King Family Timeline: 1995 Sequim Washington

July 1995 we moved to a 4 bedroom rental home, 618 E Fir, Sequim WA. We hoped to be in a more permanent location because Jen only has one year to be here before going to college. We rent from Mr. Cecil Dolly. His brother Curtis lives next door. Curtis & Fern (in their 70's) have a rooster and about six hens. I just love the sound of them and they eat all the bugs. We are cock-a-doodle-doo'd up each morning and seagulls fly above with their good morning wishes as well.

The first night in our rental home I realized that it reminded me of Grandma & Pa Klingler's home so this made me feel peaceful and at home. (all we needed was the sound of a fish aquarium ha ha) It is in town so it's close to everything which is nice.

August

We bought a family pass to the rec center and the kids just love it! Since the cost is the same as cable tv, (and we could afford one or the other) they chose that. The center is only a bike ride away and has a large pool, kiddie pool, hot tub, sauna, basketball court, 2 racket ball courts and exercise room.

Chatting with Donna Bankston,
Rosalind Sorenson & others in
Relief Society

The ward is very friendly

Both Sorensen's and Bahrt's invited our big bunch over for dinner and to get acquainted.

I find it easier being here than in Sun Valley because it was so hard stressing over leaving there. Our last week there had crying and our stomachs were in pain. Jake (neighbor dog) came and stayed with us the whole day the movers were there. He was sadder than I had ever seen and never left our property. When we started to get in the car, he tried to leap through the window and when the door opened he ran into the car and would have gone with us to Sequim. When we made him get out we were so sad and he looked so desperate. My heart was breaking. I wish we could have taken him with us. As we drove away little Tyler Hansen ran to the end of the driveway and waved good bye to us. His mom, Katie, gave us a framed photo of the kids.

We have had so many good people help us discover this area. Steve and Dawn Christensen especially. Steve works at the State Park near by. Amy and Kelly have become friends with the girls.

We went to the Hoh rain forest and got rained on. It is beautiful! Hall of Mosses was one of the trails and the girls call it the Hall of Molasses.

We went to Seattle Center and Space Needle area and had a wonderful time.

Ferry over to Seattle

We are just under an hour from the ferry, then 30 minutes across the Puget Sound to the Seattle area. It's another 30 min to the temple. It would be great except for the problem of the Hood Canal bridge might be closed to let ship traffic through (it's a floating bridge) so that really delays that crossing and then the ferry might be full so another delay as you wait for the next one. Very challenging to plan to be to the temple at an exact time or the airport.

Although it's very cold water, the beaches here are beautiful, shells and jelly fish

We discovered Troll Haven in Gardner which is just amazing! Cool whimsical houses built by a multi-millionaire.

We got to go to a Regional Conf in the Tacoma Dome with Pres. Hinckley and Elder Oaks. We left home at 5:30am to get a good seat for 9am start. Traffic backed up for miles all getting off at the same exit and people in the cars dressed in church clothing told us that many shared our idea. The conference was wonderful by the Tacoma dome was echoey so hard to hear and people were noisy and moving around alot.

Went Hiking in Olympic Mts with Rich and Judy.

We got a huge crab the other day, about 7" across! It was so good! Jen felt too sorry for it and wouldn't touch it.

SEPTEMBER

Jennifer is a Senior!

Sharilyn Sophomore

Emily 6th Grade

Aaron 4th Grade

First day of school was my hardest day here. So nervous for the kids and feeling displaced and so far away from the familiar but I snapped myself out of it the next day and things are good.

Went to the Spit - 8 mile long sandbar with a lighthouse at the end. It's just beautiful! (Emily went with her primary girls and they saw a seal!) There's a great sandy beach and on one side there's the waves of the ocean and the other is a calm bay like a lake. They catch Dungeness crabs there!

Jen and Shar are in a HS school program where they get to go help in an elementary school class after school and Sharilyn gets to be in Aaron's class. They love it and Aaron just loves & looks forward to Sharilyn coming to his class.

Jen was selected by student votes, to be in Natural Helpers. That is a compliment to her. She is in cross country (they even had an all night run!). She's been in the local paper a couple times with it already! She also is helping with the HS newspaper. She'll go to the fall FBLA conference in Bremerton. Jen is also in the Young Writer's Club on Mon, Honor Society on Tues, Key cub on Weds. It would be so hard to move and be in a new school for your senior year. I'm just so proud of Jennifer getting involved and not fretting over what can't be changed. I rejoice in her beautiful countenance and strong mind and testimony; in her abilities and talents and tremendously positive attitude about life and her way of cheering everyone and lifting others and making everyone feel good. I'm not ready for this stage of having our children be grown up and getting ready to leave the nest. My heart aches as I will sorely miss her and an empty place will be in my soul. Time always goes by faster than I go.

Sharilyn is in the marching band. She really excels in her music and seems to be finding many friends here.

We've been blackberry picking - they're all around our home! We went blueberry picking at Rich and Judy's. It's like the garden of Eden here! The earth is so plentiful in the sea and on the land. I made applesauce and dried apples from Johnson's trees.

Pizza anyone?!

Chris was made YM Pres. and I was made a youth SS teacher.

Our fam did a musical number in sac mtg. We played the hymn "Our Savior's Love" with Jen on viola and Shar & I on flutes.

Andrew begged and begged to give a talk in primary. Normally they don't assign 4 year olds but I told the primary pres. and she said sure. Andrew told (all on his own!) of the time the fish bone was stuck in his throat (almost a year ago) and he got a blessing. Wow! He thought of the talk and gave it with no help at all. I was so proud of him I just could have burst my buttons.

We discovered the community theater in Port Angeles and went to the delightful "The Course Acting Show".

October

Andrew's prayers are so precious. Sometimes very lengthy but I never feel anxious for him to hurry because they are so thoughtful and from his heart. "Bless us to set a good example, bless our home in Sun Valley to sell, bless (he names everyone in the family and grandparents and lots of family and prophets in heaven...) bless Jesus and bless us to always remember Him, bless the devil that he will start being good.

Andrea went to the dentist with Chris. She was excited about her prize and even brought one home for Andrew. They sure look out for each other. I asked her how it went and she said fine but she couldn't tell if Dr. Binn's was smiling or not because of the mask. I said "Well, sometimes you can tell by their eyes.: She said "But he didn't have any of those wrinkly line by his eyes so I couldn't tell. Chasen in my class would be a really great dentist because he has huge lines by his eyes. They're as big as Sis. Dixons dimples!"

Mom came to visit and we had a wonderful time. We went to the spit and to the temple and had an apple cider squeeze at a ward member's home.

People grow so much fruit here and have given us apples, pumpkins, plums...

Speaking of temple, Chris and I were set apart and trained as temple ordinance workers (for excursion, not regular assignment)

Mom with Aunt Anne

Seattle Temple

Chris had a business trip to Chicago to make a CI3 for windows presentation at a Sawtooth Technology conference.

Jennifer did a poetry reading in the local bookstore and did fantastic. She read three of her own poems.

We got asked to help with a stake activity by Sis. McFarland who had the assignment for our ward but said she couldn't do it. We need to come up with a display and presentation on Germany, prepare 50 rouladen and 6 apple strudels.

It's been one of those days.

November

Things are going well. We are all happy and close as a family and we love each other.

Jennifer receiving Coaches Award and also Iron Woman award
Cross Country Awards Banquet, Sequim HS

Jen got a letter, a certificate and a rose.

Jen made it onto the varsity girls basketball team.

Sharilyn was made Mia Maid Pres on Sunday and accepted into the National Honor Society on Monday. She was also chosen as a school rep to attend the Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation. She is excelling in school and friends.

What a week of achievement - we are delighted and pleased with the girls and their progress and good attitudes.

Jen, Shar and I played a musical number for a baptism.

Emily is doing really well academically and on the honor roll but she really doesn't have friends and same with Aaron. He still longs to return to Idaho. He is having the hardest time adjusting. Aaron is the only boy in his primary class and the only one his age in Cub scouts. We are going to ask permission for him to be in the other wards den which is a great bunch of boys.

Chris took his YM on a mountain bike ride on a Saturday. (He brought home a salamander) He also went crabbing with Will Beck and Steve Christensen. Mmmm do we love those crab! While crabbing they saw starfish, jelly fish, sea anemone and shrimp. Out in the strait there are seals and Orca Whales! Chris took the kids a couple times to dig clams and oysters. The last batch he smoked on the grill with charcoal and alder wood.

Our home in SV sold on the 30th. Terry Ring who owns Silver Creek Outfitters bought it with cash to use for friends who come up skiing. We are grateful that it has finally sold and acknowledge the Lord's blessing.

December

Sequim Town Square

Sharilyn played in the band at the tree lighting ceremony the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Town is decorated so cute. She went to Winter Ball and also helped do gift wrapping at a store.

I got phone called a couple times by Barbara Petalyski, the mom of Shar's friend Lindsay. They both really miss Shar and want to get together with us at Christmas. We are going to SV and then Rexburg. (Barbara doesn't like the friends Lindsay has picked up since we moved so they are going to move as well. I think to Bozeman MT)

We were driving to the PO and Andrea asked me if she could have a piece of the wide clear tape that I had just secured a pkg with. I said sure. In the PO she was hugging me so closely. I couldn't figure out why she kept her face buried against me. I just waited in line and every time I'd move she'd cling and shuffle tightly next to me. As we were finished and leaving, I looked at her and to my horror saw her mouth taped with the wide tape she had asked me for in the car. ??? I hadn't notice she had taped her mouth shut! Ha ha! I wondered if anyone saw and thought what a cruel mom I was to her.

The youth regularly do sacrament meeting for a local rest home. Shar spoke and Jen & Shar did a musical number (viola, flute)

Ward Christmas Party

Our visit to Sun Valley was really fun. We went to Hulen Meadows and found Jake and hugged and petted him. Andrea wrapped her arms around him and cried. Aaron bravely held back tears...ha ha, I think all of us choked our tears back.

We surprised Kunz and Naser's by showing up at the door to Christmas carol to them. Devoe's weren't home. We stayed the night with Pooley's and went to church and got to hear the SV carolers sing and it was all so wonderful to see everyone again.

Jay Pooley and Drea

They said they wanted to get married.

So weird. Shortly after we moved, Chandlers moved to Hailey. Pooley's moved to Boise, Britton's moved to Montana, Hansen's moved back to Seattle and now Pylewski's are moving.

We picked up Lindsay on our way to Rexburg and she spent Christmas with us.

Christmas in Rexburg!

Klingler basement

Clarkes

Lindsey and her family at Clarkes

What a fun bunch. At Clarkes with John and Marla

Pine Basin Klingler Family Reunion

Pine Creek Cabin

What a wonderful time. We laughed and played games and sang and played musical numbers. Jen became more excited about attending Ricks because Steve is going to be there again next year (because he changed his major.)