Christmastime and Beyond 2025

December was a very busy time for travel for me but I love seeing my children perform and enjoy the busyness that comes with the holidays. After Thanksgiving in Arizona, I came home for a few days and then left for Portland. JaneAnne had a couple of concerts as did John, so it was a musical feast trip. We took time to check out the Christmas display at the Benson Hotel which is always fun to see. Julie was also graduating from Linfield with her nursing degree and there was much to be celebrated...quite the accomplishment!

Julie and Emily at Benson Hotel Gingerbread Display

Christmas Tree at the Hotel

Beautiful old hotel with more Christmas decorations

Julie and me at John's Gospel Choir Venue

Julie's Graduation Celebration Dinner

Julie with proud grandson, Wesley

Me, David, John, Julie Joseph, Sage, Emily, Kenzie, Jacob and Wes

December 20th was a big day in the Peterson Family as Burke was marrying his sweetheart, Aimee Zirker. They decided to get married in Utah so the festivities took place here and a lot of family was able to attend. They later had open houses in both Arizona and Colorado. The weather was a little chilly but then that's typical for December. At least it didn't snow and there were some blue skies. Their marriage took place in the Draper Temple, then there was a family dinner and a reception nearby. There was good food, lots of dancing and visiting and a special surprise dance number by the couple and their parents. Sparklers and cheers sent the couple on their way at the end of the evening.

Aimee and Burke in front of Draper Temple

Meet the newly wedded, Mr. and Mrs. Burke Peterson

A lot of family helping them celebrate

Just the Peterson side of family

Aimee and Burke and Me at the Temple

Burke dancing with his mom, Tamsen

A surprise dance performed by Aimee and Burke with their parents!

Really grooving and into it!

Proof that I still try and be part of the crowd

Aimee and Burke exiting the reception

Their car was well decorated and off they went on their honeymoon!

It's funny how life cycles go...birth, marriage, death, etc. During all the wedding excitement, I was anticipating the funeral of a dear friend, Janie Beecher Yeates, who had passed away recently. I had planned to celebrate Christmas in Arizona, but stayed back a day so I could attend her funeral. We used to be about 15 friends in our group that would gather for lunch and reconnection, but now we're down to about six. Times together become more precious, it seems.

Don and Karen Springer, Karen's sister, Kathy, Ginger Hucks,
Ginger's sister, Jodi, Ann Staples, and Me (missing Trell
and Mary Kaye)

My daughter, Sue, had invited me to come celebrate Christmas in Arizona so I did on December 23rd. I must say, there wasn't a lot of picture taking, but it was a fun time.

New kitchen towels...thanks Rob, and Tamsen

A new set of pots and pans coming when I return
home and lovely Norwegian trivet

Sue feeding Peter, almost a month old, my
third great-grandchild

Kiefer and August assembling Christmas
gift legos

Fall Time 2025

Life is what you make of it. I've decided to seize each moment that I have and enjoy the ride. I was invited to join the Maughan family as they were going to a BYU volleyball game with  friend, Tomo Taguchi. I've never had the experience of sitting at the end line and dodging balls as they inevitably came our way. They had catchers posed at the ends to supposedly prevent anyone in the audience being hit and they did a great job. 

Jana, Me, Stuart, Merit, Mike at Volleyball game
Tomo photographer

Morning walks and beautiful skies

MaryKaye, Karen, Trell, Janie, Ann, Ginger and Me (childhood friends)
at lunch at the Dodo in Salt Lake City

Fall leaves and hikers feet

Maxine and me with Danny cleaning church windows

Sue comes to town to visit her first grandbaby, Rosemary May, and my 
second great grandbaby, who was born on September 16th...the same
day my own mother was born 112 years ago

Rob and Tamsen and Truman come to town to
visit and we all helped stuff wedding invitations

Ivy and Sue come to town to see Rosie (and
Karlie and Ivan, too, of course)

Julie comes to town for a wedding of one of the
HDC (Healthy Decisions Club that Anna started) members, 

My neighbor, Erick, doing a service project
on my back neighbor's tree...ugly, dead branch removed!

Julie and me with the bride and groom at the wedding reception 

Julie with members of the Healthy Decisions Club (HDC)

So fun to see these great young people, all back from their
missions and starting to get married

Love the November skies while walking

Snow and morning sun on Timp in November

Me and sweet Rosie in November. She is a couple of
months old and smiling  and cooing a lot

Rob and me one the eve of his 51st birthday

Roasting s'mores, Truman, Aimee, Burke, Danny, and me

Thanksgiving dinner at Rob and Tamsen's
Liv, Tamsen, Rob, me, Brett, Alisa, Hewitt (back row)
Aimee, Burke, Danny, Truman, Lukas, Josef (front row)

Beautiful Arizona night sky on Thanksgiving

Danny, Brett, Alisa, Rob, Hewitt, Burke, me, Aimee, Tamsen,
Truman playing tennis on Thanksgiving weekend

Alisa, Lukas, Danny with new baby goats

Josef and Lukas with baby goats

Alisa, me and Tamsen at Gilbert Temple

Alisa and me outside Gilbert Temple

Peter Nephi Bohn born November 28th, third great grandbaby

Peter taking an afternoon nap on my lap

I surely do love my family and the memories we are creating.