My Changing Family Wall/Last Post

When I was young I babysat for a family that had a wall of family photos dating from the time the couple got married to the present.  I love being able to see the growth of the family through the years.  Since then I knew I would have my own family wall.  Here's mine it was established twenty four years ago today.

I love my family wall and all the people on it and all that it represents.  So today when I dismantle it and pack it away in a moving box my heart is filled with a strange mix of pride, love, sorrow, and anguish.  My wall will move with me as it has for several moves, but at the end of this move it won't be going back up.  It will stay packed.  In my new home my family wall is going to take a new shape.  A shape I really didn't plan on in life but one that is happening nonetheless.

But before I move on, here's an update from the past....


Over a year and a half has passed since my last post about the wedding of my oldest daughter.  Since then I became a grandma!  He's grown so much in the past five months.

Now my second daughter is going to be married in June.

My third daughter will be graduating high school the beginning of June.  My boys continue to grow, one already taller than me and the other still trying.  So you can see life has been busy and moving on. June will also be the month the kids and I move to Utah.  

People often say when they move they are starting a new chapter in life.  For me this feels like a change of a book instead of just a chapter.  My first book has lots of wonderful chapters but as a flawed writer it also has lots of heartache.  Yes I realize all life books do and I commend all the writers out there who are able to make it through life in one book.

Anyhow, the whole reason for this post is to help finish the last chapter of my first book as graciously and respectfully as possible.  Thus this is the last post of "Live from the Hammlet."

Stay tuned for "The Escapades of Grandma Kim."

Good-Bye.

Ashley and Andrew Hill, est. Aug. 6th, 2010

Our oldest daughter was married during the first week of August. We traveled to Utah from Florida in 3 days to get there, stayed four days and returned in two. It was an emotional whirlwind trip and a beautiful time. Here are some of the highlights in chronological order.

My parents were married in the Idaho Falls temple on August 4th, 1945. 45 years later on that same date, their first grandchild--Ashley Hamm, went to the temple for her own endowments. To commemerate that time, my sister Geneva Chugg, planned a Jackson family devotional to help the grandkids learn about that day and the importance of going to the temple themselves. We did it in a grassy sitting area just below the Bountiful temple the morning of the August 4th.

The Wedding BBQ was on Aug. 5th-- the night before the wedding. David and Paula Hill, Andrew's parents, were the hosts and decorated the pavillion at a Woods Cross park with Star Wars themed items...it was great for the soon to be newlyweds who love Star Wars! Ashley's Grandma, Annette DeSpain (Ken's mom), was able to get a stand by ticket just days before the wedding. She and her good friends Shade and Sharon Baldwin came to the BBQ and surprised Ashley as she didn't know Annette would be coming to Utah. Sharon and Annette made "krumkake" to share with everyone. It was a wonderful treat on both accounts...to have Annette and the krumkake!

The excited siblings waiting for the newlyweds to walk out of the Bountiful temple on the morning of

Aug. 6th, 2010.

The newlywed Hills!

Lots of smiles.

At the reception on the evening of the 6th in Woods Cross. Us Hamms and most of the Hills, gathered around the newlyweds.

I love this picture!

I made the blue dresses and the brown dress pictured.

(I only helped make the money for the wedding dress!)

A candid moment with the newlyweds, Ken and I, and Annette at the reception.

The first dance as a married couple!

The newlyweds headed out for their honeymoon in a car covered with chaulk, silly string, oreos and soda cans tied to the bumper. The boys were so proud they helped to decorate it! Any word with the letter "u" in it had the "u" colored in red! A bit of a slam for the BYU newlyweds!

The reception night was truly bittersweet. As soon as everything was cleaned up, we pulled out of the chapel parking lot and headed back to Florida. The newlyweds were off and family and friends all headed home. Alyssa stayed too as she'll be starting BYU soon. So in one day we married off one daughter and left another one to start new chapters in their lives. It still makes me cry and I still can't determine if my tears are of sadness for leaving them or joy for their growing and progressing so beautifully in their lives.

Love to you all!

Congratulations Alyssa!

On Friday, June 11th, Alyssa graduated with Magna Cum Laude Honors from Crestview High School. She was ranked 19th in her graduating class of about 400 students and as the honor students get their diplomas first we didn't have to wait long to see her walk. We're proud of her! Graduation took place on the school's football field and we sat in the bleachers to cheer her on. Here's a couple of shots from the night. We love you Alyssa!

There she is the shortest one in line!

Count twelve over from the girl in the white dress from the goal post...that's Alyssa.

Unfortunately the walking across the stage and diploma acceptance shots were blurry...here she is diploma cover in hand.

The happy family, we're all glistening a bit...even though it's 9:30 at night!

Proud Daddy!

The real diploma...she had to pick it up after the ceremony outside.

Crestview High School's colors are Red and White. After the ceremony, I told here it was time to switch her colors...and gave her these blue paw earrings. They're not official BYU Cougar paws but watch out anyway BYU because here she comes!

Alyssa loves to wear bold and bright colors. I made her this graduation dress and belt in her signature color...bright orange!

"May" be life goes by too quick

Sometimes you just never catch up. This is one of those times. So since my last post 7 months have gone by and now it's May 2010.

There's just 17 school days left in the year and the kids are ancy for it getting done. They want to sleep in, be free from homework, and swim when they want. Oh to have such freedom!

Since October:

Ken's started his Finely Wood business and set his Air Force retirement date for Feb 2011.

Ashley became engaged and finished her 2nd year of college at BYU-Provo.

Alyssa was accepted to BYU-Provo and graduates from CHS June 11th.

Audrey started driving and wrote for the CHS newspaper.

Andrew became an official teenager and became a top AR reader at his school.

Aaron grew some inches and lost a few teeth...some with and without the help of the dentist.

Kim got behind.


Alyssa just had her senior pictures done. Here's a a few of my favorites for you all to enjoy.

Yikes and Yahoo, it's October!

YIKES, another month has gone by and I havent' blogged. YIKES, it's less than three months until Christmas. YIKES, Audrey has her permit! YIKES, Yikes, Yikes...the list could go one, but I won't bore you.

The other morning on the radio as I was driving to work, the DJ was discussing the seasons of Northwestern Florida. Basically, we have two seasons--summer and NOT summer. Summer lasts six months and thus so does NOT summer. We had a cool morning this last week and today I actually curled my hair without sweating. NOT summer is finally starting, YAHOO!

Alyssa got her license today...no more driving to and from seminary, YAHOO! (or is that a yikes, too!)

Well onto old news.... Alyssa was able to get her braces off in August. Audrey had hers put on the during the last week of July...they had two weeks of braces on together. Aren't they cute!

This was Alyssa on her birthday in 2007, just weeks before she had her braces put on. She looks so YOUNG!

This was the happy day those braces came off. Don't her teeth look great...she loves to smile! And she's matured so much...can't believe she'll be in college next fall.

Disney World Trip

During the month of August, Grandma DeSpain (Ken's mom) came to visit. We took her to Disney World as she's never experienced any type of Disney Park. We had 5 days of fun...despite the August heat! It'd been five years from the last time that we went. So I stuck in a few old pics so you could see how much the kids have grown in the past five years!

We all loved the 3-D shows, but by far our favorite 3-D attraction was the Toy Story Midway Ride!

Andrew then and now at King Arthur's Sword in the Stone!

Character greetings are always fun...Pluto was really fun...he was almost "Goofy!"

At the monument to Roy Disney and Minnie...then and now!

At the Mickey Mouse Garden in front of Magic Kingdom, then and now!

Bye Ya'all!

June and July Happenings

We've been busy... okay it's a perpetual state of being at our house. But here's some highlights from June and July thus far.

BACKYARD WORK

We're on the eternal plan for our backyard projects. This year it's building a shade wall which is reminiscent of a pergola and half-gazebo like structure all rolled into one.... So does that make a half "gazegola?"

KEN'S BIRTHDAY

This was Alyssa's gift to her Dad...a Shirley Temple DVD. She was getting back at him as he gave her his dirty boots for her birthday in May!

AUDREY'S BIRTHDAY

She's 15! Oh no permit time. She had her favorite...cheesecake!

Girls' Camp

Alyssa the YCL and last year at Girls' Camp. Gotta love the camo with her magenta high tops and turquoise laces...sorry the high tops are in the shadow.

Audrey at Girls' Camp. Her 4th year. Here she just returned from her 4th year High Adventure outing which was snorkeling for the day near Panama City.

Ken and the girls at Girls' Camp right after Bishop's Devotional Night.

AARON'S PACK MEETING

Yeah, he earned his Wolf!