December 2018
We wish each of you a very
Merry Christmas. We are grateful for the
blessings that we have in our lives and for your kindness to us.
We had an exciting year
watching our grandchildren here in Reno as they participated in: (Jake) baseball;
(Hunter) really enjoys Lake Tahoe; (Carter) basketball and track; (Kaylee) tennis and track; (Hadley) tennis, choir and the
musical James and the Giant Peach. (Mollie) piano, orchestra,
dance and the Nutcracker Ballet. We have all enjoyed Sherry and Jim’s
Lake house at South Lake Tahoe.
Our three oldest are
attending college. (Lexi) at the
University of Reno, (Scott) at the Colorado School of Mines and (Carter) at BYU
Hawaii.
We added two grandchildren to
our family when Asher and Harper were adopted by Julie and John in September.
We really enjoyed going to
Sweden and Denmark this summer with Carter to see Katarina, Jeff and
family. We loved going to Liseberg and Tivoli amusement parks. Benjamin loves to play
basketball, computer games and doing things with friends. Olivia loves to
listen to KPop music, enjoys dance and doing creative
art.
We went to Colorado three
times to see Karissa and Michael and family. The boys performed in several Musicals.
Nicholas was Rooster in Annie. Three
boys were in Les Misérables. Scott was Jean Valjean, Zachary had four parts, and Nathan was Gavroche. Nathan was also in Macbeth, and Bruce in Matilda.
They all did an excellent job.
Our church ward which had 400
members was divided and our new ward now has 250 members. We are truly enjoying getting to make many
new friends. Doug is the Executive
Secretary and enjoys working with Bishop Hiatt.
Sharon is in charge of Empty Nesters, scheduling the building, and doing
the bulletin. We both love serving in the Reno Temple each Friday.
May we always be willing to
share the Light of Christ in our lives as we show
love, service, and forgiveness to others.
December 2017
We are grateful for each of
you and for the wonderful memories that we share.
The highlight of our year was
when Katarina, Jeff, and family from Sweden and Karissa,
Michael, and family from Colorado Springs came to Reno for our family reunion.
It was wonderful for all of us to be together and do many activities. There is
nothing as important as family and this was probably our last year to all be
together for a while because of grandchildren going to college and on missions.
It is amazing how old and wise our family is becoming.
We enjoyed all the
grandchildren’s activities this year with their parents Sherry and Jim and
Julie and John. We can honestly say there is never a dull moment in Reno.
We continue to love serving
in the Reno Temple each week and being with dear friends. At church, Doug keeps
the records updated as Membership Clerk and Sharon is in charge of the ward
bulletin. We enjoy coordinating our Empty Nester’s activities.
Sharon’s brother Earl
Anderson was killed in his red pickup truck in September. His death has been very
sad for Sharon because she and Earl were extremely close and visited on the
telephone several times a week. His funeral was wonderful and we were grateful
for all of the family and friends who attended. We were able to visit Doug’s
sister Donna and other family members in Idaho. We enjoyed our family
Thanksgiving Dinner at our home and look forward to being in Colorado for
Christmas.
Several of our dear friends
lost their homes and all of their belongings because of the many fires in Santa
Rosa. This tragedy has helped us reflect more about our family and friends
instead of thinking about our possessions that we can lose at any time.
May the light of Christ bring
you joy and peace in the coming year.
December 2016
As Christmas quickly
approaches we are reminded of the many blessings we have received. We are so grateful for family and friends
that we have and for their influence in our lives.
We continue to love serving
in the Reno Temple every Friday. It is
special to see friends from near and far at the Temple. Doug is serving as our
Mogul Ward Membership Clerk. He likes
making certain that the records are correct.
Sharon is in charge of creating the weekly Sunday bulletin. We both lead our Empty Nester’s Activity each
month and have made several new friends. We are thrilled when family and
friends stop by to spend a night or more.
In May we went to San
Francisco where Doug and his Hewlett Packard development team were given an
IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society award for the development of
Network Analyzer Technology. We also
enjoyed seeing many dear friends at the conference and in Santa Rosa.
All of our children and
grandchildren are doing very well. They
are happy, healthy, and enjoying school and work. We are very fortunate to have had three
foster grandchildren. We can hardly wait
until July when our Colorado and Swedish families will be here.
Our hearts are filled with
love for Jesus Christ and we are thrilled to be able to celebrate His birth
this month. He is the center of our
lives and we are grateful for His life and His sacrifice for us. May you have a wonderful Christmas and a very
Happy New Year.
December 2015
We truly have been blessed to
have a sweet and tender love in our home. Our parents taught us well and we are
grateful we have used their examples to help us in our daily lives. We were
told we probably would never have any children so we felt so blessed each time
we were able to have another child
We are so thankful for family
and friends and for the special feeling we have for you. It has been two years
now since Doug’s appendix ruptured and he has nearly totally recovered. Sharon
has been having trouble with low blood oxygen levels and arthritis. We appreciate the good days and even the not
so good days. Each day is a blessing that we continue to enjoy. Moving to Reno was a very good choice for us.
Our children and
grandchildren are a wonderful blessing in our lives.
We went to Sweden in May. We
enjoyed many gourmet dinners that Jeff, Katarina and Ingmarie
created. We went to Liseberg (a wonderful family
amusement park) and enjoyed the beautiful tulips. The kids loved all of the
rides and three very, very large boxes of candy that Benjamin won. The kids are
growing up so fast.
Michael came here with the
boys in the summer. We went to Colorado Springs for Thanksgiving and got really
spoiled. We had a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner that Michael cooked all by
himself and great pies that Karissa baked. We enjoyed being with our four grandsons and
learning more about their lives and activities.
We enjoy spending time with
Sherry, Julie, and their families here in Reno.
We love attending grandchildren’s basketball games, choir concerts,
plays, ballet recitals, birthday parties, tennis matches, volleyball matches,
baseball games, track meets, and school programs. As you can see we are really
busy and happy.
We went to Idaho Falls to
visit Doug’s sisters Alta and Donna and their families. We then went to Grand
Teton National Park, Sharon’s 55th Bear River High School class
reunion and visited with Sharon’s brother Earl. It was great to be able to
visit with many dear family members and friends.
We have been truly blessed by
serving in the Reno Temple each week. We have made many dear friends at the
temple, in our ward, and in Reno.
We sincerely hope that you
are doing well and that you are enjoying this time in your life. May the spirit
of Christ be in your lives each and every day. We hope
you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
December 2014
This has been a year of happy
memories and many blessings. We are
grateful for our family and friends and for the support and love they give
us. This season brings us closer together
as we focus on the life and mission of our Savior Jesus Christ.
We began the year realizing
that our most wonderful blessing would be the survival and return to good
health of Doug after his emergency appendix removal. Doug is feeling better and stronger each
month. He is such a blessing in all of
our lives and we are grateful for him.
Doug likes being Assistant Stake Clerk working with the Single Adult
Ward. We serve in the Reno Temple each
Friday and we know that it blesses our lives.
We enjoy working with the Empty Nesters (Old Dudes) in our ward. Sharon loves working in our Ward Relief
Society Presidency. We have many friends
here in Reno and we really enjoy being with them.
We went to Colorado Springs
for Nathan’s baptism in March and to Utah for two family weddings in March and
June. We love having people come and
spend the night.
We had everyone in Reno for a
family reunion in July. It was fun to
watch the cousins play and interact with each other. Benjamin and Olivia speak Swedish and English
very well. We went roller skating,
jumping at a trampoline park, swimming at our swim club, and golfing. We had pizza, fried
chicken, Chinese, and great home cooked meals.
Most of us were able to go to Disneyland after the reunion.
We stayed with Mary Lou
Sullivan at her cabin at Donner Lake in September. We enjoyed visiting with her and Jim and
Sherry Moore. We went onto Bodie Ghost Town with our High Priests Group. It is now the largest ghost town in
California with about 110 buildings.
10,000 people lived there in 1880 and it was California’s second largest
city. In October Sharon spent a week in
Boise with Carol Friedli and JoAnn
Allen. We were dear high school friends
and roommates at Utah State.
We had a wonderful
Thanksgiving dinner at our home with the Olson family (including Jim’s sister
Maureen) and the Moore family. We are
excited to go to Colorado Springs for Christmas and then to Utah for a family
wedding.
Our thoughts are with you at
this special time of year and we hope you will find love and peace in your
homes.
December 2013
At this special time of year
when we celebrate the birth, mission, and life of our Beloved Savior, we want
to express our love and gratitude to each and every one of you for your love,
your example, and your goodness. The Savior’s
life gives all of us perspective about the things that matter most and among
many blessings we have received from Him, we count each of you as a treasured
blessing.
May the peace of His life,
His teachings, His example, and His atoning sacrifice bless each of you and be
part of all you do. Though we all face
challenges in our lives, when we follow His teachings, we will find true
happiness and joy.
This has been a wonderful
year of blessings in our life. Our
biggest blessing occurred in November when Doug went to the Doctor. We were sent by ambulance to Renown Hospital
and Doug had an emergency surgery. His
appendix had ruptured several days earlier and he was septic. The Doctor told
us if he had his surgery one day later he would have died. He was in ICU on a
ventilator for five days and in the hospital for 6 more days. He was then moved to Renown
Rehab Hospital and worked really hard on his exercises and was excited to come
home one and a half weeks earlier than expected. We are grateful to live in Reno where Sherry,
Julie, and their families have been so helpful visiting with Doug for hours at
a time and cheering him on in therapy.
This has helped the time go by faster for Doug and has given us all the
blessing of becoming even closer to each other.
We loved visiting with
Katarina and Jeff in Sweden in May. We
went by ship to northern Denmark with them.
Sharon’s dearest friend Joan Bingham passed away during our visit and we
returned to Santa Rosa a week early for her funeral. We were looking forward to spending Christmas
with Karissa and Michael in their new home in
Colorado Springs. We are now planning to
visit them in March.
We had a 1 1/2 year old bear;
a year old rattlesnake, and a big mountain lion (his
paws were big in the snow) visit us this year.
What a blessing no one was injured.
We are happy, busy and
grateful for all we have. We treasure
your friendship and our association with each of you. May you remember Him in everything you do, as
you spend time with family and loved ones during this joyous time of the year.
December 2012
We spent our first entire
year in Reno, Nevada in our new home. We
have enjoyed many friends staying overnight with us on their way to Utah or on
their way back to Santa Rosa. This has
been a great blessing to us and helps to keep us connected to our dear
California friends. Our home is always
open to you and your family.
We were called to start an
empty nester Family Home Evening group in our ward. This has helped all of us get to know each
other better. We both became Ward
Employment Specialists and helped several people get jobs. Doug was called to be an Assistant Stake
Clerk and works with the Young Single Adult Ward. Sharon was called to be 2nd
Counselor in the Mogul Ward Relief Society Presidency. We are Temple Ordinance Workers every Friday
and we have learned so much. So you can
see we have not been put out to pasture but continue to love serving others in
our church callings.
It is so nice to be near to
Jim, Sherry, Lexi (13), Hunter (10), and Jake
(5). We are able to see them often and
enjoy getting together to celebrate birthdays, holidays, and watch the kids
play soccer and basketball games. We help
each other get to and from the airport (18 minutes away), color Sharon’s hair,
and we like to go shopping together.
We went to Sweden last May and truly
loved being with Jeff, Katarina, Benjamin (8), and Olivia (6) for two
weeks. We were able to travel with them
to several Swedish landmarks and had lots of wonderful food in their home and
in restaurants. Jeff (Saab went out of
business) is now working as the Business Controller at Componenta.
Michael, Karissa,
Scott (12), Zachary (10), Nicholas (8), & Nathan (6) celebrated the Fourth
of July with us & we had a great time.
Karissa earned her Masters
Degree & is teaching grades 7-8 at a Magnet gifted school. The boys are attending the same school. We went to Colorado for Thanksgiving &
loved being with family & having delicious food.
We enjoy living in the same
ward as John, Julie, Carter (12), Kaylee (10), Hadley
(7), & Mollie (5). We like going to
the kids dance recitals, piano recitals, choir concerts, and plays. We enjoy going to the temple together and
getting Sharon’s hair styled each week.
It is nice to have family close by to help us at a moments
notice and make surprise dinners for us.
We
are grateful for our many blessings, good health, happy children and
grandchildren, great family and friends.
Doug’s sister Alta’s husband Burton Johnson passed away in November. We
find peace in our lives because of Jesus Christ and his love for all of us. May
you have a Merry Christmas and a happy and blessed New Year.
December 2011
This
has been a year of miracles for our family.
On Christmas Eve day we put an offer on a home in Reno, Nevada. It was a short sale and we had no idea if we
could get the home and homes were not selling very well in Santa Rosa. Michael, Karissa,
Scott, Zachary, Nicholas, and Nathan came to Reno after Christmas and enjoyed
seeing the new home, visiting with Sherry, Julie and their families and going
to Santa Rosa to see friends. We called
a family in our ward and asked them if they would be interested in buying our
home and they were thrilled. What a miracle
for both families.
Sharon
was a bridesmaid for Mary Houghton Briggs in January and we enjoyed being in
the Salt Lake temple with Mary and Gabe.
Sharon began her last tax season at Houghton & Freitas. Doug began cleaning the house out by donating,
giving away, and tossing. Doug’s
sister’s husband Brian Robinson passed away this spring. Our thoughts and prayers are with Donna and
her family.
Leaving
Santa Rosa after 38 years where we loved serving in our ward and stake was
hard. Leaving dear friends was extremely
difficult. We left for Reno on May 5th
and began the waiting game to see if we would get the home. We lived with Jim, Sherry, Lexi, Hunter, and Jake for three days and then we would
move to be with John, Julie, Carter, Kaylee, Hadley,
and Mollie for the next three days. This
went on for over two months.
We
were excited to close on our home and start making improvements before we moved
in. The moving truck arrived on July
11th from Santa Rosa and we had four days to move in before we left to pick up
Jeff, Katarina, Benjamin, and Olivia from Sweden. It was wonderful to have them here for three
and a half weeks. We went to Disneyland
with them and met the entire family for a reunion cruise to Catalina Island and
Ensenada.
We
are enjoying our new ward and friends.
We are ward employment specialists and in charge of the empty nesters
family home evening. Doug teaches High Priests and Sharon substitutes for
Relief Society lessons. We are going on a tour with friends to see the Rose
Parade. We will start serving at the
Reno Temple in January.
We
would love to have you come and stay with us.
Our address is 1975 Champion Hills Drive, Reno, NV 89523. Our home phone number is (775) 453-9431. Our e-mail address is sharon@rytting.net.
We are
thankful for the blessings we have received and for your friendship. We are grateful for the gospel of Jesus
Christ and for the opportunity it gives us to serve others. Our family is
wonderful and we love them so much.
December 2010
As
the year quickly comes to a close we pause to reflect upon the blessings we
have received in the past year. We enjoy our family and dear friends and the
influence they have been in our lives.
Doug
and Sharon are grateful for the love we feel for each other. We enjoyed
traveling to Sweden to see our family. We loved playing with the children and
going to Stockholm (near where Doug’s family came from). We enjoyed trips to
Utah where we met the Rytting’s from Colorado and
visiting with family in Idaho. It is nice to have our Reno families so close
(just four hours away). Sharon had her 50th year class reunion and was
scheduled to go on a cruise with class members in November but the Carnival
Splendor ship had a fire the week before we were to go and so she is going in
January with her classmates and dear friend JoAnn
Allen.
Jim,
Sherry, Lexi, Hunter, and Jake have two dogs named
Roxy and Lucy (a 4 month old Beagle puppy), 2 cats, many fish and frogs. They
have added a Lamborghini and Bentley to their car collection. Lexi enjoys volleyball, Hunter loves basketball and
baseball and Jake looks forward to preschool and helping Mom at home. Jim was
elected to be Chief of Surgery at Northern Nevada Medical Center. They are now
in Hawaii.
Jeff,
Katarina, Benjamin and Olivia have purchased a beautiful four bedroom home
(neat to have the internet so we can see their home). They loved going to Crete
(with Katarina’s Mom and family) and spending time at the beach. Benjamin
started school and plays soccer. Olivia enjoys her Day Care. Jeff has a great
job with Saab as a pricing analyst and Katarina is a traveling nurse. They love
driving their new Saab.
Michael,
Karissa, Scott, Zachary, Nicholas, and Nathan live
just north of Colorado Springs. Michael is the Ward Mission Leader, leads the
choir, and loves tennis and golf at their country club. Karissa
is a counselor in Primary, working on her Master’s Degree in Education, and
earned her black belt in Taekwondo this year. The boys are busy with golf,
swimming, scouts, piano, violin, and Taekwondo.
John,
Julie, Carter, Kaylee, Hadley, and Mollie live in
their car (with Zoe their dog) as they drive to piano, soccer, swimming,
baseball, preschool, basketball, scouts, Activity Days, Disneyland, and all four
children as they go to dance classes. Good thing they have a new Ford Fusion
and Lincoln Navigator to make all of the trips. John works with the Young Men
and Julie teaches Activity Days and is Visiting Teaching Coordinator.
May
the spirit of Christ be in our holiday season. We send
our love and have a Merry Christmas.
December 2009
Every
year seems to go faster than ever before. We are not sure if it is old age or
that we just enjoy each other, our children, and grandchildren more each year.
We are truly excited to hear from all of you.
Doug
has been busy keeping our yard beautiful and loves being Stake Clerk and
helpful to all the leaders in our stake. He spent 14 weeks (while Sharon was
working at Houghton and Freitas CPA’s) scanning our
slides and picture albums. All our families have the pictures in their
computers and enjoy viewing them.
Sharon
loves to work with the women in our ward as Visiting Teaching Coordinator. She
had surgery in October and is grateful to be doing much better now. During this
time we appreciated the support of our friends and family. Doug was a great
nurse and enjoyed pampering Sharon.
We
had an opportunity to visit many of our family and friends during our trips to
Utah, Idaho and the Tetons over the summer. It was great fun to attend the
Jenny Oaks Baker concert at Island Park, Idaho and the George Strait, Julianne
Hough and Blake Shelton concert in Salt Lake City. We loved the Anderson Family
reunion this summer and going to Disneyland and Reno in November. We will be in
Reno and Colorado this December.
Sharon’s
dear Mom Madge Earl Anderson passed away on May 4th just three months before
her 90th birthday. She was truly an amazing trooper who never complained about
anything. We all love her so much and we are grateful for her influence in our
lives.
Our
children and 13 grandchildren continue to be the greatest joy in our lives. We
love being able to be with them on many occasions during the year. Thank
goodness for Skype (visiting with the kids in Sweden), e-mail and telephone
calls that keeps our family close.
We
are certainly blessed to have your friendship in our lives. We are grateful for
the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to guide and direct us. May you
have peace, happiness and good health in the coming year.
December 2008
As
another year of joy and happiness comes to a close we find many blessings in
our lives. Our health is the best it has been in years. We hope to be around
for a very long time to enjoy our family and friends.
Doug
and Sharon had fun together visiting all our children and spending special time
with our 13 grandkids. We also went to Atlanta and to North Carolina to see the
Biltmore House. We spent many hours together driving to Utah, Idaho, and
southern Nevada visiting with dear family and friends. We had beautiful weather
while visiting family in Colorado. Sharon enjoyed going to San Antonio, Texas
while Doug was a keynote speaker at a conference in Ohio. We loved spending
Halloween in Sweden and we will be in Reno for Christmas.
Sherry
and Jim Olson love having a young son to watch grow and develop. Jake has
brought much joy into their home and wants to be involved with everything that Lexi and Hunter do. Lexi and
Hunter are doing well in their school. They enjoyed a family cruise to Mexico
and Sherry and Jim enjoyed several romantic getaways.
Katarina
and Jeff Rytting moved to Sweden this past year. They have a lovely apartment
in downtown Vänersborg and near a fantastic park and lake.
Katarina is working as a nurse’s assistant. Jeff is getting his Master’s in
Business at a nearby university. Benjamin and Olivia love their preschool and
have made many friends.
Karissa and Michael Rytting continue to enjoy living
in Monument (near Colorado Springs). Their four sons are busy and active. They
like building things with K’nex and Legos, and swimming at the YMCA. Karissa,
Scott, and Zachary are doing great in Taekwondo. Nicholas and Nathan enjoy Karissa’s Preschool in their home.
Julie
and John Moore moved into their dream home this past summer and have had lots
of fun overseeing the completion of their house and yard. Carter is a perfect
prince and Kaylee, Hadley, and Mollie are his
princesses. They enjoyed Disneyland and other family trips together, and love
swimming at their community pool.
We
hope this holiday season will be wonderful for each of you. May the spirit of
Christ be with you in the coming year.
December 2007
As
another year quickly comes to a close we are grateful for our many
blessings.
Doug
began the year with a successful gall bladder operation, his Diabetes is
totally under control, and he is feeling great. In Hawaii Doug received the
IEEE Joseph F. Keithley career award for key
contributions to Microwave Instrumentation. It was fun to be with so many of
his co-workers. Doug and Sharon are enjoying their new Home Theater with an
outstanding sound system.
Sharon’s
heart is doing amazingly well. Last year her heart had an ejection factor of 8%
(which is near death) and now the rate is 35%. She is thrilled to be doing so
well and has a new appreciation for life and the blessings that she has
received. We had lots of fun totally remodeling our kitchen (with cherry wood
cabinets, granite, etc.), redecorating the master bedroom, building a deck, and
refinishing the patio.
The
biggest news for Jim and Sherry is the arrival of Jacob (Jake) Douglas born on
June 12th. He is adored by
all of the family and loves to be held. Hunter knows all of the Pokemon’s names. He keeps us all laughing and enjoys
science projects. Lexi
loves math, reading books, and art. She
is in her sixth year of ballet. Sherry and Jim look forward to their vacations
and getting away from the stress of every day life.
Jim’s Mom passed away this fall and she will be missed.
Jeff
and Katarina’s exciting year began with the safe arrival of Olivia Maria on
January 19th. She loves to
play peek-a-boo, clap her hands, and bounce to music. Benjamin is into anything with Pirates
including ships, swords, etc. and likes to play becoming a police officer or a
fireman. He is a very busy and active
boy who is enjoys being in pre-school. Jeff and Katarina loved having her Mom,
sister, and niece Lova visit from Sweden this
fall.
Michael
was accepted into the Colorado Mormon Chorale. Karissa
teaches preschool from home and just earned her purple belt in Taekwondo. Scott is a super star in school and loves
piano, taekwondo, and science. Zachary
is collecting lots of girlfriends in kindergarten and enjoys reading,
taekwondo, and transformers. Nicholas
enjoys preschool with mom, dressing up, and all sports. Nathan is learning to talk and enjoys cars,
books, and climbing on counter tops.
John
and Julie have kept busy with the arrival of baby #4 Mollie Lynn who was born
on April 9th. Mollie is a
very happy baby and a wonderful addition to the family. Hadley just turned two and is a total ham
who adores being the center of attention.
Kaylee is still a sweet ballerina who enjoys
doing anything artistic. Carter is
excelling in school, has started a boys tap class, and
looks forward to his baptism. John’s
fishing trip to Alaska was great and Julie loved the family fun at Disneyland.
We
feel fortunate to have good health, a wonderful family and many dear
friends. Christmas provides us with the opportunity to keep in touch with
all
of you, but mostly it is a time to celebrate the life of our Savior,
Jesus
Christ. May the joy and peace of this Christmas season be
with you in the coming year.
This
year has been a very pleasant and exciting time. We had a special opportunity
to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji and had a wonderful vacation together.
Sharon’s Grandfather went on a mission to Australia and it was fun to walk in
his footsteps and feel a little of the experiences that he had. Doug also has
been consulting in China and finally has eaten enough Chinese food. Doug is the
Stake Clerk and Sharon is the Stake Relief Society President and we enjoy
working and serving with the wonderful people in Santa Rosa.
Jim
and Sherry moved into their new home with beautiful views of Reno. Their new
hobby has become decorating their home. They are still busy buying and selling
houses in their real estate adventures. Lexi (6) is
now in the first grade and has a love for learning that is exciting to watch.
She really likes her fourth year of ballet. Hunter (4) is starting pre school classes and is enjoying school, dinosaurs and
cars.
Jeff,
Katarina and Benjamin are doing well. Benjamin (1 1/2) gets his picture taken
all the time and allows Katarina to share them with family and friends. He is one
great explorer and has forced all the fancy items in the house up to new
heights. They are all looking forward to skiing together this winter. Jeff and Katarina love the high mountain air and
scenery of Tahoe City and it is so much fun to visit them in their beautiful
area.
Michael
and Karissa are expecting a new baby boy next March.
They will have four sons to help with the yard of their new home in Monument,
Colorado. Scott (6) is now in Kindergarten and has become the protector of his
younger brothers. Zachary (4) is attending preschool and makes sure there is
always some action going on at home. Nicholas (2) is now a full-fledged toddler
and he is in love with Blue’s Clues.
John
and Julie have a new baby girl named Hadley Jewel born on November 11th. Hadley
is very pleasant and is adored by her older brother Carter and sister Kaylee. They have moved four miles west to a new home in
Reno up in hills close to the temple. Carter (6) is in Kindergarten and loves
all types learning and particularly his teacher. Kaylee
(4) enjoys pre school,
dance, art projects and crafts.
We are appreciative and thankful for our family, friends, and many blessings this year. We are thankful for health and the love we feel in our family. We pray that you will have a loving and peaceful Christmas season.
2004 Family News
As
we begin our annual Christmas letter we reflect upon the blessings and miracles
in our lives for the past year. Several of our friends have had health problems
and we are grateful for their example, faith, and hope. Doug was nominated to
be an IEEE (world wide electrical engineering
professional society) distinguished lecturer and we have traveled to several
chapters in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Florida. We both enjoy
our Stake callings and the wonderful people we serve with. We had a fantastic
time being with our children and grandchildren at our family reunion in May at
Disneyland. We will always remember the happiness in our grandchildren’s eyes
and how excited we all were to be together and make special memories.
Jim
and Sherry keep busy buying, building, and selling homes in Reno. They found
time to relax on a cruise to Mexico and on several weekend getaways. Lexi (5) started kindergarten and loves school, books,
dolls, and talking on the telephone (must have learned this skill from Mom and
Grandma). Hunter is a busy active nearly three year old that enjoys dump
trucks, cartoons, talking, and his blanket.
Jeff and Katarina’s miracle son Benjamin Kent was born on
June 28. He is a remarkable baby that likes having his picture taken many times
a day by his Mom. He loves his dog Oliver, his friends Jacob and Emerson, and
going on walks with his parents. It is amazing how Jeff and Katarina’s
enjoyment of mountain biking, kickboxing, and snow skiing have now become
focused on enjoying and loving Benjamin.
Michael
and Karissa welcomed their third son Nicholas Robert
on February 11 and he adores his Mommy. Grandpa went to help and had a great
time. Michael and Karissa enjoyed singing eight songs
together from “Annie Get Your Gun” in their ward production. Scott (nearly 5)
is attending preschool and he is now reading and writing. Zachary (nearly 3)
loves Jay Jay the plane, drawing, and playing with
his brothers.
John
and Julie appreciate life after law school. John is now an attorney in Reno
with Littler Mendelson practicing labor and
employment law. He was excited to pass the California Bar. Julie enjoys
decorating and organizing their home and doing craft projects. Carter (nearly
5) loves preschool, animals, rescue heroes, and singing all day. Kaylee (3) finds happiness reading books and playing with
friends, horses, and Carter.
We
are thankful for our family, friends, church, and many blessings that come into
our lives. May you have a peaceful and joyous holiday season.
We
were thrilled when we finally had our four children, delighted when they
married four wonderful people, and find pure joy in the fantastic grandchildren
we have. Doug retired after 37 years working at Hewlett Packard and Agilent on
January 15th. Sharon began working on January 16th until
April 15th when the tax season ended. We decided to buy a rental
home in Reno and we have had fun building it this year. We both enjoy our
involvement in our church as Stake Clerk and Stake Relief Society President.
Our time together after Doug’s retirement has been fulfilling and satisfying.
We especially like visiting with our wonderful families.
Jim,
Sherry, Lexi (4), and Hunter (2) enjoy finding and purchasing
rental homes in Reno. Sherry is the manager of these 13 properties and very
involved with various projects. Jim works diligently at his new orthopedic
practice and has invented creative techniques for spine surgery. Lexi had her first ballet dance recital and enjoys Pre
School and swimming. Hunter is a busy boy who loves lawnmowers and “helping”
Mom and Dad. We were excited to have Hunter stay with us when his family spent
a week in Hawaii.
Jeff
and Katarina are very happy in Tahoe City with their view of Lake Tahoe. Jeff
works five days a week as the computer manager at Dave’s five Ski Shops. He
goes to Reno on Tuesdays to work at Castelli Dairies
where he maintains their computer systems. Jeff became an avid mountain biker
this year. Katarina is assistant manager of Dave’s Tahoe City. She loves being
outside and at the Beach. She enjoys hanging out with friends and shopping for
items for their home. Oliver continues to be our favorite grand dog.
Michael
and Karissa enjoy living in Colorado Springs with
Scott (4), Zachary (2), and look forward to the birth of Nicholas in February.
Michael is deeply appreciated for his many contributions at Agilent. Michael is
First Counselor in Young Men and Karissa is
Enrichment Counselor in Relief Society and sings vocal solos in various
productions. Scott began Pre School, loves Bob the Builder, books, and his
friends. Zachary also enjoys Bob the Builder, loves to cuddle, drive trains,
and chasing their two cats.
John,
Julie, Carter (4), and Kaylee (2) have moved into
their new home in Reno. John graduated from law school, passed the Nevada bar,
and began working for the firm Laxalt and Nomura. He
has been called as the Ward Athletic Director and enjoys playing softball and
basketball. Julie loves decorating their home, teaching Young Women, and is
involved with many social groups. Carter adores his animals, jungle bedroom,
and Pre School. Kaylee is charming and loves reading,
playing with dolls, and her mini kitchen.
May you all have a peaceful holiday season and a wonderful
new year. Reading in John we find “For God so loved
the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” May we
always remember the gift and sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives.
It
is always a wonderful time of year to share our love and best wishes with each
of you. This year has been a memorable one with trips to Belgium, Ireland,
Colorado, Utah, Seattle and Washington DC. There are many fun memories visiting
with several of you during these trips. We have children and grandchildren that
continue to be the new tonic for life. You know it is not bad getting older,
just better. This year saw the passing of our 19-year-old cat named Buffy. What
a survivor and an excellent pet.
This
year Doug decided it was time to retire from Agilent Technologies. He is
planning on doing some teaching, consulting, enjoying the grandchildren and it
also has been rumored that there is a new and improved honey-do-list that has
been created. Grandchildren stick to Grandpa like glue but Grandpa loves being
stuck this way. He is also serving as the Stake Clerk and enjoys working with
the Stake Presidency and others in our stake.
Sharon
is a wonderful grandmother and the one that holds our family crew together. We
should buy stock in the telephone company because we have single-handedly saved
them from bankruptcy. Sharon is serving as the Stake Relief Society President
and finds this an excellent way to get to know, serve, and love the sisters.
She also continues to work at Houghton and Freitas
during the tax season and enjoys working in our lovely yard.
Sherry
and Jim are in Reno where Jim is a spine surgeon. He is also doing consulting
with various surgical equipment companies and has been on the lecture circuit.
We welcomed a new grandson Hunter on Jan 23. What a happy and inquisitive boy
he is. Lexi is the substitute mother and loves him so
much. Sherry and Jim have had a lot of fun decorating their new home and
getting into the real estate investment business. Maybe they will have a place
for us to stay during our retirement.
Jeff and
Katarina are in Tahoe City and love that location. They both now work at Dave’s
Ski Shop. If you want your computer network humming just talk to Jeff since he
is the expert at work. Katarina’s sister Annika and
her boy friend Magnus from Sweden are spending six months visiting this winter
and staying with Jeff and Katarina. They are also working at Dave’s and having
a wonderful time visiting and skiing in the United States. Oliver (the dog) has
been attending obedience school and obeys the best of all the grand critters.
Michael
and Karissa moved from Fort Collins to Colorado
Springs this past year. They welcomed a son named Zachary born on Jan 18. He is
delightful and loves to cuddle. Moving to Colorado Springs means they have a
new home, a Toyota minivan and are making many new friends. Mike just loves his
job at Agilent and Karissa has quickly set up
playgroups for the boys and their friends. Scott loves his Dad or at least the new
gas powered remote control car that Dad lets him drive.
John
and Julie continue to love living in Sacramento. John has one semester left
before graduating from law school. Julie is serving as enrichment leader in her
Ward Relief Society and finds time to be a BeautiControl
consultant. Carter loves his little toy animals and you can find them
everywhere and anywhere. Kaylee turns one on Dec 18
and is adventurous and loving. They have a new Nissan Altima
car that they are driving to Utah for Christmas.
Well, it has been a sweet and wonderful
year together as family. We know that we have been blessed and are thankful for
the interactions and relationships we continue to enjoy with you. May the Lord bless us all and may we
particularly remember the Savior during this time of year.
What
an eventful year we have had. Doug continues to enjoy his work at Agilent and
because of cutbacks in travel he has been in Santa Rosa most of the time this
year. Working closely with our Stake Presidency as Stake Clerk has been
rewarding. Sharon loves meeting with women in our stake as the Stake Relief
Society President and working three months a year with a CPA firm.
We
went to Utah several times this year. Sharon’s mom went with us to Colorado
during the summer, and all the girls and grand children gathered in Reno for
Halloween.
We
all met at the Reno Airport to surprise Doug for his 60th birthday.
He had no idea and Sharon was very excited everyone kept it a secret. We all
stayed in Sherry and Jim’s new home and made many memories. Doug and Sharon
loved their vacation to Alaska in July. We met Doug’s family in Seward and
enjoyed cruising on Resurrection Bay, visiting Alaska’s national parks by train
and viewing the wildlife. We were truly amazed with the green vegetation,
spectacular mountains, glaciers and waterfalls.
Sherry
and Jim love living in Reno. Jim is very successful with his orthopedic surgery
practice and Sherry has been able to make many new friends. They have enjoyed
doing their yard and decorating their home. They are excited to have a new son
James Hunter to be born in January. Lexi is a sweet
and charming 27 month old that loves Barney, reading books, and taking care of
her dolls.
Jeff
continues working at Dave’s Ski Shop and Katarina works at Dave’s and a local
health club. Their home is being furnished and is in a picturesque setting
overlooking Lake Tahoe. They have a great time skiing and playing with their
one and a half year old golden retriever Oliver. They enjoyed Annika and Magnus visiting from Sweden this summer and plan
to travel to Sweden next year.
Michael, and Karissa are firmly settled in beautiful Fort Collins,
Colorado. Michael is enjoying his work at Agilent and serving as assistant
scoutmaster. Karissa is a busy and happy homemaker.
They are expecting a son Zachery Michael in mid January. Scott is a very active
22 month old full of curiosity. He loves Thomas the train, jumping on the
trampoline, and remote controls.
Julie
and John are located in Sacramento where John is half way through law school
and enjoying his studies. Julie is now a stay at home mom and serves as
enrichment leader in their ward. They are having a baby girl Kaylee Ann to be born at any moment. Carter is a happy and
bubbly 23 month old. His favorite pastime is watching
Toy Story, playing with Elmo and his animals.
This
has been a year of reflecting and counting our blessings. We appreciate the
opportunity to celebrate the birth of Christ. The flags flying each day and the
increased patriotism in the country have touched us. Our thoughts and prayer
are with those who have suffered so much this year. We hope this holiday season
will be a peaceful and spiritual time for you and your family.
This has been an eventful year for our family. We now have three
grand children and a grand puppy. Sharon’s friends were so delighted that
they gave her a Grandma Shower. She was released as Ward Relief Society
President and now enjoys being Stake Relief Society President. Her Dad
had leukemia this past year and we were grateful for the many visits and phone
calls we were able to share. He was a great example of giving and service
to others. We were all able attend his funeral in September.
Sharon’s Mom will be here with our family for Christmas. Doug is a happy
little clam and enjoys his calling as Stake Clerk. He manages new
technology development at Agilent and is busy at work and traveling to all
parts of the world.
Sherry and Jim continue to adore Lexi (born
9/29/99). Lexi loves reading her books and shopping with her parents.
Sherry received her Master’s degree in May. Jim finished his residency in
orthopedic surgery and is doing a fellowship on the spine in Los Angeles.
In February they will be moving into the home they are building in Reno where
Jim will begin his practice.
Katarina and Jeff moved into a home in Tahoe City. They have a big yard
for their golden retriever Oliver (born 5/13/00). They purchased a Toyota
4-runner and enjoyed traveling with Katarina’s Dad and his wife throughout
California in October. They are both working for Dave’s Ski Shop and love
snow skiing, cross-country skiing, telemark skiing,
and hiking in the woods.
Karissa,
Michael, and Scott (born 2/16/00) have moved to Ft. Collins where Michael is
working for Agilent as an electrical engineer. Karissa
taught 5th grade last year until Scott was born. Michael received his
Masters from BYU and they were excited to move and watch the building of their
home. Karissa is busy scrap booking and Michael
enjoys building furniture for their home.
Julie, John, and Carter (born 1/16/00) enjoyed living with us this
summer after moving from Provo, Utah where John graduated from BYU in History.
In August they moved into a townhouse in Sacramento where John is attending the
University of Pacific (McGeorge) Law School. Julie is
working for “Only Love Children’s Center” as a preschool teacher. She loves
having Carter with her at school.
Family and friends become more precious in our lives every year.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and treasure the celebration of
Christ’s birth.
This has been a year of happy memories and many blessings. We are
grateful to our family and friends for their support and love. This season
brings us much closer together as we focus on the life and mission of our
Savior Jesus Christ.
Doug was released as our ward clerk and has been called as the Santa
Rosa stake clerk. He is now manager of the measurement center of technology for
Agilent Technologies (a spin off of Hewlett Packard).
Sharon continues to enjoy being our ward relief society president. She has been
eagerly studying ways to be a good grandmother.
Sherry and Jim were thrilled to welcome a new baby daughter Alexis Rose
into their home on September 29, 1999. She weighed 8 pounds and was 20 inches
long. We can hardly wait to see her at Christmas. Sherry has retired from
teaching and has completed her course work for her masters’ degree. Jim is in
his last year of residency in orthopedic surgery and plans to do a fellowship
on the spine.
On May 15, 1999 Jeff married Katarina Karlsson
(from Sweden) in our back yard. We had a wonderful celebration with many
relatives and friends attending. Their home is in a beautiful area next to Lake
Tahoe in Tahoe City, California. They love their new married life and starting
a home together. Jeff missed part of the ski season last year with knee surgery
and Katarina’s nursing education was put to good use.
Michael is finishing his masters’ degree in electrical engineering at BYU
this coming spring. He has been traveling to Virginia, Colorado, Oregon, and
Santa Rosa for job interviews. Karissa
certainly did miss him during the trips but Mike has some excellent job offers.
Karissa graduated from BYU and is teaching the fifth
grade and they are both excited about the coming arrival of their son Scott in
February.
Julie graduated from BYU with her degree in family science. She is busy
designing floral arrangements in the morning and working as a preschool teacher
in the afternoon. John will graduate this coming April majoring in history and
is applying to law schools in Utah and California. They both have really
enjoyed the past year of marriage and are looking forward to becoming parents
in mid January to their son Carter.
We are so excited to have a new daughter and our first three
grandchildren. We look forward to another generation and the memories we will
all make together. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Our favorite times are making memories with our children and sharing
the experiences of life. We enjoyed being together in Las Vegas for a family
reunion, Julie and John's wedding in Utah with a reception in California, and
Thanksgiving in Fielding. Sharon enjoys loving and serving others as Relief
Society President and Doug is Ward Clerk and Multi-Stake Public Affairs
Director. Doug also received the Career Award from the professional society
(ARFTG) for technical leadership in developing modern microwave network
analysis.
Sherry and Jim continue to reside in Torrance California. Jim has only
one and a half years left in his Orthopedic Residency at UCLA Harbor Hospital
(Yeah). Sherry is teaching fourth grade in Hawthorne and has completed over
half of her Masters degree at Chapman University.
They have many neat friends and enjoy the southern California life and weather.
Their cat Buster basically runs the place and has charmed Jim out of his chair.
Jeff is enjoying his work at Lake Tahoe and is now business manager of
five ski shops for Dave's World Inc. He loves the mountain climate and
atmosphere. Jeff has been able to combine his business and finance education
with his computer skills and love of skiing into a winning career. He is dating
Katarina Karlsson from Sweden and they are having a
great time. Our ancestry is also from Sweden so this has been fun for the whole
family.
Michael and Karissa still live in Provo. Mike
is working on his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at BYU and has an
excellent job at the BYU Configurable Computing Lab. Karissa
has completed her requirements in Elementary Education and is teaching second
grade at Sunset View Elementary School. They have a nice new two-bedroom
apartment at Wyview Park and the fastest Internet
connection available (Dad is very jealous).
Julie met John in February and in August became Mrs. John Moore. They
were married at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple and are now residing in their cozy
apartment in Provo. They both attend BYU where Julie is a senior majoring in
Family Science and John is a junior in History and plans to go to law school.
They both work at The Flower Basket where Julie arranges flowers and John
delivers them. They have two cute little kittens named Wylie and Sam.
We enjoy this wonderful time of the year as we ponder the life of Jesus
Christ and the true meaning of the holiday season. May you have peace, joy and
happiness in the coming year.
As another year quickly comes to a close we are reminded of the
blessings we enjoy so much. This has been a wonderful year of building closer
family ties. Our dear Mother Phoebe Rytting and nephew Robert Robinson passed
away in April and May. We were blessed to be with so many family members as we
honored these precious people. They both taught us so much about enduring to
the end and always having a cheerful attitude about life. We will miss them
greatly and appreciate their influence for good in our lives. And the Anderson
family Thanksgiving reunion in Fielding was outstanding.
Our days seem to go on without much change. Doug and Sharon are
grateful for 32 years of happily married bliss. Doug has added Ward Clerk to
his list of church callings and still helps four stakes with their public
affairs programs. Sharon has found serving as Relief Society president busy but
very rewarding. It is a pleasure to serve the Lord in any and as many ways as
possible.
Sherry and Jim are still located in Torrance California. It is a
wonderful climate and an interesting time in their lives. Sherry is busy with
her fourth grade students from the central LA area. Jim continues to improve
his skills as a doctor in orthopedic surgery. We have a new grand cat named
Buster. It is rumored that he looks just like his grandfather Rytting, but with
more hair.
Jeff is very busy (snowed) with his work as a manager at Dave's Ski
Shop in Tahoe City. He likes to ski downhill during the day and cross-country
skiing at night under beautiful moonlight (and sometimes with a beautiful
girl).
Michael and Karissa are seniors at BYU and
are extremely busy with school and work. Karissa is
in elementary education and Mike is in electrical engineering specializing in
DSP (digital signal processing). They have the cutest apartment all fixed up.
They are the old married couple in their Ward, having been wed for over 18
months.
Julie continues to enjoy life (that is for sure) at BYU. She is
majoring in home and family science. It is hard to believe that she is now a
junior at college. Julie is education counselor in the Relief Society and especially
enjoys helping others.
Of all the gifts of the season we are ever mindful of the Greatest
Gift, that of the sweet birth, the exemplar life, and the atoning death of the
Savior Jesus Christ. We know that He lives now, that His sacrifice was for each
of us, and that His love is for all individually. And for this, we are
grateful. May each of you feel that Love at this special time of the year.
The years come and go and again we find ourselves grateful for the
opportunity to write another Christmas letter to you. This is a wondrous and
heartwarming season of the year.
Doug has been with Hewlett Packard for over 30 years. In 1996 he wrote
and delivered eight technical papers. Doug and Sharon spent two fantastic weeks
traveling to Belgium, France and Spain. We enjoyed visiting with our friends in
Europe. Doug also appreciates working in public relations for the church.
Sharon is grateful for the young women she has been working with for
many years. She is now working with their mothers as Relief Society President.
Doug is her chief assistant and "do-what-ever" person. Recovering
from her gal bladder surgery took a major portion of
this year.
Sherry and Jim continue to relish southern California. The ocean and
weather in Torrance have been delightful. Sherry is teaching fourth grade this
year and her students are thrilled to have her as a teacher. Jim spends many
hours at the hospital and finds orthopedic surgery fascinating and demanding.
This past summer Jeff worked at the River Ranch next to the Truckee
River. He is now the ticketing computer network systems manager (long title
isn't it) working full time at Squaw Valley ski resort. He loves the Tahoe area
for the snow in the winter and the temperate beauty of the summer.
Mike and Karissa where
married April 25th in the Provo Temple. They had a "magical"
honeymoon in Orlando, Florida. Both are at BYU where Karissa
is studying to be an elementary school teacher. Mike is in the electrical
engineering program and working part time as a teacher’s assistant.
Julie continues to enjoy the social life (boys) at BYU. She has
wonderful roommates and is planning to be an elementary school teacher. She is
really learning about what life has to offer. She likes Elmo (her car),
studying in the library (strategic locations) and hitting the slopes (skiing)
when she can.
The annual Anderson family Thanksgiving reunion in Fielding, Utah was a
pleasant time to renew family ties. We are so grateful for our family and
friends and for the good associations we have with each of you. May the spirit
of Jesus Christ fill your holiday season and be with you throughout the New
Year.
Doug spent a busy year traveling to the Orient and then on to Europe
where he was able to spend two days with Mike while he was serving his mission
in Aix-en-Provence, France. Doug gained a new appreciation of missionary work
during his stay. He is now teaching the ward family relations class and is also
Public Affairs Director (interfaith relationships and media coverage) for four
stakes.
Sharon is adjusting to no longer being a mother of children at home.
She went with Doug to Florida in May and then we stopped off in St. Louis to
see Jim graduate from Medical School. In September we spent two and a half weeks
dropping the kids off at school, visiting with family, seeing Glacier, Waterton, Lake Louise and the Canadian Rockies, and
enjoying friends in Spokane. We went to Utah for Thanksgiving and then traveled
to Scottsdale, Arizona. Needless to say there hasn't much time to get lonely
and its great being one-on-one with Doug.
Jim was accepted into orthopedic surgery at UCLA Harbor Hospital after
graduating magna cum laude from St. Louis University. It was sad for Sherry to
leave her 23 fourth graders and her many friends. Jeff helped them move to
Torrance, California in June. Jim is now working 80 to 120 hours a week and
Sherry is teaching 32 sixth graders in the Hawthorne School District. It is fun
to have them closer to us and the airline companies are now financially
solvent.
Jeff graduated from Chico State University last May. He has been
working at a real estate office in Chico since then and is moving to Tahoe City
this week. He will be selling tickets at Squaw Valley Ski Resort (skiing like
mad during his off times) and hopes to be hired on a year round basis in their
accounting department. We will be spending Christmas in a cabin in the Sierras
with him. Julie and Mike can't wait to ski with Jeff.
Mike returned from the Marseilles, France Mission the last of July. It
was a tough but rewarding experience and many people were blessed by his
efforts. It is a beautiful area and we are looking forward to returning there
on our vacation next summer. It was wonderful to have him home for a month
before he went back to BYU. He has settled back into school quickly and really
enjoys his roommates, computer, and girl friend.
Julie went to British Columbia, Canada in the spring with the Concert
Choir and the "Thursday Night Singers" vocal group. Julie has a great
voice and it was fun to attend her many concerts. She graduated from Montgomery
High School in May and sang, "That's what Friends are For"
at commencement. She is now at BYU and is having the best time ever with her
studies, computer, apartment life, and friends.
Doug was released as Bishop after six and a half years of service and
is now teaching the Family Relations class. Being Research and Technology
Manager at Hewlett Packard is creating many opportunities for travel. His
mother is now living in Idaho Falls, Idaho and enjoys being near her daughters
Alta and Donna.
Sharon and her family have really become close this past year. She
spent time this summer at the Anderson family reunion and our family is excited
to be together again in Fielding for the Christmas holidays. Sharon continues
to work with the Young Women in our new Bennett Valley Ward and loves working
with the girls.
Sherry was with us this summer for a month while Jim was studying
orthopedic surgery at UCLA. We had a fun vacation taking Sherry from Santa Rosa
back to Los Angeles to meet Jim before they returned to St. Louis. Sherry
enjoys her fourth grade class of twenty-two students and is also spending time
back at the university on her masters' program. Jim is finishing his last year
at medical school and now selecting where to do his internship.
Jeff is in his last year at Chico State and having a great time with
all his neighbors. He still enjoys snow skiing and the intramural soccer
league. Jeff had the unique opportunity to see the USA vs
Brazil soccer match at Stanford stadium this summer. This has been an exciting
year for Jeff as he finishes school and he has done very well with his studies.
He is now deciding whether to go to work or continue studies for an MBA this
next year.
Mike has had a challenging year in the Marseille France Mission. It is
a difficult mission but the work is still rewarding and Mike's attitude is
excellent. He loves the people, and an exchange student from one of the
families he was teaching (Doris Gourbere) spent three
eventful weeks with us this summer. It is amazing how fast the time passes and
Mike will be back home this next July. He sends his
love and appreciation to all of you for your support.
Julie is having the time of her life as a senior at Montgomery High
School. She spent ten days this past summer in Utah visiting with family and
attending "A Time for Youth." She sings with a premiere vocal
ensemble called the "Thursday Night Singers" and they are constantly
in demand for performances. Julie served as Laurel President and is presently
serving as Stake Youth Committee Publicity Director. She can't wait to ski with
Jeff at Christmas time.
Doug's new job as Research and Technology Manager for the Santa Rosa Systems
Division at Hewlett Packard has really kept him busy traveling and attending
all kinds of meetings. He has been Bishop now for five and a half years and
still can't seem to solve everyone's problems. He really has enjoyed working
with our ward family.
Sharon continues to enjoy working for Houghton and Flowers CPA's during
the tax season. She traveled to St. Louis, South Carolina, Utah, Idaho, and
Spokane where many happy memories were made. She was released as Education
counselor in Relief Society and made a counselor in Young Women working with
the Bee Hives.
Julie is a junior at Montgomery High School. She is on the high honor
roll, dance team, concert choir, and is in her third year of French. She
continues to attend early morning seminary and enjoys studying church history.
Julie is excited to have her driver's license and is often seen driving with
her friends. Now that she is sixteen dating has become a high priority. One of
Julie's highlights over the summer was attending Especially for Youth at BYU.
Mike loved being at BYU and the many friends he made there. He was
diligent in his studies and able to keep his four year scholarship. He received
his mission call to the Marseilles France Mission. His Grandparents Anderson,
Sherry, Aunt Janet and Jayson came to his farewell on August 8. Doug and Jeff
took him on August 11 to the MTC in Provo. He is having the time of his life
and loves the people and his companions.
Jeff is really enjoying his studies at Chico State University. He is
studying business and finance. He taught tennis lessons in Chico and came home
for the summer to work in the landscape architecture business. His best friends
Glen and Eric are his roommate's in Chico and he is really enjoying them. He is
doing very well with his grades and we are proud of him. He loves to travel and
can't wait to go back to Europe.
Sherry is teaching the sixth grade in St. Louis, Missouri and all of
the students want to be in her class. She teaches English and spelling to her
homeroom and then has four classes of reading. She spends a lot of time
attending her students' activities and being with friends. Jim has finished his
first two years of class work at St. Louis University Medical School and is on
hospital rotations for the next two years. He really loves learning and is
doing extremely well in all his classes.
Doug, Sharon, Mike, and Julie spent a wonderful month in New York
participating in the Hill Cumorah Pageant. We spent
five days in New York City before going to Palmyra. Doug was cast as the wicked
King Noah, Sharon was in several crowd scenes, Mike was a Lamanite
dancer, and Julie was a Trumpeter Angel. We renewed many old friendships and
made many new relationships. We went to Niagara Falls, Kirtland, Ohio and on to
Cedar Point where Mike and Julie really enjoyed the roller coasters while Doug
and Sharon relaxed.
Today is the eighteenth anniversary of moving into our home in Santa
Rosa where we have shared many fond memories together. In June, the family
traveled to Utah and helped celebrate Verl and Madge
Anderson's 50th wedding anniversary.
Doug's memories for the year include serving and working with the
members of our ward as Bishop. The 8510 network analyzer program at work was
finally completed after many years of effort. Doug designed and built a TV
cabinet for our new bedroom set and it turned out very nice (this is like
having a lumberjack build fine furniture).
Sharon began an enjoyable year working at the CPA firm for three
months. Travel plans were then made to visit Rome, the French Riviera, Paris,
and Brussels with Doug on a business trip in May. She spent many enjoyable
hours helping with wedding plans, gardening, and reading. Sharon has also been
serving as Education Counselor in Relief Society.
On June 22 Sherry and Jim were married and we are so happy to have a
new son. They went to Hawaii on their honeymoon and have moved into a lovely
apartment in St. Louis. Jim is busy attending medical school and is doing very
well. Sherry is teaching three to five year old deaf children and working at
the local library. They were excellent hosts when Sharon visited them in
October and they certainly had fun together.
Jeff's memories include attending Santa Rosa Jr. College and playing on
the college tennis team. He bas been working out at
Park Point athletic club, snow skiing, hot air ballooning, playing volleyball
and is in excellent physical condition. He designed and replanted our yard this
spring and it looks great. Working as an optical lab technician for Dr. Wong
has been interesting and rewarding. Jeff hopes to be attending college at Chico
State next fall.
Mike enjoys being on the high school tennis team, snow skiing, and
playing basketball for the church. He bas become a
real master at the computer; he particularly enjoys the games. He is now a
senior at Montgomery High School and has earned a 4.0 GPA that has allowed him
to apply for scholarships at Utah State and BYU. Mike is the First Assistant in
the Priest Quorum and is finishing his fourth year of early morning Seminary.
Julie enjoys being in the Mia Maid Class presidency and loves her first
year of Seminary. She continues to study tap and jazz and never misses a Stake
Dance or a chance to shop. At school, Julie uses her natural ability to excel
in arts and crafts. She is receiving great grades placing her on the high honor
role and is having a rewarding Ninth Grade year. As always, Julie is looking
forward to a fun winter season of hitting the ski slopes.
Twenty-five wonderful years have passed since Doug and Sharon were
married in the Logan Temple. We enjoyed spending it together with our children
on November 24.
Doug's Father passed away in February and we all miss him very much.
Being Bishop continues to be a great challenge but very rewarding.
Sharon was released as Young Women's President and now enjoys teaching
the Spiritual Living Lesson and helping Doug with his many projects. Each year
gets busier at the CPA firm she works for. She has learned a lot from her
flower arranging class.
Sherry loved going to Belgium, France, and England with her Dad and Mom
in May. She graduated from BYU in August and has a long-term substitute job in Orem
teaching 51 kindergarten students. Jim will be here New Years Day and has been
accepted at medical school in St. Louis.
Jeff lived, worked and skied at Squaw Valley from January to April. He
has been working for a landscape architect since May and has really learned a
lot. He has put in a new lawn and several flowerbeds for us. He enjoys Santa
Rosa Junior College and can hardly wait until the snow begins to fall.
Mike continues to do outstanding in school. He is a junior at
Montgomery High. He still loves basketball, tennis, golf, and being able to
drive the car. He has really mastered our new computer. Bertrand our summer
student from Belgium and Mike enjoyed speaking French together.
Julie enjoyed spending August in Utah with Mom getting to know her Utah
family better. It's hard to believe she is almost 14 and an eighth grade honor
student. She has taken up jazz and tap dancing and enjoys basketball, shopping,
and baby-sitting.
It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. We have been
living in Santa Rosa for 16 years now. Our favorite season of the year is here
and we can hardly wait to hear from each of you and know how you are doing.
Being a Bishop has been a very rewarding and eye opening experience
that has helped Doug gain a greater appreciation of our family. He has done a
great job and continues to amaze us with his ability to love, serve, and
forgive others.
Sharon enjoyed being Office Manager at the CPA Firm she works for
during the tax season. Being Young Women President and running the bookstore
continues to keep her out of trouble. She had a ball redecorating our living
room this past spring.
Sherry has been working very hard as a senior at BYU and her grades
really show her effort. She worked in Provo this summer so we are really
excited to see her at Christmas. She hopes to be able to teach school next
fall. We are proud of her accomplishments.
Jeff is busy attending Santa Rosa Junior College, working five days a
week at a pharmacy, playing tennis, and snow skiing every chance he gets. We
are really enjoy having him here at home with us and
the support and love he shares.
Mike was so excited to get straight A's at Montgomery High this fall.
He is Teachers Quorum President and Seminary Class President. He loves to play
basketball, golf, and tennis. He is a good helper around our home now that Dad
is gone so much.
Julie was in four plays and three variety shows for our church and
community this year. She loves Seventh grade, and Young Women (but it will be
much better when she is 14 and can go to dances). She was also on the
championship school basketball team.
Chiaki (one of our Japanese students) will be here for ten days for her
first American Christmas. We were able to visit Chiaki and her family in Japan
and know we will enjoy her in our home. She has been working in Australia for
the past two years.
We think of you so often and we are so grateful for you and the many
memories that we share. We would love to have you come to visit us any time you
can.
Doug's parents continue to enjoy life as much as possible. Doug's Dad
celebrated his 90th birthday this year and was so grateful to return home after
a few months stay in a rest home. We appreciate the opportunity we have of hearing
how you and your families are doing.
Doug is grateful for his new calling as Bishop of Santa Rosa Fifth
Ward. He was sustained after a three-week business trip to Europe where he
spent his evenings getting organized for his new calling. His Mom, Sharon's
Mom, and Sherry came home for Mothers Day weekend to see him set apart. He
enjoys helping others and has an even greater appreciation for his family and
all those he works with.
Sharon is grateful that she has been allowed to continue being our Ward
Young Women President. She continues to enjoy our bookstore and the CPA Firm
she works for. She has been developing her ability to sing by joining Etude
Chorus and taking private vocal lessons. Her days with Doug in Washington D.C.
and Boston were delightful.
Sherry is grateful for Jim Olson and the many hours they spend together
in the library. She has been doing very well with her grades as a junior at
B.Y.U. She has just completed her student teaching with 27 darling first
graders. She enjoys her roommates and social life at college.
Jeff is grateful for Frank Wilson his roommate at B.Y.U. They were
immediate friends and have made many more friends in Helaman
Halls. They enjoy soccer, weight lifting, bowling, and report that the ski
slopes in Utah are tremendous. Jeff worked for eight months last year at a
service station and developed his skills working with cars.
Mike is grateful to be the oldest sibling in our home at this time. He
is an honor roll student, goes to seminary, was
Deacon's Quorum President, plays golf, tennis, video games, solarquest,
and basketball. He sustained his first broken bone (in the hand), can't wait to
get back to the piano, and had the musical lead in the play "The Princess
and the Beggar."
Julie is grateful that she can attend Young Women after February l. She
can hardly wait to go to all of the activities and firesides. She is in the
sixth grade and really does well in school. She has been guest soloist many
times during the past year and has a beautiful voice. She is totally organized
and a joy to all of us.
Doug has really been hooked on snow skiing and spent many days skiing
with the family in the Sierra Mountains and with Sherry in Utah. He continues
to recruit at USU and enjoys seeing Sherry and our family twice a year. In July
he traveled to China and realizes his blessings even more. In November he was
released from our Ward Bishopric and sustained to the High Council.
After having the Seventies Bookstore in our home for 6.5 years Sharon's
dream of becoming a bookstore owner became a reality last January. She worked
part time for a CPA firm during the tax season. Then enjoyed
a delightful vacation with her Mom, Janet, and Lori in Hawaii in July.
After a busy year as Ward Young Women’s President and being in the musical
Sound of Music, Sharon is looking forward to a few days of relaxation in
Florida next week with Doug.
Sherry returned to BYU and became accustomed to her first winter in the
snow. She is majoring in elementary education and really enjoys her classes and
working with children. She worked as a full time secretary during the four
months she was home this summer. She and Mom had a great time in August setting
up her new apartment in Provo. Sherry has made many new friends and her favorite
continues to be Jim.
Jeff's favorite pastime is hearing the snow skiing conditions. His
thirty-five points per game really helped his church basketball team win the
stake tournament. They also placed third in regional competition. After a
winning varsity tennis season he picked up the golf clubs and never seems to be
able to put them down. He worked as a camp counselor for his second summer, is
an assistant to the Bishop in Priests Quorum, and teaches Blazer Scouting.
Mike is now an eighth grader. He played Boys Club basketball, soccer on
the Annadel Soccer League, and continues to be a musical genius. He has all the
energy possible and never stops. He enjoys his red eighteen-speed mountain
bike, golf, tennis, snow skiing, bowling, model car racing, and computers. He
is doing a great job as Deacons Quorum president.
Julie is as organized at home and school as ever. She has developed an
asthma problem but by following the doctor's instructions is really improving.
She is in charge of our six cats and one rabbit. Her singing ability and piano
performance continues to progress as she delights many audiences. Julie has
several friends and is our family social butterfly.
The highlight of our year came when our family met in Japan for a
two-week vacation. We were able so see or stay with
five of our Japanese summer exchange students and Sherry's roommate from BYU.
The warm hospitality of the Japanese people is fantastic.
Doug continues to be busy with his work at H.P. and being in our
Bishopric. Sharon loves being Young Women's President and her daily activities.
We had many togetherness hours remodeling our home, and find we are still best
friends.
Sherry remembers well her happy years as she graduated from Seminary
and Montgomery High. Her song leading squad traveled for several competitions.
She worked at an Elementary school play ground this summer before enrolling in
B.Y.U. She finds Deseret Towers, her many friends, teaching Mother Education,
and studying both challenging and rewarding.
For hours each day Jeff loves to play tennis. He played on Montgomery
High School tennis team and basketball team. Finding his name on the High Honor
Roll, driving the car, snow skiing, teasing his Mother, and working as a parks
and recreation camp counselor has kept him busy.
Mike is in three junior high bands where he plays the clarinet,
baritone saxophone and oboe. He has truly mastered the piano and gets a lot of
enjoyment from music. He played catcher on his Angels Little League team and
was chosen as an all star player. He gets up at 5:30 each morning to deliver
his newspaper route and he is building a RC 10 remote control car.
Julie has blossomed into an artist, ballerina, pianist, and vocalist.
She plays schoolteacher by the hour because of her love for school. Bike
riding, building playhouses, and swimming occupies her free time. She is very
organized and tidy.
Our family has become snow skiing fanatics and we have enjoyed using
our van to carry us to the slopes in Utah, Nevada, and California. We think of
you often and realize the blessings you have brought into our lives.