Shelby's Winter Formal

Saturday night was ShelbyLynn's high school winter formal. She went with her friend Alex and a big group of friends. Good times!

Shelby and Alex
Being silly!
Andie, Makaely, Lindsay and ShelbyLynn
ShelbyLynn and Riley
Makaely and ShelbyLynn
ShelbyLynn and Lindsay
Heidi and ShelbyLynn
ShelbyLynn and Christina
ShelbyLynn and Andie
The group in their school colors!

Dave and Pam - 28 years together!

Today is our 28-year wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, Dave is in Pennsylvania for three weeks for government training.
That's alright we have many more
years ahead to celebrate!

Here are 28 of Pam's favorite memories of the past 28 years!
(Not in any particular order)

1. The wedding day, of course! January 16, 1982 in the Los Angeles Temple. We were just babies!
2. Burning the biscuits on our honeymoon. (Who cooks on their honeymoon? Pam did!)
3. Living in a teeny tiny granny flat in the Perkins back yard!
4. Celebrating Pam's July birthday in Palm Springs when the weather was a record 126 degrees!
5. The trip to Carmel to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary!
6. Jumping off the houseboat into Lake Powell for a midnight swim...just the two of us!
7. The birth of our first child, Jessica Jenell, after waiting five long years!
8. The birth of ShelbyLynn, after another six long years!
9. The birth of Jake David after only two short years!
10. Years and years of family vacations at a cabin in the mountains of Southern Utah! Quad rides, hiking to the waterfall, watching the lightning storms from the porch!
    
11. Totally surprising Dave by buying him a Taylor guitar for Valentine's Day!
12. Many years of watching Jake play Little League, and watching Dave coach!
13. Jessica and Todd's fairytale wedding day and second reception in Chicago!
14. Our traditional Superbowl get togethers with our amazing high school friends.
    
15. Celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to Coronado Island.
16. Mountain quad rides...just the two of us!
17. Family snow trips to Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear!
18. Seeing each of our children be baptized!
19. Watching ShelbyLynn perform in many musicals and plays.
20. Family dinners most nights around the dinner table!
21. Dave accidentally shaving off one eyebrow...and then purposely shaving off the other!
22. A family camping trip with Dave's family in the Redwood Forest in Northern California!
23. Moving into our first house in Oceanside!
24. A spur of the moment trip to Prescott, AZ with the girls when ShelbyLynn was just a baby!
25. A surprise weekend getaway to celebrate Dave's birthday in Las Vegas and to see Brad Paisley and Sarah Evans in concert!
    
26. A weekend trip with great friends to a bed and breakfast in St. George!
27. Dave surprising Pam on her 40th birthday by taking her to the Sammy Kershaw concert!
28. Just hangin' out at home...as a family!
    

Christmas 2009

We had so much fun over Christmas this year. The best part was that Jessica and Todd came home to enjoy our
California Christmas.

Dennis, Nancy and Ryan came to visit the weekend before Christmas.
We always love it when they come to town!

We all love our traditional Christmas Eve Knott's Berry Farm trip. Todd had never been to Knott's so it was fun to see him enjoy it for the first time!

Newlyweds on the Ferris Wheel...
how romantic!

Swingin' sisters!

Todd, Jess, Jana and Brad on
Supreme Scream...or as we like to call it...
Supreme Pee Your Pants!

You just can't beat the log ride!
Shelby, Jana, Jess and Todd...

Goofballs!

The Beckett Bunch...most of 'em anyway!
Randy, Geralene, Jana, Zac and Cody

Silly sisters!

Pam's very MEAN children talked her into going on this...

"It's not that scary," they said.

"It's really smooth," they said.
"It's so much fun!" they said.
What they forgot to say is,
"Did you bring a change of underwear?"
NEVER AGAIN!
Pam is the green blur in the middle of the picture.
She is such a stud!

Don't be mistaken, Grandma Niecee did not ride the Ghostrider! She did ride a few other rides, but Ghostrider was a bit much for her!

We teased ShelbyLynn about her
"sexy leg" pose
So the next time everyone joined in...

We had a great family filled day!

Then we went back to the Beckett's house for a family dinner. This year, instead of doing a gift exchange, we all did a service exchange. It was wonderful. We drew names and then did an act of service in behalf of the person whose name we drew.
Here are some pics...

ShelbyLynn organized a group of her friends from drama and choir and formed a group called High School Kids for Hope. She made a sign and got a bucket and they went down to a local theater complex in Vista on a Friday night to sing Christmas carols and collect money for Operation Hope, our local homeless shelter. They raised $88.00!


Jake held a half day Day Camp and invited the kids over for crafts, a movie and fun at the park. The agreement was that while we had the kids, each mom would use the time to go out and provide service for someone. It was so much fun and the mom's
provided amazing service!

Jessica and Todd also joined in the service in Provo...

Jessica spent a night babysitting adorable Ava so Josh and Katie could have a date night. They watched a movie, read stories, and had a great time!



We don't have any pictures of Todd's service, but he shoveled and salted the big slope driveway leading from their parking garage out into the street. I'm sure everyone living in their complex was very grateful!


Pam decided to do one small act of service everyday during the month.
One of her favorite ones was visiting her Great Auntie Floy in San Diego.
It was so much fun catching up with her and talking about Grandma Alyce!

Dave took Christmas treats to
the widows in our ward...

The Beckett Family performed some great service in our behalf...

Zac took hot chocolate at midnight to the night shift crew at Vons to thank them for their hard work which helps his family buy groceries!

Cody, Jeff and Brad made blankets to donate to a resource center that helps those who are in need!

Jana spent a day making treasure boxes that are shipped to less fortunate children all over the world!

Geralene donated her time to help set up over 400 nativities for their annual stake event called "Follow the Star"!

Randy didn't get a photo, but he helped a single mom pack up her entire house and move on a moments notice. She was so grateful!


Grandma Niecee bought over 50 coats at garage sales and donated them to our local homeless shelter. They were thrilled to have them!

As the years go on, we all feel that this will be one of our favorite family Christmas memories! We each felt the true spirit of Christmas this year!

Christmas morning was wonderful...
as always!

The sisters got matching sweats...

And Santa gave the kids tickets to Disneyland!
They must not have been on the naughty list!
They look pretty excited!

Shelby got Taylor Swift's piano book and put it to good use right away!

I think it's safe to say that Toddica had a great first Christmas together!

On New Year's Eve we stayed home and had a family game night...
Except for ShelbyLynn who was sick...

The Monday after Christmas the kids headed for Disneyland...

They decided to "use and abuse" Jake's hip disease by pushing him around in a wheel chair...thereby cutting to the
front of every line!

Shelby has a "thing" for pirates!
Pirates in love!
Looks like everyone had a great day! Thanks, Santa!
On their way to California Jessica and Todd decided to take a detour to Hollywood and met up with Greg and Kerina!
Toddica had a great time seeing the sights!




This one's for Pam!