Youth Guide Reunion!

Above is a picture of Joseph Langkilde and his family. I think this is an old one, because they must have three or four children by now.

Ran into an old Guide last night who is leaving the area for Kansas to go to Law School. Said he was going to sell him home, live off of what he made, and not have to work while in school. That's a good plan. Has been teaching in the Mesa Public Schools. I'm still trying to remember his name!

Anyway, while we were talking I told him I had just had a successful high school reunion and was stoked to try to do one for the Alumni of the Youth Guide program. As I thought about it, I think Thanksgiving would be a good time to do it. We could have everyone come home to visit with their families for Thanksgiving, then on Friday night when they turn on the Christmas Lights, maybe we could be the Chorus that led the audience in Christmas Carols that night. If not maybe we could do it on Saturday night and afterwards go over the the old Guide Room at the old Family History Center and have a reprise of a Sunday Night Training Meeting complete with testimonies, kids and all!

I'll bet we could arrange a special Chapel Session during the day on Saturday, and maybe a picnic or BBQ.

I don't think it would be good to have it in the Summer. Too hot.

Christmas is another good time. Christmas Day is on Monday next year. I'll bet the temple is open on Saturday.

Anyway, this is what I have been thinking about today when I'm not busy thinking about all the rest of life.

Oh, I remembered, Jeremy Claridge! '92-'94 I think.

By the way, if you've forgotten what I look like...this is close....I got new glasses and I think I added another chin. Hair about the same.

Here's Grandpa with Lucy in Texas before they moved. It took her exactly 15 seconds to decide that I was a good guy and she took to me instantly. Of course, that may be different now because I haven't seen her since LAST Thanksgiving. She's certainly photogenic, don't you think? She takes after her beautiful Aunt Clare, Alison's sister.
Then there's big brother...what a girl has to put up with! It's Monday and I kind of feel like Tate in this picture.

Christmas Lights!

I went down to see the lights at the Temple on Friday evening and ran into a couple of old Youth Guide Alumni. Dan Roberts and his boys and Bryan Lane and his family. Didn't get a picture of Bryan. Here are a few pictures.

Thanksgiving at Nana's and Grandpa's

The fambly came by about 5 or so last evening for a complete Thanksgiving dinner...we did the turkey, pies, and gravey...they brought everything else...Hattie does her wonderful rolls each year now...taught by her mom.

Here's Les and Sofia.

And Nellie...sweet Nellie.

Birthday girl. We had a separate time for a little birthday party for Britt and Sammy whose birthdays are Saturday. Here's little Sofia. Isn't she cute as a button? Speaking of someone who thinks he's cute!

Here's a fun picture of Hattie and Jake in front of Grandma and Grandpa Wilcox's home in Phoenix...many years ago. Hattie has a doll and Jake has some drawing paper. We loved going to the Wilcox home because it was so neat. Claudia's Dad was always working on something and fixing it up. Too bad he didn't live closer so he could help us.

Here's a fun picture of Christian and Claudia. They are a mutual admiration society and I have always appreciatd their efforts to be good friends. You can see how much they enjoy each other's company.

I'm still figuring out how to put images in this thing. Below is a picture of Claudia, Leslie and I just after our baptism on May 31, 1975. We're so fortunate to have raised our children in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Never really had to worry about some of the normal things parents worry about...drinking, smoking, cussing, etc. There were many other worries, but mostly they were about their safety.

Lastly for this post is a picture of my Dad, Matthew Lee Parker, when he was young. This must have been when he was either late teens or early 20's. He was a chauffeur for a rich man...drove a Mercedes Benz all over the eastern U.S. for him. My Dad always said, "If you are going to buy something, buy the best." He said he learned that from this man. One interesting fact is that when they were in Chicago one time they pulled up a street and saw men standing with machine guns outside of the entrance to a building. His boss said that the short, fat guy coming out of the building was Al Capone!

This is a picture of Jake and Tate watching Lucy. I wonder if there is now one with Jake, Tate, and Lucy watching little Miles William.

Went out last night and bought some pies for Thanksgiving dinner, 5:00 p.m. our place, with all the 'in-town' kids. We'll miss the Parkers in Conn.

The pies looked so good, we thought we ought to check them out, so I baked the Blueberry one and we've eaten half of it already. That means I have to stop by Safeway on the way home and pick up a pumpkin pie...for Hattie. We already have a special Sara Lee Apple Pie with extras, for those who like that. I should also get some good ice cream, don't you think?

Just thinking about having four days off from work, well discount Sunday because it's taken up by Church and family, clears your mind for the Holiday Season. I want to do some shopping, but I have so much to do on the ParkerBronc.sorg Web site that it will probably take a lot fof that time. Someone sent me 580 MEGS of pictures, even with a complete Word document telling me all the ones she knows and doesn't know. Now, I am putting them into a photogallery and will ask for Alumni to name the ones we can't. I'm so grateful that someone would do so much to help, but am finding that the Web site takes daily action to keep it up...just haven't made the full commitment to daily action yet.

My Bud, Randy, is coming down from Utah for the holiday. He told me that he will be working at the Church Historical Museum in Salt Lake as a volunteer for three years, one night a week. I remember seeing something in the Church News about that...and he's doing it!

Got a call from Coach Frye at the Y wondering where I've been since before the Reunion! He doesn't accept excuses...I I haven't called him back.... I'm kinda waiting for my orthotics to arrive next week, so I can get my news shoes and protect my feet. I asked for $500 in Christmas Present Shoe Money from Nana because that is what two pair of good, and I mean orthotic good, shoes cost these days. I've already spent an hour at the shoe shop getting ready to purchase what are known in 'the trade' as the "Bears." Everyone whose anyone in the shoe business knows what the Bear brand is...that's not the real name, but I can't remember that right now.

Well...the Christmas invitations call...got to get them out by noon today.

Happy Wednesday-Friday of Thanksgiving Week!

This is an old scan of a photo taken in the '60's. Left is Jan and Kim, and the Claudia and I. It was taken down by the Colorado River near Parker. That's our yellow Karman Ghia in the background. Almost no one now living can remember when Claudia and I were that thin!

Here's seven ... when there were only seven ... grandchildren. Now that we're up to ten, we have to have another picture taken. Tate, Kaisa, Sammy, Britt, Annika, Lucy, and Keaton (w/ the cheesy smile!).

Here are some other pix I have on hand:

This is one of the entrance to the Arizona Temple. I went down there one day and took about 150 pix of the flowers and the fascade. They turned out well. I use one as my desktop photo now.

This is a drawing that Jake did for my birthday in 2004. What a talent he is!

Here's one he did for his Mother's bday last year.

My wonderful daughter, Leslie, has decided to have a blog that she posts to almost every day. I thought, why not?

I'm sitting here in my cubicle surrounded by pix of all my favorites...Tate and Lucy; Britt, Annika, Kaisa, and Sofia; Keaton, Sammy and Nellie...but not one of Miles William Parker...the new little grandson born Nov 10th.

I have a couple of pix of me and friends that I received this morning. Check them out.