January
Boohoo...Seeing loved ones off once again.
|
|
 | | Jen with Angela Beck |
|
We enjoyed a great family bike ride to Railroad Bridge Park for FHE.
Aaron passed his Eagle board of review. We're so proud of him.
Our new neighbors, Dave and Marilynn Munroe, have moved in. Aaron and I went over to meet them and brought them banana bread.
The kids had a long weekend over Presidents day. On that day off of school we had a snow storm. They were soooo excited and built a cute snowman with a Ricks College scarf. It was too warm to last long and he was soon all slumped over. Aaron said "He took his final bow!" ha ha
Jennifer injured her neck and has missed 3 days of school. She can't move her head or keep it upright or sleep. I'm so worried about her. She is going to the doctor again today. I'm grateful her cousin Dannah is there and can help.
Tom and Shar are freezing in their apt. The landlady went to the Philippines, turned the heat down to 50 and seems to have left the key with no one!
Andrew won a Scoobydoo sweepstakes 4th place and got a really cute Scoobydoo dog that talks and laughs and jumps on a pogo stick! None of us remember him entering a contest ha ha! He was very excited.
Emily is steadfast and brings laughter with her sense of humor. She has a ton of friends and has a cheery disposition.
Andrea was talking to a friend on the phone. Another call came in, which she answered. It was another of her friends, so she was going back & forth, talking to both of them. Then our other phone line rang (the one we use for the computer). It was another friend of Andrea's. She had two phones up to her ears at once talking to several friends! Ha ha
We sure did shake rattle and roll in a 6.8 earthquake! It was really scary because it seemed to last a long time and I thought the house could break apart. Seattle dropped and moved sideways, highways split open, homes teetered, a wall of bricks came down 6 stories a crushed two cars, facade peeled off a building burying 70 feet of sidewalk but it was all a miracle that no one was was killed. Aaron was in Tacoma with the band. They were in a McDonald's when the power went out. Thankfully they all made it home safely and even on schedule! The temple was completely fine and they continued with work as though nothing happened. The real question is not what happened but what didn't happen and why! I feel so blessed and have prayed many thanks.
 |
| This is such a beautiful pattern drawn by the earthquake! |
Tom and Shar were in a very bad car accident. They slid on ice and ran into a semi! It totaled the car but they walked out of it...very shaken. a few bruises and glass all over them. Tom chipped a tooth and Shar got minor whip lash. I'm just so very grateful. Again my heart is filled with prayers of thanks.
February
Jennifer is 23! We miss her. If she were not my daughter, I would want her for my friend. I'm glad her neck is feeling a bit better.
Ray Wadworth and Chris were in the Sequim Gazette on the same page! Ray, because of his machine that removes bones from Salmon and Dad for their AI software.
Andrew was cheerfully mowing the lawn, singing at the top of his lungs! We just had to laugh as we heard "God bless my underware, my only pair. Stand beside them, and guide them through the rips, through the holes, through the tears. From the washer, to the dryer, to the clothesline in the air. God bless my underware, my only pair." ha ha!
In the newspaper it talked about a submarine hitting a fishing boat. Andrew said "Oh - the driver must have been a SUBstitute!" ha ha Another funny - Andrew asked me if he could have some gummy bears so I let him pick out one of each color. He said "I just LOVE gummy bears!" "Why do you love them Andrew?" "Because they remind me of my childhood!" ha ha!
March
Aaron has received his Eagle Scout award! :) (Ceremony is in the planning - see May)
Andrew won the opportunity to go to the "Young Writers Workshop" in PA. He had to write a persuasive essay and present it and then everyone voted for the best one.
We hauled our old broken recliner to the dump. I was sentimentally sad after all the service it has provided, especially since the twins were born. I forced away my emotions and temptation to apply live characteristics to a non living thing. We got a new recliner that matches the sofa and it's so comfy and looks very nice in our room!
 |
| Why just sweep when you can make it a performance! |
We had a great stake conference even though someone pulled the fire alarm part way through. There were loud bells and lights flashing in that PA HS auditorium. I like this that was quoted from Martin Luther: "The kingdom of God is like a besieged city surrounded on all sides by death. Each man has his place on the wall to defend, and no one can stand where another stands, but nothing prevents us from calling encouragement to one another."
April
 | Em's 17th and Debbie's 46th birthday
|
|
|
|
 | | Mrs. Little's baby shower |
|
|
This was a busy month of travels! I don't know how we did it but Chris had a business trip to San Diego plus our family went to Big Sky MT, Ridgecrest CA and Rexburg.
Big Sky Montana
 |
Family ski trip to Big Sky MT.
Andrew, Aaron, Drea, Em, Sommer, Deb, Chris |
Ridgecrest California
Val and Tamara were rebaptized into the church. We went to Ridgecrest CA to be there with them at this special time.
|
 | | Br Davies, Val, Tami Davies, Chris |
|
|
Family Home Evening in Rexburg:
May
 |
Twins 10th birthday
Gma and Pa came to Sequim for the fun! |
|
|
 | | Rialto Beach |
|
 |
Ed Louthan, Aaron, Chris King, Walt Williams,
Gary Baker, David Squire, Aaron's Eagle Court of Honor |
Anaheim California
Chris and I continue to be band parents and served as chaperones for the HS band trip with Aaron to Disneyland! They did wonderfully in their competition and it was thrilling to see them march down Main Street USA. Aaron is a great musician on the trumpet and plays in the Jazz Band and Wind ensemble.
 |
| Twins in their 4th Grade play |
 |
| Aaron in Irrigation Festival |
 |
| Our beautiful spring flowers |
 |
| Kids helped us repaint the white picket fence! |
June
Florida
I went with Chris on a business trip to Amelia Island in Florida and Paula went with us! Paula and I had such a great time together while Chris was in meetings!
Still looking for photos...
 |
| Kissing Flick in Cocoa Beach FL |
Yay, Jen is home for the summer!
 |
| Sequim Bay State Park |
I gave Andrea her first flute lesson. She's been practicing the note of f all day ha ha!
Aaron has spent hours and hours working in the yard to earn money to buy a computer.
July
We hosted a Klingler family reunion at Ramblewood in Sequim Bay State Park. Everyone from the family was there except Mike and Brenda who were coming to see us at the beginning Sept. to drop Christy off at Vashon Is. for a Rick's program.
Most of my family hadn't been to Sequim so we visited the usual sights and just had a great time.
 |
Troll Haven with Klingler's
|
 |
| A bumper strawberry crop! |
 |
Great fun in our own backyard!
|
I helped at Andrew's cub scout day camp. It's really fun to be there with him and helping.
Chris and Aaron went on a week long Mt Olympus hike on glaciers! Oh my, it was quite an adventure!
August
 |
Emily was persistent in entering a drawing
multiple times and won $100,000!!!!
We weren't sure a check would actually arrive but it did! |
Tom and Shar are doing well in Moscow ID. It's been really hot there - 104 and they don't have air-conditioning.
California
Jennifer presented a paper at Mythcon in Berkley. It was on Christianity evidenced in Harry Potter. Last year she presented a CS Lewis paper.
We enjoyed San Francisco while there in CA.
 |
| Cable Car |
Our dwarf hamsters got busy and we now have 23 little babies! Oh boy! We didn't know that gestation is only 16 days! The babies were having babies!
We got a new kitty! We've named "her" Nimbus. :)
Andrea and Andrew got to go fishing with others on Ben Crusan's boat (our dentist). They had a blast. Left from the marina and went over to Discovery Bay.
 |
| Beauty or' the Bay |
September
I taught class #3 of the marriage relations on Chris's birthday so I brought a cake for refreshments afterward and had everyone sing to him.
Twins are enjoying school. Em and Aaron aren't so sure. I volunteer at the school every Tuesday.
Our phone went dead. I was clicking it trying to get it to work and heard "Meow"! Ha ha, Nimbus had knocked the garage phone down and meowed into it!"
|
 | | Emily is a senior in HS |
|
 | | Aaron 10th grade |
|
|
 | | Andrea 4th grade |
|
 | | Andrew 4th grade |
|
On Sept 11th. (911) all the world it seemed was glued to their television sets as they & we watched in shock and horror at the scene before our eyes. Hijackers flew a plane into each of the world trade center towers and another into the Pentagon and another was meant for Camp David but crashed 20 miles from it. The whole country came to a stand still. Everything stopped. Chris is in Victoria BC trying to host a Sawtooth Conference amidst it all. He's the one who called me and told me to turn on the television. Many of their conference attendees and some presenters can't get there now because of this. Everything has stopped. Who knows how long Chris will have to stay in Canada. An outpouring of love and concern has swept the land and prayer vigils are happening all over the country. Flags are flying everywhere and signs in stores say "God bless America" and "Our prayers are with you". If only it could be this way in times of peace. I like what Aaron wrote to someone: "Have courage. Be happy that you didn't have a loved one in the towers. Be happy to have life. Be happy that you are on God's side. Be happy to live in America, the promised land, the land that's rule is freedom. Be happy that you can wake up tomorrow." (see journal for more details)
Italy
I went with Chris the end of this month to Italy for a business trip just 10 days after the national tragedy. To fly or not to fly had been the question. We prayed about it & the words just kept coming to my mind to go on with our plans...we don't stop living our lives every time something bad happens. Press on. So we went. So grateful to Mom and Dad who came and cared for the kids. (see next page for photos)
October
We took Nimbus to get "her" shots and found out that she is a he! Andrea wouldn't believe the doctor for the longest time and was just speechless! She looked like she was going to cry but she is okay. haha
 |
"Save the Waves"
clean up day at Port Williams Beach
with Andrew's cub scout troop |
There is still a great feeling a patriotism and prayer and concern and forgiveness in our land. People and media seem less concerned with trivial things. Pres Bush spoke to the children last night. He spoke about Afghani children and asked if every child in America could earn $1.00 by helping a neighbor in their yard or with your cub scout group etc. He gave us the name of the fund and address of the White House etc. All of us said "I want to do that!" I don't remember a US President ever speaking to the children before and asking them for help. This will build a feeling of goodwill and healing as everyone works to do something really important! To earn money to help our president help suffering children in a country that harbors our enemy.
(Somehow all this goodwill contrasts with our little "pit bull neighbor", Nancy, at the end of our street. I love her - she's been my awesome RS secretary but she is very annoying. She is fighting everyone and putting up speed bumps saying their part of the road is private. She told me we had no right to use their end of Spyglass Lane. All the neighbors are trying to be calm and nice about this in order to preserve the great feeling in our neighborhood.)
For FHE all of us wrote brief letters to Pres Bush (see journal) and sent them to him with our dollars.
November
Chris and Bryan had a business conference in the Netherlands.
I finished my School of Natural Healing!! Hooray! I sent my 3 formula samples and the report and final exam. Yay! I'm a certified Herbalist!
We had 5 ten year old's sitting with us on the church bench. We are taking care of Heath Gilliam for a week while his family is in AZ. Ashlee Bourns spent the night Saturday and we picked up Hunter at the place he is staying to take him to church with us. So that's how we had 5 ten year old's today.
Had parent teacher conferences and got all high praises. We are so blessed with the best kids!
 |
Sometimes we are a tired mom and dad
but we love serving our family. |
Emily is in the physics club and her buddies are pretty much all international students. They get together a lot at our house and had a party here recently. Girls from Russia, Germany Korea and guys from Argentina and Chile, and 2 from Korea. Em and Sommer are the only Caucasians. Emily said to me with her cute enthusiasm: "I just noticed that I am in the minority here!" I can't believe Emily is a High School senior. Time is going too fast.
Andrea and Andrew ran in laughing and laughing because they took a picture of Nimbus reading a Reader's Digest on the toilet! Andrew put a treat on the Digest and while Nimbus was eating it Andrea took a picture!
 |
Boys receiving their Arrow of Light
Kevin Beck, Andrew, ? Hunter and Heath Gilliam |
Andrew's Cub Scouts met with the Boy Scouts last night and Andrew told me he learned the "Heimlich Remover" ha ha! Nice... the Heimlich Remover Maneuver!
Chris & Bryan were in Atlanta for arbitration over the SSI name.
Thanksgiving
It was a wonderful celebratory time with a visit from Mom Clarke and to our great surprise, Jen and Dannah also came! What a fun surprise it was!! (Chris was the only one who knew about it)
 |
| Dungeness Spit |
 |
| The traditional potato wars! |
December
We're so excited for Jennifer! She won a gold medal at the Dancesport competition! Sadly a few days later she fell down some stairs and reinjured her foot. Last year she broke her foot in the polka competition and came home at Christmas break on crutches. This year she'll come home in a boot.
Jen is still teaching 3 classes at BYU (2 freshman English and one advanced writing). She's working on her thesis and will graduate with a Masters this April.
Tom and Shar live in Moscow. Tom attends U of ID while Shar teaches at the universities pre-school.
Emily is such an excellent student and so smart. She hangs out with really smart international students. She is a hard worker and does well in whatever she puts her mind to. She's so helpful & brings laughter to our home with her cheery disposition.
Aaron has built a couple computers for people! He also is in demand for helping people with computer problems and he's so patient about it. He is also a hard worker and very helpful in home and yard etc.
Andrea is taking hip hop dance class and loves achievement day and reading lots of books!
Andrew is a great cub scouter and I think he will take after Aaron in his computer skills.
Christmas
 |
| The family (and Sommer Spaulding) |
Aaron's 16th Birthday
 |
| Jen doing an exercise class |
 |
Our friend who flies gave us this
areal photo of our house. |
