2011 End of Year Family Fun

Severson Cousin Party plus New Years Celebration 2011

Photo Christmas Card Display

Glen, Ralph, Aimee and Kellyn puzzle challenge.

Larry giving clues for Family Trivia Game.

Christmas and New Year's celebrations have been very fun 2011. Most of the family have gathered at in Orinda for food, games, gifts and family time. Interspersed have been some exciting BYU ball games, puzzles and movies. We attended the BYU mens basketball game at St. Mary's College in Moraga and watched the BYU Football ball game plus two more basketball games.

Kellyn & accompanist dad Ralph at Oakland Temple performance.

Ralph & Sue with Charles Abouo after BYU vs St. Mary basketball game.

Kellyn again performed solo at the Oakland Temple Visitor Center day after Christmas to standing room only crowd. All enjoyed the beautiful lights and manger display.

Aimee and Kellyn set up a puzzle challenge with Kellyn ably defending her first place title from last year. Larry and Cheryl's family who were in town over the holidays joined us for combined Cousin Party and New Year's Day family dinner. All were delighted with Uncle Larry's annual family trivia game, puzzle gifts from Aunt Sue and wonderful pork roast dinner with much visiting throughout the day.

Orinda City Council

Every first meeting in December, the Orinda City Council reorganizes and selects new officers. Steve Glazer is new mayor 2012 and Amy Worth vice mayor. Other council members are Dean Orr, Victoria Smith and myself.

Orinda City Council 2012 - Amy Worth, Dean Orr, Victoria Smith, Steve Glazer, Sue Severson

Amy Worth and Sue Severson at Sacramento CA State Capitol

Sue Clark Severson, Orinda City Council

An area of focus for the new year is to hopefully have support of citizens to pass road measure on the June ballot. I've been coordinating with graphic designer to create logo and yard sign. Orinda has dubious distinction as having the worst roads in the Bay Area. There are so many potholes and rough roads that your dad refuses to take his new car on back streets, going the long way around on Glorietta Blvd and Moraga Way that have been repaired.

Family Holiday Gatherings 2011

Charlotte, Chris, Eric, Aimee, Talyn play games

Ainsley, Shelley, Lindsay, Delaney, Greg, Brittany, Grandpa

After traveling nonstop all fall, it is great to be home for the holidays. The trips were all good fun, but after realizing in November I had only been home one weekend since mid-August, the phrase "There's no place like home" is better appreciated.

We had a fairly large group for Thanksgiving, including Oregonians Grandma and Grandpa Severson, Aimee family, Charlotte family and Shelley family. Give thanks for bounteous food, healthy family, and good fun.

Looking forward to even larger family gathering for Christmas.

Moraga Ward Progressive Dinner

Michael Severson entertains us

Olive wood Nativity from Jerusalem

Meg, Abby, Blake, Kate, Josh

Ralph accompanies grandkids in Christmas carol

Bradley Baptism and Liam Blessing

Bradley Sutton Baptism Day

Last weekend was spent in Redmond with Melissa and John David's family. Bradley was baptized on Saturday and Liam blessed on Sunday. All the Suttons were in attendance. Grandma Frances and Grandpa Floyd drove up from Portland. Aimee and Allen's family joined us after stopping along the way for water park adventure. The big shopping trip was for new piano for Melissa. Jack is particularly excelling in his musical skills.

Best Buddies Joshua Severson and Bradley Sutton

Liam Sutton Blessing Day. Quilt made by Grandma Sutton.

Liam Sutton 1st Halloween

Garden Adventures

Here's a tour of the Orinda backyard garden statues and lovely front walkway flowers.

Christopher Baseball Statue

Aimee Bookworm Statue

Sue admiring Ralph's hard work and beautiful flowers.

Ralph and Sue relaxing among the beautiful landscape.

Melissa Flower Girls Statue

Laura Reading Girl

Kellyn Flower Girl

Kellyn and Glen Engagement

Glen and Kellyn

The gorgeous engagement ring.

Glen Gagon formally proposed to Kellyn Severson on Saturday, October 8. All are very excited and wish them well for the planned May 12 wedding at Oakland Temple.

Louisiana in Utah Gathering

The Clark Siblings:  Kathy, Gay, Ruben, Sue and Elaine

Gonzales Stomp from Sue Severson on Vimeo.

We spent last week in Utah joining all my siblings, Ruben, Gay, Elaine and Kathy for the Louisiana in Utah dinner gathering. Bert Blalock also joined us helping greatly prepare the jambalaya. Kathy and Elaine made a big gumbo. Gay provided desserts banana pudding and pecan pies. Ruben planned the program including dedication to Aunt Jessie Mae Clark. Bert got everyone in the mood with Cajun joke; Kellyn sang Bert's request Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man, with finale of Ruben and Gay dancing the Gonzales Stomp. It was well attended with about 90 people. A few non-Louisiana friends join us, Thatcher family recently moved from Orinda to Alpine; Emerson and Autumn Powell.

Aimee, Ralph, Sue, Gay, Bert and Ruben

Saturday, Bert, Gay, Ruben, Aimee with your dad and I attended the BYU football game. The cougars have some new fans. We filled in the time shopping, Costco being a favorite destination for gelato ice cream. All in all a great time was had by all.

Melissa Family Celebrations

Jack, Brooklyn & Bradley Sutton

Just returned from Seattle, Redmond to be exact, helping Melissa with new baby and enjoying her family. I arrived Wednesday afternoon, after arriving home from Utah the prior Sunday. I only had two days to unpack and repack, take care of usual business plus two evening commitments. Paul Cox was visiting San Francisco to speak at conference, so graciously agreed to do presentation about his research on neuro-degenerative diseases like ALS and Alzheimer. I hosted in our home despite your dad still out of town in Idaho fishing with his dad. It was very informative and exciting possibilities as his lab enters into human II trials on one drug plus breakthroughs on two others. Marlene and John Jex were co-hosts with about thirty in attendance.

Cache gets on bus.

Jack home from Kindergarten

 Tuesday evening was the regular Orinda City Council meeting. Nothing of import on the agenda, but the "ban leaf blowers" advocates were back after being rejected last year. Apparently national news must be in lull as the Orinda leaf blower issue made the New Yorker magazine coverage last year, now a Sunday morning national talk show. Not much sympathy for the cause from this household, as my public encouragement for good neighbor considerations, tolerance and personal responsibility to avoid blowers, was met with publicly calling me "Marie Antoinette." So much for civility.

Baby Liam Levis Sutton arrived right on cue Thursday morning, September 22; his due date, avoiding big brother Bradley's 8th birthday the following day, and only hours after my arrival. Fortunately I had connected with Melissa on school bus times, lunches, ball games, etc. As I urged Bradley and Jack there were only ten minutes left before school bus arrival, Jack responded that was 600 seconds. I inquired how he knew that and he nonchalantly explained that five minutes was 300 seconds, so of course, ten minutes was 600 seconds. Duh...grandma.

Jack, Brooklyn, Jack, Melissa, JD welcomes Liam

Snoqualamie Falls

Brooklyn and I had great potty training moments, making good progress despite some set backs. The prize basket was a big hit, especially the "special twin baby dolls." We enjoyed the walks around the neighborhood and down to the river. Jack helped me pick blackberries one afternoon, then bake a blackberry cobbler for family home evening dessert. We managed to fit in various shopping trips. On our way home from the outlets, we stopped to view the Snoqualamie Falls; much larger than Burney Falls, much smaller than Niagara Falls. I somehow managed without any TV, but the new bed/mattress on floor more than made up for it. Looking forward to returning end of the month for Bradley baptism and Liam blessing.

BYU Football down South

We headed down South for the BYU vs Ole Miss football game in Oxford, Mississippi, then stayed over for the week in Liberty, Mississippi; next flying to Austin for the BYU vs Texas game. Ralph picked up his new BMW 328si hard top convertible the day before we left. It's a beauty but only got to drive home from dealer then park in garage while we traveled.

Ryan, Erin, Shari, Bert, Gay, Jocelyn, Ruben, Lenora, Sue, Ralph

Gay, Bert, Ruben, Lenora and Jocelyn with Ralph and I all drove up to Oxford from Liberty 4 1/2 hours early Saturday morning over Labor Day weekend to get there in time for a BYU Booster Club tailgate party. It was the first time ever for Gay and Bert to attend a tailgate party. They had a great time and Blalock's Grocery somehow survived without Bert. Shari, Erin and Ryan met us there with a couple friends. Ryan just enrolled at Ole Miss so he was rooting for the Rebels. There were twelve of us in all. BYU was scoreless in the first half but came back the second half to win by one point.

Sunday we attended the Red Star Ward near Brookhaven for the blessing of Lucy Caroline Britt, Amber and Blaine new daughter. Shari and Aaron families also joined us for church, then nice family dinner afterwards.We kept busy during the week picking and shelling butter beans. The best part was eating them fresh from the garden. Yum, my favorite! Kathy joined us as we drove down to Baton Rouge to visit Aunt Mary Shuckrow and Aunt Sadie Nickens. They were so pleased to see us. Aunt Sadie is very frail at age 89 weighing less than her age. Bert planned a special anniversary surprise for your dad and I with a jambalaya dinner and gospel music band across the street at their lake camp.

Ralph & Sue at Alamo, San Antonio, Texas

175th Alamo anniversary

Thursday evening, we flew from New Orleans over to Austin for the Texas game. Taking advantage of some free time on Friday, we drove the 80 miles down to San Antonio to visit the Alamo. It was very interesting plus we saw the Imax Alamo history movie. My 4th great grandfather John Clark with two of his daughter's families were part of Stephen F. Austin's first 300 settlers in the new Texas territory, then part of Mexico in 1827.  The Battle of the Alamo happened a few years later in 1836 where Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett met their deaths with less than 200 Alamo defenders while fighting for Texas freedom and independence from the greater 1500 man forces of the Mexican soldiers under Santa Anna. The siege lasted 13 days resulting in 500-600 Mexicans killed or seriously wounded. It also allowed Texans to rally under Sam Houston to the cry "Remember the Alamo" eventually capturing the Santa Anna army leading to Texas (territory included Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, California, etc) freedom.

Ralph, BYU Cosmo Cougar & Sue

We attended a booster club BBQ Friday evening at the famous Old Salt Lick. Jimmer Fredette attended. Coincidentally, Amy & Seth, Redmond friends of Melissa and JD sat at our table. So sad BYU lost by one point.

We visited Matt and JoAnne's new home in Austin. They are very much enjoying the area and good schools; not liking the 100 degree heat, scorpions and fire ants. They joined us at the game plus we attended their ward today before catching our return flight.

Grand Canyon and Cozy Earth Las Vegas Trade Show

Ralph and Sue enjoy panoramic Grand Canyon vistas.

Laura, Melissa, Ralph & Sue, and Aimee families.

Gabriella, Aimee, Michael, Jack w/ Nathan, Ben, Grace, Brooke.

I realized a lifelong dream to visit the Grand Canyon. Aimee and family included the Grand Canyon in their five week Sabbatical trek across the western US from Yellowstone to San Diego. I was delighted to tag along meeting up with them at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Excitement grew with Ralph, Laura with two girls, Melissa and family of five all joined us for the adventure. We just viewed from the top only taking a short hike to the arch. It was an amazing vista all enjoyed. Only two days but worth it. Aimee's family departed for Las Vegas and southern California while we drove back to Phoenix to catch flight to Salt Lake City with Laura. Ralph and I attended family history conference for our calling as Area Family History Advisors.

Tyler, Sue and Ralph at Las Vegas Trade Show.

Tyler and Elaine working the crowd.

Next, we flew to Las Vegas to assist Tyler Howells and Elaine Layosa with the Cozy Earth Trade Show. It was very interesting with many international vendors stopping by expressing interest from far away places like Dubai and Tokyo. It was the first retail show as previous ones were geared more to personal sales. Many positive comments and much interest expressed. In general we're avoiding the national chains but Bed, Bath & Beyond did stop by to check us out. There were a few sales, but most will require follow up after the show. Our new shipment from China of bamboo sheets, silk and bamboo comforters finally arrived this week after delay from back order on fabric. These are great products with many benefits like thermal regulating and hypoallergenic plus cozy soft. Check out the website www.cozyearth.com.