Grant all ready for Band Banquet...looking mighty cool in his thrift store jacket and bow tie. 

(May 2015)

This was such a fun night! My Mother's Day gift was an outing to see Newsies! Such an awesome show and even better company! Thanks guys!

(May2015)

Almost a year ago, Bill's Grandma Casper passed away in St George, Utah.  This was our last visit with her about a month before she died.  Grandma had been suffering the affects of vascular dementia for many years and was living near Bill's dad in a memory care facility. What a blessing it was to see her before she passed. We are grateful she is free from the limitations she lived with for so long.

(April 2015) 

 Papa and his kids at Grandma's graveside service in Idaho Falls.

Back row: Jeni-Jared-Bill

Front row: Marnie-Papa-Ronnie

(May 2015)

(August 2015)

Friendship...we have been blessed with the best. Jennie and James Jenkins have been our friends for over 28 years.  We met at BYU and have kept in touch ever since...traveling together is one of our favorite things to do. No kids...wait, did I actually write that?!:) (we LOVE our kids...and we love our trips w/o them) It's a real treat to be "un-attached" to children needing us. So, if we can arrange it, we travel.

 We flew into Orlando and after a night in a hotel, boarded Disney's Fantasy ship...it was a short 3 night cruise...but is was heaven! Nothing like a few days of R&R with our best friends!

 On Disney's Castaway Cay, we hung out at the "Adults Only" Serenity Bay...amazing!

 Heaven=any part of cruising...minus the leaving the ship for good part:(

Our Happy Place:)

This is Grant's "first day of school" picture...I would like to say that I'm "that mom" who never misses a year taking pictures of her kids the first day of school...But no, I'm not that mom...Grant actually asked me to take this...that's why he is smiling.  If I had asked him, there would be a different look on his face:)  This is the beginning of the end of living at home and going to school...high school with be a thing of the past soon enough. He looks way too happy about the prospects...

Before the start of the school year in late August, the families and friends of band members are invited to the Watermelon Bust.  The band directors drone on about whatever...I generally don't pay too much attention...the band performs a small portion of their show, and then the visitors are invited to join their band member on the field for some marching. We have been doing this for many years, but this year was significant because it would be our LAST year! In reality, there were no tears shed...only gratitude...for the 11 or so year ride and the wonderful experiences and friends band has provided to all of our children.  Marching season was just beginning for the fall semester, and frankly, it was a bittersweet thing to have been nearing the end of a Casper Era in the Allen Eagle Marching Band.

 Holy cow! Grant is always just too cool for anyone and anything!

Again, too cool:) 

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.