For the grandchildren...

 We have these events for our grandchildren.  If we let them participate.  That's why I put on the seder.  For Scoutie.  For my granddaughter so she attends and participates.  Because she will remember.

These are both pictures for 50th annivesary parties.

The first from 1996.  30 years ago.  We had a party for my in-laws for their 50th anniversary.  They did a war-time elopement so (they were 19!) so they never did have a wedding cake.  So we got one for them.  There they are cutting the cake.  Right close by, taking it all, in is 6 year old Naomi.  We didn't even know she was up there until we got the pictures back!  But she's fully engaged.

The second is from our own 50th anniversary party.  This past June.  Naomi and Stephen had ordered a cake for us, a duplicate of the cake we had.  We had ordered a floral topper for it and Dennis is gently putting it on the top.  Look who is right there.  5 year old Frankie who is not going to miss any of the action.

We do it for them....

Really big tree

In July, Dennis and I took a 4 day trip to the Olympic Peninsula.  Close by but hard to get to, in most places there's really one way through.  We spent one night at Westport, one at Lake Quinault and one in Sequim.  Much appreciation for places we hadn't been to, at least not for a long time.

Quite a few places boast the oldest tree.  Dennis is standing by one, off the road a mile or two.  Paved but big potholes.  Huge root ball, you can see this tree has been through the wars.  Dennis is trying to look up to see the top.

 

Melina graduating!

A picture from June.  Taken by her mom.  Great picture.  She's coming down from the stage.  She didn't know anything about graduation.

Melina graduates with an AA in accounting from North Seattle College (formerly Community College)  Great achievement!  She has been accepted into a bachelor's program in International Accounting at the same school.  She's quite excited about it.  A cohort of 30 but almost all online (too bad)

The graduation turned out to be a great event for her.  I convinced her; yes it would be boring and long but still worth it.  I got the cap and gown.  I told her about stoles, something that you wore with your gown.  For example, Suzie had a stole from being an athlete.  So she decided to buy a stole representing Cambodia to honor her other grandparents.  She was very happy with the whole thing.  It was at Hed-Ed (the basketball arena) at UW.  Together with the other two Seattle Colleges (South and Central)  Her family came up from Puyallup.  She made friends with the graduates she sat next to.  She liked all the speakers.  The Board Member said (out loud!) that they were dedicated to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  Hardly any white people, it was great!

Afterwards I had (another) party.

Melina at the party receiving cards and gifts!  He aunt made the braided things.  She had no idea that she would receive money as a graduation gift.
 

Happy Birthday Ilana

 Tomorrow is Ilana's special birthday.  We celebrated it when she and her family were here in June.  We went to a Mexican restaurant near the university on the Ship Canal.  Her request!  My son in law made the cake.  We were also celebrating Danny's birthday.  He asked for their request.  Ilana said jam.  Danny said angel food cake.  So there it is.

We gathered at a small park area right on the ship canal and had the cake.  One of my many parties I gave at that time.

And above is an institutional picture marking a big award she got this year from ALA.  One of her many crazy haircuts.

Happy Birthday Ilana and Congratulations on your special award.

Cake at the anniversary party

 Here was the cake for our 50th anniversary party.  It's a duplicate of our original wedding cake.  Many thanks to Naomi and Steven who sponsored it.  From the same Everett bakery that they used for their wedding just over a year or so.  Looking at it now, the only thing differed was the part with the lacy part, the background was white.  Who cares?  It's a beautiful cake.  We also had flowers for the topper.

So pretty.  And tasted good too!

Snapshot of Anniversary Party

 We had a 50th anniversary party last month.  Over 50 people at a waterfront restaurant.  A brunch.  Here's a snapshot of the party in progress.  The buffet.  The water is to the right.  We didn't need any decorations because the site was so spectacular.  Everybody agreed that it was a great party.  To me, it was a blur.  Don't know if I talked to everybody.

I gave a little program about our own wedding and also about the ceremonial plates that I made.  About my great great grandparent's 50th anniversary in 1902 and the plate that they made.  The cousins were talking about that plate 120 years later.  So I'm hoping that that happns.

Melina's graduation

The group photo from Melina's graduation from North Seattle College in June.  The event was held at Hec Ed, the basketball arena at UW, we are in front of the entrance to the football stadium.

Melina's mom, her aunt and her family came (great!) and we took this group picture of both families.  Naomi, Stephen, Matt, Simon, Megan not there because of work/nap constraints.  But everybody else came, for which I was grateful.

So glad we took the picture BEFORE, after everybody just wanted to get out of there.  We had a party at our house afterwards.

Melina enjoyed the whole thing, the speakers, sitting with the other graduates, walking across the stage, the whole deal.  So glad she decided to do it. 

Special anniversary gift

I hope to have a better image.  This was a very special gift given to me by my daughter Naomi's mother in law Merry in honor of our 50th anniversary.  I know that Naomi worked on it too.  They love to craft together.  It's based on some special lace which was on my great grandmother's wedding dress.  I still have it and it's been involved in almost every wedding.

Then she puts pictures of all of our family at the bottom.  Yes, that's the dog Bowen at the end.  Also pictures of us, my sister and brother as well as some Dennis' family members.

It catches us now in 2026, a moment in time.  I need to write who everybody is on the back.  I know now, but like my place, decades from now, they won't know.

 

50th Anniversary party - big group

 The big family group at our 50th anniversary party last month.  Behind us is the water of the Sailish Sea.  I'm in the navy dress; Dennis in the tie.  Our four children with their spouses and their children.  My 4 grandchildren.  My oldest granddaughter is at the very left in the sea green dress.  Also including my brother and sister.

It's a group all right.  I was feeding many of these people most all the week.  There was hardly any room in the garbage can because of all the paper plates.

Having a large family means that you can generate a big picture like this.  Certainly I am grateful.