Another Golden Anniversary

On Sunday, June 14, we gathered for family dinner on JB's side of the aisle at Jeremy's and Alice's home in Centerville. Not only was this monthly family dinner, but we also celebrated Mom A.'s and Dad A.'s 50th wedding anniversary, which occurred earlier in the same week (June 10).

It was a sort-of surprise party in that JB's parents were expecting family dinner but were not aware of an anniversary party per se. (It's the thought that counts, I guess?)

To celebrate the occasion, we roasted hot dogs and bratwurst over the fire for our dinner, followed by s'mores later on in the evening. JB also prepared Sunday Chocolate Pie, an Arbuckle family favorite, for dessert.

Pioneer Day 2025

On Pioneer Day, July 24, we hosted a family shindig for JB's/the Arbuckle side of the family. Nearly the whole gang, minus a few who were absent due to work commitments, gathered at our home. We cooked and served hamburgers and hot dogs, with side dishes brought by our guests.

A portion of our group went to the nearby HOA pool for swimming, and I accompanied them to ensure they could open all of the doors (i.e., I brought our clubhouse fob). This was one of little one-year-old William's first times in the water, and he was a bit shy about venturing out any farther than the first step down into the pool.

After swimming, we went back to our house to eat and play games. William continued to keep us entertained by running around with an American flag:

... and climbing through the dog door (as he is just the right size to fit):

The day before had been JB's dad's birthday, so we got him a cake. Everyone joined in singing "Happy Birthday," after which he blew out the candles:

Socially Distant Family BBQ

With warmer weather on the way, BBQ season is also fast approaching. Even with social distancing guidelines in place, the Plowbuckles (JB and I) were still able to gather with Biz and Jeff, Ben and Adi, and their kids Friday night in perfect spring weather for a BBQ in West Bountiful.

We brought Leia along, and she had a great time running around the spacious backyard there. She was also a big hit with the kids (not as big of a hit with Kuma, Ben's and Adi's dog, however) and got in a lot of "Fetch," one of her favorite games.

The kids, likewise, had a great time playing together. Not only are our wonderful nieces and nephews cousins to each other, but they are becoming good friends.

The menu for the evening included hamburgers and cheeseburgers, along with pasta salad, chips, and other goodies. JB provided cookies for the dessert.