Julia and Matt were married

Julia and Matt were married December 27, 2014 in the Washington D.C. temple

of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

It was a beautiful day for a December wedding, and they are a beautiful couple.

We were fortunate to have all of our children there, their families, and my Mom

The reception was held at Maple Lawn in Fulton, and was a great atmosphere.

 

 

Audrey was the flower girl.

 

                                                                            Wishing you an eternity of joy, Julia and Matt!

Celebrating Christmas with the whole family 2014

 Because Julia was getting married two days later, we had all our children and most of their families here home! Dave and I;   Kara, Luke, Jacob, (5), Blake,(3):   Erika:   James, Tammy, Audrey, (10 mo.):  Daniel, Meg:   Julia:    Andrea

We all hung out together Christmas Eve.

                 Dinner together!

 

                                         rehearsal for our sing along/ music performances

                                               Guess who got the almond in the rice pudding

                                 Daniel is a good sport about never ( in 24 years!) getting the almond.

 Santa always pulls through.  And here I caught him without the red suit.  Usually about 4:30 am on Christmas morning the stockings are filled and the presents are wrapped.

 I had to get a picture because it looks like this for a few brief hours before the exciting time of opening gifts together. My Mom arrived later that day.

Christmas morning, Jacob is the first to check it out.                          Merry Christmas!

 

My birthday 2014

 We had Julia and Andrea home to celebrate my birthday with Dave and I.

The next day, Wednesday, the four of us drove to Cincinnati to see Dave's Mom and siblings for Thanksgiving.  Looks like Julia and Andrea enjoyed the ten hour car ride.  :)

Kara visits with her children

Kara came from Denver with Jacob, 5, and Blake, 3, to visit us.  I took a day trip with them down to Washington, DC to see the White House.  We also went to the Air and Space Museum.  I was working on my book, Dream On!, where the main character is a boy that dreams of a career in space, so I got some good pictures of Jacob, who is the age of my book character.

Jacob, reading the Metro map                                             



                                            first time on the Metro for Jacob and Blake

                                          in front of the White House

                                                       lunch outside

                                     inside the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

We also spend a day at Wheaton park

Celebrating Robert

My brother Robert  was born January 28, 1961, and passed away August 12, 2014 in California after an extended illness.

                                               Our family about 1968      


Robert was gentle and fun-loving--always a peacemaker.

 

Rob, in the center.  Christmas dinner, 1974 in Idaho with cousins

                                   1975.  Our whole family.  Taken on a visit to California

Rob, on the same California trip...

Our brother made a beautiful mosaic for Rob based on his age in the last pictures

 I went to California in May and was able to visit Rob for two weeks while he was in the hospital.

 My Mom and her husband came in from Southern California, and my other brothers have lived in the same town.  It was nice to be all together as a family.

      

Rob back home in Santa Rosa with family

 A memorial was held for Robert in Santa Rosa, and he was buried August 23, 2014 in Logan, Utah, near the gravestone of our father.  Logan is also where I was born, and where our mother's grandparents settled when they came from Switzerland.

I love you, Rob!