The Oscarson Family Blog

The Wedding!

2011-12-13T20:44:00.001-08:00

Julie and Reece's wedding day was wonderful in every way. We wanted to share it with you by posting some of our pictures. We don't have the photographer's photos from the wedding day yet, but these are some we snapped with our cameras.

We had a family dinner hosted by Reece's parents the night before the wedding. There was beautiful music performed by Reece's family, and a chance to visit with each other. Then Julie and Reece were married in the Draper Temple on a beautifully crisp November day. It was extra special to have Dad perform the ceremony. Julie and Reece are so happy to be married, and we are all happy for them, too!

Mr. and Mrs. Butler!

A few pictures from the dinner the night before the wedding...

...and some pictures from the reception at the Joseph Smith building on Temple Square. It was so pretty to look out at the temple and all the Christmas lights on Temple Square.

Jane looked like a little princess!

A few more pictures at the Draper Temple after the wedding...

So fun having cousins here!

Congratulations, Julie and Reece! We love you!

A Moment In Time

2011-11-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

Will someone please tell me the occasion at Sam Wilson's? Was this the summer Becky and Debbie got married?

Birthday Time!

2011-08-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

A week late but worth the wait...Happy Birthday, Dave!

Here's a look at some fun photos in honor of your birthday...

Always smiling, even as a baby!

Who could resist that face?

Cowboy Dave

There was always lots of mud around our house, so why not just wear boots to go out and play?

Charming school boy

In Sweden, making snowballs with Dan

(Teenage heartthrob)

Welcome home, Äldste Oscarson!

The happy couple on their wedding day. (We're so glad you said yes, Lizzie!)

Cute Mom and Dad

Summer fun with the boys

(by the way...who else but Dave could get away with those swimming trunks?)

Celebrating Mom and Dad's 50th

Dinner on the Hill

Chef Dave working his magic in the kitchen

Happy Birthday, Dave! We love you!

Happy Birthday, Lucky Mommy!

2011-07-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

Another special day in our family--today is Kristina's birthday! Here are a few pictures in honor of the celebration....

Stockholm, July 1976. We were all so excited that our baby sister had arrived. The Swedish hospital staff had never seen such a big family before!

A Swedish baby needs a Swedish buggy, and Kristina put lots of miles on these wheels, all over Sweden, on her travels with Mom and Dad throughout the mission. She learned to say Swedish words when she was out of the house or playing with the phone, and English words when she was in the house or talking to the family!

Lisa and her dolls...oh, one of them is a real baby!

Reading stories together in Dad's office at the mission home.

New Aunts, Lisa and Kristina, visiting their niece Angie in Utah with Mom and Dad. "Aunt Nina" was 7 years old.

"Nina Ballerina" reading stories to Angie, who was now about 7.

The little cousins always loved being with Nina, Lisa, and Dave.

They still do!

City of Joseph Pageant, Nauvoo

Go, Longhorns!

The beautiful bride and her charming groom, Josh.

Sweet twin boys, Sam and Michael...

Little Anna came next...

Never a dull moment with this happy family!

We love you, Kristina! You are a lucky Mommy for sure and a wonderful sister and friend. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

2011-04-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day in our family! It's Lisa's birthday. I remember Mom and Dad coming into my room early in the morning to tell me they were going to the hospital because today the baby would be born...and later in the morning getting the exciting news that we had a baby sister! Here are a few pictures to celebrate Lisa's special birthday today...

Cute Baby!

Cute Mom!

Birthday Girl, one year old

Daddy's Girl

The family

Big Brother Dave helps Lisa on the rocking horse

Such a happy baby! She had the cutest laugh--and still does!

Christmas Eve

A favorite picture of Lisa

At Mema & Papa's with Becky, Debbie and Amy

In Sweden...

Playing in our yard in Stockholm

Midsummer's Eve in Sweden.

School Days

Family Dinner

Glamour Girls!

At Dave and Lizzie's house

Lisa is a great mom!

Sisters

on vacation in Utah

Lisa is a devoted mother who gives her all for her children. She teaches and encourages them and takes them on fantastic adventures all over the city.

WE LOVE YOU, LISA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Congrats, Grad!

2011-04-22T15:58:00.001-07:00

It's graduation day! We're so proud of Julie for her hard work and good choices that have led her to achieve her goal.

The nursing school has only a few graduates each year, and it was a lovely graduation ceremony. Some of the graduates sang, "Lord, I Would Follow Thee". One of the speakers referred to the line that says, "I would be my brother's keeper, I would learn the healer's art. To the wounded and the weary, I would show a gentle heart." I liked that. Nurses do such a noble work. They literally follow the BYU motto of "Enter to learn; go forth to serve." I'm grateful for the nurses who have helped me and our family, and am happy Julie has chosen this as her profession.

As each graduate came to the podium to receive their Nurse's pin and diploma, they showed a slide with their picture and a favorite quote. Elder Richard G. Scott and Sister Rosemary Wixom both spoke to the graduates and their families. Such a beautiful graduation celebration!

Congratulations, Julie! We're so proud of you.

A Special Birthday

2011-04-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Debbie!

Today is our sister Debbie's birthday. I've been able to think of little else today. She is a wonderful sister and friend. She loves her family and the Lord. She puts her trust in God and then goes forward, giving her all on behalf of her family and others. She is kind, thoughtful, and genuine.

Here are a few pictures in honor of this special birthday celebration...

Always a lady

Cute school girl

Fun times growing up

Birthday girl

Ready for the dance, in Stockholm

Out for a special dinner with the family

Such a cute mom!

We love you, Debbie! Happy, happy birthday. xoxo

Dan the Man

2011-04-13T09:05:00.001-07:00

Today is our brother Dan's birthday. Dan has always had a great sense of purpose, an outgoing personality, and a smile on his face. We had fun times growing up together and admire the man he is today. Here is a little walk down memory lane...

Birthdays were a big event when we were growing up. On this particular day, Mom hosted a double birthday party for Danny and Debbie, complete with cakes and matching cupcakes for each of them. Here's Dan with his pirate ship cake.

What a cute baby!

Dapper Dan

"I think I was about ten years old..."

(Dan always jokes that it seems like most childhood memories happened when he was about ten years old.)

at the Mission Home in Stockholm

Elder Oscarson returns from Arizona. Here's Uncle Chris (who was the stake president) welcoming him back.

Dan and Stephanie with the first three children. Look at all those great smiles!

Happy Birthday, Dan! We love you and Stephanie and your family.

Thanks for being such a great brother.

Memory Lane

2011-03-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

A Few Memories From Dave

Guess what... we have a dog!!! Yep, an 8-week old Rhodesian Ridgeback named Leo - he's adorable! We're working on some manners right now, but the kids are crazy about him and he's really cute - we'll have to send some pictures soon...(This is not Dave's dog, but an example of a Rhodesian Ridgeback, according to Google)

Thanks for the trip down memory lane... I could use some of that heat and sunshine right now, not to mention the breakfast, music, lawn and pool (in that order...)!

Those are some of my fondest memories too - Claymont Pool was such a gift to us as kids; I would spend hour upon hour every afternoon on that diving board - I don't know if the rest of the family even knew how much time I spent learning how to dive... I only wish that I now had the courage and lack of fear to learn some new moves...

Another treat for me was to get on my bike and ride down to Claymont Woods Lake to fish - I know it sounds boring, but there was one day when catching a largemouth bass actually became a reality for me: it was a beautiful spring day in May and I had spent hours during the winter dreaming of when the ice would thaw so I could use my new lures... The anticipation is most of the fun!

I had no schedule, so I threw my hula-jig spinner out there and walked along the bank trolling - and hoping... I need to say here that I had seen a few bass pulled out of that lake before by Dr. Messina, but so far, my catches had been limited to bluegill, sunfish and catfish (all easy bait-fishing catches...). I walked for a good while, having done so many times before, but then suddenly, a jolt hit my line and I found myself reeling in my first largemouth - I was so excited I could hardly stand it! I brought him in, hardly believing that it had happened, and looked around, trying to find witnesses...

Well, having landed my first one meant only one thing - that I had to try to land another, which I did, four more times, until it was time to go home for dinner. What a day - it cemented my love for fishing and I grew from there starting with the Shakespeare Baitcasting Reel Santa brought me the following Christmas...

There are certain moments that stand out for me, and aside from Christmas, most of them are memories of being outdoors.

More Than a Feeling

2011-02-14T22:11:00.000-08:00

I have what I think is a fun idea. I have so many memories about the family growing up but I don't share all of your memories. Would anyone else think it a fun idea to have us write posts about our memories growing up? They could be about Mom and Dad or siblings, or just the house. Anything that involves common ground with each other. I just live too far away from you and I am trying to tell my boys stories about "A long time ago when I was a little girl named Nina and lived with Grammie and Grandpa in St. Louis. . ." I would love to capture your memories and the ways they influence your lives now.

Here's one of mine.

On a foggy December morning here I went out jogging. It was early. It was cold. It had been cloudy for weeks and I would usually be depressed under those conditions, but I felt happy and warm, not only from the jogging, but from the song I was listening to.

Imagine waking up in Mom and Dad's house to the sound of really, really loud rock! "More Than A Feeling" cranking on the stereo that was more familiar with Bach than Boston, . The first track of their album was a sure signal that Mom and Dad were out and soon the smell of Dave frying eggs and potatoes in the kitchen wafted back to my room. Lisa and I would wander out and the day would begin. It was a hot day and Dave would have to mow the lawn, but first an enormous breakfast and some "tunes." Then mowing the lawn, then the swimming pool. I guess it was his version of "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," but that's another post.

That memory comes flooding back to me whenever I hear that song. On a cold day I felt the warmth of an August sun and the light of that summer sky lit up my December morning.

Please share your memories. We can always make the blog private so only family members can sign in and read it. Grandkids' posts are welcome too, just email me if you've forgotten how to log on and post.

Anna's Dress

2011-01-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't check my blog, here is our gorgeous girl in a party dress from Stephanie and the girls. I need a picture of the back of it too, it is so beautiful and Anna loves it! It makes noise when she crawls and delights her to no end.

Fall Colors, a Birthday and Family Visits

2010-10-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Fall Colors

Today the fall colors were at their peak in Little Cottonwood Canyon. We went for a drive after Church and took pictures, but they don't capture the panoramic grandeur of what we saw there.

The aspen trees around Tanner Flats were such a bright gold color, they seemed to glow.

The oak trees were every shade of red and orange. Motorists, cyclists and photographers were everywhere along the side of the road trying to take it all in.

I just love the colors of fall. Thank you, Brent for taking me up the canyon and stopping a million times for pictures. I love you.

Happy Birthday, Katharine!

Yesterday was one of the most beautiful autumn days ever, and it was fitting since it was Katharine's birthday. We celebrated by going out to dinner with her family.

Happy Birthday, Katharine. We love you!

Jane's favorite part of the night was all the tissue paper to play with.

Mom and Dad's visit

Mom and Dad came to visit for General Conference. It was so nice to be together. They packed a lot of activity into a few short days but still had lots of time to just enjoy each other's company. One afternoon we took a drive up the canyon to see the early fall colors.

A highlight of the weekend was getting together with the cousins to hear reports from Mom and Dad and Bob and KLynn. We were fascinated to hear about their life in Moscow. There are so many faithful people serving the Lord in various ways around the world. Aren't we lucky to be related to some of them?

For those of you who searched in vain, here is proof that we actually did sing in the family choir during the Saturday afternoon session of Conference! Brent's cousin sent us this picture. (Linda and I got to sit together in the soprano section.) We were thankful for the opportunity and for the Spirit that was present in our weekly rehearsals as well as during the conference. It was so interesting to be in the choir loft as the general authorities were speaking and to think of the members of the Church all over the world who were listening to their inspired counsel. They speak in front of cameras and a huge live audience but their messages are directed to each individual in such a personal way. To me that is a modern miracle. I'm so grateful for the privilege of hearing the word of the Lord from His prophets and apostles.

We had lots of help for our Priesthood Night tradition of baking pies while the boys were at Conference. When the guys got home we enjoyed four kinds of pie (and lots of pie crust cookies) while they gave us a report on each of the talks they had heard in the Priesthood meeting. Thanks for all your help making pies, ladies!

After all the pie, Dan showed us some video clips from his recent business trips to Africa. Our brothers are going to all kinds of interesting places and meeting interesting people!

Brothers and sisters are the greatest!

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa finally got to meet Jane. She loves them and they love her. Thank you for coming to visit and for such a wonderful weekend together. We're grateful for your examples of love and service and pray for you always.

Meet Me in St. Louis

Earlier this month, Angie and I met for a weekend with Mom and Dad in St. Louis. It was short, but so much fun. We love to be together, especially in one of our favorite places!

I love my sisters and am always so happy when I can be with them.

We were treated to a fabulous breakfast on a rainy Sunday morning before church. Thanks, guys, we love you and were so happy to be with your family.

As a happy coincidence, our trip was on the same weekend as Dad's induction into his high school hall of fame. We went with them to the school, where he received a medal and we were given a tour of the school. It was great to see the inside of the school and the basketball court where Dad had been captain of his high school team. His picture was already hanging on the hall of fame wall where the students can see it every day. In the auditorium, Dad was introduced and then gave a lovely speech about the blessings of good friends and teachers and the joy of service. We are so proud of you, Dad!

The festivities continued the next day with Dad riding in the community parade, on the back of a 1961 Corvette. Go, Dad!

I wish we could instantly "blink" ourselves to other places so we could see all of our family any time we wanted. But until that happens, I'm glad for the wonderful times we get to spend together every now and then. A loving family is the greatest treasure in the world.

Labor Day Picnic

2010-09-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Diane organized a cousins' picnic for Labor Day. It was at a beautiful park that David and Karen C. had found for us. Here are some pictures. See if you know these people--they are all your relatives!

Jane and Jane got to meet each other

Brent and Jeff (Jane's husband)

Mindy (Steve C's wife) with their youngest, and Sarah (Roger and Wendy's daughter)

Rachel and her little guy

Karl

Rachel, Jane, and Wendy

Carissa (Billy's wife)

Karen (David C's wife) and two of their girls, Lauren & Megan

Joanne and Debbie

Self portrait--Julie, Karin, and Becky

Jane, Wendy, and Sarah

Thanks, Diane! It was a great idea and we appreciate your helping us all get together.

A visit from Angie

2010-06-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

We got to have Angie here with us for a whole week! We loved just being together. She came while Derick was away with the Young Men on their high adventure camp on the Guadalupe River in Texas. On Sunday we celebrated Father's Day and Angie's birthday. (That night we watched clips from yesterday's Royal Wedding on the internet and thought of Dave and Lizzie with their family in Sweden! You can read about that on Aunt Bonnie's blog.)

Brent was sick but was did his best to put on a happy face for the occasion. He took this picture of all of us in the dining room.

On Monday we drove up to visit Julie at her Especially For Youth assignment in Ogden. She's the health counselor for a different EFY session each week. The EFY staff all love her! We like to call her Nurse Julie--Linda and Angie even watched "Heavyweights" again in her honor. We left just as 400 kids were arriving for check-in at EFY. By the way, you should see the amazing First Aid kit they provide Julie with for EFY. It's huge!

Angie and I decided to visit the Ogden City Cemetery to see where "Grandpa-the-Great" Angus Tulloch Lochhead, Sr., his wife Wealthy Lake Lochhead, their parents and siblings are buried. I hadn't been there since we came to Utah for Aunt Karin and Uncle Steve's wedding when I was 10 years old. It was really nice to be there. We took pictures of all the family headstones. This one is a large monument that says "Lochhead" on one side and "Lake" on the other.

(Where did my other font disappear to? I might never get this figured out. I'm actually pretty proud of myself for having the pictures in order this time! )

Next we stopped at John and Katharine's to visit Katharine and Jane. They were in the neighbor's swimming pool. Jane loved being in the water and looked cute in her hat. Thanks for the delicious lunch and fun visit, girls! It was such a great afternoon being with you.

The next day we visited John at his work and he took us on a tour of the whole facility. It was so impressive! I don't know if it's OK to put up pictures from that since we didn't think of asking permission to photograph. But it was really fun to see John at his job and to have him tell us all about how they make tables, fixtures, and paneling for Apple Stores, hotels, law firms, board rooms, concert halls, and the Conference Center. In one area we saw seat backs for a new temple being built somewhere. We got to wear protective goggles in the huge manufacturing area and followed John all around the place. He seems to know everyone and what their job is. They all seem to like him, too, which is no surprise to anyone.

Angie and I had lunch downtown with Brent and Linda--she's been filling in for their receptionist this week--then took a stroll through Temple Square. The flowers were gorgeous as always and it was an absolutely perfect June day.

Thanks for coming, Angie! Happy Golden Birthday.

Congratulations, Grads!

2010-04-24T13:10:00.001-07:00

The Lowes and the Petersons have had a great time together this week, celebrating our two new BYU grads, Andrew and John! It was a little nostalgic for the moms....

Remembering so many fun years together as they were growing up in St. Louis...

Remember these guys?

So on Thursday we met at the Marriott Center for their graduation from BYU!

The graduates and their families filled the Marriott Center...

We sat in the bleacher seats and watched 6,000 graduates file in! We were excited to know that John and Andrew got to sit near eachother in the graduate section. Elder Todd Christofferson was the speaker. It was a great program and a cheer went up when President Samuelson announced that the candidates had been accepted for graduation! After the program we all met outside by the bell tower and took lots of pictures...

We're so grateful our boys have married such wonderful girls. We love you, Katharine and Erica! We appreciate all the love and encouragement you've given and the blessing you are to John and Andrew. They are lucky to have you!

Congratulations, guys, we love you!

On Friday the individual convocations were held for each college. Andrew's was in the morning and John's in the evening.

After the business school convocation on Friday. Congratulations!! We're so proud of you.

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

2010-04-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Lisa! We love you!!

Baby Anna Is Here!

2010-04-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Introducing Georgianna Ruth, our Anna. She's named after both of Josh's beautiful grandmothers.I woke up Monday morning with contractions coming fast. Josh hurried to get the boys out the door to a friend's house for the day and when he got home the contractions were hard and three minutes apart. We drove 20 miles up the highway to the hospital and I couldn't talk or walk anymore. We didn't have time for an epidural so she came au natural and fast! We arrived at the hospital at 9:30 am and she was born at 12:30.
I'm so sleepy! Anna is a great sleeper! I don't know how long it will last, but we're enjoying it for now. Mom and Dad can attest that the boys were not so great at sleeping, probably because they were hungry, so this sleeping baby thing is new to us. The big brothers are doing so well. Michael said, "We didn't really know she would be born." I guess no matter how much you talk about it before hand, it's a shock to see a real baby join the family. They're being sweet with her and ignoring her as expected!
She has the softest, dewy skin. We love this sweet girl! She makes the most adorable sounds and it feels like we already know her.
Michael says, "She loves me, right Mom?" We know she does and that she will look up to her big brothers her whole life.

We came home Tuesday afternoon and are recuperating. It's so much easier than twins and than the c-section and we feel very very blessed.

More to come!

Jane's Blessing Day

2010-03-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 28 was little Jane's blessing day. Jane looked so sweet in the beautiful dress Katharine and her mother had made for her, using fabric from John and Katharine's wedding. We felt a wonderful spirit as Jane was blessed by her dad at their ward Sacrament meeting. After church, we came to our house for dinner and lots of pictures. Jane is getting bigger every day, and cuter by the minute!

Four generations of Petersons

Jane was very patient with all the picture taking. Here she is with her parents and grandparents.

Who could resist that cute little face?

We're so happy for Katharine and John!

Thank You Grammy and Grandpa!

2010-02-15T09:12:00.001-08:00

As promised, here's the boys opening their Valentine's Day package from you. Thank you so much! They love them so much they've been sleeping with them!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy 75th Birthday!

2010-01-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

We're sooo excited for you! We love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

My Montage 1/22/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-01-22T16:25:00.001-08:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We Love You, Grandpa!

2010-01-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2010-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Dad! We couldn't get everyone together at the same time to do a video so want to leave this birthday wish. . .
Thank you for being such a great dad (and grandpa)! You've always set a great example in every aspect of life: at home, at church and work. Your positive outlook, even in the face of adversity, is inspiring and we owe a great debt of gratitude for your faithful example of love and service. We are so happy that you are able to serve in the temple with Mom and hope you enjoy the assignment more each day. Have a very happy birthday and know we all love you and think of you often. Love, Dan and family.

My Montage 1/22/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-01-22T05:40:00.001-08:00

Happpy Birthday, Grandpa!
Love,
Lydia

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Montage 1/22/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-01-22T05:09:00.001-08:00

Here it is! I can do this!!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy 75th Dad!

2010-01-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

Happy 75th Birthday, Dad! (Our camera has a very short video record time, so I didn't have time to list all the many, many things I love about you.) You have been and continue to be such a positive influence in my life. I always felt very secure as a child, and even now I know that you are always there for me. Thank you for being such a great listener, and incredible mirror, always reflecting positive feelings. It was easy for me to understand that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, because I had a dad who loved me so completely and unconditionally! I love you! Happy, Happy Birthday!!!
Love,
Debbie

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

2010-01-21T23:08:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrate Grandpa's 75th Birthday!

Some of the grandkids may not know that Grandpa once had curly blonde hair...

Or that he spent a few summers on his grandpa's farm in Idaho...

But they all know he loves Grandma!

They know he was a mission president in Sweden...

And that now he and Grandma serve in the temple in St. Louis...

One thing we all know is...

WE LOVE YOU GRANDPA!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-01-21T21:55:00.001-08:00

Dad, Happy Birthday from not so sunny but warm California! We hope it's a special day for you! As you can see by my growing belly, things are going well here. The boys are in their new twin beds and I think you'll recognize the blanket on Sam's bed as they sing to you. We love you!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2010-01-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday from the Kluba Kids!

They're a bit tricky to understand...
, so I'll interpret for you! Brady loves you so much...especially because you always comb his hair! Kacey loves you for a bunch of reasons, and loves that you always have lots of yummy ice cream! Dillon loves to go to your house and play with the marbles that you bought for him! We are so lucky that we get to see you so often. I love that my kids know you both so well and that they look forward to spending time with you. They love how you will sit and play with them and take the time to listen to what's going on in their lives.

I love you for infinite reasons as well! I think that what I love the most however, is your endless optimism. You are always so positive and truly find the best in everyone and everything. I am incredibly thankful for all that you have done for me, and especially for your unconditional love! I too, have always considered myself so lucky to have the best dad around! I am happy that we live close and are able to spend so much time with you. We all love you so much and appreciate the incredible example that you set for everyone. I am indeed proud to be your daughter! Happy, Happy Birthday!!! I love you! ~Lisa

The Next Generation

2010-01-08T23:11:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad's first great-grandchild, Jane, was born to Katharine and John on December 31, 2009. She is tiny, sweet, and beautiful in every way. On the day she was born, we were all skiing with Katharine's family, waiting to hear the news. Whenever someone's phone would buzz, we'd all scramble to get the text update! Finally, at 1:30 in the afternoon, a picture of little Jane appeared on our cell phones, and we knew she had made her entrance into the world. We went to the hospital that night to see beautiful Jane and her happy parents.

Isn't she beautiful?

Grateful and happy parents!

Grandpa loves babies.

Here's a happy Grandma!

Celebrating together.

We're so grateful for the miracle of birth and for the sweetness little Jane brought with her from Heaven!

Welcome Back, Anziano Lowe!

2009-09-04T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last week Matt returned from his mission. Everyone was so excited as they waited at the airport! Then we saw him coming through security--and a wonderful reunion followed.

Welcome Back!

Emily Christiansen's Wedding

2009-07-18T22:33:00.001-07:00

Today Roger and Wendy Christiansen's daughter Emily was married to David Hogg in the Manti Temple. It was wonderful to be in the temple with so much of our extended family!Roger and Wendy and their family.
Emily was a beautiful bride.
How about this good looking group!

The happy parents of the bride.
The Manti temple is so pretty. It was built by the pioneers in the days of their poverty. It was a beautiful setting for Emily and David's sealing.

Visit to St. Louis

2009-07-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Brent and I just had a great visit in St. Louis and Chicago! Here are a few pictures. I'll post the rest on Facebook. It was so fun to see Mom and Dad, Lisa and Kurt, Dave and Lizzie, Dan and Stephanie, and all the cousins.

We stopped at Lisa and Kurt's to see their family. Uncle Brent helped the kids get rid of the monster downstairs with his lightsaber on the iphone. Too bad, no picture of that, but here's a picture of Lisa and me!We took a day to drive to Chicago to see Dan and Stephanieand their family. Here are Corinne, Amanda and Emily...Amanda reminded us that she's the oldest, if not the tallest!
Ryan was making magic wands to take to the Harry Potter movie...
Back in St. Louis, Dillon showed us the impressive hole he dug...
Max was happy to see everyone and liked wrestling with Uncle Brent. (Sorry, no picture of that either. Where was I?)
(Out of order again...why can't I figure out how to change the order of my pictures when I'm posting them?) At Dan and Stephanie's we sat around the kitchen counter and visited for hours! We loved it!
Alex played the cello for us and Annie read us a story.
Mom and Dad took us all over town, including Shaw's Gardens and Forest Park. Thanks for spending so much time with us!
Brady helped Grandpa feed the fish at the Botanical Gardens.
Lisa, Kurt, and all the kids! So fun to see everyone. We love you!

Past*a House Pasta Con Broccoli Recipe

2009-07-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

I just found this online and haven't tried it, but I can't wait to see if it's as good as the real thing!

Ingredients:
14 ounces noodles
8 ounces half & half
1 ounce butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 ounce tomato sauce
1 ounce broccoli
1 ounce fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the noodles until half done (not quite al dente). Drain the water. Add the half & half, butter, garlic, tomato sauce, and broccoli; bring to a hard boil. When noodles are fully cooked, add the mushrooms.

Remove from heat; add the parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Pasta House's Pasta Con Broccoli serves/makes 4

Reunion Suggestion

2009-06-21T22:58:00.001-07:00

This is the link to the website for the house we stayed at last week for Josh's family reunion. I am thinking of looking into more places like this so we can all stay together and have more time to chat after kids to go bed - or don't. They book well in advance, that's why I'm already exploring next summer. I need some serious family time! You're all too far away.

Questions, comments, suggestions please!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Oscarson

2009-05-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Today I've been thinking of Grandma Oscarson on her 100th Birthday. In honor of the occasion, I got out the audiocassette tape I recorded at their home on Devondale Lane in August, 1981. Grandma was reading a history of her mother, Maud Knight Brown. I have wanted to convert it to a digital format to preserve it, and today Brent was nice enough to find a way to do that. It's in MP3 format. I don't have the software to post it here on the blog, but I can email the file. The tape ended kind of abruptly and I can only guess that we had left the topic and I just turned the tape off at that point. Still, it's fun to hear Grandma's voice. I can still see myself in her living room, sitting on the little footstool and holding the tape recorder while Grandma sat in the chair by the fireplace and shared her memories of her mother. Her voice was younger and stronger than in later years, and it just makes me smile to hear it. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Vera Brown Oscarson

Christmas in May

2009-05-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

What can you do with your Spritz cookie press? I made these for a baby shower yesterday and loved the Christmas smell in the house. I made yellow butterflies with orange and purple sugar, pink roses, and purple hearts. Who knew they could make more than poinsettias and Christmas trees?

They tasted great, as always, and the boys were snitching them.

Dan and Stephanie Visit Utah

2009-04-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

Dan and Stephanie and Family in Utah

Dan and Stephanie came to Utah for their kids' spring break. We had so much fun together! They went skiing, visited friends, and spent time with Amanda. We were so happy to have them stay with us and loved being with them.

Ryan, Emily, and Corinne were glad to see Amanda again!
On Sunday after General Conference, we had a family dinner with Steve and Laura and their family, Bonnie and Paul, who just received their mission call to Hong Kong, and Andrew and Erica and John and Katharine. It was great to see everyone!
Ryan is 16...and a little taller than Amanda!
After dinner, Uncle Paul shared some of the family history he has been working on for a long time, almost full time for over a year. We each chose a family line to work on while they are on their mission. Thank you, Uncle Paul!
It was great to see the Newlyweds and to visit with them. You guys are great! Thanks for all your help...Andrew and Erica scrubbed and cut potatoes for 23 people and John and Katharine made delicious rolls. The kids loved playing games with you, too. We love you and were so glad you could come! It makes us happy just to be around you.
It was nice to visit together. Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Paul are so gracious to everyone in every circumstance. We're excited about their mission call. Dan had some funny stories to tell about China and presented a gift for their mission: chopsticks and kiddie chopstick trainers from Pei Wei. Brent and Julie did a lot of dishes so I could stay at the table and visit.
I had such fun visiting with Amanda, Ryan, Emily and Corinne. They're all so friendly, cheerful, positive, and personable. It was nice having cousins around!
Between the sessions of Conference Brent pulled out the crackers, cheese and sparkling fruit juices for a tasting event! Pear and black currant were the favorites. Lindt bittersweet chocolate was the winner in the gourmet chocolate bar division.
Ryan got to snowboard a couple of days...go Ryan! He even braved a blizzard at Snowbird.

Uncle Paul and Aunt Bonnie's News

2009-03-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen this link on Aunt Bonnie's blog, click here and read Uncle Paul's latest post about Grandpa. Then click here and read about their exciting mission call to Hong Kong!

Poppy Drive, Burlingame, CA

2009-02-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad are visiting us from St. Louis and yesterday we got to drive down to Burlingame, California to show Dad the house he lived in with his family the year before they moved to St. Louis. Dad took some better pictures but I can't download them to my computer.
They lived there in 1942- August 1943 during World War II and had many experiences involving the War. From the house they could look one way and see San Francisco Bay. Not far away was a Japanese Internment Camp they drove by occasionally. Dad thought they were in there having picnics, but that wasn't quite the case.

They rented this house and were thinking about building one nearby when the call came one Sunday morning asking Grandpa to move to St. Louis to be the General Sales Manager for Edison Brothers Stores, Inc. Dad was 8 and Uncle Don was 11 when they lived there. Because he has so many vivid memories of that home and neighborhood, Dad thought they had lived there for two or three years, but it was only one and a half.
The neighborhood is off of a 4-lane road lined with tall, fragrant eucalyptus trees. Burlingame is called "The City of Trees." It has great schools and is an exclusive area. It's about 15 minutes south of downtown San Francisco and still has it's own "downtown" Broadway street with an ice cream store, restaurants and old drug stores. Dad remembers getting ice cream there with his mom. She got a vanilla cone and asked him to hold it for her for a minute (maybe to pay for the ice cream?). Dad took a bite of it and the gap between his front teeth left a tell-tale line of evidence down the scoop. That's his first memory of vanilla ice cream!
Dad had to wear dog tags with his name and address on them to school in case of a Japanese attack. They had bomb raid drills at school and once their family had to stop the car and turn off the headlights on their way home from his baptism.
When we got out of the car yesterday there was a little girl outside at the house next door. I told her that Dad used to live in that house and that we brought him back to see it. Her mom came outside and I told her the reason for our visit. To my surprise she asked me if we would like to go inside! She said they owned that house and that it's been vacant for a while but we were welcome to go in! She showed us around. It has a huge fireplace in the front room with the three arched windows and the back bedroom has a beautiful view of the neighborhood. The backyard drops off and has a lemon tree. We were able to pick some lemons and bring them home with us!
The home was built in 1928 and has been added on to. The price of the home now is not much since it has fallen into some disrepair and because it has not been updated. The additions are strangely configured and it will most likely be town down when it is sold. The price of the LOT alone is 1 million dollars, down considerably from what it was about 6 months ago. We were so glad we got to see it before it's torn down!
It brought back some good memories for Dad and I feel like I have some family nearby after all, even if they haven't lived there for over 65 years.

Michael Sings "Ja, må du leva"

2009-02-06T13:54:00.001-08:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

John and Katharine 11-20-08

2009-01-06T11:09:00.000-08:00

A few more pictures from John and Katharine's wedding day...

Lisa and Kristina are leaving me in the dust where creating a post is concerned. I thought I had my pictures in order but evidently I still have a lot to learn about this. Anyway, here are a few more pictures from John and Katharine's wedding. It was such a wonderful day. The temple ceremony was sweet and full of the love of family and love of the Lord. We love Katharine and are so thankful to have her in our family. We're grateful that she and John have found each other and have chosen to marry one another. We appreciate the loving kindness they show to everyone and the fun they bring to our family!

The reception hall was so pretty. Katharine's family had decorated with candles and greenery. The brick fireplace made it seem so inviting. Time for family pictures...is this really us? Where did our family of little kids go?
I can't help smiling when I see this picture of our grown-up children!

This is one of my favorites of John and Katharine.

Kristina, Dad, and Mom at the temple

Linda, Evan, Angie, Julie, and Derick found a nice

window seat overlooking the temple after the wedding dinner.

John and Katharine were beaming with happiness when they came out of the temple to greet everyone who had gathered to congratulate them. There were lots of hugs, smiles, and pictures. They are a great couple and we're all so happy for them!

Sankta Lucia

2008-12-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

For those of you who haven't seen the "Big Show" in years and for those of us who have tried to peer out from backstage to see if our little "Tomten" are getting enough pepparkakor, here's what it looked like from the fourth row...You've just gotta love Dave's outfit! I really mean that Dave - it's awesome!

It's pretty hard to see who's who here, but they were all adorable!

"I Ett Hus" and then of course, "Tip Tap" sneaky little tomten snacking on the leftovers...

Somehow we didn't get any pics of the awesome gingerbread men (Grant and Max - AKA Run DMC - they had the coolest bucket hats!) or any of the incredibly talented moms and kids dancing around the tree. Guess we were so captivating, they didn't want to miss a thing by having to stop and take pictures!Here are all of the lovely Lucias and Starboys. It was Kacey's first year as a Lucia and I have to say I was so incredibly proud of her! She learned all of the songs and was so confident, I couldn't believe this was my little Kacey-Loo being a grown-up Lucia girl. And of course I got teary every time I heard her singing because it took me right back to when I sang those very same songs when we were in Sweden and of all the wonderful christmases we had there.
Two of the cutest little "Svensk Flikor"! (ok, my swedish spelling is really bad - give me a break, it was over 30 years ago and i was only 7!) They are really cute though, aren't they!?!Yay - we did it! Everyone had the right costumes at the right time, we sang the right words and did the right actions, and even though Dillon ran on stage at the wrong time...at least he had his clothes on!

Johnny Angel

2008-11-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

We had a great trip to Utah, thanks to Becky and Brent, for John and Katharine's wedding! We were lazy picture takers but here's what we have to share.
Here's the temple at night from the 9th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where we had the wonderful and fun dinner the night before the wedding.

My only picture of John and Katharine leaving the temple doors.
Congratulations hug from Mom.

All smiles from Evan, Angie, Julie and John.
More smiles. Anyone's cheeks hurting yet?
With Andrew, Mom and Dad, or is it Grandma and Grandpa? I never know.

It was a wonderful time and we were so glad we could be there. John and Katharine looked so happy and we were happy to meet her and welcome her into the family. We saw Amanda too, and so many cousins and relatives. I think I talked to them each for about 3 minutes a piece, but I always love being reminded that I'm part of a bigger, stronger family and not just out here in the dreary world by myself. What a blessing it is to have such a loving family.

Congratulations John and Katharine!

Scarecrow Festival

2008-11-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

Scarecrow Festival 2008

In mid-October we all volunteered at the Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point. It ran for 4 days. Evan was the main "fry guy"--we don't know how many fries and fry-bread tortillas he made, but he was good at it! Brent took food orders and cashiered, Julie was in charge of sodas and Becky and Linda helped with the children's games and ticket gate. John and Katharine helped in the food pavillion, too. Over 40,000 visitors came. We had a great time and enjoyed being together!

Utah or Bust

2008-09-26T11:48:00.001-07:00

Good luck to Becky, Brent and Linda on your new adventure to Utah, Take 2. We love you and know you'll all do well there. We can't wait to check out the guest room soon!

Oscarson Family Reunion in Utah

2008-09-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well Elmer Jones arose at dawn and put his huntin' britches on and looked up at his shot gun on the wall... No reunion would be complete without Elmer Jones! What a great time we had at the picnic with so many of our family members that we hadn't seen for way too long! It was so great to see everyone - it had been entirely too long, but it seemed like just yesterday - family's great that way! The kids have all grown, but somehow we've managed to stay the same - right?? Uncle Paul and Aunt Bonnie worked so hard to make this weekend happen and I am so grateful to them for it! Emily made a new and improved Birthday calendar and Amy put together Mema's history for us all. I have truly enjoyed reading all about Mema's life. I have been staying up way too late for too many nights (apparantly I'm a really slow reader!) really getting to know this remakable woman. I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing family and am so proud to be an Oscarson. I wish more of you could have been there, but I am looking forward to our own reunion soon.

THE TRIP!!!!

Kacey and I had the incredible opportunity to spend the weekend in Utah with our long lost Oscarson cousins! We had SUCH a great time! Kacey was a little nervous about the plane ride at first (it was a bit too loud!) but after a quick prayer for help to be brave, she was doin' just fine! She loved looking out the window at the changing landscape (including the Grand Canyon), but the best part was the 1 1/2 hour layover in Arizona where we got to ride the moving sidewalk about a million times.

Once we arrived, Mom and Dad picked us up and took us to Temple Square where we got to see all the sights and take a ton of pictures. I thought Kacey would get bored or have zero interest, but I was quite happily surprised. She loved it all - the Tabernacle, Visitors Center and of course the park on top of the Conference Center.

After that we got to spend the rest of our time with our cousins in Bountiful. What a fabulous time we all had! It was so great being able to catch up with all of my cousins that I grew up with. And to meet all of their adorable kids too! It was so funny, they all came running in and I had no clue who belonged to whom - they all look like they could be siblings! Kacey had a ball with them - and with all of the dress-up clothes. Her favorite though, had to be the treasure chest full of gems! My favorite thing had to be the fact that I could relax and sit with the grown-ups not worrying that anyone was breaking anything, hitting anyone or running away and falling off the side of the mountain! (Kacey is so grown-up and responsible now!!) I did miss my boys (and I think they may have missed me too), but I really REALLY had a great, relaxing, fun time!!

Swedish Travelers

2008-08-26T04:42:00.000-07:00

Becky and Julie had a great time together in Sweden! We walked all over Stockholm and Uppsala, drove through Dalarna, went to Carl Larssons home, and even saw Dave's pen display at NK. Julie loved her BYU study abroad experience this summer!

Food, Folks, and Fun

2008-08-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun with Linda last week! On Thursday night we got together with the Lowe's for dinner. Here's Linda helping Andrew saute some mushrooms. That's her new apron that she made while staying with us! She loved Andrew's Texas flag apron and can do a convincing Texas accent on demand.
Matt may be getting some good Italian food on his mission, but check out this Chicken Marsalla Andrew whipped up, with a little help from Linda. You should have smelled it. It was absolutely divine. Not shown are the buttermilk mashed potatoes with fresh chives from Debbie's garden, zucchini and yellow squash, and rolls. We were so full of Italian goodness.

Lydia helped too by keeping Sam and Michael busy "cooking" too. I'm not sure what they made but I'm sure it was delicious!

Jacob got home after dinner from working his last shift at McDonald's this summer before he starts his senior year next week. I think he'll gladly trade his Big Mac's for some of Andrew's cooking. Michael was brushing everyone's hair in just before this picture and Sam is wearing a bowl "hat."
We said goodbye and met up again the next day for lunch in Georgetown. Before we ate our actual lunch, we found the new cupcake store and indulged in dessert before lunch. Michael can't wait to get his bite! This is how he asks for food - leaning forward with an open mouth. So cute.
A woman in the cupcake store recommended this nearby sandwich shop. Josh came from work and had lunch with us.

Lydia ate about 1/4 of that hamburger and took the rest home with all of the leftover fries. No one tried the Beijing special, in honor of the Olympics. No risk takers!

Here's the cousins waiting for the elevator to the garage at the mall. I think they had a lot of fun together . We realized that after Jacob's mission, he and Linda will both be sophomores in college. If they're both at BYU Jacob has commissioned Linda to help re-integrate him into post-mission society by introducing him to her girlfriends when he returns to Provo. There's some forward thinking! It was a short visit, but we all had a lot of fun being together and are grateful for our fun family! For more on Linda's visit, see my blog.

Cousin Linda

2008-08-11T20:20:00.001-07:00

Cousin Linda arrived today, much to Michael and Sam's delight. We look forward to gallivanting around the DC toddler scene during the next few days and having fun together at home. They put on a real show for Linda all afternoon doing all of their tricks and being totally hilarious. More to come . . .

Brady's Walking!!!

2008-07-31T15:26:00.000-07:00

He's been working at this for about a month now, but today Brady's really been taking off! Too funny that it's the day before his birthday - it's so exciting!!! Kacey has been praying every day that Brady will be walking soon - very cute! The kids are loving that he is becoming a kid and can play with them!

Sneak Preview

2008-07-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak preview ...save the date: September 19, 20, 21!

These are some of the pictures from Mom and Dad's anniversary DVD. Can't wait to see everybody! Stay tuned...

The Kluba Kids

2008-07-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

The Kluba kids have been enjoying their summer! We've been to a lot of playgrounds, the zoo, the pool, the mall, and eaten a lot of snow cones and slurpees! Kacey's been going to a camp and the playground by the pool. They go on field trips and get to swim 2 or 3 times a week. She started taking piano lessons this summer snd is doing really well. We play the chopsticks duet and I am just amazed that I have such a big girl! Dillon has been going to his preschool's summer school. We call it Happy Day Camp! He has a lot of fun there and it lets mom breathe for a few hours! Dillon's got a ton of energy and is very curious about everything. He's ALWAYS on the go and is a magnet to mischief as most little boys can be! Brady is getting to be so big! He's so close to walking - taking a few steps here and there. He's still most fond of mom, but survived a day and a half with out her! He stayed home with a friend while the rest of us went on a big family vacation to the Huzzah River for camping and a float trip this month. We had a lot of fun, but a day on the river with the kids was anything but relaxing! I think next time, we'll just camp! Dillon had a field day with all of the rocks and sticks, while Kacey was determined to catch a fish. She finally did, and put it in a water bottle with rocks on the bottom and a few holes in the top. Poor Amber, river fish need to stay in the river!

So that's our update in a nutshell. Just trying to survive each day with 3 little kids who are getting bigger each day! Well, Land Before Time is over, so I need too get back to work :) Thanks, Neen for gettiong this blog started. I think it'll be a lot of fun!

Brady's SO Big

2008-07-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

And then there's Brady. He's almost one and is just getting to be so big! He's desperately trying to keep up with his big brother which scares me to death! He loves wrestling with Dillon, which is "all fun and games until someone gets hurt!" He still loves to be held by mom (exclusively), but is trying to walk, so likes to move around on his own a lot too. He'll climb all the steps at the playground and zoom down the slide on mom's lap. He's generally very happy and loves to clap his hands laugh when he does something he's proud of! He'll wave bye-bye (and even said it twice) and then bury his head in my shoulder, like he's all bashfull - it's very cute! He'll be graduating from formula to milk next week, but if given a choice, I think he'd live off of snow cones from Tropical Snow! It's our new favorite place to go this summer (although sonic comes in at a close 2nd). Luckily, Mr Brady is pretty easy going and can take his nap whenever or wherever he needs to and likes the stroller. I guess when you're the third child in a family that's always on the run, you have to!

Dillon the Super Slugger

2008-07-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

Dillon started T-Ball this summer! It's been fun watching him! The team is made up of 3 and 4 year olds and a lot of coaches! They have one grown up with each of the players on the field. His first game, he went to bat once, hit the ball and ran after it towards 2nd base (he wasn't the only one to do that!) He finally made his way around the bases and decided that was enough and went down to the playground to play! His second game was a little better. He ran to first base and went to bat twice. He still had no interest in the outfield. Finally the third time around he got it all figured out. He now runs after every ball that is hit and runs the bases like he's in the big leagues! Soccer starts this fall and I'm so excited to watch him. He's got a lot of energy (to say the least!) and I think he'll love all of the running (which Kacey hated!).

Kacey's growing up too fast!!

2008-07-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Kacey just turned 7 and had a big "make-over party" at Club Libby Lu. The girls all had fun getting their nails, hair and make-up done! She's usually a bit shy, but holy cow did she come out of her shell that day! She couldn't get away from the mirrors and was definately strutting her stuff down the run-way for the big fashion show at the end! It was fun! Best of all, the only thing I had to do was send out the invitations, buy a cake and drive the girls back and forth - super low stress party!!!

How To Post

2008-07-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

1. Click on "New Post"
2. Add any pictures you'd like to include by clicking on the 3rd button from the right, then browsing your picture files on your computer and selecting "add"
3. Write your text.
4. Click and drag your pictures where you would like them to appear in your "post."
5. Click "Preview" on the top right of the new posting box to proofread your post.
6. Click the orange "Publish Post" box at the bottom of the new post box to put your post on the blog for all to see.

I can limit who can view the blog and/ or who can leave comments to our family members if anyone would like me to do that.

Then, you can make comments on other people's posts by clicking on "Comments" at the bottom of the post. You type a message for the author of the post and click on the orange "Publish Your Comment" button.

That's it and we can all see and read what is going on in each other's lives fairly quickly and easily. I've only invited Mom and Dad and the 6 kids. Let me know if you'd like to open it up to high school graduate grandchildren too.

Happy posting!

Welcome to the Family Blog

2008-03-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

By popular demand I am starting an Oscarson family blog where we can share pictures and news with each other with a few clicks of the mouse. It's easy to log on and create "posts" that our entire family can see from any computer. Blogs are usually informally written and describe what ever the writer is thinking about or involved in. More to come . . .

Until I can figure out how to get everyone added as authors, you can find me at jkr2006.blogspot.com.