1987: 1st year house anniversary. Only four children

1990: 4th year house anniversary. Daniel born in 1989

1991: 5th year house anniversary

We had a birthday party celebrating the day we moved into our home. Sarah brought the puzzle home from church so we put it together. Steven made the decorations. We all gave a present to the house by picking up all the garbage scattered around outside. Then we took some family pictures on the front porch. Inside we sang “Happy Birthday Dear Home” and celebrated with cake and ice cream.

1993: 7th year house anniversary. Using our tree as a backdrop

Monday 26th October 1987
We had a very fine FHE — the 1st birthday of our home. We even had a cake with one candle for refreshments. We took 2 photos of the family outside the house. The actual birthday is the 15th of October. Jill did the lesson — seems like Jill and I at one time were hard-pressed to come up with a lesson and didn’t like to do it. Now we both don’t like to give up our turn because we see it as a chance to teach the children something that we’re anxious for them to learn. We still have family prayers and read books to them. They like that.

1995: 9th year house anniversary. Sunday best

1996: 10th year house anniversary. Utah Centennial

1997: 11th year house anniversary

1998: 12th year house anniversary. Steven made his first million

1999: 13th year house anniversary. Cousins Connor and Ashley join in

2000: 14th year house anniversary. Five millennials for the new millenium

2001: 15th year anniversary. First year using a digital camera

2002: 16th year house anniversary. Steven is on his mission in Chile

2003: 17th year anniversary. Steven on his mission

2004: 18th year house anniversary. Steven returns. Paul on his mission in California

2005: 19th year anniversary. Paul on his mission. Derek, Sarah's husband, center

2006: 20th year house anniversary. Paul returns. Jake on his mission in Mexico

2007: 21st year house anniversary. Jake on his mission

2008: 22nd year house anniversary. Jake returns. Adelaide, Steven's wife, far left. First grandchild, Bryson

2009: 23rd year anniversary. Daniel on his mission in Mongolia. First granddaughter, Aurora. Sarah's family in Texas

2010: 24th year house anniversary. Daniel on his mission. Second granddaughter, Cassandra. Jake engaged to Rachel. Sarah's family returns

2011: 25th year house anniversary. Daniel returns. Paul engaged to Megan

Jill and baby

For those that know our family can you guess:

1. Where the photograph was taken?
2. The year and month?
3. Who is Jill holding?

Update

Sarah guessed correctly:

1. McKay-Dee Hospital, Ogden.
2. December 1983.
3. Sarah.

Here is the full image, which with all the pink would have really given away who the baby was:

Jill and baby Sarah

See also 12 Free Dual Screen Wallpapers.

Water fowl at the Utah Botanical Center in Kaysville.

A train somewhere between Keller and Kaysville.

Saint George Temple, Utah

Texas longhorn cattle drive sculpture in Dallas.

Max riding his ATV in Davis County, Utah.

Devils Kitchen, Utah

Fireworks in my front yard, Pioneer Day, Kaysville.

Glacier National Park, Canada.

Kaysville City fire engine.

Manti temple, Utah.

Manti temple, Utah.

Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park.

Real Salt Lake versus New York Red Bulls, November 2008, Utah.

Roses.

Stagecoach in the Bountiful, Utah parade.

Today in the Past Pictures series I also have moving pictures. In 2007 Daniel ran for Student Body Officer at Davis High School. This is his campaign video which was a big factor in his being elected. If you do not see the video in your feed reader, try here. The inside of Davis High was awash in campaign posters (3.4 Mb image). Dan’s poster is on the railing, 16th from the left.

Elected with Daniel was Danny Anderson, Alex Gerrish, Steve Pitcher, Jon Rose, Mitch Steed, and Cam Turnbow. Notice that these are all young men. The theory goes that the Sophomore girls are the major voting block and so one should produce your campaign video to appeal to them. You also might want a great campaign manager like Daniel had in his older brother Paul.

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Previous Past Pictures

Past Pictures: Who’s The Dame?
Past Pictures: Hill Aerospace Museum
Past Pictures: Temple Site
Past Pictures: A Double Blessing
Past Pictures: My Parents
Past Pictures: Richard At Eight

Hill Aerospace Museum is located on approximately 30 acres on the northwest corner of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, about five miles south of Ogden. The museum was founded in 1981 as a part of the United States Air Force Heritage Program and first opened in 1986. It moved to its current facility in 1991. We hosted our 1 millionth visitor in the spring of 1996 and we annually have around 180,000 visitors, coming from every state and from many foreign countries.

A great time to visit is to do what I have done and go on the annual “Food-For-Life Day,” during which visitors can view aircraft up close and clamber inside some of them. The suggested “admission price” is one item of non-perishable food (preferably canned), which goes to a local charity. The museum is not far from where I work — Hill Air Force Base.

The Temple Lot

In 1979 I visited the United States for the first time. This photograph was taken with my camera while I was in Independence. Independence is an interesting place to visit. The most fascinating spot is the Temple Lot, mostly because of its history. There is nothing on the two-acre site except grass with a church building on it and the sign you see me standing by. The building is the headquarters of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).

History

On July 20, 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith received another revelation with more details about the temple site. Joseph Smith who originally dedicated the temple site in 1831, and his followers, were evicted from Missouri in 1839 before a temple could be built on the Temple Lot. In 1847, the city of Independence formally incorporated with the Temple Lot. The Church of Christ Temple Lot returned in 1867 and purchased the temple lot properties, including the dedicated site for the temple. In 1891, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, sued in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri to take possession of the property. It won in lower court but lost in the Court of Appeals on the basis that it had waited more than 20 years to make a claim. The United States Supreme Court refused to review the case. Ground was broken on April 6, 1929, for the construction of a temple, with instructions that the temple was to be completed within seven years. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) never completed construction of the temple.

The Temple Lot Today

The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) maintains a visitor’s area on the lower level of the church. They have stated that they will not cooperate with other Latter Day Saint organizations in building a temple, nor will it sell the Temple Lot.

The picture quality is not that great. It is a scan of a photograph from twenty-one years ago. My brother is on the left with his son David and I am holding my son Jacob. My wife Jill and sister-in-law Susan were both pregnant and due in the same month. We all liked the name of David so we agreed that whichever child was born first would take the name David. Susan’s baby came prematurely and so we chose Jacob to be our son’s name.

The photograph was taken shortly after we arrived home from the baby blessing at Church. That is why David and Jacob are dressed in white. Though Ray is not a member of the Church I asked him if he would like me to bless David along with Jacob.

He said he would like that so on the day I named and blessed Jacob first and then with Ray in the circle I named and blessed David. For a short period non-member males were allowed to participate in the blessing. This practice was discontinued soon after it began. David just happened to be born in that window when Ray was allowed to be in the circle.

I cracked open my journal to August 1987 and here is what I had recorded:

The blessings were today. I blessed Jacob first, with Bishop Chambers, Bro. Reynolds (2nd. counselor), Alfred, Mike McCraley (Bishop of Val Verda 3rd. ward), Kent Ward, Dennis Jeppesen (the home teacher). Dean Foust, the other home teacher, was out on Reserves, so couldn’t be there.

I blessed David; Ray stood in the circle and Bro. Jeppesen had sat down. The blessings went well with David being blessed with strength and courage as David of old, and to be obedient to his parents and to have the opportunity to serve a mission.

Jacob’s (sic) was blessed also to serve a mission and to be true to his name by believing only in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which is the God that members of the Church worship and is found nowhere else. Also to have faith in God. Jacob was told to be grateful to have been born with great blessings of this free nation.

We had a fine meal afterwards, a cold buffet but was it ever good. Aunt Glenna & my grandma came as did Jill’s mom and dad and Randy, Jill’s brother.

Today finds Jacob on a mission in Mexico due to return home next month after two years. David is making his way through life and is a fine young man. If anyone remembers anything from this time feel free to comment.

That dame sir, is my wife. Actually when this photograph was taken she wasn’t my wife. Twenty-eight years ago, when I took this picture with my rickety old camera, I was traveling with Jill and her parents and her sister and husband. We were married a few weeks later. It has been a happy twenty-eight years made even happier by the arrival of five children.

I visited with my brothers Ray and Mike and with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I stayed with Ray, Susan, and Michelle for a few days and also with my parents. To be with family that you grew up with felt warm and good.

Occasionally I will post Past Pictures. This is my first. It is in the backyard of my home in Weston Estate where I lived for fourteen years. Our family rented a Council House like most everyone else. It was a pleasant home.