Christmas 2013 continued

Some random shots from Christmas... 

 Just before we left for Portland.  I wish we lived closer to family and could spend the holidays in our home.  I'm sad when we have to leave our tree unattended.  By the time we get back it's all dried out.

 Jack was so curious.  A couple years ago I made him a paw stocking that we call a "pawking".  My sister was teasing him Christmas Eve and he discovered his treats inside.  He is such a kid.  These pictures are really cute of him.

 Christmas morning...I just realized I look really bad, but I had to post it because Jack is smiling and it makes me happy.

 My family at my brother's home.

 Nephew's Cody and Cade

 My brother Ryan and his son Grady

My sweet neice Sydney

Christmas in Portland

Shane and I were in Portland this year for Christmas.  I was really sad last year when we were not able to spend the holidays with any of our family so this year we were both able to get time off to travel to Portland to be with my family.  It was a nice time being home.  I'll always refer to my childhood home as HOME.  It's a place where I feel peace and find my childhood memories.  My mother was out of town in Utah and it was hard not having her there, but she did a wonderful job decorating and making things nice for Shane and I and my sister Nichol for the holidays.  

Christmas being a hard time of year for my family because it has been three years since our father passed.  I remember the Christmas just before he passed he had already been in the hospital for over a month and my mother by his side every day, every hour and visiting him there during the holidays was specially hard and now when Christmas rolls around I can't help but think of that time.  Also a few days before he passed just before Shane and I headed back to Grants Pass I was in his hospital room and I knew in my heart it would be the last time saying goodbye.  It was then a couple days later, December 31st New years Eve I received a phone call from my brother that my father had passed.  

I love my father so much and I try everyday to honor him in all that I do.  He is truly a one of a kind hero and a great father.  I miss him so much and still can not believe that he is gone.  He and my mother have created a wonderful family and I am so blessed to be apart of it.  As I look at this picture I can not believe how much our family has grown. I have so much love for each one of these people.  It was good times in Portland and more memories created.