A GREAT MAN...SO MANY WILL MISS HIM!

What a honor and blessing to have known such a wonderful man....Ken's Dad passed away June 26, 2009. Ken and I were with Dad at a hospice center when he died. It was a very solemn, sweet moment. A lot of tears were shed and a lot of love was felt ( Dad had several family members that had gone before him, that we are sure were anxiously waiting for him). We will miss him so much, but know that we will see him again! Until we meet again, Dad...God be with you.

Donna, Mom, Dad and Ken - Christmas 2008

Family Reunion-2005

(L-R): Dad, Dennis, Jeff and Charlotte

Dad -2005

We love you, Ken and Donna

WHAT A FUN TIME..ELLE IS 8!!!

OUR 3rd grandchild, first granddaughter is 8 years old !! We have a family tradition, when our grandchildren turn 8 they get to go to Disneyland with Nana and Papa. We had a great time and it was so nice to be together, just the 3 of us!

Papa, Nana and Elle on the plane to Orange County Airport

This Birthday Cake was on Elle's bed when we
arrived at the Hotel

Elle and Nana showing off their sunglasses

(Elle just bought her's at the Disney Emporium)

Elle loved the fast rides...here she is in front of "Thunder Mountain"

Elle watching an artist draw her Papa.
Another tradition...when we take our grandkids to Disneyland,
we sit for a "chalking" portrait of the 3 of us....Elle loved this, as she is
great artist, too!

Papa and Elle in front of "It's a Small World" ride (she didn't want to go on it)

Nana and Elle on Splash Mountain

Elle and some of her b-day gifts from Disneyland

Happy Birthday, Elle...it was a great time with you at Disneyland!

WHAT DID WE DO THIS LAST WEEKEND???

WE had too much fun! It was my family reunion....it was held in St. George and we had a fantastic time. Thanks to my wonderful nephews and nieces, they were in charge....Greg (and his wife Kristen), Jenna (and her husband, Phil), Bethany (and her husband, Jim) and Jarond (and his wife, Jenny).....We had a great turn out. Seven of the 9 siblings(and their families) were there in attendance. We had picnics, family planning meetings, and of course the TALENT SHOW, as always was the hit of the Reunion. I love all my brothers and sisters and all my family and enjoyed every minute of our time together...I didn't want it to end! We are looking forward to our 2011 Reunion, in Colorado....here are several photos of the weekend..... (Natalie I need all your photos you took, please)

Kristen and her daughter Tatum


Jenna - Tatum and Rachel

Greg, Holly and J.Hyde

Joey, Katie and Travis

Brittiany, Brett, Amy and Liam

Adrian, Hillary, Phil and Theresa

Bob, Sandra and Hannah

Elizabeth and Sandra

Me, Gail and Alyssa

Anthony, Greg, Natalie and Melanie

Brittiany, Brett and Bethany

Tracy, Rob and Noble - Jim, Jacey, Braddock and Emmalee

Bethany and Susan

Phil, Katie and Gail

Amy, Jarond, J.Hyde, Kevin and Greg

I am going to be making a digital scrapbook of the reunion...so if any of you that attended, have some pictures of the reunion you would like to share with me, I would greatly appreciate it!

Love and thanks to all of you!... (I tried to get a picture of everyone, sorry if your photo isn't in this post)

THE BEST DADS I KNOW!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
We have been away at a family reunion, so I wasn't able to wish my 3 favorite Dad's a Happy Day, on my blog....THANKS, for being so awesome. Our entire family is blessed because you three our in our lives!

#1 -Ken (my husband)

Ken with his oldest grandchild- Brig - Ken with his youngest grandchild-Cooper (#8)

#2 -Michael (my son)

Michael with 2 of his 3 sons, Hunter and Brandon

#3 - Anthony (my son-in-law)

Anthony with 1 of his five children, Elle

There are several men I know that are awesome Father's...so, to them and to all the great Father's in the world, please know that our world is a better place because of you!

SUNDAYS AT OUR HOME

SUNDAY IS MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK...because, it is our family day. I love going to Church. After Church we have our family with us for dinner and just hang-out together. I cherish my Sundays, they are special and I look forward to them every week.....

From bottom-top: Brandon, Brigham,

Hunter and Dallin...a pillow sandwich

Ken and I (Ken holding Cooper, I'm holding Rigdon) with grandbabies #7 & 8

THIS SUNDAY WAS AN EXTRA SPECIAL SUNDAY, BECAUSE....of these 2 people celebrating their 12th anniversary (12 years and 5 kids later). HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, NATALIE AND ANTHONY!

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday!

ALOHA AND BACK TO REALITY.....DARN IT!

I am home now, but I need to post days 13 & 14 in Hawaii. It will be difficult to do, as I am missing it already, and going through the photos will take me back there and make me a little melancholy....but I must count my blessings! It was a gift to be there and to have such a FANTASTIC, relaxing, get-away! This ranks up in the top 5 of all my vacations! I loved every minute of it, and I loved spending time with my sweet sister, Gail and my beautiful, awesome, nieces, Alyssa and Amanda! Here are days 13 and 14 in Hawaii.....

Gail and Donna in beautiful Kailua Beach...we had a hard time getting

out of the water, knowing it was our last day. We were at the beach for

3 hours!

As we were leaving Kailua Beach, I turned around

and took this photo...see why I am missing it???

After the beach we went back to our place and packed

up. Then went to Buzz's Steak House (yum..Mahi-Mahi), compliments of our

Landlady...Look, Gail there's a tree behind you (ha-ha)...inside joke

Donna at Buzz's trying to cool down after loading all the

luggage...it was humid and we all felt like we had poured

warm water over us!

One last pose in front of Kailua Beach...(it is right across

from Buzz's). Alyssa, loves Kailua Beach!

This is where the fresh water in Kailua meets the Ocean.

After Buzz's we left to pick up Amanda at BYU-Hawaii and to stay at Turtle Bay, for our last night in Hawaii. We stopped off at Ted's Bakery and got another Haupia pie (coconut and creamy chocolate)...one more, for the road!!!

This is the view from our room....

Sisters, sisters...we are planning on doing this every 2 years!
We will start saving for it now! 2011, here we come!!!

Alyssa, Amanda and Gail...our last day in Hawaii (Amanda is staying for school)

Alyssa and Amanda saying Good-bye! - I mean ALOHA!

Mother-daughter good-byes/Alohas!

This is Amanda's friend, Bart... we gave him a ride to the airport.
He will be back to BYU-H in the Fall (lucky!)....Aloha, Amanda, have a great

time at BYU-H!!! We will miss you!

BONUS PICTURE:

Donna dragging Gail off Kailua Beach, it was our last day in Kailua, day 13.

None of us wanted to leave this beautiful, wonderful beach!

Aloha, nui loa, Hawaii and beautiful Kailua.....until we meet again!

Kailua Blue...oh what a blue!

First off, I want to thank my wonderful husband for making this possible. He knows how much I love Kailua and he is happy for me to be here, and he has never once complained except to tell me that I've been gone too long. He has been great. THANK YOU, KEN!

Days 11 & 12 - This is basically where we've been the last few days - on Kailua Beach...

Amanda and Alyssa

Gail soaking up some of that wonderful sun

We had to get these skirts because they are the color of Kailua...Kailua blue (we got them at Ross and amazingly they had all of our sizes!) This is the beach house we stayed in in Kailua

Kailua Blue!

The end of Day 12 - we went to the PCC in Laie

My beautiful nieces, Alyssa (she is attending BYU-Provo) and Amanda (is staying in Hawaii, attending BYU -Hawaii) They have been so much fun...putting up with 2 old Aunties!

PCC-This man is real, not  a statue!

BONUS PICTURES: 

A dog and his owner surfing - the dog is more on the board than the owner - at Kailua Beach

This one's for my granddaughters - what kind of a skirt would it be if you couldn't twirl in it?

Thanks again, Ken...I love you!