family photos

Thanksgiving Day, 2014. We decided it would be a good day to take some family photos for our Christmas card this year. It is hard to get 8 busy adults together. Even though we all live here in the valley, we are spread out over 20 miles and 2 colleges, and 8 jobs, and 4 wards. So we begged a friend to come take some pictures, (thank you Jordan). I knew we'd be short on time from a late Thanksgiving dinner, to clean up, to getting ready for photos, to late in the day lighting issues. So we opted for an office complex a few blocks from our house. It is the 3rd time over the years we have used this location. 

Here are the 4 of these kids today, and again on the same rock 7 years ago. 

Dave and I on a similar bridge in the complex, now and a few years back.

 One thing I've noticed at this complex is that they have moved to more low maintenance desert landscaping around their fountains. You can see the difference in the vegetation just between the two pictures of the kids. But like I said, we have used this same place 3 times. Here is what it looked like 5 years earlier in 2002.  The photo below is just on the backside of the fountain of the photo above.  Nevertheless, the fountains are still pretty, the koi fish seem to be happy and it is close by in the neighborhood. (And I realized Jordan's mother, Lezlee, took this picture for us so many years ago.)

As we snapped the picture of our four kids, I immediately realized it didn't feel right. We don't have 4 kids anymore. We have 6 kids. This picture is much better! Love these guys. It is fun being parents of adult children. We had such a great Thanksgiving day as they all brought their talents and efforts and cooking skills to the table today to prepare an amazing and delicious Thanksgiving meal. 

 It will be fun to continue our family photos as our family grows and grows from here on out.