What I Love Most Today are Memories....

Well, here it is the last post of November...I did it.  I managed to post something everyday for thirty days.  I struggled to make a decision on this post.

Kirk wanted to take a picture of me sleeping, post the picture and write, "What Shauna Loves Most Today is Sleep."  I was tempted because I would be sleeping right now.  Hahahaha, it would have been good, but don't you think you  would have been a little bit disappointed?  As you can imagine, I"ve been going through pictures like crazy for these posts.  I 've come across so many great times and memories.  There are so many that it was a struggle just to pair this post down to these pictures.

I chose to do this post on memories because they make life worth living.  Our memories give us something to draw upon for happiness, for laughter, for good times.  I almost titled this post, "What I Love Most Today are Good Times," because that's what these memories are.  Below are some of my favorite memories, which include some of my favorite people.  Have fun.  

Kirk graduated from College.

A great memory for sure.  A burden lifted, and  a sense of accomplishment.  We already had Kalen and Gwyneth when Kirk was finishing.  I remember him going to work all day and then driving him to classes at night.  We only had one car.  I loved those days.

A memorable trip to San Francisco.

This is my sister in law Doreen and her two daughters Jana and Sarah.  This was such a fun day.  Kirk's parents Ken and Lesly were born and raised native San Franciscans.  It's great to go to the city with them because they know the "ins and outs."  A good thing to know when your in this city.  They aren't in this picture but they were with us.  This is a shot of us on the Cable Cars.  As many times as I had been to the city I hadn't ridden the Cable Cars until this time.

Tahoe!!!!

I love Tahoe!!  Here are all of my lovely and wonderful sister in laws, except for one.  The oldest, Karen is missing.  I love my sister in laws.  They are great women.  I have learned much from all of them.

Crawdad fishing.  One of the favorite activities at Tahoe, well for the kids anyway.

The Tahoe slide!  A few years back while in Tahoe we found this cool "hole in the wall" place that had this slide.   It started becoming tradition to go there every year.  Of course one year we went and it was gone.  Bummer.  It was so fun as you can see.  (From right to left is: Shauna and Kalen Klippel, Kirk and Reece Klippel, Bryant and Lauren Ruedas, Kerri Foster and Gwyneth Klippel, and Scott and Lily Klippel.)

Good Friends.

I think this is about ten years ago, judging by Kirk's hair. Hahahaha.  Kirk's best friends growing up, Andy Strong and Arron Burda.  Kirk loves these guys.  We haven't seen Arron in a long time, he lives somewhere in Paraguay (we think?)  Andy, we see every year it seems, at least once or twice.   Andy is doing really well.  He is a Physicians Assistant in Utah, he is married to a doll of a girl named Megan and they have a baby daughter named Emery.  We love you Andy and Arron!  In case you don't know, off to the left is Kraig Klippel, whom we love too.

This is Jill Angell.  She lived here in San Jose for about four/five years before she moved with her family to Japan.  Her husband Ryan was on work assignment.  I love Jill, she's one of my dearest friends.   I remember this day so clearly.  We were visiting teaching partners together, through our church.  This was in December.  We had made these nice books with the visiting teaching message in it from each month.  This is the picture we glued into the book, so our dear sisters would remember who gave them their books.  I love you Jill!

To the right is Tawnya Hayn (currently Morton), her mom Kris Hayn and me.  This is at Tawnya's wedding.  She asked me to be her Matron of Honor.  Tawnya and I go way, way back.  As in all the way back to about third grade.  She is two years younger though, so I would have been in fifth.  We basically lived our lives together until I went away to college.  She is the sister I never had.   There were countless sleepovers, makeovers, summer vacations, Disney Land trips, late nights, and the list goes on.  She has two children now.   I love her always.

This is Labor Day Weekend of 2007.  My good friend Jen Williams (on the left ) and myself flew down to surprise our BFF Marie Wallwork for her birthday.  Kirk and Jen's husband Ray drove up together with the kids a couple days later.  This is just one of many "crazy" pictures in this particular photo shoot.  This was  an awesome Labor Day weekend.  Glenn and Marie (in the middle) have some friends that do this block party of sorts every year on Labor Day.  It's the best time.  But this was taken "after hours" in Marie's backyard.






















Camping!!!!!

I love camping.  Remember that dad of mine took me camping all of the time.  I posted this picture of me because I love camping food.  We have great memories.

This is one of my favorite camping trips.  This is at Memorial State Park off of HWY 1, aka, The Pacific Coast Highway.  With us are Mark and Thira Wallwork, Scott and Marie Gunyan, Chad and Megan Gunyan, and my dad with his girlfriend Cynthia.  This is an awesome campground.  It has a little ice cream shop at the entrance where we would walk to get ice cream every night.  Also, in the forest there were some wooden benches and a huge projector placed in the middle to show a movie at night.  So everybody came in their jammies and "cozies" to watch a movie in the middle of the forest.  So fun.  Good times.

 Europe Trip 2006!!!!

My mother and father in law treated all of their kids and spouses to a trip to Europe.  We left the kids, (Kalen, Gwyneth and Reece with my mom).  We were in Europe for two weeks.  It was amazing.  Unfortanately, for me I was seven weeks pregnant and sick.  So, it was hard being in a foreign place when you're craving very specific foods.  I remember wanting a tuna sandwich when we were in London.  The server took two pieces of plain bread put a swipe of Mayo on each piece and slapped some dry tuna on it and smashed it together.  I knew I was in trouble.....I will never forget this trip, it was incredible.  My favorite place was Switzerland.  We took a horse into the country and got to be hosted by a family that made their own cheeses, among other things.  It was amazing.  Below I included pictures that Kirk took, they're amazing....

Us, underneath the Eiffel Tower.

This is inside the British Museum right when you walk in.  Kirk made this into a really big framed photo for my dad.  It hangs in his office.

The Eiffel Tower....

I love this picture, I want it in my room.  We were coming out of a diamond shop and this wedding was taking place.  Kirk started taking photos and this is my favorite one.

Parties!!!!

This was Scott Gunyan's 30th birthday party, hosted by his wife Marie Gunyan.  Marie is my husband's cousin.  She is also one of my peeps.  This is me and Thira Wallwork (sister in law to Marie Wallwork and also another one of my peeps) getting ready to eat the doughnuts with no hands.  You see that smirk on Thira's face like she knows she's going to win...it's because she always does.

Look how Thira is taking a break (in the middle) almost enjoying the doughnut.  She still won, even with the break.  I'm here in the front left, Thira Wallwork is next, and then Marie Gunyan.  In back of Marie is Katheryn.

That's why I chose her to be my partner for the three legged race, she always wins.

We're strategizing off to the right there.  You can see by my hand movement that this serious business.

Off to a good start, we are winnnig, and that's really all that matters, right?  :)

Well, there you have it.  More pictures, more stories, more moments.  I hope you have enjoyed waking up to this blog and seeing a new post for thirty days straight.

I have had several people ask me to keep doing the "What I Love Most Today" posts.  While I can't do them everyday, I will do two monthly.  Most likely at the beginning and end of each month.

Also, you would't know it from the comment section but there are a lot of readers.  I know because I've had a lot of you come to me and tell me you read my blog (mainly church folk).  Please comment from time to time as it is a treat to hear from you.  I don't expect you to comment all of the time but just sometimes, let me know you're out there!

What I Love Most Today are Memories....Good night and may it be a Merry Christmas season for both you and yours, to all of you who read my blog.