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| at the Temple |
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| Papi reads to the Sobczak Girls |
Lets just say all things Christmas are different in 2015! We started off in Hawaii (well Ayris and; Shawn) and ended up there too (well Richie, Kelly, Austin, Sammy and Cici)!
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| Ayris and Shawn go Hawaii! |
As mentioned in earlier posts with the immediate, fantastic and often too much media posts, a Christmas letter seems completely dated and unnecessary except where tradition has a great big hole in my 2015 life and thus a short (for Kelly Sues' sake) Christmas Letter!
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| it's at least 12 below at the Burlington Airport! |
Looking back at past letters I see that I spared no detail and completely embarrassed several family members and thus can no more (as if i did) judge any posts about family success and moments! I would've been a disaster as a youth and young adult and even, yes, as a Young Married couple in the media!! Thank the 'gods of invention' that they waited for me to get thru those phases of life and now as much as I want to "Quit It"!, (much like Molli Parker Smith) but I just can't give up the connections to the friends and family I have because of this great blessing we call social media!!
I just want, (for myself), to document a little about the highlights of this year ... But BEWARE: I can not do that because there were so many highlights! At Richards work party they asked him that very question (what was the highlight of this year?) and his answer was... "Simple" he said "A 50 Mile Hike!" pause "oh and Amric marrying Megan" (but that I'm sure was only because they were there!!) Come on....
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Pax and Apryl
Baptism |
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The Larkins and Amric
(Seans so cool!) |
- Amric left for school to live in Utah.
- Pax Bennett was Baptized, Amric and I flew to Vermont,
- we flew to Utah to watch that the Superbowl Seahawks game on the big screen at Anona and Austins' - you know the one where they didn't use Marshawn to Run the ball!
- in March we had our 7th grandchild Kate Adelaide,
- we went to a cubs game and a Mariners game in Arizona seeing Mike, Urlene, and the Rens
....thats just the first 3 months! Let me just mention here that because of the blessing of travels we went from negative temps in Vermont to 100+ temps in Arizona all in those first three months! Moving forward...
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| Fieldings BYU Graduation |
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| Meet Kate! |
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| Cubs Game with Shelbys and Rens at the new Cubs Stadium in Mesa |
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Breakfast a little Ren time!
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| April brings us Megan and Amric |
- Enter Megan Andersen! a result of a Movie mission reunion party! One where pizza was bought, no football was watched no Movie either and Megan and Amric were the mission reunion sweethearts!!!! We just love her and she is so good for Amric. More proof that Heavenly Father is out there watching over us!!! These two are great together. School for Amric in Utah led to Bellingham. It will be a long road ahead for these two in school but it will be an adventure and the christmas letters from them I'm pretty sure will show up mine with CraZiness!!!
- Apryl, Sean, Vaughn, Pax and Gage came for summer vaca and stayed 3 weeks!
- Fieldings and Larkins spent 4th of July with us on Samish Island. We love the holiday here on the island; the parade is lots of fun and the weather is perfect. Boating and hikes were all part of this visit. Like I always say - "It's where we Live!"
HIKE - 50 Miles Plus
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| the pack |
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| he is ready! |
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| the sunday before |
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| the gathering begins |
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| the hat |
- A 50 mile hike in the Olympics. Richard went for a week with his boys and brothers Hull and Knoblich for a week. He prepared for months for this hike walking each day with Winston shedding weight and gaining very cool and "light" new toys to hike with. He dedicated this hike to his friend Steve Snell and the past hikes with his boys from Elma. I have NO pictures of this hike because well the phone sunk into the pool when no nobody was watching!!!!
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| For Austins Birthday we visited Friday Harbor |
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it's hard to catch Austin in a real picture! He surprised us for his birthday and we took a ferry to Friday Harbor. He and Dad went to a tour of Boeing they saw "secret things"! Ate Sushi and enjoyed some Father son time! Yes it is true I love my Austin. A moment to give him kudos... he is a Good Son. We appreciate him and all he does for us. I know he is being blessed for those efforts everyday of his life. Someday he will know that too, if he doesn't already. Austin - thanks for being you.
- Short Christmas letter just got LONG!!!!!
- since I'm noting to myself... I'd like to say I love where I live so much. We had a life changing highlight this year when Richard was considered for a job in Salem and he made the decision to not accept it because "we aren't going to move" this is a big deal!! right?! those of you who know me, know that it is. Maybe now, I will feel more willing to dig in make some friends and be part of something where I am. I've been timid about that. I really do love it here so much. It's hard to get involved without kids, then to add to that the fear of always being on the move!!!
I have to mention Zane and Marion helping us set up our new Swim Spa
The weekend we bought our swim spa in Elma (who knew they sold such things in Elma? by the way we love love love ours) anyway ... we had dinner with Travis Vaughn and BEN Doughtery with his wife Ursula. What a great time to see these kids I taught oh so many years ago!!! Someone forgot to tell Ben and his family that he is still a hero in Elma!
Can't find the words to express the sadness at the loss of my good friend and mentor Ellen Price
my immediate thoughts when I'd heard the news.
I can close my eyes...
and see her dance hear her laugh feel her forgive
I can put myself back in her kitchen learning watching working taste her cooking
I can smell home; where we prayed as a family and by our beds!
Only the best memories here in my heart❤ I find myself giggling just at your thought.
I open my eyes and your gone.
"Well done thou good and faithful servant"😇 til we meet again
bless you and your family for all the good you've done.
Love you and love to April, Jon, Jason, Jim, Michelle and Jennifer and your families you have the best (mom & grandma) and I know you know it too!!!!
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| Arizona in October! |
...and thus the last 3 months are here...
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| This person right here! I'd be lost with out her. She is my life line. |
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| these two girls and Debbie were my total circle of friends. |
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| Me, Jane, Urlene, Sheila |
- as a side note....Our very good friends the Clarks; Marty and Lovena sold their home and moved into town! [see videos on my facebook wall]
- and some extra pics I just had to include before its too late!!! Larkins start school. Fieldings move and LIVE the life in Utah. We love our Sunday afternoons with Amric and Megan...
- As mentioned earlier we went to Hawaii. I can't explain how important this trip was for me. I just can't imagine going off on vaca just cuz, for no reason, no funeral, no wedding, no visits required. It was beautiful. It was relaxing. We visited history, ate good food, went scuba diving (well the boys did), I played in the sand with my girls, we read, I wore a swimming suit in public!, we enjoyed a luau, we watched our son be a great dad, we saw beautiful sunrises and even better peaceful gorgeous sunsets. This was and will be a "core memory" for me.
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| This is the only picture with all of us in it! |
- Off to Vermont! Happy Birthday Apryl! I love having great chats with my Pax, Vaughn and Gage. and this visit was especially nice mom and daughter time with my "sugar bear" Apryl Ann.
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- Thanksgiving brought home Ayris and Shawn, Amric and Megan. It was quiet. It was a bakers heaven! Thank you Ayris for all the beautiful food you presented to us. It was delicious. Nothing so sweet as seeing your adult children be happy. I am grateful. We are blessed.
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| Family Thanksgiving 2015 |
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I love love love my kids!!! Even as Adults! Infact they make good better best Adults!
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this is my Richie. One of my favorite pics this year and of him.
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this is one of my favorite pics of 2015
I know what she is doing and what she is thinking, or at least I think I do! |
- one of my favorite Highlights this year is a treasure that only moms can understand prbly it was taking a road trip alone with Amric, the last one with my baby (can I tell you as I write this my playlist started playing Baby by Blake Shelton) I'm bawling now, so it must be time to quit!!!! (last because he is married now)
It has been a year of blessings. One after another. One HighLIGHT and then another highLIGHT!!!!
The world can be dark, but this time of year it brings with it, for me a cause for recollection and reminds me of Light only the HighLIGHTS of the past. Thus I leave you with this thought for the Christmas Season...
5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set a on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Be the Light in 2016! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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not the best pic
but we are one and this day was a High LIGHT! |
Gramma had knee surgery, 
