Mystery Vacation

I'm not giving you much to go on, but I'll tell you that this comes from the July 1985 folder. Any guesses as to where this raging campfire was built?

Summertime Cousins

Would this have been the very first cousins camp? Or an early iteration of it? I vaguely remember going to the circus with the Johnson cousins once--would this have been the same time? In any event, Aunt Kathy must have been shocked at the dress standards permitted around the Frandsen household :).

Red Roses for Rachel

Happy Anniversary, Rachel and Jonathan! This was one of the first times that red roses figured prominently in Rachel's life, but certainly not the last or most important! To our early summer bride and groom in the spring of their marriage and family life, happy anniversary!

Season of Patriotism

I don't think we had too many of these Chevy Chase Drive parades--maybe only one or two. But Brigham sure knew how to dress up a bike! (or, you know, ride while holding a flag)

Summertime Sleepiness

I sure hope Eva gets a couple of these naps in during her last pre-college summer!

Welcome home, Rosalynde and John!!!

We hope your trip abroad was as edifying as Rosalynde's previous expeditions have been!

Twins on Sunday

Hope your Sabbath day is wonderful.

Abby Road

So the direction is a bit off, as are the haircuts, the ages, and the nationality. But anyone else willing to bet that Daddy was staging his kids in one of his favorite band's famous poses? Happy Summer, family!

And They Lived Happily Ever After

Mama and Daddy, I'm guessing that this picture represents a lot about your marriage of...39 years? Even during your special candlelit dinner with gourmet food prepared by your children and served in your backyard, you still couldn't quite get away from uninvited guests. Or maybe they weren't uninvited--maybe it's more representative that the stray toddler was always welcome! Happy Anniversary! We love you!

Happy Birthday, Rosalia!!!

Happy 2nd to the beautiful daughter of a beautiful mommy. We love you!

So Many Reasons To Love You

Eva, in lieu of a graduation picture of you (since I don't have one yet :), I'm going to post one of my most favorite pictures of you. Well, in this batch of pictures, at least :). I'm sure you were more cooperative with the camera at your graduation :). Congratulations, beautiful little sister! There are so, so, so, so, so many reasons to love and delight in and cherish and enjoy and be proud of you.

Classic Christian

You're going to have to click to see a larger version of this picture in order to capture that classic Christian expression--a sly smile, aware of the camera, aware of the slight ridiculousness of the moment, a half-laugh to himself, and a handsome 8th-grade graduate's jaunty stride into the future :).

Abraham on the Field

And we have a sighting! That handsome little 14-year-old is LCHS's newest rising freshman!

The Once and Future Ben

Okay, so this picture isn't great (the whole folder is double-exposed). But I kind of liked the symbolism of Benjamin, the maroon-clad graduate, surrounded by his posse, with the first of what promises to be many degrees--real and honorary--conferred on him during his life.

By the way, I should mention that I'm not intentionally ignoring Rachel--for some reason, Rachel's graduation wasn't documented in slides. I'm guessing we have print pictures of it, but none in these digital folders. Maybe I can dig up some Joy School graduation photos... In the meantime, I've already seen some gorgeous law school ones from just a few weeks ago! So here's to Rachel, BS, JD.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!!!

It's not always easy to find pictures of Daddy, since he's usually the one behind the camera. But here are a couple of our Daddy, this handsome father of many nations. Daddy, I rise up and call you blessed for your love of your wife, your love of your children, and your love of reading, soccer, discussion, learning, intellectual challenges, the Gospel, peace, staying physically fit, trucks, carbonated beverages on your garage shelf, clean cars, German, ice cream, Grandma's cookies, riding your bike in order to be green, voice recognition technology, politics and economics, physics and mathematics, music, and so many other things that have enriched our family's life for decades. I love you!

A Different Kind of Graduation

Graduations come in all sorts and seasons, and here's a different but very special kind for Brigham.

Graduation Girls

Here I am, with the graduate of honor herself, looking very natural in mortarboard. My shoes may not match my black gown, but they match the fabulous lime-green Jackie O. suit that Mama bought for me (and that I no longer even CLOSE to fit into...).

Gabrielle in Gold

There have been a few degrees in this family... First up, we have Gabrielle singing at Baccalaureate. Do you remember what you sang, Gabrielle?

And then, of course, some other smart people were added to the family later on.

Rosalynde, the Scholar

The first of many university degrees to come! Rosalynde, do you still have the text of your commencement speech? I'd love to read it if you do...

And just because she was such a pretty 18-year-old...

Graduation Season

Let's do a little retrospective of all of the degrees in this family, in honor of our soon-to-be crown jewel, Graduate Eva.

Exhibit #1: The Bachelor and His Wife.

Happy Belated Anniversary!!!

Shame on me for missing Brigham and Christine's anniversary last week... I have so many wonderful memories of the day that the Heir of La Canada married the Princess of Banning. We love you and your beautiful, beautiful children!

The Videographer and the Movie Star

I wonder what Grandpa is doing in this picture... Any guesses?

Abe in the Morning

Abraham, I wish you were the host of the morning radio show that's always blaring in the gym when I go in the mornings. Good thing I'm too lazy to hear it more than a few times a week :). Happy Monday, everyone!

This One Goes Out to the One I Love

Here's sending some good baptism vibes your way, Elder Christian Jacob Frandsen! We love you so much and are so proud of how you are serving, teaching, and love France, her people, and her missionaries!

Sitting Around Talking

Oh man, how I'd love to drop in on that kitchen table for an hour or two just about now.

Senior Recitals

Here's where it all started, today is where it all ends... (until the next generation, that is). Eva, we're all going to be praying and rooting for you and wishing we could be there to enjoy your beautiful music! (oh, and I hope I got the date right--was it today or tomorrow?)

Babies in the Morning

Was Mama a pre-schooling Mama here? Probably not--it's 1980, so Rosalynde is 6. But even so, I'm betting that Mama loved lounging with babies whenever she could, even if she had to rush rush rush and get Rosalynde off to school.

Summer Vacation!!!

I'll be doing lots of these kinds of pictures over the next few months, I'm sure. So the game will be: where are we, and what are your memories/impressions from that trip? I think that we're in Vancouver here, and I remember LOVING that museum and that trip. I totally fell in love with Native American culture and probably built brick kilns or totem poles out in Lily Fortress as soon as we got home...

Baby Abe-y

Oh Abraham, forgive me for posting this picture, but I LOVE this reminder of what a sweet, good little boy you were (and still are!). Clearly you knew how to be self-comforting when necessary--which, with seven older siblings, was probably often!

Starting the Week

Let the weekly race begin! My bet's on Rachel to win :).

Monday, Monday

I hope you are all as serious about your Monday morning as I was about my harp practicing...

Sunday at Forest Lawn

Beautiful girl, beautiful place.

Little Mommy

This was a very familiar sight, circa 1990. Abraham, you are Gabrielle's honorary first son.

Flower Girls

We'll have lots of great wedding pictures this month, but I wanted to start with an absolutely adorable one--little Rosalynde with Joyce and Denise. And check out that fabulous 1980s cake in the background! This was Aunt Kathy and Uncle Kelly's wedding, and since Aunt Kathy made my wedding cake, I will always associate good things with Aunt Kathy and wedding cakes :).