The Ralph Family House of Ideas: July 2020

What a full and lovely year. We added 2 new grandbaby boys this year to match the 2 new grandbaby girls from the year before. On a cold and windy January Sunday morning, Caleb Benjamin Salcedo arrived on 6 January 2019^{New babies are so special.

Proud Dad having a talk with
his son.

Caleb Benjamin Salcedo

Owen Wade Heath

Owen Wade Heath blessed his family on 19 February 2019. Children
are the gems in the eternal crown of glory. Along with McKenzie Ralph and Heidi
Gordon and all of our grandchildren, they are blessed additions to the family
jewels.

New outfit for a new baby.

Visiting the Texas families for a new baby
celebration.

Samuel celebrated his last home game on the KLHS basketball team with a Senior celebration. They also let him be a starter for the first time. He seemed to be in heaven with so many people celebrating with him. Samuel also had his last band concert. He was on the top band group from the middle of the year so he wore a tuxedo. He was quite pleased with himself.

The Senior team members and their parents.

Samuel also had a busy year in the hospital. He started in April with an incision in the sacral area to drain a recurrent infection.

Due to late snow in February our scheduled stake conference
was postponed until March. Stephen had to speak at two of the meetings so this
was a relief and yet an extended concern. But he did great, talking about
Primary songs in his remarks which people remember still.}

After Samuel's surgery and healing for a few days. Stephen and Kathleen went on a cruise.
First was a fun trip to Los Angeles to catch the Emerald Princess for its maiden trip through the Panama Canal. Going with Leonard and Helena made it twice the fun. We stopped at many ports where Spanish was the native language so we got to practice our rusty tongues a little. While at the Canal we stopped at the chapel that was located by the temple and the Locks. We met a couple from our stake here in WA but who’d moved years ago. What fun it was to see someone you knew so far away from home.

We celebrated the Passover with an official Seder meal. It was
very informative and educational. They have changed the
meaning of the various parts so that they don't recognize
Christ and they missed the mark.

We attended church in Puerto Vallarta.

Leonard, Helena and Kathleen went snorkeling on our first
excursion while Stephen went 4 wheeling.

Ready to take pictures.

A fruit bowl for an appetizer.

Enjoying the food in the main restaurant.

We were in a different Port almost every other day. It made the experience restful, enjoyable and exciting.

Front shot or our shirts.

We bought shirts in Hualtuco, Mexico.

A played our first Escape Adventure on board the ship.

Plenty of boat rides in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
. Lots of Alligators to see and be aware of in the water.
They warned us not to dangle our arms over the side...

A tree fruit that they dry and use as a bowl.

Helena and Kathleen attended various craft
classes while on board the ship.

We attended the church in Panama next to the
temple. It was beautiful.

We took a taxi but the cheapest way to go was Uber.

This was looking toward the front of the ship during
passage through the canal. This was the bigger
of the two canals which allowed the huge
cargo ship in front of us to make the transit.

We walked to the back of the boat during
the transit through the canal.

A tugboat was needed to guide the ship through
the canal. It cost over $1 million dollars to
transit the canal for our ship.

The fort in Cartagena, Columbia. It was built to prevent pirates from
taking the gold that the Spanish stole from the Indigenous
People. It was hit several times.

This lady got into our picture and then insisted we give
her money for it....a modern pirate.

Enjoying the view.

A cathedral in Cartgena. There were some
in each city that we visited.

Cartagena had an animal exhibit that we
went to. It was beautiful.

We celebrated 2 birthdays and the anniversary
of Stephen asking me to marry him.

Leonard and Stephen accepted the challenge of
engineering a vessel that would transport a 6 pack
of pop across the pool.

Some of the other boats.

We had one free drink on ship...virgin.

Having fun was just part of the trip!

Every day was a new adventure.

A boat ride in the Everglades.

Fort Lauderdale also had some unique animals.

Stephen and Kathleen had a professional portrait done. The photography
made the experience so fun. And she did a nice job!

We made it home in early May and we went to Utah for Ben and Carli's final performance at BYU with the BYU Ballroom Dance team. It was a lovely performance and Grandma and Grandpa Ralph came along with Lisa and Tom Leake. Neither of them had seen one of his performances. finished the month going to Utah for Stephen’s nephew, Zachary Ralph’s wedding. They went on to win first place in the International Ballroom competition in Blackpool, England and then tour several areas of Europe including Paris, France. We'll miss their competitions at BYU but grateful that they can move forward in their eternal goals.

Talking about the night.

Dancing the night away. Grandpa and Grandma were able to
make the performance for the first time. They were very
impressed.

Enjoying the end of a beautiful season.

Sarah was able to make it as Michael watched the kids.

A Family picture in the backyard.

By June we were gearing up for the Pioneer Youth Trek in July that Stephen was in charge of at the church ranch in Bing Canyon along the Columbia River. Kathleen was a medical personal though not as limber as the younger sister that came along. Sarah and Michael were able to come for a visit before the fateful excursion so we had some fun in July before the trek.

In a blessing dress made by Aunt Francene.

Cousins at play.... Heidi and Caleb

We were able to travel to Utah for Heidi's baby blessing at their home.

His grad announcement picture.

The end of July saw a big hole as Rebekah, sold her home and moved to Texas in with Jon and Jenna and close to Liz and Austin. We miss her piano playing every Sunday and the loss is even more mindful during the holidays when she would play any Christmas request at our annual sing-along.

Preparing for surgery

After surgery slumber.

The ankle with stitches.

The toe after several days.

In August Samuel had his second surgery of the year so Kathleen stayed home to play nurse while Stephen went to girls’ camp.

Samuel finished up his Senior year and graduated from High School in June. His last basketball game was at the end of February and he has missed his association with his teammates.
His admission to BYU-Idaho was delayed due to surgery on his right foot followed by weeks of no weight bearing and then months of Physical therapy. He’ll start BYU-Idaho next April. In August Kathleen was set apart as a Seattle Temple Ordinance worker. She goes with Stephen on Friday’s when he works as a temple engineer and makes a session prior to her shift. It’s a blessing to be able to serve in the Temple.

Close to Bruce's cabin.

The national divide.

In September, Kathleen made a trip to Utah to help Sarah with her kids while Michael went to Texas for a jobs’ fair and visits. During that time, Elizabeth and Austin made the decision to take the job at Qualtrex in Utah and so Sarah and Kathleen prepared the house for an extended visit of eight more people in the Gordon’s home. Thankfully Michael had finished the basement downstairs complete with a nice bathroom so there was comfort and space.
Stake conference was the middle of September and our visiting authority was Elder Gessel. Stephen only had one talk to give for this conference which he greatly appreciated. We had planned to take Samuel to BYU-Idaho but instead Stephen and Kathleen drove to Utah and then back up through eastern Idaho where we stayed with Stephen’s cousins, Bruce Wilding and his wife Annette at the cabin on Lake Henry near Yellowstone.

Crossing the Sweetwater.....

Bruce the mountain man

What a beautiful spot. The drive through Montana was gorgeous, too. Kathleen was called into the Young Women program for the ward just before general conference and all the changes that were made. What an exciting time to be apart of the church moving forward.

In October, Kathleen made a planned trip to Texas. It was fun to see Jon and Jenna with their kids and to visit Rebekah to see where her new home was going to be built. What a wonderful trip to visit grandkids and family. When she got back she was elected for jury duty which was the first time she had experienced that process. Very interesting to see our justice system at work. On Halloween Stephen and Kathleen flew to Phoenix, Arizona for Kathleen’s brother, Larry Langford’s funeral.

Siblings that were able to make the funeral.
Kathleen, Leonard, Richard and Michael.

Indian Hieroglyphs in a National Park in Utah.

Some of the scenery where Larry
was buried in Monticello, Utah.

Larry's kids and grandkids. Michelle Blount with 4 kids and
her husband on the Left. Michael and Erik in back.

This lists both Teverly's and Larry's children.

The death date wasn't in yet.

Add caption

These ravens followed us around after Kathleen gave
them some bread. They flew after the car and were at
every spot we stopped at.

We then drove to Monticello, Utah with Richard and Jolene for the internment. It was a quick trip but wonderful to celebrate the life of a wonderful man and to see his family and loved ones. It was so good to see Michael and Ken there too. and then rode with Leonard and Helena back to Payson to see family in the Provo/Orem area including Stephen’s parents, sister, Ben and Carli, Sarah and Michael and Liz and Austin and all the grandkids there. There was a friendly bout of arm wrestling between parents and kids and Grandkids...

Some old fashioned arm wrestling.

Working with Dad.

I believe Stephen won the whole thing!

Happy Birthday Andrew!!!

Ninja Andrew with a Birthday outfit.

We visited Sr. Williams who lives in the
same residence as Grandpa and Grandma.

Visiting Grandpa and Grandma.

November brought a Thanksgiving holiday in the Boise Area with Susan and Cory Brighton at their home and up in Idaho City at a Cabin/Garage with snow, dutch-oven cooking and lots of playing around. The Utah families came from Utah including Ben and Carli, Michael and Sarah with their two Eric and Heidi and Elizabeth and Austin with their 6 kids, Isaac, Andrew, Emeri, Oakley, Ezra and Owen. With Samuel, Jarom and Kimball we had a large family gathering with lots of fun activities and food. President Stroud called and asked if his son, Mark, and his son's fiancé and Andrew Chiek could come and spend the night on their way home to Seattle for Thanksgiving. Samuel was thrilled to see his friends in Idaho at Susan's place.

Andrew, Samuel and Mark

Austin's ability to sleep anywhere was irresistible
for Kirk the cat.

A game of charades....can't remember the name.

Cory was quite good at his Star Wars depictions.

Susan introduced us to her new hot tub which was very relaxing.

December started out with a bang of a birthday party for Cory and a drive back to Washington the next day.

Christmas is always a great way to end the year, remembering our Savior and focusing on the things that are most important. God and Family!