Every 2 years "Shippendom" happens at Eagle Lake in Northern California.  It's our family reunion on my mom's side...the Shippens.  We drove there once...loaded with children and camping gear to spend a week in the dirt with 150 or so of our posterity.  It is fun...but, let's just say, we haven't ALL been back since forever ago.  I took Christine and Grant in 2013...and in 2015, I flew in to Reno, rented a car, and drove to Susanville, the closest town, stayed in a hotel, and drove up to camp each day for the 3 or so days I was there.  It certainly wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing.  I so enjoyed being with my extended family.  

 This is Kristie Cooper, one of my dearest friends, who also happens to be my cousin.  I never tire of visiting with her.  Bless her...I just wish we saw more of each other.

And this is my sweet Aunt Vera.  She's had some major health problems and we weren't certain she'd even be at camp...she did make it, and was the only "original" Shippen sibling...of her generation, who was there...most have passed on. It was a blessing to see her and visit with her.

 Ok, so apparently I've decided to back track a bit and fill in some places...I wasn't certain I could figure out how to transfer pictures from my phone to the computer.  As usual, I didn't give myself enough credit.  I figured it out, and without the help of a child or a spouse! That is a real accomplishment.  

I had to include this picture of Christine, Addie and myself.  We went to Centro Pizza in Cedar for Christine's birthday (7/24/2015) and, if you couldn't tell, WE ADORE our Addie girl...and, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the feeling is mutual.  She really is the sunshine in our lives.  How blessed we are to have her in our forever family!!! 

In July of 2015, Addie turned 2! We were all in Cedar City for the celebration! She was so happy to have her grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles and friends there with her! She loves her people and her people love her...we love her oh, so, much!

 Here is sweet Addie with her adorable parents...NaKya was about 7 months pregnant...looking great, as usual. It was a warm day in Southern Utah, but what a great time we had partying with Little Miss Addie at the park.

 Addie loves to be in the kitchen cooking/baking with her mom, so Grammie and Papa thought she would enjoy her own kitchen.  It was a HIT!!! She loved it! 

 Here are 3 of Addie's "people"...Caulin Tanner (Garrett's friend and roommate at BYU-Idaho), Uncle Garrett and Uncle Grant...Party hats all around:)

Christine's birthday is also in July...just later in the month...Grammie was there for that too.  Addie was so excited to take a Tiana balloon (Princess and the Frog) and a donut to her work at the Shakespear Festival. Addie still talks about it.  It was a fun surprise for Aunt Christine:)

Holy cow! It's been nearly a YEAR since I last posted.  Thank goodness I've made a few entries in my "old fashioned" regular journal...there will still be some sort of a record of this past year in our family, even when I don't keep this blog updated.  

I find that there are a few blogs I check regularly.  I admire the words used, the sentiments explained, the pictures shared and the experiences I'm able to enjoy, albeit vicariously. I should be making a more consistent effort to do these things for our posterity.  I have had our blog made into books in the past. We have 2 volumes.  It's always fun to leaf through them and share them with family and friends who don't ever read our blog.

I hope to be better at keeping this up to date and rather than go back and try to fill in all of the gaps, I will just move forward...seems like a more doable plan...less overwhelming.

Today has been a sad day.  After having this little dog in our family for over 13 years, we had to put her to sleep.  Little Smudgie had a great life with us.  She was spoiled and loved.  By our estimates, she was 15 or 16...she had out-lived her life expectancy.  We feel blessed to have had her for so long.  It's rough losing a pet...but we are pretty sure she is hanging out with Grandma McClintic in Heaven...Smudge had a special bond with my mom and the feeling was mutual:) Rest in Peace sweet dog.

Life Was Simpler Then

It's a "snow day" today here in Texas...the third in just a handful of days...enough already.  Grant is doing homework, Bill is working from home and Garrett is at work. I, on the other hand...have no life:)  Really I do...it's just less structured than the rest of the family. Because I am waiting for the dryer to finish, and have some down time...I happened upon a couple of blogs written by young mothers.  As I read them, one in particular, I began to reminisce about the times when our children were young and we would spend lazy summers in San Diego visiting my mom.  Oh those were happy times...the climate, the company and children who had simple lives with absolutely zero drama. I long for those times.  Our kids are making awesome progress in their lives, but I have to say that life is much more complicated now.  We try to find a healthy work/play balance...it certainly helps to better navigate the challenges that are sure to come our way.

The stresses are piling up at work for Bill, Christine is feeling the pressures of college and work, Garrett is trying to figure out the best course for his life, Grant is having "friendship" problems and worry consumes much of my waking hours---I'm convinced it's a "mom thing".  Coincidentally, we leave for spring break tomorrow!  We'll be sailing in the Caribbean on Saturday!  The calm of the sea has always helped me rejuvenate and refocus.  Those blogs I read...they were a nice reminder that, although life WAS simpler then, there are still daily opportunities to soak in the beauties of life.  Bill and I try to create a calm atmosphere in our home as a refuge from the crazy that happens all around us...so far, so good.  Happy Cruising to us!!!

 While everyone was home for Christmas, we had some updated family pictures taken...It's what we need to do with our sweet little Addie growing like a weed.  Can you tell it was freezing?  Last year it was cold when we took pictures also.  Our photographer wondered if we ever get together in the warm weather:)  We do, just not when we have someone to take our picture.

 Never a dull moment.  These kids LOVE being together!

 And we love being together too...no one we'd rather spend time with.

And this sweet little family was so much fun to have with us this year! Little Miss Addie is 18 months!  She is absolutely adorable in every way...we LOVE her:)