Happy 7 year anniversary Devin!

 After seven years we practically wear the same pants.

There that fills your quota for inappropriate pictures for the year.

Devin is the easiest man to enter into marriage with and that's a fact.
We won't be going out tonight because Devin has a bunch of work to get done before Friday at 5pm.
But he got me my first house plant.  A peace lily.
I love it.
Yes we now have a love fern that will be symbolic of our love...so I better not let it die!
Hopefully it will bless us with cleaner air this winter and another 7 years of peace in our marriage.
Devin has turned over a new leaf recently and started getting me gifts without first making sure it's exactly what I want.  I really like it.  Most of the time its NOT exactly what I would have picked.  And I end up liking it more. Well so far.  Maybe in a while I'll want him to turn that leaf back over. Anyway.
I was pleasantly surprised with my peace lily. Thank you.
We will celebrate this weekend with a date somehow.
We are saving most of our party funds for a belated anniversary trip of sorts to a tropical island this summer!

Word to the wise, marry a man like Devin:  Fun, peacemaker, hard worker, faithful, loyal, smart, loves to learn, non critical, soft hearted, level headed, very generous, full of dreams, handsome.  You will be happy.
Also don't get married in December. It stinks and it's hard to budget for your anniversary.
But I do love sharing a anniversary with Sarah and Nick and Devin's parents.
Must be a good date because they all have good marriages!
Here's to the rest of our married life.  Let the good times rooooll.

A stately Christmas Greeting

It smells of Rich mohagany around here.

Please come read our many leather bound books.

Sincerely, Dr. and Mrs. Orton.

This is the Christmas greeting we are sending out to Devin's patients.

What do you think?

Hawaii day 7

Beach all the live long day.

Pretty girls on the beach.  Ellie is such a cutie pie. 

 The Four Orton boys.
Wayne, Darin, Dylan, Devin

 

 He would be happy to boogie board the rest of his life.

Snorkel mask a bit too tight.

To frame and put in Nays' room.

 Cute Katelyn

There really weren't mosquitos, but Kelsie thought she better be safe than sorry.

Kyle showing me his AAaaawwwwesome shark tooth.

 Just washed up on shore.

 Packing up to fly out.

 Last Sunset.  Can't believe it's over!

 Yah we are awkardly squatting... trying to get the sunset in.
Cache is taking the picture so we had to come down to his level..

 I miss putting flowers in her hair everyday.
I miss Hawaii.

What an amazing experience.  Lots of people have great big families. Lots of people go to Hawaii, but who gets to go to Hawaii with that great big family?

Saying thank you just doesn't seem like enough.

But we still tried.

We tried to say it in Hawaiian. (Mahalo) But no, still not adequate.

In Hawaii we learned the word for family is "Ohana." It means "no one left behind."
A trip to Hawaii is certainly a generous gift but it is by far not the greatest gift Devin's parents have given to their children.  They are diligent and faithful, selfless and loving.  And tirelessly serving others. They are exact in thier obedience. Practical and happy. They have given thier whole life so that none of thier family, not a one gets left behind.   It makes perfect sense that Janie loves her large Noah's Ark collection.  Noah didn't leave anyone behind either.
Ohana.

Hawaii Trip OVER.

Merry Christmas !

Hawaii day 6

Thanksgiving Day

Snorkeling and  Thanksgiving dinner.

Seven days in Hawaii passed in a snap but it's taking forever to blog it.

Grandpa took us all snorkeling.  It was so neat. Saw a seat turtle.

Thanksgiving dinner Hawaiian Style.

Purple sweet potatoes, stuffing, turkey and cranberry sauce, scalloped potatoes cooked rolls with vanilla coconut banana butter.

Grandpa and his ukulele serenaded us to "Pearly Shells and Aloha Oi."

 I love this picture of Janie. She looks so pretty and just guess who she is so lovingly looking at.

 :)

 Waiting for dinner

This is what Naomi did instead of eating any dinner.

Gosh we so love this girl and quote her daily after she goes to bed.

What makes me laugh about this picture is she is not being silly, she is just humming along,

 just attending to business.  Sticker business.

 So many cute girls in this Orton family.  We need miss Molly in this picture.

 We walked around that evening to grab a few last souvenirs. 

These guys looked just like statues and we weren't really sure if they were real people or not.

So Cache went up and poked him.  

 Then he put money in the hat and the silver man came alive and did an amazing robot dance.

This next guy, Cache went and put money in his hat and he pulled out this pistol.

If pictures had sound you would hear Noami SCRREEEAMING and crying.

She thought he was gonna attack Cache, which made Cache worry a bit.

What an unforgettable Thanksgiving. 

 It was funny to see some decorations with autumn leaves when fall is the farthest thing from your mind.  We were sure thankful this Thanksgiving for family, for Hawaii and for Gage.  

Day 6 over.