Monday, March 17, 2008

As Good Friday Approches...

To be completely honest until Sunday my thoughts were more focused on whether or not my kids Easter outfits would arrive in time for Easter, but the sermon at church was exactly what I needed to hear in order to change that. It wasn't anything fancy, more like a history lesson on what led up to the Crucifixion (the rest of the story will be told at the Good Friday service), but it made me refocus my attentions on what this week really is all about.



This incredible life saving gift that God gave us through sacrificing his son, Jesus Christ is incomprehensible. Why would God do that?

I sang this song for communion one Sunday and it was really hard for me to get through. These words say exactly what I feel. I hope they touch your heart too.


THIS FATHOMLESS LOVE

Lord, what moved Your heart to love lowly man
Before any star could herald Your praise?
And why did You come, abasing Yourself
Veiled in a robe of frail human clay?
Why would You, the pure, give Your life for the vile
The innocent seeking the guilty
To be reconciled?

I can’t comprehend this fathomless love
I’m gripped and amazed at what You have done
Why would the adored become the despised
To bear all the furious wrath that was mine?
How awesome this mystery
Of Your fathomless love for me

Why would You adopt and take as Your own
Those who had crushed Your one precious Son?
Why mercy and grace towards Your enemies?
Your name they have cursed
And Your throne they have shunned
Oh, how could You choose
To show kindness to these?
The ones who would mock You and hate You
The ones just like me?

I can’t comprehend this fathomless love
I’m gripped and amazed at what You have done
Why would the adored become the despised
To bear all the furious wrath that was mine?
How awesome this mystery
Of Your fathomless love for me

This song is by Sovereign Grace. You can find this song and many more great songs at http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/

May your focus be on the Unfathomable love that Christ has for you. Happy Easter!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

TAGGED!

I was tagged by a fellow blogger (and friend from church) Katie, to write 10 random things about myself. So here I go!

1.I loved chicken little's from KFC but they discontinued them about 5 years ago. Boise never had them (which was a HUGE disappointment when I moved here) and most of the Yakima chains stopped carrying them. Once when I was in Yak for a visit my brother said he "heard" that one of the KFC's had chicken little's again, so I spent the afternoon hunting them down to then eat 5 of them in case it was the last time ever.

2. I once ate a worm just because I was dared to.

3. I am a really bad liar. Of course I know this is wrong now so I don't actually try to but when I was in high school I thought I was extremely clever to come up with such believable lies, which actually were totally UNBELIEVABLE!

4. I wish I could live life the way people do in musicals. To burst into song at just the right moment because its what SHOULD happen!

5. I'm only organized to make life easier so that I can have more fun!

6. I wish that I could build my own subdivision, have all of my favorite people live there, and live happily ever after. When I'm in heaven one day this will be true!

7. I use the word "Nu uh" way to often....wait a minute...that's not even a word!

8. I use to think that the song "Give me the beat boys to free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock-n-roll and drift away" was....
"give me the BEACH BOYS to free my soul". =)

9. I know almost all the words to any Air Supply song there is.

10. If you sneak up behind me and scare me....I will punch you out of instinct!

Now I tag Deanna Winn, Bridgette Phillips, Natalie Renstrom, Heather Phillips & Beth Williams.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Meet Daisy Duke

Hear is our latest addition! She is 8 weeks old and a fabulous addition to our family! The kids are loving her and she is loving them. Yes, I felt the need to have one more baby...so I went for the one that we wont have to pay college tuition for! We look forward to having her around, taking her camping, for walks and bike rides! Welcome to the family Daisy!



Saturday, March 1, 2008

Tahoe Freak Show (or Family Vacation)

I know...weird title for my post....right? Well, not if you were the Hughes in Tahoe! Seriously, I have NEVER felt so stared at in my life! Walking around with 4 kids was as if I were walking around naked! People stared and commented to us and after we passed about how many kids we had. Its not like we have 12! It was bizarre. We got a lot of "wow, you've been busy" or "you sure do have your hands full". One guy even said "you know there's a cure for that!". In Idaho people just think we are LDS but in Cali we were a freak show! I should have put a cup out asking for donations...I probably could have made some serious cash! Anyway...the staring aside we had a blast!

Best Family vacation of all time (so far anyway)! We drove to Tahoe the day after it had snowed about a foot and then the rest of the week it was 45-50 degrees! It was gorgeous. Jaxon and Kenna learned how to ski (I was SO proud of them), Huddy and Ty had fun playing at the resort day care on the days that we skied, and Jay and I got one day to our selves to ski! It was amazing, and yet I was quickly reminded that my body cant do the things it use to! The last time we skied was the year before Jaxon was born!!!! We will make sure that doesn't happen again because we can do this as a family. One whole day we skied with just Jax & Kenna and I was beaming and hootin and hollerin the whole way down the mountain...I was so PROUD of them! Kenna has a need for speed and Jaxon a need to perfect it...fun combo! We did lots of other fun things. Check out the pics below! Good times!




For just $5 you can stare at the Hughes family!

This is where we stayed. The Marriott Timber Lodge in South Lake Tahoe. We were seriously like 50 yards for the Nevada/California state line. We were technically in Cali. It was gorgeous inside and out and right next door to the Heavenly village which has shops, restaurants and an ice rink.


The out door pool was heated!

And, Yes, the kids swam in it!


One day we took the kids up the Gondola and they got to sled at the "Adventure Park". WAY to expensive, wouldn't do it again, but they had fun. Ty didn't love sledding so he reclined in the beach chair with daddy. (I thought it was funny that there were beach chairs, but I guess people need a place to sit)

Huddy had a blast carrying up his disc to slide down his not so huge hill...it was perfect for him.

This is the tow rope for the tubing which me, Jay, Jax & Kenna did. Jaxon is in the orange tube and Kenna is in the yellow one.

The little boys in the Gondola on the way down.

Me, Jax & Jay...the view up here was phenomenal!


This is another view of our hotel. See the Gondola going up...it was seriously right out the back door! So cool!

Jax & Kenna really wanted to learn to ice skate so we put the skates on one evening. Those kids fell left and right! I fell once...didn't skate again. Luckily it was at the end of the session. My tail bone still hurts! But again, I was so proud of the kids, they picked it up so quickly! Ahhh..to be young again!

Jay and the boys ate a carmel apple by the fire while we were falling on the hard ice!


Ski school was a hit! Here is Kenna at the end of a run. She had so much fun...once she got he hang of it.

Here goes Jaxon!



I love this picture! The view of Lake Tahoe was breath taking from atop Heavenly. Heavenly is the ski resort we skied at.

We really couldn't have asked for better weather. It was sunshiny and 50 degrees!



This is the day we took the kids skiing. They stayed on the easy run for about 1/2 hour and then up to the top of the mountain they wanted to go! I was amazed!

This is a cool map of Lake Tahoe. Jay is being educational and showing them where we are!


On our last morning we told the kids we would take them down to the water and throw rocks in the Lake but when we got to the water there were no rocks! Everything was covered in snow SO we threw snowballs in the water instead! Huddy wasn't to thrilled, but he got over it. HE was counting on those rocks!

I just cant believe how much luggage it takes for us to go any where! I'm starting to realize why people stare. =)

This was the way we ended our family vacation...at In-n-out! Any time we go anywhere, if there is an In-n-Out, Jay sniffs it out and we HAVE to eat there. We actually ate here on our way to Tahoe and our way home! And this was the first hamburger Hudson and Ty have ever had from a fast food restaurant. Them there are chicken nugget fans! (say it with an accent, it sounds better).

This was the first family vacation where we really wanted to stay longer! We cant wait to go back!