The Senior Family

New Year's Day

2010-01-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

After spending a fun night staying up and making lots of noise, the party continued on New Years Day. We spent the day eating, swimming, putting puzzles together and go-carting at F-1 in Tempe. It was a great trip. We had a lot of fun. It was nice to have Dave's Parents with us. For the record...I lost at bowling, go carting and any other competition we engaged in.

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

A Visit to Grandma Watkins

2010-01-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hanging out with cousins!

2010-01-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

New Year's in AZ

2010-01-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a good game of pool football to cut up your feet for a few days! The Oelkers met us in Az and spent a few days with us. It was so great to have a houseful of boys. It felt like old times.

Christmas Eve 2009

2010-01-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

The Family in Arizona

2010-01-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

Cooking for Thanksgiving....

2010-01-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

The Traditional Turkey Bowl and a photo of the Championship Team!

2010-01-06T09:30:00.001-08:00

Shauna's Bridal Shower in Arizona

2010-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

I love the confidence!! We started the Thanksgiving weekend off with Shauna's bridal shower on Wednesday night. We sang her a song and dressed her up pretty silly! As usual it doesn't matter what we do we just have fun being together.

Allen Mini Reunion November 14, 2009

2010-01-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

It was so great to reconnect with family. Bob and Nancy did a great job of organizing it all. We had so much fun!

Aprons Sue and I made for my YW Hosting Night

2010-01-06T09:14:00.001-08:00

On Top of Angel's Landing September 2009

2010-01-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

Girlfriend's Weekend in St. George and Zions

2010-01-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

Nauvoo with Dave's Parents

2010-01-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Boston in September with the Oelkers and Pierce's

2010-01-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Ryan Ordained an Elder August 16, 2009

2010-01-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

Rugby Game - Manly Australia

2010-01-06T08:49:00.000-08:00

Sydney Temple

2010-01-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

2010-01-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Animal Park

2010-01-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

2010-01-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

Ryan found a friend!

2010-01-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

Bike Tour of Sydney

2010-01-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

Australia in August 2009

2010-01-06T08:15:00.000-08:00

Summer Vacation!

2009-08-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Catching Up!

2009-07-26T22:53:00.001-07:00

So much has happened in the past 7 or 8 months. This entry is my attempt to hit and post a few of the highlights. Last December we took the family to Disneyland for 4 days and had a lot of fun. It seems to be true that everyone becomes child again when you go to Disneyland. I even managed all of the roller coasters and thrill rides with a little prodding from the boys. What a great way to relax and laugh after the holidays.

In January we headed on a Cruise to Cabo San Lucas with Dave's family. We did it to celebrate Dave's parents 60th Wedding Anniversary. It was fun to spend a few days with all of his family. We don't get to do that very often.

In March, Dave and I headed over to Hong Kong. We had a great time. We took a boat ride over to the Island and attended the wedding of Jack Lau's daughter. It was held at the InterContinental Hotel and quite the event. We were able to spend some time with Thomas Lee and his wife Caroline. As always, church was a highlight. The people there were so friendly. Dave went on to China and I returned home.

In April Ryan hurt himselt playing basketball at Lone Peak High School. He had a severe sprain to the ankle and spent most of the month with a wrapped ankle and in physical therapy. He took his AP Psychology Test and did great! Ryan graduated from Long Peak High School on the 28th of May. It was so great to see him and his buddies together at graduation. Then looked so happy, handsome and like life-long friends.

On May 29th we headed to Texas for Megan Oelkers wedding. It was great to be with the family and have a quick reunion. We had a great time at the wedding and reception. Family is just something that brings a lot of happiness to life. As usual, it was filled with tons of fun and very little sleep! It was great to be back in Texas and see so many friends.

On June 2nd, I headed to GIRLS CAMP! It seemed like such an enormous task but once we were there it was a lot of fun. The girls were awesome, good sports, very supportive and the weather was incredible!

On June 3rd Ryan left on Heritage Tours. He went with 4 of his friends and they were gone for 3 weeks. They toured many of the church history sites all across the U.S. They also hit New York for a play and shopping, and Washington D.C. He had a great time but we missed him!

On the 15th of June, Dave and I headed to Egypt and Israel for 17 days. The Pyramids were a site to behold and riding a camel was really fun. We visited Luxor, for a couple of days, took a boat ride on the Nile and SWEAT A LOT. It was really hot!! The Valley of the Kings, the museums and mummies were all really interesting.

Next we headed to Israel. We floated in the Dead Sea, hiked Hezekiah's tunnel, toured Masada and stayed on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jerusalem was incredible. It is an experience not to be forgotten when you spend time walking where the Savior walked. To walk the Via Delorosa, go to Antonio's Fortress, see the Dome of the Rock and visit the Temple Mount. Church at the BYU Jerusalem Center was a highlight. It is beautiful and there is a great spirit there. It has an incredible view of the Dome of the Rock and the city of Jerusalem. There was so much to see and so much to learn. Jews and Muslims trying to live together in peace, each devote to the own beliefs that are so vastly different from each other. A country surrounded on all borders by enemies. The feelings run deep. I learned so much. It is a trip Dave and I will never forget.

Derek spent time this summer playing Riff in West Side Story. It was great and the theater was outside in the park. He did awesome and what a great way to spend a summer night.

Ryan and Cheyenne hiked to the top of Mt. Timpanogos. They left at 2:00 a.m. and made it to the top by sunrise. I wish I were young!!!

Finally, on Pioneer Day the 24th of July we had a family pool party at our home. We had about 50 people and it was a lot of fun. Derek's band played out on the grass by the pool. Then Dave, Derek, Scott and Ryan played a couple of songs as well. "Landed" by Ben Folds and "God Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flats. They sounded great. It was so much fun to see them playing in a band wearing their swimsuits. Marshall Oelkers was here and played the drums on a few songs. Grandpa Rollie joined the fun and sang God Bless America. We had Guitar hero set up in the garage as well as shuffleboard. Then when it was dark, we sat on the terraced grass area and watched the movie "Forever Strong" while we ate homemade ice cream. It was a great memory and a very fun and long day.

Here are a few pictures over the past several months.

24th of July Pool Party - The Family Band

2009-07-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

Ryan and Cheyenne climb Mount Timpanogos July 20, 2009

2009-07-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

Derek as Riff in West Side Story July 2009

2009-07-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

Our Tour Guides Kim and Jeff Chadwick, Dave at one of the Jerusalem Gates

2009-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Hezekiah's Tunnel

2009-07-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

Church at the BYU Jersalem Center

2009-07-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

Funny!

2009-07-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

Israel....shopping anyone?

2009-07-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Dave takes an unauthorized swim in the Nile...

2009-07-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

One Very Beautiful Mosque...

2009-07-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

CAMEL RIDE AT THE PYRAMIDS IN CAIRO EGYPT

2009-07-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Girl's Camp June 2009

2009-07-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

GRADUATION DAY!!

2009-07-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Neighborhood Graduation Dinner

2009-07-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Neighborhood Graduation Dinner with Ryans friends

2009-07-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong in March 2009

2009-07-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

The Cruise with Dave's Family...

2009-07-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

A Very Fun Trip To Disneyland!

2009-07-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

2009-07-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

2009-07-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Family Trip to Disneyland - December 2008

2009-07-26T20:33:00.001-07:00

Sunrise in the Philippines

2008-10-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

Frankfurt Germany Temple

2008-10-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

Diving in the Philippines

2008-10-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

I survived my first 2 dives in the Philippines! Actually it was pretty fun. We went out for our first dive about an hour away and saw tons of cool stingrays, trumpet fish, mini baracudas, and all sorts of starfish etc. The fish were so colorful and beautiful.

Then they took us to a Seafood resturant for lunch. It was about $200 for lunch. The returant was on stilts out in the ocean. The menu was just what you see in these 5 tubs. Crab, muscles, shrimp, fish and other gross alive things. We were a tad surprised but went with it and just had fun. It is a lunch never to be forgotten.

Our second dive after lunch was a ship wreck! That was incredible. I am pretty happy that I did it!

General Relief Society Broadcast

2008-10-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

Here are all ladies who sang in the choir! It was great!

NFL Packer-Bronco Game

2008-08-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

All the boys went to a pre-season Denver Bronco-Green Bay Packer game on Friday. It was their first NFL game. They had a blast!

Switzerland with Mom and Sid

2008-08-26T14:38:00.001-07:00

Vancouver Island, Canada

2008-08-26T14:06:00.001-07:00

I met Dave on Vancouver Island on his way home from Alaska. It was my first time on a seaplane and I liked it a lot. It was fun to land on the water. The Island was great with tons of flowers, great restaurants, little shops and quaint hotels. It was so nice. It was great to watch the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics from Canada! We went to Butchart Gardens and I couldn't believe the flowers!! What a fun trip!

Dave Fishing in Alaska

2008-08-26T13:58:00.001-07:00

Dave went fishing in Alaska with Craig, Owen and Scott. Dave caught 2 large salmon and a huge halibut, 170 lbs. They had so much fun. It was a total guy trip.

Just A Thought

2008-08-06T17:45:00.000-07:00

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

James Thurber

Repelling in Puerto Vallarta

2008-08-06T16:56:00.001-07:00