Jett & Josh's visit

Lunch @ Weyerhaueser with Jett and Jacob
A nice view form the cafeteria on a typical Washington November day

Go Seahawks

But I am all dressed for church and plan on being really good

I am musical like my father

It was really fun to have Jett and Josh for the weekend. Jett is such a nice happy little boy

All smiles since the Seahawks won!!!

Autumn at Lake Tapps

We are enjoying the spectacular fall colors in our yard and everywhere this year
Even pink colors soccer shirts add to the color mix
Lydia and Coach Zeke at their Saturday game

Lydia at Spooner's pumpkin farm in the pumpkin house

Grandma made a trip to Utah

Why is everyone smiling?? Because grandma is driving Dad's suv really F A S T!
Special day with Kaitlyn at a session of conference

Kaitlyn's goal! Very nice looking young lady. Mom and Dad, we need a pet!

Ready for school, don't forget your shoes.

The east coast adventure

We arrived in Baltimore and first stop was the Washington DC temple. That was nice.
We had dinner with some old friends from USU married student housing days. Hadn't seen them for 36+ years. (Julia Anderson, Parvone, Barbara)

Visited the Arlington Cemetary and watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Williamsburg was a living museum, where we spent several full days

Continued trip

We spent 3 full days in Willamsburg, Va and saw a lot of re-enactments
We went to a concert, where among other things this fellow played a glass violine. One of only two in the world.

We decided to visit the Atlantic coast and went to Virginia Beach. Very pretty. In two weeks we had visited both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. (Last saturday we went to the Washington coast for the day and enjoyed that just as much)

Virginia beach was having their Neptune Fair with about 2 dozen sand sculptures. This was just one of them

We toured the battleship Wisconsin which is moth-balled in Norfork, Virginia

East Coast History Trip

We visited Mt. Vernon - home of George Washington

The Vietnam Memorial was really interesting with all the symbolism. Since we lived through that era, it really brought back many memories
The World War II memorial was impressive since so many lives were lost.

We got tickets from our representative and were able to tour the capitol

Nobody was home at the White House so we decided to just take a picture outside the gate. The President didn't know we were coming, or for sure would have invited us in.

Special Places and People

Our sacred placeOur learning place - Go Aggies!!!!!!!!!!!

Four generations visit Bear Lake together

A time to remember

A 2 year old + Jack and almost Lydia "pig-pile"
Izabel Emmalee McKinney - it's official

The proud parents with our 11th grandchild

All in a row.

Landon, Amelia, Mason, Jett, Cameron, Kaitlyn, Izabel, Jack, Quinn, Lydia, Jacob

(all so cute and fun to be with)

The ever growing McKinney family

Be-lated birthday wish

Happy birthday Zeke!

A dad who takes a lot of "shots" and enjoys every minute of it.

Amelia is now 3 years old!

It is hard to believe that our little Amelia is already 3 - time just flys by. We love it when Amelia and her family come to our home for a visit. She is a fun little person.

Amelia swims everyday and is a great little fish!

Happy 1st Birthday Cowboy Jett

Today, our baby Jett is ONE year old! Where did that year go? Happy Birthday dear Jett.....

Jett is a cuddle bug with such a happy face.

We can't wait to see him again this summer in Idaho this month.

Today, July 21 is my mom's birthday. My mom is a great grandmother, grandmother, mother and wife who has given her all to her very large family. We all recognize what a great women she is and the example she is to each of us.

Izabel Emmalee McKinney

Our eleventh grandchild was born on Sat., the 18th, to Matt and Jama. She is beautiful and looks very healthy you can see fun pics if you link to Matt and Jama's blog.

It was 88 years ago today

someone wonderful was born to Adella Kazia and Joseph Franklin! Roland Lynn Nielsen, was was the sixth child in their family of 10 kids.
My dad was also a sailor during World War II.
He was a successful missionary, husband, father, dairy farmer, active community leader, grandfather and great grandfather and a very honest hard working man who has lived a really good life for all of these 88 years.

For 88 years his life has been a blessing in my life!

Happy Birthday to YOU, Happy Birthday to YOU, Happy Birthday dear dad, and may you have many more....

What an "HONOR"???

Our yard was chosen "Yard of the Month" on the island. It was a shocker! Now, for the month of July, we get to have this sign in our yard which means WORK! (we also got a gift certificate to the clubhouse cafe)

4th of July in Paradise

We enjoyed traveling up to Mt. Rainier with Kathy and Rick. It is an amazing mountain.

July 3 is a day to celebrate!

We are blessed to have Jama in our family. She is such a great wife, mom and a beautiful person through and through. Today, we celebrate her BIRTHDAY!

Jama and Matt's small family of 3 will soon be 4 in just a few more days. Quinn is about to be a big brother to a little sister. Stay tuned in!

Mom and Dad celebrate over 60 years of living Happily Ever After. Thank you mom and day for being an example and for all you've done for the huge family you have created.

We all love and appreciate YOU. Happy Anniversary

Is it Christmas?

No, it is REALLY Cameron's 11th birthday! Our handsome Cameron is very cool. We hope this is his best birthday ever. We will give you belated birthday hugs in August.

Lots been going on here - time to catch up.

What a great DAD and GRANDPA! It was a HAPPY Father's Day for Bob who got lots of "money" from the grandkids in his cards and even a cold stone ice cream cake for dessert! Can't get much better than that!

Lydia danced beautifully at her dance recitle and we were so glad we got to see her - she is a "cutie pa tutie" for sure!

NEWS FLASH FROM BARBARA!

I have officially RETIRED as a public school teacher. For many years I've taught for the Auburn School District. (Bob counted and said I taught 700 kids!) No wonder I needed to retire! I started back teaching when our youngest son, Matt was a senior in High School. I was invited by the ASD school board to a meeting where they honored us for our years of teaching (see first photo). My school, Lakeland Hills Elementary, also had a very nice Kindergarden retirement celebration for us on June 11th. On the last day of school, at the awards assembly, we were called up and received a hearting warm and very touching standing ovation from all the student body, staff and parents attending. It was a moment I will never forget as I shed many happy tears.

I have to say it truly was a joy being a teacher.

Beth and I were surprised with the wonderful program/party in our honor and also the awards and gifts presented. What a happy memory.

Many former collegues and friends came to our retirement celebration.

It was fun to visit with students and parents at our party. Nick Miller is one of my all time favorite students. (I have many favorites) His mom, who is also a teacher at Lakeland Hills, will be Lydia's teacher in first grade (Dianna Miller was also Mason's first grade teacher).

The school case on the left was put together to honor me -- showing some special things from my life. You can see down the hall to my classroom. The one on the right is Beth Stratton's my teaching partner the last two years. We always called our kindergarten "Our Kindergarden

I will forever treasure the many happy memories at Lakeland Hills, but do look forward to adventures life has to bring! I'm not retired, I'm recharged!
To add to the celebrations,

Josh brought his family for a visit while he went to Canada fishing with people he works with. We were so glad that Melisa, Jett and Amelia got to hang out with us for a few days and be apart of everything. One day we went to Northwest Trek - wishing Melisa was in this pic.

Our younger set of cousins really hit it off. Jake loved Amelia.

Amelia is a beautiful 2 year old with amazing eyes. She wasn't a big fan of braids though.

Josh's time here wasn't long (he went fishing in Canada). Jett is an adorable busy baby boy - soooo cute. He reminded us of baby Josh. Josh works so hard we are proud of his accomplishments and the great dad he is.

You've come a long way baby!

Our youngest son, Matt, started school at 3 (which he didn't like - interferred with playing)! Today, we celebrate with Matt who passed the orals and will now receive his Master Degree from Boise State. What a guy! He did this while working full time, serving in the church and most of all being both a great husband to Jama and daddy to Quinn.
CONGRATULATIONS

Lydia is lots of FUN and now she is SIX years old!

Lydia was a lot of help at a wedding shower for a friend

Lydia and her special "Who" hairdo with her friend Aylissa (on the right)

Lydia was a star in Seussical Junior at her school

Happy 6th birthday Lydia