A little Slip and Slide Fun!

Our kids wanted one last summer fling before school started, so we invited about 20 families to join us for a Family Night Potluck with a little slip and slide action. The kids had a lot of fun slipping, sliding, crashing and racing down the 100 foot long slip and slide.

Buddies Ky and Chase

Buddies Alaina and Shavon

And the award for the best fall goes to... Chase Kissell

Hudson couldn't wait for his swim suit. He just jumped right into a bucket of water and had a blast splashing around.

After dinner a few of the dads were ready to get wet so they came over to play with the kids.

Going for a ride!

Once the Adults took over the slip and slide, the kids had fun playing in the sand or shall I say MUD.

AND THEN THE REAL RACES BEGAN!!!

That's right, Dans cheating, and it's caught on camera. 

Even when going  down solo the dads remained focused and intense. After partially loosing his shorts on the last try, we think Jason is just praying that all will go smother at the end of this ride. 

Helping Hands!

Thus Ended The Summer Fun!! 

Dan has issued the challenge for the next time around. He dares someone to come take his championship belt away. Competitive? Maybe just a little!

It was fun! A big thanks to all the families that showed up to enjoy the fun. 

Total Bummer

So I know I just announced that I'm pregnant but it looks like this is going to be miscarriage #2 for the Ostler's. Disappointed doesn't begin to describe how I feel right now. This pregnancy was such a lifesaver for me. It was what was helping me get over my last miscarriage. It was giving me something to look forward to and in all honestly I was super excited. Now it has just left me wondering what I'm doing wrong. I thought after having 5 healthy kids I had this whole having babies thing down. What am I missing? Is it because I'm fat? Do I need to become a perfect mom to the kids I already have before I'll be given anymore? Do I need to have the eight passenger car actually purchased before I get pregnant with #6? Are my hormones out of whack? Is my body done having kids? (It seems a little early for menopause) 

I feel really sad and frustrated knowing there are more spirits that need to come to our family but not knowing how I'm ever going to get them here. I know this happens to everyone and that if I keep trying it will eventually work out. But I still have the emotions now. I still want the children now. I still don't like going through this and I defiantly want off this emotional roller coaster. 

I guess the Lord knows that the timing isn't right for this to happen quite yet. That is my only saving thought. God is in control. I just need to take a deep breath and keep putting my life and health together so that when the time is right in God's eyes....I will be ready and able for the children that are supposed to be mine. 

Phantom of the Opera

Dan and I had a great trip this weekend to Portland with Mike and Karri Stoker. We left town around 1:00 on Friday, got to our hotel with enough time to get checked in and all dressed up for a fun evening. We had dinner at the Marina Fish House which is a floating restaurant there on the river. After dinner we were off to Phantom of the Opera. It was our first time seeing it live and it was awesome. I couldn't believe the vocal talent on stage. The songs are so hard, yet they all hit EVERY NOTE! And not just hit the notes. They killed it. The performance was really fun to watch, and  I loved the theatrics and sets. 

The next morning we went to the Portland Temple. We did a session there which is always a joy for us. We love that temple and have a ton of personal history there. I was endowed there and prior to the Tri Cities getting our own temple, we actually attended that temple very regularly. With friends in Portland we found it really fun and easy to justify going there instead of Seattle when the time came to go and serve.

On the way home from the temple, we hit an outlet mall and did some shopping. The Stokers ended up with a bag or two of something, but Dan and I left with only a smoothie. Fun Times none the less. 

PHANTOM WEEKEND WAS A HUGE SUCCESS! Cant wait to do it again. 

Silverwood

Silverwood here we come! I mean CAME! That's right, we hit the biggest amusement park in the region with our kids and our good friends Annette and Jacob Rose and children. 

The kids had a lot of fun getting warmed up on all of the kiddie rides.

Then it was off to Coaster Alley. We had a blast riding all of the biggest and best coasters and thrill rides. 

The Newest roller coaster is called Aftershock. This one that takes you up 20 stories high, dangles you face down for a few seconds and then drops you into a free fall straight to your death. I mean.....drops you until you think you are about to die, when suddenly it whisks you into a double loop twisty thingy at mach 5 speed. Then rockets you back up the same 20 stories and suspends you in air with your back to the ground this time around. And of course, drops you back down the death drop (backwards this time), only to take you all the way through the ride backwards this time. YEAH WE DID IT! A couple times in fact. And even our 5 year old wanted more of it. Rock On Hailey!!

We got a little wet on a few of the rides as well.

And we made sure to hit the kids section of Boulder Beach, the water park there. 

With train rides consisting of cowboys and train robbers, magicians at the pizza parlor, and an ice skating show we were non-stop having fun this whole weekend. 

The Roses hooked us up with a really cool condo that we would love to stay at again. Especially if we could stay longer to enjoy the pool, golf course, racket ball courts, and more. 

By the time we were driving home, we were worn out. 2 full days at an amusement park can take it's toll. But we enjoyed every minute of it and would totally do it again.

Power Outage

Tonight Dan and I were in the middle of watching the "So You Think You Can Dance Finale". With 30 minutes left in the show and the winner still to be announced our power went out. We were having a huge lightning and thunder storm. Dan ran to the garage to grab some candles and flashlights and by the time he got back with all of them the power turned back on. 10 minutes later it went back out again and stayed off until about 3:30 am. Sitting inside with the violent lightning flashing through the windows made our house seem like a haunted house from out of the movies. Scary!

Dan thought it looked awesome so he talked me into going outside to watch the lightning for a while. We watched it from the front porch for a while and then went to the backyard to check it out. When we stepped out onto the deck we noticed some of our patio furniture was missing. The wind had picked it up and thrown it into the yard. It was now 20 feet from where it was supposed to be, on the deck. The metal all twisted and mangled and the glass table shattered. Sad thing is I just bought this patio set about a month ago : ( UGHHH! After picking up the glass by hand, raking, and mowing Dan still had to vacuum the grass with the shop vac to get all the pieces of glass out. What a mess.

The rest of the night was spent reading Eclipse (Book 3 in the Twilight series) by candlelight so I can get onto book 4 which just came out last week. If you haven't read them yet you should really give them a try. It took my friends about 9 months of telling me to read them and then just finally handing me the 1st book and saying read it for me to actually get started. I actually don't like reading much but I can't put these books down. Love Them!

Oh, you thought I was joking about reading without any power, did you? Nothing a little flashlight and some candles can't overcome on a night with no lights. 

Interesting night all in all. 

LAUNDRY

Can anyone relate?

(The sad thing is I still have 1 load in the washer, 1 load in the dryer, and 2 still needing to be started. UGH!) 

Grandma Ostler

Nellie Nadine Ostler

January 5, 1934- July 28, 2008

Excerpts from Dan's 8 page Journal entry about his grandma's passing:

Thursday July 24th Grandma Ostler was taken to the Hospital after becoming feverish and completely non responsive. Once there, the doctor's decided she had pneumonia and some other infections. While in the hospital this first night she had a heart attack and on Friday morning dad received a phone call that she had stopped breathing. With her “directive not to resuscitate” the doctor told him that most likely she would not be alive by the time he got to the hospital. Family members were called and everyone traveled to the Tri Cities. As each family member arrived we felt blessed to find Grandma alive and still in the hospital.

Grandma was completely non-responsive and lay in bed virtually comatose. We were told that this was it and to take advantage of every second with her because they would be our last.

We stayed till about 4 in the morning before going home to sleep. We returned 3 hours later refreshed and ready to stay with her for the day. With the family fully gathered, we reminisced about Grandma’s life and legacy. I can’t say enough about how rich and rewarding these several hours were. They were moments of quiet reflection and honorary tribute, mingled with laughter and fun with the recounting of each of our memories.

Late Saturday morning a nurse came into talk to us about taking grandma home or admitting her to a hospice care house. The family quickly decided she belonged at home for her final moments on earth. Home is at Dad's house as she has lived with our family for the last 15 years. I would consider her to be more of a mom than a grandma to me. Grandma Ostler had the single biggest effect on the shaping of my character and life, my life's habits and personality traits, my testimony and commitment to following the Saviors example, with the exception of only one person. Namely my dad Lee Ostler.

For the next few days family members sat by her bed side. Everyone only getting 1 hour of sleep here or there. By Sunday most of the out of town extended family had to leave. It was heartbreaking to watch her children say goodbye to her for the last time.

We took shifts so that someone us by her side at all times throughout the entire weekend.

Monday night came upon us and we geared up for another long night. At about 10:15 pm Scott left the house. He was going to go home and get his first full nights sleep since last Thursday. Delene would be back at 2am to fill a shift. Stacey and I were to stay with Grandma until Delene returned.

When Scott left, but before Dad went to bed, and before Ryan or Linda went home, our family all happened to gather around grandma for a while.

With all of the hustle of the day gone, With all of the children sleeping, With nothing but the quiet of the night and the stillness of the tired home, we gathered around grandma and pondered. Slowly and naturally a quiet conversation stirred among us about the sacredness and significance of Grandmas life.

As we shared a few more stories and memories of her great life, heartfelt comments were made about the amazing legacy this woman has left. We talked about how amazing it was that Grandma raised 7 children who each had solid testimonies, married in the temple, went on missions, graduated from college with advanced degrees, and who largely had proven to pass those values on to the 3rd generation.

As the sentiments continued, and as the spirit was soft and peaceful, we witnessed grandma take her last breath. The room stood still. Time froze. Hearts lurched into our throats, and stomachs tied in knots. It was the moment we had been preparing for, yet I am not certain we were fully prepared. Many minutes of sacred and special time were had this evening. One of which was that we circled around Grandma for prayer and I offered a word of prayer on behalf of the group. Besides the family prayer, believe it or not there were still untold stories and memories that were unfolded which made us cry and laugh. We continued talking, praying, and saying our goodbyes to this loved woman.

As a tribute to my grandmother let me say this – “You are the one woman in my life who most perfectly filled the role of matriarch, mother, and mom. It wasn’t just “grandma” for you. You took on a different kind of role with me and I will never forget it. I love you beyond your understanding. I thank you for your testimony and example. I thank you for your dedication to following the Lord and his commandments. I thank you for teaching me the importance of prayer and scripture study. I thank you for loving me and teaching me. I can never repay you, but I promise to pass on your Legacy to my children. My children will miss out by not having you to directly influence them, but – I will do my best in proxy. I love you”

May God Rest Her Soul. And may God be with ME until we meet again. For she is truly with Him in his mansions above. Of this I am certain.

I love you Grandma. Forever and Always. Thank you for your Legacy and your Love.

White Water Rafting

As youth it was our tradition, every summer, to get together and caravan over to the Deschutes River for a day of white water rafting fun, but now that we have turned into old farts with children of our own we let that tradition slip away. It's been about 13 years since our last church, youth group, white water rafting trip. A friend of ours (Annette Rose) decided it had been way too long and planned a white water rafting trip for 25 friends. There were only about 5 original people from when we used to go as kids and the rest were 1st timers. 

Our group of 25 was divided in 3 boats. 

Our boat carried Dan and I, Annette & Jacob Rose, Cory & Sonja Hansen, 

Brooke & Jared Rose, and Kaitlyn Dickey.

We spent most of the day drenching the other 2 boats.

It was one continuous water fight ALL DAY LONG!

The other boats finally got smart and swam over to steal our water guns and buckets.

 The funnest part of that exchange was witnessing the ninja like skills of the men in our boat retrieving their lost weapons. It was an epic battle! To Mike Scott's credit it took 3 men from our boat, and a near drowning experience before the water gun was finally pryed from his death grip and returned to it's rightful owners. But, we eventually recovered the weapons and continued on as before.  

When we weren't attacking the other boats, we were holding on for dear life. 

Class 4 rapid Oak Springs was one of a few rapids we survived.

We had a BLAST!

Let's do it again next year!