Phil's surgery

Phil (Matt's dad) is having back surgery tomorrow, getting his 4th and 5th vertebrae fused. Just thought some extra prayers and thoughts sent his way (and his surgeon's way) couldn't hurt!

1996 - Part 2

These are not in the right order - but you can all read, so I'll tell you where they belong!! I can't use the excuse that it's late - it's only afternoon - I enjoyed a day off today!! (Cesar Chavez Day!!)

Construction begins on Las Flores!

My birthday - which would be May. We do have a ghetto kitchen - at least we did!

Noah's birthday - not sure why the grimace!!

Eliza's birthday - must have had some friends over.

State reports at Mayflower.

A Cub Scout service project at the Unity Center. What's with Andrew's pose??

5th grade promotion for Hannah - that would be June.

Not sure what the hand gestures mean??

8th grade promo from Clifton for Eliza. It was the first dress she saw and tried on - but we had to check every other store before she bought it!

Striding purposefully across the stage at Clifton Promo!

Can you tell we were in the balcony??

Bonny came for the big day for Eliza. She doesn't look too pregnant here (in fact, she doesn't look at all pregnant,) but she was - and we were all pretty excited!

Mayflower Talent Show - featuring Hannah as Martha, of Martha and the Vandellas!!

Not sure who she is here!

Or here!

President Clinton Comes to Monrovia!!

Nora led the flag salute.

Even the Republicans came out!! (Some with protest signs to be sure - but they were there.)

A summer shot of Phoebe - she came home to lifeguard.

Construction in July.

Grandma Terrill came to check it out.

Looking good!

More to come!!

1996 - Part 1

January must have been a quiet month - or one that was so busy I didn't even have time to take pictures - because there are none from January. I do know I was subbing in the district, Dad was still the Bishop, and I was the Cub Scout Den Leader - in addition to teaching Relief Society, I think. Or maybe I was still the Teacher Development person. I had lots of callings when Dad was the Bishop - and the biggest one of all would come at the end of 1996!

As Den Leader, I had a big role in the Blue and Gold Dinner and Pinewood Derby. I worked with Connie Watson in this calling - and we had a great time. This shot of Cal Bevell is accompanied by the words "My special friend Brother Bevell" in Noah's scrapbook!

Looks like I'm leading the pledge or something - but no one else seems to be saluting! That's Noah and Andrew up there in front.


At one of the Cub Scout events we had a talent show - I'm not sure what talent Dad and Noah are demonstrating here however!

It wouldn't be a Pinewood Derby without Charlie Graham at the helm!

Looks like Dad is blowing graphite off of his hands. And it wouldn't be Pinewood Derby without graphite!


Noah is the scout in the middle of the chairs. Looks like a very young Sarah Cornwall on the floor.

Here's Bonny with the birthday cake for Reid.

Or maybe it's Adam's birthday being celebrated! Take a close look and find Joey!

I was also Achievement Days leader I guess - or at least taking a turn. We visited the Temple one Sunday afternoon. The van was great for such outings.

A random shot of Eliza - with cereal and Calvin and Hobbes - Terrill household staples in those days.

Leslie was living in Mom's house or the little house - I forget which - or maybe she was just visiting. I'm not sure. I'm good with birthdays - but other details often evade me.

There were - and still are - missionaries in our house all the time. We love it!

And there were - and are - deer in our yard all the time too! I don't love it - but Dad certainly took a lot of photos of them!

Hopefully the week will not be too hectic - and tomorrow is even a day off - and I will get 1996 done before the week ends - if I do a year a week, it will take me 3 months to finish these anniversary posts.

I need to think of a plan B I guess!

Wrapping up 1995 at Christmas

Christmas 1995 was a big year - at least there were a lot of people there - especially to commemorate Grandma Terrill's 80th birthday.

We got the great idea to make a quilt - and have every family unit contribute a square. Everyone went all out and did a great job. Frances helped me put it all together.

And we had Christmas guests - including our good friend Brian Lee.

And Big Bernie!!

Bonny and Bruce at the family party.

The rest of the fam at Grandma's party- featuring some short hair growing out.

And some classy wise men at the Nativity.

The Clayton party featured the traditional pinata!

Line up in the kitchen!!

The family on Christmas Eve! That was the last year B and B spent Christmas Eve with us. Things would be changing.

Not sure what Eliza's red hat reprensents - maybe she was cold. I loved that nightgown of mine - and literally wore it out - and I haven't been able to find one as perfect ever since.

Put Harry in the mix and the clowning begins!

At last we are ready to head into 1996. The family dynamics would be changing as we would learn a bit into the year that a grandchild would be coming in 1997 - and you are saying, "It takes her up to 5 posts to get through a year; when will we see 1997?"

"If you build it, they will come!"

1995 draws to a close - almost!!

This is the way "the kids" looked at the end of the summer of 1995

and this is how "the family" looked at the end of summer 1995.

Phoebe was off to school, Grandma's birthday had been celebrated, so I thought we should take a "family" vacation!! I rented a place up at Big Bear and off we went.

One thing about a 15 passenger van and 3 kids is that they each got their own row - there truly was no squabbling!

As I recall though, the trip wasn't all that endearing - the cabin wasn't kind of cramped and there wasn't a lot to do - at least not a lot that the kids thought was fun. I just liked being away and having Dad all to ourselves. I do remember playing Krypto in the tiny little kitchen. I love Krypto but can't often get anyone to play it!

Of course, October also means Bonny's birthday - she was 25 - the age I was when she was born!

Dad was going for the buzzed look - I thought it made him look like Bruce R.

My short hair was growing out too - and we were working on the kitchen - seems like we are always working on the kitchen! I'm also thinking that this was the year that I did the long-term sub assignment for Buffy - in Algebra no less! (Remarks heard when I took that assignment: "What are you going to do when you don't know the answers?" My reply: "It's 8th grade level math, for heaven's sake. And I have the answer book!")

Halloween and pumpkin carving!

There are so many photos of carved pumpkins - at least these have kids in them so we have an idea of their era - most are just of jack 'o lanterns lined up on the porch!

Seems to be the era of denim too - but I guess denim has never really gone out of style.

With Noah in Cub Scouts, I was in Cub Scouts too - as a Den Leader. It was fun. Bill Card asked me to do it - said, "I'm not asking you to do it, but what would you say about being the Den Leader?" Bill Card has a way about him! It was Bill Card who got me subbing too - I think I started back in'94 - it's a little hazy, but I've been teaching since Fall of '96, and I subbed for 2 or 3 years.

Another Cub Scout outing - I remember this day - Joanie Smith got a flat tire up at Monrovia Canyon!

I went to Utah for Erika's farewell before she went to Poland on her mission. Not sure what Harry is grimacing about. He and Phoebe were having a good time at BYU.

Mom came too.

Here are the younger Kerksiek kids - not sure where Jacob and Peter were. I do know that Alice and Dale were back in Utah.

And of course we celebrated Dad's 79th birthday. Funny how that doesn't seem so old now!

Hopefully I can post Christmas '95 tomorrow and start moving on 1996. As you kids grow, the years are more complex - and we only have one son-in-law in the picture and no grandkids as yet - I'm almost afraid to think about sorting out the weddings and grandkids!

The family in 1996 - changes on the horizon - and not just haircuts! Stay tuned!!