Belated Bday Greetings!!

 So, I'm pretty sure no one reads this blog, but while doing the monthly update,  I saw that I had left out Porter in the October birthdays.

So here's a shout out to Porter - who shares a birthday with Phoebe and several others actually - which might be why I goofed!!

He's the big 16!! 

Never too late to say Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Rhoda!

 Happy Birthday Rhoda!! 7 years, how can it be?  And we do miss seeing you guys more often, like we used to do!! Have a great year!

Let Bontober begin - and a few other celebrations too!

Bontober begins with Bonny!! Who celebrated her 50th birthday this year - how can that be??

 

And Deacon turns 7 - and is pretty excited for his birthday to come - his Golden Birthday actually - 7 on the 7th!! And Phoebe turn 43 - oh my, I remember when she turned 3!!

                                                           

                                                              And the lovely Miss Ida - 12 on the 12th! Another Golden Birthday!!

                                                                         

                                                                And sweet baby Jonah - a Heavenly Happy Birthday to him.                                                                                                           

 And our boy Calvin - do they call it "Sweet 16" for boys??

Many fall birthdays - and they start now!

There are an inordinate number of birthdays on my May, July, and September calendars! Not sure why - but a nurse once told me that lots of babies are conceived over the holidays - hence September babies! It's as good an explanation as any.

On my September calendar, there are lots of Birthday Buddies too.  For example, Andrew, Eve, and Helen - as well as Dana Bozek of whom I don't have a photo.

 And Ella and Taylor are one day apart - and this is a fave bday photo in my archives.

Andrew - practically a member of the family.

Damond - our first friend in Monrovia - and the first of September.

  My brother Bill on the 2nd.

   

Harry F. on the 7th - and the first of many others on the 7th.

Helen and Eve who share the 4th.

  Sue Cornwall - sharing the 29th with Ella.

Sarah Nebeker on the 5th.

 

   

Our beloved Marjorie on the 22nd.

 Susanne - who likes to ignore her bday on the 10th.

  Bernie - another 7th.

And Arlene Burdick - on the 7th also.  Randy Clayton is on the 7th but I couldn't find a photo of him!!

Many happy returns of the day to the gallery of September celebrants.

And if I forgot someone, that's to be expected!! 

Shared birthdays!

David was born on Lyn's 19th birthday. He jokingly said, "Well, now you have someone to celebrate on my birthday so I can leave." And he did - he left on a mission to Ireland!

This photo is from David's blessing day - and Lyn's missionary farewell. The significance here is that it is a picture with Grandpa Clayton and all of his grandchildren - at the time anyway. Byron and Gilbert each had one more child after this.

Obviously the bulk of the grandkids came from the Bob and Mary Clayton crew!

But it's fun photo to play with - and see how many you can name!

Happy Birthday Lyn and David!!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Today is Hannah's 35th birthday - how can that be?? It does indeed seem like yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital!

Hannah came 2 days early - something really unheard of in our tribe - the previous 4 had come 11 to 13 days late! Also, they were trying out a "shortened stay" plan and I came home just after 24 hours. It was hot too! So it was all pretty memorable.

Since she is one of "the little kids" she got in on all the grandkids coming when she was a teen - so she's pretty much one of the favorite aunts!

She is in France right now - and we miss having her nearby - but we are eternally grateful for all the ways we have to connect virtually!!

Happy day Hannah!

August so far!

August is the birthday celebrations for Los Dos Hannahs - my Hannah comes later in the month, but the 7th is Hannah Kerksiek's big day.  Alice and I lived many miles apart - in different states, neither one of us knew we were having a girl, and neither one of us let on that our name of choice for a girl was Hannah! 

So when her Hannah was born, Harry and I weren't sure if we needed to choose a new name - it could be a boy after all. And when it was a girl, we decided that since they wouldn't live in the same state even, it wouldn't hurt to have "Los Dos Hannahs."

It mostly confused them when they were little and together - they mostly thought they were being talked to pretty often! When the girls were small, and Alice and Dale were in the foreign service, they came home each summer for several weeks - and spent some of those weeks with us - good times for sure!

 

My grandpa Stevens was born in 1890 - so this is his 130th birthday!  Loved my grandpa - he was not a member of the church and actually criticized my parents for being active - but he was always good to us. In her later years, my mom would tell me about him when I asked questions - turns out he came home for dinner every night - and they had Sunday dinner together every week. Explains why my dad was there every night for dinner. He had his own machine shop, but would come home for dinner and then go back to work.  I guess my mom felt like if her dad could do it, my dad could too!

 

Marcie Hoopes has a bday to day also - the 7th - loved having her as  colleague at Clifton Middle School. I do not miss working - I do miss our daily lunches in the staff room though!

 

And August also featured Sisters Day -  I have 5 sisters - the best gift a gal could have is a sister - so 5 of them is 5 times as good!!

Love my sisters -  shown here at Leslie's wedding. Eliza had been born 4 days before - I'm impressed I was there!

Hopefully I can keep up with regular posting in August!!

I am so behind!!

So July went by and I didn't do much posting - meanwhile Joan had a birthday - and we had a Clayton Zoom Birthday Party for Joan and Charlie - and it was a hit!

 

Each week I enjoy a Zoom Clayton Sunday School class with Charlie, Jeanette, Donna, Leslie, and Mary. It is a great addition to our Sabbath worship - and a chance to interact with my siblings.

 

  

Robbie had his 35th birthday - in Paris - and we weren't there to celebrate - that makes me sad! The pandemic is messing with our lives.

Joy had her 75th birthday -  along with all the "Girls of '45" - it is sobering to think that we will be 95 in 20 years!!

 

And lest I feel old, Annika Joy had her 16th birthday - and we were able to go and "socially distance" and "mask up" for the celebration.

 

53 years ago, on Bastille Day, Harry and I got engaged!

It's been a good month - looking forward to August - and remembering to post more!!

But does anyone even read it??

If a tree falls in an empty forest, does anyone hear it - does it even make a noise??

Belated Anniversary Greetings!

Tardy - I was sure I had posted this early with save and post on the date option - but I guess I didn't!!

June 28th was the 12th anniversary for Hannah and Robbie - and what a 12 years it has been - from Provo to Arlington to DC to Philly to Redwood City to Paris!

And they are still in Paris - living what looks like a very good life!

We are so glad Hannah and Robbie found each other!!

Father's Day in Pandemic Era

We've been together a long time - and one of the greatest blessings in our lives is our kids, spouses, and grandkids.

 

Grateful when Bonny found Bruce - and so thankful for their 4 lovely daughters - and almost 2 sons-in-law.

 

Plenty of Harrys to go around! 

 

Phoebe found David - the best - and this sweet baby is doing MTC at home - and is doing a great job!

 

Eliza and Matt are a great team - and we love all the Selander kids - and miss them!

David is a GREAT dad - always ready to instruct!

 

We love Robbie - and miss seeing Hannah and the kids too  - miss not being able to go to France too!

 

Noah and Taylor make a great team - and Keesa, Francis and Lee are stellar teammates!

 

Harry continues to do Sunday dish duty - in fact in these pandemic days, he does dish-duty every night!

 

There have not been sleepovers for awhile - but Grandpa Bob stories continue to be written!

Harry is a great dad - as are the wonderful fathers of our grandchildren!

Happy Father's Day!!

Oh happy day!

Happy Birthday Lars!

When he was a small baby, he came with his mom to visit California and meet baby Jonah. Baby Jonah was not expected to live very long, so his Aunt Eliza wanted to be sure to meet him.

He stayed pretty quietly in his car seat and didn't disrupt things. He has proven to be a child who can make his presence known  - but a special spirit was with him during that visit.

A special spirit is still with him - and we are so grateful!

Enjoy your day and the year ahead!

Catching up!

53 years ago on the 10th, Harry returned from his mission. It was a quick, crazy summer - and we got engaged!

 

29 years ago on the 10th, Pop died. He had Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and it was hard to see him go - but we knew he was at peace - so we worked at finding peace too.

 

June 6th was the anniversary of D-Day - and Ernie's 80th birthday!! Everyone loves Ernie - I'm happy we are still in touch.

 

Esme graduated - was a valedictorian and graduated with honors - she is off to the BY as my Great-aunt Elsie used to say.

 

Eve graduated too - Gold Seal - and is headed to UC Santa Cruz - hopefully the pandemic will let her get there.

The pandemic goes on and on.  The protests go on and on. It is a tough time - a slow time - a worrying time - a missing time - I hope it resolves itself soon.

But I don't think it will!!

Happy 5th to Francis!

Pandemic restrictions said no party at the park, but how about a parking lot party??

Fun for the birthday boy!!

 

A Mimi Cake for Francis!!

 

Seems incredible that 5 years have gone by - and this sweet boy is still the best boy!!

Here's to a great year ahead - it can only get better, right??