Collver Family

2011 Annual Holiday Letter

2011-12-11T09:04:00.001-08:00

2011 Annual Holiday Letter (unedited)As we close this year of many blessings, beginnings and adventures, we look forward to the celebration of the birth of the Son who came to bring us Hope, to show us Love and give us the ultimate gift of Eternity. As I write this letter, my dear grandmother has hours before she passes from this temporary life and on to one that has no pain or tears. Hannah will be baptized in less than 5 hours, to celebrate her new life in Christ. I could write a book about the life lessons that Hannah has taught us. This letter is written with a raw form of emotion and will not be edited the normal 10-12 times before I post it. We are in a transition of celebrating life, a life soon to pass, and a life that gives us a hope and a promise that we humbly unwrap only by the grace of God. So, we recap this year, which started off with camp fundraising in full gear. Although it consumes a greater part of my life for 6 months, it is worth it when we tally the funds raised to offer an opportunity to those that would never have it. During Spring Break, we threw an All Night party for 80+ Middle School students and then attended a youth conference with a great group of students. Hannah worked tirelessly to create what she calls “the most amazing Science Fair Project ever”. Apparently she impressed the judges and was sent on to the Science Expo at the Evergreen Aviation Museum. It was such an amazing achievement for her. The best part of all was having the Expo on her birthday. Days later, my grandmother, two friends, and I, traveled to Hawaii to check off a few things from grandma’s “bucket list”. We had a great time celebrating Mother’s Day on the warm, sandy beaches. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures we endeavored, even if we got lost hiking… It was such a blessing as grandma’s health quickly declined after the trip and she was no longer able to travel. In June, we piled 60 students in vehicles and headed to the new Wings and Waves Water Park in McMinnville. We were happy to return with most all the students we left with… Shortly after that, Dale and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary with a “tour de Portland” package that we created ourselves. The package included dinner at Wing Stop, a movie and dessert at Papa Haydn’s. Truly the most amazing dessert experience I have ever had. (yeah, I secretly wish I was THE Cake Boss). The School year came to an end with Hannah leaving for Summer camp. We enjoyed another amazing campout with friends at Detroit Lake to kick off the start of our very short summer. Grandma started Hospice care at the beginning of July, ending 2 years of Chemo and Radiation treatments. Hayden turned 7 with a classic Hawaiian party at the park. During a family BBQ in late July, we all quickly realized how fragile Grandma’s condition was and I stepped in to coordinate care for her as I juggled work and visits and Dale juggled work and caring for the girls. For vacation, we all went to Camp Tadmor for a week (along with 70 other students). Grandma’s cousin, Barbara, came to care for her to give me a break so I could go. I was blessed by my cabin girls and co-leader more than I could have ever planned for. Coming home, we were met by the crew who were repairing our house and days later the repairs were finished and a new coat of paint applied. Hayley attended Volleyball camp at Western Mennonite and Hayden attended Soccer camp. Grandma had a short time where she felt well enough to get out of the house and joined us to celebrate Grandpa Dale’s Wedding to his beautiful bride, Joy. Towards the end of August, we enjoyed a short visit from my sister, Angela, who traveled from TN to run the Hood to Coast. Shawna and Noel were able to come and visit with us at grandma’s. We started a 1000 piece puzzle at 3 PM. Twelve hours and many, many, words later, we finally finished the puzzle. Before we knew it, our family was sitting on the beach during our Annual Coast Photo Days over Labor Day weekend, talking about the school week ahead of us. What happened to the Summer? Hayley was selected to be an Ambassador for the Church On The Hill to return in 50 years to unearth a time capsule. We celebrated 100 years as a church with a concert, Hill Fest. Just weeks after the girls started 8th, 5th and 2nd grade along with their sports schedules, I was informed that I would be laid off at the beginning of October, which turned out to be a blessing so I could better care for my grandma. I had more time to attend activities for the girls as well. Hayden got her Soccer game on, showing us how well she had improved through the summer. Hayley played Volleyball very well, showing skill and confidence on the court. We had a bit of a set back when she shoved into a wall with her hand and almost damaged her growth plate. Throughout the year, Hayley developed an ear infection that just hasn’t been able to clear up. We are in the process of educating ourselves on tubes for her ears. In late September, I was blessed with a weekend getaway to the beach with my girlfriends to refresh my spirit. We were off and running quickly into the month of October. Dale went to San Diego for a Youth Workers Convention and short visit with our “family”, the Mora’s, just days before their beautiful miracle, Sophia, was born (I can’t forget to mention that just barely 10 months earlier, the Mora’s also welcomed Gabriel into this world, which was also an incredible miracle). Grandma’s cousin, Barbara (aka, an angel in disguise), came to give me a reprieve once again. Before she returned to Nevada, we gathered family for a huge buffet and photos at grandma’s. We made such an amazing spread of food, which included all of grandma’s (and most of our) favorite foods. Days flew by so fast that we were in November, hosting our 14th Annual Family Portrait Extravaganza and planning for Hayley’s 14th birthday before I had a chance to catch my breath. Hayley celebrated her birthday in style, with an old school party at Oaks Park Skate Rink in Portland. My favorite part was, of course, the cake decorating. We took a few days off to go over the mountain and see Dale’s parents and his brother, Robert, and kids for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed a visit with Holli, Brooklyn, and Bonnie as well. For Black Friday, we headed away from the retail madness into the wilderness of Oregon to spend much needed down time with our friends. Hannah made a part in the school play which we are excited to attend this next Tuesday. We have planned a Christmas Party for the youth on the 17th. The Stolpe’s will be here for 9 days over the school holiday. We are anxiously awaiting that visit. During that time, we are planning an 18th birthday party for my sister, McKayla, a day at the Water Park, a snowshoeing adventure and a celebration service for grandma. We will also celebrate my sister, Shawna’s pregnancy. She is due to deliver baby Alexis on grandma’s birthday, early February. We look forward to a new year. We look forward to many opportunities to connect with friends and family. New adventures and achievements are sure to come as well. In the Fall, Hannah will be starting Middle School and Hayley will be starting High School. So we are embarking on new beginnings. I can’t wait to get out into the yard this spring, enjoy the sun and listen to my girls giggle and laugh as they usually do when we are outdoors. It will not be easy to see them grieve the loss of a woman who has been so dear to them, a grandmother who nurtured them and loved them to the best of her abilities. I wish it were not so hard to celebrate the passing of a life from this Earth into Eternity, but fact is, we miss those we love. With a heavy heart, I want to tread lightly into the next days and weeks, so not to damage the delicate hearts of my girls as they remember and celebrate their great-grandma’s life. I know we can’t do it alone and am thankful for the love that so many people have poured into our lives this year. Friends and family that have come around us to encourage us and strengthen us, to show us love that has penetrated to our inner most beings and left an impression on our hearts that will last a lifetime. This Christmas Season, we’ll be celebrating the most important of all things, Christ’s Birth. Although we are not completely sure that he actually came into this world on December 25th, we know that the reason we place a living tree in our living room is to remind us that we serve a living God. We decorate it with lights to remind us that we have a life that can shine bright into a dark world. The ornaments remind us that there are blessings to celebrate in our lives because God has given us the days and abilities to experience them. We know that without Christ, we would have no Hope, and therefore, we celebrate His life and the sacrifice he has given so that we can have eternal life. We close this letter with prayers for blessings on you and your life this next year. May it be full of adventure and gifts that you could never even imagine. May you be healthy and find wealth and substance in your life. May you know the Hope that Jesus came to sacrifice His life for. Most of all, may you know that we, the Collver’s, are thankful for and praying for you today and throughout the year. Merry Christmas.

Our Top 10's in 2010

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Top 10 Happennings
1- Hayden graduated Kindergarten Spanish Emersion Class
2- Hayden bacame a Christ Follower
3- Hayden learned to ride her bike right before turning 6
4- Hannah joined the choir and had many successful performances
5- Hannah worked hard and raised all the money for Camp Tadmor. She went for the first time as a camper and LOVED it!!
6- Hannah passed the survival swim class and turned 9 years old, she earned Student of the month for friendship.
7- Hayley made it on the honor roll her first year in Middle School
8- Hayley earned a cell phone for her 13th birthday by achieving straight A's in all subjects while playing on the Volleyball team.
9- Heather helped kids raise over $9,000 to go to camp, then went to camp Tadmor as a counselor one week and as a camp mom another week. She also started a new part-time job away from home.
10- Dale got a taste of extreme stunt driving in the Urban Assault Vehicle. (a.k.a. our mini van)

Top 10 things we did on Summer Vacation
1- went to the beach (you'll find us there when we have a chance to get away)
2- went to Camp Tadmor (yeah, it's just plain fun!)
3- went on Hood River train ride (a snapshot of Oregon's beauty in a day trip)
4- went on hikes (a few hours or a whole day, can't beat the great outdoors)
5- went bike riding
6- went to Oaks Park (a whole day of fun and it won't break the bank)
7- wentcamping for the 4th of July with friends
8- had barbeques, visited with friends
9- slept in every day we got a chance for as long as possible
10- went on a crazy road trip to Reno, Yosemite, San Dimas, California Adventure, Golden Gate Bridge, Jelly Belly Factory, Redwoods, then back home. In just 11 days with a van full of kids and grandma.

Top 10 things we learned on our summer road trip
1- The required adjustable tour hat at the Jelly Belly Factory was not big enough for Heather's hair.
2- Just because we planned to see the Golden Gate Bridge doesn't mean it was visible in the dense fog that only one could expect in the middle of August (REALLY??)
3- Our Urban Assault Vehicle can survive a curb jump at 75 mph. (Daaaaaaaaalllle!!!)
4- In order to drive-thru the tree in the Redwood forest you must take off the overloaded black bullet (a.k.a. luggage rack)from the top of your Urban Assault Vehicle. (Oh, well, it was cool to see everyone else drive-thru)
5- "if you touch it, you might break it, then you'll have to buy it" is good advice, even for adults (Heather!)
6- You don't even have to leave your hometown, if you have a hotel with a pool and free hot breakfast, the kids think they are in heaven.
7- Llamas are really jealous animals. They are really agressive too. When they come up to you and start pushing you.... PUSH BACK!!!!!
8- Getting a spanking can turn out to be a blessing. (Hayley's own words)
9- Don't let the kids be the first to go into a public restroom in the middle of no where, miles away from nothing. The field across the street that their sister peed in was much safer.
10- If you travel to Yosemite to see wild animals in their natural environment, that doesn't really mean you will actually view any wild animals. Unless you call two lizards on a rock wildlife, in that case, we could have gone to PetSmart.

Hope you enjoyed our Top 10's.

What Christmas Means to Dale

2010-12-15T23:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas to me is when the family gets together and celebrates the birth of Christ. We eat and hang out doing fun things together as a family. I love taking time off with the family and reflecting on how richly God has blessed our family.

I love the lights, the tree, the ornaments, the smells and the sounds of Christmas. When we have snow during Christmas, it is like having the icing on the cake. I think of my child hood and the anticipation of Christmas morning. Oh, and you have to watch The Christmas Story. That is a must.

Dale

What Christmas Means to Heather

2010-12-15T23:09:00.000-08:00

This year will be different as we are not heading down to California for our traditions with the Mora family, and that will be pretty hard. I love traditions. I guess I feel like traditions are something to hold on to, something of value. Something I can pass on to generations to come.

Christmas is a time of reflection for me. I love to reflect on the year. What growth have my children made in their lives? What have I accomplished and how did I make a difference? What can I do to improve myself and what are we doing as a family to love on others?

It is also a time of year where it just feels so good to be around friends and family. It is a time to make memories and cherish our loved ones. I look forward to the adventures while we stay in Oregon this year. This Christmas will be especially memorable as Hayden has chosen to follow Christ and that is big news here. She made the decision on her own and is so excited to serve and love others. The peace of knowing my family has a hope and a future beyond the realm of this world gives me great joy.

I pray that we will be shining lights as we discover what this season has in store for us. I pray that we will connect with old friends, encourage and love one another, and enjoy the company of friends and family. I wish everyone a blessed Christmas season and a very happy new year filled with experiences and adventures to warm your hearts.

What Christmas Means to Hayley

2010-12-15T22:59:00.000-08:00

I think Christmas is about fun, families, giving presents and last but certainly not least, Jesus’ birth. On Christmas, we do need to focus on Jesus' birth, but I do not think it would be Christmas without presents. People say Christmas should not be about presents, but if you think about it, didn’t the wise men bring Jesus gifts? Gifts at Christmastime should be about giving and not for thinking of what you will get back.

My favorite thing about Christmas is reading the story of Jesus; even though I have heard it more than once, it is like an adventure. Adventures start unexpectedly, like Mary did not wake up when she was little and know that she was going to be a virgin and still give birth to Jesus, Gods only son. She did not know she was going to have to ride on a donkey for miles a day just to give birth in a manger. She started a journey that not only changed her life. A journey that affected us all.

I also like being with my family because it is a time were everyone is happy and with family; telling jokes, telling stories about previous Christmas's, opening presents from others, singing Christmas carols, and if they are lucky and in the right place, families play in the snow and make snowballs.

These paragraphs above really do explain what I think Christmas is about and what I love doing with my family and I hope you liked it and agree a little or more. I did not make this “stuff” up. I do thank you for taking your time to read this.

Thank you,
Hayley Collver

WOW!! Hayley has grown into such an amazing young lady. She has a heart for those who are lost and truly cares about her friends. She is beginning to see the world through a bigger perspective and living out her faith seperately than ours. I am amazed by her perspective at times and encouraged by her growth and servants hearts.

What Christmas means to Hannah

2010-12-15T22:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas is the day of Jesus' birthday. The three wise men gave presents to the young child Jesus. We get presents because we have been good. I love this holiday because it has love. We give money to help spread his love all around the world. I think Jesus is why we celebrate Christmas.

Spoken from such a tenderhearted little girl. Hannah has an amazing love for people and for those that need our love. She truly has a gift of prayer and loves to talk to God and bring our needs to him. Praise God for her life and the gift that she is to our family.

Hayden's Christmas Letter 2010

2010-12-15T22:39:00.001-08:00

I think Christmas is about Jesus because he died on the cross for our sins. - Hayden

As Hayden's mommy, I am facinated by how much she has grown and now comprehends. This last week, Hayden prayed with her Daddy and chose to make Jesus the boss of her life. She is so excited to be in God's family. I am praising God that I have a family that not only confesses that Jesus is their LORD, but they have such huge and amazing hearts to serve others, love those that are usually forgotten and they have a hope and a future that this world can't offer.

2009-12-06T22:58:00.000-08:00

2009 Annual Collver Christmas Letter

A woman of many words, I am on the second round of editing the 3 page letter that describes our year. I give it a bit of thought and decide that I should just post mini blogs for each month of the last year and it would shorten this letter by at least 5000 words. What will I fill this letter with, then, if I am not going to include the happenings of the year. I guess I could write a reflection.

2009 was an eventful year for us Collver’s. There were great achievements, milestones and amazing memories that will last for years to come.

As we near the end of 2009 and look forward to 2010, I am filled with emotion. Not just because it is natural for me, being a woman and all, but because I am reminded how big my God really is. I am reminded of the birth of my Savior and the intimacy of my relationship with Him. A warm feeling fills my soul when I also think of my family. How each of them has their own personal relationship with their Creator, their Savior. Just like the unique relationships we share with each and every one of our friends and family.

I am overwhelmed at the amazing love that has been poured out for our family this year. Each event I wanted to cover began or ended with an act of love. Christmas is a spiritual holiday for us. We celebrate the birth of our Savior, who loved us so much. We, the Collver’s, have learned more about life and death and love and grace this year than we expected. It fills us with joy, peace and gratitude.

So how do I cover it all in one letter? I simply can’t. I was created uniquely in the area of words. I love words and I can’t seem to fit them all into one letter. I can’t seem to express the gratitude that I have for all that we have been given in such a short time.

I pray special blessings for those of you reading our letter this year. I pray for health, I pray for prosperity. I pray for healing and peace. I pray that each of us would experience a loving relationship with our savior. As we celebrate the season with gatherings, gifts and giving, I pray that the birth of our Savior will not grow dim.

For all our friends and family, near and far, we look forward to the next time we are able to gather with you in fellowship. We look forward to what the next year will bring for you. The learning and growing and the excitement of not knowing what will come of 2010. So we look forward with anticipation of the gifts that we will unwrap throughout the year, the ones that weren’t planned. The love that we will experience, and the relationships that will grow and change. For these gifts are ones that we can take with us anywhere, anytime.

Merry Christmas to you and blessings for you and your family,

Heather Collver
(if you want to read more, I posted a blog for each month. Enjoy!!!)

January 2009

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January 2009

Photo: A friend sent us this photo of our house while we were gone on vacation to California. When we got home, it was all melted.

We celebrated the new year in California. When we arrived home, we found all the snow had melted. We had missed one of the biggest snow storms in Oregon history. We ended the month in Sunriver, at the annual youth staff retreat. We had a great time connecting with staff and serving them for once. We took a group caving. I finally got over my fear of small spaces and crawled to the very smallest crevice of the cave. It wasn’t until I realized the only way we were getting out is by backing out. I began to panic. If it weren’t for the two amazing staff that encouraged me, I would probably still be there.

February 2009

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February 2009

Photo: The girls dress as rock stars and rock out in the living room.

Hayley had a quiz meet earned a few ribbons. She worked hard, we are proud of her. The girls completely pampered their friend Addyson during a sleep over. The next morning they all dressed as super stars and rocked out to see Addyson shake and dance to the music. This left them all laughing hysterically. Mayor’s Ball is always something we look forward to. This year was no different. Dale and I went all out and dressed for the Mexico theme. We love to volunteer for such a great cause. It is always fun to see everyone and take their photos at this event. Creative Photography by Dale celebrated 12 years of business. We are so grateful for friends, family and our community for supporting our business during these hard economic times. Valentines was quite interesting this year. We went to dinner with two other couples and had a blast. We played the "who's family is more messed up" game. Basically you try to out do some one's story. It was refreshing to know that everyone has issues in their family circles. The girls decided whipped cream made a great decoration of a heart a top a pancake smothered in butter and syrup. The photos are priceless.

March 2009

2009-12-06T22:38:00.000-08:00

March 2009

Photo: Hayden prepares the heart for the Build a Bear Monkey she made during a volunteer event for Doernbecker Children's Hospital.

Highlights in March were volunteering with our life insurance company at Build-A-Bear for children in Dornbecker Children's Hospital. Each of the girls stuffed a bear for a child and got to keep one. They gifted their bears to 3 Foster Children. Hayley participated in JA Biztown in Portland. It was a simulation for students to see how businesses run to support each other. She was a web designer. She had to apply for her job, perform duties, keep a savings and checking account and purchase something with her paycheck. Hayden learned to use the camera and took several self portraits. Every time we used the camera, we discovered her artwork. The card was usually full. Hayley dressed as a Pirate in a Choir performance. Roxy, our puppy was no longer a little, cute, cuddly, sweet pup. She particularly enjoyed to swallow our socks whole and chew on leather shoes. We enjoyed a visit to Chuck E Cheeses with grandma during spring break. That is always a treat. Dale and his staff pulled off another successful Middle School All-Nighter with Dale speaking at the basketball camp the next morning. He came home and passed out.

April 2009

2009-12-06T22:32:00.000-08:00

April 2009

Photo: Dale cleans up after a T-P fest from the youth group. Ughh.

This year was the first year we celebrated Easter without any other family. I celebrated another birthday. Hayden and Hayley both donated their hair to Locks of Love. Leaving a short bob which was great for spring and easy to take care of. During a sleepover for Hayley, we were tipped off that a group of the youth kids were coming to T-P our house. So we hid in the back of Dale's truck and ambushed them when they got here. It was hilarious. They still got quite a bit of T-P all over our yard, but not without us drenching them with hoses first. Even the neighbor boy across the street was in on it and more then happy to help us out. A speaker from Africa stayed with one of our teens families. They decided to show him what teens do for fun and took him on a TP spree. He later used his experience in a sermon in Africa. He sent us a copy of the sermon. It talked about how we were ready to protect our home. It was great.

May 2009

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May 2009

Photo: Heather and Dale, Lanai'i, Hawaii.

Hannah celebrated her 8th birthday. We decided that the girls should have to stand and hug each other when they are being unkind to one another. So they would stand in the middle of the floor and hug until we thought they would stop arguing. It worked for a while. For Mother's Day, I went to the spa with Donna and Danielle and we had The Works Pedicure. It was really relaxing and our toes look beautimous. Roxy was growing up so fast, she officially had no accidents and was responding to our commands. Dale and I took advantage of the extremely low fares and enjoyed a week in Hawaii. It was very relaxing. While we were gone, Danielle enrolled Hayden in the Spanish Immersion program at the school. We officially kicked off the fundraising season for kids that needed to raise money for camp. We had a lot of fun washing cars, tree sales, plant sales, food and fellowship events and pastry sales. Hayley earned all of her money for camp, money for her friend and had spending money. We spent the last weekend of May in California taking wedding photos for our new friends, the Ochoa’s.

June 2009

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June 2009
Photo: Dale's youth staff take photos of his big slide, 100 ft down the slip and slide for youth group on a hot Summer night.

A few days into the month, we celebrated my mom’s 50th birthday. It was then that we realized that my Grandma, JoAnne, was very ill. She has been battling breast cancer since 2001 and the cancer had spread to her lungs. I am very happy to report that she has responded well to all the care from her medical team and is doing much better. We enjoyed the 100 foot slip and slide on a hot summer night at youth group. Dale made it all the way to the end. Hayley graduated out of 5th grade with a student of the month award for Friendship. Hannah also received an award for student of the month. The girls enjoyed starting the Summer Reading Program at the Library. Dale and I celebrated our 13 year anniversary.

July 2009

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July 2009
Photo: Hayden and her Princess cake. I decorate it for her just like I did for the other girls on their 5th birthdays.

From beginning to end, I think we would say that July was the most eventful month of our lives. We started with a camping trip to Detroit for the 4th of July. There were 6 families in all. It was the second day that we realized the spot we had chosen was not a camping site. We were kindly reminded that we needed to leave. So we headed to the Winegar’s and literally camped in their yard with two other families. We had a great breakfast feast and headed home to grab a few things before heading to Hagg lake in Forest Grove to go water skiing and boating. When we arrived, our home was decorated in TP, AGAIN!!! After a long day in the water, we headed back and watched fireworks from the Winegar's. We enjoyed the Summer Reading Program at the Library. We tried out Tangleboxing (given a book with clues at the county’s parks and have to find a box with a stamp to put in the book)for the first time and were able to find all the boxes. Our whole family took a trip to Drift Creek with the staff at the Church. We hiked 1.5 miles down and walked the suspension bridge which hangs 100 feet over the water. As soon as we got home, we headed up to Portland to pick up my sister, Angela and her girls at the Airport. She came to visit with grandma. We celebrated Hayden’s birthday, went to Scotty’s Playhouse , then headed to the Salem Art Fair. The girls enjoyed being in the parade. I started to feel a bit sick, but wasn’t going to miss spending time with my sister and amazing nieces. The next day, we had a yard cleaning day at grandma’s. Many friends came out to help us clean up the front and back yards. I then headed home to decorate Hayden’s princess cake for her 5th birthday. The next morning I headed to the park to reserve space for Hayden and her friend, Carson, to celebrate their birthdays together. It was a great party. Perfect outdoor fun to keep the kids busy. Apparently even the adults couldn't help it. Our friends, Gil and Kimberly, had a cake fight with the green frosting. The next week we went to the Corvallis Water Park for the first time. My brother-in-law, Ted, flew in for the weekend. The next day, we went to Lincoln City for the weekend. My Grandma had rented a place for the whole family to get together. We started at the Outlet Malls. Hayden got her ears pierced. I was pretty ill by then. Angela and Ted blessed us with some authentic Tennessee food. Grandma stayed warm while peering out at the beach. I ran a 104 fever most of the time. We decided to head back home early on Sunday, after taking family photos. When we got home, we found that our hose to the refrigerator water line for the ice maker had burst and flooded our house. Roger and Joshua W. and Donna O. came and helped us to clean up. The next day, the insurance company came in to “take a look” and within 45 minutes had taken all the trim off in the kitchen and started drilling holes in the wall. At that point I was running a 104 degree fever for 3 days. They let us know they were bringing in fans in 15 minutes and we needed to pack up and get a hotel. The Winegar’s took us in for a week while I recovered from pneumonia and Dale prepared for Summer camp with the Middle School. Everything in our home died. The plants, the fish, and our power, so the food rotted. Candles melted to liquid. It was the week we had the heat wave. Our friends, the Pannell’s, took care of our yard for us. Our puppy went into heat. The garden I had planted was in poor shape, but we were together as a family and we made the most of it.

August 2009

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August 2009
Photo: This is the group of kids that came with us to the camp this year. Not the entire youth group, but a majority. Hayley is in the front row, far right. See if you can find Dale, Hannah and me.

Dale, Hayley, Hannah, and I headed to Camp Tadmor the first week of August. Hayden stayed in McMinnville to participate in music camp. She later met up with us in Medford with Grandma and Grandpa (they had AMAZING blueberry pancakes that Hayden talks about often). Hannah enjoyed her first year of camp with me in a Hotel-like room. Hayley ended up getting a high fever and spent most of her time in the Nurses station. After camp, We headed home, then to Medford for Holli‘s(Dale's cousin)wedding. We celebrated Dale’s birthday at the beach. The last week of Summer, we had the Kloninger's girls for the week. We went Tangleboxing, painted our picnic bench and went to Ice-cream at DQ. We ended the summer with a great Labor Day weekend at the coast. It was dry and sunny while we took Photos for our Annual Beach Photos. It rained the rest of the time. We finally finished all the work on the house from the flood. When it was all said and done, we had replaced the flooring in the kitchen, living room, dining room, hallway, main bathroom and our bedroom. We also repainted all the rooms and found that we had mold in our bedroom flooring. A few friends joked that God is in the business of floods and he was just finding a quick way to bless us with new flooring. Whatever happened, we are so blessed and feel like we are walking in a new home each time we come in.

September 2009

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September 2009

Photo: Roxy's very first paw prints in the sand.

Hayden started Kindergarten this Fall. She is in the Spanish Immersion Program at her school. She will be fluent in both languages by 5th grade. She loves it. Hayley started Middle School. Hannah started the 3rd grade. We took Roxy to the beach for the first time. She had a ball. I found out that I still had pneumonia and started 2 more antibiotics. I also stopped babysitting. This was harder than I thought it would be. I got pretty attached to those two little ones. I began to put more time into the photography business while the girls were in school and got a schedule down. Our puppy, Roxy, turned one year old. We celebrated with a hot dog dinner. My friend, Sam, won tickets to the Casting Crowns concert and invited Hayley and I to come along with her and Sabrina, her daughter. We had an amazing time, just us girls.

October 2009

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October 2009
Photo: Hannah, Hayden, Hayley and Pumpkin. From our garden. The only one.

All three of the girls were ill in October. I think we had 3 weeks of sick kids in the house, Dale was ill and I was recovering from pneumonia. The girls recovered and worked towards their school goals. Hannah made it to the Jog-A-Thon and won a t-shirt, toy and jump rope. The girls were very excited to pick the pumpkin from our garden. It was the only one. But after the eventful summer, we were pretty excited anything lived in our garden. We had our annual family portrait extravaganza and the season of greeting card designs was in full force.

November 2009

2009-12-06T21:18:00.001-08:00

November 2009

Photo: Dale cuts the tree while McKayla (Heather's sister), Hayley, Hannah, and Hayden look on.

The first week, Hayden went to the harvest party at the school and fractured her ankle bone in the bouncy house. She had 2 weeks on crutches. I found out that the pneumonia still had not been cleared up, so I was put on one more round of antibiotics. All of the girls had school conferences and had met their goals. Hayley made it on the honor roll and Hannah was doing great with her speech classes and Hayden was on track in her class. Hayley turned 12. She celebrated with a sleepover and a shopping trip to the mall with some friends. They all had a blast. Dale and I stayed over at Grandma's the day before Thanksgiving. She taught me how to make pie from scratch, so we made pumpkin and lemon mirangue. It was fun. All the girls helped out. We got up early and made the stuffing. It is a family recipe from the Azores Islands in Portugal. McKayla, my sister, stayed with us a few days. She lives in Portland in a foster home. We went to the Santa Parade and Tree Lighting and Carolling ceremony. We got our tree for $10 at a u-cut tree farmnear Dayton. The girls were so excited. You can check out last years blog about our free tree. It was a lot of fun. We then came home and decorated. We let McKayla put the Angel on the tree and she was delighted. The weekend ended with us taking McKayla home. The girls were sad.

December 2009

2009-12-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

December 2009
Photo: Dale in his Christmas sweater, a hat and a tie that he scored in the White Elephant Gift Exchange.

It has already been quite an eventful month. Hayley had a quiz meet in Myrtle Creek. Dale and I went to our friends Christmas Sweater Party. It was great to see everyone again and visit. The Elephant Gift Exchange was one of the most exiting we've been to. Dale walked out with 5 hats and a festive Christmas tie. I got a tin of Pick up Stix and 2 sets of playing cards. The girls have Winter Programs for Newby. There is the annual Holiday party for the church staff and the Youth staff party. We are looking forward to our small group party and heading out for California for a week. Our plans for New Years day include being near ice. Dale has surgery that day. We have decided that our family is big enough for now. There is always adoption if we get crazy and think our family is not quite complete (or another dog). So we'll be ringing in the New Year a little differently this year.

Hawaii

2009-06-06T17:27:00.001-07:00

Lanai, Hawaii

It has been two years since we visited Lanai. A lot remains the same, but some things have changed. This time we went with our friends, the Obregon's. It was a blast. We arrived Thursday night, hardly had anytime to do anything productive, but it is vacation, right!! We heated up some Chicken Chili that we froze and brought along with us from home and settled in for the night. Friday,we headed down to the beach. Our goal was to get tan. After several hours and a snorkeling adventure, we were burnt to a crisp. SO why not head to the other side of the island on a rocky path and sticky leather seats? About an hour later we arrived at the beach. The entire island is less that 15 miles across! We spent a while looking for treasures and decided that the storm coming in was not going to make travel easy and that our burnt skin needed shade. We headed down another rocky road where we saw a herd of sheep and an owl. This road was harder to travel than the other and we finally made it down to a shipwreck and a fishing hang out. The storm was closer and we were tired, so we headed home. It was fun racing the storm home. Especially since we needed to get out of the red dirt that turns to slick mud. The best meal ever, tri tip was served by Gil and Dale and we enjoyed every bite. The rest of the week was a bit of a blur. Saturday we hung out, went shopping downtown (about 10 shops total) Sunday we hung out at the house while the guys went to church. They came back with the 4 wheelers which promised that our week was going to be full of adventure. Which it was. Gil got sick that night so Dale took the trail by himself. We went to the beach on Monday. Enjoyed the time to just hang out. It was a bit windy, but we enjoyed. On Tuesday, we hung out a bit, went driving around the side of the island and Gil taught me how to drive the 4 wheelers. It was great fun. We found ourselves racing back to the house to escape the incoming storm while the guys decided to live on the wild side and ride up the hill on a road traveled by very few. Wednesday, Donna and I walked about 5 miles on the Munro Trail which runs the spine, or middle, of the island. It was a lot of walking. We went up and down steep paths and we saw how little the island really was. The view was great, we saw all 5 islands from the top. The guys rode in on the 4 wheelers to rescue us (we bit off more than we could chew) We should have taken more breaks. It usually takes 6-8 hours to do the entire 12.8 mile path. We did 5 miles in less than 2 hours. When we got home, we took it easy for a bit then headed to another part of the island we had not seen before. It was the ancient fishing grounds. Another trip on a rocky drive, the guys loved it, the 4 wheelers where well used. Donna started feeling ill, so we took it easy. Gil and I hiked down to the tide pools and old fishing holes and walked around. Beautiful views. We headed back home and Donna decided to rest, most likely had a bit of dehydration going on. We headed down to the beach to enjoy a beautiful sunset and then met up with friends, Chad and Crystal. They made us an amazing meal of rice, fish and beef. Yum Yum. On Thursday, we cleaned up and got ready to leave, just when we were starting to feel settled in. The entire island ran out of power for a bit, which got me a bit excited that we might just have to stay longer. But, then it was back on. We had the most amazing dinner before we left. It was an amazing time. Hey, we got our base burn on, so now, we'll be sporting funky tan lines all summer.

One Ribbon, Two Ribbon

2009-02-27T21:55:00.000-08:00

Hayley's Quizzing Adventure

For the last 5 months, Hayley has been studying the book of Exodus with her Quiz team at our church. This was Hayley's first year as a quizzer. She had lots of fun designing her own tied-dyed shirt. She invited her good friend Calista to the team as well. Hayley had 20 verses that she needed to memorize by the end of the year. It wasn't as easy as she thought. She didn't put as much time into studying the verses as she needed to. When it came to the scripture and understanding it, though, she was right on. We had no idea what to expect for the first Quiz meet. It was 3 hours long. 3 rounds of 20 questions with 4 bonus questions each round. They had a small break between the first two rounds. Then they had lunch between the last round and the awards. Each quizzer answers and is scored on their individual understanding of the scripture, as a team, they try to get the most points. They came up with some pretty unique team names, like Sparkling Rainbow Fish. Hayley really was excited the first time around and when she heard a right answer she decided it was the only answer. Her team scorer noticed that she only got the questions with multiple choice answers wrong. The third meet was at our church. When they were announcing the top 10 Quizzers, we had no idea that Hayley would be called. Hayley even decided she wasn't going to place and started to leave. It was funny to see her face when she was called. The last meet was in Hillsboro this last weekend. Hayley, being our social butterfly, decided that she wanted to goof around during the meet. We were sure that she had lost any chance of making it in the top Quizzers. There were 15 called this time. She was the 15th called. It was a good learning experience for her. She learned that as a team, she should have studied more of the verses so that she could get bonus points. She also learned to listen beyond what she knew was the right answer because there could be more than one, and she learned that all that hard work paid off. Had she put 100% into the Quiz, she may have done even better. That's just the way our Hayley works, she is perfectly content with the results. And so are we, the proud parents of a 2 Time Top Quizzer. Congratulations Hayley.

Addyson the Funny GIrl

2009-02-27T21:24:00.000-08:00

Addyson the Funny Girl

When Addyson came to sleep over night we were making her laugh. She was being funny. When Hannah and I came home from school we played with her. Next, we ate dinner. Then she had to take a bath because she was super messy. Hayden wanted to play with her in the bath. Bathtime was lots of fun for everyone. She was being hilarious. She was splashing in the water, even though my mom told her to stop. Then our puppy, Roxy, decided she wanted in on the fun too. So she tried to get into the bath. When Addy got out of the bath, I tried to spike her hair. It was funny. Addyson had fun brushing her teeth too. Soon it was time for us to go to bed. We didn't want the fun to stop. Addyson slept all night. We all woke up about 9 AM. When we got up Addyson got dressed in her star outfit. Hayden, Hannah, and I wanted to wear outfits that matched hers, so we could all be superstars. We all picked clothes that had stars on them. We also picked matching pants. We wore jewelry and rocked out to our favorite songs. Addyson was the star of the show until she decided she was done getting her picture taken. Soon it was time for her to go home and we were all sad. It was fun having her over to our house.

Written by Hayley A. Collver

California, Ready or not, here we come!

2009-01-20T21:27:00.000-08:00

(Left: Our House covered in snow)

(Left: The hills around San Dimas)

California Vacation 2008-2009

Thursday, December 18, 2008, 3:30AM.

I wake up to the sound of trickling water. Wait, am I even awake? Yes, yes, I am. Now, now, we must go!!! 4 days earlier the snow began to fall and it covered McMinnville. The girls were out of school, looks like a 3 week vacation. We planned to leave for California Friday morning. Wednesday afternoon, I began packing. So when I heard the trickle of water outside, I knew we had a window and we needed to get out of town. The forecast called for warm temperatures in the early AM, then everything was going to freeze by 7 AM. So we were prepared to leave at 4. We headed out at 4:00 AM. Great timing too, the next 10 days proved to be one of the biggest snow storms in Oregon history.

We've gone to California for 3 years now during the Christmas Vacation. We've driven every time. On our way through Oregon, the girls made the usual comments "are we almost there?, when are we going to be there? and How much more time do we have to be in this van?" We usually reply with "We will be there sooner than later. We're closer than we were last time you asked., and We can stop anytime, you can get out go potty and then we'll start the time over again." Between questions and answers we find time to reflect on things we haven't talked about, make phone calls, listen to the Spanish music and try to guess the name of the song. There are a lot of remakes from the American versions. It kills time. This time, we thought we'd take a detour. There was a town off the 5 that had an outlet mall with a Maurices. I needed a pair of jeans since the McMinnville store was out of the ones I like, so we headed to the mall. Our detour took us nearly 1 1/2 hours. Not because I am a slow shopper, I don't think it took me more than 3 minutes to make my purchase from entering the store. No, we traveled further off the 5 than we thought. So back on the road, our itinerary that I so carefully put together seemed like it could still be closely met with an arrival time of 7 or 8 PM. Not a problem. "I'm hungry, I have to go potty, my legs hurt." were the cries from the back of the van (or urban assault vehicle we like to call it). It was not even an hour later, we stopped at the first restaurant we saw, the Apricot Inn. Any restaurant that starts with a fruit should tell you something!!! Another 1 1/2 hour later, we were off on our journey to San Dimas. The sun had set hours ago and the kids were sticking to moms plan. "We'll be there in 45 minutes." I hear from the back. "More like 2 hours and 45 minutes." sounds a tired passenger in front.

Something about this part of our trip makes us ask why we do it every year. A call comes in. "Is everyone okay? Where are you?" Our hosts are eagerly awaiting our arrival along with their son who has asked them similar questions throughout the day. We recalculate our time with where we are and decide we'll arrive more around 10:30. About 3 hours past the originally scheduled time. The time goes quick as the girls give in to their sleepy anticipation and there is silence for a while.

We know we are close when we start the steep climb up the hill. What is that? Is that snow? In California? The traffic slows as if no one had ever seen snow. I curiously check the mountainside and confirm my suspicion. "Yup, that is snow!" 45 minutes later we pull into our hosts driveway and are greeted with crisp and curiously fresh air.

When we wake up the morning, we look out at the hills surrounding us and there is snow covering the hillside. We can actually see the hillside. The sun heats up the day and we begin to miss Oregon, but anxiously await the next 2 weeks activities as we settle in and unpack our belongings. One deep breath confirms the air is lighter than usual and we are thankful for the blessing of safe travel, friends that call us family, and children that have already forgotten their 18 1/2 hour drive to their friend Joshua's house. Residents from the San Dimas area say it has been 25 years since the last time they saw LA from their beautiful city. We witnessed history, while Oregon was making it's own. It is a beautiful day.

Recital

2008-12-22T14:19:00.000-08:00

Hannah and Hayden are both enrolled in ballet instruction on Wednesday nights. Our Wednesday schedule this Fall has been quite chaotic.
2:40 I pick up Hannah from school
3:30 pick up Hayley from Choir practice
3:45-4:15 I have less than an hour to prepare a meal for Hannah and Hayden, get Hayden dressed and hair up in a bun and off to ballet. 45 minutes later, Hannah is dressed, fed and hair up in a bun, I am off to Cj's house to drop off Hayley, where she will be fed and then dropped off at the church for KC Crew practice and Jr. Quizzing. Then I head off to pick up Hayden and Lauren and drop off Hannah. From there, I drop off Lauren, head up to the church, check in Hayden and then head over and pick up Hannah. Then I head back to the church, check in Hannah and head to the gym for Middle School Youth Group. I greet the students and check them in. 7:05 PM, Youth group starts and I am beat. I spend time with Youth staff in the kitchen and taking care of any miscellaneous things that Dale needs help with. 8:15 PM, I am ready to crash, time to pick up the kids from class. 8:30 PM, I am headed to Cj's to drop her off and head home. Get home, let puppy out for a potty run, put kids to bed, pray for them, pray for Dale to get home safe. 9:00 PM. Drop!!!! 10 PM Dale gets home, he's tired too. Sometime during the night we tend to puppy potty runs and most usually Hayden's sore legs and aching foot.

Thursday morning, wake up. Kids are off to school. Time to rest.

It is all worth it. Ballet, the chaos, serving at Youth group.

Sunday, December 14 was the girls ballet recital. It was another chaotic day of tutu prepping, hair slicking, rehearsal, and photos. It was also snowing outside, my grandma came to see the girls and we went to dinner. The snow continued to fall and we settled in the theater with other anxious parents and family to watch our girls display the best of their skills. A few technical errors and several classes later, we were dismissed to find 3 inches of snow had accumulated on the van. Most every business had closed, but Walgreen's bright light invited us in to purchase ice cream for the kids. We head home. No school Monday, Yeah, the girls are exhausted, but excited about their day, their accomplishments, their snow day.

Praise God for these moments. I hope you enjoy the video.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Pathetic Christmas Tree

2008-12-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

My favorite time of year is between Thanksgiving and the middle of January. My favorite Holiday is Christmas. Not because I get anything; although that used to be the only reason. It is more about the warmth, the decorations, but most of all about Jesus.
Every year we have had a Christmas tree in our home. The last 2 years we have traveled to California for the holidays, but I still made sure that the house was decorated because when we returned we'd still have the decorations for a few more weeks. A tree is a tradition in our family. We can express ourselves through how we decorate. I am a theme type person and have done red white and blue, the beach theme to match our living room, crosses, and snowflakes. I make a point to buy my children an ornament for each year so that they have a complete set when they start their journey on their own into this world.

Yesterday, Pastor Ish Mora spoke about the gift of Christmas. It was then that I realized that the reason I love the tree so much is because of it's significance in my life. Jesus is new life, he died on a cross made from wood and a star led the wise men to him. An angel told Joseph to flee with his family so that Herod would not kill Jesus. It's like a worship station for Jesus. Although the gifts we put under the tree aren't usually for Him.

So this year we were not going to do a tree at all. We decided that we would save the money to donate to World Vision. We weren't going to be home to enjoy it, our new little pup would destroy it and I wasn't sure I would have time to decorate it before we left. Then my husband came home with a tree that was cut down to prepare for a new road up in the mountains while he was on a hike. Now this tree was very pathetic at first glance. Okay, at every glance. The tree stand weighs more. We took out the ornaments and after hanging just a few, realized it was too weak for anything more to hang from its branches. No lights. Our Angel would not sit on top. So this year we jokingly called our tree the most Pathetic of all. Some say it looks like a Charlie Brown Tree, I don't know, I have never seen that one.

I was so excited when we arrived at the Mora's for our Christmas Holiday. In the living room stands a beautiful, green tree. Decorated with beautiful colors and lit with thousands of lights for all to see. On top (touching the ceiling) is a star. The tree stands tall, proud of it's strength. In the tree, Erika has carefully set cards and photos of friends and family, those who she loves and cares for.

Compare both trees. The pathetic one has nothing to give back to us, it is to weak for much of anything but its own branches. This thought leads me into a time of reflection. How does the world see me? Have I received God's Gift of salvation and become a light for others, let others in, standing tall to the heavens? My prayer is that our family will be a blessing to those around us. That we may be a light to world when all the decorations and trees are put away.
Merry Christmas,
Heather

2008-12-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

What is the meaning of Christmas?

Dale brought home a paper the other day with this written on it and I wanted to share:

"Every time a hand reaches out to help another...
This is Christmas.

Every time someone puts anger aside and strives for understanding...
That is Christmas

Every time people forget their differences and realize their love for each other...
That is Christmas."

We wish you a very happy Christmas.

2008 Christmas Letter

2008-11-30T21:01:00.000-08:00

2008 Collver Christmas Letter

Greetings from the Collver's. This year has been quite eventful and I don't want to bore you with all the details. So here is a short update from each of us Collver's.

Dale
This last year I continued to work on my schooling while enjoying being a father, husband, pastor, and photographer. I attended camp with my outgoing 8th graders this summer and with the Middle School Students at Tadmor. We had a great time. I have an amazing staff and couldn't do it without them. I just created a new blogspot for the Middle School, http://www.hillchurchhilllife.blogspot.com/ . Check out the crazy things we do to love on kids these days. Also, visit http://www.dalesphotography.com/ if you want to check out what we are up to in the Photography business. Other than that, I thank you all for being a part of our lives.

Heather
This last year I continued to stay at home while contributing to the family with various tasks that included my usual duties of a mother and a wife along with part-time childcare. I also took care of the bookkeeping for the Photography business. I also dabbled a little in photography, but mostly worked on my new business, Creative Designs by Heather. I recently started my own blog site which showcases some of my work. Check it out if you get a chance http://www.creativedesignsbyheather.blogspot.com/ . I continue to volunteer at the church as an attendant at Scotty's Playhouse on Tuesdays and on Sundays and Wednesdays I volunteer in the Middle School Youth department at our church. During the year, I alternate writing a devotional with my sister at http://www.womenofworship.blogspot.com/ another shameless plug. Anyway, I have enjoyed all the wonderful people that have made my life so colorful this year and I am excited about some new relationships in my life. I sure hope that you know how special you are to us.

Hayley
Hayley has continued to volunteer in the KC Crew team at the church, leading kids church in worship. She joined the Choir at school and really enjoyed that. This Fall, Hayley participated on the Jr. Quizzing team with the church and has had 2 Quiz Meets so far. She just turned 11 and is in the 5th grade. She has enjoyed getting to know more people and learning new things. Hayley is also doing well in school. Hayley loves her Webkinz, American Girl Doll and spending time with her best friend, Calista. The highlight of her life right now is the visit to Madras with grandma and grandpa.

Hannah
Hannah had another great Soccer season. She is 7 years old now and is in the 2nd grade. This Fall, Hannah has been practicing ballet at The Gallery Ballet and absolutely loves it. She is looking forward to her first recital in a few weeks. Other than that, she loves everything that has to do with Math, loves to spend time with her friend, Emma and enjoys visiting with her great friend, Joshua. She loves to play on her daddy's PSP and spend time with her buddy Gil. She really loves to play with her American Girl Doll.

Hayden
Hayden says she likes ballet, preschool at church on Tuesdays and Thursdays and sitting on mommy's lap. She turned 4 in July. She likes to play ball too. She says she got a new dog and loves her new dogie. She loves her parents and likes to do ABC's and play games. She likes to go to the park and play with Aidan and Addyson. She likes her friends, Mylee and Hunter at school too. Her favorite things to play with are her sisters and their American Girl Dolls and playdoh.

Roxie
Our newest addition to the family, Roxie, is 7 weeks old. Her mom and dad were rescued and so we think she is mostly Lab and Shepherd, but don't really care because she is really adorable and fun. Most of the time, she chases the girls feet as they run from her. In general, she is a baby pup that wants constant attention, several potty breaks and lots of sleep. It was just too lonely around here after Sable passed last year, so it was a blessing to our family that Roxie came into our lives when she did.

Looking Ahead

We are off to California again this Christmas break. It seems this will be our holiday tradition as long as we have a Disney visa card and our friends, the Mora's, to celebrate the holiday with. We had our first Thanksgiving at our house this year and found several new ways to use Turkey leftovers. Heather is still a Beaver's fan and Dale likes the Ducks colors. They match his truck. We are looking forward to this next year. As the summer draws near, our daughter will start a new chapter, Middle School. I will be testing the waters as a Middle School camp volunteer this year and Hannah will attend her first year at camp. Dale and I will celebrate 19 years together (13 married). We look forward to spending time with our friends and family this year. We pray for blessings and good health for everyone. This last year, we prayed for the Aumspacher, Berry, Eggerth, Hon, and Lee families. We look forward to the 5 new families we will be praying for this year. We will draw names at the beginning of the year.

Merry Christmas,

The Collver's