I always remember on October 16

 Today is October 16th...

This is the anniversary of my parent's marriage... it's not really celebrated since we lost my dad in 1980, but I still remember.  All these photos on this blog were taken in the late 1970's!

These first six pictures were taken on my birthday...must have been my 25th...and we were in Temple, Texas...at Mimi's.

 You may notice the cigarette in Mom's hand...and Joshua isn't looking real agreeable!  Gabrial must have been taking a nap.

 Ahh, there's Gabrial!  His Granddad got him...

 Joshua was being a ham with his Saddie...

 Me and my Dad!

 This is something we did all the time in the summer....sitting out in the backyard.  Most likely there was some ice-coffee being consumed...and my dad would have been puffing on his pipe!  He's getting ready to pitch a ball...most likely to Joshua and his UJ (Uncle John).  Mom was probably fighting off chiggers or mosquitos.

In this picture from left to right:  Mom, Mimi, Aunt Terry, Gabrial, Aunt Jane, Daddy

 Going back in time to 1977...

 I don't remember what year this was...but my dad thought Aunt Terry had big feet...

 Typical....stuffing his pipe!

 This was taken in 1978...in Oregon...when I was pregnant with Gabrial.  Notice the stylish slacks my mom is wearing!

 This was that same time in 1978...at the Medford Airport.  Mom was either coming or going. 

 John David (aka UJ) came with our dad to visit.  We obviously took them up highway 62 in Oregon to look at the big trees!

 Daddy and Joshua....my dad always called him "Big Josh"

 UJ, Joshua, and Daddy at Crater Lake, Oregon in 1978

 

This was outside our home in Oregon...

400 Red Blanket Road

the place that doesn't even exist anymore!

This photo is the only one not taken in the 1970's...it was in 1980...in June, 1980.  We had lost my dad...Mom had come back to stay for awhile...and we took the boys to the river to play.

I'm so glad I have photographs...lots of photographs...of earlier times in our lives.  As I looked back through them, I realized I don't have many pictures at all of my parents together.  I think about Ron and I...and how we don't have hardly any of us together either.  I think I need to change that!

These were all special times...all times with family are!  That's one way my mom, my dad, John David and I are all alike!

Happy Anniversary, Mom!  I love you!

Apple Farm

 It was a day to load the boys up and head to our local apple farm! 

 They visited with the chickens awhile...

 Emerson decided to pose for his Mimi....

 Finally, I got all my little men with me in front of the apple...Emerson didn't have his Thailand shirt with him...rats! 

 There were some things Emerson just didn't want to do!  Being the head of a worm was one of them!

 I got some of Linz and her boys....

 

 The big boys decided to check out the porta-potty.... 

 "OK, enough!' said Emerson...

 William was tired....

 

It was a great day at the apple farm!

Technology and some of my guys

Now, looking at this picture, who would you assume is the least technology minded? 
William?  - no
Benjamin? - no
Emerson? - no
Well, that only leaves their Papa...
William decided to instruct his Papa in all things computer. 

 "Oh my gosh, Papa!  I can't believe you didn't know that!" Emerson stated with a bit of...unbelief.

 William was trying his best to explain. 

 Emerson added in his two bits while Benjamin was busy eating his ... probably oatmeal.

 William has got it all figured out!

 "See, Papa?" William asked.

Papa was trying his best!

Happy 35th Birthday, Gabe!

 

Today, October 2, 2013, my baby boy turns 35 years old!

35?  My baby boy?  35?  That doesn't seem at all possible,

but it is. 

I went back and found some photos from the 1980's that I don't think have made it to the 

Johnston Chronicles.

Gabe was a great big brother to Lindsey and little brother to Joshua..well, at times when they were growing up, Lindsey may have disagreed with that statement.

 

This is October 6, 1981, just 4 days after turning 3 years old.  Gabe started preschool at Sonship.  He was very excited about going to school!

 

This may have been on JohnstonChronicles, but I absolutely love it.  Joshua and Gabrial, buddies for sure, with their shorts/no shirts/socks (usually knee length socks) outside playing, outside all day...and on this day, they yelled at me to come outside and take a picture of them.  I wrote it on the back of this picture what they said.  "Take a picture of us, Mom, we're dead."

I absolutely crack up every time I see this...I can remember it as if it happened yesterday!

 September, 1982

 

In this photo, taken in Weaverville in January, 1983...well, Gabe is 4 years and 3 months old.  Emerson right now is 4 years and 4.5 months old.  

 

In September, 1983, Gabe got this new bicycle for an early birthday present for his 5th birthday.

On March 26, 1983, Gabrial, along with Joshua, were in their Uncle John and Aunt Becky's wedding!

Gabe hamming it up after an Easter Egg hunt.

March, 1985

 This makes me laugh.  It's a bit blurry, but I love it!  Gabe was on a T-ball team called the 'Green Machine'.  He almost looks like he could be on the 'Bad News Bears'....

 In May, 1985, we took the kids to Disneyland.  I think we went for Joshua's 9th birthday.  Gabe would have been 6 1/2 years old. 

 

May 1985

Notice all the faces Gabe made?  Um?  Someone else I know who looks a LOT like him also makes faces, hamming it up for the camera....Um????

 

July 1985

"Bear" in the center, was one of Gabe's good buddies

growing up.

 

June 1987

I'm not sure why UJ is holding this bear...I seriously don't think it was Gabe's...maybe this is when Becky had surgery???  Gabe always has loved UJ!

 

July 23, 1987

Our last day in Weaverville

The moving van came on this day and we left this cute little town where we had lived for 8 1/2 years!

 

Visiting the beach, my little ham was pretending to eat the seaweed.  

 

Sports has always been a part of his life...he's always loved them.  His group of buddies used to always shift according to the sport he was involved with.  

 

35 years old... You always hear how time flies by...how 'quick they grow up'... and it's so true.  I know Gabe is now seeing this with his own son...

enjoying every minute of being 'Dad'...

of playing sports with his son...

I love you, Gabe...

Happy 35th Birthday!