Photo Memory - Cleaning Surprises

Last Monday JoAnn decided to clean out some files that I had dumped (nicely stacked) on the floor in our office. I figured that at some point we would get tired of looking at them. We didn't get far, but we found a wealth of family information that we knew we had, but not as well organized. Included were patriarchal blessings, birth certificates, our now outdated will, our temple sealing certificate and a few photos. One of the bonus photos, as far as we were concerned was of our daughters talken in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1986. We aren't sure of the exact date. But it might be considered our first sisters' weekend photo - even if a all of them were young and living at home. Look how far we have come. JoAnn just told me she made Suzanne's and Krissie's dress and maybe Sally's blouse.

Back left to right - Donna, Suzanne, Jeni
Front - Krissie & Sally
I'll also put this up on Flickr in case you want to download it.

San Diego

We just got home from the midwest and within 7 days were on the road to San Diego for a Sister's Weekend plus. It was another great year for the sisters and even though I wasn't invited (and yes they reminded me of that often) we were staying for a few extra days to enjoy San Diego and the David and Krissie. Sally did bring Sammy and he was thoroughly enjoyed by all the girls. They all love a baby!

The excitement of the trip had to be on Saturday when a small airplane pulling a banner had its engine quit, drop the banner, make a left turn and land in San Diego harbor. We were there and we watched the pilot make a 90 degree turn to the left and head down. We were too far away to see the landing, but it was in the harbor. Both the pilot and passenger got out okay and were quickly rescued. The airplane sank, but was later floated to the surface. It could have been much worse.

The girls arrived 2 days before JoAnn and I did so they had a great time together. I was only with them on Saturday when we went downtown. They wanted photos. I have posted some photos below of the girls. They are unretouched, so while they are okay, the finals will be better.

It's always awesome to see my daughters (and yes sons too, but I saw them the week before). Enjoy the few photos I have posted.

L-R Donna, Sally, Suzanne, Jeni, Krissie, JoAnn and ignore the first 2 showing
off their Disneyland bracelets

A Busy Birthday Girl

JoAnn had a busy birthday today. Actually, the celebration started last Thursday when Krissie arrived. Among the first things they did was to get a pedicure. I'm not sure, but I think that makes any daughter visit "official."

 I went in to work for a little while this morning and stopped for a few things on the way home. It included a Snickers bar for JoAnn, cause she loves them and since it is her birthday it has to be "fat free." When I got home I gave her the Snickers bar and shot the following photo. Krissie and I were laughing as JoAnn was working towards a zero impact candy bar. Somehow I don't think she spent though time on the bicycle to make it happen.

However, a little later we went down to the strip to the Bellagio to see their atrium, which is always beautiful. I think we walked and perspired more than enough to make up for the candy bar. I shot the following photo of JoAnn and Krissie in front of a sculpted olive tree. The second one Krissie shot of the two of us. It came out pretty good. About 4 pm we dropped Krissie off at the airport and then we went home and crashed.

I love the butterfly in the olive tree.

It is still good to spend time with my favorite best friend and the love of my life.

Krissie is gone and we are home relaxing before we begin packing for our Idaho trip tomorrow. We are sure looking forward to getting out of town. We haven't traveled at all this summer which is unheard of for us. Of course, the birthday party continues once we arrive in Boise. I love thee non-stop birthday parties. My body doesn't, but I do.

Photos and Memories - Part 2

Time to post a few more slides and thoughts to go with them. It is fun to look back at our memories of our family. As one of my daughters said yesterday, “I’m so glad you took photos when we were young.” That’s the whole point of taking photos.

Following World War II my dad got out of the Marine Corps and we moved back to Des Moines and built a house on property owned by my grandfather. It was a basement home which were fairly common in those days, especially if you couldn’t afford a full house. Dennis and I were 2 and 3 (I’m the older and with the dog) in this photo. Within 2 years my dad was called back up for the Korean war and we moved to North Carolina, but for a few years we lived in this wonderful basement home out in the country just north of town.

Skipping forward 23 years our little family left California so I could pursue a masters degree. We moved to BYU with our two daughters, Donna & Jeni. We moved from Ventura, CA to Lawton, OK, where I completed the Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill. Then we moved into Wymount Terrace, married student housing at BYU. Part of the beauty of living in Provo, UT was the closeness of the mountains. Going up to Cascade Spring and walking in the spring and summer was one of our favorite things to do. In the first photo Donna is holding her hair back while she gets that good mountain water. In the second you can see JoAnn keeping an eye on Jeni. This had to be close to 1974 just before we moved to Manhattan, Kansas. How do I know? Jeni is looks about 2-years old and JoAnn is pregnant with Suzanne. We moved in July when JoAnn was 8 months pregnant. I know, what were we thinking?

Our three little girls are having a peanut butter sandwich with Suzanne in the middle, and obviously not old enough to have a peanut butter sandwich. Suzanne was 4 or 5 months old and it was winter, 1974. Please note that the wonderful couch the kids were sitting on was purchased in California when Donna was born and survived moved to Utah, Kansas, and 2 moves in Iowa before it got so old it was given away. It was an 8 foot long couch and we could put all of us on it. It had a great charm and I still miss it.

Just 13.5 months after Suzanne, little Tim showed up. Our first boy and I was excited. There is nothing better than laying on the couch and playing with my son. In fact, this photo, taken in 1977, just before we left for Iowa, looks a little bit like his almost 2-year old, Joshua.

Finally, Christmas, 1981 in Ames, Iowa, Sally is experiencing her first Christmas. That teddy-bear is the most exciting thing in her life. When I showed JoAnn the photo, she said, “She is just stinking cute!” Clearly JoAnn’s choice of phrases has been impacted by her daughters. I think it was a good influence, but sometimes I wonder. Not really!

A quilter's husband

Over the last 20 years JoAnn has become more and more involved in quilting. I think it is great because she is so creative and she loves doing it. I think we have lost count of the number of quilts she has made and given away. However, if 40 years ago someone would have told me my wife was going to be a quilter I would have laughed. And yet over these years I've watched her grow, gain confidence, and serve as an inspiration and teacher for others. She is just awesome.

We are fortunate to currently live near several quilt stores, but when we lived in Terre Haute, IN we drove 20 miles to Paris, IL to her favorite quilt shop. That was when I learned to always bring a book along and to look for a Dairy Queen. Personally, I think there should be a law that all quilt shops have a DQ within 200 feet. When we are on the road we can almost always find a quilt shop. We have found them in Williams, AZ, Ventura, CA, Reno, NV, Boise, ID, St. Louis, MO, San Diego, CA and many other places. It's almost like they are a magnet for us. It's not always JoAnn that finds them. I'm as good at it as she is. Now I bring along a book, my computer, iPhone, and iPod. I can sit in the back seat of the car, listen to my kind of music (mostly classical) and get all kinds of work done. I always anticipate at least 60 minutes of quiet time.

We found this quilt store in Williams, AZ when I left the interstate to stop for gas and thought we would tour their downtown. It only took 40 minutes for gas (okay for looking at quilt material), but then, I wasn't in a hurry. I don't think I'm allowed to be in a hurry when we are within 10 miles of a quilt shop.


As I walked around the house today I realized just how much quilting has become part of our decor. Granted, the girls just left last Sunday and JoAnn has had a busy week, but we have at least 3 quilts in progress. All are from last weekend. For those who don't understand how quilting takes over I thought I would take you on a tour. That's our futon, or was until it became a quilt staging area.


The quilt shop is the hub of all of our operations. Usually the sewing machine is in here, but when she is in certain stages of construction the sewing machine goes elsewhere.


I'm told we don't have much material, but I reorganized a whole closet just for the material. It is all organized by color. I call this area the quilter's candy. Last weekend when the girls were here it seemed that every time I went by the quilt shop there were 2 or more girls in there fondling the quilt candy. Of course, as JoAnn says, that's what it is for.


We have a wrap-around couch and futon in the living room. Right now they are quilt staging areas. You will note the quilt squares all look similar. Each of the girls made a quilt square, including JoAnn (that totals 8 squares) and then most of them made their own 9th square. Here you see the whole couch and futon are converted to staging areas.


Finally, we have the dining room table, or more appropriately the large quilt sewing area. I'm pretty sure we had a meal on that table in that location at least once, but I can't be sure. In JoAnn's defense I also use it as a meeting table when I have colleagues over, so it's really a multi-use table.


Being a quilter's husband is less of a challenge than it is an opportunity. I've learned more about quilts than I ever thought that I would, or even thought I wanted to. Yet I can talk to JoAnn about a log cabin design, or color matching, etc. It's almost scary.

Daughters are special...and granddaughters too!

Last weekend we had all of our daughters in town for sisters' weekend and while I'm officially uninvited I still hung around this year. For me the joy comes from seeing how our daughters have grown and matured. I still remember them as children and while I try not to treat them that way, they are always special to a dad and always his little girls. I love each one of them individually and collectively. Individually because of their own unique and special qualities (and quirks). Collectively because of how much they love and support each other. There are still friendly competitions between the girls, but you can sense their love for one another. JoAnn and I can sit and listen to them for hours. Of course, with 5 girls all talking at the same time it can get a little loud, and always has.

When we sit back and reflect about not many years ago when they ranged from a few months to 14 and the photo below taken when Krissie must have been about 3, you can see how similar and different they are. The two older girls are in their teens and have earrings and at least one necklace (I think JoAnn would call those earrings and necklace "bling-bling"). The others are watching and developing their own personalities. Our home was never dull, not with all those girls and 2 brothers. I sometimes wonder how we survived.


And yet here we are, now almost 6 years as empty nesters and some children gone for almost 20 years. They have husbands, children, families, different friends, live apart (most of them), and yet, when they get together, they are still best friends. Better than just best friends they always invite their brother's wives because they want them to share in the fun. This year our newest daughter-in-law came and was initiated into the "sisters' weekend." This is also the first year we had babies attending (I think, but then I wasn't present last year).


As JoAnn and I have sat on the back patio and talked about our daughters we have realized, once again, what a great family we have been blessed with. They are all good kids, working hard to raise their own families, even if it is just a husband and wife, and knowing that they are never alone. Between Facebook, email, and telephone calls this has got to be the most connected our family has ever been.

Thanks for coming girls and for sharing our two youngest granddaughters. I can hardly wait until the granddaughters are old enough to join sisters' weekend.