Advent begins

Clear and cold this morning

Belinda leads her class

Advent began today

Charles' newest project underway

It was a clear, cold morning as Advent began.  It has been a busy weekend and now we rest ahead of the upcoming workweek.

Charles took advantage of a free evening to continue working on his last project for the 3D class.  It's been slow going but he felt like a break-through was made tonight!

A busy weekend underway

Wesley is ready for Christmas

Belinda helps decorate sanctuary

Corvallis bazaar was amazing

 Last night we transformed our Thanksgiving tree into a Christmas tree.  We were pleased to find it still standing as Wesley has gotten used to seeing it in place.  Hopefully his occasional interest will be only fleeting.

This morning we took part in the transformation of the church sanctuary, making it ready for the start of Advent tomorrow.  Afterwards it was down the road to Corvallis to take in the huge bazaar taking place at the school.

The Coming Light: An Advent Experience

"The Coming Light: An Advent Experience," is the devotional for the Advent and Christmas season.  Written by members and friends of Stevensville UMC, this is a helpful reminder of the journey each of us are taking to find the Christ.

Entries will be posted each day on the church website, on the church blog, and on Facebook. 

Thanksgiving in Corvallis

We've enjoyed a delightful Thanksgiving, our second in Montana! After a leisurely start to the day we went in the afternoon to Corvallis UMC (about 1/2 hour south) for its Thanksgiving potluck.  What a bounty they had to offer!  It is such a warm and generous church, it was nice to be able to share the day with them. 

We were joined by Clay & Trudy, members of the Stevi UMC, and together we're sure that everyone had more than enough!!!

An area TV station covered this event on the evening news:
http://www.kpax.com/news/corvallis-church-celebrates-growing-thanksgiving-tradition/

Happy Thanksgiving

"Eternal and merciful Father, I give Thee humble thanks (increase my thanfulness, I beseech Thee) for all the blessings, spiritual and temporal, which in the riches of Thy mercy Thou has poured down upon me.  Amen."   -- John Wesley

Our 17th Anniversary

We were married on Monday, November 24, 1997 - seventeen years ago today!  To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, "Oh, the places we have been!"

Belinda returned from Arizona last night and Charles was there at the Missoula airport to pick up.  A restful night at a nearby hotel was in order before our whirl around Missoula today.

A short week is ahead for church, school, and work activities.  

Where we've been on our anniversaries:
1998 - Osmond, Nebraska
1999 - Iwakuni, Japan
2000 - Iwakuni, Japan
2001 - Jacksonville, North Carolina
2002 - Williamsburg, Virginia
2003 - Jacksonville, North Carolina
2004 - Newquay, Cornwall, United Kingdom
2005 - Newquay, Cornwall, United Kingdom
2006 - Vienna, Austria
2007 - Sidney, Nebraska
2008 - Sidney, Nebraska
2009 - Aitken, Minnesota
2010 - McCamey, Texas
2011 - McCamey, Texas
2012 - San Antonio, Texas
2013 - Stevensville, Montana
2014 - Missoula, Montana

Saturday in Missoula

Griz Walk taking shape

Griz players on the way to the stadium

Montanans against Meth mural being created

Tailgating frenzy outside the stadium

Montana State band on the move

Charles took advantage of an "off" Saturday and went to campus to spend some time in the painting studio.  There wasn't much activity on campus that didn't involve the Montana-Montana State football game in the afternoon.  He joined the Montana fans in the first-ever "Griz Walk" which took place before the game.  What fun!  And the tail-gaiters were a source of a lot of entertainment!

Where has the week gone?

Church conference on Thursday

Games night on Friday

The Yellowstone Conference attendees

Since last Sunday we've had a constant whoosh of church, school and work.  Sometimes the days seem to fly past until we check the blog to see what we've done only to realize that we were too tired/busy to have blogged!

To summarize:
Church - Monday, Trustees; Tuesday, Shepherding Team; Wednesday, two study groups; Thursday, church conference; Friday, Bible study & games night.  Add to what Charles was doing was Belinda's trip to Tempe, Arizona on Friday for a United Methodist Women training event!

School - Charles began work on the final projects in the two studio classes he is taking this term. 

Work - Belinda was hard at work this week in Hamilton in order to clear her desk ahead of her trip to Arizona.

Home - The weather was cold, but dry, this week.  The temp actually hit 40 before the next cold wave arrived Saturday morning and with it the chance for rain/snow tomorrow. 

Wesley's week was normal until Friday when Charles gave in to the pathetic cry of Wesley for an outing.  Big mistake.  After behaving himself for half an hour in back yard on a chilly late-afternoon, he bolted up a tree, onto the roof, and away he went.  Nearly six hours later he turned up in the basement (Charles had left the garage door and the basement door ajar).  Here it is, Saturday morning, and he's still asleep!

A chilly week's end

Friday morning snow



Under the Thanksgiving Tree

Last week was marked by bitter cold and a couple of light snows which appear to have passed for the time being. 

We had a full week and when Friday evening came we let out a collective sigh!  Saturday was one of those rare events for us: a day with nothing on the agenda! 

We are looking forward to a warmer week, temps in the low 40s.  With our church conference on Thursday and Belinda's trip to Arizona (for a United Methodist Women's training event) on Friday it promises to be another busy week for us here in the Bitterroot Valley!

Gallery opening tonight!

Last minute adjustments

AJ has a formal helmet on

Ready for the night!

Staying in one place was a safe option!

Today was rather eventful for us beginning at 3 am when Belinda discovered that the heat had gone out in the parsonage!  Needless to say that this caused no small degree of concern considering that the temp when she left for work was only 1°!  Fortunately the church trustees were able to arrange for the needed repairs to be done and tonight the parsonage is once again toasty!

This evening Charles was on campus with other art students for an opening of several exhibits in the art department building.  His 3D Foundations course wore their creations, mingling with other students, faculty and donors.  It was a lot of fun and worth the effort to get there and back in the frigid weather!!!

Happy Veterans Day

We enjoyed a quiet Veterans Day, staying indoors to avoid the single digit temps that have arrived this week. 

Charles spent the day working on a mosaic for his art history class (due next week).  It is supposed to be a self-portrait in either a Romanesque or Byzantium style.  Came out alright considering it was his first effort!

First snow in Stevensville

First dusting on College Street

Even the Horned Frog was covered

Wesley wants to help with the decorations

"It looks good in here"

Our Thanksgiving Tree

For the first time since the first week in March, we had snow on the ground when we woke up this morning!

Yesterday, Belinda and her mother drove to Missoula to stay at a hotel near the airport, so they could get up really early this morning.  Her mother's flight was due to depart at 6:00 a.m.  However, it ended up leaving after 9:00 a.m.  After many delays due to inclement weather, she is finally safely back in San Angelo, Texas.  Whew! 

It was good they stayed near the airport, since the winter storm dumped something like 4" of snow there -- more than we had in Stevensville.

A tradition we began a few years ago was having a Thanksgiving Tree.  At that time, we set one out, so that our then-kitten Wesley would get used to having a tree around him and not freak out when we added the Christmas ornaments.  Also, we liked having the reminder to truly be thankful for ALL that God has done and is doing for us... thanks be to God!!! 

Delightful Autumn Saturday, pt. 2

Amazing artists

A treat for Charles' office

The cat is not amused

Yard work ahead of the snow due Monday

After a quick bit of rest at home we headed back out for the Lone Rock School bazaar (a small elementary school just north of Stevensville).  There are some amazing artists in our area and many of them had wares on offer today.

When we returned home, Charles headed outside to rake the most recently fallen leaves.  We are due for our first snow of the season Monday and he wanted to make sure there wouldn't be anything clogging up the snow blower come next week!

Delightful autumn Saturday, pt. 1

First stop of the day in Stevensville



Meeting fun people!

Chatting with our backyard neighbor!



Charles started the day @ the UMM breakfast

This has been a delightful Saturday for us in the Bitterroot Valley!

Charles was up early for the monthly men's breakfast at the church.  It is a great group and they are really coming into their own, supporting and engaging in a variety of ministries.

Belinda and her mother were up early as well, wanting to get to two of the community bazaars taking place today.  First up was St. Mary's RC Church here in Stevensville.  They had so much fun!  There was so much to take in - meeting Stevi UMC members, supporting the vendors, and enjoying the knowledge that they were also supporting a good cause.

First Friday in Stevensville

First Friday @ Valley Drug & Variety

First Friday @ the library on Main Street

Our table at Corvallis UMC

One of the speakers at the event

We've enjoyed such a beautiful week!  In addition to the regular routine of church and work today was "First Friday" in Stevensville and we took advantage of the goings-on on Main Street and did some shopping and a spell of music at the library.

We then made the drive down to Corvallis UMC where we had been invited by a Stevi UMC member to  join her table at a presentation about the work being done by Intermountain.  Very informative and the company was delightful!