HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC

What happens when you turn 4 years old on the first day of a family reunion?
The answer:  PARTY!!!!

We had to have a birthday cake, a piñata and fun.

Go Isaac!

RALPH FAMILY REUNION 2013

A picture is worth a 1000 words. So here goes.


The "Jenna Look" adds interest to any family picture.  ;-)
 

We spent 3 days and two nights at Sequim Bay State Park close to Sequim, Washington. It was nice and dry but a little cool at night. We were able to start a fire since the "burn ban" had just been lifted that weekend. YEAH, for family camping and S'Mores over the fire.

The grandkids minus Jarom, who was enjoying some "playtime" with his uncle Samuel. These munchkins had a blast together.

Jessica, Juan and Hadlie

Juan was "broken in" with camping at the Reunion. He was a very good sport about everything and helped with all the kiddos and the activities. Thanks, Juan!

Jessica did great for being so close to her due date. Can't wait to see little Ms. Hadlie. She is sure to be cute.

Liz, Austin and Emeri

Liz and Austin helped make the Reunion a success as Liz was the well-spring of ideas for activities, games and food. What would we done without Liz? Thanks, Austin for letting her come early to get the brain cells going.

BABY BLESSING of Miss Gracie June Ralph

Everyone that could come was able to make it to the Baby Blessing of Ms. Gracie. She was blessed by her father, Jonathan and dressed in a white crotched dress fashioned  by her Aunt Rebekah. It was a beautiful day and the beginning of our Family Reunion. Great Memories.

 

 

BABY SHOWER SURPRIZE in the PUMPKIN PATCH



Having  fun as a family is so important. It gives you memories to hold on to when you are alone or when things are going just "right". Traditions are important when they bring you together and bring you back to family and eternity. Here's some of the fun times that we had.

First we had a Baby Shower for Jessica and Hadlie, right out of the Pumpkin Patch. Ruth made a divine cake of a baby coming out of a pumpkin. Then Liz had the idea of a diaper cake, games, decorating, etc...


 

 We finally got one over on Jessica. She didn't see it coming. It was great to finally get a surprise to work on her. We did have to obfuscate a little but it was worth it. 


Jessica was SURPRIZED!

 

It's great to celebrate with friends and family.

A garden tag in the pumpkin patch. Made just for Hadlie.

Megan Tyler's last week at home before shipping out to train for the Navy. She's one brave chicka and I hope the Lord is with her always.

DanceSport 2010

Benjamin and Melissa took first place in the Standard Syllabus Youth Division at the National DanceSport competition in Provo Utah. That makes them National champions. They competed in the Waltz and Quickstep.

Trip to Utah in June 2012

So Mr. Ralph and Ben decided that they needed some time in Utah. There was some work to do on a property that we have there. (But I think they just felt "left out" when Rebekah and I took our trip to Mexico.) They were going to go solo but I "begged" to tag along and they finally caved and took Samuel and me.

We left at 4:00 in the morning and then had to turn around after 20 min because I had forgotten my purse (causing trouble already). We drove the whole way from Kent to Provo with just stops for gas and the shopping ritual at "Smith and Edwards". I managed to get a pasta rack for drying homemade pasta noodles (pretty excited to try it out). We got to Provo around 7:00 pm, tried and Mr Ralph saying that we should break it up next time (that always sounds good to me because we leave the night before and get to Provo even earlier!! ;-)
We ended up going right to the emergency room at the hospital, where Elizabeth had taken little Andrew. He was running a fever, had been vomiting with diarrhea, and then wouldn't eat or drink anything. Needless to say he was very dehydrated. They had hooked him up to an IV and by the time we arrived he was bouncing off the bed and ready to go. Of course, I managed to fall down while trying to follow Sarah down a five (alright four) foot drop (couldn't find a closer parking place) before arriving in the hospital and by the time I got in I was bleeding enough from my elbow for the receptionist to panick and "get some bandages". (Still sore but that's life).
We spent the night with Juan and Jessica on their very comfortable couches. Ben and Samuel slept on an air mattress in the spare room.

 

Thursday I went with Elizabeth and her two little guys, Isaac and Andrew, to her midwife appointment. It took quite a long time and when she was done, they had made her an appointment to see a specialist (maternal-fetal medicine) because of a concern on an early ultrasound. Of course that makes one concerned but she was pretty positive and keeps repeating positive affirmations to herself (it's her hypno-birthing ideas kicking in).
After the appt. we met up with the guys who were putting carpet into the duplex. They were busy, busy and needed food so we had gotten 4 footlong subway sandwiches. That seemed to help everyone. We went to Elizabeth's house that afternoon. Sarah had a ward activity that she needed help with her hair that afternoon so we were back at the duplex curling hair and pinning her into a dress (I actually had to sew it on her because I couldn't get some pins through the thick material). She looked very nice and left before we did - it was a "etiquette dinner". We then bought two Costco Pizzas (it was on sale) and some fruit and met up with Liz and Austin at Jessica/Juan's place for dinner and a ballgame. The HEAT smoked the OKC (very sad game).
Friday, Mr. Ralph, Ben and I went to the Salt Lake Temple for a session. It was very beautiful and inspiring. Then we had lunch with Lon Chesley, the temple engineer and he talked about the projects they were working on inside the temple. It was pretty amazing. Ben met up with his dance partner, Kynistan and we took her to lunch too.

We made it back to Provo by 4:00 pm, Jessica had taken Samuel swimming and they seemed to have had a good time. (Samuel was able to sneek into the lobby by the pool and try out the cookies that were available - that was fun for him). That night everyone was busy except Juan and Jessica so we took them to dinner and had a nice chat. Ben spent much of his "off" time with Carli Treu and her family so we didn't see too much of him after we got back to Provo.

Saturday was busy trying to get all the last minute things done. Susan and her youngest two children, Josiah and Kimball, along with Bill, Susan's friend, drove all night and arrived at 5:00 in the morning. They came by early that morning and we had breakfast at Juan's place. Then we went back to the duplex and Ben worked on the Explorer for Jessica and Mr. Ralph got new tires on Sarah's car (she was surprised when it didn't shake anymore after that). We managed to clean out the trunk of Sarah's car (she hadn't unpacked her stuff from her move of seven months prior).
We went to Elizabeth's house and took pictures and then to Jessica/Juan's place for games. That was very fun. It was the men against the women - you know who won!  ;-)

Sunday was church in Springville with everyone and then we divided up to head our different ways home. It was sooooo nice but we missed Jon and Jenna and their kids - but we'll see them in August.
Stay tuned.

Coming up on Christmas 2011

Everyone keeps asking if our children are coming home for Christmas. I say, "all but one". I can't believe that they will be here and I wish Susan and Dave could be here with their kids. It would be soooooo nice to have everyone together.
Liz and the boys are coming early to "help" me out. Sarah is coming later to "help" Susan and Dave out. Jon and Jenna and Katelyn and Nathan, Ben, Austin and finally Jessica will be coming home. YEAH. Christmas will be different this year as it is Sunday and I am in charge of the Christmas Sacrament Meeting Program coming off with the choir. I felt good about it and got it approved by the bishops so it is a go for right now.
I'll try to get everything done before family arrives so I can enjoy the holidays and strengthen family ties. Remembering our Savior and why he came to earth, makes family all that much sweeter.