It has certainly been a busy holiday season! I’ll recap as best as I can remember which is sure to leave a few holes and possible mis-information as my memory isn’t that great and there are A LOT of us to keep track of…something Mom did incredibly well, but sadly that apple fell off the tree and landed somewhere else.

Let’s start with the Friday prior to Thanksgiving when Sharon & Marc’s youngest, Emma, was taken to the emergency room. The next morning they diagnosed a burst appendix and surgery was scheduled shortly thereafter. As you can imagine, a very stressful time for the Kropf’s as Emma was in the hospital for over a week recovering. Today she is back in good health for which we are very thankful!

We had a large group at Dad’s this year for Thanksgiving. We were lucky enough to have Steve & Cindi’s oldest son, Brian, and three of his friends from college join us as they were “homeless”. Along with the college kids we had the Bokamper’s, Kris (a friend of Jason’s visiting from North Carolina), the Kropf’s (less Marc & Emma), Bob & Ana Derr, Ginny, and me…in total it was 18 people. We had a great meal and always a great time catching up with everyone. The only downside to the holiday (and I apologize to my sister for having to publish this) was my 9-month old niece, Clara, shared a stomach bug with 13 of us! There was a mass exodus from Dad’s the day after Thanksgiving. I also don’t think we’ll see Brian or his friends ever again.

Moving on to Christmas…Dad headed to Maureen and Terry’s ranch in Colorado with my aunt Mary, Uncle Dan and Aunt Jill. Snow-shoeing up to the mesa, a trip to Steamboat, and I’m sure a lot of lounging in the cozy main house sounds like a great way to spend the holiday.

I was in San Jose with the Bokamper’s. Christie, just like all of my sister’s, got the decorating gene from Mom. The house was so festive! Christmas lights, Christmas placemats, holiday music, holiday wine glasses…you name it! Jason made an amazing prime rib dinner on Christmas Eve and his cousin Vince joined us for the feast. Waking up Christmas morning and walking into the girls’ bedroom to see Caitlin standing on her bed saying “it’s baby Jesus’ birthday!” was probably one of the cutest things ever. And, of course, the shock & awe of Santa’s delivery was pretty cool. Clara at 10-months old was more interested in the wrapping paper than anything else. She crawls, giggles a lot, and claps her hands which is adorable.

I was going to summarize how everyone else spent the holiday, but I’m afraid this might become the next War & Peace. Hopefully everyone will send photos and chime in with comments.
Click to view slideshow.

Happy New Year!
I wish you a year of good health, love, laughs, and adventures (big or small)!

I am looking out at the sun rising through the mist on this crisp November morning and thinking of how much you loved each of the seasons.  Fall was time for you to start all of your indoor projects, whether it was organizing your pictures into scrapbooks, working on the doll house, sewing wine bottle bags, pillows or little sachets with all the beautiful remnant fabrics you collected.  I know that Dad misses having you working on your projects while watching the football games together.  We wish you were here to celebrate your birthday; however,  we will all be celebrating the day with the memories and stories of what a great mom, grandma, wife, sister, cousin, and friend you where to each one of us.   You gave us so many precious gifts and a few gifts, such as a very strong will and stubbornness that not everyone appreciates.   However,  the greatest gift was fostering the love of our family.  Your passing away has made everyone more aware of how important extended family and friends are and we have all become better at communicating to one another so we don’t lose that special connection.  Another gift that has come about is involvement in causes that matter to us.  We are thinking more for the “greater good” and taking action to fight against breast cancer, cystic fibrosis and other causes we believe in.

We will celebrate your birthday with a prayer of thanks for your love and for being our mom.

Love,
Sharon

We were in the ghost & goblin spirit from California, to Arizona, to Texas! Dad carved a couple of pumpkins to “spookify” the porch and handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters. I dressed as Medusa and went on a Vampire Tour in San Francisco with a couple of friends. The Bokamper’s, Kropf’s, O’Hare’s, Texas Ripples, and Arizona Ripples also donned costumes and hit their neighborhoods for treats. Be sure to check out the O’Hare’s front yard too…all those gravestones…spooky!

Here are a few Halloween pics from the fam…we should have a few more to add in the next day or so…stay tuned.

We hope you had a fun Halloween, too!

Dave – a rough day on the water

#3 Dave here,

A few weekends ago we had our annual “Boys Weekend” at the Donner cabin.  We have been doing this for several years now and it’s a time for the uncles, nephews, brother-in-laws and select friends (who have to meet certain initiation criteria – cooking ability, access to fine foods/wines at low cost, etc.) to get together.  We always have a great time and the chance to “bond” and share family stories, as well as get out and do some fishing, golfing, etc. is very special.

Pat, Dad and Dan enjoying dinner

Much that goes on is highly confidential (think of the great Freemason’s of our country – some of you made need to look this up – or just read any Dan Brown book like I do), and cannot be shared as we set the course and guide our family’s future. 

Needless to say, we enjoy great food (especially all the treats that Mo sends up with uncle Joe), wine, leisure time and fantasy football strategy sessions.

This year Dad (Bert), Joe, Dan, Pat, Jason B., Steve, Paul, Jim Maher, John Holden and myself attended.  Mom thought this was such a neat thing that we did…..and I am so happy the girls of the family had their first “girls weekend” this year….you know mom would have been there with you (and probably was).

Hope everyone is doing well and gearing up for the Holidays…..Dave

Dinner - Macinaw and Kokanee from Donner

On what would be Mom & Dad’s 49th anniversary, I thought it would be an appropriate day to share a bit about this years family vacation as a “tribute” to what a wonderful family they created.

This summer all the kids (7), in-laws (6), and grand-kids (18) made it to “the ranch” in Colorado for a week-long vacation. As most of you know, us kids grew up going to the ranch each summer for a week. We’d load up the van and head out…camping along the way and taking as many “back-roads” as Mom could find. We saw amazing places (Yellowstone, Capitol Reef, & Glacier National Parks just to name a few) and ending up at the ranch was the cherry on top!

Needless to say, getting the WHOLE family together this summer was no easy feat since there are 18 grandchildren now (ages 18 to 6 months) and multiple school and work schedules to accommodate. However, we somehow did it and the result of having everyone together at this very special place was incredible. (The award for greatest effort goes to Paul. At the last-minute he found out he couldn’t get the week off of work! Disappointed, but not down for the count he decided to fly to Denver on Thursday night and then make the 5-hour drive to the ranch Friday morning…only to have to make the reverse trip on Sunday. A short visit, but we are so glad he made it)!

There was horseback riding, fishing, walks, happy hour on the front porch, and great family meals. It was amazing to see all the cousins hanging out, playing, and enjoying each others company! Dad’s handmade wooden guns remain a hit! The brothers, sisters, and in-laws also enjoyed catching up and spending quality time together. And, of course, spending time with Reen & Terry was wonderful!!! It was an amazing week with countless memories.

We know Mom was there with us…amongst the wildflowers, along the river, sitting with us on the front porch, and swinging beside us on her swing while taking in the amazing scenery and enjoying the love of her family.

A few weekends ago team “Dance in the Rain” – #6 Michelle, #7 Christie, #2 Steve and wife Cindi, Dawn (cousin) and Chritie’s sister-in-law, Katie completed the 39 miles over 2 days and raised $17,328.53 for the cause!!!

#4 Linda and her daughter Reilly, who flew all the way from Houston to help cheer them on, and I were able to surprise them  (I happened to be in the area on business and just decided to extend my stay).  We “greeted” them at about mile 17 on the first day along with my Dad and #1 Sharon.  It was a very exciting, and emotional, moment with many smiles and many tears…..an incredible moment (words can’t describe).  We met them at several other spots along the way on the first day and were joined by many more friends and family at the finish line (Of course Mo brought plenty of food for us all to snack on).

We followed up Saturday with a group of over 25 meeting them at the finish line and enjoyed a wonderful picnic at Ft. Mason as the walkers shed their shoes and rested their weary bodies.  Watching the team, and all the walkers, cross the finish line to be greeted by family and friends was such an awesome experience….the joy, tears and smiles were just incredible to see.  I will never forget the site of the team crossing the line with arms locked as one…..we are so proud of what you did, but probably not nearly as proud as Mom watching from her cloud in the sky.

Just a quick note to the team.  I wish I could be there in person for the walk in a few weeks, but won’t be able to attend.  I know how much this walk means to all of us, and I am especially pleased that Michelle added a note for our good friend Kelly P. who was recently diagnosed.  She is a 42 year old mother of 3 and a very close friend of ours (first neighbors when we moved to Texas…think Ripple/Clary relationship).  Kelly is undergoing surgery on Tuesday this week and our thoughts and prayers our with her, Eric and the kids….Karen and 6 friends from school (Kelly is a teacher at the school Karen works at) just spent a couple days in Austin on a girls trip.

This walk and the money you raise is such a great tribute to Mom and such a great way to help all of those affected by this disease.  You guys rock (that’s my “cool” talk), and I am so proud of the team and the money you have raised.

Walk with pride and your heads held high….remember, Mom is certainly watching and observing your posture

In Christie’s words:

My company rocks!  Check out the pictures of the baked donations my coworkers brought in.  Not only did these generous souls bake, but they also purchased!

Last year we raised $452.  This year we raised over $500!  Amazing.  I am blown away!

What an amazing day.  We are all “In it to End it”!

I love you,
Sharon

So, I get to the top (calves killing me) and a guy is sitting on the stage playing a guitar and singing John Denver songs……first one is Rocky Mountain High.  All I could think was that mom knew I was there and had orchestrated this concert just for me!!  For a while I just stood there, took in the view, and smiled thinking of mom. 

When we were kids, every trip to the ranch mom brought along the John Denver 8-track and we listened to it as soon as we hit the Colorado border (if not sooner).  I still try the same with my kids, but for some reason, they don’t have the same “fondness” that all of us kids had of the great John Denver.  As a matter of fact, as soon as I start the music, I get the “Dad…really…do we have to listen to this” !!!  (Funny, same thing happens when I crank up the Simon and Garfunkel or Gordon Lightfoot).  My kids, and Karen, simply don’t appreciate great music.  But mom sure did……and I was glad she arranged the special concert just for me.

And yes, the John Denver album will be played as soon as we hit the Colorado border on our way to the ranch this year…..

Dave

And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky. You can talk to God (or mom) and listen to the casual reply.