their boys
& we Skyped w/ Jeremy, Charissa & Ladybug Jones (in utero)!
Meredith said she hadn't had an Easter basket in years,
so I was glad I decided to have them one more year for my grown children :)

Pensacola Trip, 3/22-28/11

2011-03-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

How fun to get to go see Toby in Pensacola! He wasn't supposed to get much time off but he ended up having 4 days free to be w/us! We golfed & golfed - it's very cheap here! And yes, I managed to land one ball in that tree! We went to museums and the beach... and ate seafood & BBQ galore!
One day, dolphins came from every direction and cavorted and fed just 50yds from our hotel beach - some w/ sidecar babies! What fun!
Meredith joined us for the weekend which was a bonus, to be sure! She's an excellent golf cart driver!
It was interesting to imagine my parents here in the 50's, my dad using the trainer and planes that are now in the museums. Not much room in those A4 cockpits! I don't think they lived on a bayou like Toby - maybe he confused leatherneck w/ redneck :) They can put their sailboat in right from the house, though, and head out into the bay - ssweet!

Ron Henry turns 30!!!!

2011-03-20T18:39:00.001-07:00

Baby Jones! 13 weeks!

2011-02-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

Technology is such a comfort! As soon as Charissa got home from her appointment today, she could email me this photo! She said Baby Jones woke up, waved and smiled, played around a little and then rolled away from them as if to say,"back to napping". Too fun!
We think there is quite a resemblance to Daddy at this point but we'll see.
The doctor said everything's as it should be right now! Thank You, Lord!!!

Birthday Week 12/28-31/2010

2011-02-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

Birthday week a.k.a. meet Meredith week was wonderful!
Grandma Barbara arrived the 28th, so we did Christmas first - opened her presents and she ours, and then we celebrated Toby's 25th birthday! Great fun was had by all and all adored Miss Meredith, especially Brady who got up on the table to look at her w/ that besotted expression! We celebrated my birthday w/ some yummy
lasagna at Ron and Alisa's.

Announcing Baby Jones!!!!!

2010-12-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

Our best Christmas present was when Jeremy and Charissa brought these ultrasound photos across the Skype screen! Lots of whoopin' and hollerin' and praising the Lord for this little miracle!

Christmas2010

2010-12-25T15:19:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

We had a delightful day at Gene and Monique's. Jeremy and Charissa checked in via SKYPE for the photo session and most of the meal time! Toby checked in via phone but we didn't keep him long :)

Fall Family Fun Night

2010-10-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ron and Alisa brought the boys up for our church's annual party. Everyone loved seeing them again and meeting Brooks for the first time! Brady loved all the games, but especially the candy!
Be sure to double click so you can see the comments on each photo.

Meet Brooks Corban Lewis

2010-10-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Brooks Corban Lewis was born on Sept. 28. He was a healthy 7lbs. 6oz. - the same size as his daddy was. Brady seems to have adjusted well. Congrats to Ron and Alisa!

Tanzania!!!!!!

2010-10-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

We spent 2 weeks in Tanzania with Jeremy's folks, Dave and Bonnie Jones. Jeremy and Charissa were able to come down from North Africa. Our friends, Bruce and Kathleen Chaffer, Jay and Pam Johnson, and Bob and Lynn Male came along, too. We spent the first week being tourists and the second working at the Highlands Youth Camp. What an unbelievable trip!
I composed my album on Facebook - here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=249749&id=832831683&l=093734fb4f

Brady's New Mitt

2010-09-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

The week before we left for Africa, Toby came home for a couple of days and we had to spoil Brady a little. Grampy Norm gave him his first baseball glove and Grammy Kate gave him some new PJ's w/ monkeys, of course! The croc head in the pond is something we were asked to bring to Africa to float in the pool at the bottom of the waterslide at the camp we're helping build. Brady loved it!

CBS Retreat

2010-09-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

We had a gorgeous two days at Trailwest in Buena Vista to "Be Refreshed" - our theme for the year as we study Acts. A hike to a water fall seemed appropriate. We had a little initiation for our new gals as the chef lifted the covers off their plates to reveal Rubber Chicken Marinara!

Victoria!!!

2010-07-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

What a great Girls Getaway!!!!
Mom, Sandy and I had a blast, just the three of us exploring Victoria for several days!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=195760&id=832831683&l=cd248bb5c1

Fathers Day 2010

2010-06-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Mothers Day 2010

2010-05-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

What a delightful day! After a lovely church service, Norm grilled an amazing steak dinner for me and his folks. Later, Ron, Alisa and Brady (and the October "bump"!!!) came up. Toby called in at some point, and we also got to Skype w/ Charissa and Jeremy while everyone was there. Brady gave me a beautiful "B" charm and a sticker that says "Very Loved Grandma" - I'll probably have it laminated!

Toby's Surprise Visit !

2010-04-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 22, Norm came in and told me he'd picked something up for me while he was in Denver. It was Toby!!! They'd kept the secret for 2 weeks! What a great surprise!

The first night we had Sarah Kelly over to play Catan. Then the Lord ordered up some snow, so for Toby's only ski outing of the season, he had 2ft. of powder! He and Ron Henry took in a Rockies game and we all spent Sunday afternoon together at Red Robin.

It went by quickly but any second I have him is a treasure!

Ron Henry's Birthday Celebration

2010-03-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

Though we were a week late, we finally got to celebrate Ron's 29th birthday. Charissa and Jeremy's teammates, Jay and Jackie Parks, were here visiting before heading to their language training. Their little Lydia is just a month younger than Brady. Their little Cole was curious about this interaction but too young to get in on it. It was hilarious to watch the 2 year olds interact in this side-by-side stage of development. They entertained us by jumping off little chairs and competing over the little rocking chair.Be sure to watch the videos below this post.

Brady & Lydia Chair Jumping

2010-03-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Brady w/ Lydia Parks - chair jumping

Rocking Chair Rumble

2010-03-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

From Brady w/ Lydia Parks & the rocking chair rumble

Off they go!

2010-02-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

Charissa and Jeremy left today to live in N. Africa for the next few years. Please pray for their safety and effective work. You might notice that Charissa's pretty blond hair is gone in these last few photos - she went brown in an attempt to blend in a little better - we'll see :)

(Double click on the photos to go to full screen and read the captions)

Family Portraits

2010-02-10T23:07:00.000-08:00

Charissa requested that we have family photos taken before they leave for N. Africa, so our dear friend Judy Brown took these wonderful pictures! Unfortunately it started snowing so there are reflections of snowflakes in the ones outdoors, but we'll treasure them no less.

Charissa's camera 11/09-2/10

2010-02-10T09:42:00.001-08:00

Grampy Norm is 51

2010-02-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

CBS Teaching Directors' Conference

2010-01-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

Jan. 21-24, we had the opportunity to stay at the Broadmoor for my CBS - TD conference! There were wonderful speakers and people from around the world. Meals were always accompanied by fascinating conversations! It was a great time of encouragement in the Word! On Friday, we went to see our friend, Emily Chaffer at Compassion Int'l and she gave us grim info about the devastation in Haiti after the earthquake. Some 15,000 of their sponsored children are missing!
The Lord did a sweet, personal thing for us, though. Thirty years ago, we spent the first few nights of our honeymoon at the Broadmoor. When we first got there this time, we were given a room w/ 2 small beds, but my friend, Marilyn Betsch, had told me she was praying that we'd have a great room. So I went up to the desk and shyly asked if we could have a better room. The gal was so sweet and guess what? There was only one room left w/ a kingsize bed and she gave it to us!
Why is the thought of reenacting our honeymoon so funny?! Besides, we'd need that whole crew of people that crashed our party, wouldn't we, Chris, Gene, Cheri....

Brady Turns 2!

2010-01-19T23:59:00.000-08:00

Kathy's Birthday

2009-12-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

Usually, there would be an entry here about Toby's birthday on the 28th but he didn't come home for Christmas and had to be in New Jersey on his birthday. You can see photos of him there in his friend Dan Cappocia's wedding on Facebook!

My birthday was celebrated at lunch w/ friends the day before, and that night we went to dinner w/ Ron Henry, Alisa and Brady. There were no photos taken at those events but after dinner, we took Brady to the Disney store and I remembered that my camera was in my coat pocket. There are no photos of me, but these few pics are of two of my best assets - Brady and Alisa - Johnny Depp look out! On my birthday, I went down to do work w/ Ron Henry on their "new" house, (check out photos of it on their blog).They teased me about taking up tack-stripping on my birthday but I just wanted to be w/ them. That evening our friends, the Clarks, had a little get together at their house for me. It was a sweet celebration all around.

Charissa's photo book for Brady

2009-12-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

Brady & Grammy chat

2009-12-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas '09

2009-12-26T10:13:00.000-08:00

We had a sweet Christmas even though Toby couldn't come home. Thank the Lord for SKYPE! We "called" him on the computer so he was with us that way. We pointed the computer at each person as they opened their gifts so he could see and make comments. Later in the day when we went downstairs to play Wii games, we "set" him on the piano so he could take in the scene. That's how life is going to be since my younger two kiddos will be so far away, but I'm sooooo grateful we can be together like that!Christmas w/ Brady was too much fun as you can see in the photos. He helped his daddy assemble his Diego trike, and gave his bears rides the rest of the morning. You might wonder what kind of grandparents give a 2 year old a chainsaw, but his daddy had one when he was little and loved to "help" his daddy cut wood, so it's tradition! Matt, Dawne, and Clint came up later in the day for Norm's amazing prime rib dinner and stayed to play games. I stayed up until the very last second of the day because I didn't want it to ever end. It was a truly blessed day.

Christmas Eve '09

2009-12-24T23:34:00.000-08:00

Nathan and Sara's Wedding

2009-12-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

Our nephew, Nathan, Sheldon's oldest, married Sara Pollock in Augusta, Georgia, Dec. 19th.

First Baptist Church and the country club had all their Christmas decorations up, so it was particularly festive! Congrats to Nathan and Sara! After a honeymoon at the Biltmore in North Carolina, he'll continue in medical school and she teaches art in Augusta.

Norm was disappointed there was no golfing in the goings-on but it was rainy and then cold the whole weekend. It was fun to be together w/ family in suites in the Marriott as well as having the occasion to celebrate! Toby doesn't get to come home for Christmas so it was nice to get this time w/ him beforehand, ( I only cried for half the trip home!)

Nathan and Sara's Rehearsal Dinner

2009-12-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

The rehearsal dinner was held at the lovely old Partridge Inn in Augusta.

Sheldon and Nathan put together a fun montage of photos and w/ Sheldon as emcee, the evening was filled w/ laughter but also a poignant charge from Scripture for the couple to live as gifts to one another. It was fun to be w/ Stephanie's sisters whom I haven't seen in years and all the cousins had a great time together!

"Kate and Leon" Reunion

2009-12-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, we flew into Atlanta to then drive to my nephew's wedding in Augusta. One of my best college friends lives outside Atlanta so we met at a Chili's. If you didn't know, my friends at Moody only ever called me Kate - something my roommate started, and my friend's name is Lynne, but w/ her southern accent, it was 2 syllables, thus the "Le-on". We had Charissa w/ us and Toby drove up from Pensacola to meet us there. Lynne and Kent only had their Ali since their older two were still at school. What a great time we had reminiscing about our "Moody days"! Our kids were a tad surprised by their mothers' antics! We didn't even begin to catch up on everything! Thanks Kent and Lynne! Won't heaven be wonderful - always being w/ the ones we love so much?!

White Elephant Party '09

2009-12-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Our umpteenth annual White Elephant Party was small but fun! I sure thought that my lampshade-on-the-head days were long behind me but...

The goofiest gift was the elf ears that Jean Kelly opened. The unmentionable medical tool reappeared this year as a stir stick w/ a coffee mug - YIKES! Too funny! Everyone lingered afterward playing some of the brainteaser games and going over the world map that was a popular trade. It was a great way to kick off the season - as usual!

Thanksgiving/Jeremy's Birthday

2009-12-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

We had three full days of celebrating! Wednesday was our day w/ Ron, Alisa, and Brady, and since my mom was here, we had my brother Matt come up from the Springs w/ his tribe and Norm's folks came so they could see Brady. Then Thursday, we were with Norm's siblings and families. Jeremy's birthday was on Thanksgiving, so we sang to him then, but had his party after our tree cutting expedition on Friday with the Fowler family and Andrew Welsh. It was a marathon but all fun. We are truly grateful for all the Lord is to us and what He has done in our lives ( Mom, there are captions on the photos so be sure to go to full screen)

More Fun Fall Photos w/ Brady!

2009-11-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

Cutest Scarecrow Ever!

2009-10-30T20:14:00.001-07:00

Here's Brady as the cutest scarecrow ever! The nearby library had a costume parade for preschoolers, followed by punch and cookies. Brady discovered a little sweeper and even cleaned up after himself ! Brady loves to read - so he found a panda bear, and "read" to him for awhile before we left - it was too cute!

Girls Golf and Glenwood Springs Getaway

2009-10-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Can you see why we love golfing in Colorado? Spectacular blue skies and amazing scenery - what a blessing!
No one wanted photos "published" of us in the pool so we posed on our hotel balcony w/ the pool in the background :) but the hot springs was great to loosen up before and after our great day at the links.
(dbl click for full screen and captions)

Our Little Pumpkin!

2009-10-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Brady and Grammy Kate spent a day at the Littleton Historical Museum this week. It's a working farm so Brady had a great time "talking" to all the animals and climbing on the pumpkins. One of my favorite moments - he'd been watching this other grandma and little boy set out several pumpkins they liked, trying to decide which one to take. After a little while, he walked over to one of their pumpkins and in his cute jibberish, was obviously telling the little boy why he should pick that pumpkin. The little boy was clueless but both of us grandmas thought that was the cutest thing!

Brady's New Bathrobe

2009-10-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Grammy Kate spotted this fun bathrobe and knew who just had to have it!

Toby's Quick Visit

2009-09-09T18:37:00.000-07:00

Toby got to come home for Labor Day weekend! It was sooo nice to have him home and see that he's doing well. On the way home from the airport, we stopped to see Brady and Alisa, then went to see Ron at work. Saturday we had to go to a wedding, but then Sunday after church, everyone came to just be together, including Norm's folks. Brady only took a 20min. nap but he was good to go for 8 hours! What a darling little trooper! These family times will be more and more rare before too long so we treasure every moment.

CBS Retreat '09

2009-08-31T16:53:00.000-07:00

August 26-27, we had our leadership retreat for Community Bible Study. The setting in Buena Vista at the Young Life facility, Trail West, is spectacular with Mt. Princeton as the backdrop - you all wish you were in this small group on the deck, don't you?!
The scrapbookers were in their element as we put together our family prayer cards.
One of the highlights was the Mari-Mar Syndrome skit that my friend Becky Stephens put together. I was the psychiatrist trying to help Mary and Martha as they argued over whose ministry was more important. It was a great kick-off for the year as we study the Gospel of Luke!

Hike to Hartenstein Lake

2009-08-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

My friends, Jeanette Turner and Donnis Pallaoro patiently hiked w/ me up to this serene lake at treeline. The 13,000 ft. mountain that is the backdrop is Turner Peak - that's why I kept having Jeanette pose :) - she's very patient. Nearby, to the north, is Mt. Yale, a 14-er and in the distance, to the east, is Mt. Princeton, also a 14-er. The weather threatened the whole time but the Lord kept a window of sunshine over us almost the entire time - we never had to put our jackets on!

2009-08-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a finally a hot summer day w/ no rain! First thing in the a.m. I looked out the kitchen window to see our kitty dancing with this deer! They were quite curious about each other. I'd seen the cats go nose to nose w/ deer in the garden before but not captured the moment.
Later that day, Brady came up to play w/ us while his parents went tubing. We had our own water fun!

Brady's Parade

2009-08-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Brady was in his first parade - Littleton's Western Welcome Week parade. MetroBrokers Realty was well represented by Alisa's female family members but Brady and his little cousin, John Matthew, stole the show!

Wedding Shower for Melody Lake!

2009-08-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

Melody Lake is marrying Kyle Thibedeau on Sept. 5, so we threw a shower for her. She and her sister, Katrina, have been like sisters to Charissa and they look like sisters! Charissa had interviewed Kyle and then quizzed Melody on the info. When she missed an answer, she had to put another piece of bubble gum in her mouth - she looked like a chipmunk! It was great fun.

A Little Work, A Little Play

2009-07-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Ron, Alisa, and Brady came up to our house so Ron Henry could clean the pineneedles off of our roof for us. Brady was quite the little helper. He sticks his tongue out when he's concentrating just like his daddy - too cute.

Thankfully nobody was outside when the bear wandered through the yard in broad daylight!

Last week we finally had a hot summer day w/o rain so we got some pool time. Alisa has taken Brady for swimming lessons, so he knows how to get himself out of the pool, float, and blow bubbles. He loves the water, loves jumping in, splashing other people and going down the slide. Our little cousins (Ronna's kids) were also there and Brady really took to Jedidiah. It was sweet to watch them play. Charissa and I took turns taking cousin Sarah down the big slide. You can see more photos of our fun on Alisa's blog http://ronandalisa.blogspot.com/

Brady's new car & Memorial Day in Seattle

2009-06-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

Charissa found this Flintstone car last summer and Brady is finally big enough to really enjoy it. He loves opening and closing the door and "talking" to the dogs out of the window.
Our trip to Seattle was fast but fun. Our friends Kathleen and Bruce Chaffer went w/ us because our trip included some church business. We had a great time showing them the Seattle highlights and the weather was terrific! We spent Sunday at the waterfront w/ my mom and my sister's family. Monday, we went to the National Cemetery to place flowers by my dad's niche since June 3 marks 10 years. It still startles me to see "Searle" on that wall.
We spent the rest of Monday at my sister Sandy's enjoying the lake and some yummy grub!

Cali's 15th Birthday

2009-06-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

Our kitty, Cali, was born June 1, 1994. She was given to us that July by our sweet little 6 year old niece, Kelsey, who was killed later that same week in a car collision. Kelsey had picked her out for us and named her. Cali became a very precious keepsake to us, so I think one can of tuna is more than an appropriate celebration.

Brady's Dedication/Mother's Day

2009-05-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day was made extra special by Brady's dedication. We went down to Littleton Bible Chapel for this important occasion. Brady behaved himself and seemed enthralled with all the goings on in "big church", especially the music! Alisa's family all came, too. One sweet lady in their church made bread bears for all the families of the dedicatees - how thoughtful! It 's such a blessing to know that Ron and Alisa love and serve the Lord Jesus wholeheartedly. We don't have any doubt that Brady will be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Easter '09

2009-04-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Resurrection Day! After church, Ron, Alisa, and Brady came up. We also had Toby's friend Andrew Welsh with us. As old as our children are, they still want to hunt for their Easter baskets. The weather was dreary, so Norm was challenged to find good hiding places in the house, but it actually took Ron Henry quite awhile to locate his. Brady went straight for the candy, and popped a chocolate egg in his mouth, foil and all. He eventually took interest in the lamb that plays "Jesus Loves Me" and he settled down to "read" the Easter story - that was too cute!
We concluded the day with a couple rounds of the game "Settlers of Catan" - our new addiction!
It might be our last Easter with Jeremy and Charissa for awhile if they leave for Morocco in January so it was extra precious.

Ron Henry is 28!

2009-03-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

For Ron Henry's 28th, he requested that Norm fix his famous ribs. Even Brady couldn't get enough! Alisa made a chocolate cheesecake that was heavenly. Uncle Toby entertained Brady by building things with the Duplos and letting him demolish them. Brady wasn't quite sure about getting towed around in the laundry basket, though. I think it made him dizzy. It was a fun family evening!

Norm's 50th

2009-02-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

Hawaii 5-0

2009-02-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

If you read our blog, you know Norm surprised me with a trip to Hawaii to celebrate our 50th birthdays. My brother Sheldon is the one who called it the Hawaii 5-0 trip - he's always clever like that :) Anyway, Norm and I had a blast. We headquatered in Waikiki at the Ohana East Hotel on the 15th floor on the ocean side - nice! Waikiki is a crowded city so everyday we went somewhere, using Norm's iphone as our guide :) We snorkeled in Haunamo Bay the first day. The second day, we toured Pearl Harbor - looking down at the ship and watching the blips of fuel still rising is a moving experience. Then we did a circle tour of the island, stopping at several beaches and spotting whales! The weather was a little cool and rainy the third day so we went to the Mission Houses Museum and learned how the Lord prepared the Hawaiians to receive the Gospel of Christ before the first missionaries arrived in 1820. It's a great story. That night we went to a luau on the beach and yes, poi is as bad tasting as I remembered from childhood. We did drive to Kailua and hunt down my childhood home. The green yard I remember has been cemented in as a carport. Who would live where you can grow such beautiful things and plant concrete?!
Norm wanted to tour the National cemetery, the Punchbowl, which is a striking place. The trees were formed in wreaths and there were huge mosaics of the major battles of WWII. The view of Diamondhead from there reveals that it's a large crater which postcard pics don't portray.
We golfed the next two days at Turtle Bay which gave us the excuse to drive up to the north shore again and eat more fresh shrimp. We also visited with family friends, Valerie and James Moore with their cutie pie little ones, Joseph and Kendra.
Our last day was finally a sunny, warm day so we went to the beach, walked and shopped in the International Market again and then went back to the beach for the sunset and fireworks.
What a wonderful, relaxing time we had! If you've never been, I highly recommend going!
Thanks Norm!

Brady's First Birthday!

2009-01-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

Kathy is 50!!!!!!

2008-12-30T23:13:00.000-08:00

My sweet Charissa threw a surprise tea party for me! She's still on her crutches, so she had some great helpers in her friend Melody Lake and Jeremy's sister, Kyndal. My dear friend, Linda Lake, had taken me out to coffee that morning and when we arrived back at the house...
It was such a delightful time with family and friends. Mom brought some of my baby photos to share and others shared memories, too. I wish I'd had my wits more about me to turn it into a hobbit party - give gifts to, or share about these wonderful people the Lord has blessed me with!

Then, that evening, our family met at the Outback for supper. I was outrageously surprised when I opened my card from Norm and it was a brochure for a trip to Hawaii!!! It will be hard to keep my feet on the ground 'til the 24th of January!

Toby's Birthday

2008-12-28T22:58:00.000-08:00

Toby celebrated Saturday night at Charissa's with a bunch of his friends, then again with family after church on Sunday. My brother Matt and his clan came up from the Springs since my mom had arrived Saturday. It's such a bonus to have this time with Toby before the Marine Corps takes him full time!

Christmas '08

2008-12-25T23:18:00.000-08:00

Brady's first Christmas!!! How much fun!
My folks had given Ron Henry a Wonder Horse for his first Christmas so we made that a tradition and got Brady one - he'll grow into it someday!
The little "Stuff Me" bib was also a gift from Grandma Barbara to Ron Henry on his first Christmas!
Brady loved the Swahili counting book from Jeremy and Charissa, and he kept giving the animals hugs by laying his head on the pages - too cute!
We had Jeremy's sister, Kyndal, with us again which is always fun. My mom came on Saturday so my brother Matt came up w/ his tribe and we celebrated again on Sunday evening. Our new favorite game is "Settlers of Catan", which we have played way too many times!
It was a marathon Christmas but continuously wonderful!

What a sighting!

2008-12-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

Today, Ron Henry, Alisa, and Brady came up to get their Christmas tree. Brady was quite tired so he went down for a nap, and it ended up that only Ron Henry and I went out to hunt for their tree. I had scoped out some options along a new powerline cut that runs through the forest toward the highway. As we wandered closer to the road, motion caught my eye about 30 feet away. In the thick trees, I couldn't tell much except that it was too short to be a deer, so I thought it was a coyote. As Ron Henry turned to see what I was pointing at, the critter turned to look at us - it was a mountain lion! It sat and watched us for a little while but when we moved, it slinked away. It was quite exciting at first, but then every little sound creeped us out! I totally forgot to take any pictures of it or the tree we then cut. It took awhile for the adrenaline to calm down! When we got to the gully below the highway, there was a roadkill elk and a deer carcass that must have been what drew the lion. At least we knew he wasn't hungry! We've lived in this house for 14 years and have never seen a lion before - YIKES!

Cutting the Christmas Tree

2008-12-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

Charissa's friends, Jeremy and Kelly Fowler, came up Saturday and brought his family with them. We had a great time hunting for Christmas trees - even figured out how to include our crippled Charissa! After a successful felling of the mighty spruce :) , we came back to the house for hot chocolate and cookies. It was a great day! (Although we didn't take any pictures of us w/ our tree!)

Thanksgiving Day

2008-11-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

Check out Brady's beret! How cute can a kid get?! He loved wearing it, too.
Charissa had us all (Norm's extended family) write our names on paper placemats and then we passed them around to write what we were thankful for about each person. It was a sweet Thanksgiving activity before focusing on the food.

2008-11-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Jones is 25! Norm fixed a prime rib roast for the celebration which suited Jeremy just fine. Toby's friend Andrew Welsh who has become a rock climbing friend of Jeremy's was with us to celebrate. We finished the celebration with Jeremy's favorite - German Chocolate cake and ice cream - YUM!

Snow Fun!

2008-11-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

Brady was curious about what was outside this morning.
He loved the snow!

Brady is 9 months old!

2008-10-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

Brady came to cheer Auntie Charissa up after her foot surgery. He is crawling and pulling up on everything now. Opening drawers and cupboards to see what he can pull out is quite fun. His daddy appreciated his "help" when he put together the new -fangled high chair for Grammy Kate to have at her house. Charissa's friend called on Skype from Virginia and had her baby girl "talk" to Brady. He was enthralled but then pulled the screen down and looked behind it to see where she was. It was so cute! Play the video below to see how much he loved the little slide!

Brady at Grammy Kate's

2008-10-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

From Brady9mo

Brady, Beau, and Daddy

2008-10-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

SUPER CUTE photos of Brady & Daddy Bear in their beanies!

Toby's USMC Commissioning

2008-08-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

The ceremony was so meaningful, especially when my mom presented my dad's sword to Toby. The chapel was filled with friends and family which made it even more special. A special thanks to: my mom; my brother Matt, who polished and prepared the sword; Chris VanInwagen, who performed the commissioning; Andy Betsch, who gave 2nd Lieutenant Tobin Lewis his first salute; and Pastor Kyle Bendorf, who gave the prayer of dedication. I also want to thank my friends who helped with the reception: Rhonda Turner, Matt & Alyssa Lake, Marilyn Betsch, Cindy Tadlock, and Deb Long.

Seattle Trip

2008-08-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time in Seattle this year! The family reunion for my mom's side of the family was so fun! It was good to see everyone since we weren't able to attend my grandma's funeral which was just one day prior to our arrival. My sister Sandy and her Bob were gracious hosts and their lake was such a wonderful bonus! Be sure to click on the photo frame to get a fullsize slideshow w/ captions.

Brady is 6 Months Old!

2008-07-30T09:54:00.001-07:00

Brady is 6 Months Old!

2008-07-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

June Happenings

2008-06-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

These photos are of Father's Day and then Charissa's 25th birthday (6/19) which was also Brady's 5 month birthday. We also tried to get a family photo which is fun w/ a 5mo. old, so I included some outtakes. Double click on the photo space to get captions...

Updatin' Bradyn Photos

2008-05-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Brady is now 4 1/2 months old and very responsive. He's a happy baby like his daddy was, and word came this morning that he's rolling over! He's already hanging out at the soccer fields when his daddy coaches his "special needs" teams. Another word on his daddy, he was hired at Chatfield Senior High as a guidance counselor, so come August, he'll leave the world of buffalo and earth moving to dress up and use that MA degree! Pray for his faith in Christ to remain strong - it will have its trials, I'm sure!

Toby's College Graduation

2008-05-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Toby has officially graduated from Liberty University!
Friends of Charissa's loaned us their house so we were able to have a party for him the night before with his friend Dan's family. Norm BBQed ribs so everyone was happy! But when you come into town the day before, you have to settle for pink flowers on the cake and cover up the "Happy Birthday" with a big mortar board :) Alisa and Brady weren't able to come, but Charissa's friend Jackie brought her little Lydia to fill in the gap. Some of you will remember our exchange student, Juan Erazo; he also graduated, and his family was able to come from Honduras! Chuck Norris was the speaker (he didn't rapell from a helicopter or do any martial arts, though). He gave a humble testimony of how he came to know Jesus. After he spoke to everyone in the stadium, we headed over to the airport, and Toby's aviation graduation was held in the Falwell hangar. In the photos, we're all standing in front of the plane Toby learned to fly. Toby will be home the month of June and then head off to Officers Candidate School for the USMC. If there are buttons in heaven, my dad's are busting!

Ben's Visit

2008-03-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ron Henry bought a new truck through a broker, and it happened to be in Seattle! He flew up there to drive it back, and brought w/ him my nephew, Ben Swarner. Ben was able to help w/ the driving and then have a few days w/us and our friends the Thompsons w/whom he'd gotten acquainted on our Honduras mission trip! He instantly took to snowboarding, and it was a delight to have him around!

Easter Weekend

2008-03-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

Since Jeremy and Charissa have a heart for Morocco, Saturday evening we ate at "Marakesh". The food was flavorful and the company fun! We met a young man, Asan, who agreed to help J&C learn Moroccan Arabic, if they'll help him w/ his English!
Sunday after church - a great celebration of Jesus' resurrection - RH, Alisa & Brady came up for dinner and the annual basket hunt. It was a gorgeous, delightful day, but we did have to say goodbye to Toby that afternoon as he left for Virginia and his last 6 weeks of college!

Spring Break '08

2008-03-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

Spring Break was a busy week at our house! Toby came home from Virginia w/ his friends Patty and Dan. Sheldon and Stephanie came from TN with their three younger ones: Scott, Irina, and Dmitri. It's a good thing Charissa has a guest room at her place so we could accomodate everyone! We had a blast and it was all over too soon :(
(Remember to double click on the photo to get a full size slideshow w/captions)

More Bradysitting - 7 weeks!

2008-03-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

A Master's Degree for Ron Henry!

2008-03-01T23:35:00.000-08:00

Ron Henry finished his MA in mid-February, so Alisa had a surprise party to celebrate! We are really proud of his perseverance. He worked 30 hrs/week, went to class, and worked two days/week at his internships. He's also been coaching a soccer team for disabled kids. Becoming a college athletic director is his long term goal. Most of all, Ron has let the Lord develop his character and direct his steps and I have no greater joy, (3 John 1:4).
Remember to double click on the photo to get a slideshow w/ captions...

Four Generations

2008-02-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

We finally got all four generations of Lewis guys together for a photo!
The photo where they're all sleeping after the meal will be typical, I'm sure. Brady is now 10.5 lbs and very easy going. He got passed around to all the cousins and didn't fuss a bit.

One Month Old!

2008-02-19T23:17:00.000-08:00

Bradyn Asher Lewis had his one month birthday so we had to celebrate! Auntie Charissa gave him a very green hat and Big "Brother" Beau gave him some slobbery kisses. Brady was quite congenial until we fed him. He evidently had no stomach for that formula and proceeded to erupt, baptizing us and about drowning himself! It made the day hilarious and unforgettable :)

Big-eyed Brady!

2008-02-13T18:00:00.000-08:00

Auntie Charissa and I got the thrill of babysitting Brady for a few hours last Friday! He was awake and happy most of the time so we could hardly take our eyes off of him - all those adorable, inquisitive expressions!

Birthday Boys!

2008-02-02T22:06:00.000-08:00

Brady was two weeks old and Norm was turning 49 so we celebrated at our favorite Thai restaurant.

A Bunch of Brady Photos

2008-01-22T22:53:00.000-08:00

More Baby holding! Brady is just a beautiful boy! Ron Henry can hardly stand to go to work and be away from him! Charissa was able to pamper Alisa with a much needed massage, but she also played with the camera to get some black and white pics - there's something sweet about those.

Barbara's Birthday

2008-01-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

My mom, Barbara, and her friend Betty Oertli share a birthday on January 22. My Aunt Lynda and her daughter Lisa, along with my Aunt Lorna and her daughter Lorna, joined Charissa and I at "SerendipiTea" to celebrate. The tea room closet was full of hats and boas so we had a silly element to keep things fun. That's important because January 22 was Grandma Connie's birthday also, and we were all missing her. It was interesting to find out that Betty's mother-in-law had also shared this birthdate! Maybe there was a heavenly tea party that day, too! (Thank You, Lord, for that comforting thought.)

First Grandbaby Arrives!

2008-01-19T13:50:00.000-08:00

Bradyn Asher Lewis (Brady) finally arrived At 6:31 this morning - 8 days overdue, and after 22hrs of labor! He was quite happy in there and had to be prayed into position - Thursday he was sideways - and then induced out - all 8lbs. 13 oz. of him! Alisa and Ron Henry are thrilled and exhausted. It was special that Great Grandma Barbara was here for the event. Grandpa Norm had to run a wrestling tournament today but rushed right down to hold him as soon as he could.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

Our Lewis/Jones family celebrated the new year together on the 2nd at the Outback. It was also Toby's going away party since he went back to college at o'dark thirty the next day.

2007-12-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

The evening of the 29th, my brother Matt and all his tribe came up for yet another Christmas celebration. Matt's Dawne brought her three grandchildren which made for a lively time! Ron and Jeremy helped cool things down by dipping heads in the snow. The little guys pretended to be upset but when it was time to go, they listed it as one of the fun things they'd done. They also loved the little mugs we gave them from Honduras that have ceramic cockroaches in the bottom!

2007-12-29T21:36:00.000-08:00

We gave all the guys new suits for Christmas, so the morning of the 29th, we went out for breakfast and then met at KG Menstore. It was great fun!
(Double click on the photo for the captions on the slideshow)

2007-12-28T21:08:00.000-08:00

The evening of Dec. 28, we were privileged to celebrate my Uncle Stan and Aunt Lorna's 50th anniversary, (Stan is my dad's younger brother). It was their hospitality to me as a teen, that brought me to Evergreen, Colorado, and thus the life I have today - I'm usually very grateful :)
I wish I'd taken more photos at the party but at least I got this one with my cousins, Lorna D. and Shelley. We always have great fun whenever we get together!

2007-12-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

Toby, our baby is 22! How time flies!
(Double click on the photo for the slideshow with captions)

2007-12-27T20:17:00.000-08:00

Norm prepared an amazing smoked buffalo prime rib dinner for our Lewis family Christmas. After gorging ourselves once more, we had the gift exchange. Ronna's youngest we call "Princess Sarah", so I couldn't resist this T-shirt that clarifies she's a daughter of the King of kings :)
For Carol, this quilting Willow Tree figurine called "Generations" seemed the perfect gift. The wacky patriarch of the family has been trying to grow a pony tail for some time now - there's not much to it besides entertainment value like Charissa putting it in a french -braid!

2007-12-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

The snow that fell Christmas Day beckoned us outside the next morning. Toby and Jeremy had a great time making this video and the rest of us helped with filming, costume and make-up. It has some great moments!

Operation Snowman

2007-12-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

Operation Snowman - Behind the Scenes

2007-12-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

There's a scene in the movie where Toby says he thinks the snowman has been altering his appearance to elude them :) It was true!

2007-12-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

A True White Christmas!

2007-12-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

Double click on the picture for captions and a larger slideshow.

Christmas Eve

2007-12-24T23:29:00.000-08:00

Jeremy's sister, Kyndal, came to spend her winter break with us, and their Granny June came for the week before Christmas. One of our favorite Colorado things to do is tour the Celestial Seasonings Tea factory and shop at the gift store. The "peppermint room" was particularly wonderful at Christmastime! Charissa and Julianne Anderson sang a beautiful version of "Emmanuel" at the Christmas Eve service, accompanied by their hubbies on guitars - what a treat! After that, we headed home to the Jones' tradition of waffles with blueberries and ice cream - YUM! Opening one present on Christmas Eve is our family tradition and the cat's tradition is to find the coziest wrapping to hide in!

2007-12-16T21:47:00.000-08:00

Mid-December, the mom-to-be of our first grandbaby, Alisa, turned 26. Norm had been in the hospital most of the previous week with what was eventually labeled dengue fever, but the Lord mercifully began to heal him before the doctors figured that out. Anyway, he was well enough to fix Alisa a wonderful Buffalo prime rib dinner and we had a sweet celebration of this gracious, beautiful soul that the Lord has given to our family. Thanks, Ron Henry; you chose wisely!